For the Love of Art Show next weekend

It's a girlfriend's show - just in time for Valentine's Day at Adelle Read Studio.
Saturday and Sunday, Feb 12 and 13 from 10am -5pm each day.
3619 Glenbrook Court, Garland, TX 75041
cell: 972-816-3256

Here's the girlfriends:
Adelle Read
Audrey Legatowicz
Barbara Dybala
Catherine Levine
Juli Hulcy
Kimberly Morris
Lottie Minick

Chapters in Metal, #5

It's been too long since I've written. Been outside frying my brain for glass stars. The stars on the left hanging are part of a mobile. The mobile part was OK, but oh my the base. Finally, Delbert came to my rescue. He took the base I was going to use (that I can't move, lift or shove) and he's going to add curved rods on it and from there these stars will hang. Thank you, Delbert. This would have been a no piece without you.

Tomorrow I will be welding the outline of a star for the glass stars on the table to hang on to. Probably won't be a nice little rain shower like we had today.

Here's the big secret. The State Fair is going to select some sculptures for BIG TEX CIRCLE!!!! I'm so hoping to get one of my pieces selected. So I'm making several. Worth having my brain fried in this heat. No gallery would be as exciting for this old amusement park girl as having a piece of mine displayed in BIG TEX CIRCLE. Can you imagine, during the Fair at night when all the people go home, a sculpture I made could be having midnight conversations with Big Tex. How cool would that be????????????

If you haven't already read my article in Examiner.com about the Red Bull art show at Galleria Dallas, that's the Galleria's new name.

Chapters in Metal, #4

East Dallas Art Gardens should have something about gardens once in a blue moon. When I weld I have a kitchen timer with me. I set it for 15 minutes, put a hose on low flow and water a plant at a time. Then hopefully I won’t be grinding or welding when the timer dings. If I don‘t hear the ding, I forget. Can’t hear the drowning plants screaming either. Should weld some metal plants. Rust in bloom is all the rage.


Spent most of the week welding more stars. Today took the redone star out of the kiln. Thank you Virginia, this one came out great. Cut tons of glass shards and put another star in to bake, no welding. If I plug my hair dryer into a certain outlet the house lights blink, so I’m scared to run the welder and the kiln at the same time.

I’m scared of so many things. Took me years, but this summer I got brave enough to turn on the torch without calling Cynthia. We now know her cell phone works in elevators, hiking in Santa Fe and road trips to Oklahoma. But yesterday, I needed my oxygen tank refilled. Couldn’t bring myself to take the gauge off without calling her. Mental picture of me blowing up the back yard. So I called, she walked me through it. Embarrassing to be afraid of the tanks and fire.

Cynthia says as I’m hanging up, “Would you pick up some mig wire for me when you exchange your tank?” Sure. Did Cynthia say, “And you might check your mig and see if you’re running low on wire.” I thought of it when I was nearly home with the oxygen tank rolling around in my trunk and her box of wire on my front seat. Back to GWS next week.

Like I say every year, “Next year I’m starting my State Fair pieces in December”. Sure.

Oops! Left the water on.

Go back and revisit the BF_F's or read for the first time:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-15499-Dallas-Gardening-Humor-Examiner~y2010m7d20-Debut-of-the-BFF-girlfriends

Lottie Logic #2

Remember the public service announcement about our toaster oven who had it in for me? I put it in the front yard and it was gone in a nano second. Hopefully the toaster will like the new owner and not spend it's time plotting against them.

I welded all morning. Pretty hot. Decided to come in and make Bob and me a smoothie. Simple one - frozen strawberries, blueberries and a couple of bananas. I'd taken the blender apart and put in the dishwashers, took it out sparkling clean.

Put the blender together, dropped in the ingredients, added soy milk and turned on.

Soy milk, strawberries, blueberries and bananas EVERYWHERE. Couldn't find the off button because of stuff in my eyes, so I hit a button that turned it on EXTREME.

Yes, I had the top on.

Finally pulled the plug and started cleaning up.

You know that little rubber ring on the bottom of the blender pitcher? Found it in the bottom of the dishwasher.

This is a very obvious scenario of the blender taking up the cause - GET LOTTIE. I can hear it laughing inside the dishwasher.

The Kitchen Wars continue. Well, it's actually on hold. You can't go in the kitchen right now. Feet stick to the floor.

2009 Christmas party pics #5

Pretty good looking friends, huh? Yes, all dressed up for the party, but they would also look good in welding clothes and I think all of these people have once or twice worn welding clothes. Note Juli's hair and eyelashes - movie star looks.

Check out www.octopusandoctopie.com. I think I managed to add a blog to the website tonight. Yes, another blog. I truly am a vampire and stay up way too late at night.

Garden Art on Garden Tour

Two Robert Bellamy pieces were on the tour at Jimmy's house. I thought Jimmy said he had two mosaic pots, but didn't see the other one. Last year the Garden Club Girls went to Mr. Bellamy's place for lunch. The night before was my first welding class of that semester. There was this very attractive girl, Staci, with a pink feather in her hair, big pretend dangle drop earrings, pink lipstick and pink nails. She was welding away. Of course, this was someone I had to meet. We hit it right off.

Next day was the Bellamy field trip and I find Staci heads up the whole Bellamy group. I talk her into doing a totem for the State Fair of Texas. She delivers a fabulous piece. And she's doing one for me this year again. Such a small world.

White Rock East Garden & Artisans Tour, last year pictures

Today's pictures are a mishmash of last year's tour, this year's tour and my fabulous bowling ball that should be on every tour, but is not asked. An oversight I'm sure. Maybe if I weld a special stand for it? Welding brings out the best in everyone, even bowling balls.

Don't you love Mary's stacked pots that make a stand for her garden sculpture? I told myself I was stealing that idea and here it is a year later and I haven't made myself a stacked pot stand.

The fountain picture is a sneak preview of a wonderful garden on this year's tour. Yes, a teaser. You really really don't want to miss this year's tour as that fountain proves.

Saw Lola today. Told her she's doing the commentary on the garden tour preview night video. Her response? "I'll dress better!" Gotta love her. Once again a solid year has gone by and have we progressed with Lola starring in "The Barbaree Beat"? Nooooooooooo But this might be our year. Hey maybe if my bowling ball sneaks in this year's video and future videos, it could be our mascot and get us on Oprah!

mod.shop photo

Lynn, Lottie, Jan at mod.shop opening. Notice my hair. Cute then. Older haircut and color by Angie. Cuter now. Today new haircut and color. Angie's an artist. And to think for years I was happy chopping and coloring myself. I fried my hair with $3.00 hair color for so long Angie had to professionally cut (short), color and condition. Now I can't remember why I was so insistent on abusing my hair for so long.

Sometimes when I'm cutting with the chop saw or welding I smell a bit of hair burning and then my hair screams "ABUSE!" But Angie covers the burned parts really well. And I only pay passing attention to the screaming "ABUSE" when I smell the burn.

Mig Welder Rolls Out The Trees

This is Kelly on the left who graciously came out to the mod.shop opening. She asked me to weld something for her son's class project at The Learning Tree. We're thinking of a welded tree with leaves the children can decorate. Welded tree is easy, figuring out the leaf for the children to decorate, well that might take a bit of thought. But, have Mig Welder - will weld.

Welding Today

Welding with the mig in the cold on a Sunday afternoon. There's fun there. I'm working on "Bent Lynn's In the Wind". Instead of bent limbs, I'd prefer Lynn's since I got the wood base from one of Lynn's estate sales. I'll get some progress pictures.

Today Bluejays dive bombed sweet Miss Calico so I swooped down and threw her in the house. Forgot their striking blue color, forgot how they love to attack kitties, especially 15 year old elderly kitties.

Here's Angie, Rebecca and Cynthia at the mod.shop gallery opening. There's a lot more to come.

No Welding Today / James Randall visits

Truly, I had every intention of working on my tree sculpture today. Rolled out my mig, measured twice, cut rods once, then this and that happened and that's all I accomplished. Rolled the mig back in and locked up the shop when James Randall came in from Denton for lunch. He, Bob and I to Chili's and then he drove me to mod.shop to take pictures. This picture is great because Randall's in it.

James Randall gave me an earful of computer/music stuff. I had to get him to dumb it down a bit so I could understand. If I could get him in a car once a week for 30 minutes and then digest for another week, maybe I'd really start to understand a bit of how his music/computer collaboration works. On the way home we stopped at Starbucks. Swallowing a mouthful of a green tea frappicino with extra whipped cream, I told him I'm reading Carrie Fisher's "Wishful Drinking". He knew who she is - well of course, Star Wars. One of the best lines of the book is George Lucas tells Carrie during the first week of shooting she can't wear any underwear underneath the weird white dress she wears for the whole movie. She asks why and he says, "Because there's no underwear in outer space," so sincerely she believes he believes and then so does she. And you think I'm strange?

The Shoe Gods

The Shoe Gods were with me yesterday. Dropped a nice size piece of metal on the top of my feet. Landed more on the right foot. Hurt, hurt, hurt. Afraid to take off my shoes and look. Because I'm an idiot, sometimes if I'm just tacking something quickly I'll not change from my U.S. Keds to my welding shoes. Who knows the damage if I'd not had on the heavy shoes??? The Shoe Gods decided my ice cream colored U.S. Keds needed washing (very much) and they were still wet when I went out to start on my little table. When I dropped the table on my feet, I said a big thank you to - THE SHOE GODS.

In a related story, The Shoe Gods did have the last laugh. Had lunch with my aunt on Wednesday. She loves The Mermaid Bar inside Neiman's Northpark. She insists I dress up, no jeans. I was looking pretty fine, brown slacks, cream blouse and a little brown jacket. Before lunch we went to the makeup counter to get our faces made up. I never buy (use drug store stuff), but I'm swinging my feet as I sit on the tall stool looking in the mirror. My aunt says in that stern voice when I'm in trouble, "Lottie Kate, is Bob out of town?" No, Ma'am. "Did Bob see you before you left the house?" Yes, Ma'am and I wait for her to tell me how nice I look. Nope. "Lottie Kate, I'm assuming you have another pair of shoes just like the pair you're wearing right now?" I look down. Sure enough, I have on brown loafers, one with tassel, one penny loafer. Could my newly made up face turn any redder? You could see the makeup melting off.

Scary still is this is the second time this has happened.

Laughing Shoe Gods.

More Fall Festival pictures

Welded a bit today just messing around and realized I needed to go metal shopping.  Down to American Metal to look pieces to make another of the commission dining room chairs.  Found some cool stuff and then was digging around and found some cut out pieces I thing will be the chair after this one.  Not as good as when Cynthia and I go to Gold Metal and it's like Christmas, but still quite a find. 

The welding teacher from Booker T was there.  For some reason the boys at American Metal made us wear the construction hats and vests so we were talking about that and struck up a conversation. Later that day I had an Arboretum Artscape meeting.  I was telling them about the teacher at Booker T. and suggested we could maybe do a courtesy rate for a booth for some of her students.  Larry suggested we comp them.  We decided we could even get them a demonstration area.  We will work all that out after I contact her.  Would never have thought of it if I hadn't run into her.  Next time I'll take my camera.  I look so ridiculous in the hat and vest it's worth a picture.  

After the Artscape meeting I met Bob at Dickey's for a quick bite.  Andie joined us.  Then we left Bob and joined the Forest Hills Neighborhood Association Board members for a meeting.  Two 2 hour meetings are a bit much for me. Starting to fade real fast in the second meeting.

Here's a few more Fall Festival pictures.  Talk about cute

Show Entrance Idiot

Cynthia talked me into entering my mosiac heart in the "Sum Of All Parts 2" show at the Bathhouse.  Took me 3 hours to get some pictures, which you can see are not great, fill out the forms, etc.  Got it all done and got to the Bathhouse with 30 minutes to spare from the deadline.  Today I ran an errand in JoAnn's  car (I'm car sitting) and there's the entry form.  I am a Show Entrance Idiot.  Should have figured something was wrong when I had 30 minutes to spare before the deadline.  Saw Katrina when I dropped off half my package and she was talking about the mermaid show she's going to do at the Bathhouse in the spring.  Guess I'll just start looking forward to that.  I know Cynthia will have some fabulous mermaid and encourage me to work on one, so I'd better get started.

Now I'm off to American metal for what else?  Metal.  I have the third chair of my commission in my head and ready to go.  I think this is Arboretum Artscape committee meeting day, so once again, I'll be welding up until time to go.  I'm so dirty and smelly I sit far away from everyone as a courtesy.  At least they let me in.

Tried to upload the pictures I took for the Bathhouse piece and they won't.  

Did I mention a shelf hit me on the head last Thursday.  I have an excuse for EVERYTHING for a year with Bob and six months each with Cynthia and Jay.  Thank goodness!

Garden Club Field Trip @ Robert Bellamy's

Barb arranged for the Garden Club to go on a field trip to Robert Bellamy's wonderful garden. I've been on his web site and knew I'd love it, but before we went in I was delighted. Barb had a clicker and opened the big metal gate. Then it was mecca for me. This picture is a window of a metal piece with fused glass inside. I'll have more pictures soon.

Since I'm still afraid of the welding torch when I'm home alone, I decided to take a beginner class with Dan at the Creative Art's Center. There was this wonderful girl there. She was very pretty, blond with a pink feather in her hair and rhinestone drop earrings. Her dark welding glasses had rhinestones all over them. I told her I loved them and she said she made them. OK! This is someone I instantly liked. Unfortunatley, this was a makeup class for her, she isn't enrolled in my session.

When class was over we finally introduced ourselves. I slur my name so I always spell it. She spelled her's Staci "with an i". What a shame I wouldn't be seeing her again.

As our garden club field trip was wrapping up, Barb said, "Come with me to the office, Staci, with an I, wants to say hello. Small world! Staci looked fabulous with all her bling and gave us a back tour and her card. I'm trying to get her to volunteer for the White Rock East Garden Tour, May 18th, Sunday from 11:00 to 5:00. If she's in town she said she would. Everyone will love her and she'll have a great time.