what a week...

it's been one of those weeks in the studio....chaos chaos and then add a little more....the phone is ringing off the hook - i think everyone is decorating, so many pieces are being ordered from my regular clients to newbies...but don't you fret if you have game boards already on order, you are already written on my calendar so you are safe in cement, but honestly i'm about to start taking orders for july....oh my, busy busy busy...

this week has been full of news and opportunity too - must be the natural growth that comes in spring...you will find me in the August issue of Romantic Homes Magazine...yep that's right! they gave me a call this week and said that they would love to do a 3 page feature spread on me and my work!!! how fun is that?, loads!!!...but lot's of preparation on my end for i have boards that need to be finished and photographed, a studio that needs to be cleaned up for more photos...hair and make-up (tee hee), and an interview to give where i really hope i don't sound like i'm to stupid, (that's ALWAYS in the back of your mind in those circumstances)...but my hat's off to the writers for they can make anyone sound intelligent! but i feel very blessed for all the positive feedback i've received this week from my wonderful clients to honors that will help my art continue on - for this is a dire time in so many artists life.

baseball has started in this household so we are going and coming in every direction for the next months...so cold the other night i had to sit bundled in a blanket in the car to watch the game turning on the heat every now and then....tomorrow, sunny and maybe even 70! yippeeeee....everyone will show up in shorts that's for sure...

just quit smoking - pray for me....it's the billionth time, so i need all the help that i can get...for it is the hardest thing that i've every had to do and have never been able to accomplish this for good...so please keep me in your thoughts for it is a struggle...

if you would like to be taken over to my game board website, here's the link: dallisongameboards

yes!!!

well to tell you the truth, i'm so darned excited, for one of my wishes came true! the early american life magazine - accepted my work for their 2009 directory....if you are not familiar with this group and directory click on the link that i've added...for you will find some wonderful artists listed in the directory...

and why is this such an honor? here are their words about the directory and what it stands for -

"The Directory of Traditional American Crafts is an honor bestowed on a handful of artisans who work in traditional media, styles, and crafts, an award that singles out their work as the best now produced in America today. Each year a jury of museum curators, collectors, and other authorities selects the work of the top traditional crafters working in America to be honors and listed in the Directory, which appears in Early American Life magazine."

"An artist who has been selected for the Directory has had his or her work thoroughly evaluated by a panel of experts. They have graded the artist's work as showing a mastery of the chosen craft, a mastery that represents the top of its individual field and may even be suitable for museum display. This jurying assures you not only of the top-notch skill involved in making the work but also its historic integrity. The work included in the Directory is either an accurate reproduction of historic work or an original interpretation of a historic style that is entirely consistent with its historic roots."

well that just makes me feel good!, and makes me wonder how i snuck through!

here is their link for you to check out: Early American Life Magazine

you will soon see the the above logo on my site but dated for 2009...(i just couldn't wait any longer)...

what a fun time...

what a fun time we had down visiting our family over spring break....and what a much needed break after the snowy year we have been having...warm breezes blowing off the gulf, could you want for more?

can we ever see our family to much? i can hear many of you saying yes!!, but i'm one of those that always says no!! i would be perfectly happy living next door to my family, dropping in everyday to see what is up....my parents have threatened to 'disappear' if i were ever to move back to my home town...for they know i would become a pest...oh well...

but a good time, and busy time, was had by all...from family gatherings, easter egg hunts, plays, lippizzan stallions, beaches, miniature golf, bookstores and vegy. stands....we had a great time...thanks mom and dad!

where have i been?

it's more like where am i going! i'm off for spring break - heading off this cold wintry mountain top and going down to mom and dads to sit in the warm florida breeze....hard to imagine i can leave in the snow and be in the tropical weather all on the same day...so think of me while i'm being spoiled rotten, hair blowing in the gulf breeze, feet sinking into baby powder beaches and listening to the sounds of the surf...and then throw my ENTIRE family into the mix...chaos galore...(but in a good way)...

i know it's spring, but...

i love this grouping that is going out next week and thought i'd share it with you....i know it's spring and we are all thinking light and bright, but can you ever have to much red? NO! i think the nice balance of the off white and golds keeps it just light and bright enough for spring...

sharing...

WOW...

as you know by now, all my clients have nick-names....for it seems that i find something special about each and every one of you that makes me smile...these photos are from my client lisa, who i identify to myself as my twin...for we both have a love of color...her bold and on the edge painted walls blend wonderfully with her colorful self, we also at one time lived in the same town, who would've known?...i thought i'd share her home with you, for if you are like me, you always want a peek inside to see what everyone is doing...and maybe after seeing some of these pictures you will be a little braver in picking out your wall color...

living room

dining room

entry way - lisa's hubby came up with the idea of hanging her game board collection at an angle...i think it came out great!

lisa's passion for collecting

i've also added a photo of lisa's quilt and her "dream rug"....believe it or not, she found this awesome quilt on etsy....

a hero...

this photo was sent to me by my client who i would describe as "she's really got it going on", gary, her horribly missed hubby, is on the right...and the other cutie pie is zahn...

i wanted to share this with all of you - for lets not forget that they are out there dealing with so many different situations and conditions, far away from their families, friends and their homes. shoot up a prayer if you can so that they are kept safe, war will be over and our soldiers can come home again. they are dearly loved and missed...

a day in the life...

everywhere i turn, every road i venture i see huge displays of forsythia blooming - one of the first signs that spring is finally here...i easily forced some of these branches in my home this year - for it is a don't miss opportunity to have the miracle of spring bloom right before your eyes...the daffodils throughout my town are giving a brilliant show and i'm reminded that i must order and plant more of these wonderful bulbs in the fall ...

it's been a busy week in the studio - painting, sanding, staining and waxing...and a new twist on an old design that i will share with you next week...game boards will be finished and sent to you in new york, arizona, california, new jersey, and pennsylvania this week to name a few - adding some color to your beautiful homes...

and as far as today goes - i will mold and fill boards - do some sanding and waxing...clean the house, do the laundry, do some shopping, color my hair...and set out to enjoy this curious season of spring...and yes mom, read.

kiva...

as you know i am a big cheerleader for kiva.org... i love the story of how this group began, i love the dreams that they are able to fulfill for people across the world, i love that it just plain works....for over the years i have been repaid the loans that i have given to others, imagine that - strangers from what seem like far away places to my little world in the mountains...from peru, cambodia, pakistan to other countries, that sadly i have to admit, i had never heard of....all working hand in hand.

when i am repaid some money through kiva - they drop me an email telling me i have a credit....this has turned into an adventure/lesson for eli and i, for we sit at the computer and read about others needs, where they live and what their hopes and dreams are...today we received an email - loan has been paid....eli ran down to the computer so we could pull up loans that were needed....these amounts start at $25.00, which is our budget. he said he wanted to give to africa, so off we were to search for places that we've never been to, to meet strangers that we will never know in our lifetime and to help if we can...he decided on this group of women in jinja....(which i had to look up on a map having not heard of it myself), jinja is where the nile begins....how cool is that?, and here is their story...

"Mirondo Betty is the leader of Tufube group in Jinja. She is a married lady with 5 children as she cares for many relatives. Betty is a poultry farmer rearing layer chickens whose eggs she sells to customers and shop owners in Wanyange and Jinja town. She has included the keeping of broilers just for the Easter season and she hopes to reap big profits from their sales. In addition to poultry, she is also a farmer growing food mainly for home consumption and this helps her not to spend so much on food for her family. Betty needs a loan to help with buying feed for her chickens, since this period is so important for their feeding."

i plan that when i turn 60 i will become a world traveler...i will spend the next 10 years traveling the world to visit all of the countries that i can. those that i have read about, heard about, seen pictures of and perhaps make discoveries of my own...and hopefully, one day eli will become a world traveler too...the seed has been planted...

it's the saturday music show...

my dad gave me the heads up on this boy - declan galbraith...this is one of his older videos - i couldn't date it though, dad said some of his videos are from when he was 6 - having a 9 year old i'm thinking somewhere between 8-12....(dad later found it was when he was 10)

being in the process of raising a young son myself it is the age old question - "why"? the passion that declan shows in this song through his self and through the music and lyrics may just move you to tears, for it did me...listening to the opening lyrics of what he dreams when he's asleep to the truth of what he sees when he is awake, to the knowledge at a young age that one day he may be a soldier is heart wrenching...the question "why"? screams such a simple yet innocent summation of the wrongs that we choose to do everyday worldwide...perhaps that is what the world needs - simple, and right...for until then how can we explain it to our children, other than power and greed.

here's my challenge to all of you out there that read my blog...there are around 400 of you now across the world...listen to this song every morning, tell your family and friends to give it a listen, forward it to everyone you know in other cities and countries...maybe in 30 days we will all see an innocence, long lost, show itself...and we will know what we can do to make a change...for we need to rethink our thinking and be retaught ourselves - before we can teach the way to peace - rather than to except the teachings of war.

imagine if every music teacher taught this song to their students - from elementary to high school ages, and it was then perfomed for the parents....what would be the effect?

what happens?

what happens when the floridians hit the mountains? well chaos to say it simply.... my niece and her hubby and little one headed up the long 12 hour drive to stay awhile... she had been 'wishing' for snow and had kept her eye on the weather for weeks in hopes that her wish would come true... and when it finally began her excitement and awe reminded me of the 'first' snow earlier last year, for there is not anything more beautiful than the first snowfall....falling flakes the smile that it brings and the wonder of it all. her wish came true, for over a foot of snow fell...snowball fights, snowmen and sledding were a thrill for the warm weathered ones...but honestly, i'd watch out for her wishes, for when they come true they really come true!

it's on again...

yes, it's that time again...the time we all gather around our little t.v. and root for our favorites on american idol...this year there seems to be such dissension in our little family...everyone has their own opinion of who they love the most and they seem to be all over the place...but since i am in charge of blogging - well what can i say other than freedom of the press and to show off my favorites...yes, shawn (friend from florida), i know you will be sorely disappointed in my choices....now i will admit that one of my favs. will probably be eliminated tonight, and i will be sad to hear that - but you know a label may just pick her up in the end for i would buy her music....my other choice, well i just love him... so here's megan and matt....

i'm such a big baby...

well it happened....just knocked me down, thought for sure i was just going to die...yep that's me...a big baby when i get sick....i know you are dying for all the details...first i woke up with the most horrible sore throat, for sure it was strep, cancer, or my tonsils needed to be removed...i knew it was just a matter of time before i would have to head off to the hospital...

the next day, just like a miracle....the sore throat was gone...yes, hard to believe. but then came the cough...and not just any cough, the kind of cough that you think that yes, you must be dying, must go to the hospital...for something just isn't right...i surely must be coughing because of some rare virus...a killer virus...

as i laid dying in my bed, (day 3) there was an onset of new symptoms....sore legs....oh no, the dreaded flu, that must be it...but no i'm still sure i'm probably dying...so i called my mom...now mom is use to this, for i must've always been a baby...detailed images of every part of me that is sick being sent through the phone...she patiently listened and then said she needed to go....

i went back to bed, wondering just how long it would be before i had to be rushed to the hospital...and then, just like that, i felt good...not only good, but great. not only had i beat this mysterious life threatening virus, but i was just darn perky....thought to myself, hey self, lets take a walk down the hill and see how the tulips are doing....and hey, i think i'll make some chicken and pastry, that will be great for finishing off any sick things trying to attack me....

and how am i feeling today you ask....i'm pretending that i feel great and pretending to be perky, trying to trick myself into thinking that i'm not dying anymore...but we will see...

another fine grouping....

you know artists have their favorite colors, paints and brushes; that they just won't live without...i am finding a new appreciation for blue...darks, lights, mediums; it just doesn't matter...whether it's robin's eggs, a seriously blue sky, browned out blues, worn jeans, turquoise or flowers on a teacup - i'm loving them all...

congratulations mom!!!

a fun time is being had by all at the quilt show over the next few days in sarasota, florida....my mom stands proudly in front of her two amazing blue winning quilts! she is an awesome quilter/artist, and i'm so proud of her! she is becoming well known for her crazy quilts - friends add their wonderful finds to her drawer of goodies to choose from and treasures found on her travels throughout the world are woven into a story - for each quilt has a theme...the intricate embroidery is breathtaking and the finished piece is truly awesome...the small quilt is a baby quilt based on sunbonnet sue, showing more of her intricate embroidery... hooray hooray mom!

a new game board

here is a peek at a new checker board that i made for "dorothy"....dorothy is from texas and wanted a checker board that combined the colors of the circus checker board with her love of the texas star...and dorothy is a collector of game boards, for i should know....she has a wonderful grouping in her home...

for the rest of you game board people...send me those pictures for my blog...i know, the stress of it all, everything has to look nice and neat, and timing has to be right...yes, i know...but next time you've gotten everything all cleaned up, whip out that camera and send me a picture...i'd love to have a peek, and i know everyone else will have fun seeing too...

it's hard to believe...

it's hard to believe that one week ago our town looked like a winter wonderland...and of course, need i mention....a few more snow days for the kids from school... but as i turned my calendar over to march i felt the hope building....that yes, there will be a spring....

and yesterday was a little proof of that for the dogs found places to sleep away the day, and while i was tempted to do the same i decided that a walk through the neighborhood would be even more thrilling; in search of signs that spring was indeed here....

from budding trees, the return of robins, singing birds, snow drops and open windows; spring is definitely on it's way...