Gifting

One of the perks in creating a mix of 

projects is you acquire a variety of materials and 

not all are used for prints, paintings etc.

Some are useful for everyday items.

Different handprinted tags with 

hand painted ribbons.

When I'm stuck creating something 

large, or just can't get started at all,

making some quick embellishments or 

ribbons, or making various gelli prints, 

is productive "thinking" time or

mindless distractions. 

Having supplies like this at the ready allows

for very personalized gift giving.

I had planned for hand painted paper 

for these gifts but ran out of time.

It's on my list for the next

 crafting time.

That is if I can stop doing sudoku.

I had an issue with it several years ago,

doing far too many,

but now I've found an on line spot and 

well...

 

Only 112 today, some parts of town

 got rain and hail yesterday, but nada here.

 

So This Became That and This Moved There, Or The Dominoes Have Fallen

I was just going to "try something."

There used to be a two piece very large cabinet 

right there on that wall. 

The top part of the cabinet

is on the floor far right.

Chairs moved out of the way.

The bottom I was going to use for tv in FR

as I'm selling large cabinet behind it.

Could this top go there?

Maybe so, and what if I did hang artwork there?

Loaded the shelves

After sending progress shots to my girl,

we agreed on this.

The room looks wider, fresher

and I am one less piece of furniture

and I now have fewer collectibles.

Score!

Then I began moving some things off of the porch

Ended up swapping out items from cabinet in LR.

Keeping favorites only,

always with the mindset to downsize.

That affected this display

Morphed into this

Which resulted in piles more purged items.

This is one of two tables waiting for pricing.

Oh, and I made cards with friend Sue

last weekend.

Fun day!

Addicted And The Rapture

Perhaps not so much addicted,

 it's just one of the few things I can do right now.

So I continue to make trees.

I've morphed on into green ones now.

More tests and discussions today.

It is not what they thought,

or what I feared, though now I wish it was,

 as a surgery could fix and eventually less or no pain.

Seems I have a sudden onset of an autoimmune issue

which has left me well, damn uncomfortable.

Thankfully I have always had a high pain tolerance.

The biggest issue is inability to sleep,

and I've never slept well to begin with.

To top it all off I have to live in fear of 

what this means to me with my insurance, as the crap bills

they are trying to lie their way into 

will certainly have me losing coverage,

for a pre-existing chronic condition.

So 

I make trees

and feel sick about my country, 

and heartsick for the refugees,

and for those displaced by the storms,

and for those mourning the loss of loved ones.

Today supposedly is The Rapture.

"Good morning and in case I don't see ya

Good afternoon, good evening and good night"

the truman show

Holiday Smashup and More

This time last year I was doing this.

Happily wiring paper and making a fall garland that 

carried over into the Christmas Holiday 

with the addition of some sparkly pics.

I plan to use the leaves differently

this year, not sure just how just yet.

Meanwhile I just finished some samples

for another quick technique class at 

The Paper Bunny.

I've also begun private classes at the house

that work for those gals who are overwhelmed 

working in larger groups.

Want to learn a new technique?

Let me know.

Eye issues, Dental Issues

Appointment after Appointment

Dollar after Dollar

with two birthdays and Christmas all 

coming soon within

30 days.

Deep breaths and prayers of gratitude

will get me through.

and then there's the #!&*^%# election

Lots of escape reading and Dellatorri wine.

Latest group -

The bottom step was read last week.

I do average about one each night.

No Halloween for me tonight;

the world is scary enough.

Did you see Decaprio's 

Before the Flood on National Geographic?

Not so much new information,

just another attempt to wake up the world.

Our planet's future is in the hands

of "purchased" politicians.

The world according to Koch

is a Halloween nightmare. 

Z

Like A Duck To Water

Along with directing and script writing, 

DD has been doing a lot of production design

 so mama had this idea that a 

sewing machine might come in handy.

This small Janome in the coolest colors 

was a special on-line

with free shipping so I ordered one 

for her B-day. 

It is lightweight, will require little storage space 

in her teensy place, and has just enough stitches

 to make it practical for her to use.

Yesterday she sat down at the table, 

taught herself how to thread it, run it, 

and after scavenging through my 

enormous supply of wools

popped out with two "art" style pillows

 for her brother and his sweetie 

and the new place they move into this weekend. 

Since they never read the blog, 

I am not spoiling any surprise.

She was so pleased, did a great job, took to it like,

well....you know... quack quack

and I'm hoping I can convince her to 

try a small quilt before she leaves. 

Goodness knows I have enough fabric!

"sigh"

makes mama happy

Kinda wish I had bought one for myself in bright orange.

Merry almost 25th of December (wink)

Cannot Stop

The love affair continues.

If you saw yesterday's post,

you know I have a new obsession.

While having one of my long chats tonight 

with my pal Carole I worked on this one.

The light in my home is dismal at best, and at night,

well, I propped it in the kitchen to try and show Carole as

I had told her what I was doing as we talked.

So lousy light, lousy color but you get the gist.

This is a very muddy mustard,

with brown/cream stripes.

Striped the edges. 

I used to do that on all my canvases years ago.

The paint under my nails, 

up my arms, on my old pj's....

yep painting in pj's.

My vintage pitcher used for washing brushes,

my now vintage Marie Callander pie plates used as palettes..

I'm diggin' it I tell ya.

See the tornado in the center?

Think I'll go start another one, it's only 9:00 p.m.

I'm thinking..

"The power of forgiveness

The power of grace"

Those two lines....

well this song.... saved me.

I have seven canvases left from other classes

I taught years ago.

I'm going to keep going until

 they're used up and then we'll see if I head out with 

coupons to get those nice juicy thick ones I prefer.

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend,

and to some of you..

rain rain go away....

Z

Words

My addiction to words goes way back.

I paint them on my walls, put them into quilts,

purchase fabrics and purses designed with words and letters.

I design banners with letters and 

even my coffee cups have words or initials.

I collect hundreds of wooden type,

and read hundreds of books each year.

I have been playing with a new way 

to enjoy them and to please myself and family.

This one is for Darling Daughter.

She collects TKAM books.

This one is for Dearest Son

One of his favorite books

 is Breakfast of Champions.

My Dad loved words and used them wisely.

I inherited that I think, along with 

short fingers and wide hands. Gee thanks Pop.

He also gave me his blue eyes so 

all is forgiven.

My Mother read for hours,

nearly every day of her life.

She gave me that. Thanks Mom.

I would have loved slender hands 

and delicate nails though.

She gave those to Hannah.

Like many parents, my Dad often sang 

You Are My Sunshine to me,

and I sang it to my kids constantly.

I like having this fresh canvas 

in my room.

It makes me happy - blue or grey skies.

Words

Words and I are a power couple

We are wed

Till death do us part

and even then I just may have something to say.

Birth of a Gathering and Good Fortune

I believe I process things bass-akwards.

I announce a Gathering and then I start to design.

Often I search through my supplies to identify quantities

of products that I already possess to help keep class fees lower. I buy during sales and clearance never knowing

what they will become.

I have had so many inquiries 

about the hearts that Jill taught us to make.

( Now I know they are everywhere but Jill taught me)

So she gets the credit.

I had hundreds of cut strips from another

 project so hearts it is!

I have felted balls by the dozens

( no snide remarks now- behave)

So they screamed Snowmen.

He is also adorable as an ornament and 

done up with glitter and mica.

I had paper mache boxes and bottle brush trees so..

It seems a theme of browns and creams and type is developing ..but of course glitter will enter soon.

These are just a few of the samples

 I am playing with for my next Gathering.

"Love is all Around"

********

Yep, that would be me inside those pages of the new issue of Where Women Create.

Some of you may remember my post about meeting 

Jo and Ryne last March. 

It was a very special day for me and now

the magazine is out, or will be soon in your area

and what a thrill!

Thank you so much WWC,

and thank you for all the kind words from

all my friends. 

******

In other news:

Guess what? I WON

Yowza

I should go gamble, though I NEVER do,

but the stars are sure shining for me this week.

CA lottery maybe?

 I hope there is enough white in here Kathleen :D
 for me to  join White Wednesday.
I haven't partied with you for weeks and I want to. lol

PUMPKINS

The pumpkin patch is overflowing

 with more on the way each day.

Chenilles and men's suiting, wools, and felteds.

Think I may have to keep a few 

for the porch.

Joining the delightful Kathleen

@ Faded Charm for White Wednesday

With A Little Help From Friends

 Yesterday was not a complete loss, I 

kept myself busy making dozens of hearts.

Heart Strings by the Dozen

An Enormous Shout Out Thank you to JILL

I'll be making these forever. <3

This is only the beginning of these also.

A dozen cookies tags.

Lovely <3  CHANIA taught me how,

and these will be a favorite from now on.

Now I need to learn to make marmalade.

Blog Buds are the Bomb!

and because I love her beyond measure,

my daughter's laughter captured just so...

Lovely and cold Darling Daughter

Please visit all the other White Wednesdays

(got it in early, busy tonight and tomorrow)

hosted by adorable Kathleen

at Faded Charm

Suzan