Every Day in September, El Cerrito Free Folk Festival, Starbucks Folks, ETC.

 
A prompt for U in Everyday in September was Uni. Of course Freda's Unibrow came into my mind immediately! This is maybe my 3rd time drawing her. Such an inspirational artist!

 
Last Saturday we went to the Free Folk Festival in El Cerrito, CA where we listened to musicians all day long ...

We listened and I drew as many of them as I could for 4 and half hours: total: 30!

2 braids, one long, one short

We knew some of the folks there going back to the 1970's when we first started going to folk festivals in the Bay Area. My husband sang a solo in the "Out of Harmony's Way" group in the afternoon, and he got his  usual response: Amazement! And lots of YIPS!~

It was fun watching clothing too. There was floral and Tie-dyed, silks and linens, music note prints on socks and guitar printed shirts!

The age range was mostly older folks like ourselves, those old 1970's hippie types, but a few young people too. We sure hope this genre of music does not die out with our generation!

Afterwards, we went to my daughter's home for dinner. It's always fun being with our kids and grandkids!

I'm trying out some new art supplies here: A toned art journal, and "Generals" pastel pencils. I'm enjoying using them.

Here they are again, but on white paper!

The last prompt for Every Day in September was "The end of September, the road, of life as we know it ... be creative." I was going to make a collage of all the drawings I did for that challenge in September, but my computer program brought up all the art I've done since I started Sketchbook Skool in 2014 (April). It about knocked my socks off seeing how much I had drawn in all that time in one place!

And now we begin Every Day in October. The first prompt is "Pink Ribbon (for Breast Cancer Awareness Month)". We are to be creative. So I drew my best friend from childhood, Patty, who died from cancer two years ago (July). My tribute to my greatly missed best friend. I love you Patty.

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I wish you a Creative Week! Enjoy whatever form that takes for you!

I finished another book. I read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I am learning a lot about WWII, this time in the Pacific. It's a heavy read, but I couldn't put it down.

Thanks for coming by and for your comments that inspire me to keep drawing! I appreciate them so much.

Happy Birthday Patty

Happy birthday Patty. Patty was born on December 31, 1940. Her family moved into a house at 1220 Amador Street in Vallejo, Ca. Six months later I was born and a few months after that my family moved in across the street at 1203 Amador street. Neither of us remember when exactly we first were introduced, we just remember a childhood of playing together at each other's homes and in the streets and surrounding neighborhoods from when we were quite young. Things like jacks, and doll house, dress up, and 'getting married' in front of the church down the street to one or another of the neighborhood boys. We rode bikes, roller skated, played hide and seek; and kick the can with our older brother and sister, staying outside till dusk and our parents whistles sent us home. We took drama class and dancing classes.

We were in different classes at school, but met up after school to watch TV in the early 1950's at one of our other girlfriends houses, the only one with a TV. American Bandstand, the Micky Mouse Club and The Last of the Mohicans.

We graduated high school a year apart. Patty got married and had babies. I tried college, stopped, worked, and traveled. After my five years in Israel and her third child I came home with husband and infant son.

I opened a nursery school in my home and later in a duplex. Patty came to work there with me.

Our adult lives continued, sometimes with spaces in time from each other, but always reconnecting.

Patty worked hard at her job for GE for many years until she finally retired. Even though I continued working in my current career as a counselor we once again had more time for each other.
But even during those spaces we were never further apart than a phone call.

We took a beading class together. We met for lunch. We went to art gallery shows. We ate hot fudge sundaes.

We always got together for a just us Chanukah/Christmas lunch and gift exchange. It was always a plethera of gifts we'd buy and save for each other all year long. (This year her husband found and gave me a glass Blue Jewish star and a little note pad with my initial "L" and one rhinestone on it.
She'd obviously been saving them to give me this year. There's a tiny Christian cross in a sack in my closet I was saving for her.)

Our phone calls were precious times as we commiserated and kvelled (Yiddish for sharing great joys) together. Patty and I supported each other through many life trials over the years. And we were there for each other when we were happy and wanted to share.

Patty got sick this year. She faced her forth cancer battle. But it got ahold of her and wouldn't let go.
She had told me last January that she was getting old. I balked at that since being only six months younger I was not feeling that at all. But neither of us knew at that time she had lung cancer.
By the time it was diagnosed it was inoperable.  This woman who worked as a power house of energy, walked five miles a day , danced  Zumba , made huge family dinners for husband, three grown kids, their spouses, grand and great grand children, was finally brought down to her knees. Like a giant Redwood tree felled in the forest.

Patty had a strong religious faith. She believed "God has a plan for me". Although I was not at all aligned with her God, it won. She died on July 31, 2013. I did not get to say goodbye to her. She refused me being there. I had no choice but to abide by her wishes. So I'm left with continuously having to say goodbye. It reminds me in our childhood phone calls saying "You hang up first, No YOU hang up first" over and over again.

I will honor and miss my very best friend, Patty, until the day I die.
Happy Birthday, Patricia Ann. Happy Birthday, Patty.


Love,
Lynnie

New Art, Patty Sees My Book, Flu Shot, More Art

This group includes "The Couple" who got very excited when I showed them my book

"One Fish Taco and Half an Order of Guacamole  A Year of Drawing Over Lunch at Tacos Jalisco."

They were tickled to see themselves sixteen times out of  the 80 drawings in the book!

He said he would buy the book and were in fact my 1st SALE~!

 

I have had 8 sales in the first two days~ Wow~~~Thank YOU and ENJOY~~~!!!

 

 

 

 

I got together with my best friend from childhood, Patty, last week ... every year we do a Christmas/Chanukah gift exchange, celebrate Patty's birthday ... over a little food, and a big dessert!

Almond torte's and this year Almond Joy Coconut Gelato~!

Oh num.

 

Before we went out to eat, Patty read my whole book, cover to cover.

There is nothing better than having a dear friend ooze praise over page after page after page!

Thank you Patty! Your copy is being printed just for you at the publishers and should be here before

the end of the month!!!!

 

Meanwhile, back at Tacos Jalisco:

 

Cecilia, once again, would NOT let me pay for my lunch! There she is at the cash register.

She came around the counter to give me a big hug and Happy New Years Wishes;

She too is thrilled about the book and about my friendship with her son, Carlos!

 

 

I went to get a flu shot on Wednesday!

It only hurt a teeny bit, but I do like being protected from that awful illness.

I was pleased to learn that our  new Senior / Old Folks health insurance

gave us FREE flu shots.

While waiting I drew these other people waiting in the Injection Clinic!

 

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These people are not sitting together at Tacos Jalisco. I drew the guy first and I am pretty sure

I have drawn him before there. I've certainly seen him there many times.

 

The woman came in later and I loved her sweater. I wanted to draw it so I fit her in the picture,

making them look like a couple. I hope her husband doesn't have a fit.

I tend to do this a lot in my paintings!

People might think I am trying to drum up business for my day job, as a marriage counselor~

 

I'm linking this up to Paint Party Friday!

Get there via the icon on my side bar.

 

Also if you haven't peeked at my book yet there is another icon on my side bar at the top right,

click on the BOOK COVER and you can get a look inside for several pages!

I hope you'll like what you see.

 

It's 60 pages~!

80 Paintings~!

Humor~!

A story~!

Bright Colors~!

Fun~!

&

Tips about Drawing in Public~!

 

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You have choices between:

 

1. hardcover image wrap

 

2. hardcover dust cover

 

3. soft cover

 

4. eBook