Birthday Parties ~ Lake House Art Retreat ~ Art Journal Pages

8 x 10 Acrylic Painting for CC's Birthday at the Lake House What a great painting retreat at the Lake House we rented on Cedar Creek Lake in Gun Barrel City Thursday to Sunday and all 9 members were present and agreed this one was the best yet - perfect days and perfect weather. (We have discovered it's not really in Gun Barrel City but Payne Springs). We painted on personal and CBC projects and did a lot of celebrating as we had 5 fall birthdays. It took awhile to unload and get set up on Thursday but after lunch on the patio, we were busy painting with questions such as "When does the birthday party start?". About three years ago we began a painting rotation so that by the end of the rotation each member would have one painting from each member and we'd celebrate twice a year - in the spring and fall. The above painting is the one I painted for member Cindy C. Then we began to bring smaller little gifts for each member when we went on a Lake House trip. The art journal pages are filled with a record of these gifts that range from rice krispie treats, pens, pencils, wash pens, brushes, brush holders, soap, chocolate and more chocolate, jewelry bags, cross necklaces, mini highlighters, Sharpies, key holders, bookmarks, Micron pens, mini framed photo, covered boxes, cell phone charms, tote bags, acrylic note pads, photo book, mini tool sets, nutmeg and mini grater - and some of these gifts were handmade. My personal gifts were paintings from MAS and KSF, painting smock, and a leather diary. It was like Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

CY and I went to Little Rock for an opening of two of our CBC paintings, we hung the Petroleum Club Show, then time for a movie. You will have to be the judge on the movie.
Family birthdays and then days and days of packing and cooking for the Lake House.

Some Lake House Gifts...