My poor grand daughter Maya Rose....

 Sandy picked up her delicious caramels from Three Kids and a Kitchen...the perfect great exchange gift for your parties and school teachers!!!

 I just love playing with Luminere paints..so delightful... and shimmery for painting on just about everything!  Golden can not be beat either!

 the sugar cookie themed ornaments... just the beginning....

 poor Maya Rose...we have all been there .  Now go to bed and get some sleep..tomorrow will be a better day!!!

 I found our country's flag waving in the breeze to be quite beautiful today.... thank yo for everything we have here in the USA!

 Sabrina with one of her many best buddies!!! Look at those smiling faces... darn cute!

 baby sister Hannah was surprised to see me...yahoo for grandma!!!

 look at this photo and you can see Jody's big bad watch dog Daisy!!!!

 peanut butter ...Sabrina's energy food and a favorite...crackers and PB on celery ...sorry no raisins this time for bugs on a log....

 the moon was mesmerizing in the night sky...I wish I could have taken a better image...my photo does not do the beauty justice....Beaver Moon....





I love the naked tree limbs framing the full moon....so peaceful....

I was just beginning to paint my version of sugar cookies in ornaments...wood....when the phone rang and the school nurse asked me to come and pick up Maya Rose.  She has been in art class and raised her hand to ask to be excused but apparently the teacher did not see her...she threw up red Faygo pop and stuff all over her perspective project. (I think the whole table was involved.)   Humiliated...embarrassed... in pain and with a fever she was down for the count.  I was there in 10 minutes and brought her back to the studio where I cleared the futon bed and she immediately fell into a deep sleep.  I gave her children's Tylenol but I did not have the grown up medication... I did not now she could take Ibupropen.  I drove her home and put her back in bed ...washed her clothes... and then walked to Cherry Valley to meet and walk Sabrina and Hannah home from school.  Maya was still asleep so Hannah and I read together one of my favorites James and the Big Peach ...and did her homework identifying geometric shapes... what a Joy.  Sabrina did her chores and did her homework on the telephone with her friend .... I hope this meets with her mother's approval ???  I then asked Ken to pick up dinner...chicken and noodles with two vegetables plus he brought dessert and ice cream....great man!!!  Everyone arrived together except Ryan...he works later on Thursdays.  But we did make sure there was plenty left over for his comfort food dinner.  I was going to run a couple errands but decided to make that a tomorrow event...I was worn out.  I do hope the little ones all have a better day tomorrow.  I will share my photos...process... the girls...everything a Grandmother falls in love with.  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

busy busy busy...is it true November is almost over?

I can hardly believe how quickly time is passing now...I made a couple special birthday cards for Michelle...it is difficult to believe her two eldest are 22 and almost 21.   Whew time has a mind if its own.   I also meant to work on the wooden Christmas tree but just never got around to it...There are times when solitude is totally desire. I had numerous visitors today with a ton of questions about how I work and information about personal gifts they are thinking of having me create for the upcoming Christmas.    I punched the design elements (trees, snowmen, snowflakes ...I have learned to punch them myself because the children get a little rough and drop my punches and then they do now want to work again)   I collected the materials my children will use to create our holiday cards for recovering soldiers healing at the Walter Reid Hospital in D.C.   We had a great turn out and the noise volume was up...I think the lunar eclipse sent out some intense lunar energies.  Putting in a long day is hard on me...the fatigue is heavy right now so I will keep this short and sweet.  The glue sticks and stamps were popular but with all the energies ...a wee bit messy!!! I hope you will enjoy the photos... a picture does tell a better story! 

 Happy Birthday Monkey boy!!!   I hope John likes this card and it will make him smile...

 a special card for the big birthday...#21!!!!

 the beginning of a teachers gift...a very special teacher...

 continued progress...I am anxious to go back tomorrow and create more silver dreams...

 Art supplies for my Family night at The Grill Deli...

 cards made by great children who wanted to thank our servicemen and women who are healing at Walter Reid Hospital in Washington, D.C. ....

 contact me if you need the address...

 Rena and Owen jump right in on making their individual cards .....

 Rena is very skilled in her composition of her card....

 Kyle is working very hard to make a healing soldier smile over the Holidays....

Josh is just turning 5 and ready to put his card in the mail...wel I will put it in the mail....

 Kyle is ready to get to his basketball practice...thank you Kyle you did a great job....

 even Mom Michelle got in on the celebration...she also took great photos for me while we worked  and will put them on a disc for me to print...I am going to send a photo of each artist in their handmade cards...

 the whole family is here to eat and create....

 Justin made a darling card...look at those gorgeous blue eyes ....he is such a love!

 Mom Abby helped the little man with the glue stick... she also made a great card!!!

 it is beginning to look as lot like Christmas...this tickles Josh...

 chow down on some Skyline chili at the Grill Deli....yum yum yum!

 oh Dad....Nicki and Lindsey give dad their best daughter look....

 I am not sure what this guy was doing...he should be in a drama class....now...

 Aris is slowly creating her details for the card...these children have their own ideas...I just give them the opportunity...

 Nicki is 10 now and I will share her newest pastel works in a bit....she is playing basketball now too....

 he wrote a special message and drew a very interesting cards thanking the men and women who have served our country....

 happy happy happy card creators...Cassie is smiling from her heart...

 Nicki first pastels... I love the colors...

 look at Nicki's Native American portrait....

 a busy table with busy hands and quick minds....

 everyone works freely to make their own designs...Lindsey may be slow...she said that... but her card was beautiful...

 I think I need a bigger table....

 I can not help but smile....Art Saves Lives!!!!!

 Gwen came a bit late but she was more than happy to share her beautiful card...she is only 4

 Aris looks up to Lindsey...they learn so much from each other...compassion...patience...laughter...focus... and so many other attributes...

 Ian is wild about making ART!!!  Gangham style!!!!  I am not sure about the correct spelling...

 Nicholas created a wonderful drawing for his soldier... another gift from the heart...

 Aris's mother 's smile is back as she recovers fro major surgery on her left hand...she has been courageous through the whole ordeal... the pain is lessening...










                           Abby is making her own card..look at her smile!

I just learned I have f boxes...5 boxes from Amazon filled with a new John Prime CD...a Hafiz poetry book...a special gift for my son-in-law's birthday/Christmas...and I guess I have already forgotten what I ordered two days ago.  Did any of you have the opportunity to see NBC's evening news and their explanation of the reality of Chemo brain.  Yes, finally some very empathetic physicians have discovered , mapped  and proven evidence of the effects chemotherapy on the human brain.  Somehow I found this information to be a calm reassurance to what I already knew to be true.  Be patient with me...God is not finished with me yet.  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

my day with hellos and goodbyes...

I had a messy day expressing the processes in my work on the advent calendar Christmas Tree.  For whatever reason I began working on the back..the gel medium has covered both sides and I applied a sheer silver glaze and then added holiday stamps with "dots" to add a bit of interest.  The 25 square prize boxes ...will become a gifts...waiting to hold small delicious treats.  I am going to work on the front tomorrow...I am learning to be patient because the layers take time to totally dry.  I am not always such a patient person...I want to see what develops next.  Now. 

I continued my card production...it is a mindless joyful exercise and brings a smile to my face when someone asks me.."Did you make all of these cards?"  I like playing with delightful childhood images... and adding small jingle bells is a way to give them their own voice to sing.  I am working on a making special cards tomorrow night with my kids ...cards filled with JOY to send to Washington for recovering American soldiers to help add some sunshine to their recoveries.  I think the kids will enjoy making something to cheer up someone who may be having a difficult time. 

For the last five years I have been a member of the Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board.  This afternoon was my last board meeting.  We voted to change the dimensions and size of the 2013 board and reduce the numbers gradually in the next two years.  Our county has so many wonderful events, attractions and incredible people in our community.  I have learned a great deal about the bed taxes, National Heritage venues...we have The Great Circle Mounds of the Adena and Hopewell tribes, collaborating with distinct and different agencies and cultural programs.  The National Road Garage Sales,  Pumpkin farms and natural resources of Buckeye lake and our world famous Velvet Ice Cream plant  just north of Newark are just a few  to name the wonderful experiences for our families and visitors to enjoy.  The art galas, galleries and the Midland Theater and live summer stock at our Weathervane Theater bring something that is often over looked but its intrinsic value is what makes us all more humane and diverse.  I am ready to move on but I will appreciate all the gifts I have received by working with committee of community minded individuals. 

 this Merry Cat card is the first of selected couple of cards I am making for Charlotte...

 the snowman stencil is ready to report for duty on Wednesday...

 Joy to you and yours...

 the stocking were hung by the chimney with care...

 another snowman makes her appearance known...

 this nativity scene needs a bit of help...more thoughts will come tomorrow...I hope..

 the color is off here but I think it is my camera...







the back
is coming into fruition
with a silvery glow
step three ...


the mystery boxes are ready now to decorate...

 can you tell my brain is not totally healed...???

 a happy jolly little Santa is almost ready for Cindy's tree...

 silver bells ..a transparent ornament with sheer papers for Cindy's tree this season...

 an 8 by 10 canvas with frosty memories of Jared 's first couple of Christmas ...

 I have this vintage carrying box filled with ornaments from the classic Rudolph the red nosed reindeer...this just makes me smile and be happy... I play the video for the kids in December...

 a tiny red nosed deer ...for the kids to create for their trees...

 a music box made from painted slate ...
butterfly prints made with Jennifer...
a small hand made quilt just for fun...

 a special tea set ...vintage ...ready for wintery afternoons to share hot tea with a friend... time out for quiet...

 the plants are seeking space...in the window...

 snow may be moving in to my beloved community...







my gift from LCVVB five years of dedication to bringing people to our county...   think about the LCA and the Gib Reece Ice Rink...how could we work together???

I am back to work for about another hour...I pray your day was peaceful and productive.  I ordered a book today for me from Amazon by Hafiz, his poems are sprouting up all around me so I think I need to learn more.  Peace  be with you all.  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart