We Played Hard

She came. She's gone and we played hard.  I love this picture.....it is like she is "flying".

Well actually, she did.  But she is already back home now.

What a grand visit we had ....
non-stop
talking
bird watching
jewelry making
painting
painting
talking
bird watching

Jude's Magic Feather Project

Because you may not have heard, I have something to tell you about feathers.

Magic Feathers.

Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth blog has a new project.  You can click over to this post to get the whole story but in essence, she has invited anyone who loves to stitch to send her a stitched-by-you magic feather.  It is for a special project she got cooking.

Jude is offering a free Magic Feather workshop for the month of August where she shows and tells all the hows and whats and ways you can make magic feathers.  Jude's goal is to collect 1000 feathers.  You can also watch the Gathering of the feathers.  As of today she has 54.

We have Blue Jays this year which we rarely see here.  And last weekend while in the yard I found two Blue Jay feathers.  It was like magic. Magic Feathers and magic inspiration.

I'm off now to get ready for my special company.  Lots to do.
♥

The Elephant in the Room

backdoor window

Dear Friend,
I'm so excited about your visit that I can think of nothing else. I am counting down and OMGoodness, it is three days and a few hours!!!

So I have decided to reveal my surprise before you get here because I know how you are. I know you are all in a dither because I said, "I'm working on a surprise for you. But it's not something you can have. It is just something to look at while you are here." I told you it is "no biggie".

Well, guess what?  It is a biggie. It is the kind of big as "the elephant in the room".

kitchen window

Although we call it The Garden Palace and it is not in the room, you can see it in view from several rooms.  When anyone sees it, they instantly want to go closer and go inside.  That happened last year when my friend Deryn was here.  It is a curiosity.  But I just could NOT let her go in.

The fact is, The Garden Palace is mine and I have neglected it shamelessly.  Here is the problem.  While I have not been tending to things over there, I have had some seasonal (winter) guest move in.  You might even call them squatters, of the furry type.  They found the accommodations to their liking but oh my they are a messy bunch.  I have been so overwhelmed, crushed and disgusted with myself for letting this happen, that I couldn't face it. So no one besides me has been allowed inside The Garden Palace for quiet some time.  

And there really is something quiet fantastic to see over there. And it is only natural that you would want to go over there.  And it is something that I love showing off.  And you simply can not come all the way from
California and then have me say, "sorry, no, you cannot go inside."  It is just a great big little play house full of  things and projects.  

It has a wonderful story to tell and I am excited that you are coming and I want you to see it.  I am  cleaning up the mess so it is somewhat presentable.  I didn't start early enough to get everything done that needs doing.  But I will let you go over and go inside and we will sit and visit about things.

That is my surprise.  The elephant in the room.  But now it really feels like it is more for me than for you. I think I'm confused.
♥

bedroom window

studio Window

At-the-moment

Hello friends and followers.  Creatively, I have mostly been stitching.  Mostly because I can do that while resting in the chair zone.  Lately, I have been inspired to do other things around this home.  Things that I am feeling a renewed passion for like the yard work and other little projects.

I have become very aware of the fact that I am content to do the things that inspire me at-the-moment. I'm not sure you know what I mean by that but I guess there are so many things that are always on my mind that I wish to do and sometimes, I let the weight of all of these thoughts slow me down.  That is not what is happening now.  Now I am just content with what I manage to do at-the-moment and let the enjoyment fill me.

Of course you  know, I would probably be sharing more with you if I could get use to my temporary replacement camera that seems to always need charging.  I'll be so happy when mine gets back from repair.

I'm off now for a secret project I'm working on each morning.  Because I'm expecting a Dear Friend late Sunday who will be here for a few days.

I'm blessed and so are you.
♥

Tree Of Life

"Tree of Life"
24 X 30

I'm without words.

Thank you for being there and cheering me on.

♥

Good Morning,
She is still on my easel. During this morning's art period, I was ready to start painting her face. I don't know why but I have been avoiding the face. She is still a work in progress but it does help to console me if I can bring her in picture form with me for the day to this desk in town.  Isn't is odd that one can see the little things that need changing when looking at the screen.

I wish I were at home with her and still painting.
♥

Weekend Plan

I have a quiet and maybe productive weekend planned. 


This list just about covers my expectations. 

Because mostly, I'm in a stitching mood. 

♥

Playing Dolls with my Sister-in-law

You can only ask a really really REALLY good friend or Sister-in-law to help with a project of this magnitude.  And so, I admit that I took full and unashamed advantage of a really really REALLY sweet Sister-in-law last Friday.  I'm so excited with the results that you know, I must share. 

The underlying purpose of the project was to combined all the original dolls, reproduction dolls, finished dolls, naked dolls, arms, legs, heads and parts into one of my two glass front cabinets that face each other. Therefore, creating space for all of my jewelry making paraphernalia.

And did I tell you that nothing had been dusted or polished in years?  Kristin removed everything out and onto the studio work table.  She dusted everything.  She polished the glass shelves and mirrors.  And then I did the easy part.  I put them all back and their new spots.  And I ended up with plenty space for all my jewelry stuff.

All of the above pictures are from one side and the below pictures are from the other side. 

notice the doll reflections in the bead bottles and in the boxes below...cool!

Two of the three sections of this side is for my jewelry making stuff.  I haven't rounded it all up yet.  This is just the tools and supplies that were on the studio work table.  I will continue to gather the jewelry stuff this weekend and I sure am missing my really really REALLY sweet Sister-in-law.   

♥

About my Arizona Company

The first thing we did before the to-do list was posted was to show and share in the sewing studio.  Kristin and the girls brought their aprons-in-progress for me to see and I was so thrilled with how they each made them so personalized with their own likes. Of course I showed off my aprons and my quilting projects too.

I thought we might have time to start the free motion stitching on the aprons (number 3 on the list) but we ran out of time.

They wanted to make charms for their ankle bracelets so we got started with that early Thursday morning so the charms would have time to set up hard.  They selected and strung their beads and then the next day we attached the charms. 


We had enough time to make memory wire bracelets too. 

On Saturday more family came for dinner and I spent the day in the kitchen.  I managed to get 2 food pictures.  Edamame Salad and Stuffed tomatoes.  Both were yum. We had 26 at the table and everyone enjoyed the get-together.

Everyone left Saturday night and I pretty much crashed all day Sunday.


Then Monday morning Kristin called to say they wanted to come back for a couple of hours.  We managed to have a little Inktense on Fabric class and when I looked at this picture this morning, it looked like they each painted self portraits.  Funny how that happens. 

We didn't get to "take a break to wash windows" but Mark (brother) and Andy (nephew) did that Saturday.  In other words, they came to play and I put them all to work.  


We did pretty good with the list.  I will tell you about number 6 in another post.  We didn't make the peanut butter cookies and didn't get back to the sewing studio to free motion.


They stopped back by this morning on their way back home to Arizona.  A good and fun time was had by all. I just wished they didn't live so far away.  I'm thinking my SIL and I could really get into some fun stuff together. 
♥ Sharon

Stepped Out

Sorry, I forgot to tell you that I was stepping out for a bit.


Have Arizona company here.


We are doing fun things in the studio.


Of course you know, I will be showing and sharing. 


BUT......

MY CAMERA PROBLEM IS THE CAMERA AND NOT THE BATTERY.   YES, I AM SCREAMING ABOUT THIS!!!


Sick about it.


Not sure what to do just yet.


But I'm sure realizing my old camera was not-so-good. 


Back later,
♥