Time marches on.....

It has been some time since my last post -- but had to share this photo with you.

Look what came to brighten my days.

This beautiful male cardinal comes each day to check the grape vine in hopes the grapes are  ready for his dinner.  He is so beautiful -- and it boosts the spirits just to see him.

A Quick Post.....

Life has been taking the bumpy road lately, but to help level things, I did get in a bit of beading today.
I am amazed at how soothing even the simplest of beading is.These are four little prayer / meditation beaded pieces I did this afternoon. If you don't have these books, you might be interested in requesting them from your library: Bead one, Pray Too by Kimberly Winston. or A String and a Prayer by Eleanor Wiley.

Thank you all for your emails and caring thoughts. Please keep my DH in your thoughts and prayers --- I would really appreciate it. I will post more when I know more for sure. In the meantime, thanks again. You are all very special.

Be Back Soon.......

I just recently had minor surgery -- and though it was minor, I will be mostly out of commission for the rest of this week.  I'm looking forward to beading lots more in the very near future. See you soon.

Fiber & Textile Art Award

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair is pleased to announce that we will be giving out the first Fiber & Textile Art Award this year at the fair!

The award will be $2,000 to be used for tuition for an undergraduate or graduate degree program in Fiber Arts or Textile Arts.  This award is being administered by the Northwest Area Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. NAAC administers other scholarships as well.  It is made possible by a generous donation from Toni Neil of The Fold.

 

Here is the challenge:  We have only until June 30^th 2008 to find candidates for the award!  WE NEED YOUR HELP!  Will you please tell EVERYONE you know about this award?  Post it at your places of employment, put it in your newsletters, blogs, forums, lists, tell your church organizations, guilds, clubs, golf buddies, etc, etc and even possibly email it to your friends?  Then ask all of them to do the same?  You never know where you will find a fiber arts fanatic! 

 

Complete information and the application can be found on the web site at www.FiberAndFolk.com …(If it doesn’t show as the first item on the home page, hit your refresh button).

 

Thanks and plan to come and see the first one given away on Sunday, July 20^th!    

 

See you at the fair! (46 days and counting)!

A bit of beading.....

Didn't get much beading done

last night --- but it's a start.

Hope to do more tonight.

My Little "In Betweener"

                                             

While I am busy sketching, reading and collecting goodies for the Symbolic Beaded Doll I will be doing for a class on Beaded Art Dolls, I just had to 'play' with something -- so - literally - for the fun of it, tonight I made a little doll form-- she is about 4 inches tall and made of white felt.  I hand stitched her together and will stuff her in a little bit.  Because she will have a round bottom (she takes after her maker LOL) I will have to make a small circle to enclose the bottom with. 

And here she is all stuffed and ending up at about  3 3/4 inches tall.

Now to decide on what colors and beads to use :-)

Arrived at destination & Puzzle Doll Finished

This little icicle doll and embroidery scissors with beaded fob (and an angel 

charm -- be

cause Dot is such an angel) have arrived at their destination.

They made it to Dot in Australia in record time. Enjoy, Dot.

I  was able to finish Timrek.

My all green beaded 

puzzle piece doll.

Another bird

We have been blessed this year with a variety of birds making themselves at home in our back yard.
Today a little Goldfinch was sitting on the window edge. Can't resist taking photos when I get the chance.
(Click on photo for close up)

A Little Beading Over the Weekend

I had a little time for beading over the weekend -- this is a little "prayer / meditation" chain. It was made for someone who wanted to have a prayer help close at hand without being obvious.

What a difference a year makes....

A Boy and a Dog

These photos were taken exactly one year apart. Memorial Day 2007 ( a couple days after we brought Pollyanna home ) and Memorial Day 2008. Same boy, same dog -- who has grown more ? :-)

Today's mail ............ Thank you, Dot

Look what today's mail brought me.
These lovely dolls arrived all the way from Dot in Australia. The gorgeous icicle doll on the left is Dot's to me in a one on one trade --- and the fantastic stacking doll on the right accompanied the icicle doll as a gift from Dot. I have admired these darling dolls since I saw the first one she made posted on her blog. And now, can you believe, Dot has sent me one of my own? Thank you, thank you, Dot --- they shall always be cherished.

Robin Atkin's New Book

Today I ordered Robin Atkin's new book. I have all of her other books and love each one. Her book, One Bead at a Time, is what really got me started in beading --- and I have loved every minute of it -- so, thanks Robin -- it's been great. 

Check out Robin's new book by clicking on the title:

 Heart to Hands ~ Bead Embroidery .

ANOTHER Icicle Doll

OK, here's one more. 

I've got to stop doing these LOL 

But they are such fun to do.

~~~~~~~A Bowl of Dolls~~~~~~~

Just for fun I got out my punch bowl and placed a bunch of doll babies in it.  Some of the dolls are finished --- a few of them were lovely gifts to me and they are so very special ---  some are just bodies waiting to be done --- and a few are waiting to be packaged and sent off to friends.  They seem to be having such a good time, I just will have to leave them together at least over night.
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Finished ~~~

Finished the little icicle doll -- we had a storm roll through and fortunately didn't loose electricity so I was able to finish up this sweet little doll.

How Creative Are You....

Saw this on Jeanne's blog and thought it was fun.
Give it a try.
The following are my results.

You Are 89% Creative

You are an incredibly creative person. For you, there are no bounds or limits to your creativity. Your next creation could be something very great... Or at least very cool!

How Creative Are You?

A Few Quiet Hours....

Had a few quiet hours last night and did a little beading on another icicle doll.
She is rather a sweetie --- soft and gentle.
Hope to finish her up tonight.

Mother's Day Flowers

I had to post photos 

of my lovely 

Mother's Day flowers.

Lovely Lavender Filled Angel Sachet
Lovely lavender filled sachet received from Pat Winter for the PIF. Thank you, Pat, I love it -- she smells so good and I have an angel collection so she fits right in.

New Icicle Doll

A nice quiet evening and I was able to finish up a little icicle doll.

These little dolls are such fun to do and each and every one has a personality of it's own.

Mother's Day, Retirement & Hobbies,

Happy Mother's Day to one and all.

I have been thinking of retirement -- we have been retired 3 years now, and what freedom retirement has brought.  I also know that if we didn't have hobbies, we would go crazy. I love my beading, sewing and children and grandchildren -- not necessarily in that order LOL. My DH has his own hobbies and that keeps him busy.                                                                                                                                                                       

In honor of Mother's Day today, I received an audio from long time friend, Joe Cerasa. Since his retirement, he has gotten recording equipment and is realizing a life long dream. 

Here is a vocal by Joe entitled:  MOTHER OF MINE   for your enjoyment. Joe says to remember he is 72 years old and the vocal cords aren't what they used to be. I think it is lovely.  

Enjoy --

Joe sings a favorite of mine AUTUMN LEAVES.

Remembering Mom

May 4, 2008
I am adding something special to this blog.
My nephew, Bob, sent me a clip of my sister, Helen, playing the piano -- this is from an old reel to reel tape recording of at least 50 years ago. Our entertainment in those days wasn't TV or computers but for the family to gather around the piano and sing. This piece is piano only -- but who knows, the vocal version of it may show up.

Mother's Day is almost here - and I was thinking of my own dear Mom and thought I'd make a little pin in her memory.

If you look closely, you will see the face on the pin is the same as the face on the photo of Mom.

The "story" behind My Mom pin doll is -- when I was very little she used to sing me a song -- I wish I could remember the title -- but the lyrics contained the thought that when she was gone from me she would "sit on the moon" and keep her eyes on me. Mom passed away when I was 12 and I survived those first lonely years by remembering that song and looking nightly toward the moon and 'feeling' Mom close to me again.

"Shine on Harvest Moon" was and still is, a family favorite. 

(The fabric is not really "moon" fabric --that is, unless you call it the "Harvest Moon" and then it is perfect LOL). I recalled many fond memories while stitching on this little pin.

The pin is stuffed with lavender -- and somehow the aroma reminds me of Mom too.