Jolie Guillebeau

Mrs. Manley was my babysitter for several years when I was young. It was the early 1980′s, but she happily rocked the beehive hair and rhinestone glasses. It’s as if she’d found a good look in the sixties, and determined to wear it forever.

A widow with eight children, when I knew her she loved two men: Pat Robertson and Pat Sajak. She happily made me a scrambled egg sandwich and let me watch Bewitched reruns every night as long as I’d finished my homework, and as long as I didn’t complain about flipping the channel to Wheel of Fortune and then The 700 Club later.

Wow. Only 11 faces left in this project. I’ve started planning my next adventures, and I’ll tell you more about it over the next couple of weeks.

And while I’m at it, a quick reminder: this Thursday evening is the reception for An Artist A Day. I’ll be there and I’d love to meet you! Find more details here.

And now, a face. Meet my neighbor, Laurie. She was the first neighbor I met when we moved in to our new place, and meeting her made me sure I’d found a good home. Within 3 minutes, I had the scoop on the whole neighborhood, I’d been invited to her book group, and we’d bonded over our vintage bikes.

Good neighbors are awesome.

This photo has such emotion. Rebecca sent me this image of her daughter Anna with this explanation:

“It was Easter and everything was going wrong for her. She didn’t find very many eggs at the Egg Hunt, she thought she was too old for the stuff the little kids were doing, but the teenagers wouldn’t let her hang out with them either. Being nine is so hard.”

Oh, Anna. I remember the feeling. Don’t worry, soon you’ll be old enough to buy your own Easter candy.

Sandy sent me this photo of Pete, her Yorkshire Terrier. Apparently, he’s a bit bigger and a bit older these days, but this is her favorite photo.  It’s from the day she brought him to live with her– he was just a few months old and so cute.

I embarrassed myself yesterday. I got caught sketching the most beautiful lady at Starbucks.

She was sitting by the window, two tables across from me, and her face was so pretty.  It was just a quick sketch, so I know I missed a few details, but I’m pretty sure that smirk is exactly how she looked when she discovered me staring.

She was very friendly though, and we chatted for a few minutes, but I’m guessing she decided to leave a bit earlier than she originally intended.

She is beautiful, though.

Yesterday was also Mary’s birthday. Technically, she’s Chris’s little sister, but I feel like she’s mine, too. I’m astounded that she turned 19 yesterday, because I met her when she was three.

It’s so amazing to watch her grow and become her own person as she’s changed over the past few years, but I’m also really happy that her magic blue eyes stay the same.

Today is the birthday of two of my favorite people, although they’re 60 years apart. I’m celebrating both, so you’ll get to see another birthday girl’s face tomorrow.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She was born on a farm in rural Alabama during the Depression, and became the oldest of nine children.

This is from a photo of her and my grandfather on their wedding day. He joined the Navy to see the world, and she followed him to Key West, Florida, which was a world away from Hazel Green, Alabama in 1951.

She’s a big part of who I am, for many reasons. Mostly because she was brave, and smart, and assured me that I would be, too.