The Ipswich art show

I'm at the Ipswich art show at town Hall all weekend. It's fun. Everyone is very friendly and they like my paintings. My mixed-media painting "Poppies" just sold.

On Sunday there's brunch with musicians playing music. Lovely show!

Last Saturday we went to a
flea market in New Hampshire and I managed to find a few good bargains. Everyone was so friendly!

One fellow gave me a Christmas tree, and I was able to find some not too expensive canvas to use when I make my journals. There were signs of fall and the weather was cool and comfortable.

Later we went to Bristol New Hampshire and had lunch. We were delighted to find some interesting shops and we met a wonderful artist.

Where Have I Been???

Wow, I haven’t posted on my blog in so long. The main reason is that I discovered Facebook and it just sucked me in!  I’ve been spending a lot of time there. It’s simple to use and addicting, and I love making new friends and meeting lots of artists.  It’s super.
What else?
Well, I’ve started building mobile apps for the iPhone, Android and smartphones for local businesses.  I love it, but it takes a lot of my time and energy.
Below is the iPhone app I built for the North Shore Performing Arts Center in Ipswich, MA.
I now have 3 live iPhone apps in the iTunes store.  Apple is very tough with it’s approval system, and I feel really good about having three mobile apps live. 
I’m, also, working on helping businesses mobilize their websites.  To many businesses have neglected this part of marketing.  I’m here to help with that.
Do you ever search for a business on your smartphone, but when you find it – you can’t read it?  Well, that’s where I come in.  I make the website more compatible with the small cell phone screen.
I’m hoping to help artists with my services. Why not have your website mobile friendly, and even use a mobile app to sell and show your art work?  I’m sure many of you have never even considered using this method of marketing for art work, crafts, & jewelry design.
Below, is the mobile app I built for a wonderful lady who sells local honey and wonderful beeswax candles. It’s a good example of what an artist or crafter can do with a mobile app. The app includes a store!

My services are affordable, and I do all the tech work. 
The above has been keeping me really busy.  My artistic muse likes designing the mobile apps, but she’s also been helping me create unusual handmade journals.  I think these are addicting to make.  My jewelry designing is sort of on hold right now.  There’s only so much time…..
I know this post seems a bit like advertising…It’s just that I’m excited about what I’m doing, and I want everyone to know about it.
My website is http://www.App-Action.com
Please contact me if you’re a tad curious as to how a mobile website or mobile app could help your creative business. (Or any business!)  Ask about the no interest payment plan!
 info@app-action.com
Thanks  That’s about it for now. I’m still here – just into lots of new things.

Playing with copper

Here's a butterfly ornament I made for my tree. I love copper.

Tryed the Gelli Plate in a book cover.

Holiday Fair

I'll be at the Danver's Art Association again this Sat, Dec 15th . This fair ends Sun. Dec 16th
Hours - 12 - 4 PM

This is one of my cute cupcake ornaments that are for sale. There are lots of other great gift items from DAA artists for sale, too.

Good Morning..Bee

I’m delighted to find the dahlias still producing lovely blooms.
We started these dahlias early in the spring and I’m reaping the benefits.  The first year we planted dahlias they didn’t bloom until the very end of August. We only got a few. 
Every morning I look forward to seeing who has bloomed. 

Today, there were more light oranges, pinks and one gorgeous salmon colored large dahlia that is almost in full bloom, and a few dark red.

What will I find to photograph when the flower season is done???  The dahlias have been my project all summer long.

My summer– so far…

 

Summer is just sailing along for me. My older son married on Aug. 21st. Not only was the wedding special, it gave us a chance to visit with relatives we seldom see.

 

Don’t they make a great couple?

I’ve never seen two people smile so much. They’re soooo cute together!

My younger son came from San Francisco. He and his partner stayed a few extra days which was great. It  gave my daughter and I a chance to do some fun things with them in Boston.

We went out to eat at Legal Seafood and took a sunset harbor tour of Boston on one day, and the next day we all explored the MFA.

 

 

I loved the sunset harbor tour. It was the perfect thing to do on a warm summer evening. We got to see Old Ironsides up close and personal and watch them shoot the canon off with a large BANG!

My garden has been blessing me beautiful dahlia blooms every day, thanks to my older son. He planted them and has given them lots of love and attention.

 

As far as creativity goes… I’ve been taking tons of photos this summer. I’m also learning how to build native mobile apps for the iphone and android. To me that’s really exciting.

So far. This summer is shaping up as “not too shabby!”

Find My Jewelry & Journals at Each Peach Danvers

I’ve been meaning to blog about the wonderful Natural Café – Each Peach, in Danvers, MA off of Route 1 South.

I met Agusta, one of the owners of the Natural Cafe at a meeting of “Echo” which is a Garden Club I belong to in Danvers. She and her partner, Lori, were there giving an interesting talk about salt at this meeting. The very next day I ran into Agusta again while we were both participating in a craft fair selling our goodies. That’s how my jewelry happened to ended up in this wonderful space - Each Peach.

       

The Café is a pleasant space, with wi-fi connections. But, the most important thing to note is the attention to the detail of the healthy offerings at the Café. 

At Each Peach you will find delicious organic smoothies, a soup and sandwich of the day, and other health food products.  They, also, offer educational classes, seminars, meet-ups and a variety of other health related products, not to mention my jewelry and handmade journals.



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 My rings are $10, and so are the earrings.  Most of my bracelets will run you $20, and you’ll find necklaces and scarf pins reasonably priced, too.  The journals are all handmade, and are artsy. They are $18.

I’m going to be doing a talk about the Joys of Journaling here at the Natural Café in April.

Hope you’ll come in and enjoy Each Peach.

Last Week–This Week! A sign of Spring...

Last week we had snow!

Maybe, three or four inches of the stuff. There is still some remaining on my lawn. This week started out quite cold. One night it was 29 degrees. Brrrr! But, yesterday it was GEORGEOUS! Bright – Sunny – beautifuly mild. I think we made it up to 65.  WOW!  I’ll take it.

Today, is another great weather day. Sunny and we are supposed to be in the upper 60s by this afternoon. (somewhat windy, though)

All in all – a lovely taste of spring.
See what I discovered yesterday morning?  Flowers!

Sign of spring!

Job Situation

I

Don’t see how the employment situation is getting better.
I picked up the Ipswich Chronicle newspaper the other day and was totally shocked at the lack of employers seeking workers. Granted, many employers use internet adds these day, but this was ridiculous. There was less than 1/4 of a page! And, a couple of them weren’t actually real jobs, they were come-ons for schools.


When I first moved here – many years ago, there would typically be a few pages of job adds.  Not good…

Blessed with good weather…

I don’t want to jinx us, but our February weather has been great! No snow. No snow! And, often above average temps.  I’ll take it.  So, I’ve been out walking a lot and it does help a person’s mood.

Here are more Bradly Palmer photos.  I finally got a better picture of the stone building. Now, mind you, I’m taking these photos with my iphone g3 camera.  Nothing fancy at all. I’ve been fascinated with this form of photography and experimenting away.  I love that I have a camera on me at all times.  Of course, it could use a flash and a zoom, but I’m hoping for such improvements in the future.  Meanwhile, it’s just fun to see what I can get with my phone and the few new apps I’ve uploaded.  I was amazed at all the dead wood and fallen trees in this area. 

               Everyone was out and about that morning!

                                              Even the ducks.  

I’d love to hear from you if you are having fun with your iphone camera, too.

 

Bradley Palmer Park

I guess I’m in love with this place.  It’s where Kevin and I go walking often. It’s a state Park, and there is a paved road through the park.  

There are numerous other trails off into the woods.  We take those trails sometimes, but it’s just so easy to walk the paved road, and go home.  We don’t have to worry so much about deer ticks this way.

But, before we turn around and head back we stop at the stone house.  It fascinates me, and I love to photograph it. I only had my iphone with me the other day, but I’m sharing some of the pictures.

      
               

             

 
I’m hoping the state doesn’t let this beautiful stone structure go to ruin.  It looks like that may be happining.  I’d love to see the inside, too.  Well, I would have loved to have visited the inside before it sat for so many years.  I’m sure the inside is damp, and full of spider webs and nests. This will be an interesting subject to paint...