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JUNE FLEW BY…

...with memorable moments such as delightful Peggy treating us to an evening of MUSE/IQUE at the Huntington. My birthday celebrations continued with lovely Marine and her delightful sister Eliza treating me at The Capital Grille. Another great movie night with Curtis...

MAY REMINICENSE

April was so very difficult that I'm going to skip right past it to delightful May. Perhaps it's because May is my birthday month but I really think there's so much more to look forward to in the month. Veronica pulled several landscapes for collector Pam to select...

CONTINUING MARCH

A highlight of March has to be being serenaded by Universal Renaissance man, my friend Stanley Penner, playing a bit of Mozart, Brahms and more... ...on his Bösendorfer. I was told to "Look up!" So many treasurers... A lovely "Gratitude Luncheon" at the Athenaeum....

MARCHING THROUGH MARCH

The Children's Festival was a wonderful way to begin the month. Three days of getting up at five, wearing a white apron and helping all the kids find their way to seats at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for an exciting dance performance by the Hubbard Street Dance...

SHORT BUT WONDERFUL

February, being the shortest month, has to cram a lot of joyful happenings..I can't think of a better way to begin the month than by celebrating Susie Kat's birthday at the Jonathan Beach Club! Yours truly, Maggie, Susie's cousin, Carol Soucek King, our amazing...

JANUARY, AND THE NEW YEAR BEGINS…

I'm not too sure what to make of January. Perhaps it's because December is such an amazing high with Christmas and New Years that it's hard to re-focus on business as usual. Well, maybe not as usual but certainly not at the extreme! It took Veronica and me two days to...

THE MOST WONDERFUL NEW YEAR’S …

began with guests getting their bling on. Here Alexis decides on hers. Also, signing the guest book and indicating what yummy treat they brought. Here's Jan making her entry. And with her bling on. Then it was time for amazing Magician Tom to mesmerize all of us,...

CHRISTMAS AND SO MUCH MORE!

Valerie Foster Hoffman is truly the Hostess With the Mostest, a real-life Auntie Mame! And to be at her Christmas party is to partake of an unforgettable experience. Cookies anyone? With Sherry in the garden. With Santa and our Lovely Hostess! Photographer Karl....

MOVING ON TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

The partying began at the California Club for the CTG Affiliates' Annual Christmas Luncheon. There are beautiful mystery boxes that everyone bids on....here's the one I got. Delightful Mary Kay with her treasure box. Sweet Diane chats with Artistic Director Snehal...

BEST THANKSGIVING EVER!

It's impossible to express how much I love Thanksgiving! Shopping for all of my traditional recipes starts about a week before, and this time it only took five trips! I begin with making the cranberries the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the next day, the stuffing....

COMING FULL CIRCLE……..

……I was delighted when Linda Cantwell asked me to speak and do a Brush painting demonstration for the San Marino League Sustainers.  This was amazing to me on so many levels as over twenty years ago I  gave a lecture to the San Marino League on the history of Brush...

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JOY at the HUNTINGTON…..

  I always look forward to all of my classes but this past week at the Huntington was an explosion of JOY!  There were 19 students and we painted Camellias.  …….But first, because there were quite a few new students, I did a review of various brush strokes and the...

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FINDING JOY in SORROW……

Some of you may have noticed that I changed the name of my blog to ‘LIVE JOYFULLY’ because that is not only my personal goal but my wish for all of you. ….It has always been my great joy and privilege to have Danny Han-Lin Chen, internationally acclaimed artist and...

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A DREAM FULFILLED…….

….and we witnessed it!  But first, does it really take one blonde and two brunettes to figure out a parking meter?  Apparently so! You all know how much I love ‘Recess Eatery’ on Brand Blvd.  I’ve long admired how Chef Sevan Abdessian built the restaurant slowly and...

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ALL JOY, ALL THE TIME….

…Beginning with Tai Ling Wong coming to pick up the cards she ordered for USC Pacific Asia Museum’s Gift Shop.  Of course she’s old friends with Kita and they had a fine time together with Kita actually behaving herself. Tai Ling, Manager of the Gift Shop,  had been...

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AS A WONDERFUL YEAR BEGINS…….

……we said a final farewell to the fantastic ‘15! I was delighted to see one of my paintings illustrating the class announcement in the Huntington’s Calendar.  Time to say goodbye to my Christmas jamies for another year……. I met sweet Amy for lunch before she left for...

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THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER……..

 ….thanks to some major planning which included having the table good to go days ahead of schedule and all of the Christmas cards sent! I decided to spare everyone the musical Crackers and fortunately these from William Sonoma arrived just in time! Trudy never forgets...

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We're GETTING CLOSE…COUNTING DOWN

   I saw The Bridges of Madison County at the Ahmanson and driving back had quite a discussion on what love is…..   I ‘loved’ their tree…... Amazing Marsha Ramos had an open house.  She’s my template for doing good but as she’s set the bar so high it’s rather tough....

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ALL JOY, ALL THE TIME…..

How true this always is with Sandie Girl and how delighted I was to see her completed Christmas Stocking lovingly made for Bella.     The stitchery is so creative and utterly amazing and the love and care that went into this is awesome.  Little details like the tail...

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WELCOME…

to my personal blog where I’ll be sharing adventures and how I determine each day to live joyfully as an Artist, Teacher, and Author. My latest book “What If… We Have the Power to Change Our Lives” an inspirational book that hopefully will empower you to live your best life! You can find me and my work at nanraestudio.com My hope is that this blog will inspire you to find joy everywhere and in everything and that is what I wish for you!

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