Boo!

It's Halloween week and yes there is another freak storm heading to the east coast. Last year it was a snow storm. This year it is Hurricane Sandy. It's hard being so far away from Sam, but at least the colleges did the right thing and urged their students to leave.

October has been beautiful here this year. I am not sure if it was the hot, hot, hot summer, or what, but the colors were beautiful. I feel very inspired by color right now.

I am also very inspired by our drop of tomatoes that finally came in. I normally have ulcers in my mouth in August, but apparently this year I will have them in November.

And finally my big news. We have our new chairs in the sunroom and are actually using the room...after 5 years. We love the room. I hope you do, too. I've found out something new about my husband. He's a rocker. Our new chairs swivel and rock. Jim's a rocker and I am a swiveler. I guess after 27 years you can still learn something new about your mate.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween, especially those on the East coast. Sandy, Sandy- Go away!!!!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Lemp make their debut

Late summer/fall has been a whirlwind of activity so far in our household. You would think that pseudo empty nesters would lead a calm life, but no such luck in this household. My daughter Sam, is hard at work at her classes in PA, and I might add living in a palace of a room. Upon my return I decided to start yoga classes and I am loving them and the whole sense of peace that the practice gives me. I feel rejuvenated after the classes... and a little sore at times, but it's a good sore. I also added participation in another art group to my calendar after receiving a wonderful invitation. I am loving the weekly work time and chat time with a group of very talented ladies. September also brought two of my favorite activities: the annual Great Forest Park Balloon Races and the St. Louis Art Fair. Both weekends were fantastic. Happy sigh.

Jim and I have already been back to see Sam for Family weekend and found her to be thriving. She has gone Greek and is muddling through a difficult set of classes. We left her there to work, had a wonderful family dinner, and returned for a day at our alma mater, Gettysburg College, before heading to Washington DC for a couple of days. Again, we dated there, so it was fun to return to some of our old haunts, but not so fun to find that some of them had met their demise in this economy. From there, we sauntered south to Williamsburg, Virginia for a day and a half. No trip is ever complete without a trip to Whitley's Peanuts and a walk through the historic area. Finally we hit our last destination, Charleston, South Carolina, where we spent three glorious days at Two Meeting Street Inn, an historic b and b. We scoured the city as much as a respiratory infection I picked up would allow, and then headed home to reality.

Before we left, I taught a Kaleidoscope class at Wood Icing to a group of wonderful women, and then the weekend after we returned, I attended and demoed at a wonderful art night at Wood Icing with the theme of "Eye Spy". Attendees followed clues around the gallery (even in the artwork). A fun time was had by all. This past weekend I taught my first class at New Art Legacies in Fairview Heights;, IL. I had a class full of happy women making artful resin pendants. While over there I found out that three of my pieces of art for sale were borrowed by a reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch to be photographed for a gifts article. I am sure Peggy Wade is owed a debt of gratitude for that occurrence. I also took my Day of the Dead assemblage piece to the store for their November 1 celebration. I bonded with my protagonists, Mr. and Mrs. Lemp, while creating the vignette and hope you will too when you see their wedding day picture.

Two other wonderful pieces of news to share from the art world. First, I am happy to pass along the information that Kristen Powers (Kae Pea) has bought Rubbermoon from Debra Valoff. I have been a longtime fan of Rubbermoon, and am glad Kristen will continue the legacy as well as adding her own spin to the company. Any old fans of Effie Glitzfinger should know that Kristen has not missed a beat in designing stamps. She's opened a studio for her own art and Rubbermoon in Louisiana, Missouri. I hope to take a road trip soon to see her new digs. Check out the website and see what's new! She and her company are also on facebook.

Finally, I've been involved in Stampaway as a shopper, worker, workshop teacher, and supporter of Stamp Your Art Out for many years. Some of you might now that Connie Williams has retired and the store is closing. Connie is still going to continue to support Stampaway and will still be producing Verses Rubber Stamps, so she will still be a force in the rubber stamp world. I wish her much golf and family visits as she has her new found freedom. I am happy to pass along that a new store, Simply Said Rubberstamps is opening in the Cincinnati area in November. I am glad that there will still be a brick and mortar store in that area.

That's what is going on in my neck of the woods. Happy Fall!!!

The rest of my fall/early winter schedule is below.

Upcoming workshops:

Friday, November 9: Kaleidoscope @ New Art Legacies

Saturday, November 10: Paper Tapestry @ Wood Icing

Saturday, December 1: Sheer Fusion @ For Keeps Sake

Saturday, January 5: Rock N Roll: Brayered Surface Design @ For Keeps Sake