Long time no post....

Currently in MN visiting family.. I will post pictures and what I'm doing when we get back home...Christmas is in the air....I will be working on ornaments.....for a swap...

My Latest Passion....

My newest things are books by Yoko Saito..Have you ever heard of her ? Just Google her name on the web or Google images for some wonder quilts that she makes. She also has her own line of fabric. I would love to buy, but can't find it anywhere near me. I did find some on the net..but I like to feel what I buy. I made a puse from this book..and I'm currently working on a wall hanging from the Houses book.. It would all be so much easier if only I could read Japanese.. but she does have quite pictures that gives you almost stet by step directions...All of the work is done by hand sewing.. so my purse is all made by hand. Fist the small peices were appliqued, then quilted.. I do most of the work while we are camping. It's so realxing to sit outside and enjoy the lake, with all the birds singing and humming birds humming by.

I also received a great little package in the mail today from Takako

a fellow blogger..So thats what I've been doing.. What have all of you been doing ??

It's new day !!

Wow..it's been so long since I've posted...and I have been sick almost since that last post..I've been on two doses of antibotics..and I've still got it...sinuitis...upper respitory infection..strept throat.. you name I've had it. I'm sick of being sick. I haven't done much art these days either. Just some knitting of socks...and a little water color pencil drawings of birds.. not good enough to show any of those yet....I have been making the little pincushions for a trade and I sent them off today. I also sent one to my daughter-in-law for being the mother of my grandkids for Mother's Day.

We are going camping this week-end..so maybe I can do some artsy stuff. I want to make some ATC's for a uncoming trade...I love to make those and I got some really great tiny little buttons from ebay...that I have wanting to use. I left them all up in the camper or I would add a pic. of them. If anyone wants the seller I will pass it along. They came from Thailand..and shipping was very cheap..like 4.00 for about 2000..I think the whole lot cost me 20 dollars..and shipping was quite fast. There is nowhere around here to buy tiny buttons..that are flower, star,or heart shaped. She even had dragonflies and tiny everygreen trees. Well time for some laundry and a hotbath. I worked 10 hours today so I pooped out. Next week at work its National Nursing Home Week.. I have all sorts of activities planned for the residents, their families and staff. It's a very busy fun filled week..but I always glad when it's over. Take care...

Any body out there ??

Just to let you know...if anyone is still reading my blog.. that I'm here.. I've been busy work in projects...Knitting some slippers for grandson..and just started on a block of the month from this site..I just cleaned out my studio and through out.. yes. through out a lot of scraps.. That I did'nt think I would ever use..heck I had'nt used them in 10 years..I did save a bag of bigger peices for a yard sale.. and now I have been back through that bag a couple to times.. DH just shakes his head. So anyways.....I have made up the blocks since they were posted in Oct. 07.. I just did them this week-end. I will post a pic. later. I also decided that I would use my Singer Featherweight..I've had it for at 3 years and never used it..Wow.. it sews like a dream..The little sweetie just purrs.....Well hope all is and that I still have a few readers out there....If you read this and leave a comment I will have a drawing and send off a little bottlecap pinchusion to you.....

More Pincushions.....

But before the pinchushions... I was looking at pictures on my camera and found these I took of our dog Peanut..He is mostly Weiner dog and we ar not sure of the other part. He is getting older, as you can see the white around his muzzle. I had washed this dress that my daughter had worn about 38 years ago (My God that can't be right!) and Peanut was so interested in it ...So naturally,,lol I had to put it on him.. and he was so proud... he did'nt mind at all...I guess he is a cross dresser..lol

The next picture is of more pincushions..I'm on a roll.. I love making these little things.. I was visiting Melody's Blog

and she has a beautiful and fun bedroom in lime green and pink..so I sent a pinchusion to match..The color here doesn't show it too good ..but the big one in the picture is lime and pink...I think her blog shows the color better of the similiar one I sent her.

Tomorrow at the Nursing Home where I work we are serving a sweetheart dinner to the residents that have spouses. It will be very special for them...even chocolate dipped strawberries..and an Italian menu. So it will be a long day ..probably 12 hours...

I got a package in the mail today..from ebay auction for a bunch of letters that I can use in altered art and ATC's etc. Here they are... kind of neat huh? There were from Kelli she has some great art...and I can't wait to use these things.....

Well I guess I have rambled on enough for now....

Mittens are finished !!

These are finished mittens..I added an extra cuff to the inside that is not felted..so they will fit nice and snug and not let in any cold air. I she likes them....The next picture is of a block I made..from Sew Mama Sew

They are having a block of the week this year.. so it should be fun.. This was a test block I made.. so I think I will make another in some pastels..I have been holding onto a large group of fat quarters I bought that are Moda Sea Side Rose...kind of shabby chic looking...Its been discontinued now...

I can't hang onto this stuff forever.....

The other picture is the pincushions that I'm making for a trade in thebFabric ATC group I'm in here ..so I have been keeping busy...the diet is going good since January 2 ....I've lost 18 lbs....It would be nice to do that every month..but I will settle for 10 lbs..gone ever month...Well time to relax and knit on a sock I need to finish for my daughter....It's always hard to finish the second sock....Thanks for stopping by....

These came off my needles today.... see how big they are.....Next I will thowthem in the washer...in a mesh bag...and old pair of sneakers and hot, hot water andfelt them...Hopefully they will felt down to a womans lrge,,with long fingers...The lady that orderd them never gave me the exact measurements.. so hopefully they will fit..or else I will wear them or give them as a gift...Not sure how much to charge for these. The yarn was 12.00 a skein and I used two..and it took me 2 afternoons to knit them...I think at least 40.00 dollars.. does that sound to high or too low ? I also worked on some pincushions..from bottle caps.. the directions are here They are a lot of fun to make.. I will post pictures when I get a few more made....thats all for now...

Crow--Keeper of the Scared Law

Well now I'm addicted to these crows....so much fun to make and each one has it's personality... This one seemed to want to be more spiritual than the first one...he wanted a cross on his wing..I'm looking forward to making more....but how many crows do I need ? I need to find just the right to display them... I have an old Native American hand woven doll that was made for me when I was 10 years old...it was made by and elderly Indian lady from the Tulalip tribe near Marysville,WA.. she told me her father had been a chief of the tribe when she was a little girl. She was in her 70's then and that was 50 years ago...anyway.. I also have a basket that someone else in the tribe made for my mom..so maybe that would be a good spot.. I'll have to dig them out and show a picture here..Well almost time to hit the sack and I still have laundry to do....Take care all....

More Snow....but time ...time to sew!!

I got busy and cleaned up my studio....and that gave me inspiration to make a crow doll from the November/December Cloth Paper Scissors I love how he turned out.. now I can't wait to make more..It would be fun to find other artsy folks that would like to make a trade. I used the pattern in the magazine and enlarged it 160%. It is about 10" by 5". I went through my yarn stash and yanked off various pieces and ended up with three gallon zip lock bags full I have lots of fiber at my finger tips for more crows and other projects. DH even went out to wal-mart to buy more black felt for me..then I had to call him to pick-up some orange for the feet and beak.

We got 2 new cookbooks last week from Amazon (thanks to a gift certificate from son & daughter-in-law).

Both are great books....Today from the vegie book I made a Beet,orange & fennel salad that is marinating..That will go with a lemon chicken orzo soup by Ellie. Last night I made a spinach dish that took carmalized onions,spinach, garlic and tomatoes topped with yogurt and pine nuts It so yummy..These are best cookbook by far that we have used.

Well I have more crows calling my name. CAW...CAW..

It's been way too long...

I decided to come out of hiding...well not really hiding I've just been busy..and haven't taken the time to blog..I'm still on the computor and reading others blogs..I guess that's why I can't keep up mine !! I made these Itty Bitties for a yahoo group I'm in here they are tiny works of art 3x3...we all said what our favorite colors..style etc. then we make two for each other.. It was alot of fun...These are pictures of the ones that I have made....I also made some homemade curlers for my daughter and daughter-in-law..you can see them here . Now it's time to start working on Valentine things....cards and an ATC trade... Hubby and I are also on a diet...he has lost 8lbs. and I have lost 12...all since January 2nd. We got ourselves a treadmill for Christmas...and we both have been pretty good about getting on it. We have snow on the ground and its been there since Jan. 1 or earlier and I'm sick of it...it's 8 degrees right now...Spring is just too far away. We can't to start camping again..We did camp over the long New Year weekend.. but it was so cold...like 10 degrees..and it was hard to keep the fifth wheel warm. We had to keep the water dripping and even then it still froze up for a little while...So spring needs to come .....Well that's all for now.....

Where the heck have I've been ??

I''ve been busy doing stuff
not really artsy stuff though...
We've been camping
every week-end..fishing and just relaxing...Now that fall is is the air..I just love it more Although I do some artsy stuff while there.. That's where I worked on these art dolls for a swap. The other thing I made was a felted purse. I forgot to take a before picture. If you've never felted it's a lot of fun ,you knit with 100% wool..and usually use big needles..sometime 2 yarns held together..It comes out huge.. but then when you throw it in the washer with hot water.. and carefully watch it felts down to about 1/2 to 2/3 of the orignal size and you no longer see the stiches. This one is about 10 inches high...so I think it was about 18inches before felting.
It's really a very pretty shade of red..kind of a barn red with variations throughout it.. Tomorrow I leave for MT. Vernon, WA to attend an Activities Professional Conf. I will be there through Friday...So I probably won't be back on until..unless they have interent access in my hotel room..So you all take care until then..

Flower Pounding..

Well..it seems I've been gone for awhile..I guess I've just been lazy about blogging..I did have a tooth pulled..and for some reason it was pretty traumatic for me..not that it hurt I just did'nt want to loose a tooth..I know thats pretty stupid in the whole scope of world events..but I just don't want a hole in my mouth.. and I can't really afford to have a implant at 3000.00 dollars...that's just a bit much for one tooth. I could go to Mexico and get one about 300.00 dollars and have a great vacation !! I've been doing a few little artsy things.. I tried my hand at flower pounding and made a couple of pictures.. The one above I'm sending to my granddaughter Lillianna.. and the other is an ATC ...the theme was moon so I made it.."Once in a blue moon"..I'm also working on some Itsy Bitsies for a swap they are

3 by 3..and fun to work on..So far there is 6 other gals in the swap so I will make 2 for each of them..We describe what we like and then we make them for each other .. it should be fun to see what everyone comes up with. The weather was cool here today.. its almost like you an feel fall in the air..Fall is my favorite time of the year..I love the colors of reds..oranges, yellows and even purple in the leaves..Well I need to finish up my project for my granddaughter..I'm making a artsy envelope to put her gift in..

It's a little to big to scan so I will take a pic. and post later..Take care all

Pictures..from the weekend

These are goldfinches..Washington State Bird...the little one at the top is a baby bird that the parents were trying to teach to eat from the sock feeder.. they were so cute.. the little birds would cheep.."we can't do it mommy"..but finally they were able to land on the feeder and eat..

..check out the huge bumble bee in the sunflowers...
Here are the birdys that I will get in the mail in the next few days....I hope you all will like them !
These are the flowers in our yard where we camp. We have a rock planter..next year I want to plant flowers on the top part and have them hang down..and do the same on the lower level..

The weather was so nice this week-end not too hot...We went swimming and took the dogs with us. They like to get in the water too.. I'm working on a project from the latest Cloth,Paper, Scissors magazine , its the Triptych Challenge. You take 3 images and alter them, paint them etc. I have one done..maybe 2 not sure I like the second one..I will post a picture when I get them completed. It definitely is a challenge for me..Time for me to get my birdys packaged up and ready for the mail...Take care

Birds will be in the mail soon !!

Well I finished all the birdys last week-end...but I left my camera chip up at the camper...so I couldn't show any pictures..so hopefully it wasn't too hot in the camper and it will still work. I have been so busy this week.. It's been very stressful. The state inspectors spent four days at the nursing home where I work. They look at everything, go through all the paper work that we all do, talk to the residents, talk to families, staff...and then write it all and tell us where we went wrong.Well we did great !!They found very little that they could write us up for...resident care was great, the food was great, the place very clean and of course my Activity Dept. was perfect !! The only things they found were ... some chipped paint here and there on the furniture.. They said it's not home like..well I can't imagine many homes without some chip paint somewhere..they even measure it..All in all it was a great survey and I'm glad it's all over with for another year. !! I will post pictures when we get back from camping of the birds and then get them in the mail to everyone..Now I'm off to work to finish up a few things...

And the Winner is..............Everyone !!!

I don't want anyone to go away sad... so I decided to make a little birdy for everyone !!! I only have 2 completed right now.. but I have a few more in the works.. so this week-end while we are camping I will finish the rest of them....So.....if you left a comment please email me with your address and I get them out to you as soon as possible...so a bird will be in the mail for : Beate, Melinda, Suz , Stegart, Sunni ,Beth, Angie

So watch the skies for little birdys to winging their way to YOU...just my way of saying thanks for looking at my blog..and I get so inspired by reading each of yours...everyone has such special talents..I've learned so much by reading other blogs..I can't wait to see what everyone has done...We are all so beautiful and talented !!!

Time to clean-up my act....

These are before and after pictures of my sewing/art studio room...Is it no wonder I wasn't feeling creative ??
If you'll notice even the dogs have no ambition..but it is over 100 degrees again today...But fairly cool in the house so I went to work organizing my space..Now I won't want to make a mess..haha Part of my problem is I try to load up so many things to take camping with me..I never really know what it is I'm going to work on.. you know..what mood your in.. to sew( I have 2 sewing machines in the 5th-wheel), knit, bead or make some paper, altered art...or heck just go fishing.. So a girl has to be prepared for it all !! Then when we lug it all in,, I don't usually get it all put away...So my goal is to take fewer things with me.. and try and really plan what it is I'm going to do.
Remember tomorrow is the last day to sign-up for a birdy....I will draw tomorrow nite... Off to bed for now... as you can see it was a very busy day for me.. Take all

Great Artsy Stuff in the Mail !!!

I'm not to good at placing these pictures......but to the right are the plus sized inchies..that I have received so far in trade from Fiber Art Traders (FAT). They are plus sized..1 1/2 sq.
Below is a great little package I received from Melinda, we traded beaded birds..and she sent along some extra goodies..Isn't the ATC great.. and I can't wait to try huge playing cards




Here is recent ATC I made..it's up for trade.. if anyone is interested..It's fabric and paper...


Finally the birds to the far right are the ones for the giveaway...So sign-up I will draw names next Monday..
Well it's time to start some supper here... really to hot to eat.. but over the week-end I cooked rice and some chicken breasts so I going to make Chicken Curry Salad...Something nice and cool and no cooking..It's very hot here today.. in the 100's...and going to be hotter tomorrow.. Thank God I work indoors...Take care all....

Free Birdy !!!!!!

I received all sorts of goodies in the mail and of course all the batteries are dead for the camera. But I was able to scan a collage I made while on vacation...We were gone for a week and came home on Sunday...It was so nice at the lake..very hot. but nice and relaxing.. This is my second collage I have made recently and I like the way it turned out and her story. After I added her picture she just seemed to tell me what she had to say...and then I found the words in a book about him.... he had been President of the Bird Club.. perhaps it was him than answered all along ??? Tell me what you think....If you are reading this..why not leave a comment.. If you do.. you might be the one whose name is drawn for a birdy !! So........ leave a comment and I will add you to the drawing...I will post more pictures tomorrow night.. I got some great things !!!

We are camping.....

Well her we are at the lake..and having a good time. I caught a huge carp..about 20lbs.. of course no camera with us to take a picture...No one around here eats them..but I went on line and they don't sound too bad. He was fun to catch though...had my little pole bent way over..It's great to have wi-fi here... We never expected it..sometimes it works and sometimes it don't but hey its better than we have before.. I'm adding couple of pictures..one is of Oscar.. we are on the ferry crossing Lake Roosevelt...and the sky picture is what I saw as we were leaving the lake area..can you see the dove? Well that's all for now... Artsy things I've done is just a little knitted makeup bag..I hope to paint some later..I did pick-up a big stack of sheet music at a antique store..most is hand written and kind of neat..

Kookie Bird Migrated North !!

This is Kookie Bird that migrated north...I think she loves it here.. She immediately took to the roses.. and nestled herself right in...I love her.. and give her a good home for a longtime...The other pictures is Plus Sizes Inchies for the Fiber Art Trader Group...I made 24 and will get 20 back..not sure what I will do with all of them..maybe a collage.. or jewelry of some sort ?? We are going on vacation next week...just going up to our "cabin" at the lake...(it's really the fifth-wheel)

but it will still be fun. Probably go into Spokane 1 day..and go to the casino another day... I need to start knitting Christmas presents... the grandsons need larger slippers...a couple of years ago I made 11 pairs....That's knitting and then felting them.. But I don't think they will ever wear out..Maybe grow out of them..I wear mine all the time.. and still show now wear after 2 1/2 years......Felting is fun..if your a knitter you have to try it...All you need is wool yarn and a top loading washing machine.. and you never quite know how things will turn out... Hopefully when I come back I will have a couple of pairs made.. I have a fishing license now.. so not sure how much knitting I will get done... I have catch at least one Walleye.. I'm out of birds..but if someone else wants to trade I'm willing to make more....or I'll trade anything.. if you have any ideas ???

Well almost anything...nothing I have to clean up after !!