Happy New Year - woowoo 2010!

Last night we experienced something new. The excitement on Orange Grove Boulevard BEFORE the famous Rose Bowl Parade. Around 9 pm the first float crawled up Columbia, outside our living room window. There were a dozen escorts in white jumpsuits and matching helmets, driving white scooters. So cool. We ran outside to see them up close. The floats, not the guys in the white helmets.

flower covered origami crane

The floats turned the corner to line up at the other end of Orange Grove. Our friends Rob and Elizabeth dropped in, Rob himself dressed in the white parade uniform. He had to leave to escort the horse teams that were camping out on the tail end of the 210 freeway that was closed off to traffic. So Jim, Elizabeth and I had a glass of champagne and watched a bit of the rockin' eve from NYC. Then around 11 as a steady flow of more floats rounded the corner, we went down to see them all up close and experience the whole evening with the big crowds gathered.

close up of white flowers

Back to our place to ring in the new year with another glass or two of champagne, we passed numerous parties at our neighbours, all having a wonderful time. it was really cool to see so much activity on our otherwise reserved residential street.

a flying pig

Alas this morning we stayed home and watched the parade on TV from the comfort of our sofa. Then went back to bed, not until hearing the sonic boom of the jets overheard marking the end of the parade.

a jumbo doggie - this was the float that had snowboarding dogs!

i love the white flower spray creating the white water on the waves

While many of the float elements are seeds and grasses, here is a jumbo cluster of gorgeous flowers.

Of course then this afternoon we watched the big rose bowl game on TV, knowing it was just down the street a couple of miles - somehow makes us feel more a part of it. Yes - a lazy stay at home day, but isnt it nice to recharge the batteries, and start the year off refreshed and rested?!

I wish this one turned out better - you know how i love birds!

Happy new year to you all!

Happy Creative New Year...!

When i started this blog a year ago i had several goals. I wanted an alternative to updating my altered book studio website, which was cumbersome. I wanted to keep my students engaged with the creative things i was doing, swaps i participated in, and new workshops i developed.

I wanted to provide step by step illustrations and instructions on how to create your own simple yet beautiful works of art.

And i wanted to create a voice - a place to share my thoughts on collecting, teaching, taking classes, swapping and the community of creative artists focusing on paper and mixed media collage.

I also had a personal mandate to update this blog at least every two days. I did not quite keep that up. But this is officially my 127th entry, so i did manage to post less than every three days!

We have friends visiting for the holidays, so our days are spent enjoying the sights and sounds and tastes of northern california, not so much hanging out on the computer, or in the craft room. But I'll be back in a few days to share more of my creative pursuits.

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers of this blog. I hope i kept you entertained and that you are inspired once in a while to create some art.