What a productive weekend...

Yes you heard that correctly. I got a LOT done this weekend. Tomorrow there will be studio news - much has been accomplished there too.

On Friday, I had a MaggieGrace comment that I been left a surprise at my house. This was from my new friend Elizabeth over at The Quiet Life. When I got home that was a bag of paper goodness - handpainted paste papers big pieces, small pieces, some might even say scraps. Just look below.

I dumped them out, poked though them, walked past them, drooled, then decided exactly what I wanted to do first. I needed to thank Elizabeth. By the way she is the photographer who posted a picture of my barn on her Flickr account. We have been conversing online. She even stopped by on Saturday - but mom and I were out and about searching for cork.

Back to the story - I wanted to thank her for her generosity and I knew just the thing.

Meet Kimimela .... (Go see Elizabeth for more info on the name). Named by her new owner.
She is constructed of buttons, beads, and wire. The wings are cut from the paste paper and the face is a partial image from a stamp I love covered by one of those glass bubble things.

I saw a similar item made from metal and such at a gallery in the mountains. This is my adaptation. I copied the wing pattern from a sale ad for a local store (saved it you know). Chose the paper and then dumped out the button jar. It is immensly fun to choose the graduated buttons and beads. A few twirls of wire later and we have several of these.

The bead on the bottom of the yellow one was from a bin at a fabric outlet. They had this huge bin of beaded trim remants and you could stuff a baggie with them - I always scoop through to the bottom and get the loose beads. I have a huge pickle jar of these remants and every now and then I go through and divide out some. It was a really cheap way to get some way cool beadworks materials.

I have collected buttons for years and now I have a great way to use these. Some buttons are vintage - some are not. I will say this was fun and quick to do and I did not have to purchase anything. I will be making them on and off for the next few weeks. These will be gifts, but I can see selling some of these. If you are interested, please just contact me by email.

About the one I made for Elizabeth. This is the small town we live in. She lives near me, but I wasn't sure which house. I know where she attends church and on the way to my church yesterday (early in the morning), I stopped and slid an envelope with her name on it into the split between the doors of her church. I just knew whoever opened the church would hand it to her. It worked - isn't that a fun way to live.

I promise I won't completely wear you out with butterfly pictures, but you will see them here and there.

Now we also worked in the studio - and I had a parent meeting for club volleyball with Miss Molly. She has been eyeing some Manos del Uraguay wool yarn I have in my stash and asked me to make another beanie hat for her. On the way out the door I grabbed that yarn and a hook and when we sat down I started this for her yesterday at around 2 pm. I worked on it through the meeting - a little bit while I waited for the kids to arrive at church - then put the finishing touches on this just before bed last night.

She loves it - I love that I can make something she will wear - I will have to buy some orange toned wool for another one. Miss Abby wants one too in her favorite color. In all honesty, I never tried hats before the brown one this spring - I was always afraid of the increases need to make the crown. But this has to be the easiest thing I have ever made. I adapted from another pattern to make this work. Again - if you are interested in more information - or one of your own - contact me by email.

I can't wait to tell you the story about the studio -- tomorrow -

Have a great day.