PISSED OFF JAPANESE MINNOW FARMER

We reeeeeaaaalllly like Halloween at 822!

Mr. Prom King circa 1975

(I'm thinking he's kind of diggin' that wig

I know I am)

So we invite a few folks over to help us give out treats

this year...hubs has the clever idea to give away

uh huh...

THE TREAT

each little spook will get their very own cup with their very own fish

THE TRICK

with no lid...hehehehe

(you might be surprised to know that minnows/gold fish are a mere 13 cents at Pet Smart)

So this inspired me..the hostess...to serve

PISSED OFF JAPANESE MINNOW FARMERS

a shot we first enjoyed at 

Texas A&M University Ring Dunk

this is where your brilliant graduate drops her senior ring into a pitcher of beer and guzzles it until she has the ring in her teeth...age old tradition...followed by a celebration at the Chicken Shot Bar for all proud parents to pick one out, put one down and say

HOWDY

In case you happen to be wondering about MY costume

well...my favorite part is either the basket on top of my head

or my fishing pole!

because I am

 A Pissed Off Japanese Minnow Farmer 

because about 1/2 of those cheap minnows are

shall we say....dead...hey...funny trick...a dead minnow

RECIPE

1/2 oz vodka

1/2 oz peach schnapps
1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz raspberry schnapps
1/2 oz Midori® melon liqueur
2 - 4 oz sweet and sour mix
2 - 4 oz cranberry juice

Mix all the alcohol except the Midori and equal parts of sweet sour mix and cranberry juice to fill the glass. Shake and serve over ice with the Midori added to the top of the glass. A cherry makes it look pretty if that matters to you.

KIRK SMITH

KIRK SMITH DIES 

According to Smith’s family, he and his wife were in town buying supplies for his silver jewelry-making business when they stopped at the Subway to eat before heading back to their home in Grants.

That is when a blue Dodge pickup drove through the parking lot and hit Smith’s truck. An eyewitness told KOB that Smith went out to confront the driver, but that the driver and two others in the truck just laughed. Then they drove off and Smith jumped onto the truck's hood. The driver swerved to get Smith off the truck. Smith did fall and was found critically injured on Claremont Street. He later died at University of New Mexico Hospital.

KIRK SMITH ART

A few Christmases ago, my most generous Indian mother gifted us all with her collection of Native American jewelry.

It was such fun, everyone drew a number, as in a lottery and she had it all laid out for easy viewing and reach.  She let the grandchildren go first and then her children.  One by one, politely waiting our turn, we selected the pieces that we loved and most of all reminded us of her.  It was truly an unforgettable gift and day.  You have never seen so many girls full of joy!  And the great thing?  We all share our jewelry with each other if and when we need to.

The first thing I chose was a Kirk Smith cuff.  My mom wears it in her photo of her in her regalia dress.

From time to time I browse around google/eBay to see if I might happen to luck into a seller who might not be aware of the value of what they have.  Yesterday, I came upon some very very sad news.

Mr. Smith is gone.

He was Navajo and lived in New Mexico near the reservation.  After years of perfecting his style he became an acclaimed artist by consistently creating investment quality old pawn style jewelry.  Heavy, detailed, with top quality stones.  

I feel so fortunate to own some of his signed work and I know all the rest of the girls do too!  It causes me great sadness to realize an artist is gone is such a tragic way.

Rest in Peace

Kirk Smith Designs

Kirk Smith is simply one of the very best in his field. Kirk Smith was a student and former brother-in-law of the late master silversmith Harry Morgan. Kirk Smith's work is considered collector and investment quality and every Native American jewelry collection should include a Kirk Smith bracelet!

COVERS

While in the process of working on the various projects around 822

I find from time to time I have to

strip the beds, take them down, make room for saws and ladders

these are the things that go on my antique sleigh bed that sure does seem to be in the way quite often

luckily, it is very easy to take apart and put back together

lots and lots of fluffy down pillows, feather beds and comforters

I bought this old chenille bedspread at a local auction and it's my flat base...I just love those sweet pompoms

I love to hand stitch old pillow cases into little throw pillows for me and my friends

Don't you just love Belle Notte?

Today, I find myself just wanting to jump right in the middle of it all

in front of a nice blazing fire

ignoring the sawdust and paint brushes

and watch Pride and Prejudice just one more time

Thoughts and prayers to all my friends in the way of Sandy

grab your covers and hide out!

GRIM AND TRUE

It's true, I can't believe it but it's really true

partners in crime

me

bo-peep

hubs

took our baby bo peep to see

THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN

ballet style

in

THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

Lone Star Ballet

Globe News Center

Amarillo

And it’s not just the decapitated ghoul’s costume that’s causing fits: Seaton also must figure out a way to costume two dancers as horses — and not in the cliched Halloween costume way with one as the front end and one as the rear, either.

ART ALLIANCE IS A GO

Our new art alliance consists of

me

daughter

friend

art teacher friend

art fans

we had our follow up meeting after the walk to discuss our success

and future plans

(sorry about the wrong bank bag in the photo honey)

on this very chilly day it  included of course

blazing fire*hearty soup*the perfect wine* and 

great artistic conversation

Pumpkin Soup

ON

Apple Dumplings

(perfect time of year for this yummy treat)

Art Walk Great Success

you can read about it here

Our first annual art walk proved to be a huge success

remember...we live in a little town...so for us it was 

HUGE

We had over 100 people

raised over $2200

every single artist except one sold work

we charged no commission

and the SHS art students raised nearly $700 (additional) by selling their own work

nothing like celebrating a good thing

and I have even MORE reason to celebrate!

can I just say

I am nearly thrilled!

AUTUMNAL BAR

'Tis the season

to bring out the spirits

and warm the hearth

with the fire (water) that makes you go bump in the night

or grab your brains and guts in the morning

spirits

warm golden melty earthy spirits

for all your goblin friends

who come for a trick or treat!

ART LOFT

The art loft was created for one reason and one reason only

and you might find this hard to believe, but art was only the afterthought

The old garage apartment was about 15 feet away from the house

and it needed to be connected if that old garage apartment was to become the master bed/bath

so...we built a space

a space to connect the original house to the old efficiency apartment

and because of the roof line, it had to be two story

(actually it is 3 stories...we will complete the 3rd bonus room someday?)

an office (man cave) downstairs and an art loft upstairs

perfect plan!

I painted this for my grandmother when I was about 8

it became my inspiration for the loft

a wall of flowers

all of these paintings are from local artists...long gone (except me)

bouquets of flowers

in pretty colors

on the street side..there are double stain glass windows

to act as "curtains"

these windows fill the room with the most beautiful light and it's just as pretty on the outside

I will also move my "HPO OFFICE" up here

I'm thinking this will be my view out of this window

or this...it's like a tree house

not quite ready to move the computer upstairs as we still have to trim out windows and floors

I might move the HPO OFFICE around from time to time

maybe into the turret?  except those beveled windows might be hard on the eyes!

but change stimulates the brain!

stuck in the tower

typing the news in the wee morning hours

I have lots of art and garden books

my latest read

this old buffet will be my sink and I think it will be painted 

raspberry..so all this will be put somewhere else

lots of great light for plants

still some things to tweak but getting closer all the time

I told cute carpenter Chad last night

"I remember sitting up here this summer when all it was was an open space...watching the summer storms approach and the cool breeze blowing through...I will never forget that...I must be more of a tree house kind of girl..because I liked it better that way."

KADER BOLY

is. in. the. 

HOUSE

1st Annual Barkley Street Art Walk October 20

Kader and my friend Miss Paula

About 10 years ago, Mr. PV and I were on a trip to Sante Fe and had wandered out to the 

Sante Fe Opera where they have lots of artists' exhibits

This intriguing young man had some interesting things laid out and we went over for a look

and that began our enduring friendship.  

I do believe I said to him

"hey, wanna do an art show in Spearman Texas?"

he said yes

Kader demonstrates how he paints at an art show at Zulu Art Gallery

You see...Kader is from Africa...Burkina Faso to be exact and his style of painting is quite wonderful

he tears his canvas so that the edges are frayed, he mixes his own pigments and dyes

from things found in his village

clay

soil

leaves

sticks

all very natural and earthy

he then mixes that with ??? and some H20

and applies it with his hands

and then adds sticks and stones and other found natural objects to his mountains and bulls and village people

When we met him, he was 22, not much English (though he speaks 6 languages that now include fluent English....so make that 7)

his art was rolled up in a back pack and he had traveled to America 

flying by the seat of his artsy pants and ended up in 

Sante Fe

and now

Spearman Texas and Facebook on a regular basis

We love us some Kader!

I do believe there was a time when our Mattie wanted to marry him

and I don't blame her

but Kader is a wanderer, an artist, not a tinge of fear in his soul

the kind of personality that allows him to go about the world

creating and sharing art..the kind he sees and touches and tastes...with folks like us

and besides...I think Coach Been might have been somewhere in the picture

Yep...Kader is 

IN.THE.HOUSE.

MO ART

1st Annual Barkley Street Art Walk

In addition to Marilyn

we are also hosting

Doug Ricketts

Amy Winton PSA

They are two of the nicest artists you could ever want to know

When my dad passed away in his belongings was a nude

signed by A.Gormley

Many years later, I was showing an artist friend, Len Slesick, the piece and he said,

"why, that's Amy Winton"

(Gormley was a former name)

What a treasure I had and didn't even know it!

When I first encountered Doug,

he was being featured for his work that included old love letters he had found in the walls of home in Lipscomb County between a Texas woman and her French soldier...

"He was just looking to gather antique wood from a forgotten farmhouse, but he found so much more."

When I saw them pull up to 822 today, I could scarcely contain myself!

Oh man...I gotta feelin' this art walk is gonna be good!

we've also been practicing our Hors d'Oeuvres

woooooohooooo!