I finally finished this painting!

This my dad & 2 of his brothers painted from a photo taken in 1947.  I painted this in acrylics on a 24 x 36 all media canvas.  It was a booger and now I know better than to use acrylics - I'm stickin' with what I know & that's watercolor.  I've got a big sheet of watercolor paper to try this again!

It's Fall in the Texas Hill Country!

We finally got some rain all weekend over 5 inches for us in Burnet!  The sunsets and sunrises have been beautiful over the last couple of days and there is actually dew on the ground - that's something we haven't seen for awhile.  And, the temperatures are down to 87-90 degrees - get out the coats!  So now all the Texans who ran off to Colorado because they can't take the heat can come home now!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I don't usually get controversial in these blogs or anywhere on the 'net but I have to speak out this time during Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I suffered (and am still suffering) breast cancer last year.  Thankfully, it was stage 0 and it's gone now but I'd like to share some of my observations.  First and foremost, when you give money to these big corporate "charities" all you are doing is supporting the charity.  If I contacted the NFL & asked them to buy a whole bunch of pink gloves & Nike shoes for their players, would they do it?  Even with health insurance, the treatments bankrupted us and I'm still paying.  I contacted the Breast Cancer Resource Center, all I got was a pink tote bag full of pink crap I couldn't use and didn't want.  When I asked the director how much those bags cost to put together, she told me about $35.  I gave the bag back & asked for the $35 - didn't get it.  I contacted American Cancer Society asking for help to pay medical bills and buy my prescriptions, no help there - they aren't in the business of helping individuals but directed me to my local food bank and maybe I should contact the local churches.  Susan B. Komen organization has so much money they can afford to sue anybody that uses their "for the cure" slogan (and win).  The money collected goes to "research" and while there has been some headway in cancer treatment, for the most part the treatment is the same as it was 25 years ago.  Who is in charge of "research"?  The drug companies.  I rest my case (as the legal community says).  So, if you really want to help fight breast cancer, find someone in need and clean their house, buy some groceries, give them a free ride to treatment and then buy lunch, give them money, gift cards, I'm sure you get my drift.  That person will feel better and so will you - your money will be helping someone who needs it and not the director's salary increase for some big corporate charity.  So many women have to keep their jobs during treatment because of the health insurance factor and it's very exhausting to go through chemo or radiation.  Thank God I had my family and my church, Genesis Lutheran there to help me through with support and encouragement.  I highly recommend a church family for everybody.  Anyway, that's just my observations and I hope somebody in power someday has enough compassion and puts aside greed and money to help those who really need it.

RAIN!

It's been over a month since we've had any rain - here in the Hill Country we only get rain when it storms, then we have to deal with possible tornadoes, straight line winds, hail & lightning strikes with not much rain.  Two nights ago we had lots of thunder & lightning and we actually got 2 1/4 inches of rain.  It was a time of celebration in the neighborhood, we didn't have to water gardens or lawns!  Lots of worn out knees from thanking God!

Blue Ribbon at the Fair!

I won a blue ribbon - first place in watercolor/fine arts division at the Burnet County Fair this past weekend - June 10-12, 2011.  I was surprised because there was lots of great competition.  All of the entries in all of the categories were amazing and I even got to taste some of the baked goods winners but I'm glad I didn't have to judge any of it!

Genesis Lutheran Church Garage Sale

It's that time again!  Genesis Lutheran Church Garage and world famous bake sale is April 15th & 16th.  Finish your taxes, come on out!  Last year, Bonnie Norman and myself were going through breast cancer treatments and weren't able to organize anything so this is going to be a big one!

Got My picture in the Paper

Highland Art Gallery had a new members' show last weekend and since I was the only new member in the gallery when the newspaper reporter showed up with her camera, I got my picture in the paper! This is a watercolor painting I did of Longhorns in the Bluebonnets and my husband Jerry made the frame out of an old cedar beam from our house.

This is a Test at Jan's House

This beautiful painting was done by Jan Hulen, Burnet, Texas.

My latest Creation

I just finished making this Easter bunny doll using a Syndee (now discontinued) doll head and a light gray faux fur with a nice long pile. I used textured upholstery velvet for paws, feet and ear lining and stuck some mohair curls around the face for a little realism. The doll ended up being 20 inches tall and about 25 inches around the belly and took lots of stuffing. I made a neck bow out of a sparkly Easter print and fixed a few silk flowers and ribbon on 1 ear. For sale at http://www.joyceweaver.etsy.com/ and www.artfire.com/users/joyceweaver. A real fun project and I'm happy with the way it turned out!

Doll and Bear show

I'll be an exhibitor at the Hill Country Doll Show & Sale, Saturday February 12th at the Civic Center in Downtown New Braunfels. This is the only show I'll be doing until the holidays. Come on out, it always draws a weird (but harmless) crowd! www.dolldr.com

Happy New Year!

I am so thankful that the holidays are over, we had a wonderful holiday season, even if it was hectic and I seemed to be at the grocery store too much and cooked too much and lots of washing dishes. We are truly blessed! My off-handed goals for this year are to finish up my last tub of bear fur, then onto cloth doll making. I also want to spend more time playing electric guitar, read more music, and writing songs. I have a quilt to finish - the top is done, I have to modify the backing because I bought it years ago & didn't buy enough so that's where I am now. And, continue to paint. We're planning a trip to Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico in the spring, and the Highland Art Guild Friday morning paint crew is planning a trip to Ruidoso in September. No more doctors this year if we can at all help it! Happy New Year everybody may your year be blessed.