July 4th weekend -

While it was a productive weekend of accomplishment and gathering with friends, it was also a terribly sad weekend as well. A class mate of the girls and her boyfriend were killed in a car accident on Friday the 4th and we lost Max - our brother-in-law on Sunday.



Max fought for several years against leukemia. His blog remains open for notes of sympathy and prayers for the family. We will miss him and are heart broken about his death.



I found a wonderful little gift in my studio late yesterday afternoon. I am assuming that thanks are in order to you - my neighbor and friend. The paper is perfect for the back ground of a project I am working on. Sorry you found the studio in such disarray.






Speaking of the studio, the interior hard structure is 98% complete. The man at my address worked so very hard this weekend to make that happen. Now I have hours of painting to complete.



I came home on Thursday to find ants in the house. In the clean clothes. In the beds. Everywhere, except where you would expect them. No ants in the kitchen. We have no closets and one of the plans for the studio move in is to use some of my craft cabinets for extra storage in the house. I'll be adding cedar filled bags to try and keep the ants out of those cabinets. Anyway - full speed ahead on moving into the studio.



Way back when - I posted a cabinet that I was painting, etc. It is now hanging on the wall in the studio and things are put away in it.



Note there are also goodies hanging outside - from Vallen and Jen. Those louvers will soon hold many more things as I am putting things away and on display.





I spent hours wrapping ribbons and fiber bits onto small pieces of card stock scraps. I also made some bitty bits themed kits that you can grab and use as embellishments for things. Those bitty bits include short pieces of fiber, ribbons, fabric, a few buttons. As I add to them and complete them, I'll be sharing them here.



I carried stuff from the house to the barn by the arm load and tried to put it away as I went. Slow going. But it is working out nicely.

I found the graduate working out there this weekend. Even she thinks it is a wonderful space.

Friday night found us eating home made ice cream (my mama's recipe) and brownies at the fireworks display - loads of fun with some really good friends.

Below is a very scary picture of the barn eave on the front before my weekend. Sealed up but UGLY.

I dug through some recycled gift wrap - cards - scrap papers - and college recruiting booklets (note everyone of them has some gorgeous images for collage work) I grabbed the wall paper paste and spent several hours doing this. Grown up cut and glue.
The result - an insulated and better looking area. Every image has some meaning to me. Freinds and family are represented. This will serve as inspiration as well as the decoration it adds. It was fun and relaxing to work in the silence and ponder the sadness of the weekend. I found myself revisiting old wounds of losing my dad and praying for Max's girls as I know what they face. I really missed my Dad a lot this weekend.
We saved many bits and pieces from things as I found them. The barn has offered me some opportunities to use these odd bits of metal. Instead of a flat plate to tie these boards together, I found an old keyhole plate to use. These will be fun for someone to discover later.

I miss my Dad. My heart is broken for Lynda and her girls. My heart is broken for the family of those teens. Feeling incredibly blue today. Corey Amaro has put my feelings perfectly into words with this quote "How do you hold a broken heart? What do you do with the many pieces?"

I find myself pondering relationships today. Thinking of blessings. Things that should have been left unsaid and things that should have been shouted out loud. Mistakes and forgiveness. Love and loss. I have to work this weekend. I can see that the time away will be needed. A mini mental health break of sorts. A few moments in the evening to take care of me.

Have a wonderful day everyone.