Flat Gabe, fat dog, and losing balance...

This is 'Flat Gabe' who is helping decorate the tree at the museum. One of the volunteers is taking Gabe around and photographing him for her grandson's school assignment. Now Gabe's fame is elevated to super star status; he appears on my blog. The next thing you know he'll be on Conan O'Brien.

I am told our tree is the talk of the museum galleries. Thursday, the ESE students at Edgewater High School are meeting me there to see and have their picture taken with the tree they helped create. What they don't know is that our tree is sporting a big fat blue ribbon for Best of Show! What's more, Philanthropist Harriett Lake purchased the tree and donated it to the Orlando Museum of Art where it will be on display throughout the holidays. The museum curator called today and plans for our tree to share space with the giant Dale Chihuly tower in the front gallery. (Does this mean I have a piece in a museum collection? I am going to go with a 'yes' and not ask any questions.) To top it all off, my two oldest children, Heather and Danielle, will be home for Christmas and I can show it off to them.

It is really difficult to get a good photograph of our tree partly because of the sparkle, partly because it's so tall, and partly because I am not a very good photographer. Here is a shot of it next to the ladder I almost fell off of. It is the same ladder Gabe is standing on, though he did not have the trouble I did negotiating his descent.

Now that the tree and street painting festival are over, I am trying to switch gears to making jewelry,  having fun playing with some new materials I picked up a few months back. Off balance yet balanced was the theme today, a reflection of my state of mind? I incorporated pieces of Swarovski crystal chain into one side of two necklaces. Symmetry would have been much easier, but I think they were worth the angst I had to pass through until they felt 'just right.'

 This one has a raw diamond chunk in it. I like the black industrial looking chain juxtaposed with the sparkly dichroic glass and crystals.

I made another batch of artisan bread for dinner. We go through it fast since Zuzu (dalmatian a.k.a. damnation)  is a master thief. John caught her jumping the counter and flinging the cooling rack, sending the bread flying into her ready jaws. I have resorted to using the microwave as a breadbox.

I am scheming on a project for United Cerebral Palsy. It might have to wait until the New Year, but I am hoping to work with the K-3rd grade students on an installation for their lobby. Ciao! (We're having Italian eggplant casserole for dinner.)