Funky Art Queen

This is my picture of me wearing the outfit I plan to wear to the Big Hat Luncheon at the Sweet Potato Queen Parade in Jackson Mississippi this coming weekend.   I can't believe it is finally the week of the Sweet Potato Queen Parade in Jackson, Mississippi.   I have been waiting and preparing for this moment ever since I heard author  Jill Conner Brown speak at the Merry Market event in Odessa,TX  last year before Christmas.  Jill was just so much fun with her queenly act and comical interpretation of the life of a woman, wife, mother and friend in the South.  She just touched something in me with her message of how she discovered her calling....her talents.....and over came obstacles that many of us get stuck in.  You just have to read her books to get it.....her first book...."The Book Of Love" will make you laugh and cry and help you to understand this whole "sweet potato thing queen parade" thingy.  Read it!  Really... ...

My sister, Rhea and I got back Sunday night from our trip to Saint Louis.  It was just one of those self indulgent sisters trips.  We have not had one in quite some time.  With her living in CO it is hard for us to get together.  But, we made ourselves plan this trip and we stuck to the plans.  We love Mama Mia movie and we knew it was based on the broadway show-so we hunted the traveling show down and chose the one in Saint Louis because the date fit our schedule and the place sounded interesting. Saint Louis proved to be very interesting.  We found the city to be so clean and pristine.  The architecture of all the buildings was fascinating.  This city is rich in history and culture.  The people were so friendly every where we went.  Going to see the Arch was an awesome experience.  We got to ride these tiny little space ship looking things to go to the top of the arch and view the city.  Although I am not fond of heights...

My sister and I are going to St. Louis, MO to see the touring Broadway show of Mamma Mia in Feb (next month) I'm so excited! We discovered the movie last summer and I can't tell you how many times we have watched it.  Well, we only watched it one time together.  That was a fun night.  No boys, lots of wine and lots of bling and feathered boas.  Good times.    Since that movie seemed to strike us both at such a level, it seemed only natural to go and see the Broadway version.  After all, that is where the movie started out....in theater.  The history of this production is quite interesting.  If you don't know already, the entire production is embellished (or perhaps born from music by Abba) with music by Abba.  You young thangs may not even know about Abba, but us 70's and 80's girls will totally know them and appreciate them.   According to Wikepedia: Mamma Mia! , promoted as  Mamma Mia! The Movie , is a  2008 ...

   T onight I find myself thinking about my relationship with my sisters; "Ronetta" and "Rhea".  I suppose these thoughts are brought about by the combination of my stage in life (kinda mid-life....not telling you my age) and the recent death of our father due to emphysema.  Truly, if I could write decently, I would have the best material for a tragic comedy.  The movie that comes to mind for comparison is "Hanging Up" with Diane Keaton.  Did you see it?  Here is a link to the trailer. ...if you have not watched this movie, I highly recommend it:  Three sisters who were once very close as children have grown up and moved on in their lives.  Though they maintain an attempt at maintaining a sense of "family", it is their elderly and terminally ill father who unwittingly forces them to realize and appreciate their need for each other.  Anyway, I'm the "oldest", Ronetta is the "middle child" and Rhea is the ...

click on the article above to enlarge. I wrote this several years ago for our local paper. Forgive all the typos- hey, this is Big Spring, TX! It made the front page! I know it was a while back because there is an add for the Jurasic Park movie-the first one. I'm adding it here as an entry in Ambers Great Christmas Giveaway. I also hope my sisters enjoy this memory. Merry Christmas sisters! I love you Ronetta and Rhea. We are blessed to have each other and these good memories. Hugs. Lesley

DAY 2 of 29 DAYS OF GIVING Yesterday was day two for me. I thought all day long but nothing came to me until late in the day it hit me. Lately, I have been making these little fabric houses. They are just little funky, stuffed houses that are ornamental and fun. I had thought these would make fun little gifts for people who have recently bought a home. A house warming gift. But that idea was brought about as a marketing idea. I'm always making all this stuff and trying to think of ways to sell it. Then, DUH! It hit me. My sister and her husband recently bought a beautiful home. Why could I not make her a special little house. Usually when these thoughts occur, I selfishly think how that will keep me from making something that I might can sell. Well, it's not like I"m poor! I have a day job. I'm just obsessed with the idea of making this art thing my day job some day!!!!Anyway, I decided to make Rhea (my sister) and her hubby (Jesse) a little house warming house. I spe...

Today is my sisters birthday! Rhea-Rhea-Happy Birthday. "August Tonight" is what she used to say in lieu of "August 9th". I remember when she came into this world...I was 11 years old. It was summer and my mother had that big "with child" tummy. We had picked peas and we had them all over the kitchen to prepare for canning. Mama did that almost every summer....pregnant or not. I don't remember all the details but I do remember that the canning of the black eyed peas would have to wait until this precious little baby came. I remember that we lived in town (Big Spring, Texas) when she was born and that me and my step-brother Brad joked about how we would call her "Radiator" since Mama named her Rhea Dion". That was all we could come up with for proper teasing. It's hard to remember everything, but I do remember the feeling that I had another baby doll to love. I remember that I used to lie on Mama's bed and hold Rhea on my tummy an...