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 !!

Where Have I been ??

I've really been around.. just not in the blogging mood for some reason.. Oh I love to read the wonderful blogs of other and see all their wonderful creations..but I guess I've been in one of my quiet moods. I traded a bird with Annie and hers to me arrived today..She is beautiful..The sad thing is my camera is up at camp..so a picture will have to wait until after the week-end. I sent off my inchie charms..last week..So now I'm looking forward to receiving mine. This week-end I need to finish Words of Wisdon charms for the Fiber Art Trader group on yahoo. I signed up awhile back and just realized they are due July 2 !! I really wish I had my camera..my little cactus has a big pink bloom on it. The cactus was my mom's..so it belongs to me now..I was so thrilled to see a blossom on it. She always said she watered her cactus when she had heard that it rained in Arizona.. So naturally thats what I do too. I was so busy at work last week. I was doing my job and another job. We are expecting the state surveyors to arrive any day now. They stay for 3-4 days and go over the place with a fine tooth comb. In my dept. they want to know who attended what activity..did they enjoy it , how did they respond..etc. It gets tougher and tougher every year to do my job. Not that I don't enjoy my job..but sometimes the expectations by the state inspectors is so great and sometimes unrealistic. I know when I get to be 90 years old.. just leave me alone and let my play with stuff in my room..fabric..beads..watch the birds...maybe I won't be able to sew.. but I can still feel the fabric..and let the beads roll around in my hands. I try to find things for them to do in their rooms if they want to..many love to play bingo...I will never love to do that !! We recently got a flat screen TV and that is what many like to do..especially the animal planet.. But how the state will look at that I don't know.. they feel the only reason they watch TV is that they are bored..But before they came many of them watched TV and sat in their chairs all day..because they wanted to..Oh I still do fun stuff..in the last couple of months we have had 2 groups of bikers..I mean big bikers on trikes. and fancy Harley's..they have taken.. some on bike rides that don't walk and needed to lifted on belted down..They loved it... one man cried and said he hadn't been on a bike in 60 years....a lady laughed and flirted so much...she said my family will never believe this... she cried when I gave her 8x10 picture of her and her biker buddy. So they do have the opportunity to do more than bingo and TV..a lot more.. Oh yes I do love my job..it's a great day if I can make just one resident laugh or smile..or have a sweet memory of long ago..

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..