Happy Halloween!

It sure doesn't feel like it but it is Halloween.  We got some snow over the weekend and it seems that people aren't decorating this year.  On the drive home tonight I saw very few kids.  What's going on?

Here are a couple of carved pumpkins we saw at Foxwoods this weekend.  They were those extra large ones that you find at fairs weighing the most.  More on our little trip tomorrow.

Big Score

On my latest visit to the dump, I was feeling shut out again when I spied a small box of costume jewelry.  Now, you NEVER find any kind of jewelry at the dump so I just grabbed it to look at more closely in the car.

There were five pins, two bracelets, and a necklace.  Two of the pins are real keepers, one a Monet butterfly with multi colored stones and the other a heart.  One of the pins was a snow flake still on its card from Macy's with a $22 price on it.  The other two pins were gold and just ok.  The necklace, I am not so sure about but it could grow on me. 

The bracelets are the best of the lot.  One is a gold cuff from Chico's and the other is delicate with blue stones.  It was my lucky day.

Something New

I thought I would share a recent project.  It is an acrylic abstract that I worked up pretty fast.  I think it is ok or at least I don't know what else to do with it.

Day 2

I added a few details on my latest project and here is what I have so far.  I am liking the pen and ink for the smaller details but they are not showing up in this picture.

I noticed that all the details are running up the middle so I plan to add some things at the sides.

A New Project

I was inspired by Jane Filer's artist's talk last week.  Here is my version, still in progress.  I want to add more details, etc.

Day 2 At the Dump

I had better luck today than the last time.  I picked up two books:  Eat, Pray, Love and Anita Shreve's  Body Surfing.  I passed on Water for Elephants because I already read it.  (good one)

The Grouchy Old Guy in the Blue Van was there dunging out the place.  He is there at least half times I go and I suspect that he goes thru the stuff in the guise of cleaning up and takes the good stuff for a yard sale.  He always gives these huge sighs like it is a burden and shuffles his feet as he throws things away or puts them in his van.  I find him to be unpleasant and always in the way. Fred claims to never have seen him and he thinks this old guy is a figment of my imagination.

I just finished reading my second Dennis Lehane book, Prayers for Rain featuring Patrick Kenzie and Angela Genaro.  I like the writing style and how he mentions local scenes like Plymouth, Nantasket and the traffic.  It was a good story and I understand he has a new one featuring these characters.  I'll keep my eye out for that one.

Day at the Dump

It has been at least a couple of weeks since I made a trip to the dump.  I went on  Saturday which is one of the busiest days and people were dropping off and picking up.  I got shut out completely!  There was nothing interesting, not a book, nothing.  That sure took the wind out of my sails.  I get to try again on Tuesday since I am not working that day.

Lecture

I had the pleasure of attending an artist's lecture by Jane Filer at the Duxbury Art Complex the other day.  I like her work, her colors, and style.  Unfortunately I did not sign up for her workshop because I had to work.  It is always interesting to hear about another artist's process and how they get their ideas.  I was pleased to hear that she generally does not do sketches and just lets it all happen.  You can check out her work at www.janefiler.com

I also started watching Bravo's Next Great Artist which began last night.  I thought the artist self portrait with crayons was awesome.  He is an elementary school art teacher so the crayons were a great choice.  I wonder what he used for glue.

The Heat Is On

A couple of things I don't like about the fall:  it gets dark so early and you have to turn on the heat.  We try to tough it out as long as we can but it gets so cold n the house.  The heat went on last week and once it goes on, it stays on for the next six months or so.

However, we have had a couple days of summer like weather and maybe another one tomorrow.  How great is that?

Sunday Evening

I just finished watching Hall Pass, a movie by the Farrelly Brothers. What I like about their movies is the localness.  I appreciate the fact that they always manage to refer to their Rhode Island roots even though one of the brothers ( Bobby I think) lives in nearby Duxbury.  I will never forget the glimpse of the Big Blue Bug in Dumber and Dumber, one of my favorite dumbest movies of all time.

To those of who are reading this: I am becoming a fan of Jason Sudeikis, aside from the fact that he is Lithuanian and that I think he is cute.

My point about this movie is that  I appreciate the fact that the Farrelly brothers make a good point about mentioning their Rhode Island roots but this movie was filmed in Georgia!  Yes I liked the mention of Hope Street and I liked when Owen Wilson was reading the Providence Journal with the Ocean State Job Lot ad.  I get that.  But it was all Hollywood fake!  I just wish it could have been filmed where it was supposed to be but I am sure it was all about the money.