fun stuff

Wow - we have had several gorgeous days here in northeast Georgia. Temps in the mid 60's and higher. Lots and Lots of sunshine. Beautiful weather. Today they are predicting thunderstorms, but that's ok - we need the rain.

Anyway - pretty weather means not much MaggieGrace goodies. Those activities have been replaced by ---

soccer games...

looking for the softball princess a car for a graduation present ...

sitting in the proch swing with a frosty adult beverage listening to the bullfrogs at the pond across the road....

and playing dresss designer with college girl....

Yup - dress designer.

She is making herself a formal dress. We are "engineering" a bodice. Based on a picture. She bought a pattern and cut out all of the pieces on Saturday. We gathered and pinned together a mockup of the bodice design. Then the frugal (CHEAP) people that we are started working on the embellishment ideas.

The picture below is the waist sash idea we came up with......

The gun metal grey fabric is what the dress will be made of. It is a gorgeous drapery lining fabric that she is using. The skirt is cut on the bias and so far it seems will drape really well. She is adding an overlay of black lace and then the bodice inspired by the picture she had.

We found some sparkly black trim and then the silver accent trim --- it is actually a Christmas tree trim. Told you we were cheap.

Told you we were having fun in this neck of the woods.

Health update. I had a routine doc visit last week, in my bloodwork (which includes some extra panels because of the kidney thing) they discovered that my Vitamin D levels were seriously low. The doc called me in a prescription for 50000 units of Vitamin D once a week. Hello - I feel so much better after ONE DOSE. That amazed me. According to the doc - the sunscreen that I so faithfully use could be part of the culprit. Seems the human body needs a certain amount of sunshine on unprotected skin to make the Vitamin D.

Who knew? Not me.

Anyway - I'm looking forward to the dress creation. Will keep you updated as we go.

Have a wonderful day.

Love this .....

MaggieGrace woke up with me on Saturday morning. I have had the idea for a series of canvases for a long time. I posted about the inspiration here.

So for the last few days, I have been painting my canvases. The red, gold, and green are house paint sample bottles purchased from a big box retailer. The purple is left over from the softball princess room redo.

First I painted two coats on each canvas. Then I took a chocolately brown color and watered it down. I scrubbed - rubbed - blotted - streaked that over the back grounds leaving this wonderful mottled look to them.


I picked papers - for the words - faith lost out - but it will still happen on a different canvas.

Then I cut my words using my CRICUT. Love that tool.

Then I looked at another CRICUT cartridge listing that I had and found a medallion that I like.

Here they all are - paint still drying, but happy I was at this point.

After the paint dried - I broke out the Mod Podge.

Detail Shots - I did the MOD PODGE yesterday and will spend my week embellishing the center of the medallions

I think this paper is my favorite.

The purple is not a favorite, but it does work in the overall scheme.

The green background is my favorite - the mottled effect just makes me happy.

I already have an idea of where these will go. Can't wait to show you that - maybe I'll get to it by next weekend.

Here they are - partially finished - lined up on a piano that I would gladly give to someone if they would show up to get it.

I love it when and idea turns out pretty much like I picture it in my mind.

Feedback??

Oh and I spent 10.00 for the four canvases to do this - every thing else was in my stash.

In other exciting news - the weekend also involved tons of laundry - absolutely NO cooking - and a serious bathroom clean out. See my life is full of rip-roaring excitement.

Have a wonderful day.

Living - loving - life

MaggieGrace has had the flu......

It was a drag.......

But on Saturday, I felt like getting out and about with her.....


Sorry - he kinda comes with the package. I looked hard for a picture that didn't include him. Oh well -- he's a nice kid and he's housebroken too.

The pretty girl in the picture is College Girl. She wants to make a formal dress. We ventured out to look for fabric. My mama joined us. It was a load of fun.

We went here.....



AllAboutFabrics in Williamston, SC. Google it. They have a nice website. It is open to the public once a month. Well worth the trip.

This place is huge. These people are wonderful. Knowledgeable. Friendly. Helpful.

College Girl knew what she wanted. We just had to find it.

She is funny. Like me. When I go to any fabric store, I HAVE TO TOUCH THE FABRICS.

She does it too.

There was lace. Lots of lace.

And bolt after bolt of fabric. We touched it and compared drape. We looked at colors. We loaded things in our cart and debated. We took fabric back and got more. Trims too. Hours we spent.

Steel grey with a black lace overlay and a bodice that Mom is gonna have to figure out somehow.

Enough fabric for that boy's mom to make a vest and tie from.

There is no red in the lace - funky lighting.

I''ll keep you updated on the project.

Word

Happy Wednesday All. There is a picture below here but we'll get to that in a bit.

Yesterday I said we would discuss the February word. MaryAnn got to pick. I love her, she knows this. She has been a rock and a light in my sometimes very dark and turbulent world. Texts everyday. Sometimes a lot of them. Sometimes a few. Her handwriting is part of what I look for in my mailbox. She inspires me. AND she pushes me to be better.

So I absolutely FREAKED OUT when my text came ----

FORGIVE.

I was "ticked off". Well my initial wording before the backspace key won the battle was different.

See - real forgiveness is hard for me. I get what the man calls "historical" and I can remember all kinds of screw ups from the 30+ years I have known him. This particular talent for recall is not limited to him either. If we have known each other long enough to have a difference of opinion and/or hurt each others feelings, I can and will use that in a verbal discussion - also know as a fight - or screaming match - or cussing fit - hello, I even slam doors.

This is not something I am proud of and at 45 I have learned to control at least the full blown display of this trait.

Even worse than all that - I hold myself to some pretty exacting standards and I get historical about that too.

Forgive - this word - it will be my most challenging one yet.

So there you have it - full confession of a month quite full of very difficult focus.

I'll let you know how this works out. There are some major ones that I really need to deal with --- we will see.

Now ----- about the picture below. Maggie Grace has not done a whole lot of late. But this picture has been in my notebooks for a long time.



Picture is from here.

There's a party going on here - and if you do not read The Pioneer Woman, you should. But that is not why I have this picture.

See those 4 squares on the wall - the artwork. LUV LUV LUV. I have right clicked every picture that I saw of those on her site. What the crap -----

I have zoomed in and tried to see them better ----- again what?????

4 squares of mottled color on a wall - I can't tell if they are paintings, photos, prints, I CANNOT TELL. But....

I can hack into the idea, right? That is what art is about, right?

I bought 4 canvases - smaller ones - retangular ones - cause they were on sale and I am cheap like that.

Last night found me digging color samples and scrapbook papers out as well. ( I know - why paper?) Well because I like words too.

My next MaggieGrace project will be a Pioneer Woman inspired group of 4 canvases labeled with the words -GRACE - FAITH - PEACE - TRUST.

I'll let you know how this works out too.

Have a wonderful day - how about share a link to something you find inspiring in the comments.

Celebrating beautiful moments

Note - all images are from DOVER. And they are chosen as a reflection on my friend who loves this artist. She knows who she is.

MaryAnn and I are doing a word collaboration - funny when we started it was about making or doing - about not spending money - etc. Like so many projects it has morphed into something completely different. Gotta love that -

January's word - chosen by me was beauty (beautiful) and in the bleak post seaonal days that January brings, I have enjoyed looking for those moments of beautiful.

so here are some favorites of my month

The Softball Princess has multiple options for college - that is a seriously beautiful thing. College campus visits almost always include a visit to the art gallery - there is some serious beauty in each of those. In addition - every campus has its own beauty.

As I record my daily gratitudes - I find myself focusing on abundant - often tiny - beautiful moments each day.

Things like - sunshine after several grey days.

Thumbing through the mail and finding a handwritten note among the junk mail and bills.

A funny comment by a facebook friend.

Realizing that an old (immature) boyfriend did grow up and become a contributing member of society.

Good food - shared with good company - that happened this month too. It was a beautiful thing and in this particular case - needs to happen more often.

Speaking of food - broiled asparagus with balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese - yummy.

Asking my body to do one more pushup - and accomplishing that - yes people that was a beautiful moment. Bootcamp is a great thing. And the friendships made there are wonderful too.

These were moments. Moments make up days. Days make up weeks. Weeks make up years. Years make up a lifetime. Things change. Challenges happen. But in the still of each moment there is beauty - you just have to pay attention to see it.

I leave you with a quote

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where nature may heal and give strengthto the body and soul." John Muir

Have a beautiful day - I have a beautiful life.

MaryAnn picked the word for February - It is a hard one for me - Super hard. I'll tell you tomorrow.