Fancy Art Show

A piece of David Meikle's Canyon Color, which hangs in their home. It is truly stunning.

The 'GnomeBearers' of Fred Conlon

Andy and I were honored to be invited to and be able to attend the CNS Art and Soup Artist and Friends preview last night. We loved being offered trays of wine, wherein I absentmindedly waved my hand like I was Obi Wan (saying "These aren't the droids you are looking for") using the force and saying "No thank you". Andy got a kick from that. Best of all We got to see a lot of incredible art, our favorite being from the amazing David Meikle (pronounced like nickle - just for the record). Wow. And don't even think of asking to commission a piece, as he is way backed up, and Lacey (his wife and my friend) might kill me.

As we were browsing we happened upon a most spectacular scene of metal flying pigs, monsters carrying and binding gnomes, and other very cool metal sculptures that I totally want in my yard. The artist Fred Conlon was very friendly and quickly introduced himself, and we later learned is a good friend of the Egbert-Meikles. Check his stuff out here -
Funky art. I am now extra jealous, not only does Lacey have her house full of huge, beautiful Meikle pieces, but she now has a Fred ladybug.

The Amazing MTN

I don't know where I've been, but I'm blaming it on my Google Reader which had 187 new blog posts yesterday, of which I have skimmed through since getting the "easy" computer back from AK's trip to Arizona - and I actually do read them all, scary! But I've missed MTN's, my marvelous sister-in-law's Etsy store site. Check it out. She finds the most amazing fabrics. I am in love with the apple one, I'd love an apron in it, if she will divulge her source? And I happen to know an almost 1 year old beauty who is receiving a doll in the same darling pattern as a gift from MTN. I also highly recommend the announcement stitching for a new born babe's gift. I love the one she made for P. She patiently showed me her craft earlier this year, and I actually made one (or did I just finish it? oh, someday I will catch on...). It is shown above.

Ode to Patrick and Chelsea

Wow, I am one lucky lady, we are one lucky family. I get to be VT partners with the most awesome, cutest, best dressed lady Chelsea, who brings us goodies she makes for our Visit Teachees, yum!, and then they got to be Owen's nursery teachers a few years' back, and then Patrick and his Dad came and dressed up as Santa and his Elf, Angus, and then Pat watched the boys when I went in for P's delivery, and then AK gets to serve in the EQ with Pat, then AK and Pat start blog fighting over music, and then we really start doing fun things, like playing Scrabble and snowshoeing at night, and I call them while AK is out of town so I can leave a child sleeping and go to the store in peace for a few minutes, and they come right over, and then we laugh at Pat for having such a no good, terrible, horrible, very bad day, and then he comes over on a Friday night (hot wife is out of town), and spends 4+ hours putting my new, awesome bike together (while I watched House, I know, pathetic!) and making it adjusted and fit to just me! These are kids who teach first graders all day (Chelsea) and a full-time Pre-Med student studying for the MCAT and starting a non-profit so he can "play" in Samoa for the summer with some sick people, all while serving as one of two leaders for the moment in Young Women, in the EQ, and they don't just do it, they DO IT with style and real effort and disgustingly selflessly and still have fun! Oh and while training for the SpudMan triathlon (Pat). I want to be Pat and Chelsea when we grow up. (Because despite the 10 or so years difference in age, ahem, more "positive" in our direction, they are far more mature than we will ever be!). By the way, Pat has always reminded me of super sharp, young and ambitious, and sweet suit wearing brother in law Ryan...that's another reason we like them so much.