A Summer's Day at the "Villa"....

We spent all day Saturday at the villa....it was wonderful...the weather was perfect..relaxed...went swimming...hung out by the pool ...I walked around and took photos...here are some of the pictures...The villa is over 9000 square feet...sits on top of a hill with breathtaking views...and is totally private...I had this wonderful fantasy of living here and turning the place into an Artist's retreat! Dream on! Today..it's back to reality...I ran around this morning...did some errands. I'm still cleaning the studio...and working on getting things ready for the bottle swap I joined! I know....I'm crazy!!! (as if I don't have enough to do)....I did finish all 8 pages for the accordian book, and mailed them off this morning...today I'll do this week's art deck card...and I AM ENJOYING the absolutely PERFECT weather that we are having!!!! After last week's temps. it's a wonderful change! I saw on the news where the HEAT is heading East...Look Out!

The view from the villa's tower...

Go for it Ty!!!!!!!!

Ty in the pool....I love the big stone lion...there are two of them that gaurd the pool area...

The pears are almost ripe.

Talk about refreshing....An captured the photo of just my feet...and here is Tony hanging in mid-air over the pool! Ty is looking like "You are crazy Dad"!!!!

Old fountain in front of the villa..I don't know what it is ????...but there's something about old stone... fountains....chipped..broken...weathered that I love....

Let's call this one "BLUE"...

This is the coolest photo...caught Tony in mid-air doing a dive. Taken at "The Villa"...

Art Queen

Number 8 is finally done! I'll be mailing these accordian book pages tomorrow...Now on to a bottle swap...another art deck card....and numerous other swaps! It is cloudy and warm outside today....it feels great! I'm in the process of cleaning the studio...doing laundry...and all that good stuff! I have tons of cool photos from "The Villa" to post...will try to do some later....

For the Love of Art

Here is number 7 for the accordian book...just 1 more to go! This one is "For the Love of Art"...I used old vintage lace that I dyed with tea.

At the Gypsy Camp

Here is the "camp" that sits in the yard at the villa by the gypsy wagon.....Can't you just imagine this??!!!! I could sit and daydream about this forever...I have such a vivid imagination...

The Gypsy Wagon

Tony and I went for a drive yesterday...to a place we call "The Villa"...Here is the Gypsy Wagon parked in the front yard...I just LOVE it...I'd love to paint this...and turn it into an outdoor studio...wouldn't that be cool?!!!

Inside of the gypsy wagon.

PINK

The pink Geranium.....

Summer Flowers and Grass.....

The fowers are so beautiful this time of year....Look at the fountain grass...it's growing like crazy! The flowers are Coneflowers...Carnation...Verbena... Lantana, and some Mint.

PFALTZGRAFF

Lookee What I Got!!!!!!!! My friend Charles came over the other day with 2 big boxes..."Happy Birthday"...he says.....What!?????? A complete set of stoneware in the "brown drip" pattern made by Pfaltzgraff in the USA....They don't make these anymore....but they were extremely popular at one time....I just LOVE them....I love vintage dishes! I even have the salt and pepper shakers! Aren't they cool!!!????? Now...I have to find someplace to put them...I spent 2 days cleaning all of them and putting them on the kitchen table......Thank-you!!!! My FRIEND! for my cool dishes!

Make-Believe.....

Here is page number 6 for the accordian book...only 2 more pages to go...hope to finish later!

Awaken Your Art

Page number 5 for the accordian book....on to number 6...(after I take a short break to go on a photo journey with my son to the villa)...will post photos later....

Fly Away.....

I couldn't resist playing with Ty's Polly Pocket Doll......

Morning Glory...In It's Glory!

Good Morning ..Yard

I opened the front door this morning...this is what I saw! Good Morning to me! and another "Free-day" it is....I am still busy with the accordian book pages...and so happy that it is cooler outside! The HEATWAVE is over....finally.....Hope everyone has a simply divine weekend!!!!

Art is Everywhere...

Here is number 4 for the accordian book.....still plugging away in between breaks to do dishes...fix dinner...visit with friends....etc. I used watercolor pencils on this one.

Beauty and Art

Page #3 for the accordian book...I am working like crazy to get these done...I have 5 more to do...today is the first day that it's actually been bearable to work in the studio...
Hope to post more later....

Hunting for Treasure

Here is my art deck challenge card...2 of Clubs...theme is Maps. I'm trying like crazy to get some art done before the dreaded HEAT arrives...it seems to be a touch cooler...but still going to be 100 degrees...back to the studio.....

Accordian book page #2.....I did this early this morning...had to stop because of the heat...I'm going to try to work on more tonight..(after I watch Super Nova with Dave Navarro)!

Brother and Sister

Me and my brother in 1957.....I think I tried to cut my own hair!

Art....and Heat!

I managed to finish 1 page for the accordian book...only seven more to go...I'm going to try to do some more tonight...wish me luck...the art room feels like a sauna!

What Is this??????

Can anybody guess what this is?????

I cannot ever resist the beauty of a rose.......even in this HOT weather it's beauty shines on!

More Garden beauty....and soon to be ripe figs..every year the figs get ripe, and I don't know what to do with them! Does anyone have any good recipes using figs!??
The heat has been sweltering....it is so so HOT...the only thing you can do is try to keep cool...that means lots of water...and gatorade...lots of getting in the pool...and lots of watering the flowers...then turning the hose on myself....it's miserable..the whole state is baking! My poor Dad....he got way too hot on Saturday...and being stubborn he wasn't drinking enough fluids...I had to call 911..and they took him to the hospital for an IV...and make sure he was okay...that is how I spent Saturday...Sunday my son brought an air-conditioner over for his bedroom...so now he is nice and comfortable...this heat is just way too much...especially for the elderly....I feel so sorry for those people...especially if they have to suffer without any air conditioning...
The town looks like a ghost town....nobody wants to go out shopping in this heat....You can see it shimmering in the air...and it's hard to breathe...An and I tried to buy another air conditioner but they are SOLD OUT...EVERWHERE!!!!! They already have Fall...and Christmas stuff out in alot of the stores....Can you believe that? ...Who in the hell can think about Christmas when it's 110 degrees outside???!!!!

A Cool Sign

Isn't this the coolest thing!!??? I got this from Dawn and Ty...they got it at a Craft fair in Lake Tahoe...it is going to have a special place in my art room....

Birthday Goodies

These are some of my birthday surprises..I think these slippers are so cute! I got some wonderful things from my art friends...atc's...an altered altoid tin...home-made cards.....and a absolutely GREAT CD full of vintage images....

They Say It's My Birthday!!!!!!!!

YES.....Today is my birthday!!!!!! It's going to be a HOT one! The photo is My Mom and Me......

Here is another atc I finished last night...(this one is for a personal swap)....
We are still in the middle of a HEATWAVE.....temps. are in the 100's....Saturday it's supposed to be 107 !!!!! That is just too dang HOT! I have been roasting...trying to get things done in the morning hours....giving the veggie and flower gardens lots of water....doing any errands that need done..In the afternoon the only thing I manage to accomplish is to float in the pool....(which ain't all bad)....Hope everyone is finding ways to keep cool.....speaking of...here are least 10 ways I keep "COOL"...
1. WATER...to swim in...and to drink!!!
2. Plenty of ice in the drinks
3. A spray bottle with ice cold water in it....
4. Cold showers
5. Floating on the air mattress in the pool.
6. Day dreaming of floating on an iceberg.
7. Wearing next to nothing.
8. Root Beer Floats !!!!
9. Fans....everywhere!
10. Homemade refreshing lemonade.
Okay...let's hear from you guys what YOU do to keep "COOL"....???????(Daisy...Janet...Beth...Annie..Maryellen...Button....Lauri.... Tammy...and whoever else wants to respond!)

Make a Wish Girls !!!!!!!

I'm wishing a GREAT BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY..!!!!!!!!! to my cousin Marge, who lives in Lancaster PA....AND
To my TWIN...GYPSY, who lives in the Bay Area..(her blog is among my favorites)!!!!!!!
I hope you both have a simply DIVINE birthday...with lots of love...laughter....presents....and cake and ice cream!!!!!

BeBe Fairy

ATC for a personal swap......

V is for Vagabond

Yippee! I'm caught up on my art deck challenge cards...this is the Ace of hearts...theme was to use the letter of our first name......

windows of her soul

This is the art deck challenge card for the King of hearts. I used transparent film...and alcohol inks to add color....only one more to go....then I'm caught up. It has been so HOT...it's hard to do much of anything. According to the news..it's HOT everywhere...I am sitting at this computer..sweating buckets! I've been sweating so much..that if I don't lose some weight then something's wrong!!
Thank goodness for WATER...I keep the spray bottle with me at all times....even the poor animals are so hot...I put Toby in the pool today so he could cool off...cooking is out of the question!

From This........

Tylene Mae Henderson...Born...July 18th...1997...Marshall Hospital...Placerville, California USA

To This...

Happy Birthday Ty !!!!!!! You are nine years old today! You are the best Granddaughter in the whole world! I LOVE YOU...from Mom-Mom. XXXXOOOOOOOXXXXXXX

Lola's First ATC

Slide On In.....AAaaahhhhhh

This is the slide at the city pool....Doesn't it look refreshing???? I snapped this photo looking through the fence yesterday...while we were running some errands. Made me wanna jump right in...and slide on down!
It is very HOT here....I'm about ready to go put the air mattress in the pool...and just FLOAT!!!!!

Summer Flowers

My creation
Originally uploaded by Vicci Ann.

A Summertime flower mosaic...from my garden. I'm having fun using flickr!!!!! It will really be fun once I get the hang of it...It's going to be another HOT day...it's 7am in the morning...and the temp. reads 73 degrees and going up!!! Hope everyone is having a great weekend...and staying COOL!

my mosaic

my mosaic
Originally uploaded by Vicci Ann.

Just joined flickr...decided to make a mosaic..here is my 1st attempt.