2011- THE YEAR FOR ART

The last blog I wrote, had me wondering what rainbows might mean for me in 2011.

Just as soon as my husband, daughter and I arrived in Breckenridge, COLORADO there stretched across the sky was a HUGE ONE!

My husband had just told me days before, that after almost two years with a SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, that we would be switching over to serving just GOURMET BURGERS when we returned after the holidays back to our Alabama home.

We had given it a go but just couldn't overcome the obstacles involved in coordinating delivery of seafood from so many suppliers in various locations. We had the best ranked crab cake in town (gonna keep that...it'll be the CRABBY PATTY) but even with incredible reviews on our dinners, the price fluctuations due to supply were not letting us keep our prices reasonable.

I do have to say, I had just told my mom, "I am looking forward to going on a trip where Chad doesn't smell like fish everyday."
But I have to say, selfishly, I will miss the constant supply of fresh seared tuna, salmon salads and grouper once a week.

In Breckenridge, I stared at that rainbow, my first greeting (besides sliding smoke followed 18 wheelers attempting to inch down the icy highway towards Vail). My eyes became filled with a promise that EVERYTHING WOULD BE JUST FINE.

I have never been a worrier, and no stranger to change. The first 10 years of my previous marriage, we had moved each and every year to a new house, in four southern towns. I think I had been accustomed to change.

My husband Chad and I have been married 6 years~ going on seven this October. Isn't that when most couples experience an "itch for change" anyway? Thats the average I believe.

How relieved I am that we are making those changes together in a business. We have been in the same home for all six years, except for the year after we got married, to make room for the fourth child. We have put our change into travel, taking in new places, cultures, experiencing artists, food, lifestyles that the "locals" share. You will never catch us at a chain anywhere we go, something our kids are not too fond of. But they have experienced life the way the locals do, at least when they are with us.

Breckenridge was particularly peaceful because we included our 5 year old daughter in this Christmas vacation. She is alone with us every other year, as her siblings, two sisters and an older brother, go to their "other parents" in the even years.

After my rainbow, I searched for the thing that was underneath that glow of bright color...and noticed the artistry that lay all around me, in the mountains, the snow, the quaint villages basked in holiday lights and realized that it might be something creative.

I visited an incredible gallery there, the owner taking me on a tour of each of the artist's work.(Breckenridge Fine Art Gallery on S. Main Street) As I was about to leave, he showed me an artist who would be coming there to do a demonstration, from Russia. At the bottom of my blog, for about two years now, has been a painting of a girl, her head in her hands, I painted it fast, in red, using acrylics. I had always admired one like it in a magazine and decided to give it a try.

Here in front of me was original art by that very artist~Henry Asencio.

And so I stayed in that gallery for what seemed an hour, Ann Kathryn dashing back and forth, swiping mints from the desk, darting out the door with Chad at her heels as she would stomp in the snow. Time stood still as I studied the lighting, the brush strokes of these great artists. A husband wife team~ Michael & Inessa Garmash, who began together by accident, as their two year old had found a brush and created a signature scribble on one of Michael's works in progress. Inessa attempted to correct it and her husband was blown away. They now combine their two styles and create beautiful works together.

This year, I have decided to quit looking so hard for what is at the end of the rainbow and try to focus on the mist of color that I am standing in.

I want to capture the colors and places around me, the abandoned homes that stand on our roadsides, the small details that get overlooked, the places and times that are now.

And hopefully, somewhere, that rainbow will follow and let me know that I am on the right track.

I have been wandering about this year, taking time from devotionals, from our incredible church (except online) and half heartedly got through my daily bible reading.

As of today, I have been back on track...read all 6 days of "bible a day"...and this week I start with some praise and worship music, maybe a Joyce Meyer episode, and try to get my 2011 headed in a direction that is looking more towards the skies and the signs that God is great, powerful and IN CONTROL of my life NOT ME.

He made each of us to be unique, with interests, and talents, and events that were in our lives that can either be sores or be utilized as tools to help us help someone else BREAK FREE.

In 2011, I am praying for you to BREAK FREE and find YOUR rainbow.

Blessings!

Allison

RAINBOWS

I have been listening to some fun, light tunes this afternoon and immediately the sun began shining in my room...
and my daughter just chirped, "I LUUUUVVVV this MUSIC"

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW...

And today I read a few blog posts from a smart little girl (14) who looks at life so much the way I did at her age..
I turned all my lack of control in my life into a whirlwind of "flying by the seat of my pants".

I always came out unscathed. knowing LOTS OF ANGELS must be watching over me..
cause there is nothing to explain why I am still alive..
always pushing everything to the n'th.

DARING people to love me,
DARING anyone to cross me....

and all along...
I have found..

people WILL love you..
and they WILL cross you...

and the closer you get to the end of your RAINBOW..
the more they will want to see you fall...

but when you get right in and start chatting with strangers about what is REALLY bothering them..

they are wishing all along they had the guts to just put aside where they are and GO FOR IT.

This year 2011..

a lot of families are gonna be in places where they can
hunker down...or they can leap...

I've seen alot of ups and downs in others..
watched players who were on top fall,
watched big developers crash and burn after taking their last cruise on that big yacht that cost them
their families in order to obtain...

and then I see a man who has all the money in the world and little time in life to live,

Last night I had a dream,
that I moved back to the country..
into the antebellum home that sits deserted,
windows barren, floors falling...
and crawled into a big four post bed,
the same one my grandparents once left deserted after the death of their child,
when they decided to give up and let LIFE happen however the chips would fall.

There were only four rooms and a kitchen, a garden, and our kids were
running all around...And it felt like HOME.

And when I woke up this morning,
it all seemed so real. I even wondered where I was.

And I thought,
Here I am at the end of another year,
2010...
when in 2000 I think none of us even thought there would be a world,
and I looked at my husband, snoring, exhausted after a crazy week
beating his head against the wall to determine how to make the world unafraid of the GULF MESS.

And I thought...
we are so blessed...
we both are intelligent...but a bit unpredictable...which sometimes leads to lack of common sense :)
and we both have a country edge, living in a place where everyone I think could use a few days MUD RIDING..
but we also have a spirit of change that I have no doubt will help us set sail which ever way the heavens have
in store for us....

tomorrow we head off for a Colorado Christmas...
leaving home and Alabama behind..

I think of Annabel's post about wondering "who is that in that airplane" and I know somewhere in a journal I had
similar thoughts.

I remember flying over little box like houses, thinking that each family there has a little problem, or a drama, or something
and it certainly made mine feel MUCH SMALLER.

I didn't have blogs when I was growing up, I always wrote when I was sorting it out,
and somehow, I feel certain a best friend/role model (Mendy) will see that those books are destroyed :)
although she has no idea what little nuggets she might find :)

the power of words...
such an incredible force..
but thats a blog for another day.

TODAY,
I wanna focus on whats at the end of the rainbow..
and I know that ONLY GOD can know..
and really, if we focus on him,
the hurts placed on us by people will all melt away

He has put me on a path that has been so glorious,
filled with friends, and laughter,
and careers I could not have imagined myself :)
and book ideas, and scribbled songs on napkins,
and travels across the world
and children who are becoming life-long friends
and another to keep us young at heart..

Yeah, I'm seeing a bit of rainbow right here where I am
and if feels pretty good.

I wish you all whatever it is that you are looking for to appear right where you are!

Merry Christmas and the best of all years I pray for you.

Blessings!

Allison Puccetti Adams

New happYmess PAINT PARTY CLASSES SCHEDULED

SIGN UP NOW FOR HOLIDAY happYmess PAINT PARTIES
Create a ONE OF A KIND GIFT and have FUN~


NOVEMBER 24 (Wed before Thanksgiving) $35
KIDS CLASS k-6~ 11-1 PM (canvas included) ABSTRACTED TREES
TEENS CLASS 7-12th~ 2-4 PM (canvas included) ABSTRACT FUN

*NIGHTLY CLASSES (ADULT): (byob) TOPICS to choose from BELOW
Limited to 15 per class ($25/person)
MONDAY Nov. 29TH 6:30-8:30 WATER AND WINE
Tuesday Nov. 30th 6:30-8:30 ABSTRACT
Wednesday December 1 6:30-8:30 NATURE
Monday December 6 6:30-8:30 TRAVEL
Tuesday December 7 6:30-8:30 CITY-LINES/HOMES (bring photo of yours)
Wednesday December 8 6:30-8:30 BEACHY THEMES
Monday December 13 6:30-8:30 CROSSES
Tuesday December 14 6:30-8:30 SHOES/HATS/PURSES
Wednesday December 15 6:30-8:30 PETS
MOM/DAD AND ME CLASSES: ($60 for two includes canvas/materials)
Monday Dec. 27 5-7 and Tues Dec 28 5-7 ABSTRACTED/NATURE

OUR UNIQUE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED WITH NEARLY A DOZEN OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM FOR EACH CLASS~ WE DIRECT YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY~ NO TWO WILL BE JUST ALIKE.

See “TOPIC OF CHOICE” for the week you choose. Fun, home-studio atmosphere. Non-alcoholic refreshments complimentary and byob.
CALL NOW TO REGISTER: (205) 914-2400
(REGISTER for 4 and get a 5th class free)

*Price includes use of easels, smock, paints and a gift of a color mixing kit
You provide a canvas (any size) you would want to give as a gift to someone special or keep for yourself)
11X17 canvases available for $10.00 each (please call to reserve)

114 Richmar Drive in Crestline ~ 205-914-2400
Home of Allison Adams~ with artist Kristin Drew
Allison is author/illustrator: Birmingham Sketchbook and The 12 Days of Christmas Giving

ANOTHER GREAT SEAFOOD CO. REVIEW-SUNDAY BRUNCH

See photos of our BRUNCH ITEMS
and a great review

click HERE to read the review~

they gave us 5 stars!

SO WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW?

THIS MONTH WE ARE GETTING READY FOR
a fun low pressure, family filled week with Thanksgiving gaining on us and Christmas JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

I have written a book called THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVING

available for a peek at THE BLOG (CLICK HERE TO GO THERE)

and have had booksignings in Homewood, Livingston and Vestavia.

SIGNED BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR STORE~ CRESTLINE SEAFOOD CO. as well as NEW ARTWORK~

A portion of the sale of each book goes to local charities.

If you are in Crestline, hope you will stop in~

Chad just got a thumbs up from Birmingham's own B-METRO MAGAZINE

Click here for the article about SOME OF THE BEST GUMBO IN TOWN~

HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Allison

T shirts available

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

THE ALABAMA GULF COAST

A recent painting of Alabama Gulf Coast CRABS to inspire

while the oil rolls in, the spirit of the gulf lives.