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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....

NOVEMBER’S JOY

Sandie girl came to the studio to work on her Christmas card. It's so lovely, but I can't show it to you just yet! This is where it all began on November 6th. Backup from the water drainage area. It's the 25th and work continues... On to lighter moments. Dinner at...

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY AND SO MUCH MORE

It was time to celebrate delightful Patricia Faber and sooo much fun was had by all! Architrect Miller Yee Fong had to leave early so he wasn't in the group photo. Happiest of birthdays dear Patricia! Make a wish!!! Soooo cute! I was so thrilled to see the recent...

OCTOBER MEANS SAYING GOODBYE TO SUMMER

Each year I'm determined to really enjoy summer and then find it's October and I wonder what happened. The upside to that is beginning the month with the Huntington Botanical Garden's Mid Autumn Moon Festival where we have a booth and get to see many of my wonderful...

CONTINUING SEPTEMBER

For a short month, September had a lot going on, continuing with the Center Theatre Group Affiliates New Member Orientation Meeting. "Giving the Gift of Theatre to the Next Generation." Afterwards, Christine Hart, VP Programs for the Affiliates, and Sweet Diane visit...
WELCOME TO THE PARKER B&B…

WELCOME TO THE PARKER B&B…

...all set for Charles lovely daughter Peggy and hubby John Berry. Note the Godiva chocolates on the pillows and there are even eye masks!We are so delighted to have Peggy here each year when she attends a national conference as the Development Director of the East...

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IN JANUARY I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL…

IN JANUARY I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL…

...from Gretchen Thompson who said that she and four others wished to present a dear friend with a gift to an artist's studio...mine...as the friend had a great interest in Chinese Brush painting. So, six of them would be coming to the studio on February 8th at noon....

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“HEY, IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY…

“HEY, IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY…

...everyone will be home with chips and dips."Well, that's what I thought and told Stacey that as soon as she set up everything she could just go play and come back at 5:30.Perhaps I should start at the beginning. I was asked to do a 'Trunk Show' for the Huntington's...

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CAN YOU IMAGINE…

CAN YOU IMAGINE…

...it's a birthday party for you but you give everyone else a gift! That's exactly what Valerie Foster Hoffman did as all 35 guests received the most delightful 'Chimes of Pluto' wind chimes. I placed mine at the bottom of the stairs leading to the studio so everyone...

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WHY DIDN’T SOMEONE TELL ME….

WHY DIDN’T SOMEONE TELL ME….

...that I move my hands about so much. What music am I conducting?Delightful, talented Jana Tether did the video work and set up to put me on 'YOU TUBE'. It was great fun...at least for me... as Jana did all the work. The first video is an introduction to the studio...

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CHARLES, I KNOW IT'S THE NFL PLAYOFFS BUT...... we have to hear Reverend George Regas at Carol and Richard King's monthly SALON on the SPIRITUALLY CREATIVE LIFE! And off we went ... on time too but there was nary a seat in the packed to overflowing house. How grateful...

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I DON'T KNOW WHY......but a sudden urge to straighten out a shelf in the garage swept over me. It started off with dusting various bottles of 'emergency' beverages and moved to the center of the shelf where there was a big box marked ... XMAS!Now I must have seen that...

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IT ALL STARTED OUT QUITE INNOCENTLY ENOUGH…

IT ALL STARTED OUT QUITE INNOCENTLY ENOUGH…

...when we were at the home of Rose and Ken Nielsen (President of Woodbury Univ.) for a Christmas brunch for Woodbury supporters.To digress, amazing Rose is senior director of development for the School of Architecture and she has been the driving force behind its new...

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SEVEN SWANS A-SWIMMING…

SEVEN SWANS A-SWIMMING…

...will cost you $1,400 more this year but please don't let that stop you from sending out your tokens of love. I was thinking about that this morning ... not about the swans, but about all of us, each in our own way, bustling about buying gifts. It seemed to me that...

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IT’S A LONG STORY, BUT………

IT’S A LONG STORY, BUT………

The short of it is that yesterday I had a studio visit from a fellow artist who went to the SAME GRAMMAR SCHOOL! How amazing is that!!!Victor Fisher is a sculptor of renown and his wife Phyllis creates some amazing silver jewelry. While they live in the Newport area,...

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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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