Never Wear Blue with Green

I'm taking a color theory class and am I ever learning a lot. I can now actually mix colors and know what the result will be (well, sort of). The class is online with Judy Coates Perez and is basic, but just what I need. Judy uses color fearlessly in her work with beautiful results.
I first became fascinated with the magic of color when painting/decorating our first strawbale house. While looking for inspiration, I found the book Color: Natural Palettes for Painted Rooms. What a great resource this turned out to be. I didn't know you could learn this stuff; I had labored under the mistaken idea that you had to born with an eye for it. I then found another great book, Color Magic for Quilters which opened up a whole new world and since that time, I've wanted to take a color theory class. And, now I am.
I may just paint color wheels for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy!
(and, yes you can wear blue with green as they are analogous colors!)

The Girls Are Selling!

Being the yard-saler, thrifter, recycler, reuser that I am, I love estate sales! I get a weekly email from The Girls, a big estate sale company here. I don't always go, but it's fun to look. This week I see a couple of very interesting things that I'm sure will bring out crowd.
First these chairs. A Breuer Wassily, no? It doesn't say if they're authentic, but worth a look.
And see the pottery in the center of this pic?
Isn't that Roseville Pine Cone? A jardiniere and a vase. Check out this eBay search on those items.

If I didn't have a lousy head cold I'd head over there just to see what else is available.

Art

I believe there are people who exude art; life is one creation after another.
Ottmar Liebert Morning Light

Morning Light (Kham, October 2006) from Ottmar Liebert on Vimeo.
I especially like the shots of walls as they remind me of some of the walls in my home.

Inauguration

What are your plans for the inauguration? I've never before had plans for an inauguration. I can't even remember watching one on TV, at least not the whole thing. Tonight we're invited to a pre-inauguration gathering and tomorrow will find me firmly planted in front of the big screen in our community activity center with a group of neighbors, many of whom worked to make the inauguration of Barack Obama possible. We will share food, stories, disappointments, hopes and dreams as we watch what we hope will truly be A New Birth of Freedom.

But, it is incumbent on those of us who worked for this day not to bask in the glow and walk away feeling our job is done. Yes, the small goal was winning the election, the larger goal is real change. So we must continue to work by doing what we can to effect that change within our communities and by scrutinizing our elected officials and holding their feet to the fire when necessary.

“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing." Walter H. Judd

And let's remember John McCain's powerful words:

"I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited."

It's not just Yes We Can it's Yes, We Continue!

Remember when I found these?
What do you think of them here?

Mrs. Peel-We're Needed!

Found this fab piece while out making the thrift rounds. Very 60s, don't you think with its modern lines, white vinyl and aluminum legs? I didn't even look at the price because I HAVE NO ROOM FOR IT! But oh, it was tempting.

It has a very "Diana Rigg as Emma Peel" vibe. I idolized that character growing up. What a role model she was for young women of that era. No (visible) husband, smart, worked as an equal to a man and got to carry a gun, wear fabulous cat-suits and boots and drive great cars. All the while saving the world from whatever the current evil was. Yes, it was still a bit sexist but it was the 60s, TV women who did more than wring their hands, wash dishes and get into zany situations that required rescue by the big strong man were nonexistent. Growing upon the edge of Appalachia as I did, she could have been from a different solar system.

Ms Rigg is now Dame Diana and is still working as an actress and still a role model, letting her hair be gray-I love that.

Favorite Blogs

The New Year seems to be a good time for lists so here are my favorite blogs of 2008. No money prizes, no hoards clicking to their sites, just my thanks for providing me with your wisdom, humor and insight.

Early Retirement Extreme-no mollycoddling here, just the straight facts
Christine Kane's Blog-inspiration and great music
Artful RV Adventures-art and travel, what could be better?
Oasis of My Soul-beautiful photography, haunting thoughts
joyously becoming-more art-notice a theme here?
Jew Eat Yet?-funny, neurotic, grew up in the 60s, loves old movies-could be me if I were male and Jewish!
Tiny House Blog-my dream house
Mudflats-Alaska politics, you can't make this stuff up!
Running a Hospital-how healthcare ought to be-I'm telling you, Obama needs to tap this guy
Design*Sponge-especially the before and after pages

Now, back to work!