Dragon Boat Races at Barkers Island

It was a perfect day. Off we went to take photos of the Dragon Boat Races at Barkers Island. My assistant photographer was my husband Rich who is new at this, but has a good eye for a photo. We drove to the Mariner Mall, boarded the shuttle bus there-no wait, and in minutes, we were dropped off right at the festival.

Barkers Island was packer with people and the colors were alive everywhere. The combination of the team's shirts, and the flags were intoxicating. It made you instantly feel alive and part of the excitement. We traveled down to the side that the people were gathered at and found the best place with out blocked vision was right in the water. We were by the kids and dogs, happily playing in the water to keep cool it was a hot day in Superior and the sky was perfect too.

We traveled around to take different views and learned new techniques with out cameras.
Met some relatives and enjoyed a great lunch from local vendors. Sat in the beer garden under the tent to keep cool for a while.
Then, local musician Shane Nelson played with his band on the stage and we got some good pics of them too.

I'm editing photos to post soon on my facebook called mysuperiormemories superior memories if you would like to see those pics and more of local Superior Photos, past and present. Just friend me and I will add you so you can see the pics.
Here is the album page link below.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/albums/?id=100002158067538

My Superior Designs are comin' along!

Hello and welcome to my little online space where I share what's up with me and my art and the other around me.
This past couple weeks have been busy. I have been creating my Superior Landmark designs, and I'm finding that it go on forever. I could go on and on with just Les's Corner Store for ever with all the vintage candy ideas.

Here is a link to my first ones done and ready for sale in my Zazzle shop.
http://www.zazzle.com/mysuperiormemories
My products will be available from my Zazzle Shop and through me in my Etsy Shop too.
Through my Etsy shop, you will only deal with me and the products are all printed and created by me.
Through my Online Shop, Zazzle, there are more designs and products available and the shipping is very low, the quality of the product is reasonable too. The items are not signed and dated like the ones in my Etsy shop. Please take a peek at each and send me an email if you are looking for a certain design. I'm happy to help you. mysuperiormemories@yahoo.com

Superior's Old Central High School: Wisconsin's White House

Superior's Old Central High School: Wisconsin's White House

Vintage Copper for my Historical Landmark Pendants

I am so excited. I have ordered my vintage copper parts for my Old School historical landmark necklaces that I am making. I wanted the chains and bails to be vintage looking too. I can still keep the prices fair too which make ms even more happy. Thanks to Etsy.com.
Next on the list for designs is the old Central High-Jr High school. I took some photos a while back and have the ones with the James Hill statue. I miss seeing that old building. It looks so bare by Cathedral without it.

Time with Grandkids

Summer goes by so fast here in Superior. We just get the nice warm weather and then fall hits. I've enjoyed time with my Grandchildren and hopefully they have each learned something this year that will help then in the future. I hope they have had some fun too...but as I get older I realize what influence my grandparents had on me. Grandma Venla, the short funny creative little lady that lived on Iowa Ave, downtown Billings Park...right next to where the Antique Shop use to be. I got to go there everyday at lunch time from Cooper School. I'd run there with Johnny Fields chasing after me. Years later I asked Johnny if he knew how luck he was that he never caught me.

Yes...the older we get the wiser we get...dispensing pearls of wisdom to the kids...and we never forget that time of year...getting ready for school in the fall. The clothes, shoes, getting back together with school friends....planning where and what time to meet for the bus ride...Where you're locker will be.
I still have nightmares of old Central Jr High and I am lost, late for a class.
My studio is getting closer to getting remodeled. Many items to go through. My grandson Dylan, has been wonderful about helping me this summer. He has toted totes up/down  stairs, and to Goodwill...
I am very fortunate.
He decided that instead of going to Vally Fair for rides ect..., it would be more enjoyable to him to have me paint on his shirts for school this year. We picked out plain t-shirts, and he scanned the internet for his favorite designs, and we shared a nice time together while I painted for him. He told me this was better then anything I could have bought him. The look on his face as he tried each shirt on...made me happy and also made me cry. He said thank you Gramma...I love them.
I have two Grandaughters also.  KTQ & Neeva, Nicknames) We do art.crafts here on the orange counter bar in our kitchen. They think it's the best thing in the world. I hope I can pass down what I got from my Grandma and my Mom too. Sitting painting with my Mom, getting ready for a craft show, humming away-bad habit...were the best times I had with her. Best time with my Dad...in his workshop, teaching me to build basic goodies to paint on. Teach...give back...that's what its all about isn't it?

My Superior Art

I've been busy with a with a few projects here. I am excited to say I am almost done with my new line of Necklaces that feature my art on them. They are created from my photos and have everything from the old schools to the Superior Light house on them. I will have them and the T-Shirt designs al in my Etsy shop for sale very soon. I plan to launch the Superior shop by the end of August. I will be printing all my own products, one at a time with love....on a brand new Anijet printer which my dear friend Bob from Superior Trophy has in his new shop/studio. We join forces to create our products and have a blast doing so right in Superior with the help of Lisa & Marilyn.

I have a few demos ready if any area shops are interested in our products Email me at-
mysuperiormemories@yahoo.com
I am currently working on Central (Jr.) High School's design. I love the fact that I bought an old yearbook off ebay one time and it had my Aunt Marie Kobe's art printed on the inside of the Echo yearbook. Amazing. She was a big part of my inspiration as a kid as she was quite the artist. You can see how excited I was to find her art on this yearbook when I got it in the mail. Treasures.
So...yes..many new fun things in the works.

Taking photos of Superior Landmarks

Superior Wisconsin has been my home for many years. I moved away a few times but the lake, and other beauty of this area kept calling me home. My mother and I started taking photos of old buildings like schools, chirches ect in the Superior area way back some 30 years ago. We needed them for reference to paint the miniature ones we were selling at art & craft shows. My dad would cut the shapes out of wood for us in his little workshop room in the basement and mom and I, would sit, late ay night and paint together. She had gone through a major cancer battle and was in remission at the time. Out art brought us closer then ever. My best friend.  We would drive around looking for interesting buildings to paint. We would laugh and laugh at some of the bad photos we'd take, but we would get the main info we needed to paint a likeness of them.

Years later, after my mom passed away, I realized the photos put away in the boxes were now treasures as so many of the old schools and other buildings are now gone. The town tore them down for what ever reasons and they will never be seen again. It made me so sad to think some of the most beautiful crafted rare pieces of our history were not able to be saved.

I went on a website building kick and created a website where I shared many of the photos and old post cards of Superior with others. The hits and visits were amazing as it grew. Comments were often as others would find my site and some cherished the memories like me of our old schools ect...

Then, my site crashed. Not one time, but quite a few making it hard for me to keep it going, The company I wwas with at the time, hosting, didn't have a clue to what the problem was. I gave up.

I decided to rebuild another time when I had the time to dedicate to the project. I lost the domain name not being aware of the fact, when you don't renew your domain name fast enough...someone else can snatch it up and resell or use it for them self. So I lost my Superior Memories domain name. My own fault. Live and learn.

Fast forward to now.....

I closed my Old Time photos shop at the Mall and decided to go back into painting and designing again full time. I created a facebook page for sharing my love of Superior's finest beauty with others. I named it, My Superior Memories. After the great response from people from everywhere, I realized it was time to do what I love to do most. There was a need, a cause, a longing from many to reminisce about the happy and some sad and touching memories of the people in our little town.

I've always enjoyed taking event photos like parades and parties. I got into photographing weddings for a while but my eyes always wandered to the wrong places. I was drawn to the children playing in a fountain or the little girl looking up a dress or just the faces of a father/son as they try not to cry. You have to be all about the bride and not be led away by creative ideas. A real fight for me...trust me.

So many of you without even know it, inspire me with your photos, special moments like a child's first bike ride. The everyday accomplishements in out lives.

I wast to say thank you. Thank you for sharing with me and trusting me with your family photos, special events, and precious times. I will only use event photo in the most positive way. If there is ever a problem with any of my postings, please just email me and I will take care the problem right away.

Love you Superior.