Living is great in southern Arizona

Wow!  The photo above is typical of the last 2-3 months here south of Tucson.  The summer monsoon rains have turned the desert a gorgeous green.  These are the Santa Rita mountains, with the iconic Elephant Head mountain framed by downpours on each side!  Mount Hopkins is the tall peak on the right, and is well known for being the site of the Whipple Observatory sponsored by the Smithsonian.  The next tall mountain to the left of it is Mount Wrightson, tallest peak in the Santa Ritas.  To the left of Elephant Head where the smaller storm is falling lies Madera Canyon.  The canyon is world famous for being one of the best birding spots ever.  Supremely beautiful mountains, and we feel very privileged to be able to see them every day!

We've settled in very nicely, and our work on the townhouse is about done.  It has a completely different look now, and we love it even more.  Our kitchen below:

The kitchen walls were stark white, white cabs, old white appliances.  So, thankfully I am married to a painter!  Walls are now a lovely Tucson Tan, and strawberry red.  A quartz countertop replaced the PINK one, and the appliances (except the microwave...budget was empty) are stainless.  The cabs are a wonderful black that sets it all off perfectly.

The dining area has another accent wall, a great oil painting by a New Mexico artist, and all my little things from "home" on my bookcase from "home"!  The patio is being used by my sister, who has arrived from Normal, IL.  She's already found a house about 10 minutes away, soon to move in.

Steve and I have joined the Lapidary club, and I'm taking classes in Lapidary and silversmithing.  Steve is golfing a bit, and signed up for a ceramics class.  I also have agreed to teach a bronze/copper jewelry making course or two.

The hardest part is over now.  We're here, we love it, and we're staying!!!!!

Moving is still hard...but it is almost over

Our new home in Green Valley, a very nice townhouse in Alpine Circle.  Curious name for a street in the desert, but it's OK.  Not quite completely moved in, as there is more to be delivered.  But it's shaping up nicely and I'll post some photos later. 

It was the first place we looked at.  Visited many more, but came back to this one.  It had been remodeled by the previous owner who  pushed out the back wall, using some of the patio space to make the interior more spacious.  We have a bit of a view of the Santa Rita Mountains, my favorite mountains in the US.  We have a pair of Gambel's Quail, who have produced the teensiest, tiniest little quail babies imaginable, so cute!   

We've joined the Green Valley Recreation facility, which is mandatory anyway.  Soon we'll take advantage of the numerous rec centers around town, pools, exercise rooms, class rooms for painting, jewelry, ceramics, on and on.   

Arizona is well known for the summer heat.  It has been well over 100 degrees since we got here.  112 is the highest yet for me!  Today though, very nice at 98!  Monsoon season has arrived, and afternoon storms seem to pop up out of nowhere.  It is a beautiful sight, and the resulting cool air is fabulous! 

I hope my friends in Bloomington/Normal will read this and let me know how everyone is doing.  

Please keep in touch with me at oldbeed@gmail.com

Moving is hard

We never would have thought that moving from our small 2 bedroom house would be so difficult.  I don't mean emotionally, as that hasn't really hit me yet.  I am expecting to be in tears on closing day though.  25 years in this house has left us with so many memories.  A few bad, but so many more of the good, long-lasting, loving memories.

But, wow, what a lot of STUFF we've accumulated!  Of course, for the entire time we've had 3 (!) home art/craft businesses.  Steve's leather working tools and supplies, thankfully have been sold.  I have continued to paint my miniature scenes, and had started to gather supplies to go bigger in my artwork.  I definitely plan to continue doing that, so all of the paints, brushes, cleaning supplies, canvases, frames, references, etc...have to be packed.  

I've made a decision not to continue making silver and bronze jewelry, but the supplies I accumulated over the past 12 years have to be dealt with.  I do have a plan to try making a mixed media piece incorporating paintings and some fired bronze metal components.  It will keep me busy for awhile. 

So with 2/3 businesses, all those tax records need to accompany us.  The IRS may like a look someday, but I highly doubt it.

Our biggest help in this is the fact there are some auction companies that are very willing to take much of your stuff and sell it for you.  Jim Pankey of the Bloomington Auction House is going to be doing that on Monday...out the door with most of our furnishings, (definitely won't fit into a Southwestern decor), my small collections of ceramics, vintage furniture, etc.  They'll need a big trailer!  

Trying to arrange for moving pods and not knowing if it will all fit, what a hassle!  At this point, I don't think I can recommend the UHaul brand of pod/boxes.  Communication has been very poor.  We'll see how it all ends up.   

Moving across the country is pretty scary.   Many,many people have done it, and I know we can too.  Boy, will I be glad to get to Green Valley, Arizona!!!!!

We have one last class tomorrow.  A BRONZCLAY JEWELERY MAKING CLASS:
June 1st, 1:00pm, 318 N. Main St., Bloomington.  email:  artjools@frontier.com.

This is a portion of a walkway found in the artists colony of Tubac, Arizona.  Just a few miles from where we'll be for the rest of our lives!!!!!

A change is in store!

Above you see our house as it looked the day after a new roof was installed, October 2012.

Last Friday we accepted an offer for the purchase of the house, with closing very soon on June 7th!  It seems impossible that after 25 years we're finally getting ready to move to Southern Arizona.  So much to do, it's becoming overwhelming!

I have planned a bronze clay jewelry class for June 1, at 318 N Main, Bloomington.  At this point I have 3 students for sure.  Please email me at artjools@frontier.com, or call 309-473-2013, if you're interested.  Class fee is $60, starts at 1pm, and will last a good 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  Bring some ideas!

I will be setting up at the downtown Bloomington Farmers Market one last time this coming weekend,  May 25.  I won't know a space number for awhile, so browse the market til you find me!!!

I have been relaxing and recovering from a long (or so it seemed) year of making bronze and silver jewelry.  I came to the conclusion I no longer want to make jewelry, and now am RETIRED!

I continue to give classes in making the Bronze metal jewelry pieces.  But then the rest is up to the students.  We'll be having a class this Saturday at the Off the Wall Gallery at 318 N. Main St, Bloomington, 1pm.  I have 2 spaces left, if anyone is interested.  Let me know at artjools@frontier.com.

My creative desires are being fulfilled now by painting, and as I've always tried to paint realistically, to change up and make things more interesting, I've switched to colorful abstracts.  Still in small miniature sizes, these are bright and color-packed.

This one is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2".  I haven't decided on what sort of frame as this point.  I can search all day long and not find a frame that would fit those dimensions, so it will probably go in a mat sized for an 8x10 frame.  

I do still plan to have a booth at the Farmers Market and Artist's Alley, downtown Bloomington, on Jefferson, Center, and Main Streets.  This starts the first Saturday in May, 5/4/13.  I'll be a "drop-in artist" which means...not every weekend.  But, I do plan to be there the 4th, and probably the 11th, just in time for Mother's Day!  I'll have the remaining jewelry, and some beads and unused metal creations for sale.  I'll post my location there, as soon as I know it!

The tree photo above is located at the Weldon Springs State Park, south of Clinton, IL.  I've been wanting to paint it for some time now, so may as well get busy!

2013 promises new and wonderful things to come!

This photo was taken last year at Weldon Springs State Park, south of Clinton, IL.   We just returned from the 2nd annual First Day Hike held there on this beautiful crisp sunny New Years Day.  Very cold, but absolutely gorgeous!  We covered about a mile through the snow, making new tracks for others to follow.  Lots of little birds spotted...titmice, redbirds, nuthatches, sparrows, blue jays, geese and a redtail hawk.  Plus a couple of deer crossing our path in front!  

I wish I'd had my camera, but did have my new wonderful Leupold binoculars, so I was afraid I'd drop one or the other of them.   

We're planning to try to sell our house this spring.  If that happens, we'll be moving west, to Arizona.  A lot of work to be done in that regard, such as cleaning out a lot of stuff we've accumulated over the years.  Still need to find a storage facility that's reasonably close by.  

January 12 we'll be giving a Bronze jewelry class at 318 N Main, Bloomington.  Mary Lynn has found a partner so that she'll continue to stay there, and we can continue with some classes.   I have 5 students so far, so let me know...artjools@frontier.com.

January 19 we'll set up again in the Museum of History, downtown Bloomington, for the 2nd indoor Farmers Market of the season.  It was a successful event in December, so we'll see what January has in store for us.

In that we've got so much stuff, we've decided to try doing the Flea Market held in the Expo Gardens building in Peoria on January 27.  I'll be taking beads, finished jewelry, collectibles, and Steve's taking his leather craft tools and patterns.  Certainly hope it will be worth all the trouble.

Have a great year everyone!

Artfire Collection on Christmas Eve

Today I received notice that my Fine Silver brooch was included in an Artfire Collection: PIN THIS!, by Umeboshi, an Artfire artisan:

PIN THIS!

  Curated By: Umeboshi

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

It is the tree/moon pin 2nd from the right. So that was a nice gift from an unknown friend! I have listed several new pieces on Artfire, including these:

We are busy cleaning out our junk from years of accumulation of totally unnecessary purchases. The problem is I still want some of it, but have no more room. Looks like we'll need to rent a room from storage facility. There are 3 here in little Heyworth, IL. But, the rooms are all rented already! We apparently are not the only people with too much stuff!