An Artiste’ in Our Midst

I noticed an art studio in our neighborhood the other day and thought I’d look them up online to find out the scoop about the place.  It’s called Simply Jane  and is simply the coolest place!

Online I noticed that on Thursday mornings there is open studio time for Toddler painting, so this morning Cooper and I headed over to see if there was anything we could make for Daddy for Father’s Day.  (Yes, we got him the iPhone, but I am lame and couldn’t wait to give it to him!  Story to follow)

We found some very cool small canvases and some picture frames.  There were birdhouses and bowls and placemats….  Just about anything you could paint is available.  The owner/artist has already drawn designs on the stuff, so you just pick out what you like and then bring it to a table where all of the paints and brushes and anything you could need is already set out for you to get started.

When you are done with your masterpiece, they re-trace over the original design, then shelac it and dry it and you are ready to go!

Cooper selected a picture frame with peace signs on it (yep, he’s definitely my child) and we got started.  He’s literally never held a paintbrush in his life but he did marvelously!  I think Daddy is going to be very impressed with his little artiste’!

As we were drying Cooper’s finished frame, I noticed a shelf with a bunch of wine glasses on them.  I asked the woman helping us, who introduced herself as “Simply Jill”, if you could paint stemware.  She laughed and said “No, dear, we DRINK out of them!”  She proceeded to tell me that on Wednesday and Friday nights, you can bring in friends for a girls nite, where you can sample some “beverages of choice” and order pizza too!  Whoa.   This place just gets better and better.   I’m so there!  I’m busily recruiting friends already…

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The Saga of the iPhone

When Papa J. got to our house on Friday afternoon, I was getting ready for my Friday night at the youth shelter.  I had double checked on the delivery of Doug’s new iPhone that Cooper and I ordered him for Father’s Day and I had a feeling it would arrive on Friday.  I told Papa J. that if anyone came to the door with a delivery to tackle them and grab the merchandise without letting D.Jones see it!  No sooner had I told him that it might be delivered, my FedEx guy banged on my front door and yelled “package!”  Score.  It got there right before D.Jones got home from work.

I hid it away in a closet with the intention of activating it on Father’s Day.  Doug has talked about his co-worker’s iPhones off and on for weeks and I just knew he’d be thrilled and I couldn’t wait!  The days at the beginning of the week were simply dragging on and on and on, so on Tuesday night I caved.

He had taken Cooper downstairs to play when he got home from work, and I went online and got it activated.  I put it on the kitchen counter and called it and when it started ringing I yelled “Doug, do you hear something?!”  He said no, and turned down his television.  He listened again.  “Nope.  Don’t hear anything.  What was it?”  I quickly redialed.  This time he heard it and said “Sounds like a phone, but that’s not my ringtone…must be yours?”  I nodded no and said it wasn’t mine.  I asked him to go in the kitchen and look.  He was obviously confused but wandered in and checked it out.

He saw where the noise was coming from and picked up the phone but still didn’t get it.   He says “did someone leave their phone here?”  And I was laughing so hard.  I said “Nope.  That’s yours.” 

His face was priceless.  I seriously got a glimpse of what D.Jones must have looked like as a little boy on Christmas morning. 

He loves his gift and though I probably should have waited until the actual day, I’m glad he’s getting to enjoy it a tad early.  On Sunday he’ll have his fabulous newly painted frame to open up.

Here is our artist at work this morning at Simply Jane~

And his finished product!  Bravo, Buddha!  A masterpiece!