Lord give me patience.....and understanding would be nice also.....

Yesterday was a day of mixed blessings.  Branson came in with his mother Tiffany and sister-in-law Tiffany.  We had a nice introduction and talked about the strength of adding the Arts to his educational journey.  Yes he can go to the mechanics program///but still his reading skills...math and sequence focus are going to be very important by the time he is ready to graduate.  Computer skills will be needed as the cars in the next 10 years or so to order new parts...make engine adjustments...and Lord knows what else.  They giggled...and went off for their day and Branson and I went to work.  I asked hem about his sketch in the big sketchbook I had bought him....then a big silence.  It seems his new family members who have moved into their house...the two year old had scribbled over all of the pages...or so I was told.  Well I told him unfortunately we could not play with pastels without his sketchbook but we had plenty to do on his portfolio.  I have decided to keep all of his supplies in my studio because there is no safe place for him to keep anything..or a desk for himself away from little hands.  I can not help but wonder why an adult did not step forward and retrieve this precious large sketchbook.  Then there is the problem of body odor...with 9 people in the house and one working bathroom ...I honestly do not know how long it has been since his last shower.  I told him to take his shower on Friday night ...so he would be ready on Saturday morning.  Yes I felt tested ...and after some time I realized ...he is doing the best he can.  He does have an IEP...works with a Ms. Frost...but is so far behind in his grade skills that school has to be pure Hell for him.

I worked on the baby collage for Sarah and Larry.  Then I worked on my work dedicated to Lisa Marie...SHINE.  A photo transfer on to silk...collage...onto a painted collage canvas.  I am working for luminosity ...and when I visit my other circle of blog artists I am blown away with how many works and journals they complete each week. 

I went to look for a dress at Elder Beerman for their Community Sale...and discounts on a variety of items in the department store.  I did find a dress.  I can not tell you the last time I bought a dress...I am more of a skirt and top  and pants girl.  When did polyester dress start selling for over $100.00???  I did find one that I can put with my own jacket...but it took hours to make a selection.  I am going to return one item and get a security tag removed that some how was overlooked.  I tried my selections on for ken and he agreed the one color block dress was just too short for me  to feel comfortable in.  Hopefully it will be another 10 years before I have to go through this ordeal of dress shopping again.

 My dear friend Marco Lopez came in for a visit ...he is home from his training in Orlando and will have his own restaurant over in Columbus when he completes his orientation.  He has a future with this company and for a young family man he now has health insurance , a 401 retirement plan with vision and dental programs.  He is a very hard worker and I am missing him but terribly proud of him!

Branson is adding design elements to his portfolio...

 Danielle is his sister-in-law and Tiffany is his mother...these two are quite a comical pair...

 continuing to add black and white  designs and red paint stamped images...

 here he  is hard a t work adding the final marks to his winter tree images...

 I think he did a great job...this will stay in the studio with me for protection from tiny hands and big dogs chewing...

 this was our Saturday night vegetarian dinner...cheese and spinach ravioli...in a red pepper, spinach, kale and tomato and onion sauce....delicious!!!  And good for us both too!

I have put a 3 1/2 pound roast into the oven for a slow cook afternoon for comfort food.  What was I thinking when I bought this huge roast??  I will get several meals and a big pot of vegetable soup out of this day's preparation.  I am finishing my laundry duties and ready for my Weblos on Tuesday night for them to finish their Art Badge qualifications!  They are an energetic group of sweet young men but boy do I get a workout!  Art is Work!  Have a great weekend!  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart