just an fyi...in case any one ever reads my blog and misses me..for simplicity sake i have moved my blogging onto my website, i know how to add every thing i need with that program ..and still as of yet not figured out much here.. ..you can see it here:http://www.geminiangelart.com/angela_hoffmann_blog1.htm

hugs!..and miss ya all...
one day i will figure out how to add comments...but not now, too many other things going on..rofl!~
i'd love to add links...so email me yours.. geminiangelart13@yahoo.com

Okay in case any one is looking for me or my website...Yahoo..affectionately or not, is now YaHell in my book! I had my website hosted by them via geo cities. I reported a problem..i was getting mail delivery failures in my inbox so i thought some one had gotten into my email account..well gees i didn't know the abuse button would get me kicked off! After emailing them with this information they are saying i was in violation of their TOS (terms of Service) and quoted a portion that says they have every right according to their TOS to pull my files and any id's related at any given time if they see any sort of problem..basically you are at their mercy...so i report a problem..the idiot didn't read the notes that went with it..pulls the plug...but it is my fault becuase I agreed to their terms of service?...gees makes sense to me. I love the last paragraph of how I am welcome to reestablish an id and another website with them at any time as long as it doens't violate their TOS! like who would want to go back. I do have an email with them..it is free...so here it is in case any one is looking for me...all of my other yahoo related eamils including my website email are no longer in existence geminiangelart13@yahoo.com

okay on with my day..off to the gym to work out some of this frustration...and to handle the task of figuring out how to transfer my domain name~

peace to you all~
angela

Okay..see i knew it...yesterday i finally got off my duff and just did something..within half an hour the gloom lifted and I was back to my chipper and contented self! I made my artwork for the collaborative "Collective Tarot" project that I am in...we each chose three words and through our art depicted what these words meant..it will be an exciting project! I am working with some incredible artists and it is a bit intimidating..but here are mine~


this first card is Grace. I used a photo of my oldest daughter I had taken on Friday at her photoshoot...i was the chauffer..they took me all over the Detroit/Pontiac area....well only two locations..but it was a lot of driving!


second card is Joy



my third card is PLay~ now i will have to write the meanings of each card..i know what they are meaning..but trying to translate that into words will be a bit difficult for me!

also here are some photos i took of Stephanie on Friday..i was playing around...documenting the process and ended up with a couple of pretty cool pics







and one more..this is Salina..she had her homecoming on Saturday...my little sweetie

You Are Romanticism

You are likely to see the world as it should be, not as it is. You prefer to celebrate the great things people do... not the horrors they're capable of. For you, there is nothing more inspiring than a great hero. You believe that great art reflects the artist's imagination and true ideals.

just sitting here...waking up..wondering what to do today....have been in the weirdest mood that past two days. Kind of sad and worrysome..not for any reason though. I feel like I am at a standstill...have art commitments to finish up but am not inspired...weird..ususally I relish the weekends and love being in my studio...but not today. Yesterday was wacky...Art went to a theater meet with his buddies...I ran around all day taking care of kids needs, the boys swim lessons were cancelled..so that helped..Salina had her homecoming..sowe had to go get her shoes run out to her friends house way out in BFE to borrow a dress for her step cousin..lol! Then Tyrus had a birthdya party..so we got the present..dropped him off...back to the house..All of Salina's friends came over..I think 12 of them..so we took pictures..that was fun!~..She looked adorable in her dress...then it was quiet..it was down to Turner and Jonathon...well, it was too quiet..I read my emails..and waited for Art to get home..figured he would get here around 6:30-7...well, no Art...it got worse..i worried..he had forgotten his cell phone...i should have known he gets wrapped up in these things and stays longer...but 4 hours..and no phone call...i was so upset..i bawled..when he got home I yelled at him..he got home at 11pm!~..he had been gone for 11 hours...he had specifically said he wasnt staying long...i have never yelled at him before..but i was so worried. I finally got the bright idea to get on his computer and see if i could get into his private messages to find Ron's number..well he had left around 9:30....sigh! i hate how I worry..it just throws me off for a few days, now that i broke down like that..i feel like some wacko when I do it..now today i feel out of sorts..disconnected or something..and am not feeling inspired at all...maybe i should exercise...that would lift my mood i bet!

sorry to be such a party pooper...i just need to get off this computer and do something...sigh!

well I'll go shuffle some papers around...and see what happens...

today as i was surfing Two Peas for a bit of inspiration I came across the blog of one of my fellow designers at Dream Street Papers, Tracy Whitney. She wrote about the inspiration behind her line of papers! You can read that here: http://twhitney.blogspot.com/ then this lead to another of the paper Designers, Dana Hollis..her story is touching as well! It is just so wonderful to read the stories about what motivates us as artists..and through the wonders of the internet we are able to instantly share this! WOW! Dana had battled Breast Cancer and her new line of papers were inspired by that battle, you can read her story here: (forgive me I don't have a clue of how to make it an actual link)...http://danahollis.blogspot.com/ I wondered if the inspiration was because of this when I decided to try my hand again at more scrapbooking and used hers for my daughters LO that I created. I used Dana's papers not only because they were beautiful but the title was so fitting about the way I see my daughter right now. She is 22 and is finally finding her way in life! she is finally able to launch her dream career of modeling and she is finding "her own wings" and Dana's new line is called this! Now to hear her story behind the inspiration makes it even more touching to add her love and sentiments to a creation i made of my daughter! I had made a tradition of having each of my 6 children's portrait taken at 5 months old..and these have got to me my most favorite pictures of each! At 5months they are still so innocent and barely knowing of things..but they already have a very established presonality and their true spark shines through!

here are the LO's:



and Ashton at 5 months using another line from Dream Street papers: Natalie B's Rock -N- Roll papers



so now on with the story...I decided to share my story of inspiration...not quite as touching or moving as Tracy's and Dana's but it is heartfelt none-the-less! My paper line, Wondrous Winter



was inspired by a gift from my mother. The story is a bit of a long one but I will try to keep it short. My mother drives me batty at times. I love her dearly but sometimes I have a dificult time being around her for long stretches. When she came to visit earlier this spring I had been suffering froman infected tooth for over a month,a root canal that went bad. I had three courses of antibiotics and was on vicadin, Motrin and aspirin all at the same time..rotating every 2 hours to keep the pain at bay, I had just gone to aretreat and then had my tooth pulled upon my return. with her visiting right at that time. WEll needless to say i was just exhausted. Her visit was to be for one week. Well at the last minute her plans changed and she announced she was staying another week..oh man..i was out of steam..the rest of the visit didn't go too well..I couldn't pretend to be okay any more and just sort of fell apart. I really felt bad..but I just couldn't be sociable anymore..I needed rest. Well unfortunately it also hurt my mother's feelings, but it did sort of get the message across to her to please be invited..not just assume that she can stay and invite herself. When it was time again for her next visit..she didn't know if she was welcome..of course she was welcome..I just want to know how long!~ Okay well she came again..it was a WONDERFUL visit! we went to CHA in Chicago together and laughed our butts off and just had a really wonderful time while she was here...phew! I hate having tension..and that last visit was just not good..it was aweful! Well on the second visit she gave me this darling fairy for my birthday..a winter fairy..he was white, covered with white holly leaves that were rimmed in turquoise glitter! he was so fun! I knew my papers were going to be season inpired...I had pictures in my head already forming..but when I saw him he just was perfect for a cool color twist on a winter inspired paper line!




So this little fairy signifies the healing of our relationship problem..so it has a very happy ending!

so here is my Lo that I did yesterday using a bit of my paper line, Jonathons first experience with playing in the snow..he was about 1 and a 1/2 or so when this picture was taken



okay well I won't bore ya with any more of my musings today..time to go make some art!
peace!

gees what is with me..two days in a row I slept in until 11!!! I have never done that before..but then again..maybe i just needed it! What a busy summer!

The theater meet was last Saturday..wow! I can't believe more than week has gone by already...It was fabulous! We had so much fun and all the guests seemed happy and we got many compliments on being great hosts!..phew! The girls outfits turned out even better than I had hoped! I just love how they looked in them:



here I am with the girls ..wow! without shoes I look like this squatty round thing..LOL! Maybe the shoes at least would have made me look less squatty..rofl! oh well!


I made al of our outfits! I couldn't believe I actually was able to find time to make an outfit for myself! that was cool! I realized how much I miss sewing!

While I was getting ready for the party, I also got an email that our designs for the new paper line were due the 15th! ACK! and yet another thing I managed was to design and create two 6 piece lines of papers...(I think some one was looking out for me!!) The first one I did was fall line..she liked those..then a couple of days later, I made a winter set, in turquoise and white, with a touch of red..she LOVED those and is going to print that set..She asked for me to save the fall ones for next summer! So that is cool! I always get that sick worry feeling in my stomach..waiting to see if she likes my designs..phew~

Lets see what else..oh..Somerset Studio published a Halloween piece I made...wooo hooo~


They said it inspired them to have a Vintage Halloween issue next year..i was so excited I created a new collge image sheet of vintage fairy riders and created artwork with them:


and my favorite, Bat Boy he didn't like what he saw in that lab when the lights got turned on..lol!


and one more My Owl Witchy:



I want to create one more image sheet this week and will release all three of the new ones at the same time. I am just in awe at how popular my little fairy rider images have become..and I am not even doing any advertising..even if only a few like them..and they spread by word of mouth..hey! I get a kick out of making them!..lol! One year I really should do some marketing of my self..lol!

okay that is it for the moment!
back to my emails and coffee...a nice gloomy day makes for a fun one in the studio..wooo hoo!
my collage in Somerset

well the pond saga is almost done..the area is finished...the only glitch is that there is a leak in the system...but for now I have to leave it alone..too many other things to finish...especially the girls costumes for the theater meet on Aug 19th..phew!..4 outfits this year...sewing after I post pics of the pond here..i am soooo happy with how it turned out!



pictures are a bit foggy..due to the extremem heat and humidity..i took my cool camera from inside to out and it kept foggin up...adds a bit of a romantic touch I think..lol!

here are some more:






last but not least...Mr Magic Froggie..he kept me company through the whole project..he kept moving from one pond to the next according to which had water in it...now isn't he cool..nature never ceases to amaze me!



the next project ...cigarette girl outfits for our upcoming theater meet party...wow it is coming fast!@

here I am pouring coffee down my throat, trying to wake up! Well despite the fact that I moved rocks from 11 am until dark ...9 pm or so, yesterday..I woke up at 4:30 am and then couldn't get back to sleep, forever...I took a Benadryl around 6 and finally fell back asleep on the couch..so here I am...consuming caffiene to bring myself to a partially awake state of mind...for more rock moving today!..LOL!!

Well i made some incredible progress yesterday!! I got all of the rocks moved and have created my waterfall, two ponds and stream! I got twice as far yesterday than i had hoped! so, I think I will be able to get the whole thing done today! I will put the flagstone path down, plants in and then mulch! Then, I can start on the girls theater meet costumes..more about those later...think 40's cigarette girl...

Okay here are the pictures..first some pictures from the other day..One of the most memorable obstacles was mucking out the pond... it was a major YUK!


The whole pond was filled with the plants in the wheel barrow. The next picture...I am almost there, you can see the gunk and rocks at the bottom...The whole pond was filled with rocks..unbelievable how many I took out. also, In the later pictures you can see I raised this pond by 6 inches to be able to get the lift I needed for the stream to the other pond.



Next, I had to dig out the hole of the second pond...wow that was a lot of work



the finished rock work...I do have to redo the upper pond a bit..the pump is so strong that the water is overflowing the area of the second drop..and flowing everywhere down the side of the hill


the stream




the lower pond..



today I will first put in the flagstone (you can see some in the background) and all of these plants and then mulch!!

as I have been working on my computer I keep coming across a couple of photos of the boys...they just crack me up. for those who don't know me well I have 6 children...the oldest two Stephanie -22 and Asnton 19 have moved out, but not far away!. here in the house it is still hopping! I have my 15 year old sweetie Salina and then the BOYS...the ones that keep it hopping around here! Especially my 6yr old turner..if something is broken missing or painted on..most likely he had something to do with it! When i was at Cedar Point getting ready to ride on the roller coaster..the Magnum..it ended up to make the numbers work I rode in the ride after Art and the boys. I was lucky to sit with a mom with two grown sons (in the seat in front of us!) they were 19 and 20..the 19 year old was the crack up (Turner?..lol!) He pretended during the whole ride that he was terrified and acted like he was going to fall out of the roller coaster...I was cracking up!....All I could think of was how cool this was for this woman (in her 50's I am guessing!) to be riding on the roller coasters with her sons! It makes me look forward to those days for myself...not dread that the little ones will eventually grow up and out of the house! One of the things that both Art and i say to each other..is "hey! THESE are the good ole days!" We try to enjoy this time as much as we can..for one day they will all be grown and moved on into their own lives!

so here are a couple of pics of my little men..first one..my very own set of cabana boys..who needs anything else in this world!!!


and here...dog-pile-o-boys


and my little growing up baby girl Salina with her Uncle Michael (my big brother)I saw this one in her picture folder...hey!!how come everybody uses my computer?..they have their own..geesh

Well the family trip to Cedar Point was a hit! what a blast! I got brave and rode a couple of the bigger rides...the Mantis and the Magnum Force....and i Lived to tell about it~!The Mantis ride is basically a blur and the ride on the Magnum still rings vivid in my memory and in the gut of my stomach. the one question running through my head...still, even after 3 days...what is so crazy about me that i would actually do something like that?~ that sick feeling in your gut as you slowly climb with this annoying click, click, click sound of the wheels in the track, to heights high enough to make your head reel...to plummet yourself over into the nowhere below...your stomach ends up in your head...your head no longer functioning...your knuckles are white and you scream like a girl and mad person...and they call this fun?...gees! Well I shook for at least 20 minutes and did actually survive...but I still wonder..when will i become sane enough to say "no thanks..i think i'll pass"..probably never...besides sanity is overrated!Will I do it again next year?..probably...

The fireworks display was wonderful!~ One of the best that i have ever seen in my life! I was just astounded at how the sparkle of the fireworks still seemded as magical as they were when i was a child! amazing how the shapes and colors can be choreographed to such prefection!

The only thing I can complain about was the hard bed...the world's worst..I think I would have done better on the floor. But i got to sleep in my bed last night and am all rested back up!

here are some pictures of the kids enjoying some of the rides and also playing in the sand waiting for the fireworks on the 4th! Happy Independance day everybody! God Bless our wonderful country and the freedoms that we share! Never forget how good we really have it here in the good ole USA!