Thrilled Thursday Fruitful Friday

I plan on enjoying being at home today and tomorrow, while getting a lot done. My to do list is uber long. Anybody want to come help?

Blue Monday Black Tuesday

It's time for a couple of days away from work. Today is my Friday.

Some Recommendations for You

Avenue Montaigne - charming French comedy

Enchanted April - it enchanted me

William and Mary - what happens when an undertaker falls in love with a midwife? watch this BBC series and see

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - adapted from a Anne Bronte novel

Mostly Martha - every foodie should see this one

Falling for a Dancer - set in remote Ireland

Her Majesty - delightful coming of age story

Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring - another set of French movies...very good

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas - startling

The Chorus - first time teacher teaches delinquent boys to sing like angels

Arranged - two arranged marriages...one Muslim and one Jewish

Big Night - fantastic cast, fun movie

Bread and Tulips - unappreciated housewife makes a new life for herself

Lost in Austen - fun for all Jane Austenophiles

Miss Austen Regrets - based on her life and letters

Cranford - wonderful English period piece

Ladies #1 Detective Agency - you'll love it

Must see movies that I give 4 and 5 stars for being either heartwarming, thought provoking or just plain entertaining.

Benchmark

I took this picture because these two patterns together make me smile.

How about you? Do you decorate with lots of color and pattern or do you tend to use mostly neutral colors. Has your style changed much over the years or do you mostly stick with the tried and true things you've always loved?

Blind Contour Friday on Saturday

Stapler and Mono Correction Tape gadget.

See more blind contour drawings here...better yet, do one yourself and participate. It's fun!

Happy PFF from Amish Country

About ten years ago when my oldest son and daughter in law lived in Ohio, we made a couple of day visits to Amish country. We toured a Amish home, had some homemade bread, ate at some good family style restaurants and toured a cheese factory. We also meandered along a lot of country roads. The Amish countryside is quite beautiful. One of my favorite sights was lines of their clothing drying in the wind. Another favorite sight were the conical hay stacks. Here in Alabama, farmers roll them into big bales of hay...there they were shaped like the haystacks in Van Gogh paintings.

My daughter recently gave me a few of the postcards she had purchased as souvenirs.



For more Postcard Friendship Friday posts check put Marie's blog Cpaphil Vintage Postcards.

Road Trip Sunday

We went North in search of fall color and adventure.

We found color under our feet.

And above our heads.

Our destination for the day?

The biggest used bookstore I've ever been to.

McKay's Used Books.

I took a sack of books with me, traded them for credit to use for my purchases...a new sack of books to take home.

EDIT: The McKays that we went to is in Chattanooga, TN. They also have locations in Knoxville and Nashville. You can take in books, CDs, videos, etc that you would like to trade. They will give you cash or credit for trade. The Chattanooga location is easy to find, but they recently moved and the map on their website isn't up to date. The new location is on the same road as the old location so it isn't hard to find. Email me for directions if you are going to make a trip. The store is easy to navigate. It is set up in sections much like any bookstore. If you love books you've got to go! It didn't take me long to bust my budget. I picked up 6 or 7 Little Golden Books that I didn't have, 2 childrens books for the grandkids, 3 art books for moi and 3 novels for myself.

Exactly a Week Since My Last Fix

My co-worker just popped the top on a soft drink. I swear I heard the fizz escape.

Friends, I'm in pain! I've been good, but I want one.

Blind Contour -Week 3

And because I can never do just one.....more practice on faces.

The same face...8 interpretations.

Check out more blind contour drawing on Diahn's blog, Ottwork.

Checkers Anyone?

Everyone always assumes that I should be great at costumes because I'm creative. Or that I could come up with wonderful party decorations or backgrounds for plays. I don't feel a bit of confidence about my ability to do those types of things. But, I have some friends that always awe me with their creativeness on Halloween. In fact, I'm slowly learning how to do it from them.

So my friend called me today to see if I would come over and help her paint her face. She was going to a party as a checker board. I said okay, but thought...you can't draw straight lines on a uneven plane like a face.

And they're not straight...but I don't think it really matters.

The Queen of Hearts, Checker Board, Puppy and Dog Catcher

We are totally different. They are the life of the party. I love my friends. They bring something wonderful into my life.