I Don't Usually Toot My Own Horn.....

...but I'm really proud of this one. I just received notification of my acceptance as a Juried Artist in Best of Missouri Hands. When I was writing tech manuals at Boeing in St. Louis, I never envisioned that someday I would find a second calling as an artisan much less that my work would be accepted by my artistic peers. The Best of Missouri Hands is a statewide Missouri Artisans Association. From the website, "Receiving Juried Membership acceptance indicates that an artist has developed his or her craft beyond mere competence of technique to a high standard of quality. Jurying is done from images by a panel of craftsman and professionals." Juried artists are allowed to display a banner in their booths at shows and festivals, so at each show we do I have, of course, noticed those artists with the banner. Now I too can display this banner. I am honored to be accepted as a juried member and will continue to grow and develop my art to meet these high standards.

Hummingbird fact for today: About 21 species have ranges north of Mexico but only the Ruby-throated is usually found east of the Mississippi. Actually "east of the Mississippi" includes such states as Iowa and Missouri and east of the Mississippi is merely a rule-of-thumb. Of the species seen in the US, 16 breed here, 1 is a regular visitor, and 4 are seen rarely and are considered to be strays. Four species are regularly seen in Canada.

Why Was I Worried?

Wow! What a difference it made getting that cataract off! All the post-op eye drops are a pain, but other than that all my worries were unfounded. Thank goodness! And it's a good thing, because we got a new wholesale order in yesterday, so I have things to make. Yay! We're also gearing up for our first venture at a Lawn and Garden show. Come see us if you can. Springfield, MO, Expo Center at the Fairgrounds, February 15-17.

Hummingbird fact for today: The shiny feathers on a male hummingbird’s throat are called a gorget.

Just Call Me Chicken

I know that tens of thousands of people have a cataract removed every year. And I know that it's almost as routine now as having a tooth filled. But I only have two eyes and I can't think of any hell worse than not being able to see. It's to the point now, though, that I have no choice. So I'm off for a few days while I let a surgeon, who looks young enough to be my grandson, poke, prod, cut, and implant on my eye. I'm one of those people who has a cataract on only one eye. Go figure. They're not going to correct the vision in it totally, because the other eye's vision is so near-sighted as well. So I'll have to wait for a couple of weeks to get new glasses and go back to work. Wish me luck! (I can do this....I can do this....I can do this....)

Hummingbird fact for today: A hummer’s heart can beat 1250 beats per minute when active and as slow as 50 beats per minute at night.

Talented Glass Artists

I use repurposed glass in my art. Glass is such an amazing medium. I admire those who can actually create glass. There is an Etsy group of these wonderfully talented artists and I encourage you to explore their wide range of skills. Visit http://www.cgge.org/ when you have some time to explore. Their glass is not churned out in a factory - it is handcrafted art.

Hummingbird fact for today: The Ruby-throated hummingbird, most common in the US, weighs about 1/10 of an ounce (just over 3 grams), about the weight of a dime.

Fun Ways to Reclaim, Recycle, Repurpose

I discovered a great site with a group of very talented artists. All the work is made from reclaimed, recycled, and repurposed materials. The work is creative because the artists think out of the box. These talented people have found innovative ways to repurpose things I hadn't thought of repurposing! This site has everything from home decor items to jewelry to clothing to furniture. Each item is different and unique. Take a look at www.repurposed4you. It's a fun site to explore and marvel at the talent that is out there.

Today's hummingbird fact: The smallest Hummer is the Bee hummingbird, in Cuba, about 2 ½ inches long. The largest is the Giant hummingbird at about 8 ½ inches long.

Doing Nothing Requires a Nap

I love watching cats. Their movements are so graceful. When they stretch, they stretch all over. They spend the day doing nothing, and then take a nap to rest up. We have two cats - a yellow tabby and a black one that probably has some Siamese in him. They were pound kitties that we adopted. We have a mixed marriage - I'm originally from St. Louis and my wife was from the Kansas City side of the state. So our blonde cat is George (for George Brett) and our black cat is Ozzie (for Ozzie Smith). One minute they'll be snarling and glaring and swatting at each other. The next, they're curled up together on the bed napping. Ozzie is a touch-me-not. He sort of yips when you touch him. George likes to be with his people, but doesn't like to be held. I just learned this week that George will come when I whistle. Maybe he's just a dog in cat fur.

Today's hummingbird fact: Hummers flap their wings from 20 to over 50 beats per second. This rapid rate accounts for the audible “hum” we associate with them.

I'm Proud of Her

Is it sexist to say that I am very proud of my wife? She is a constant source of amazement to me. It is her belief in my abilities that I am happily involved in making copper art and our little business is a true partnership. She made up her mind to return to college and makes A's. And she's a pretty good writer. Check this out: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Amazing-Hummingbird&id=912440

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds can fly forward, backward, hover and even fly upside down. All except forward are very rare in other bird flight.