Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Tuesday Tea...

Having my second cup of China Black this morning from one of my travel cups... The first cup was on the way to taking hubby to work. The second, I'm having while getting ready to go have my fingerprints taken for a background check. If I pass the check, I will be offered a job with my County's health department in the Nutrition Division. I have no idea why they need my fingerprints. The last job I had I dealth with regional and state water supplies... I would think that that position would be more of a threat than that which I am going for... But mine is not to wonder...


I finished this book last night. A good read for the art lover... Historically based novel about Berthe Morisot and Edourd Manet... A story of their love affair and the beginnings of Impressionism. Happy Tea everyone!

Please visit Kimmie to see what everyone else is up to today...

Monday, July 30, 2012

Playing with Butterflies...

Isn't it funny how you can go through supplies and find things you forgot about?
Like small grapevine wreaths you got on sale after last years holidays?
Or butterflies made from feathers stashed in a shoe box?

Hmmmm....Ding! Ding! Ding!


I got the placement just right...


and got out the glue...



Love the colors...  brilliant teal...

 

pale yellow and green... and hot pink...


coral and curly-qs...


Raffia to hang them of course... dark pink will do...


I think I'll have to hang one in my cube of my NEW JOB!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday Haiku...



from one fragrant bloom...


tracing blur of fiery wings...


to grace another...
                        DDD 2012

A Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth visiting my basil flowers...

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Here's to Livin' the Dream...

I'm really a simple person. It doesn't take much to make me happy... In fact, the more stuff I have the more I feel dragged down. And believe me... I've got stuff! Loads of stuff! And a lot of it is old family stuff... other stuff includes mounting collections of acquisitions over my lifetime. Much of the time I feel like I'm crippled by my possessions. My mom was a compulsive shopper... and I was raised in a borderline hoarder house... We always had too much stuff... and since much of it was passed down through the family there's a strong relationship with it. Yes we have relationships with our stuff and when we want to simplify our lives and downsize, it's often difficult, if for nothing else than the guilt we feel for getting rid of family stuff... whether it be priceless heirlooms or junk.


I've downsized twice in my life... Just given and packed away stuff (and stored it because I couldn't bare the guilt of getting rid of it, but I couldn't live with it anymore) and moved on to smaller and better things. The first time was to the 400 square foot tree house above. I left most everything I had in the care of my (then) husband. The second time, I moved into a 600 square foot duplex on the water (the view out of my bedroom and screened porch is below)... Again, just left it all behind with my (current) husband. Neither time did I intend for the break to be permanent... It was just something I had to do in order to keep my sanity and luckily, both husbands understood this.


Now again I find I'm of the mind that I need to get rid of stuff... I need to simplify my life... So I'm setting out to go through closets, collections and studio and cull, cull, cull... some furniture included. Keeping my husband, by-the-way. But we are getting older and he has had cancer, so we've had to think about what could happen in the future, hopefully later than sooner...  I've been thinking seriously about how I want to live when I retire (or beforehand if I can't find another job!).  My 90 year old father wants us (or me if that is the case) to move into his house with he and my brother (also a simple person, but who still has stuff attachment)... but to tell you the truth, I don't want the responsibility of the upkeep of a house and more stuff!

(source unknown)

So this serendipitous turn of events has come about...I have a bit of money to access (my incomplete retirement account, due to the "reduction in work force" ordered by our infamous new governor). I've always wanted to live in a vintage Airstream trailer... I have a friend that has one and will sell it to me cheaply... I also have another 2 friends with property in the country that they want me to put it on, again cheaply...  There's room enough on the property for a small studio (shed with a/c and heat), a veggie and herb garden and a coop for a few laying hens. Sounds like a good retirement to me!

(source unknown)

I figure, while at least one of us is working, we could use it as a weekend home (holding off on the garden and poultry for the time being)... Yeah I know... "isn't that just more stuff"?  Well yes, but this will give me time to get rid of stuff before I actually live in it right? Hubby, really isn't too keen on spending the money for it right now (not to mention he's not willing to give up his stuff just yet!). 

But like Zachary Scott said, "As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do." I haven't had an awful lot of regret so far (the one that sticks out is not buying the 6.6 wooded acres in north Florida with the well and septic for $4,000 - the perfect place for an Airstream!)... So, why start now?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

ADD and Tuesday Tea...

I'm drinking my usual China Black this morning... Hoping that the caffeine will help me STAY awake now... as I've been AWAKE all night. Being a chronic insomniac, I'm used to it taking me a few hours to get to sleep (sort of)... but last night - and the night before - have been worse than usual. Night before last, I was still up at 4:10am. Then when hubby tried to get me up before he left for work I wasn't havin' it! So... again last night, I tossed and turned, was up and down, read, surfed... went back to bed again around four and was still awake when hubby got up at 4:50am... And here I am. The thing is, when I'm like this I can't really DO anything. I get all these creative ideas, but can't act on them. I got some great ideas last night... sculptural products I want to try, Christmas ornament designs... you get the picture.

Plus, I have all these unfinished sewing projects I've been working on...


the redirected change purse
dragonlfy stamped, tea stained muslin, instead of bling;


what's left of the redirected art quiltlet, with new embellishment ideas;


not quite finished "Field of Flowers" evening bag
still have to attach the melty polyester flower...

and suddenly I have the urge to play with paper mache... Maybe I'm ADD... And what should I do with all the muslin and batik tea bags I made, now that my tea business has gone nowhere? Anyway... pleae visit Kimmie to see what the rest of the Tuesday Tea-ers are up to... Maybe you can make some sense of them...

Wait... anyone out there ever use Paverpol???

Friday, July 20, 2012

It's What's for dinner...



Apple Pecan Salad withcelery and cracked pepper (olive oil) mayo!

With chicken drumsticks, lightly breaded with corn meal and fried in canola oil...

Variations to the salad: add 1/2 grapes, other type of dressing and/or nuts, and/or chicken...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Zenful Textures...

So I went in a completely different direction for the art quiltlet I showed you Tuesday and went with an Asian theme...


I wanted it to be all about soothing textures...



rustic surfaces...




and rich luster...


all inspired by nature...

I call it Zenful Textures I... The first in a series...

It is constructed in earth tones of several layers of luxurious tapestry, natural cotton batting, botanical paper, nubby burlap and printed muslin; and hand sewn together with hemp and thread. I added silky yarn, leaves, feathers, coins and pearls. Then suspended it all from a cherished piece of driftwood with suede lashing.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tuesday Tea...

This morning, I'm drinking my favorite China Black Tea in my "IMAGINE" mug... Isn't that a great message for a creative (or maybe not so creative) morning? I love the colorful letters... so cheerful! I have a few sewing projcts to work on this week that I thought I'd share today...


Here is an art quiltlet I've been designing. It's pinned together for now and I'm not sure what message I'm going to attempt to embroider on it... but so far I like the design.

Here are some more cute little girls' owl purses! I'm going to use the grosgrain ribbon in the photo for straps. My granddaughter, Ansley, loved hers!

And this is, I think, my favorite purse project so far. A recycled denim belt loop bag. The teal velvet will be the lining and I'm not sure what, if any, fabric flower to use. I may end up embellishing it with a vintage earring or brooch, instead... or nothing at all...

I hope you are having a wonderful and creative Tuesday... Don't forget to stop by Kimmie's to see what the other tea (or not) drinkers are up to and share a cuppa with them!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Mixed Media Letter Center and New Supplies!

I made this when I got my sewing machine a couple years ago... from a discarded valance, a piece of upholstery fabric, old sheet music, a vintage French dictionary page, vintage lace, scrapbook paper and lots and lots of buttons!


It has 2 pockets... one in front of the dictionary page and one behind the square piece of lace. I can see it hanging on the back of a door with letters and bill payments ready to be mailed... What? You pay your bills online and send emails instead of letters???? Well then... It will still hold those permission slips and report cards from school!










My hubby was cutting up old, worn out clothes for rags last night and presented me with some new art supplies!

A big ol' pile of demin scraps... already authentically distressed... I see mixed media art quiltlets in the future! Maybe some demin softies... more owl purses... etc...

And he came home today with the rear end ripped out of another pair... back pocket pulled right off!

IIIIII like it!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy Independance Day!

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July... 

From my family to yours!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Tuesday Tea...


A thirsty glass of ice....

For my first Tuesday Tea post in a long time... I'm drinking my Summer Red blend in one of my green vintage glasses.  It's been hot here... but thankfully not as hot as further north. And... we have air conditioning (no power outages since Tropical Storm Debby)... not to mention a fan blowing on me, since we keep the thermastat at 82 to save energy. Wow, that glass went fast... Think I'll have another!