a finished WIP

And when I looked at this just now, I realized that this is a great phrase to claim this morning.

The Georgia Theatre Art Quilt Project is approaching final call. MaggieGrace has suddenly been sidelined with an unexpected CANCER timeout. Well my surgery is Friday and this needed to be finished just in case, so last night I perched on the sofa (like the Queen that I am) and finished it.

My artists statement includes phrases like repurpose, recycle, mixed media art, explore new ways to use normally toss away materials and I have lots of that stuff. (Most people would call it JUNK)

I took a broken record album - no need for those anymore. and printed a guitar shape and the RISE AGAIN phrase out.


I glued it to the album from the back and cut out the shape with the words attached. I love my dremel. Note - this part has been complete for quite some time. I liked it all black, but then, digging thru the stash, I found some lightweight aluminum and decided to feature the GA. Cut the letters and using old print blocks from my buddy VERY MARY, I textured those letters just a bit.

I printed the Logo from the theatre website and relabeled the album.

What I did last night was sitch down my "light show" fabric, add the studs to the background, and USING some E6000 adhesive, glued the cutout down.

Now - I gotta dig in the boxes to find something I JUST KNOW I HAVE. Years ago, I was given a guitar pick by a guy who had all of his printed "timmy on the bass". Lets say I have had my party years, because I really can't even remember what he looked like. But anyway, I know I kept that and I think it is in a little watch box in the stash somewhere. (Go ahead only you other craft stash people understand that). I want to attach that to the smaller lightshow patch. But the thing can be finished just like it is.

A MaggieGrace update. The stress level is high. The emotion levels are high. The area around me is loaded with land mines. I am positive and upbeat 98% of the time. But approach during that other 2% and the trigger sensitivity is increased. Enter at your own risk. Unfortunately The Man at my Address stepped on one of those this morning. My apology was as immediate as I could do it, but I sure would like to be on the other side of this quickly. I have things to turn over that I do automatically, its hard to remember what they are and who to ask to cover it.

Soccer tonight - pre op tomorrow - surgery prep Thursday - Surgery Friday - Full day from hell Saturday. Anyone interested in switching lives with me right now?

Have a great day --- T

my daddys picture

That's my daddy up there. I may have shared this picture before, but I scanned this and I'll be including it in a scrapbook layout for a Stampington call for artwork. Yes a call for artwork. Makes me sound special doesn't it. Well I'm not. Somerset publications are seriously beautiful magazines and books featuring multiple venues for all types of artists to share their inspirational are with the widespread group of readers. They are some of my favorite magazines.

Wanna find out how to be published yourself.....

http://www.stampington.com/html/wanna_get_published.html

All the information you need is there. Pick a challenge and throw caution and fear to the wind and go for it. The people behind these magazines are wonderful to deal with.

Back to the picture --- I'll be putting together a layout for the Somerset Memories (Back to Basics) challenge. That picture above will be featured. Take a look at the tie. Yes I know it is hideously ugly as far as being a fashion statement in any era. This picture would have been the late 70's or early 1980. (Daddy was killed in an accident in 1980). I HAVE THAT TIE. Hanging in my living room right now.

The story behind an ugly denim tie and this picture. Note how dirty Daddy is. He was an instructor in the Auto Mechanic class at Athens Tech. Grungy, dirty work. A hands on instructor, who believed that showing a student was the right way to teach them. He smelled of grease, and transmission fluid and all kinds of shop stuff. I take my car to have any kind of service done and the smell of a shop is so familiar and comfortable to me. Love it.

Well the school required all instructors to wear collared shirts and ties. My daddy was not the tie type. But he had to conform to the dress code, so he asked my Mom to make him ties that were more in keeping with his personality. Denim ties - they could be washed - or tossed - they fit the code and were durable and quite unexpected. When I moved into my first home, Mom gave me a box of daddy's things and the tie was included. I have displayed it since then (some 25 years) just hanging somewhere.

When I saw this challenge, I immediately knew what I was going to do. Yup - Feature my Daddy's picture and tie.

I'll update this later with more information.

Hope you guys have a wonderful day.

Oh and if you are on facebook - become a fan of Stampington. They will keep you updated on some of the calls and challenges.

Happy Wednesday

Good morning all.

I need to send some more words to my friend ANONYMOUS.

1 -- Not only do I not give a crap what you think about my weight loss or the fact that I talk about it here, you need to be aware that I AM NOT PURCHASING YOUR IPHONE. I have a cell phone, I am happy with it, don't need a cheap IPhone from you. Especially not one with a slightly cracked screen.

2 -- I also do not need to know how to download movies or music, I have my own blog, a facebook account, and I am quite capable of figuring out how to download any damn thing I choose.

3 -- I am not a GAMER either, computer games are a waste of time in my world, see above statement about movies. I communicate with people - real ones - who identify themselves to me - who offer encouragement and add meaning to my life. Fake people made up by some socially challenged programmer sitting in a dim lit world and hiding behind the ANONYMOUS name hold no appeal at all.

4 -- I do not need your help to harness any spiritual power on my behalf. Again, I have real people in my life, I have a church that I am quite fond of, and I have a spiritual relationship with the one true GOD. But I do appreciate the offer and maybe your spiritual power (whatever) will bring you great comfort and prosperity.

5 -- I don't care if you get to Malaysia from where ever you are. I am sorry you are separated from your children by all those miles, but I got my own financial struggles to deal with and no spare change for your plane ticket. However, if you wind up with excess funds from your little comments, You could share it with me.

6 -- I am not looking for a car, a lambskin car coat, nor a sexy young thing to have a discreet relationship with. Got a car - like it - keeping it until it leaves me stranded on the roadside and I have been married to the Man at my Address almost 25 years - AIN'T TRAINING ANOTHER ONE. Oh yeah - there is no need for cheap, below market little blue pills in that relationship. We got it all covered.

7 -- Last but not least - the last BLACK HAT I wore was a tophat and it was for my Senior Prom. I would consider using on as a prop in a discreet relationship, but I am far to overweight still to consider the three song activity with a stranger. Besides - I am clumsy and that floor to ceiling pole scares the hell out of me.

Now that you fully understand where I am and how I feel, you should know why I have had to turn on that dang letter verification thingy. The really sad part of it is that there are some folks that I really enjoy having comments from and these LETTERS may keep that from being as simple for them. TO ALL MY REAL CYBER FRIENDS---- PLEASE STILL COMMENT. I do need you in my life and I am so sorry about the verification thingy.

Just a random sampler of the spam comments I have just deleted from my comments.

RANT OFFICIALLY OVER.

On to MaggieGrace fun.

Mom and Poca the Monster dog. She likes it when JulieAnn comments, because she knows there is an extra treat coming. Check out the new harness, Houdini here can actually get out of it too - she ate her rabies tag. She can get loose from her leads and runs. Free spirit like her mommy. But as you can see she is quite frequently locked in her "room" and ignored. It is so hard to be a dog in this house.

BootCamp Update - JulieAnn - it is 5.00 per visit - and yes you should move here. Apply for a research job at UGA and come on down. We will help you find a place and settle in. It is warmer here - and we would love have you nearby.


Now for the really fun part of this post. I'M PUBLISHED. Look at the spoon bracelet at the bottom.

My copy was in the mailbox last night. I came in from BootCamp and the Man at my Address handed it to me. Softball Princess and Barefoot Boy (his real name is Blake - but I don't think he owns any shoes other than flipflops) laughed so hard at me because I got so excited. I have some more things to send in, and I cannot say enough good about dealing with the editor of GreenCraft. It has been a fabulous experience.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful day. I am. Now off to get some showroom cleaning done.

Christmas is coming......

If you are stopping by from the Online Athens newspaper article link, welcome to MaggieGrace world. Comments are open to all and very appreciated, but please leave at least your name and email information so that I know you came by. If you have questions, the comments section is a great place for that as well. The blogspot site emails me all the comments, so I'll know you left one for me. Again -- welcome all and have a wonderful day.

I do not shop on Black Friday. Used to. As I have aged, I got smarter, so I let all the other crazy people have that fun. Besides - we are having a very low key Christmas in our world. Many of our gatherings will not involove gifts at all, just being together. A focus on what is good in our lives.

But I did have Friday off. I slept in a little. Then I had all day to clean in MaggieGrace world. I have been rearranging and digging through the pile of things I had gathered over time. So, right now, the studio is clean.

After putting away a significant amount of stuff, I decided to work on this wall. Actually, I took this after I started, when I began this project, the entire space above the scissors and picture of the girl was unused.

I added the literature racks that I saved from the dumpster at work.

Mounted the locker basket and the little white wicker drawers.

After rearranging the assorted hooks and racks, I arrived here. Then I altered some clipboards. I love how this new arrangement works. My frequently used things are close by and up off the counter out of my way, but still where I can get to them readily.

All that work getting ready for the art show allowed me to assess what my needs were for material and tool storage. I am sure this will continue to morph, but for right now, I am a hapy camper.

Speaking of clip boards........

Come back tomorrow for a tutorial on how to do these.

This is not a quickie creation, but it is simple. Most of the time is taken up by the drying time.

Have a wonderful afternoon.

WHAT IF .....

Happy New Year everyone...

No picture today - I brought the camera but left the cable at home.

Look at those words in the title. I have used those in such a negative way in the past. What if fill in the blank here happens? Worrying over things that may or may not come to pass. Jude, over at Spirit Cloth, has an entire series of "what if" projects - used in a much more positive manner.

I'll be doing a lot of " what if" stuff this year. The first was

What if I send a query email to a magazine editor? Well the answer is --- pack up said projects and send then for professional photographers to work magic with.

That return email caused me to jump up and down and make excited phone calls and so forth.

So it begins. A year of putting MaggieGrace goodies out there for the world to see (and hopefully purchase).

Pick some positive "what if" projects yourself.

Thank you Jude for showing us a new twist on that phrase.

Have a wonderful day.

Texture

I love this texture. The stitch looks complicated. It's not. It is the result of a series of front and back post double crochet stitches. I'll be attempting an afghan using this stitch in panels along with some others. The texture and weight of this is phenomenal. I am in love.

Speaking of love. Thank you all so much for your comments to me this year. You have been a source of great inspiration, encouragement and support. You guys rock.

Today we are cleaning and purging at work - loads of fun (and loads to the dumpster). My friend JenB is having a bit of an inspiration crisis right now. I am tearing page after page from old magazines and literature before I have trucked it to the dumpster. Later - I'll be taking all these tear sheets and making her a bit of an inspiration card group. I am doing the same thing at home. As I was thinking about this project, came up with a bit of an idea. If you would like for me to send you a little packet of inspiration tear sheet images - drop me an email at teresahome@juno.com with your snail mail address and the words inspiration pack in the subject line and I'll create you a little package of cards too. These won't be fancy, just plain 3x5 cards with images and my handwritten words on them, blank on the back so you can use them for notes or thoughts of your own - even a grocery list or such. Maybe 10 in the pack. Lo tech - fun mail - a glimpse into a creative friend's world and thoughts or what struck me in a detail. I'll get to use some of my tear sheets - you get a little spare paper for your recycling bin. Please let me send you a little something. I get to have some fun punching and gluing and describing stuff.

I have been cleaning at home too. For years I have torn pages and stuffed them in a pile or boxes. As I am encountering these little piles, I am trimming and gluing them into simple (cheap) composition books along with comments about why I like a particular thing. I am not breaking these down into any more detailed organization pattern. I have several of these that I have filled through the years and I can spend hours going back through them when my inspirational well is dry. I can see the trends in color and styles change. I can see my likes and dislikes within the trends. I can also spot classic and timeless items that are really my true style. like a visual journal of sorts. Fun.

Tomorrow a recap of 2008 - a farewell letter to this year.

note - I emailed a query letter and some submission possibilities to the Where Women Create editor this morning. Wish me luck.

Have a wonderful day.

It was not chosen .....

"Stonework and Stained Glass" a 5x5 inch art quilt made using recycled, repurposed, and unconventional materials

With a lot of encouragement from many of you, I submitted this project to Quilting arts as a part of the "go Green challenge". The results were published in the last two issues, but this was not chosen. I am a little disappointed, but still, this is a work that I am incredibly proud of. I will also be submitting many many more pieces to magazines.

I posted some sneaks while I was working on this, but I wanted to share the final piece. I will frame this and let this one be all mine. Not much of my work is displayed in my home, but this one will be.

What did I learn from this process? My work quality is better with every item I create. My ideas can be translated from my brain to whatever medium I choose to work in. In comparing this to the published ones, I am not at all embarassed by this piece. I can do this.

I have other things in the works right now, but the year 2009 will be a year for pushing my art and craft out for people to see. That will be my focus. Maybe some sales and definitely some viewings - I'll see.

Thank you all from the very bottom of my heart for your encouragement and inspiration.

Hoping that tonight I can finish the lacework crochet edging on a baby blanket. This one is so very pretty. I'll share it on Monday.

I would like to hear/see your thoughts about this art quilt.

Have a gret weekend.

Earth Day ....

So I chose to make macro photos of some of the plants in my yard. I have a black thumb - absolutely nothing that needs caring for will live for very long. My Mom even comes over to water the snake plant beside the kitchen sink. These plants are all thriving - even survived the drought of last summer. No attention required. Take a look.


A stunning, deep, ruby red, Japanese Maple. Abby helped me plant this, then carried water to it for the first two years. It is still small - about waist high on me - and very slow growing. the color is so pretty though.

Side trip - I announced that Miss Molly will be graduating with honors - well Miss Abby got her class ranking. Seems Miss A is ranked number one in the freshman class. The competition between the sisters is now "ON. " I am so proud of both the girls. Being well rounded is paramount to success and they both are just that.

Girls - you can do anything you set your mind to. Keep reaching for success in all areas. When you do fall short - and you will - pick yourself up - dust off - learn the lesson - and start again. Dad and I will be here - cheering you on from the sidelines. Love you.

Rosemary blooms. Okay - plant it. It is hardy, shrub sized, evergreen, vigorously growning. I planted a tiny sprig - given to me by a friend - in the bed by the kitchen porch. That sprig is now a huge bush. I will eventually divide this to use as shrubs at the base of the house all around. I use it for cooking, arrangements, and it smells wonderful when you brush by it.

A big Azalea, rooted from a plant in Mama Norvan's yard or at my inlaws. This thing is covered this year. Again - hardy and easy - survived the drought beautifully. I would love to have a bunch of these all over the yard- maybe back in the tree line - the ones at Augusta National sure are pretty in those mass plantings.

JenB - another post for you and MaryAnn. My submission piece. All packed and ready to go. Kind of ironic that I am mailing my "go green" challenge art quilt on Earth Day 2008. We will know in September. These two lovelies have encouraged me over and over to submit some things. Thanks for those emails and the swift kicks in the butt to just do it. Love you both.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

because I cannot post without a photo

And it happens to be Masters week. And local best friend is suffering anxiety that he is working and not in Augusta, Georgia. And the weather is perfect for golf. I present this photo of a Haskell Bramble Pattern golf ball. Circa late 1800's - and said best friend owns one. It's old - like he is - not that old but he is older than me - and his was given to him by a friend who found it cleaning out a building. I know very little about golf, but lot's about old things and this is way cool.

The real reason for this post is two fold. Miss Molly and Miss Brittany got the official word yesterday. Brittany is the Valedictorian and Molly is the Salutatorian of the 2008 Class of Madison County High School. The girls are best friends and classmates. Fellow church members. Ball teammates in sports. We are close to their family and I am so proud of both of them. They work really hard for grades, but remain well rounded people (sometimes difficult to accomplish.)

Congratulations to you both. Love you.

While American Idol was giving back last night, I was stitching the final parts of the magazine submission art quilt. (side trek - wasn't it funny when the sound lady had to help Brad Pitt with his mic. I thought she handled it incredibly well and Robin Williams giving Simon a butt squeeze left me giggling hysterically.) I finally finished the copper vine and got all the leaves attached. (this will get its own post, they look great but what a fiddly nightmare) I have it trimmed and left the edges unfinished - one of the article suggestions. I really like being able to see all of the construction materials in the unfinished edge.

I have to add the information to the back - get the photos printed and write my narrative. I'll have both girls help with the checklist and proof the narrative.

MaryAnn - thank you for challenging me and getting me off my a** to accomplish this. Thank you all for the words of encouragement and kindness that you leave here. Blogging has shown me that good people really are abundant in the world. It has become one of my favorite activities and has blessed me beyond measure. I blog for me - but I sure am glad you all are out there - you guys rock. I have to have the best cheering squad in the world.

Have a fabulous day.

Seeing red ....

Today is kind of a celebration day for a friend. A beginning in the middle. A beginning that really started well before it happened. Started with a handshake and smile - was tested and tried over and over - a support and encouragement network. A friendship forged. One day this friend stepped out and took a chance and received one word in return. Throwing caution to the wind - risking dashed hopes and dreams - the one word uttered in response was the word MUTUAL.

I happened to remember the date all of this occurred. This story has been told over and over. We laugh about it. Make jokes about it. Utilize the word in situations that bring about roaring laughter. Often causing people to stare. One of those inside jokes shared by friends. Anyway - today is the date and I decided last night to make a card commemorating the event and the word. Said friend will think this appropriate and FUNNY.

By the way - the risk taken paid off and gave this the story that it has become.

Made from bits and bobs I had lying around the studio. Thanks ladies for including fun stuff in my packages - I keep it and sort it and poke through it and USE it. You are the bestest. The inside of this card tells more of the story and I am keeping that private. Friendly inside jokes really have to stay inside - sorry.

Now for the title of the post. All of the macro photos floating around the blogosphere intrigue me so much. I pulled out the manual for my new camera and figured out my macro settings. Don't laugh - it took 12 frames to get this image that I like.

I am not a photographer. Do not have any aspirations of becoming one. My snapshots are designed to tell the stories of our lives and my art as they are unfolding. If I need a professional photo - I beg a friend to do it. Jennie is a photographer.

Anyway - a beautiful image - to me - of the paint on my old Singer machine. This sits way back in the corner of the dining room right now, but will be more prominantly displayed after I move the stash to the studio.

Look at the colors - gold, red, green. Love this -

Update - the magazine submission art quilt will be finished tonight. I will cut it down to size later today and having re-read the article accompanying the challenge, I will not be using a conventional binding on this. The piece has been aproved by the teenage art critics in my house, so I do feel optimistic about sending it off. It looks like I want it to. It looks like the sketch. I made some mistakes. The construction techniques were a little unconventional. I learned a lot. There will be more of these. Already an idea is percolating. I have so many ideas and not near enough dang time. Request to the universe - need more hours in my days.

Have a great Tuesday.

playing on -

Atlanta started last week ravaged by the storms. Major downtown areas were closed. But the folks at BigSouth Volleyball pulled it off. The event was to be held at the World Congress Center, which gives it an atmosphere that cannot be compared to anything else. The WCC was damaged and could not be used, so many places and people pulled together to allow these girls to play on. We drove 640 miles over three days trips - bought 110.00 dollars worth of gas - and played at the Georgia International Convention Center at the Atlanta airport.

No bleachers at all - no folding chairs allowed - very limited seating around each court - I sat on the concrete floor for three days. People - I am old and today I can tell - stiff and sore - my hips are killing me. I took Friday off for this event and came in to the nightmare that is forgotten materials. I'll be off to make some deliveries in just a little while. (this is the real reason I hate to take off.)

This weekend we play in Asheville,NC. Then a week off. I hope to get lots done on/in the studio while the girls are on spring break.


I will give you another sneak peek of the "green" art quilt. This is my version of a vine. I am still twisting and shaping this before I attach it. Copper electrical wire - I really cannot wait to get this finished. It is one of those projects that I have found myself working on late into the night because I just don't want to stop.

Because my kids are my life - I will leave you with this picture of Miss Molly in midserve.

Have a great day --

WIP Sneak Peeks

Good Monday morning all. We survived the wild and terrifying weather of Saturday at our house just fine. Molly was out and about at a birthday thing with her friends - that was unnerving for Mom. Abby and I were home alone and watched all the updates on the news. We did have quarter sized hail for a short time, but no damage at all. Others around us were not so lucky.

The biggest complication for us is in the plans for the weekend to come. Molly was supposed to play in a HUGE - talking 12,000+ players - volleyball tournament at the Georgia World Congress Center. While the event planners have not cancelled the event yet - the GWCC has closed for the venue - the planners of the tournament are scurrying around trying to locate enough courts to play this tournament on. More on that later in the week.

Wednesday - there will be another college visit for Miss Molly - this time more than likely to agree to join the team. More on that later this week as well.

Abby was to play a softball tournament on Saturday. We took a phone call at 1:00 am moving that to Sunday. What a luxury that was. I painted a shelf in the barn and hung some ceiling tiles. Tonight will find me populating that shelf with a few things and preparing to host a soccer team dinner tomorrow night. We are doing hamburgers and hot dogs - with fries and roasted potatoes. Cookies and brownies (those will be purchased and then plated attractively) will end the festivities. Everything is ready at home except for spit shining the kitchen.

After my request for help on those stones - you guys rock - I spent part of Saturday prototyping the attachment method. I decided to use an adhesive called LEXEL. It dries clear and strong. I had a part of a tube left in the man's stuff so it qualifies for the challenge of making a "green" art quilt.


Here is a picture of the "stained glass". I was so excited about the way the center turned out. The colored part finished exactly as I expected but the "clear" part happened by accident. To me the variety of the beads makes this look as though there are shadows of branches coming through. What do you guys think? Completely spontaneous occurance that made me so freaking happy.

Now that the stones are attached and cured, I can proceed with the whole thing. It won't be touched tonight (really not even during the early part of the week) but now I can get on with it.

Thank you so much for your input. Now please pray really hard about this college thing, Mom is having an emotional day, knowing that this will be decided completely before next week.

Oh and take off over to CIP - I've updated over there this morning too.

Have wonderful day.

Help - i need ideas please

This will be explained in just a jif......

My buddy is giving away goodies at her place - go over and take a look. little boy things.

Now looking back to the inspirations post where I sketched the quilt submission for Quilting Arts magazine. You see the stone work sketched in on the right side of the drawing. I have finished the stained glass window section and started to assemble it all. That little bowl of pebbles has bcome a huge stumbling block for me. I just cannot figure out how to attach the dang things. The quilt stack is as follows - backing fabric - liner (salvaged felt from the inside of a sofa cushion) - screen wire mesh ( because the whole piece needs to support the weight of the little stones) - then the surface design elements.

I started using a mesh bag to attach the stones , but it looks strange. Then I tried soldering and adding loops to sew them own. There ain't enough money in the world to pay me to solder that many irregular shapes. I thought about glue of some sort, but I am afraid it will not hold. Then, I pondered wrapping the stones in fine gauge wire, but will that destroy the "look" of old stonework? HELP -- I know there is someone out there who can get past the mental block of this issue. Once I get this part complete the rest is easy peasy.

Thanks so much for the support you have already given me and thnak you in advance for the input here. Love ya'll lots.

Teresa

Fun stuff ...

Good Monday morning. Yet another activity filled week and weekend to come. The Home and Garden Show for my local area is this weekend and we will have a booth. I'll be setting everything up on Friday and then be there all weekend working. At least I do not have to be Mom at all for the weekend - the monsters and the man at my address will be gone snow skiing with the church. Looks like a Chinese takeout kind of weekend.


Look at this picture. Some things are just not fair. After I posted this last week, I received an email from the man's relative - Dennis - with this picture as an attachment. Seems this is the view from his bedroom window at sunset - I would have a terrible time leaving this view at anytime. This is just beautiful. My dream home has a view of water from a sitting area. Dennis, thanks for sending me this - it really is pretty - we need to see it in person really soon.

More fun - the WIP for the Quilting Arts challenge. A scrap of Aida cloth. Rug canvas that came in a box from this generous soul. Black floss left over from a stocking kit. So far every item qualifies for the challenge. I have finished the center beading with seed beads rescued from the dress trims - I did clear/slightly tinted beads for the center. OMG I love the way it turned out. The canvas gave the "leading" of the stained glass just enough extra loft to make it pop. The clear beads have just enough variety in color to make you think that you are seeing shadows and sunlight from the outside. Sometimes (not too often) the outcome is even better than the idea.

Last night at the church we finally accomplished the Winter Wonderland event. If anyone out there is looking for a cold weather event for your young ones - this was quick and easy. We had "snowball catch" games - snowball races (think egg on the spoon but with cotton balls) - made icicles from plastic wrap and glitter - made a card for the pictures - and did ice fishing (for candy prizes). Served hot dogs and roasted marshmallows. A family in the church had this fantastic snow machine.

My Molly - posing with Frosty the snowman. Biased mommy opinion here - but this is one of my favorite pictures ever of her. We took all the kids picture with this snow machine. Printed them out on the Kodak easy dock and they each took home a card with the picture in it. We had such a great time. (oh and Molly's volleyball team won their bracket - never mind it was the aluminum bracket - really the bronze - she personally had a wonderful day.) I am going to miss her so much this fall.

If you are a regular reader you will remember the weekend it snowed at the beach. Here are the pictures of how I used those paper snowflakes. All around the ice fishing lake (the lake was made from white sheets and that blue styrofoam insulation over the serving tables.) This was really very pretty - I kept everything with the idea of using the branches and snowflakes for a Christmas in July event at the studio.

I also would like to say that not touching my computer all weekend was not as difficult as I had imagined. There won't be many more of those - because now we are in the real decision process on college and the emails are flying as we try to get more information together.

Have a wonderful evening - the man at my address is sick(you know the cold that only slows mom down and stops dad dead in his tracks) and the girls have school stuff tonight. You'll find me in the barn painting floors and touching up walls. Right after I scrub a shelf that is going there. Volunteers for help welcome.

See ya tomorrow --

Inspirations

A sketch for the Quilting Arts Green challenge. I am posting this since the finished item will more than likely not look anything like this.

For more than a year I have had a phrase written down. Stonework and stained glass - the phrase has repeatedly echoed through my brain. This photo by Corey Amaro triggered the initial thought process and I have been waiting on the cycle to complete itself. Funny - the sketch looks nothing like the photo.

All along - I knew I wanted 3d texture and had an idea of making the stained glass window from wire and floss. Now I am expanding this idea into the art quilt for that challenge. Here's a list of what I have gathered so far -- see what you think.

linen scraps ----- pea gravel ------ seed beads off of dress trims ------ wire mesh ------ rug hook canvas scraps ------ paper in shades of green ------ twine ------ cotton yarns ----- old postage stamps with flowers and birds ----- upholstry yarn remnnts.

Now to figure out how to attach those stones using something recycled or repurposed. Any ideas. I was kind of thinking shrink wrap but I am just not sure.....

Help - feedback - confusion - please.

Also - I want all of you to go over to see Bill at Loving Her Beautiful . He has a wonderful project that I will be participating in and with his permission I am inviting you to look at and join with us.

Have a wonderful day.

I found it....

Yesterday I was sick - flat out sick - what we call "snottin' and sneezin'" at our house. Low grade fever - the works. I called in at the church and begged someone to cover for me. I went home and went to bed. By 7:30pm I was crashed and burned and today I think I might be human again.

The mail had left a lovely package from Kristen - I'll update about that tomorrow. Goodies galore. Thank you sweetie. I knew I was going to try and get a little rest, so I had picked up some of my favorites at the book store. Did not read anything -- but I brought this in with me this morning.



Wow - what an issue. See right there in the middle of the front. GO GREEN! I will not even pretend that my carbon footprint is small, but we are trying to be more aware and make better choices. I read the article this morning at my desk in paragraph increments between job duties. Heart racing - ideas abounding - one of those articles. Featuring the work and writing of an artist named Natalya Aikens. Hop over and read about her at her cyber blog home -- Art by Natalya .

You all know that I repurpose many items for storage in my home. I recycle some items - cannot tell you the last time I bought small trash bags. I use pattern tissue for wrapping and packing items. If you have ever received a boxed package from me - I can almost guarantee the box was reused from the pile at work. I even recycled the lumber for the walls in my studio. And I have made no secret that I am USING WHAT I HAVE instread of continuing to fill the stash.

Well the page just past the article was the issue challenge - and it is perfect for me. A 5" x 5" art quilt that uses the techniques from the article. Go here to read about this challenge. This fits my unwritten artist's statement for the moment and it also fits a personal challenge to submit something to a magazine. I will be gathering the materials immediately for this one. Wish me luck here. I already have an idea for this one.

In addition - the new Somerset Life -has a couple of challenges that I will be submitting. I will be sending the CIP pennant kit to them -including duplicating January and then mailing them one through the rest of the year. I will also be making more button fairies for a challenge there too. Wish me luck on these as well.

I'll be digging through my materials tonight after I get home and over the weekend as well - no activites planned for Friday/Saturday. Molly has scholarship day at Piedmont College on Sunday. Work will be happening on the studio and I will be working this art quilt in my brain and creating a tray of materials for it.

See - I got a challenge and my creative mojo is back.

See ya'll tomorrow - have a great day.

Monday - Monday

Doesn't look like much does it? 2x4 frame structure - blue construction foam insulation - drywall screws. What it is - the back wall of the studio (barn) This is where we started on Saturday morning after a really long Friday night. Sometime after midnight we hear a firetruck come by the house. Then another and another and another. They didn't go very far, so we knew that one of our neighbors had a problem. Seems one of our farmer neighbors baled and put up hay too quickly and the internal heat had caused a barn full of hay to go up in flames. Firetrucks went back and forth all night to get more water. They saved most of the barn structure but lost vehicles and all the hay and a tractor and other equipment. As of this morning that pile of hay is still smoldering and covering the area with smoke.

Still tired, we started on Saturday putting windows in. I bought these at a salvage palce because they were the size we needed. Three windows already framed. Should be a piece of cake right? Wrong. This required the big Sawzall. Lots of drill power. The siding is old and had to be reattached outside in more than one place. Some of the siding is metal - some really thick wood. Anyway after a really long day ......

We arrive here . Three new windows, a wall of insulation and tape, and a tiny bit of wiring. The storm door is waiting for its new structure and outlet boxes are where I think I want them. (don't ask - I have change my mind about that more than once) There is a pile of storage pieces waiting to move into the new home. For you really observant people - the center window is different. They only had two alike but the center one was the same dimensions. The little extra light these let in is wonderful. No need to clean them yet, more construction occurring. But this is progress and I desperately needed to see progress.
Another of the finds from my birthday outing. Why am I attracted to the "end lots"? These are bobbins off some machine. Tiny cotton threads. I have not even started sorting this out, but I love those little tapered bobbins that I can see in there. The cotton content will allow these to be crocheted into tiny embellishements and/or hankie, blanket and pillowcase trims.

I have a couple more things to share from that trek - then we must be off to more MaggieGrace goodies.

Note - I am participating in the Pay it Forward challenge. I do hope I can get three of you to sign up. Go one post back to play.

I have also accepted a challenge from MaryAnn to submit artwork to a magazine. I am terrified that my work won't be up to the quality of what they expect, but I think I am going with a Cloth Paper Scissors challenge.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Monday.