Beautiful Hot Day here and still have birds for trade..

I was just checking in and saw that one of my birdies flew away so I will try and get her to come back..Nope all I get is an error.. so I will try and load it later..if you want to trade a bird let me know..I also finished some more charms..I followed the directions from the most recent Cloth, Paper Scissors in an article by Ruth Rae and here are the pictures....this is really weird tonight.. I already typed this and posted it.. came back to add pictures and all the stuff just vansished.. so sorry if I'm repeating myself..I really have to get busy and do some housecleaning. I was going to save it all for the week-end..Hubby was going to work on week-end..now he's not and we're are going to the lake on the week-end ..so now I have to get it all done tonight and tomorrow night. Cuz don't you know I have to get all my art projects planned and take my goodies with..I'll save that for Friday am... Take care all...

More Birdies Found !!

We spent a great long-week-end camping..The weiner dogs enjoy themselves even if they have to spend time in their pen. Oscar loves to sun bathe, thats him on his back. It was so nice to sit in the sun..walk on the beach and of course make some birdies..These are so much fun to make !! I gave one to the lady that owns the campground where we go. I had needed a can of stewed tomatoes and she did'nt have any in the store so she gave me a jar of her home canned ones. I had forgotten how good they are. As you can see I named each of lthe birdys...the last one was made from Kaffe Fassett fabric..hence the name Kaffeebirdy..and of course the polkadot fabric equals Dotteebirdy. So if you see one you want to trade for let me know..Bimbimbie wanted to trade for one of her birds...so if anyone else is a bird lover let me know !!..I'm still making them too. I'm going to branch out this week-end and try somethings from the newest Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine...Did I mention that I'm in it ??? Well only a letter to the editor..but still..my name is there !! Well have to go unpack and do laundry..take everyone..

Blue Birdy
Dotteebirdy
Kaffeebirdy

In Vancouver,WA

Here is a picture of Multnomah Falls in Oregon...it's the 2nd highest year-around falls in the nation. It was raining and overcast..but if you click on the picture you will see how beautiful it really is. We took out time driving down and made a few stops..one at Catherine's and one at Michaels.craft store.. I found a new eyelet maker so now all I need a hammer and I can go to work..But I probably shouldn't do that in the hotel room I guess. We had a great supper at Olive Garden and now I'm ready to crash. I'll try and post tomorrow night.. You all take care...

I'm back....

Well..I guess I've been gone for awhile..I have been doing a few things..I went outside today and found these little birdies in the honeysuckle bush...I even managed to get a close up of the little yellow one...I believe he is a rare breed !! We went camping this week-end and I thought I had taken all the supplies I would need with me..however I had left my inchies and embroidery floss at home. So I couldn't work on inchies or my alternative project ATC's. So I invented these little birdies..I saw some like it over at Bimbimbie's so I guess I really didn't invent them. She put a cute little Dotee face on hers. They were really fun to make. I have more cut-out and ready to embellish. I'm going to Vancouver, WA this week to a conference for work. So I'm taking the birdies with me and the inches(which by the way I found at the bottom of my bag when packing up) so I could have worked on them. But each project is small enough to tuck in my purse in case I get bored. The inches are for a charm swap in a Yahoo group. I still need to add a eyelet. My eyelets are not turning out well. They are rough on the back..does anyone know if there is any that have 2 pieces and are smooth on the back. I only have Walmart to look for things and they have none.. But maybe on the way to Vancouver I can a craft or fabric store.

So I guess I'd better go pack up..and get my stuff together..I'll be back on Thursday..hmmm I have a laptop now.....maybe I will just take it with me...

Finally..back to my blog..

I've been away from my blog for a few days...I made this purse over the week-end and finished it up tonight. It's for a friends birthday tomorrow. I hope she likes it. It was fun to make..once I got the whole creative juices flowing again. I wanted something kind of shabby chic..yet a little on the risque side.. I usually knit purses and then felt them..I have made quite a few..like about 10 .. so I wanted something a little different. I recently went to Nellie's Needles she has a great blog with lots of tutorials..I just love her small art quilts that she makes..check out her crinkle quilts under the labels on the right side. They are so neat.. I haven't been to all her archives yet.. but the ones I have been too give me inspiration. Well this will be short and sweet tonight. Time to get comfortable and watch American Idol...take care all

My Dotee's Arrived..

Here are the Dotee ATC I received ....Left to Right....made by: Elizabeth Atkinson from West Melton Victoria, Australia, Dorian Gery from Belconnen, Australia and an original Dotee..by Dot herself in Frankston, Australia..now aren't I one of the lucky ones.. each one is so special... These are the Dotee Dolls...left to right..Beth Deegan(with the wild hair), and another work of art from Elizabeth Atkinson and the little baby, from Norma Bullon, Australia. I give each one a very good home...
I don't have blog sites for all of them..hopefully I will be able to find them all if they have blogs.
We went camping again this week-end and I just relaxed.. I knitted on my forever socks..and I'm at the heel now..so maybe.. I can get them done in a couple of weeks..
I just wasn't in the mood to be creative..I guess you could say I had the blues.. Not sure why..sometimes they just come over me.. and I want to just cover my head. I walked around the campground hoping that would help...but it didn't..I really need to focus on eating healthy,walking and all that goes with a more healthy lifestyle. Why is it..that what I put in my mouth is one of the only things I...myself can personally control..but yet I don't do it? I must find another way to deal with stress, depression, loneliness's...I have talked about doing a journal..maybe that would help me? If we go camping next week-end I want to walk in the hills..they wild flowers are blooming..and I want to take pictures and post..they are so pretty. We also need to plant flowers and work in our little yard at the campground. Well I have rambled on enough..

Cupcake.....

Here's my no calorie cupcake !!!!!!!

Felted postcard from Beate

I finished my no calorie cupcake...and it has chocolate frosting of course !! It was fun to make..at first I had a hard time with only 6 stitches on double points..but it all comes back to you. Now I want to make more...it would such a fun thing for little gifts..It would be a fun thing for a trade too.. I signed up for two trades..one is for faric charms no bigger than 1 1/2 inches..they must have a gromet and jump ring attached. I think I need to make 21..and then another doll trade and I'm not sure when that is due. I have been wanting to make some charms or inchies as I have heard them called so I'm looking forward to this trade. I found a great tutorial for them here

at Sue Bleiweiss's Blog. She has some other tutorials as well. In the mail today I received this great postcard from Beate. I won it in her Blogversary Draw...(actually we all won one) isn't that great..My picture of it doesn't do it justice. I love to look at her work..when I first started postcards her work was very inspirational to me and it still is !! Thanks Beate....

It was a beautiful day here...

I finished my bag project...next will be a purse..I also got the quilt top done.. well almost done. I need to put on a border..I have so much fabric of every color..style etc.. but no black for a border. So now it have to wait until I can get to the Fabric shop...I don't do Walmart fabric...for quilts. We worked out in the yard this morning. Pulled some weeds and planted some flowers. Then I sat outside and knitted in the sun..ahhh it felt so good.
I started a knittted cupcake mine will be white with chocolate frosting. I wanted white cake and pink icing..But in 3 large totes of yarn..I have no pink..no yellow hmm no pastels at all. But what I have will have to do. I'm in that if I don't have it... I don't need it phase. I was looking through my stuff and found about 8 quilt tops that are finished but not put together with batting and backing..and then quilted. So I will start on those..and of course still do some ATC's, postcards and other fiber art stuff and of course my funky flowers...(hmm that might mean buying some stuff at the hardware store).. but that's not sewing stuff.. does that count ? I guess I did go to the thrift store and buy sewing stuff...But I was helping them out.. it's a Sr. Center.. they need me.

Well time to go knit and finish the laundry.... Here's my bag.....

Some new old stuff.....

We went to a thrift store today in Moses Lake..it has lots of cool stuff and the prices are great... I picked up a few things...a package of old transfers for tea towels "Mexican Motif"..not sure why I got them..but for 2o cents....I thought someone might want them...and lots and lots of packages of flower petals....I can use them on postcards, ATC's and I'm thinking of making a purse of some sorts using them and perhaps putting them under some tulle and stitiching all over it... this book...

Here is a close up of the "The Complete Book of Sewing" by Contance Talbot..1943..1st addition.
It has all sorts of project ideas..even a pet blanket...here are my pets...

Oscar and Peanut...they are looking out the window of our 5th wheel.. I kind of funked the picture out.

It's cold and dreary here today..a great day to stay inside and sew...I'm working on a small tote bag ..from some vintage type fabric with kids and hula hoops..I would like to try and put a quilt together this week-end. I 've had the blocks completed for a year now..I just like smaller projects now..but this will be a beautiful quilt if I ever get it done..So now I will clean up my sewing/painting/beading.blogging area and try get this quilt on the design wall(fancy name for flannel thumb tacked to the wall) and get a picture of it posted tomorrow eve...Now that's my goal..but who knows what could happen. At least I will get the tote bag done...

My funky garden flower...

Well here it is Friday already...time does fly..here is picture of my funky garden flower I made last night at Laura's Art Garden in Ephrata, WA. Thats the same place I took the class for the mosaic mirror. The moose in the yard was made by our neighbor Dave..our cat had been run over..(hit and run) and I was so upset..so when I came home from work one day he had made us this moose..kind of a sympathy gift.


Here is a close up of the flower...It's made from recycle tins..youknow the big ones you get popcorn and stuff in..some metal mesh..flashing.. nuts and washers..and a threaded rod.. and beads...We even got to use power tools..(well one ..a drill) So now I will be begging all my friends for their old popcorn tins..
We are heading out camping later this afternoon..it's supposed to be a beautiful week-end. It will be good to just relax. I would have been nice to have the family all get together for Easter..but it's just not possible. My grand kids all live in Minnesota..it would fun to have them all here..(their mom & dad (son) too). My daughter and her husband live about 175 miles away. John(my DH) has 4 daughters and 10 grand kids.. some day it would wild to get everyone together. They live all over.. from Mass. to Texas
At the nursing home where I work, the residents have been working all week to fill 3500 Easter eggs for the Easter egg hunt sponsored my the nursing home and the local fire dept. They have had so much fun doing it..and eating the candy..
I don't think I'm going to pack all my artsy stuff to take camping.. Maybe just my sketch book,water colors etc. Sit outside and just relax.. You all take care and have blessed Easter.

New art to show....

I finally tired to make the Tyvek beads...first I painted the tyvek..let it dry and then cut with my rotary cutter into long triangle strips..wrapped around bamboo skewers..then I wrapped wire around , then added beads to wire for one of them. Sorry the pictures aren't better..I think they would be great to use on a mini art quilt or on a journal quilt page..

Next I made a couple more ATC's ... I love making these little things...and I love the little birds on them. Next time I will try paper as Dotee said that she uses. The next one is 3-D of sorts butterfly. Well that's about all I did today...we went for a drive and I made supper..So now it's time to relax..maybe work on my socks that I have been knitting for months. I will never use size 1 needles again..I like at least 2's or 4's. I'll post a pic. when I'm done..but don't hold your breath..I have one sock complete and almost ready to do the heel on the 2nd one. I open to trade for these ATC's if anyone is interested.

Look What I made !!!!

Well after a four week class I finished my mosaic mirror. The tiles were made yours truly.. It's about 22x22. All of it was great fun until it came for grouting. I was almost ready to give up. I never thought I would ever get the grout all off of the tiles. Our teacher said we were her best class ever...(out of two classes)..but the night we grouted we were all big whinners. But in the end it was worth it all.

Thats about all the artsy stuff I have done this week. When it's the end of the month I have so much to do at work, getting ready for the next month. I'm also still working on the dining room project and now I have taken on the new tub room project. Why can't I just say NO ? Today was a stay at home day and clean house..how are two people be so messy? Tomorrow and the rest of today..I will start some project. Not sure what it will be yet.. I will have to see what moves me...or what my muse might inspire me what to do. Right now the artfest is going on in Port Townsend..oh how I wish I were there.. Maybe next year.. but I'd better start saving now...

Now it's time to throw things in the dryer and start another load..It was nice and sunny today..now is getting cold and the dark coulds are coming. I was out reading famous quotes on the internet..here is one I will leave you with by Kahlil Gibran."Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream" so dream on my firends...

New ATC's anybody want to trade ??

Well we went camping this week-end and I got to work on my ATC's..I was able to finish 5 of them. These are my really my first ones, beside the Dotee ones I made. I really enjoy doing them. I think it's all the hand work on them. Now I want to learn more embroidery stitches. I might think about doing a fabric journal just with embroidery stitiches in it.

I'm also working a little bundle of gifts for Dotee

I know it's a lot of work to organize a trade so I'm just sending a little something..from my stash of treasures. Well time to go relax a little bit.. Take care all..Thanks for your comments.

My New Muse Art Doll

Here is the my Geisha Muse Doll...I liked my other one so much I decided to make another doll..she wanted to be a Geisha..I'm going to trade her..my I have to keep my first one. I have so little of the art thatI do.. I send it all off for trades or gifts. I think my next project will some Tyvek beads...I have never used Tyvek before so it should be fun..I'm also going to make some ATC with an Easter theme..eggs...spring..cross etc. I think they would make nice little gifts. They are so much fun to make..I would like to learn more beading and stitching so I think that will be a god way to learn little tiny stiches.

I'm glad tomorrow is Thursday..its been a long week. You take care...and remember "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Picasso

A day of Art....

Well this is what I worked on today. She is my muse art doll. I love the way she turned out..and she just happened..I looked at my fabric stash..and this red caught my eye first. I wasn't going to give her a face, but now I'm glad I did. I gave her long eye lashes too, something I sure don't have. I made her for trade ..but I now I'm not sure I want to part with her..I have until Tuesday to decide.

The other thing I did today was finish my Bride of Dotee Doll.. she will be leaving with her friends for Australia tomorrow if I can make it to the post office.

It was a beautiful day here..in the 70's..I went outside to do some of stitching the sun felt so good, the warmth was healing and stitching relaxing. Art is truly good for the soul and mind. I spent a lot of time reading blogs this morning..Its just unbelievable the talented people there in this world. They so inspire me to step and think outside the box. Thanks for visiting me today...Your comments are appreciated.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well,,Happy St. Paddy's Day to everyone...We had sunshine here today..it was still a little chilly..but still...the sun was out !! My brother called from Salome, AZ and it was 100 there yesterday..ahh that would feel so good for a couple of days.
I actually got quite a bit accomplished today. We went to town to take care of some errands. Then came home and done that homey stuff of laundry, cleaning etc. Then ran over to a friends house for a little party for her 4 year old grandson. Then back home and hubby put on a New England boiled dinner to cook..We had it for supper it was so good.. Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, beats and onions. Then tomorrow he will make red flannel hash. I'd never had it before he came into my life, he's from Vermont..hence the name New England Boiled Dinner. I did have time to work on a few things.. Here is the collage of my parents..I think for my first try it turned pretty good.. What do you think ?? Click on it for a bigger picture..


Here are the Dotee ATC's that will be in the mail to Victoria, Australia on Monday.
I made another Dotee Doll but my camera's battries are dead... and of course I forgot to charge the extra ones... so now at least I have something to post tomorrow...I think it's time to go soak in the jacuzzi tub..

Camera Fixed !!

Well here is a picture of my journal.. and a picture of my first received Altered Altoid Tin Trade.
It's from Liz in MD. the little heart inside is felted..I think it's so sweet &
nice...I can't wait to get more. I'm almost finished with all my little Dotee items.. I have done 3 dolls and 3 ATC's. I will post pictures of those later. I was supposed to be off today..but instead I went to work for a little while and it ended up being a longer while. I also had to go to the dentist..and that was at 9:30 and I still have a splitting headache..I guess from the Novicane..I never get headaches so I guess its from the Novicane. Surely not the stressful day at work. I'm starting a new project at work..and I'm finding more problems than I anticipated. At home I started a new project too. I'm working a pciture of my mom and dad..It will be kind of a funky but a sweet one with memories of them. I'll post a picture of my progress tomorrow night. Lots of stuff to do tomorrow.. you know some yard work. house cleaning and all that fun stuff. I read where some of my favorite artists are going to something called artfest...well it's in Washington State...not really close to me..but still in MY state..at Port Townsend..maybe next year I can save my nickles and go...check it out and see the really cool artists that will be there..There is another in Portland..its called Art and Soul Retreat.. That would be great too and it's this year and in October..might just be doable..There is still one more..with Katie Kendrick these are just some of the reasons I need to retire..hmmm what fun that would be..Now it's time to watch a little TV and cuddle with hubby and the weiner dogs...

My camera is sick.....

I think I have a bad chip..so I can't post any pictures of things until I get a new one. I received a tin in the mail too..Its from Liz in Maryland,,so soon as I get a new chip I will post a picture. I also started an Art Journal..I started it as soon as I can home from work..It was kind of fun to just be creative right off the cuff..and just put down some color and thoughts. Well today is my Friday...woohoo..except I have dentist appointment tomorrow.

Here's picture of the largest peice of altered art I have ever made!! It's a med. cart from the nursing home where I work. I used Mod Podge on it..and used clip art and tissue paper vintage pictures of the residents on it. I covered the all of the cart with it. I use the cart for one to one type activites for the elders. I have games on it..things to fold and sort. The drawers are all full of goodies of things for them to do. Its on wheels so I can just push it up and down the hallyway. Well type to get ready for work...Thanks for coming here today..leave your comments and I will visit your blog too.

Picture from the Past

Well here it is..the picture of my son..in his younger years..He was probably about 13 or 14 years old. I would have posted a newer picture had he sent me one...He is very handsome as he said..he takes after my side of the family. I only wish he wasn't 1400 miles away. Love ya sonny boy, Troy Boy..

Good Morning All..

When I started writing this post the sun was shining..and it was shining right on my new Dotee ATC I just finished last night.Now just a few minutes later it's gone the..the sun that is..This is my first ATC..it was fun..The size is 2 1/2 by 3..but now that I write I realize I made a mistake..It should be 2 1/2 by 3 1/2...It only took my about 2 hours to make it..!!! Oh well...it was good practice I guess..Trouble is I have another one almost done and it has more details..but maybe I can save her. Nope.. she's a total loss..Oh well..My dad always said measure twice cut once..he of course was talking lumber..My dear son left a post about nudity on his mother's blog..and a picture of her handsome son would be much better.. So I guess now I will have to look through pictures and post one of him..hmmm of course he never sends pictures of himself.. so I will have to look through the old picture box and see what I can find from his school days...stayed tuned.
My grandson will be 10 years old this week March 13th..how can it be ? I'll never forget that day when he was born..my son called early in the day..and then later that same day I got a call from my son-in-law that my daughter had a brain anurisymn...she was in the hospital for a month after brain surgery and the miracle is she had no lasting effects from it. So in March there were two miracles...a new baby boy Everett and life for Shelley. Well I'm getting all misty eyed.. so enough for now...I really need to clean up my mess from last night..Looking for all the right stuff for my Dotee ATC.. that is the wrong size..grrrrrrrr.. Judy..