Allison Puccetti Adams: www.ossabawwritersretreat.org

Welcome to the ALLISON ADAMS ARTIST BLOG

Visit the website at

WWW.ALLISONPADAMS.COM

I am an ultra-preneur. I've tried the "doing one thing" and it just doesn't fit in with my HappYmess attitude.

So you will find multiple BLOGS for Allison Adams,

multiple pages of information about the

Interior Designer (my major) / REAL Estate BROKER

(have owned two companies, one in Montgomery (partner) and one on the Alabama Gulf Coast)

I still dabble in real estate, manage timberland/ hunting property with our family, and a favorite book in college

was "HOUSE-WISE" where I dreamed of investing in and renovating properties.

I use those passions as a backdrop for my CREATIVE ENDEAVORS.

My husband, Chad Adams, is a CPA and in the Mortgage Banking Business with SouthPoint Bank, so it all rolls together.

But one day, as is the dream with ALL ARTISTS, the CREATIVE part of my soul will feed the dragon that is life!

All around I am feeling the butterfly effect of all of the inspirations and muses in my life that started within the walls of my playhouse as a child, where I would decorate using the sears catalog, teach classes I made up to my little sister and neighbors, and make up songs and draw. I would watch my aunt paint beautiful abstract creations in an historical home with hot pink walls.

Some might know me as the:

Writer- Author of four books:

two I self published over 12 years ago before POD existed, started my own Publishing Company- The Oaks Publishing Co. -Montgomery, AL. (Southern XYZ's Alabama Edition and A Gathering of Angels A-Z with illustrations by Donna Jones).

I was amazed to find as I am writing this post and searched for the Alabama book that there are some available! I though I had tossed them all! But LOW AND BEHOLD...

YOU CAN ORDER ONE HERE.

I may have to re-examine making it an E-book..WHO KNEW!?

I was hired to write the 24oo word history of the city of Birmingham (talk about a challenge) in BIRMINGHAM SKETCHBOOK

www.birminghamsketchbook.blogspot.com

with one of my watercolor illustrations of the train depot included along with 50 other artists. (Indigo Publishing, Ga.)

Most recently I have tried the POD route, with The 12 Days of Christmas Giving. I am so excited about this book~ the Children are given 12 presents under the tree to GIVE AWAY. The BLOG has a live reading by my daughter of the book by the fire.

Don't hesitate to email me if you would like to host a book signing for 2013! We are scheduling now to release the E-book this season.

After a "name change" and dragging around the remainder of the original 5000 Alabama and Angel books (since 1997) I finally got rid of most of them. I was publisher/warehouse mgr/personal service mgr. (everyone got a signed copy :) I sold those through the Furniture and Gift temporary markets in Atlanta and Chicago so can advise you an any method of book publishing and production.

With POD, (I used XLIBRIS) I happily embrace the "set it up online, we get it available in Barnes/Noble/ BAM) you order your copies at cost...if you need a word change..it is DONE on the next copy that goes out. A remarkable idea.

Did I mention that shortly after the BIRMINGHAM SKETCHBOOK hardback came to print with artwork from over 50 artists who did book signings and promotions with me to no avail, the book went out of distribution as the publisher moved on to other projects and stopped being involved with it.

I do still have aspirations of a New York traditionally published book~ and that one is in the works. But the world is changing as fast in book production as in the music business so we will see!

Magazine Editor: The SOUL Editor position was my favorite. Interviews for cover stories with remarkable people: LeAnn Rimes, Emily Proctor, Christina Hendrix (Mad Men), Patti Hall (The Little Zoo that Could), Heather Johnston (JH Ranch- their remarkable Israel connection), and the incredible Debbie Reynolds who told her publicist "I can't believe I told her all of that!" I feel certain I will be doing that again. I am a woman who loves a goal and a deadline and I delivered every time.

Freelance Writer:

Southern Progress~ Chuck Wagon/ LOWE's Publication, Online articles for magiccitypost.com .

Upcoming books are in the works.

This time I am delving into fiction.

After a workshop with the Ossabaw Island Writers Retreat (Beverly Donofrio (Riding in Cars with Boys), Lenore Hart (Raven's Bride), and Cathy Smith Bowers (Poet Laureate)

I know there are at least 2 novels living in here somewhere. Perhaps some VERBAL writing as I paint will be the way that gets to print!

Two non-fiction books are in the spiral bound form that I hope to unearth soon.

THEN THERE IS THE ARTWORK

I have worked in acrylics all my life. NOW I have jumped off the watercolor board! And I love it! I am just exploring all of the techniques that are 100% opposite all I do in acrylics.

I have devoted the years leading up to my 50th HONING THE CRAFT and learning from the BEST.

Workshops have been with Paul Jackson (my favorite since I saw him in Pensacola 12 years ago). Melanie Morris (acrylic painter who taught me to use the palette knife), and a workshop by Kellie Newsom, Tom Lynch, Amy Collins, Nan Cunningham. Tom Findley is another talent in town who gives me great advice now and then.

I have held a number of small groups and artist round tables where we get together each week with other artists to keep it fresh. See a glimpse of that at www.highlandartists.blogspot.com

As we age, we ease into the WHY NOT attitude...although I have to say I have been an independent spirit since I was 5. Approaching 50 has pushed me into 4 wheel drive as I embark on all of the goals I have dragged around in journals all these years.

IT IS NOW OR NEVER!

A few years ago we attempted my husband's dream to own a seafood restaurant..that is until the BP crisis.

I used my art to raise awareness of the situation there but we have both decided it is a BIG check off the old bucket list~

and after living there 24~7 we are not sure WHY anyone wants to be THAT happy...

restaurants are bizarre animals..

and it takes a special person to make it work.

Our food however, even after one year was ranked best crabcake in Birmingham and the reviews were great until the price of seafood (oysters at $60/gal) for our gumbo~

(and scared customers of the gulf safety) had us selling BEACH BURGERS (which also had rave reviews)

But it became farther AWAY FROM THE VERY VISION WE HAD FOR THE PLACE...to bring fresh seafood right off the boats from where we lived on the Alabama Gulf Coast prior to coming to Birmingham to here.

So as of June 1, 2010,

Crestline Seafood Company is HISTORY.

Just for fun feel free to check out the history and look at the juicy photos of the food my husband prepares.

I will MISS having seared succulent tuna bathed in ginger wasabi every week..and salmon..grouper, flounder!

I must say the waistline has expanded since we include more steaks (which I love and Chad can make a mean one of) but hey, a girl has gotta eat!

Thinking now is a good time to blog about fitness and healthy eating. He is actually on a walk now as his blood pressure (I'm saying a result of BP and stress of all the filings and what goes with that) is high as a cat's back! ~ he has still not resolved that issue after 2 1/2 yrs with BP) which has certainly not helped his health.

I am still evolving and was blessed with skinny legs. It's the area in the middle I am going to have to blog away! That is what I love about blogging...it is REAL LIFE!

And every day I find new things to explore, learn and do!

We don't have much time on this earth, even though sometimes it seems like we think we can live forever!

There was the convertible phase (twice)...the Harley (rode the twisteys of Bristol, TN) and the Gulf Coast Rides.

Then there was the Allegro Bus we had to get to experience Talladega the way it should be experienced. Tony Stewart was once in our hunting camp so I thought I would give it a whirl. Came to find the pits are hot...no tank tops so I survived 110 degree heat with a leather jacket to cover my shoulders. Ah,

the things you learn when you delve into life.

Now we appear to be fading into a phase of horses.

After eight years in Mt. Brook Alabama we are living on Lake Tuscaloosa~ with our children and our Doberman~ Samson, Pomeranian~ Cocoa (Chanel..Loco...Puff ~ depends on the moment) and a cat who now we just call "Pooter".

I have more things to achieve and learn, like parking the boat! We switched from Lake Martin to be closer to my old stomping grounds in Sumter County, Alabama. I look forward to spending more time with nature in Eutaw, Jefferson, Boligee and Livingston.

My oldest is at BAMA studying Jazz and the "middle child" bringing up the middle with her own talents playing guitar and singing, as is Chad's daughter and we are starting again with a seven year old who is the "typical fourth child" and gets me up after she gets dressed in the morning.

Somehow we were blessed in the musical pool, at least

the kids were. I am still carrying around a catalog of poems I call "songs in the works" but haven't been able to get them tweaked my my master producer son...YET.

The writing...I can handle on my own.

Here you will find blogs that are about love, life, music, art, writing, seminars, people I admire, and hopefully not much about those I don't.

Life is short, gotta live it, learn it and form our own version

of happYmess!

May you look at life as a child does and always enjoy the little things!

Blessings!

Allison Adams

Birmingham Train Station

Friends and Favorite Places