What's new?

15 years Meme

I cringe at that word. Meme. Mostly because I don't know how to pronounce it. Surely it's not 'me-me'. Maybe it's 'mehm'? Well, miss Lotta from Mom O Matic tagged me to "Think back on the last 15 years of your life. How would you summarize your life in just 10 bullet points." And miss Lotta's one of the popular girls, so I'll play along. ;-) (And I can't help it that they're not strict bullet points. I'm just a parenthetically speaking kinda gal!)

We begin at age 35. The list is pretty much chronological.

1. I lived for a year with a guy who had a PhD, a porsche in the driveway, a pool out back of the lovely home he bought for me and my girls and lots of money in the bank. I've never been so miserable in my life. Lesson learned; money doesn't buy happiness.

2. I was a Nursing Home Administrator.

3. I bought a home by myself before the age of 40. (I'm still in it today.)

4. I got fired from previously mentioned big$$ job after 4 years for no apparent reason. 

5. Six years later I wrote a thank you letter to the man who fired me. (EVERYTHING happens for a reason. He made the life I live today possible).

6. I married John to everyone's surprise at his 50th birthday party.

7. My artwork got published. Several times.

8. I quit smoking. For good.

9. I lost twenty pounds with the help of Weight Watchers. Then I gained 40 with no help at all.

10. I got a grandchild and learned how much love my heart can actually hold. Then I got two more. And we're still counting.  :-)

Now I'm supposed to tag five people and pass it on. I'll pick my old friend Barbara because as long as I've known her, I think I could learn a thing or two (or three!) there. Kathi D because as much as she shares (boundary issues!) I still think there's more. Sweet & silly Doe because I still feel I know nothing about her. (except that Blythe dolls are her new all-consuming crack). Sharon 'cause she probably needs an additional challenge while orchestrating a cupcake themed swap for 50 strangers. :-) And my old friend Sue, because I already know she is very interesting but I want the rest of you to find out, too.

Finally a purpose for itchy sweaters

Well, if I can just get the 3 pound jar of pistachios polished off and the sampler box of Jelly Belly's Melissa always buys for me (and somehow, I am always surprised!) eaten then I'll be off to a good start with my new years' resolution. At least between these noshings I'm eating vegetable soup and boca burgers. ( I feel like Winnie the Pooh--I have a rumbly tumbly!) I went to the bookstore with John a couple days ago and just when I thought there wasn't a single magazine worth coming home with me I spied this

I'd just recently decided that I personally *need* to eat real food...not made-in-the-lab foods like I KNOW work for weight loss, but not for the long run which I think works best for me.  Besides, Clean Eating just sounds good, no? Apparently it's the first ever issue and it's dang cheap when you subscribe ($1.25 an issue). The best part was there probably weren't 5 ads in the whole thing. It's all recipes and pertinent articles. You can order it here if you don't see it in your local bookstore.

Okay. Commercial over. :-)

Yesterday we took our favorite boy in the world in search of snow.

We drove less than an hour. This picture is really misleading, as it was simply a patch by the side of the road (last week probably would've been a great time to go), but it's still not too hard to please this 6 year old boy.

Every time I see that silly hat on him I think of Elmer Fudd and say "We're going to hunt some waaAAAAbit!" Travis, whom Caleb is apparently trying to emulate, does not find me amusing. Imagine that.

On to the title of today's post; I got Betz White's new book on felty projects, so of course I had to go to every thrift shop in town in search of dry clean only wool sweaters. MAN, I'm 'bout sick of reading neck labels! I can't seem to find the pretty pastels that she shows a stack of, but I did find a few. And they weren't cheap, either. Really kinda makes my butt hurt shelling out that much money for sweaters I've spent 50 years avoiding. But it's for the sake of 'art' and that's always a good cause. Maybe I oughta start going to yard sales again. Hmmm. More likely; maybe I oughta start having yard sales again!! Okay. Off to toss 'em in the wash and watch the felty magic happen!

OH, One more thing: I'm doing another limited run (seven sets of each) of the monogrammed towels that were so well received a couple months ago. You can get them here!

Saturday check-in

Before I forget, another talented gal has joined the world of blogging and she's jumping in with both feet by offering a give-away! Her name is Shannon and I'm sure she'd be thrilled if you'd take a moment to go check her out and leave a comment. Maybe you'll win the prize! http://papereclectiques.blogspot.com/

Also, just in case you somehow forgot, the lovely miss Jenny is giving away some of her delicious art...leave a comment by tomorrow and you could be the lucky winner!

Speaking of Jenny, I recently acquired this BIG old tablecloth that was just SO unique I had to have it. I don't usually 'do' tablecloths but this one I had to have--because I knew it was headed straight for the craft room! It was composed of all these squares, which you could hardly appreciate all crammed together, so I cut them apart. The actual design center is just under 14" by just over 14".

Isn't that the best!? Every day IS a holiday ! Here's one that I sewed up as somewhat of a table scarf.

I'd also like to embellish one with beads and embroidery stitches and make it into a pillow. I think I might should share so I'm going to list a few unfinished squares on etsy.Soon. Have to take better pics and finish my current painting project first. Let me know if you'd be interested in one!

Back to the painting...we're going green in the bedroom! Don't forget to leave comments with Shannon and Jenny, and have a great weekend!

Helllooooo! I have been busy busy building my second shop on etsy. I think I'll be ready to give the big shout out by Tuesday night.  In the meantime, I rec'd the lovelies that I ordered from beth and suzy. I was the first buyer at each of their new etsy stores last weekend! Here's the wonderful bag that Beth made.

 

It's great buying things from other crafters...I always get good ideas for packaging and presentation (especially from these two gals!) and it just feels good to support each other. I also adore this craft apron that Suzy made. Just a perfect mix of fabrics old and new, and the workmanship! This is the finest constructed apron I ever did see!:

As mentioned in my previous post I won the vintage sewing basket drawing on Suzy's blog. I'd have been happy with that basket alone it's so dang cute! but look at all the goodies that came inside!

Very generous. Love it all! Thanks again, Suzy!

I think my happiest internet shopping is spent over at superbuzzy. So fun looking at the new fabrics. It's usually pretty difficult to stay within a budget there. Great packaging, super fast shipping, I just really love superbuzzy! Here's the stack I rec'd a couple days ago...

Do they not make you want to just spend all day cutting and sewing?! Oh, they do me! Truth be told; I'd just about rather do anything than the necessary house cleaning I have to begin today, in anticipation of company all week! Better get crackin'. Be back in a couple days with the big announcement!

If it seems I disappeared for a while

I just spent about a week of free time rehabbing a rental house that we manage. here you can see how it looked two months ago when the non-paying tenant finally moved out and here you can see how it finally looked when I closed the door on it night before last. Yegods. Now I'm afraid the screening process is going to be a nightmare for me...like WHO can possibly be good enough that I can trust to be nice to the place? I sewed all the bedroom curtains, regrouted the bathroom tile, painted, polyurethaned the wood floors, even painted the back fence. Oy. A lot of work, but I feel good about a job well done.

Caleb and I are heading down to Monterey tomorrow morning for a four day weekend with my oldest daughter, Erica who is turning 30 next week. Gosh that makes me think I must be old!

Ya gotta see these

I mentioned in a post below that I've been scouring ebay for vintage rhinestone brooches to use on my purses. I bought this lot recently and just received it yesterday. Holy Cow I am in LOVE. These should be in the dictionary next to 'beautiful'. I got a great deal on them too because the seller didn't show a good pic, but luckily I knew enough or was lucky enough. This pic doesn't even do them justice...they twinkle at me every time I walk by like I-don't-know-what. Needless to say, I seriously doubt any of them will be making their way to purses. I'm usually not so selfish or materialistic, but these are way special. To me anyway :-D

October 20

I guess my most exciting recent news is that the article I did for Transparent Art by Stampington finally came out this month. It's a gorgeous art book filled with 176 pages of creative ideas for using transparencies in art work. There's a link to the photo album over there on the left side of this screen, but in case you miss it here's a link to the scans of my nine page article in the book! woohoo! Jen's pages.

This site's acting awfully wonky tonight...will close out the screen and try to add a bit more in a couple days.

I believe in angels.

God sent me one today. Her name is Rachel. I was just sitting here working on the computer, and this young girl (29)came in to get a rental application. She weighed a scrawny 95 pounds, had her red hair up in a ponytail which exposed an above the neck bald patch (I assumed it was a pre-tattoo shave or something). She talked with the deepest grovel--like an 85 year old woman who had been smoking 3 packs a day for 70 years. I quietly started to write her off as 'unworthy' based on appearance. As I was making a copy of an application for her, I casually asked if she had bronchitis or something. She said, no; she'd just recently finished a huge round of chemo and radiation therapy for throat cancer, and had had a tracheotomy as well. I said, "May I ask if you were a smoker?" Her face turned sad and she said, "Yes, for 10 years." She said she wished her daughter (3) was older so she'd be able to remember and learn. Her son (7) will always remember what he's watched his mama go through the past couple of years. I cried then, as I'm crying now, because I was struggling so hard at that very moment she'd walked in the door. Was bargaining with myself; "I'll just go buy a pack, smoke one, and throw the rest away." And then Rachel walked in and we talked for 20 minutes. She ended by saying, "I believe I am still here for a purpose." And I said, "Oh, you absolutely are. You have affected my life today and I know you'll go on to affect many others." Thank you again, God. I promise I'll keep working at it. One day at a time.

Here's the article

To go with the cover I posted below. This morning I remembered that a store up in Arcata carries Legacy (www.legacyartmagazine.com), so I called and sure enough they had a stack of the new issues. I'm just gonna get over the fact that I'm always the last one to receive my subscription or my courtesy issues...at least I found one somewhere!

I'd like to give a public THANKS! to a dear friend; Sue McGettigan; for helping me to write the intro paragraphs. I was trying to write this article last year, and was feeling kind of overwhelmed with apathy and despair toward the good ol' USA and the choices our government was making for us. Had a hard time thinking of anything positive to say. She, on the other hand, was feeling quite happy to be here, having just received her citizenship (she's from Australia). Anyway, as I read this Sue, I am reminded that when one considers the alternatives of where one can live, I guess the US isn't all that bad. Thanks for that, too.

A braggable event

This may never happen again so thought I better give a shout: one of my pieces is on the current cover of Legacy magazine (www.legacyartmagazine.com). which I hear is difficult for some people to find...this is my third publication with them this year but like I say; if nobody can even find the dang thing it just doesn't seem quite so braggable! Anyway, I still haven't seen it in person, a kind friend in NY got her subscription copy and scanned the cover for me. Inside is an article I did around 4 different pieces honoring the diverse ethnicity of America. There's also a scrapbook page of Caleb on the beach in this issue in the back gallery. I hope to receive a copy of the mag soon and will post the article pages here for those who can't ever seem to find the magazine.

 

here's a link to where it's highlighted on the publisher's site.