Give Peace A Chance

Saturday, December 8th, was the anniversary of the death of John Lennon. While I didn't make time to post about the anniversary I did think about it. Mainly I thought of John, what would he be like today? Would he be making the rounds with Yoko to hotel rooms across America? Would we be standing outside in groups singing "Give Peace a Chance"? Would we see more "War Is Over If you Want It" billboards around the states? And how thick would his FBI file be today???

Just a week before that on November 30th was the anniversary of George Harrison's death in 2001. On that day I remembered where I was when I heard he had passed away from cancer. I was driving home from school when it came on the radio and yes...I did cry a little bit.

Luckily we still have music from these men that will live on forever, and continue to inspire us and future generations.

Michael Vick Sentenced!

Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison today for his part in dogfighting!! While I don't think 23 months is long enough it has put his football career in jeopardy, so there will be life long consequences so that kinda makes up for it! If he serves his full term he will not be released until October 2009 which would take him out of three seasons in a row! And according to a ESPN reporter it is unlikley he will be able to get back in the game after 3 years out. Hopefully this will set an example for other sick individuals out there that are taking part in this kind of disgusting cruelty! If a "celebrity" isn't going to get away with it...you sure as hell won't!! Originally his trial was only calling for him to spend like 13 weeks in jail, but because he lied about the involvement he had with actually killing innocent dogs, he was sentenced to a longer term.
With so many people out there with a blasé attitude of...."it isnt like he killed anyone...its just some dogs..." it makes me reallly happy that he didn't get away with it and our court system made a stand that yes its cruel and uncalled for and no we wont let it happen in our country without consequences!

If you want to read more about the trial just google "Michael Vick" and the news reports will jump out at ya!!

Just thought I would share the good news incase you all had not heard yet!!!

I promised Pictures so here they are :D

Here is our Christmas Tree this year :) Real quick I feel like I need to explain the fact that it is a real tree, its kinda confused a few people. The first question I was asked about our tree was basically...'but you cut down a tree, isnt that kinda the oposite of what you guys are all about.' That is why I need to explain ;) At first I felt the same way....but after doing some reading it is actually better to buy a real tree, because in short.......Christmas Trees are farmed and each time a tree is cut down from one of these farms it is replaced by at least one tree, and sometimes more. The amount of trees that are grown for this reason help to remove from 40 to 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. So if these trees weren't farmed that carbon dioxide would still be in the air. And you think artifical trees will last you 10 to 15 years...think how long they sit in the landfill....pretty much forever!! Besides Christmas Tress were originally put up to show life in the dead of winter, and they smell good ;)
We opted for a tree that had not been cut but instead still had the roots in a pot, so that next year it will be bigger and we can use it year after year....or until Joe & I kill it like we have almost every other plant we have had :(




This is a view from the door looking towards Joe's bench. This is where he does all the "clean" work for framing, so that customers can see the process. Thats my most important customer there, Sophia...oh and my dad is the guy holding her ;)




This is another view from the door looking towards our moveable walls. We have 1 big one and 2 small ones right now but will be building more later on. We've got them on wheels so that we can easily change the set up! That is all Brian's art that you can see on the walls!!




This is the setup we had for Amy's art during the first weekend of the art walk. We had her prints and her originals sitting on the bench. We've brought in some shelving from our house that we have them on now for the next weekend.




And this is a view from the outside look at the new store front!! I've got to get pictures up in a album thingy on pica or whatever showing the process from the old store front to this!! Remember it had the glass all the way across the front with that UGLY green brick!! Well its not done yet but thats it so far! Our carpenter is an amazing guy and did so much more than we had imagined when we first decided on doing this! It took a lot of hard work on his part and then a lot of painting on our part to get it looking this great! Plus an interesting night and a Kari freak-out to get the glass out....but thats another post ;)

I'll get more pictures up soon! But for now...I've got to get back to work

We're Open!!

Well, we are Finally unofficially open for business!!! I turned the sign to Open at 5:00 Friday for the annual Holiday in Paris Art Walk. We had an okay turn out for the Art Walk, mainly family and a few couples we didn't know. And then had a great turn out for the Progressive Desserts after the Paris Community Theater's show. Joe and I didn't get home and in bed till 1:30AM!! I wish I had remembered to take a picture Wednesday night...It was a mess!!! We still had plastic hanging from the ceiling sheet-rock dust every where...walls still not painted and of course...no art in sight! We had Me, Joe, My mom & Dad, Joy & Joyce & Judy for a little bit, helping just clean up. The difference we made in just 2 hours was unreal that night!! A guy stopped in on Thursday (just walking by) and was curious what we were about to be putting in the building. I told him our plans with the Gallery & Frame shop, and then I told him we would be opening the very next day.........He just looked around gave me a funny look and said "oh....really???" Our mailman wasn't even sure I was going to make it!! But we did!! We didn't have any art out except a few of Jerry's sculptures and one of Brian's paintings ;). But we worked though the Art Walk and in the time between the Art Walk and Progressive Desserts and we got the rest of Jerry's stuff downstairs and got Brian's art all up on the walls. I'll get more pictures up in the next day or two so you can see how it looks!!