I run like a girl

My team is complete and we are starting to train together. My latest treasury is in honor of the mud run! If you live in Orange County, sign up now at www.ocmudrun.com, it will be a blast!

The OC Mud Run is coming!

Last year I watched my son and his friends compete in a mud run. It looked like so much fun that I decided I would like to try it. So when I heard about the OC Mud Run coming to Irvine I was so excited! Trying to put together a

San Diego Mud Run 2008
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

team of 4 has been a challenge...but I'm determined to find my final teammate!
As my friends dropped out one by one with some excuse, I decided to use the power of Twitter to find "tweetmates". So far, I've found 2 total strangers, as crazy as me, that are willing to get down and dirty in this 5K. Now I'm on the final quest for that last fun and adventureous person to complete my "Team Tweet". I promise it will be a day you will never forget, plus you'll get a cool handmade team shirt from me, plus more surprises! Visit http://www.ocmudrun.com/ to check out the details, then leave a comment if you'd like the final spot! ( did I mention that some former Survivor contestants will be there?)

San Clemente Beach Trail

The San Clemente Beach Trail which spans the coastline as a walking/biking trail while giving you breathtaking views of the ocean is one of my favorite walks. If you start at North Beach and continue to the end at Calafia and back it's a 4.6 mile trip. While on the trail you'll encounter lots of other dogs, bicyclists, locals, and tourists. People watching at it's best, plus the cool ocean breeze on your face! On our walk today I saw a lady with a beautiful macaw, a girl on a beach cruiser with a puppy in her basket (reminded me of Toto), and a teenager playing a ukulele on the beach. Enjoy my photo journey along the white sand beaches of San Clemente!

The girls can't wait to get there!

Our starting and ending point

An elevated platform that runs parallel to the train tracks keeps you safe while giving you an awesome view of San Clemente Pier.

Almost to the turn around point.

A San Clemente lifeguard on his watch, not a bad job!

My son on his training run, puts me to shame with a little 10 mile run!


Two tired dogs heading back to the car!

Palm Trees grow in Georgia

I've been making mosaic Aloha signs for quite awhile and am always searching for the perfect focal piece. Last summer I received a surprise gift package in the mail from Atlanta. I love surprises and was thrilled to find the box full of beautiful "California inspired" ceramic focal pieces! You may wonder who is the artist behind the palm trees and surfboards?





My Etsy friend and fellow mosaic artist Kathleen of Artsyhandpaints. Here is my first finished piece using her "Georgia-grown" palm tree. I can't wait to get started with the rest of them! If you are looking for the perfect focal for your next mosaic, head over to Kathleen's shop where you'll find these beautiful handpainted flowers!

I am the Lizard Whisperer

I was sitting at the park the other day, enjoying the warm spring day, watching the kids play when I felt something crawl into my lap...no I did not scream...but just stood up and brushed off Mr. Lizard. This brazen lizard is common around here, he's called a California Alligator Lizard. Why he decided to make himself cozy in my lap I have no idea...but I feel lucky to have had such a close encounter with this amazing creature. He hung out for awhile and if I came too close he'd give me a menacing hiss...then he slinked away into the bushes. As a mother of two boys, I don't get the heebie-jeebies when it comes to reptiles. My son has a really cute leopard gecko and I've even had a giant boa constrictor come to my house for a birthday party!

Smashgirl goes to Sarah's Smash Shack

I just spent the day in San Diego celebrating my birthday with my friends. We took the Amtrak down from the OC and had a fun day eating lunch and shopping together. A couple of my friends had to catch an earlier train home so Debbie and I went on the hunt for Sarah's Smash Shack. I had heard about this place from one of my mosaic friends and thought it would be a perfect ending to my day of celebration. Smashing things? Right up my alley! When you first arrive you're given a menu of plates and dishes. After picking your items to smash, Sarah gets you suited up in protective gear...a really cute red jumpsuit, work gloves and the best part the menacing looking full face shield! We didn't have our ipods with us so Sarah picked some smashing music for us and we entered our room. Bold black and white checkered walls, us in our red suits and helmets, and rocking music playing...we were giddy! We had picked these pretty little ceramic heart dishes and were given sharpies to write on them...very fun! This would be a perfect place to come after a bad breakup!
Sarah and Ed, owner's of Sarah's Smash Shack

Debbie bought the souvenior box for our broken hearts and Sarah and Ed kindly donated a box of broken shards to me which I proudly carried home. I can't wait to make something with them! So if you're ever in the San Diego area don't miss Sarah's Smash Shack, and don't forget to tell her smashgirl sent you! Will there be more smash shacks in the future? I hope so...and Sarah if you decide to open one in the OC and need an experienced "smasher" to work there I think I'd be perfect for the job!

Spreading my wings

Spring has a certain energy about it...time for new life in the animal kingdom, new blossoms in the garden and a new shop for me! I've been eyeing 1000 markets for awhile and have been thinking about putting my art in another handmade venue. I adore Etsy and love being a part of it but sometimes I feel that my shop gets lost in the crowd. 1000 markets has a different feel to it, like a small town vs. a large city. Each individual market is unique and original. The photo layout is nice on the eyes, and the people are welcoming. One of my favorite features is "the wall" where you can post comments. I also have a blog in my shop where I'll be posting, so take a stroll on over and say hello!

Kreativ Blogger Award

I'm honored to have received the Kreativ Blogger Award from the infamous and oh so talented Raven from Dirty Pretty Things to Ponder (a blog I couldn't live without)!

I now must list 7 things that I LOVE!

1. Coffee!!!-The first thing I think about when I wake up each day.

2. Lucy-If you read my blog then of course you know how much I adore her!

3. My Family-Great husband, awesome kids...who could ask for more?

4. Kevin Bacon-my secret crush is not a secret, I tell anyone who cares to listen

5. Thai Food-Hot and Spicy please!

6. Paris-This is the place that stole my heart...my dream is to visit for an extended period of

time...possibly forever!

7. The Ocean-the smell of it, the visual beauty of it...and it's something I get to experience daily on my walks! I'm a lucky girl!

Passing on the Kreativ Blogger Award to these bloggers!

http://solsisters.blogspot.com/

http://dailydream-dailydoodle.blogspot.com/

http://starrynightimpressions.blogspot.com/

http://tarynhipp.blogspot.com/

http://artisticbuffet.blogspot.com/

Memories of my Mom

March 11th is quickly approaching and I'm filled with joy...my first born son is turning 15...and sadness because my Mom would've been 74. It's been over 5 years since she lost her life to lung cancer and I do think time does heal a lot of the pain, but I still have a hard time dealing with her birthday. I treasure the memories I have of her and cherish her things that I keep tucked away.

One of my favorite things is her charm bracelet. Each time I hold it I can hear her voice telling me when I was a little girl about each charm and the significance of each one. I also have her wedding band that she wore for over 40 years.

And tucked away in a little box I have a tiny piece of her. .. a lock of her baby hair tied with a tiny piece of satin ribbon that her mother had saved. A story that my Mom told me over and over...one of my favorites...was about her Mom cutting off her long hair when she was 11. It was very traumatic for her since she had long hair her whole childhood. My grandmother was tired of hearing her whine while brushing the tangles out, so one day she braided her hair, tied the ends with some pale blue ribbon and proceeded to chop them off! My Mom saved those braids in a box her whole life...and never grew her hair out again. When my Mom was in her final days her urgent wish was for me to find those braids so she could send them to Locks of Love. I did find them after a frantic search through her house and I sometimes wonder what little girl is wearing the wig made from my Mom's braids and wish she knew how special and loved that hair was. My Mom was a special woman, always thinking of others even till the end of her life. Happy Birthday Mom, I love you!

Thank you kindly neighbor!

Mosaic Kitty
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

While driving down the street a few months ago I noticed this wooden cat dish holder sitting next to someone's trash cans. I drove past a few times that day and finally decided that I really needed to rescue it. I'm so glad that I did and I wanted to send out a big thank-you to the unknown neighbor that had a second thought about discarding this into their trash. So next time you have some old junk that you think has no use whatsover, please set it on the curb on trash day...there may just be a mosaic artist lurking in your neighborhood who would love to have your junk for their next project!

On a scale of 1-20...

Riverbed
Originally uploaded by smashgirl

What would you rate this?
You can tell me on plaincraft.com anonymously, just click on the little row of boxes beneath each picture...I have 3 items that you can rate.
Riverbed, Bali Bowl, and Our Love is Not Black or White are on plaincraft for 2 weeks and the top rated items make the gallery page each day. I really like this site because it gives me some feedback on what people like or dislike. As an artist that is helpful when you're creating new things. Click here!

Deal Alert! You can get free shipping on my small heart mosaics until Feb. 2 and pop over to smashgirl cards to pick up your Valentine's Day card to go with it!