My New Journey

This year after I had my yearly mammogram, I got a letter stating that there was an area of concern on my test and to reschedule another mammogram.
I did just that and had more test plus a sonogram. I think I knew then what I was in for, but of course I was in denial. They scheduled a biopsy and I had to wait a couple of days for my doctor to call back with the results. Waiting was bad enough but when the doctor said it was malignant I went numb. I was sick and shaking all over but some how I kept it all together. I listened to everything he said. The tone in his voice was awful.
My husband is a cancer survivor. He has gone through a lot and he knew exactly what to do. As soon as I hung up with that awful phone call my husband called his cancer doctor. He got me an appointment four days later with his surgeon.
It was a whirlwind of testing and I had the lumpectomy right away. The prognosis is good. It's not aggressive, but I'm in limbo-land recovering from the surgery and waiting once again on the test results.
I was so happy to be able to see my husbands doctors. We have dealt with them for about 8 years. They are wonderful people and I trust them.  I think I'm doing really well. I'm positive. I know I'm on a new journey. The waiting part is the worst, because I won't know what type of treatment I will have to go through until the test results come back.
I believe they got it all and now everything else is just to make sure.

I decided to wait to post this until I found out more information on the treatment. Good news is I don't have to do chemo but I'm doing radiation and then I will have to take a pill for five years. A pill is better then chemo but there is still a list mile long on the side effects of this pill. 

I'm on a new journey in life and it's ok. I'm ok. Actually I feel good now that the cancer is gone. I think that for the past year that disease was growing in me and making me feel awful. It's amazing how much better I feel.

I'm sticking to my art and creative life now more then ever,

But bare with me while I go through this new journey.

Thanks and God Bless.

C.

French Quarters New Orleans

For my Birthday this year we took a driving trip to New Orleans. San Antonio to New Orleans is about a 9 hour drive with maybe a couple of short stops. Going there we stoped in Lake Charles to gamble and stay the night. Then left the next morning for NOLA. It was so much fun.
This was our first trip to New Orleans since Katrina.
Love, love, love it.
As always I like taking pics of old architecture. Hopefully it won't be my last time to visit.

We ate at Antoine's...the oldest restaurant in the states. A very nice place and since it was my birthday they took us on a tour of the place. 

We sat at the Carousel bar in Hotel Monteleone. 

I bought a voodoo doll at Marie Laveau's Voodoo shop.

Drank absinthe at Tony Sevilles.

Ate a beignet at Cafe Beignet's not at Cafe Du monde, ate at Cafe Du monde last time.

Had another drink at the oldest bar in the US......LaFitte's Blacksmith Bar and watched tourist in horse drawn carriages get served drinks by the bartender.

Ate oysters at Royal House Oyster bar.

Watched the tourist from a balcony on Bourbon street.

Walked around Jackson Square and Jax brewery. 

Shopped in the French Quarters flea market, listened to a lot of street music and ate a lot of Gumbo.
Nothing better then Cajun food. 

Summer Time Musings

This summer I'm painting over old paintings that I don't like anymore. This one had a lot of paper glued on, and an ugly girl face. I was ready to get rid of her. I won't miss her. Probably one of the first faces I painted. Now it's a mixed media art piece with not as much paper. I think it turned out pretty good, for a refurbished piece. Someone said to leave a little of the old painting in the new piece and that's good advice but I did not do that for this one.
So far it's called Houses on a Hill.
I really enjoyed working on this piece. Not sure why other then it was just fun. Sometimes I think I have to create a masterpiece each time I do a painting. That's so much pressure. It's pressure especially when you start out on a brand new canvas. Canvases are so expensive.
I'd like to carry that freedom over to painting on new canvases. I'm ready. I really want to make art for me, for experimenting, to grow, for meditation and I really don't care what other people think about it.
I'd also like to carry that freedom over to my life. I'm bombarded with this sentiment all the time but I know I don't listen. I always worry what people think about me. It's time to stop. I'm too old.
It's more then "letting go". That is so cliche. I'm sick of hearing it.
Not sure what I'm babbling about but it's time for change. A change in me. I'm excited!
The first thing I'm going to do is try to not wear makeup every time I leave the house. EEEEEK!

New Series Girl Portraits On Wood Panels

Birds Eye View

Hot Lips

Mod Girl

A new series of girl portraits that are now listed in my Etsy Shop!

Charlotte's Collection

I'm trying something different with my girls.......loose and free. These are small pieces on 8 x 8 wood panel or cradle board. 

I'm enjoying the abstract and not using any paper. However, I love collage and the mixed media use of scrap papers in my art, I just need a little change. 

I also got published in Somerset Studio Gallery again this year.

The summer June issue.

This angel was published in the issue above. On page 32 under Expressions.

Just so excited that I was accepted. It was a late surprise because I was not notified that I was accepted. 

These next two paintings go with the above angel, and were submitted at the same time, but they did not make the cut.  

Not sure why....I guess "Seek Peace" is a little wonky. LOL! 

I love the purple and turquoise hair on "Seek Love". Can't wait to get these back from Stampington. They keep the art you send in for about 6 months. I guess next time I'll just send photos. I was just a little nervous my photos would not be good enough. 

Now I have been working on large abstract art like my Pain Killer series. Some weird stuff has come from that series.

So until next time...have a great day.

Hugs,

C.

Vintage Aprons Listed In My Shop

Hello, Hello!
Hope everyone is doing great. I am almost back to normal.
I have my range of motion back, but my arm and shoulder still give me lots of problems.
Like right now I can feel the pain coming back because of the way I hold my arm while typing on my computer.
I have to set the timer for about 15 to 30 minutes to make me stop working. Otherwise my shoulder blade would start throbbing. :(
Exercise, and stretching it every day is all I can do to help.

But I'm happy I'm feeling so much better. I even went shopping with a friend and found these wonderful vintage aprons to put in my shop.
Charlotte's Collection

I love Wyanne's workshop! She is such an inspiration and I learned some great new techniques.

I'm painting some more of my crazy faces that I call my pain killers. They make me laugh. They are not finished yet.
Hopefully soon I'll have some for sale in my shop.

It's a beautiful day in south Texas and loving it. I'm sitting outside working on my blog and enjoying the breeze. I have to take advantage because at this rate summer and 100 degrees will be on us soon.

Have a great day!
C.

Hello everyone.
I want to give an update on what is going on with my shoulder. First of all I can't believe March is almost over and I have not made anything new for my Etsy shop. I'm getting anxious because I want my shoulder to get back to normal. I had the shoulder surgery a month ago. I'm still going to physical therapy. They added two more weeks of PT because I still do not have full range of motion.
FYI I had a "frozen shoulder".

I did not explain in my last post what I had, but that's what it is.  I don't know what I did to to get a frozen shoulder, but that is what I have. It's my right shoulder so it's been hard to paint, sew, clean house, sleep, just about anything because I'm right handed.

I never heard of a frozen shoulder. My daughter laughed when I told her. She was like" I'm not sure you heard the Dr. correctly, that does not sound like such a thing." But believe me it is a thing and it's common especially for women getting on in years. Not going to say how old I am because I can't believe I'm really that old. LOL. I hate it.

The worst part is, this has been going on since last September. And now I hear it could take a year to get better. However, I do feel better. I most definitely had malaise for a long time and did not really realize it.  That feeling is gone now because I'm seeing and feeling progress. Yea!

I'm taking a new art workshop so watching tons of videos. I love taking classes to get inspired. I'm taking Wyanne's Making It Big. She is such an inspiration, so glad I found her. I really needed her perspective so I don't feel so dang sorry for myself. If you don't know anything about her, she is a cancer survivor. Here are some links to her blog, website, etc. if you want to find out more about her and her art.
http://wyartjewels.blogspot.com
http://www.wyanne.com
https://www.facebook.com/WyanneArt

I have not actually started anything from her class yet. I wish I had something new to show.

In the meantime staying positive and living in the moment.

I'm Still Here

Oh where. oh where have I been?
It's been such a long time since I have posted here.
I've had so much to deal with and yet not much happening.
The last six months have been hard to say the least. I hate dealing with pain...physical pain!
I'm so tired. It wasn't enough just to have my knee scoped...I had to have my shoulder scoped too.
The pain in my knee is nothing compared to the pain in my shoulder.
This chronic pain is for the birds and now I'm going through physical therapy.
Thank God for Tramadol.
I don't think I knew what pain was until now. The stabbing, pinching in my shoulder feels like someone took a pair of scissors and jabbed them into my scapula, and I would like to take pair of scissors or a knife or just about anything and jab that into my shoulder to dig out the pain.
It's pretty pathetic.
I sleep a lot.
I try to do art work when I can. Mostly I lie in bed and doodle.
Before the pain got so bad that I could not lift my arm up over my head,  I did do some intuitive paintings.
This one is dedicated to pain. It's called "Pain Killers".....You have to use your imagination.

This next one is another intuitive abstract. I never know where the painting will lead me. It's called "Left Behind".

I'm still here, just not full force. Three more weeks of physical therapy and then who knows.