About Me

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I've been an artist my whole life and have had so many exciting art related jobs, which makes me kinda of a jack of a bunch of trades. I'm also college grad with a BFA and went to the High School of Performing & Visual Arts here in Houston. Visit my shop at Etsy and I promise you'll most likely receive a Smile to take with you! I decided to mention that about 10 years ago I was on chemo for 2 years. The chemo worked, but left me with other Heath issues, such as a case of Fibro which left me with having to get disability.Sad news, since I had a great career, that I can not work anymore. With my Faith and determination, I am determined to still do my art. My art gives me inspiration and thank you God! Oh, and please follow my blog! I'd love to have yall join me in my show and tells and also would love to hear what yall have to show and tell!:)

Monday, August 24, 2009

Festival Season is Coming up!


Since I can't handle the heat here in Houston, I start my festivals in the cooler weather. I also have discovered a new way to express my art through mixed media and collage type art and I am so excited about this! I still need to do some of my usual stuff that always sells, but in my shop, I have gradually gone down on prices and I am going to discontinue some of the items. In the 90's my work sold four times more than what I sell them for now. No more mass production, especially since I don't use molds. I will be doing original collage and mixed media pieces and trying to sell them at a price that is affordable to the economy. I'm high as a kite producing my new art and there are too many ideas for the time I have! So this is the busy season and I am getting ready for it! Less blogging for me at this time, but will check in every so often to read other posts and leave comments. I may even post a blog sometimes. Ok....off to work now!
Best wishes to yall, don't forget about me!!!
Linda :)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Blabla Dolls Contest!!!


I just found another wonderful contest to win a blabla doll! Just follow this link to enter! There are many dolls to choose from as well. The blue kitty is my favorite, but I was forced to pick out a favorite, because all of them are so adorable, I would love all of them!!!
http://www.fivemonkies.com/2009/08/blabla-dolls-review-and-giveaway.html

This is what their blog has to say:

Home > blabla dolls review and giveaway blabla dolls review and giveaway
9:35 AM Posted by fivemonkiesreview

I have always had a love affair with stuffed animals and dolls. Maybe it stems from the softness of them. Or the fact that you can take them anywhere you want with you. You can sleep with them comfortably. Oh so many reasons. My children have the same love of stuffed animals and dolls.

blabla offers a great place to purchase the most wonderful dolls. The stuffed dolls are soooo very soft and so adorable. When we received our dolls for review, the kids latched on to them immediately. Connor and Colton can't sleep without them, and carry them around constantly.

The reason the blabla dolls are so soft is because of the materials they are made from. Everythig is made from natural fibers that grow in Peru and hand knitted by Peruvian artist. The lne is designed by Florence Wetterwald. You can get more than dolls though at blabla. You can get blankies, rattles, finger puppets, and clothing! All of which are made with the same care and consideration that the dolls are made with.

You can purchase the dolls in two different sizes, and many different styles. They are very strong (the twins have pulled them every which way they could).

Want your very own blabla doll? Well, you can purchase one from the blabla website for starting at $34. But WAIT!!! The wonderful people from blabla have offered one winner a doll from their collection.

Mandatory entry:

Visit blabla and tell me which doll you would get.

Extra entries:
Follow this blog
Suscribe to this blog
Grab the button or add me to your blogroll
Fav this blog on Technorati
Follow me on twitter AND tweet this giveaway
Blog about this giveaway linking back to both me and blabla for 5 extra entriesBecome a fan of Five Monkies on Facebook

Giveaway will end on September 3rd @ 11:59 pm. Open to US only!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thank you so much Sarah!!!


I was just given this beautiful award from Sarah of Cottage Garden Studio! It's so beautiful and I wish I could pass it on to so many people! But that is my problem, I can't choose, as all my blog buddies are so wonderful, I want to give this award to everybody that follows me. Everybody is so special in different and awesome ways! So, if you follow my blog and make comments to me and I have made comments on your blog, you are deserving of this award too! Yall all inspire me!

These are Sarah's words:

A few months back I met Ces and Bella. I was lucky enough to be given their wonderful award for Renee by Ces personally (she is an amazing woman). I was quite touched by this. Bella popped into see me then too and I got to know her sweet self. Not to long after that, as Bella was preparing to move her family from Japan back here to the states her husband suddenly passed away. Heart wrenching to say the least. Bella has been back a few times to check in..but as you can well imagine she is busy with her life. Our hearts and prayers are with you Bella!!

Bella's partner in crime and dear friend Ces, created this beautiful award in honor of Bella. I have been blessed twice this week by two wonderful women. Sherry and Becca both offered this award to me and I take it with deep gratitude! Thank you both!!

In Ces's words...
"I designed this award to celebrate art in the blogs and to honor the value of friendship, sisterhood, sharing and caring. It is to be awarded to the gifted, accomplished, eloquent and talented blogger whose friendship and influence inspire us to do our best. That I named it after Bella Sinclair is because she epitomizes all of these things. She is an inspiration to many of us."

What a wonderful sweet gal Sarah is, I must say, just meeting her in the past couple of months and a very talented lady to boot!
Thank you with all my heart Sarah!

Article about Dewey


I told my friend, Sharon, that I was reading Dewey and she wanted to know if I was reading Dewey, about the library cat and I asked her how did she know about it? Well then she sent me this article! For all you cat lovers, I thought yall might enjoy reading it! It's kinda long, but I thought it was really cute as it relates to all kitty cats!!! :)

Dewey Readmore Books was the resident cat at Spencer Public Library. He was put in the book return one cold January night in 1988. When the staff found him the next morning, they decided to adopt him. After the library's board of trustees and the city council approved, the kitten was declawed, neutered, and given the proper vaccinations. A contest was held to pick a name, and Dewey Readmore Books was officially added to the staff. The staff cared for Dewey and donated their pop cans to feed the kitty. Patrons and friends from as far away as New York have donated money for Dewey's food.

Dewey generated lots of publicity for the library. He was featured in the local paper, Country magazine, Cat Fancy magazine, on the Sioux City television stations, in books, and on postcards. He was a video star in Puss in Books, a documentary about library cats. Of course, Dewey was already the star of the library. Many people came in just to see him. Dewey even had his own job description. Check out Dewey as a supervisor of our staff.

Dewey passed away on November 29, 2006 due to complications from a stomach tumor. He had become very frail because of hyperthyroid disease for which he was receiving medication. He died in the arms of the library director, Vicki Myron. He had just celebrated his 19th birthday eleven days before he died. Although Dewey is gone, he will be remembered by thousands of people whom he cheered by simply being a loving presence in the library. Although we may get another library cat, Dewey will never be replaced. The library won't be the same without Dewey.

DEWEY'S JOB DESCRIPTION
Reducing stress for all humans who pay attention to him.
Sitting by the front door every morning at 9:00 am to greet the public as they enter the library.
Sampling all boxes that enter the library for security problems and comfort level.
Attending all meetings in the Round Room as official library ambassador.
Providing comic relief for staff and visitors whenever possible.
Climbing in book bags and briefcases while patrons are studying or trying to retrieve needed papers underneath him.
Generating free national and world-wide publicity for Spencer Public Library. (This entails sitting still for photographs, smiling for the camera, and generally being cute.)
Working toward status as world's most finicky cat by refusing all but the most expensive, delectable foods---and even turning up his nose at those most of the time.
*RECENTLY UPDATED!*
Dewey is an official member of the Library Cat Society and has been a contributing author on several occasions using Vicki Myron, the library director, as his scribe. Vicki has written an adult book about her life with Dewey at Spencer Public Library, published September 24th, 2008. Vicki has retired from the library, but you can contact her at:
Vicki Myron
P.O. Box 1155
Spencer, IA 51301

For a description of the book, click here and to read an excerpt from this best-seller, click here. Dewey is also available on audiobook. For more information, click here.

BASIC RULES FOR CATS WHO HAVE A LIBRARY TO RUN
(according to Dewey Readmore Books)

STAFF:
If you are feeling particularly lonely and wanting more attention from the staff, sit on whatever papers, project, or computer they happen to be working on at the time---but sit with your back to the person and act aloof, so as not to appear too needy. Also, be sure to continually rub against the leg of the staff person who is wearing dark brown, blue, or black for maximum effect.
PATRONS: No matter how long the patron plans on staying at the library, climb into their briefcase or book bag for a long comfortable sleep until they must dump you out on the table in order to leave.
LADDERS: Never miss an opportunity to climb on ladders. It does not matter which human is on the ladder. It only matters that you get to the top and stay there.
CLOSING TIME: Wait until 10 minutes before closing time to get up from your nap. Just as the staff is getting ready to turn out the lights and lock the door, do all your cutest tricks in an effort to get them to stay and play with you. (Although this doesn't work very often, sometimes they can't resist giving in to one short game of hide & go seek.)
BOXES: Your humans must realize that all boxes which enter the library are yours. It doesn't matter how large, how small, or how full the box should be, it is yours! If you cannot fit your entire body into the box, then use whatever part of your body fits to assume ownership for naptime. (I have used one or two paws, my head, or even just my tail to gain entry and each works equally well for a truly restful sleep.)
MEETINGS: No matter the group, timing, or subject matter, if there is a meeting scheduled in the meeting room---you have an obligation to attend. If they have shut you out by closing the door, cry pitifully until they let you in or until someone opens the door to use the restroom or get a drink of water. After you gain entry, be sure to go around the room and greet each attendee. If there is a film shown or slide show, climb on any table close to the screen, settle in and watch the film to conclusion. As the credits roll, feign extreme boredom and leave the meeting before it concludes.
And the library cat's golden rule for all time....

"Never forget, nor let humans forget, that you own the joint!"


Be sure to "see" Dewey by ordering some of his postcard pictures. The Friends of the Library are raising funds for the library by selling four different poses of our famous feline which we will mail to you.

Visit Dewey on the net: Dewey's Facebook page

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Kenzie Day! She's Jealous and wants me to Brag about her!


Kenzie is so....jealous that I am following so many darling animal blogs that she wanted in on the deal! So I promised I would put in some pics of her and a post about her at least once a week! I will gradually tell you about her. I rescued her at age 9 more than a year ago. She hated me at first. I felt like the "cat whisperer" and slowly she grew to trust me and now we are so in love! She never had a steady home and at one time I think she was abused. These pictures are not great, but they tell the story of her getting used to the bed I bought her, which she took to it immediately and was kneading it & purring at the tops of lungs. She had a lot of trouble at first and this bed, yall may think, is too small for her, but I didn't have the heart to take it back as she loved it so.....much! When I first got it she was so happy! & I left the room for a second and came back to find her upside down, with only her hind feet in it! Darn, I didn't have a camera on hand to capture that pose! She looked up at me and said "Meeeeeeooooow...? Mo....m?"









She eventually figured out how to fit in with her very long legs and tail.



So that is part of the story of Kenzie and her bed. She has been attached to that bed ever since, yet she has her favorite other spots which I'll tell yall about later!
Hope yall have a Fabulous week!!!
Linda:)

Thursday, August 13, 2009

I Found another Contest!

First Prize

Second Prize

Third Prize

Sarah from Cottage Garden Studio announced today that another blog that she is a member of is having a contest! The prizes are wonderful too!
To get to the site please follow this link:
http://yeoldethymeprims.blogspot.com/2009/08/delicious-giveaway.html#comment-form
Their blog is called Ye Olde Thyme Prims.

This is partly what Sarah said!
For one chance leave a comment here on this post and make sure you tell me you want to enter!
For a second chance..become a follower of our blog.
For a third chance.. post a link on your blog. Either a post or a side bar link to the giveaway here and come back and let me know you have posted it!!

I will do a random drawing for the three items we are offering here on Saturday the 29th of Aug. at 9am. No entries will be accepted after that. The winners must email me with mailing information(Sarah) within 24 hours or your treat will be passed on to the next person drawn. It is open to all, you don't have to live here in the States to win. Good luck all!
Prim Blessings, Sarah


So I hope yall visit there and take a chance on winning a prize!
Good Luck to all!!!
Linda:)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I Feel Like a Prize Winner Today! Lots of Thanks are in order!


Mishkat sent me her copy of Dewey!!! Isn't she the sweetest? Just the other day at the dr's office, a lady was holding the same book and really giving it a sales pitch! She was gleefully, if that's a word, bragging about how wonderful this book is and that it's such a "feel good" book! So today, I go to the mail and lo and behold, there is this package from Mishkat with this very book, "Dewey" in it!!! Sorry about my photography! I am so excited to read it and once I finish it I have to give it to my mom because my parents are so crazy about cats too!
A HUGE GIGANTIC THANK Y0U SO MUCH KATIE, from Mishkat's blog!!!


And one more thing I must share with yall! For goodness gracious, Meghann at http://FibroDiaries.bogspot.com is having a contest, prize give-away! Who would pass this up? I already own one of her gorgeous rings that I posted on my blog and yall can see throughout my posts I've shown some of her gorgeous pieces! She is having a give away that should not be ignored! Her jewelry and photographs are to die for!
They are outstanding and so beautiful! Yall must visit her blog and sign up! She has 2 contests going on actually and this one I speak of is just today, but the one below this contest that I speak of, I believe goes on longer! I have already picked out my favorite piece, which is really not my very favorite, because all of her items are my favorites. I just chose this piece because I wear a lot of browns and I do love this ring so much! It could look fabulous with some of my other jewelry and attire!
I already wear her light green ring she customized just for me so much!
I am sharing this with yall because I don't want yall to miss out on this great opportunity!
Thank you Meghann for giving us the opportunity to get a chance to win one of your precious items!!!

Hope all of yall have a wonderful Wednesday evening!
Good night and pleasant dreams!
Linda :)

Help me out with the New Houston Treasury!

I just made a new Houston Treasury! If you can please follow this link, sign in, make a comment & click on each shop to help promote my fellow Houston Artisans!
Thank yall so much!
Linda :)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=75800

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Thank you Annette Quirke!


Impatience

Summer Breeze

Above is a couple of Annette Quirke's pieces I love! and she just gave me
this award and I'm accepting it with glee! LOL! All I have to do is name 7 things I love. And also link it back to the person that gave it to me! Hey no problem there! http://Annette Quirke.blogspot.com is one of my faves as her style of art always makes me smile! She lives in Gilbralter! I have never met or known anybody that lived in Gilbralter! I'm sure she has a story to tell!
Thank you Annette!
My 7 favorite things are:
1. My family and friends and pets!
2. Arts and Crafts! Doing it myself and also seeing other's work!
3. Nature, & animals of all kinds too.
4. Traveling!
5. Rainy days and watching movies in bed!
6. Coolish days outdoors like at Art fests or sitting outside on a porch or restuarant.
7. Music and theater!
8. I have to add, my relationship with God as well. I wouldn't be able to get through this life without my Faith!
I'd also like to give this award to:
If you are a follower of mine, yall all deserve this award! So I am giving it to all that want it as it is well deserved! Please accept it and put it on your blog! If not, fill in your favorite 7 things in my comment section!!! I would love that!

Another 2010 Diary Page!


Most of us know about the Fantasia 2010 Project. Well I got to do another page incorporating my collage mixed media art in this one. All her pages are taken now and I can not wait to purchase this diary! As I've said before, I bought 3 small ones last year and kept one for myself and gave 2 away as presents. I will say that this one hasn't been approved yet, but hopefully it will. If not, I'll yall know!!!
Have a fabulous Tuesday!
Linda:)

Monday, August 10, 2009

New Pictures




Hi Yall on Monday!
I get to go to the dr's again today! Nothing serious, just routine, but it's a waiting room for hours. Arg. Hopefully it will be my last dr. appointment for awhile.
My boyfriend was over this weekend and he took some new pics of my collages. I will need them when I put them up on my Etsy shop. I still need to make a few more collages though before I reveal them to the world. They look so much better in real life. I guess that's why my work sells at art festivals better than on Etsy. But I don't do festivals except for the the cooler months. They are so...difficult for me to set up and tear down as well. But I LOVE doing the art festivals so much! I always meet such great people! I have to have a partner sharing my booth, but I've done it before by myself and it takes me all day practically to set up and then the day is over! LOL! I keep all my supplies for fests. in my Cherokee jeep because I live in a highrise and it's ridiculous to bring everything up to my apartment. It's also ridiculous having a jeep filled with art fest stuff and I have no room for a passenger!!! If people only knew what I go through for them at these art fests! LOL!
So here are some new pics and although they still don't look perfect, I think they look a lot better than the pics I took!
I promise to scroll around and visit yall's blogs soon and make comments! That gives me something to look forward to because yall are so much fun!!! I wish I had a laptop to bring with me while I wait at the dr's!!!
Have a beautiful day!
I must go now!
Linda :)


My swap Gift for Etsy Texas Crafters Team

Friday, August 7, 2009

Awake at 3:00 am this Morning!


It's very late and I need to go to bed but I have been so busy with projects and just can't seem to get things finished!!! I decided to take off the contest as no one seemed interested. But that's cool, maybe a later date would be better anyway. I just am in the mood to give for some reason!

All of yall that wrote about the photo of the tree, well it is a photo I took when I went to Maui over a year ago. I made a photo story and it's an hour long, but it's got some really pretty pics and I couldn't even put all of them in! I added music to it too. I wonder if I could figure out how to insert it in my blog. It may be too long to fit though. But it sure is pretty and it tells the story of what happened when I was there. I am not in many of the pictures. But in case I get a chance to put the video in, I don't want to give it away. But I put up another pretty pic for yall to see. I didn't take this picture though.


So... I have taken 100 pictures of each of these collages and can not get a good picture of either!!! The landscape here is one I started to make for my Etsy Texas Crafter's Team "one on one" swap, and when I finished it, it just didn't seem right for her. I was trying to do something not to frilly, but I do kinda like it and maybe someday someone will buy it. I promise it looks so much better when you see it in person where it's not all blurry!


Here is the one I finally made for her as her favorite book is the Bible, & her favorite color is purple. I needed it to be simple and meaningful too so I put the quote from Psalms 23 on a scroll. I wish I could get a better pictrure for it though.
It also looks much better in person where it's not blurry and everything is crisp. You can't even see the folding in the dark leaves hardly and there is a touch of glitter on the light leaves and the rods for the scroll. I will try to take more pics of both and replace these.




And last but not least! Ruth of Rhadcliffe Designs, I follow her blog and she follows mine so you can go to her blog if you can find her pic by scrolling your mouse over my thumbnail pics, and http://RhradcliffeDesigns.Etsy.com is her shop....yall must go see her work! She does beautiful paintings! I own the watercolor print above!



She also has another shop called http://ElephantDreams.Etsy.com where she has gorgeous photos! I'm showing yall a couple of my favorites. She's a Houstonian also, actually lives in Katy just outside of Houston. That is where Renee Zellweger is from. Well...she sent me an invite to join in on a fun thing to do in this Blog Land......this is what it said......

Friday, August 07, 2009
Liz Edgar tagged me with this little meme


Here are the rules:
1) collect the book you most handy
2) turn to page 161
3) find the 5th complete sentence
4) Cite the sentence on your blog
5) pass it on to other blog friends

here's Liz's: "A lavender haze was setting over the hillside, and the air seemed unusually sharp, causing Alex to shiver in her wool suit, sheer stockings, and low heeled shoes" (Manhunt by Janet Evanovich)

here's mine:"The SQ is responsible for all parts of the province not under the jurisdiction of municipal forces, of which there are many in the Montreal suburbs" (Grave secrets by Kathy Reichs) Sorry mine isn't very exciting.

I have chosen:
Liz: LavenderLizard.blogspot.com
LindaGJ: LindaGJones.blogspot.com
Jackie: Jacqueline'scraftycreations.blogspot.com

So.....
Here is mine...in honor of Katy, Texas and Renee Zellweger I picked...

From Bridget Jones's Diary...Actually I cheated and picked out the best sentence on the page...If you have not read this book, well there are 2 books and 2 movies... I highly recommend both of the movies and books! The other book and movie are called:
Bridget Jones:The Edge of Reason.

Friday 4 August
Thigh circumference 18 inches, negative thoughts 600 per minute, panic attacks 4, crying attacks 12 (but both times only in toilets and remembered to take mascera), lottery tickets 7


I'm suppose to pick out people to also do the same! Any volunteers? When you write a comment, if you want to, you can write it on your comment! That would be fun! But you don't have to at all.

Anyway, I'm going to be sick tomorrow as it's so late and I have to get some more stuff done before I go to bed and tomorrow will be going to wish my Uncle Happy Birthday. I think he's 95! So much to do and so little time! I really wanted to also browse through yall's blogs today and leave comments! That will have to wait though for another day.

Good night to yall & thanks to everyone that made such sweet & nice comments!
Makes my day!!!
Linda :)

Thursday, August 6, 2009

I Feel So Blessed Today!!!


Yipee! This month or so I have gone through a lot of dr tests and being afraid of them finding something serious and I have passed all of the tests, and I'm healthy, except for the fibro!!! The fibro won't kill me! I feel so relieved and very blessed and just had to express this on a post just because!!!
One thing I have to also say is that I am so embarrassed as I put up this contest in my blog and the dashboard posted all of my drafts!!! Many times! Good grief. I don't know how to get rid of them all. I would kinda feel like crawling in a hole and hiding out for awhile, but I am so happy and relieved, that I just feel oh well...no biggie...it's time to celebrate and be happy to be alive!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

My new Gorgeous Ring and more!!!


www.LittleStudioJewels.Etsy.com, Meghann, made me this customized ring I bought from her. I fell in love with her red ring that is similiar, but as I don't wear much red, I needed something in green, sea green, or brown. As you can see this is a dream ring....well, it is too me!!! I just LOVE it so much!!!


And if the gorgeous green "makes me feel like a princess" ring wasn't enough, she sent me this fabulous pendant as well!!! I will be hanging this piece as an art piece with other fine art work. And she said if I didn't like it to give it to someone else that would!!! No way! That baby is mine!!!
Thank you Meghann!!!
Linda :)

The Etsy Texas Crafters 'one on one' Swap!


I just had to show off the gift I got from www.PuzzleBoBuzzles.Etsy.com !!!
She knew I loved collage art so she picked a puzzle that she made for me that is a print of collage art with a gorgeous butterfly by www.kathypanton.etsy.com! I put it together and framed it and it's now hanging in a perfect place in my apartment and I LOVE IT!!! Go check out her fabulous shop too! She's a fellow Texan like me!!! I still am working on my gift for someone else! I'm having a difficult time too.:( but I hope she will like it!
Thank you so... much Jill!!!