Experimenting with new things

Hi all - thought I'd share what I've been up to , finished or not *smiles*. I joined an online workshop called Fibre in Form , hosted be the wonderful Lynda Monk and Carol McFee.We're working on creating texture on canvas and fabric using many different media and it's been lots of fun , but fair challenging to those of us (me) that are learning how to sew on the fly. I've never sewed. I glued. I have now sewn , but can't say I'm very good at it yet - I spend more time trying to figure out why I'm not sewing than actually sewing. The free motion on Tyvek is just not happening - yet. It will happen , though. The group has been very helpful and supportive , in particular Susan Ithalo who is just a GEM , lol.
Each of these pieces were for a particular lesson , but I didn't really stick to the color schemes outlined - I was in the mood for deep/dark and that was where I went. I'm very pleased with both of these in real life , particularly this one to the left. It doesn't show well , but I used a mica-based paint , and it's quite reflective. It's like dark snow , actually - if you've ever seen the way snow can glitter in the sun , that's what this stuff does.

This last bit I did stick to the colors I was supposed to use - the purpose was to create a rusty look. I'm thinking I might hit it with a contrasting color and see what happens (grin) but for the moment this is where it's at. It would look rustier with more of the Trans. Red Iron Oxide - but Purple Diowhatsit sounds more interesting lol. Or Tim's color washes? Haven't done that yet. . .



We used some inks/paints with our sewn samples - remember I said I don't sew now - but in the next steps , we made these. I feel like the queen of UFO's (un-finished objects) now. I have three jewelry bits on the table , one finished for weeks , two in process that should be done but I just haven't had time. Brady's been keeping us very busy - he was asked to be in a 'challenge group' this year at school (cuz he's SO Smart!), and we got off to a pretty rocky start with that , but schedules are smoother now. We're (Dan and I) also working two charity events for families and children with financial challenges , which makes me pretty happy. Hopefully it'll make the kids and parents happy , too.
Anyway , I'll try to get back soon with a finished art piece and get some photo's of the jewelry too. I've got some idea's on what I'd like to do with these fabrics and beads , but we shall see. . .

Young Garrison.

Or as I call him - the Wee Gee lol. I am very , very late in making these introductions and my apologies to Deb of Land of Nod Studios for taking so long - but a big THANK YOU gifting me with this handsome little guy!
This is Garrison - Deb makes these guys and I was lucky enough to get one of my very own not long ago. My pictures just don't do him justice. Deb is a talented artist and there isn't a detail she overlooks - he's beautifully made , his ears are scruffy, his little eyes bright and inquisitive - and he's jointed too. Every stitch is perfect. I could never DO this Deb , and I'll treasure him always - thank you so much for sending me sweet G., and I think of you with a smile every time I see him. He sits at my computer with Sara and keeps me company every day.
Deb also makes great soldered pieces - she found an awesome lot of old bottles and has been making them for her Etsy shop non-stop. Stop by and take a look!

Baby steps

do you ever wonder how they grow so fast?

How do you get from this:



to this:



and from this:



to this:




The top photo features mine in the middle , and brothers Jordan (left) and Tyler (right) at a ballgame this summer.

I've been going through my digital's today and trying to organize them into some semblance of order - so far I've alphabetized from Ballgame's to Zoo. I've been doing this for hours now - I had no intention of anything of the sort when I got up this morning , but here I sit lol. In my jammies. It's now almost time for B. to get home from school and I haven't moved since he left, unless it was to grab another cup of coffee! (I'll get dressed soon and try to fake him out I think).

Anyway - multiple mama moments this morning. He was so tiny when we brought him home , just an itty-bitty baby -



and now he's destroying my home (w/lots of help from his friends) playing Rock Band and refining his cool:





And then there's me. There are very few pictures of me left , and I'll tell you why. Ahem. Here's a photo of me prior to child:



Now it's not a great shot - my eye's are almost always shut due to some fool's idea of that red-eye thing and it makes me blink - but I do have makeup on , and plus it's the only one I can find from pre-baby days right now lol.

All current pictures look like this:



This was taken at the crack of 5AM Christmas morning. Sadly , it's also the BEST one taken at the crack of 5AM Christmas morning. Christmas Eve was a lot of fun , but Christmas morning was a little rough . Brady took another one about an inch and a half from my face - all you could see was one dark circle and my pores. I have many more of me , taken by my husband who just doesn't seem to care what I look like EVER. I liked this one because Brady looks freshly hatched lol. It's the hair.

Uh-oh. Husband and son are both home - and I'm still in the jammies. Gotta go!

A very special auction

I wanted to take a few minutes and let you know about something that really touched me this morning. A friend of mine has a mother-in-law diagnosed with Alzheimers , and I know from personal experience what this can mean. She's been busy creating some art pieces and is auctioning them off on her blog, Average American Girl. Her earnings will be donated to Memory Walk and you can read all about how to bid , and if you win donate that bid , on her blog.
I was so moved by Christy's generous little heart today. I hope you stop by and participate if you can. It's painful to live with - the parent you know so well is not the grandparent your kids come to know , and so many things get lost in the course of the disease. My mom loved kids , but she has no relationship to speak of with mine. A lot of times it's the little things that bother me , like how mom fries chicken or bit's of family history that she knew. She used to be the Keeper in my family. She had all the stories and all the photos , and she had some great recipes too.
When my mother had a mastectomy two years ago , she had to be taken back to the ER no less than 3 times , because she kept ripping her shunt out. When she woke up in the morning she didn't know why she hurt so much or why her breast was gone - I had to explain it to her , and then we both cried. She was in tears because she knew she should have known why, and it frightened her that she didn't - and I cried for the same reason. It broke my heart.
Most of the time with us it's not like that , most of the time it's like caring for another child , at least to me. But sometimes it's bad. And it scares me , because my sibs and I may have the same problems. We really don't know - her sibs don't. I look at my son and I wonder , who will care for him?
So - I put my bid in at Christy's blog. I hope I don't win.

Gemstone , anyone?

I thought I'd share a site I enjoy shopping - you can find it here , at Magpie Gemstones.
It's owned by a woman who goes by the name of Szarka , a name I've never forgotten even once, and I'm reeeeeally bad at remembering names lol.

Her name made me think of caravans and firelight - it sounds very Romany to me.'Magpie' makes me think of, well, magpies. There's more than a few in my family tree, believe me. As it turns out , she and her husband really were gypsy's for quite a while - they used to travel their own circuit of gemshows and lived on the road for several years, so I was right. Instink, as my friend Eddy would say.

I found my coral and tiger iron there, but she's got tons more and consequently, so do I lol. Laugh or cry, what to do what to do...anyway, she tries very hard to bring home only the best for her customers to select from and she does a pretty darn good job. Yes I do know her and no I'm not getting paid to send anyone over (darnit) - but hey. If you're looking , drop in and see what's available. She's knowledgeable about her product too, so if you have a question or need some help, just ask.

If you do happen to pick up some goodies and create a little sumthin-sumthin , let me know - I'd love to see it!

Hmn.

You may not remember this , but back in whenever Fathers Day is , I posted the Manlace. With my usual 20/20 hindsight , I've reconsidered. I'll wear the Manlace - cuz I can walk the walk baby - and I'm going to buy him a gun safe. Or something.
Poor guy. The things he puts up with lol.
At least I wasn't deeply into tussie-mussies.

'Allo , ladies!

Anybody else love school? I do. I love it a LOT. And so much more now that I'm not the one that has to go lol. The silence here was so resounding both my ears were actually ringing that first day. No games , no tv , no gang of eight-year-olds wearing bandannas around their heads while they made less than lovely music to that horrible hideous horrible game , Rock Band. It's been a wonderful summer , but man - silence really is golden and there has been very little of it 'round here , my friends.



I have managed to get some art time in though - every spare second I've had has been spent learning how to create jewelry , and this piece above is a necklace I did last Sunday , made with coral and tiger iron (lovely little stone). The bad news is this is all I can show you - the good new is that's because the other pieces will be in an upcoming book on jewelry , slated to be pub'd next fall!
I'm still somewhere between happy and horrified - but doing better than the panic attacks I had when I was first asked to participate , lol. "How optimistic of you" , thought I to myself."And here I was just hoping it wouldn't disintegrate if I blew on it. You're sure you'd like me to submit for your book?"

Ah well. It's a story with a happy ending , although there was some frustration there in the middle a couple of times. :) I was flattered to be asked and proud to be included , and along the way I've discovered just how much I enjoy making jewelry. I'm still developing my skills, but I've got some very cool idea's I'd like to work on so you can expect to see plenty more pieces as I move along.

Later babes - I'm off to feed the masses. But tomorrow my boys will both be gone for the day and I can play again. I think , lol.