Funky Peacock Studio

The Big Move to PA

2009-08-05T18:29:00.001-04:00

I've finally found a house and a job in Lancaster County, PA...Amish country. Am in the process of move #1, into hubby's temporary apartment. Once we close on our new home we'll tackle move #2, from the house in MI to the house in PA. Lastly, move #3, apartment to house. Thankfully there are nice things in the area to distract me from the dreaded moves, like this produce stand along my way home from work.

Splish Splash

2009-06-12T11:12:00.002-04:00

Darcy Blue the Wonderpooch LOVES to go to the lake (click to enlarge) so we set out the other morning while it was still cool and breezy and made the 2-mile walk. We had the place to ourselves, aside from a sprightly WWII vet who was launching his boat for the first time this season, on a quest for perch and bluegill. Not sure what a bluegill is so I need to do some research. I miss fishing.
While Darcy chased sticks and kept the geese at bay I strolled the shoreline and was very surprised to find this tree, freshly felled by what I'd guess to be a beaver. Only they're supposed to be very rare in this area and I've seen no sign of other beaver activity. I do, however, know of some beavers living in a small pond along I-75. I think.

Soup's On!

2009-06-03T10:07:00.003-04:00

Though I failed to take a picture of this, don't let the lack of visual interest keep you from trying this recipe if you're trying to get more veggies in your diet, lose weight, or are just a big soup fan. The older I get, the more I like soup. This is my very own concoction and I'd love your feedback if you try it out.

Chinese Greens Soup

Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
2-4 skinless boneless chicken breasts/thighs/whatever
1 bunch scallions, chopped and divided in half
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
cumin, ground or whole seeds
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
2 boxes chicken stock
1 bunch rapini (or escarole, greens, or other hearty green veggie)
4-6 baby bok choy (or 1 large)
2 c. fresh baby spinach
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (sub flat leaf parsley if you dislike cilantro)
1 T. Hoisin sauce (sub 1 t. BBQ sauce plus 1 t. soy if you don't have Hoisin)
juice of 1/2 lemon
toasted sesame oil

Roughly chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Lightly brown in olive oil in a very large pot, then add ginger, garlic, pepper flakes and the bottom half of the chopped green onions. As soon as this becomes very fragrant (but before the garlic can start to brown) pour in the chicken stock. Once stock is hot, remove the chicken. (I cut up 4 pieces and reserve half the poached chicken to make an Asian chicken salad in a day or two. If you add all the chicken back to the soup it'll be very meaty (and thus, more caloric) so you may want to use only 2 pieces.)

Coarsely chop rapini (or other greens) and stir into soup. Once stems are crisp-tender but still bright green, add coarsely chopped bok choy. Cook only until bok choy stems are crisp-tender; watch carefully as this does not take long and you don't want to overcook the vegetables. Remove from heat and stir in reserved chicken, spinach, cilantro, Hoisin sauce, and lemon juice. Check and correct seasoning, if needed. Top each serving with some of the reserved green onion tops and 1/4 t. toasted sesame oil.

Makes a big pot of hearty soup. If you find the greens become somewhat bitter on reheating, add a pinch of sugar and a smidge of vinegar or lemon juice. This seems to brighten the flavors back up.

Must Come Down

2009-05-31T21:45:00.003-04:00

Spent some time on the couch with a good book this afternoon (Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger. Highly recommended!) but inevitably found myself "on the nods". A strange, repetitive sound eventually roused me from my stupor so doglet and I went outside to investigate. I was stunned to see what appeared to be a HUGE hot air balloon hovering just above the house across the street as the pilot tried again and again to fire it up.
Said pilot successfully maneuvered the thing to a clear spot behind my neighbor's house and set it down without incident. The pooch and I set off on foot to investigate, along with every other dog walker, cyclist, runner, skater and scooter in the vicinity. A van pulled up as we were hoofing it around the block to ask if we'd seen a runaway balloon. When we arrived it was being deflated and was eventually whisked away in the van. The poor pilot roundly ignored all questions and left without a word.

Icicles in Springtime

2009-05-15T10:43:00.000-04:00

Made these icicle dolls for a swap on Bad Babies. I've finally realized that I only get things done when I have a deadline so the only way to keep myself from drying up creatively is to join a swap from time to time. Otherwise I'm always planning to play in the studio when I get my other stuff done, only I never seem to get it all done.

I am doing a little better about working in my journal and my first one's nearly full. The key to that's been making a point of trying out different techniques before I have a chance to forget, then incorporating those projects into the journal. It's gone from being something I make myself do to something I'm really starting to enjoy doing. It's my own 'art to keep', that doesn't have to please or measure up to anyone else and I try to slap the inner critic down as soon as she starts yapping.

That reminds me of one of my very favorite movie scenes, from the very terrible movie Bubble Boy. A cow is run over on the highway and a distraught Indian man woefully kneels down to lament the incident. When the kid makes a dismissive statement the guy declares, "I have transgressed against Shiva. Have you ever been karmically bitch-slapped by a six-armed goddess?" I've felt karmically bitch-slapped a time or two in my life. What doesn't kill us we might as well learn to laugh at!

In Which I am Amused by Piglets

2009-04-17T16:50:00.009-04:00

Stopped on the way to my friend's house to admire a field full of porkers and little piggies.

I'm spending the night at Debs, who lives in the far southwestern corner of the state, then we're meeting a couple of other gals and driving to Chicago early in the morning to see the the International Quilt Show. This is my first time and I'm really excited.

Is there anything cuter that a piglet? They just make me laugh with their silly antics. This bunch was very curious about me, in spite of Mama Hog's warnings and watchful eye, but jumped and squealed at my slightest move. Then immediately turned around and came back for another sniff. TGIS(pring)!

We don't need no stinkin' chocolate bunnies

2009-04-14T06:58:00.004-04:00

Instead of Easter eggs, my sister-friend Patti (the lovely lady pictured above) and I colored heavy paper and file folders. I'm taking a fab stenciling class from the amazing Mary Ann Moss of Dispatch From LA so we spent the afternoon spritzing spray paints and inks and figuring out all kinds of nifty objects to use as stencils and masks.Much more fun than eggs!
While still pretty chilly, it was much less windy today so we were able to work quite a while, at least as long as the sun was shining brightly enough to keep us warm.

Easter Blessings!

2009-04-10T08:54:00.001-04:00

Made a only a handful of cards this year but here's a glimpse at a couple.
Hope your Easter is joyous. He is risen!

Farewell, Old Friends

2009-04-03T08:42:00.004-04:00

Really enjoyed the ER retrospective and series finale last night. It managed to pay homage to many of the show's high points without becoming schmaltzy and even worked in a few nice surprises. And avoided any absurdities, like falling helicopters. Well, aside from the fact that the enormous Carter Center seemingly sprang up from the ground since last week's episode. Did I miss a prior reference to it during a bathroom break or was that a really awkward element? I understand that a plot device was needed to reassemble some of the older characters but this was a most unbelievable aspect. Carter's status-conscious parents wouldn't have been on hand for the dedication? And I won't even go into the whole absurdity that is Kem.

I've missed only a handful of episodes during its 15 year run, largely because of the incredible character development. And my addiction to medical dramas. Not medical melodramas, which are so abundant now. I've enjoyed the remarkable storytelling which included some seriously flawed characters, lots of thought-provoking subplots and ethical dilemmas, and the emotional impact of the show at its best moments. I can forgive the weaker moments (um, okay...seasons) because there always seemed to be a shining jewel or two worked in there somewhere. What show could run for 15 seasons without some duds? And the writers' ability to make me come to love a character I initially despised, like Archie. And to cry over the loss of an unlovable guy like Pratt. Mekhi Phifer really should have been nominated for an Emmy for that performance.

Thinking back to where I was 15 years ago when ER started...wow, how far we've come. It's been a treat keeping company with these folks and I'll really miss it. Thank you John Wells for a touching, satisfying, but not overly sentimental sendoff. I appreciate that you didn't wrap everything up in tidy little packages. Totally unnecessary since we've come to know these characters so well.

Boo, hiss to NBC for cramming their replacement shows down our throats the whole evening!

A Technique To Revisit

2009-03-16T20:17:00.003-04:00

This is a fun way to create distinctive background papers that I learned from my friend Pam Yee. She called it Crazy Paper and I have modified the instructions slightly. I love projects like this that allow me to use up a bunch of the scraps I can't bear to throw away.

Start with a sheet of sticker paper. Remove backing paper from just one segment at a time and plop down miscellaneous bits of cut or torn papers (especially mulberry and tissue papers), candy wrappers, whatever...mosaic-style. Try to keep in mind that you're building from back to front so save things with interesting graphics or texture for the uppermost layer.

Once you've covered the entire sheet, adhere more bits and pieces to cover all spaces where the sticker paper shows. We used gel medium. Now that you have a solid background strategically add little images, threads or fibers, glitter, leafing foil, or whatever you like to add interest and texture. Let dry thorougly. If desired, add a little heat-transfer foil or spray webbing to the dry surface.

Note: Pam's version used waxed paper and a base layer of gel medium instead of the sticker paper. However, I've never been able to peel the waxed paper off the back of my finished sheets. I'm wondering if it would come off a Teflon craft sheet or some of that new Reynolds Release Foil. The advantage to working without the sticker paper is that the final product is a lightweight, flexible, almost plasticized sheet that could be sewn or used in a variety of ways. My way yields a stiffer, thicker, paper-like sheet. Both are lovely.

Squelches With Horses

2009-03-07T19:34:00.003-05:00

My kiddo started her first job today, working as a stable hand and assistant at a therapeutic horseback riding program for handicapped children. I'm so proud of her for finding and arranging this for herself but sorry her first day had to be such a cold, rainy and muddy one. Squelching through the mud didn't dampen her enthusiasm any but it sure wore her out.This breed of horses are called Haflingers and they have a wonderful disposition. They look very much alike to me but my girlie is quickly learning to tell one from another and is impatient when I can't readily pick her favorites out of the herd. Go here for more info on the riding program.

The Big 5-0!

2009-02-27T19:53:00.004-05:00

No, not The Big Birthday. Not yet. I'm celebrating reaching my long-sought, hard-fought goal of losing 50 pounds. I finally made it! This is me before. How embarrassing!
And here I am now, halfway to my 100 pound goal. I always feel better when I get the weight down but this time I'm actually feeling younger, not just better. That's a pretty good motivation to hang in there, even though it's re-al-ly slowww going since I am not dieting but trying to make permanent lifestyle changes.

I'm off to PA in the morning for a few days of househunting and to visit with the hubs. Hopefully I'll stick to my resolve and not gain any weight like I did last time.

Winter's Plumage

2009-02-16T09:56:00.001-05:00

Okay, the sun has been up and shining brightly for several hours and it's STILL too danged cold to bear. When I walked out to the mailbox (okay, waddled is more like it, due to all the crap I had to layer on to keep from freezing) something sparkly caught my eye. As it always does. Ahem...I digress.
Waded through the snow to investigate and found the most intriguing formations created by frozen snowmelt, which drips off the TOP of the ice dams on the roof when the sun gets bright enough. Some of the drops accumulated on the end of a little branch; the rest collected on the top of a yew shrub below in a really unusual way.

And the winner is...

2009-02-12T08:35:00.001-05:00

...Mimi, of the blog Screaming Mimi. I'll mail off your box as soon as I receive your address. Hope you'll enjoy it!

One World One Heart 2009

2009-01-22T19:31:00.008-05:00

My offering for this year's event is a two-parter, consisting of a painted and collaged papier mache box and a necklace.

The pendant is made from a tiny tin with a lid that slides open to reveal a mini collage inside featuring an image transfer and the word "kiss". The outside of the pendant says "Pure passion". Because of various paints and metallic finishes the necklace has proven near-impossible to photograph so trust me when I tell you it'll look much nicer in person and what appears like a black smudge is actually the silhouette of a rose. (Click images to enlarge.)
The focal image on both items is from Christine Adolph's "Rose Print" stamp.

To enter, leave a comment INCLUDING YOUR BLOG OR WEBSITE ADDRESS. Enjoy blog-surfing and good luck!

Just a glimpse...

2009-01-22T12:06:00.003-05:00

...of a couple of the ATCs going out to my ongoing swap partner. It's been so great to have time for a few little (non-home related) projects lately. I can really tell the difference in how I feel vs. those weeks (months?) when I don't. And it's cheaper than therapy!

*Big-eyed creature is a found image; artist/source unknown.

Thank you, Mr. President

2009-01-20T22:08:00.001-05:00

I feel a great sense of pride in my country on this historic day. I was a child living in the south during the sixties and grew up as the Civil Rights movement grew into fruition. I am so proud that we can not only elect a person of color to our highest office, we can do so with minimal race-based strife and protest. However, I felt deep shame and sorrow when I heard some of the crowd at the inauguration boo President Bush when he was introduced.

Yes, there were mistakes and missteps during his administration. No, I do not agree with a number of his choices and policies. Yet my appreciation for this man's resolve and commitment outshine all my issues with his presidency. There is simply no excuse for the kind of scapegoating going on for so long now. The excerpt from a collaborative article (below) states it far better and more succinctly than I can.

Mr. Bush, my sincerest respect and gratitude for your years of service. Mrs. Bush, you have been tried by fire and are an incredible example of grace and poise.

***********************************************************************

January 20, 2009, 4:00 a.m.

Farewell, Mr. President
Bush did what he thought was right—and on the biggest issues, what was right.

An NRO Symposium

As George W. Bush prepares to leaves the White House after eight misunderestimated years, National Review Online asked a group of experts in policy and politics to assess his presidency.

JAY NORDLINGER
I appreciate President Bush for many things. He took great care with the issue of stem-cell research. He was steadfast on “life issues” in general. He withdrew the U.S. from the ABM Treaty, allowing for greater progress on missile defense (vitally important).

He chose Dick Cheney as his running mate, and he became vice president. He made some staffing mistakes, Bush did, but he also named some excellent people who were thought to be “untouchable,” because of their “hard-line” stances. I think particularly of Elliott Abrams, Otto Reich, and John Bolton. Two of those men required Senate confirmation. They didn’t get it, blocked by Democrats. Bush gave them recess appointments.

He defeated two men who would have been lamentable in the Oval Office: Al Gore and John Kerry.

In 2000, he grabbed “the third rail of American politics,” running on Social Security reform. He did so again four years later. He tried for this reform, but the country was not ready. It will be someday, when it has no choice. Bush tried to solve another big, stubborn issue: immigration. I was on the other side from him (i.e., I was anti-amnesty), but I admired his willingness to tackle the problem, rather than have it shoved under the rug for another chunk of years.

He nominated excellent judges, including his two on the Supreme Court. He was widely derided for his nomination of Harriet Miers (later withdrawn). He still insists she would have been an excellent justice. Who knows?

He looked the central evil of our time, Islamofascism, in the eye—and did not flinch. He knew we had to go beyond law enforcement and intelligence gathering: that we had to pursue what amounted to another cold war (which, as with the first, would of course include some hot ones). He removed the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, effacing two of the worst dictatorships known to man.

And he did what was necessary in the area of “homeland security,” as it came to be called.

He was a friend of Israel, a nation that is virtually friendless, and that deserves friends. He realized that Arafat was a liar and a terrorist—and Arafat had been the most frequent foreign visitor to the White House during the previous eight years. He thought enough of Arabs and Muslims to think that even they deserved freedom and justice, instead of tyranny.

He was a friend to Cubans, who are often friendless—Cubans and Cuban Americans have called him “the first Cuban president”—and he did not forget Chinese political prisoners, even as he dealt with Beijing, as all presidents do.

He showed immense personal charm, ease, and sympathy. When talking to a New Orleanian who had fled to Utah after Hurricane Katrina, he said, “Were you the only black man in Salt Lake City?” When a citizen flipped him the middle finger, he turned to the man sitting next to him and said, “Not a fan.”

He took a tremendous amount of abuse, particularly from elite opinion, and did not buckle. Neither did he lash out. He showed tremendous personal grace, as during the recent shoe-throwing incident in Iraq. He could be a real cool cat, this president. He has his faults, as everyone knows: They have been well gone over. But what has not been well gone over is that he is kind, decent, honest, principled, devout—and full of love.

I’m very glad he was president.

— Jay Nordlinger is a senior editor of National Review and the author of Here, There & Everywhere.

Now showing...

2009-01-10T19:43:00.002-05:00

...go HERE to view the Cyber Fyber gallery exhibit which opened this week. I am very proud to say that my long-time art buddy Hope Clinchot has won Best in Show with her fabric postcard. You'll find my submission at postcard number 117.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-06T12:03:00.004-05:00

The weekend after Christmas DH helped me take down and stow away our enormous Christmas tree, then we made a break for it during the first break in the weather. We dropped Darcy off at Puppy Camp, left my car at the Detroit airport, and I rode back to Pennsylvania with him. He's living in Harrisburg and working at the Three Mile Island nuclear generating station, located on an island (not three miles long) in the middle of the Susquehanna River. I took this picture from a ridge just behind the training building, where DH works.

A few minutes west or south of the plant and you're in Amish country. We came to love the serene beauty of Amish farming communities when we lived in Ohio and the hills of Lancaster County, PA make this area even more appealing. We spent almost a week driving the region, scouting for possible areas to search for our next home. So far this is our favorite prospect.

After a cancellation due to freezing rain and fog in Detroit (and an extra day with DH!) I flew back to Michigan on the 5th and I'm now buckling down on looking for a job and will be brainstorming with our wonderful realtor on selling our home here. 2009 WILL be the year we sell this house and I move to Pennsylvania!! So be it. Amen. What are your goals and dreams for 2009?

2008-12-27T05:20:00.005-05:00

It was a quiet Christmas here, for the most part. DH drove in during a "dry slot" on Saturday the 20th. We've been having record-breaking snow, ice, and winds for this time of year. We got a foot of new snow the day before he arrived.
Love the way Doglet's got her tongue stuck out in this picture. It's hard work romping through such deep snow!

DD was preoccupied with her new group home housemates and their activities and didn't spend much time here with us. So we had lots of free time to do as we pleased and just enjoy being together. We treated ourselves to some yummy soaps and candles during a post-holiday sale at our favorite shop, The Iron Grate, in Fenton. Sadly, they don't have a website and I didn't think to take my camera but it's a real treasure. Then we had lunch at The French Laundry, which has become a must-do every time DH is home. Trying to enjoy our favorite things here as much as possible until moving day eventually arrives. Thanks to DH and my MIL, I am now well stocked on terrific books and magazines to help get my creative juices flowing after the first of the year.
Darcy got a plush new bed to ease her arthritic aches and pains, especially the leg she broke last year. She's always happy to pose for a picture!

Hope Christmas brought you some moments of peaceful joy and time with those you love, too. It's so easy to become "holidazed", as my friend Pam Yee puts it. I mostly avoided the trap this year, trying to keep things modest and refusing to procrastinate (most of the time). We smoked a standing rib roast for Christmas dinner, which was delish and something we will definitely do again...but only when the weather's warmer. (It's tough to keep the temperature in the smoker high enough when it's this cold.) I baked less than usual this year since it was just us but made our traditional favorites, Wedding Cookies, as well as a new recipe for Cranberry-Almond Rugelach, and came up with a terrific Cranberry Mincemeat Pie by modifying the instructions on the mincemeat jar. There's a local church that does a wonderful Christmas Eve service, so we always attend theirs, since our regular church doesn't have a Christmas service. This year they had a full orchestra in addition to the choir and we enjoyed it very much.

As usual, I didn't think to take many pictures. One of my goals for 2009 so stay tuned!

Grateful Hearts

2008-11-29T10:58:00.001-05:00

In spite of some early cold and snow, not to mention the challenges we've faced this year, we're thankful to be together, that we're healthy, and that DH has such a good job...even if it is 500 miles away. The heavy gray skies didn't dampen our enjoyment of our time together.

Love to our families and friends spread across the country.

18th Birthday--Part II

2008-11-11T08:20:00.006-05:00

Off to church in the morning, wearing her new Tinkerbell ensemble, then a little shopping to spend some of her gift cards before The Birthday Feast, which she chose to enjoy at Joe's Crab Shack this year. She devoured an appetizer of fried calamari, a bucket of three kinds of crab legs, corn on the cob, and coleslaw.

By the time the servers sang to her and brought this huge dessert she was just too full to be able to squeeze in more than a couple bites.

Later that afternoon we went to see The Secret Life of Bees, an especially touching story for girls like us with mother-issues. The film is visually beautiful and very family-friendly, with a compelling and informative subplot about the Civil Rights movement. We had an interesting conversation afterwards, comparing how things were during my childhood with the fact that our country has just elected our first African-American president.

All in all a fun and festive weekend, though we sure missed having DH here. Hope this is the beginning of a wonderful year for you, my sweet girl. Oh wait...my sweet young woman!

18th Birthday--Part I

2008-11-09T08:30:00.012-05:00

Dear Daughter is home on a long-weekend pass to celebrate her momentous birthday. Friday afternoon we had lunch out and did some shopping. Enjoyed a quiet evening at home watching TV and roughousing with the doglet.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early to have our hair done. DD got caramel highlights and had a good trim. The hairdresser straightened her curly locks with a flat iron, too. Then we were off to the DMV to get her a state ID. Here she is with her new do...

Then it was home to bake her birthday treat. Since she doesn't like cake and her favorite dessert is apple pie, we decided to buck tradition this year. Warm homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream is far better than a big fingerful of frosting (that's all she ever eats of a birthday cake) any 'ol day!

While the pie was baking we called Dad and put him on speakerphone so he could listen in while DD opened presents. He sent her the world's largest musical card, which she used to torment the dog all afternoon. That evening we filled our tummies with pot roast and pie, then watched the charming move Penelope by the fire while wet snowflakes and sleet fell. Happy day-before-your-birthday, daughter o' mine!

Moving Sale

2008-11-06T09:43:00.006-05:00

As I prepare for the move to a much smaller home (and presumably, smaller studio space) it's time to do some de-stashing. I've begun by marking down all the items in my Etsy shop www.FunkyPeacock.etsy.com

I'll be adding new things frequently so do check back and send friends. Thanks!

Yes, I'm a very bad blogger

2008-11-06T08:45:00.006-05:00

My dear MIL pointed out the other day that I hadn't posted anything since July. I've been such an erratic blogger that I'm not sure anyone's still checking in here. Hello? <> Is this thing on?

My absence was due to (1) being in a bit of a funk, (2) adjusting to working full-time for a few weeks and (3) spending goo-gobs of time painting and fixing up the house after DH's employer declared we must list it ASAP before they'd extend his moving package. All that sanding, painting, etc. has led to some carpal tunnel-type symptoms which sorely limit the amount of time I can do stuff and having to get (and keep)the studio neat as a pin discourages art-making. But I did take a little time out around Labor Day to make this...

And this, featuring me at age 4, for a swap requiring the incorporation of our own photograph...

I do still carve out some time for my monthly potluck swap and local ATC club meeting so leave me a comment if you'd like to join the swap or arrange a one-on-one trade.

Now Selling on Etsy

2008-07-19T14:15:00.010-04:00

Here's a sneak peek at some new items I just listed in my Etsy store.

Outward Bound

2008-07-11T12:27:00.003-04:00

Finally made time to put together a couple of thank-you postcards. Had a play date with friends the other evening and we tried our hands at making Beryl Taylor's fabric paper, which comprises the background of the upper card. The lower one is just wet-into-wet watercolor that was later sprayed with spray webbing. They're both embellished with bits and bobs cut out from a sheet of fused plastic bags. Brushed on two coats of Golden's new Digital Ground medium for non-porous surfaces, then ran 'em through the old inkjet. Fun techniques!

This month's Potluck swap

2008-07-01T18:11:00.006-04:00

Since I hadn't posted any eye candy lately I scanned some of the cards from this month's swap before mailing them out this morning. These were made by several different people and are no longer available. But the swap will happen again at the end of this month. See details on the sidebar to your right.

I've been tagged!

2008-07-01T08:07:00.015-04:00

Does this mean I'm "it"? I've always wanted to be an it-girl. My old friend Cheryl (wait, she's not old. We've just been friends a long time. Even though we've never actually met:-) Anyway, Cheryl, who blogs here, tagged me.

Tag Rules: Each player answers the questions below in a post on their blog. At the end of the post the player tags 4 new people by posting their blog address, then leaves each a comment letting them know they've been tagged. Notify the person who tagged you when you've posted your answers.

10 years ago... I'd recently quit my job to be a stay-at-home mom and was trying to decide whether to homeschool our special needs daughter. I spent a significant part of each day shuttling her to and from a special school on the other side of town and was just getting really addicted to online groups and paper arts. I was heavily into scrapbooking and card making back then. I think that's about when Cheryl and I "met", in a YahooGroup.

5 things on today's to do list:
1. Take Darcy to the vet for yet another liver function test
2. Repair and repaint the bathroom wall I wrecked while trying to put the light fixture back up on Saturday
3. Mail out June's potluck ATC swap
4. Balance the checkbook and pay bills
5. Watch the new season opener of The Closer tonight (opener of the closer? Hmmm, gonna have to think on that one.)

7/4 ADDENDUM: I had my dates screwed up. The Closer resumes on Monday the 14th.

Snacks I enjoy: Potato chips would always be my first choice if I let myself but I try to avoid them as much as possible. Next favorites would be (ripe) fresh fruit or almost any kind of nuts.

Things I would do if I was a millionaire: Build a compound on a quiet lakeshore somewhere in or near Texas with a house for us and 3-4 cottages on the property where my stepdad and elderly grandmother could come live and other relatives and friends could come and stay whenever and for as long as they liked. Be debt-free and save, save, save in order to stay that way and to be able to help all the folks we meet who need a hand.

Of course the house would have a bright and cheerful studio with built-in storage and running water, zoned for different types of projects. DD would need a place for a horse and DH would require a multi-media office (with regular visits from a professional organizer to keep it navigable).

Places I have lived: Texas (DFW area and Gulf Coast), Virginia, SoCal, Ohio, Tennessee, Sierra Nevadas of NorCal, Michigan

I'm tagging:
Chandra
Hope
Vicci (Vicci, where ARE you?)

Most of my friends don't blog so I can't think of a fourth. Ahem...Maggie? Lorelei? Tammy, where's yours now?

Alphabet Soup

2008-06-27T18:53:00.000-04:00

I now have letters after my name for the first time! Today I took and passed my first certification exam...woot woot! This one was only 2-1/2 hours and I don't remember how many questions. The next step is to take the big one...250 questions in 5-1/2 hours. So now I'm off to order a study guide and register for an exam date.

Marilyn M. Damschen, NCICS (National Certified Insurance and Coding Specialist)

My Nutty Granny

2008-06-24T21:47:00.009-04:00

I've been a fan of Janice Taylor, better known as Our Lady of Weight Loss, for quite some time. I so look forward to her weekly Kick in the Tush messages which include tips, recipes and encouragement. Janice's quirky sense of humor is wonderfully irreverent and her advice is always spot on and down to earth. And to top it off, she's artsy, too! Click here to check out the OLOWL site.

I submitted a recipe I'd come up with and was surprised and thrilled when Janice decided it jived (jove?) along with her topic of the week, nuts.

I loves my electricity!

2008-06-22T21:53:00.006-04:00

Well, it turned out that over 350,000 people in the metro area were without power from the storm I wrote about in my last post. Ours was restored after about 48 hours and we were among the most fortunate. Many had no electricity for a week or slightly more. Apparently the failures, brown-outs and surges we dealt with while crews worked to repair the lines did some damage to both the fridge and the air conditioner, as both are giving off warning signs and sounds.

So, this is a very good time to be experiencing unusually cool weather. I am trying to be thankful for the things that are working and remembering what a pain it was to schlep all my water in by the gallon for the two days the well was out of commission. I'm grateful that flooding is not a risk here and glad to have a variety of places I can go to sit out the hottest periods of the day. Poor doglet spends long hours lying on the cool (but hard) tile floor and is either panting or sleeping at all times. Took her to the lake the other evening and she didn't hesitate to plow into the chilly water.Since we didn't do much except this weekend except prime and paint the newly renovated master bath, here's my meager photo offering for this post. The afternoon sun made the colors of my freshly-washed produce fairly glow. In spite of high prices at the pump and grocery store we're still fortunate to have one of the best food supplies in the world and I guess we all take it for granted. Good to remember what a blessing it is.

AWOL no more!

2008-06-09T12:51:00.004-04:00

Greetings! Yes, it's really me. Sorry to have been away so long but life was happening in a big way lately. Now that I'm done with school (for the time being) and the first wave of major home renovations are nearing completion I can schedule many of my To-Do list tasks at my own convenience. One of those items is to get (and hopefully keep) the ol' blog up to speed, so keep an eye out for more posts in coming days.

We had a tornado touch down WAY too close yesterday afternoon, one of several that hit our area along with straight-line winds. We've been without power ever since so I am making this post from the public library, which has lights and computer access (there's a waiting list) but no A/C. Personally, I could go for 'puter and A/C with no lights but I guess those who've come for books might complain. We all have our priorities.

Guess we picked the right time (last week) to have our decrepit roof replaced. I had to collect a bunch of the neighbor's shingles from the yard last night. They estimate our winds were 75-80 mph for a brief period during the height of the storm and it rained buckets while the tornado sirens wailed on and on. Kidlet, doglet and I huddled in the basement until it passed and I've found no damage on our property so far.

Since my time allotment will end in 47 seconds I must close but I'll be back soon.

It's Official...

2008-06-08T15:16:00.002-04:00

On my 4th attempt and at the ripe old age of 46, I have finally earned my first college degree. Yesterday was graduation day and I gamely donned the awful polyester gown and mortarboard. Being as I attended a "career college" I had no fear of being the oldest student to graduate and DH and I thought it would be a good opportunity for DD to see what graduation is all about.
Here I am with one of my favorite instructors, Susan Miedzianowski. She gamely fielded my relentless questions and offered lots of support and encouragement during the past several semesters.

I worked really hard and managed to keep my grades high, earning some honor pins and finishing Summa Cum Laude. I intended to go on to earn a Bachelors degree in Health Information Management but have tabled those plans since I'm not confident I'll be in Michigan long enough to finish the program. Can't find a HIM program in the region of PA we're relocating to so it looks like I'll end up choosing another field of study. But at least I've finally finished one! Now if I can just find a job...
Our Nike and Adidas-only-wearing daughter surprised us by picking out a dress for the occasion. I thought she looked very feminine and grown up. (click photo to enlarge) But watching her walk in high heeled sandals reminds me of a baby giraffe, for some reason.
My precious friend Patrice sent these bee-you-tee-ful flowers for the occasion and my wonderful mother-in-law sent a box of enormous and decadent chocolate covered strawberries so it was a very fun weekend. And yes Margaret, we did go out for a nice dinner afterwards.

More Signs of Spring

2008-05-04T15:52:00.004-04:00

Although it's been extremely late in coming this year, spring has finally arrived! We have glossy new leaves on the trees and wonderful surprises such as this Polyphemus (Saturniid) moth I spotted on my way out to the mailbox. My attempts to find the best position from which to snap his picture must have disturbed him because he made a weak attempt to fly. He must have been near the end of his life as he hardly seemed to have the strength and appeared glad to land on my outstretched hand. After a couple more quick pics I helped him back onto the tree trunk. When I came out later to retrieve the mail he'd died and fallen off. I'm thankful to have seen it alive and still vibrantly colored.

When I was a girl in Texas I kept my eyes peeled for gorgeous Luna moths (another member of the Saturniid family), with their huge and luminous wings of palest celadon. I assume they were so named for their tendency to appear on moonlit nights, probably sipping nectar from night-blooming flowers. Another delightful surprise was the annual appearance of the tiny, almost fluorescnet-green tree frogs who climbed up the large plate glass windows of our house early each summer. Their underbellies and minute suction-cup feet were a lovely coral color and their calls provided background music to languid evenings spent trying to keep cool in the heat and humidity of the Gulf Coast.

I wonder if these and other unique animals still survive in that part of the country or if they've gone the way of the Horned Toad and succumbed to loss of habitat and pollution.

C'mon Spring!

2008-04-12T20:37:00.001-04:00

Today is "Gotcha Day", the day we commemorate DD moving in with us as a foster child. It's been 11 years now. We also celebrate Adoption Day, the anniversary of the day we legally became a "real" family. Gotcha Day causes mixed emotions, since it's a strong reminder of the dysfunction of her biological family so we try to keep it pretty low key. This year daughter, doglet and I took advantage of the mild temps and relatively sunny afternoon and visited a local park.
It's lovely to see the ice breaking up and melting. Darcy nearly drug us all into the water, she's so anxious for a true (i.e. wet) lake outing. Funny how something as insubstantial as a bit of water plant can radiate enough heat to speed up the melting around it.
We saw several crayfish exoskeletons like this in the shallows along the banks.

Generations

2008-03-24T13:49:00.006-04:00

My aunt recently sent me this picture. It was taken in January, 1962 and I am the two-month-old baby. This was taken at my christening and my mother, Barbara Allen Coffee Mansee (and later, Merrell) is the lovely woman standing on the left. To the right is my grandmother, Jane Allen Shindler Coffee Crow, whom we called Mama Jane. Her mother, my great-grandmother, is holding me. Her name was Louise Ellen Osborne Shindler, Mama Louise to me. And seated on the right is my great-great-grandmother, Emily Allen Osborne, who was called Dam. Look at all those pearls!

I am very fortunate to have known and visited frequently with Mama Louise when I was a child and I enjoyed Mama Jane's presence in my life until she passed away several years ago. Dam died when I was still a toddler, so I have no memories of her. My mother was in and out of my life several times due to the roller coaster of mental illness and sadly, she died a few years ago at the early age of 62.

Dam's family lived in Georgia for many years but she somehow ended up in Hempstead, Texas. That's where my earliest memories of my mother's family are based. Mama Louise married a gentleman who emigrated from Austria, a brilliantly creative and charming man named John Thomas Shindler (most likely Schindler before arriving on U.S. soil). I spent two weeks every summer of my growing-up years in and around Hempstead, exploring Mama Louise and Pop's huge old house and dogging my male cousins and their friends, who had zero interest in including a girl in their adventures. So I was frequently the victim of their experiments and pranks (when they weren't hiding from me) and was once even tricked into the underground storm shelter where I spent a terrifying few minutes alone in the cool, dank darkness.

I cherish memories of the laundry room at Mama Louise's, which was a full-sized room where all the laundry was washed, dried on a complex indoor clothes line which could be raised and lowered (designed by Pop), then ironed. The room contained a second refrigerator where clothes dampened with water from an old bottle with a red sprinkler top were rolled up and stored until ironed. The fridge also held a highly-coveted store of pale green "pony" bottles of Coke which were always slightly frozen and gave blessed relief from the scorching Texas heat...when I was allowed to have one. Those bottles probably only held about 6 oz. and were doled out only when I'd been particularly good...so different from today when kids are virtually raised on soft drinks and the customary size is ginormous. The only thing that could compare with one of Mama Louise's frosty Cokes was Blue Bell ice cream, which came from nearby Brenham or the locally-grown watermelons, torpedo-shaped, unbelievably sweet and juicy...nothing like the bland, fat melons available today. Amazingly, at the peak of the season, Hempstead melons sometimes sold 6 or 8 for a dollar back then! I sometimes wonder if I could find a melon that matched my childhood memory if I travelled to Hempstead one summer.

I think of these things every time I root around for special items to set around the house when I feel the need for some variety. I have so many old and pretty things that were passed down through the generations and I treasure them more for their ability to trigger such pleasant memories than for their aesthetic appeal. I think of stories I've been told of how Mama Louise scandalized the town by becoming one of the first women to get a driver's license. The town fathers cautioned Pop that he needed to speak to Louise about her reckless speed, said to be approaching 20 MPH. And I wish I could have been around when Pop's cotton gin still occupied the property behind their house. It was a large vacant lot when I was a child and prime hunting ground for wildflowers. Brandywine cups were elusive but my absolute favorites. (photo credit: Maria Bajema)
And back in those days "horny toads" were still plentiful, so toad hunting was another regular pasttime. (Actual name--Texas Horned Lizard.) Even though I never lived there, Hempstead somehow marked me with the strongest sense of place of any I've known. Not sure how that works but I'm glad to feel a connection to someplace in spite of all our moving around.

Creating my own spring

2008-03-24T13:14:00.004-04:00

Being in mid-remodel, the house is perpetually covered in dust so wiping everything down is an every second or third day job. While I was at it this morning, I decided to rotate out some knick knacks and create a new vignette on my beloved old pine hutch. Because we had another 3 inches of snow Friday and are expecting a few more tomorrow, it's still a long way from spring-like here in SE Michigan but I assembled a bunch of pretty things I can feast my eyes on when I can no longer bear the sight of snow.

Since I'm such a dunce at photography and therefore ended up with an enormous band of shadow across the top of the picture, I piddled around with effects in Paint Shop until I got it to look a bit better. This one is called Brush Stroke. (Click to fully appreciate the effect.) More of the fab roses from DD front and center.

Resurrection Day!

2008-03-23T16:24:00.000-04:00

Since DH has a presentation he must give at work Monday morning, he couldn't get home in time for Easter so it was just DD and me. She surprised me at the grocery store with this
bouquet of luscious bright pink roses so we set the table around their glory, using my great-grandmother's china and silver. To keep it from becoming too sweet or fussy I added some rustic Mexican glasses and a contemporary ceramic piece cast in a mold made from real leaves. Such a juicy green color! And, to keep the numbers odd, added my grandmother's old hand painted sugar bowl, probably by one of two spinster great-aunts called Duckie and Seal. (Most likely it was 'Cille but, to my young ears, they were then and always will be water creatures. I adored visits to their old house and wish I'd gotten to know them better.)

Hope you enjoyed a blessed Easter and were reminded of the promises of new life in Him who is risen and the annual wonder that is spring.

I'm ba-ack!

2008-03-17T08:32:00.005-04:00

Sorry to be AWOL for so long. This semester got really tough the past few weeks and Darcy the Wonderdog got seriously ill a couple days after Cece died. She had a horrible reaction to a sulfa antibiotic and it began to kill her liver and almost killed her. Thank heavens she's almost fully recovered now but, after a week in doggie intensive care, it'll be a long time before our wallet recovers.

I took my last final exam of the semester on Saturday morning and am *still* waiting for grades. Academic standing at the end of winter semester determines my graduation status in June so I'm really anxious to find out where I am. DD acheived a milestone of her own last week so we celebrated her success and the end of my semester with a trip to the mall (yuck!) and nice dinner out. After some dog-nursing and a few household things, I immediately tackled some overdue projects.

Job one was to total up the funds raised February 15-March 15, which came to $361. Checks are going out to our two beneficiaries this morning. I want to thank everyone who has made a purchase or donation and to let you know that both women have been surprised, touched, and extremely appreciative of our help. And I have some great news to share...my friend who was injured was granted an expedited disability determination and was approved, so limited but regular funds should start to arrive within a month or two! This was a major answer to prayer so thanks to all you prayer warriors, too. The February check was also a Godsend to her because her car had gone out of commission the week before and she had no idea when or how she'd be able to finance repairs. The total cost was within $2 of last month's check so she's once again got transportation.

Then I started on some projects that need doing. Here's the fabric postcard I made for the Cyber Fyber exhibit.
This thing was a real bear to photograph and this is the best one I could get. I call this piece "World's Ugliest Necktie" since that's where the base fabric came from. A few years ago when DH got a promotion to management and was being transferred to the corporate headquarters, his coworkers presented him with an assortment of ties to wear in his new position. (The branch office was beyond casual so this was a very tongue-in-cheek gesture.) To say these ties were awful is an understatement. Most of them went in the bin a while back but this one was so ugly and yet oddly interesting. So yesterday it was disassembled and ironed flat, then examined for promising sections.

The uppermost rectangle is a piece of a clear plastic report cover, fused to a piece of dyed Tyvek. Then I cut it down and stitched on tiny beads, then attached it to the copper mesh panel using gold thread. It's uneven surface and metallic colors made the thing nearly impossible to photograph.

If you aren't aware of the Cyber Fyber project, go here:

http://cyberfyberexhibition.blogspot.com/

I am trading for postcard #117, which I already received. It's fab and I'm excited to be a part of this project. Hopefully we'll be able to attend the show this fall. Nothing like seeing your own work hanging in a gallery exhibit to seriously make your day!

Now off to finish some more overdue projects, most involving home repairs and painting. But I promise to post pics of anything fun I find time for between semesters:-)

Meet me on the other side

2008-02-20T11:39:00.006-05:00

Almost eight years ago we adopted this oddball cat CeCe from some dear friends who had to give her up. If you looked up "standoffish" in the dictionary, her picture would likely have been there. She did not want to be touched and appeared to need zero human interaction. This is Cece in November 2000, just after we brought her home.

Part of her disdain for us might have had someting to do with the fact that I immediately began to wean her off of canned food and put her on a diet. She was so heavy that carrying her (yowling)through two airport literally had me in pain for two days. She'd often go to sleep in DH's recliner, especially while it was still warm, wedging her big self in tightly between the arms.

Eventually CeCe grew to tolerate us all and in the past 3-4 years she has become especially loving with me, probably because I'm not only chief feeder and litterbox cleaner but also because I've nursed her through several health crises. So I was mostly just stressed when she had what I thought was just a flare of her chronic illness about a week ago. I've done little but take care of her between classes and assignments and we've been to the vet so many times I've lost track.

This morning I thought she was finally turning the corner and was once again on the road to recovery but shortly after that she suddenly collapsed and was obviously in trouble. I rushed her to the vet but it was soon clear that she could not recover enough to have any quality of life. We couldn't tell how much of her crying was from the normal anxiety of respiratory distress and how much was due to pain but I knew she was beyond miserable when she no longer purred. As difficult as it was, I knew there was only one viable choice. She has been such a trouper these past few days that even the vet cried while administering her final injection. I was fortunate to be able to say my goodbyes and cuddle her to the very end. DH and DD were not so lucky and I dread delivering this news. We will miss you sorely, Cece Louisa!

This is my favorite photo, taken when we lived in rural California and let her outside occasionally (she was declawed when we got her). She was nonetheless a masterful hunter, regularly presenting us with gifts of assorted lizards, large bugs, birds and various furry creatures. Usually they were dead but occasionally we'd get a bonus surprise! Watching her skill and patience was astounding. This picture was on the first really warm day of spring, when I haul out the flowerpots and uncover the deck furniture. She was obviously happy to get outside and soak up some sun and I just love her smug look, no doubt anticipating many happy adventures in the coming months.

Ceece, I hope it's always warm and sunny for you now and you're able to stalk lizards and birds to your heart's content while we anticipate a possible reunion on the other side of the bridge. xoxox

The Latest Fundraiser News

2008-02-14T09:28:00.004-05:00

I mailed off checks to our two beneficiaries for $302.11 EACH...well beyond my goal! I got a very tearful phone call last night from one of the recipients. To say that she was touched and appreciative is an understatement. And the best part is, it was a complete surprise! She had no clue so that made it doubly fun.

My SINCEREST thanks go out to everyone who's made a purchase, donated cash, gift cards, or stuff for me to sell, and for all the encouraging messages and anxious inquiries. Because I know several people didn't have time to get something in, and because I still have a bunch of stuff in the Etsy shop, I'm going to continue the effort until further notice. PLEASE continue to send out links to my blog or shop and help me get the word out. I'll have a couple new things in the store soon, too...including a collaborative project!

I hope your Valentine's Day is a special one and that your heart is just aglow because you've helped brighten the day for two very special women.

xoxox

And the heart goes to...

2008-02-14T09:25:00.001-05:00

...Debby H from Ontario, Canada. Congrats, Debby and a very happy Valentine's Day, too.

Un-Shelved: An Altered Book Project

2008-02-10T20:16:00.001-05:00

After school Saturday I met three of my artful girlfriends to tour the exhibits. We started out at Cranbrook where the most avant-garde items were on display, including books by two fellow members of Michigan Altered Book Artists, affectionately known as MIABA. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michiganab/)I somehow lost several images from my mem card so I can't show you everything but here are a few to give you a flavor.

This is the entrance to the exhibit at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center where the bulk of the displays are set up.

My submission is on the back wall, far left. She's listed for sale in my Etsy shop if you'd like to see a closeup shot...see link on your right.

http://www.btpl.org/unshelved/

There's a link to the exhibit if you'd like more information. Show runs through February 24th. See next post for more pictures.

More UnShelved

2008-02-10T19:55:00.000-05:00

Here are shots of some of the entries. Click images to enlarge. First two from the Forum Gallery at the Cranbrook Art Museum. Bottom two from the BBAC.

Many of the pages in this book had intricate cutting in the center of many of the pages. Because it was freely turning due to air currents I wasn't able to get a picture that does it justice. In the picture below I love how the shadow adds another dimension. Wish I could remember what this piece was called.

This guy is just downright amusing! Such clever use of so many different books. The head appears blurry because it's very 3-D. All the pages were cut into the profile of a face and the book is opened so they are completely fanned out.

Yes, this is a real live cactus.

Whoot whoot!

2008-02-10T19:46:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy to tell you that the "Starving Artists" fundraiser has just surpassed the $600 point!!! Thanks, everyone and please continue to spread the word. I still have plenty of goodies up for sale (including some fairly recent additions) and will be adding more soon. So I'll send checks out in time for Valentine's Day but also plan to send another set in March.

I felt really tentative when this idea was rolling around in my head but now I'm so glad I took the chance. This success led me to have the courage to enter my assemblage doll in the UnShelved exhibit and it was accepted. I'm gettin' BOLD now so watch out! So what idea do YOU have that you're nervous to try? Please post a comment and let me know.

Glad I took that call:-)

2008-02-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

Caller ID, one of the small and underappreciated pleasures of life. I was sitting here slogging through a dull assignment for class when the phone rang and the display read "Caller Unknown". I normally don't answer those since they tend to be telemarketers or folks solicitating donations for various organizations but I picked up today because my sister's in the area on business and I thought it might be her.

I was delighted to hear a curator for the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center on the other end, telling me my assemblage doll called "Rooted in Literature" had been accepted for the Un-Shelved altered book exhibit! I'd stepped WAY outside my comfort zone to even submit anything and was totally prepared for a rejection, so this was actually a big surprise. The event runs Feb. 8-24 and you can go to www.btpl.org/unshelved for more information.

Now what in the world am I going to wear to the opening reception?

Have a heart

2008-02-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

This is such a cool thing going on in Blog-land! I've joined this event along with a ton of other bloggers and will be giving away the little assemblage below on February 14th.... Click on "Have a Heart" to learn more about the project and see how YOU can join.

Here's my little offering.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on this post by midnight Feb. 13th. Be sure to include a blog or email address so I can contact you to arrange mailing. Spread the love!

More news on the fundraising effort

2008-01-31T13:49:00.001-05:00

Just a quick update to let you know that the total raised so far stands at $457.22!!!! Today I even got some gift cards to pass along. You guys ROCK! Thank you for your purchases, donations, and for sending a link on to others who might be interested. I feel so blessed to have such a giving circle of friends who will leap in to help people they don't necessarily know.

If you haven't done so yet, please take a look at the great collage kits with FREE SHIPPING. You get to specify the color. I just got some new donated goodies which will find their way into these kits. Please forward a message and/or link to other friends who might want to add to their stash of artsy supplies. We're awfully close to the $500 goal and it would be wonderful if we could smash that. I really want to send a memorable Valentine to these great women, something that's sure to warm their hearts.

Thanks again for your interest and support. Link to the Etsy store is down a little on the right.
Appreciatively,
~marilyn

Fundraiser Update

2008-01-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

Wow, I am so excited to tell you that the proceeds so far from my "Starving Artist" sale to benefit my two girlfriends has already raised $326!!! In addition to the things purchased on my Etsy site, I've received donations of cash as well as more goodies to put up for sale.

I've added a couple new things since last weekend and will be adding quite a few more in the coming days so please check back often. And please send a link to other friends who might like to check out my stuff for sale or who would be interested in helping a couple of great women who are facing scary times.

Since I first shared my idea with you I've found out that one of my friends' homes has been foreclosed and she must soon vacate the property. She's not sure where to go and is considering moving to an uninsulated mobile home up north. In Michigan. Where the high today was 23 and the low was maybe 10.

I was so nervous to even attempt this, unsure if anybody even SEES my blog or if anyone would care about people they've never met at a time when so many people are facing hardships. I am so pleased and touched at the response. THANK YOU all who have helped out so far. My goal is now to raise $500 to be divided between these two special women. I'd like to be able to gift them by Valentine's day. I feel sure I can do it, with your help. Thanks for spreading the word. Blogland really IS a special place!

Scroll down to get to my Etsy store link on your right. Shop on!

Shopping for a cause

2008-01-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

Have you heard that times are tough here in the Detroit metro area? Tough is an understatement. We are so blessed that DH is working again and I only lack two semesters until graduation and will once again be employable. But I have two very dear friends in the area, both of them single 50-somethings, who are in danger of losing their homes due to prolonged unemployment and, in one case, disability. Did you know it takes an average of 24 months for a disability hearing? Both of these are talented art-friends and both are exceptionally generous so they are used to giving and sharing with others, not receiving. But things are growing desperate and I must find new ways to help.

I have just added several new pieces to my Etsy shop and will be adding more in the next week or two. I will divide the price of EVERYTHING (not including shipping) sold on my site between these two deserving women. So here's a way you can shop AND make a contribution to two single female artists in need. Because this is a private effort and I won't embarrass my friends by naming them, I have no way to provide proof so I'm asking you to trust me on this. I promise not to keep a cent for myself besides the shipping charge.

Please spread the word to anyone who might be willing to help out. There's a link to my Etsy shop on the lower right or just click on "Shopping for a cause" above. I will be adding more items over the next week or two so please check back, too. Thanks SO MUCH for your support! Buy handmade!

2008 is gonna be great!

2008-01-10T12:38:00.000-05:00

One of the Yahoogroups I belong to has a wonderful sense of fun and camaraderie. We gossip and sometimes share tidbits from our personal lives in addition to all the artsy/craftsy/funny stuff we make and swap. Several years ago someone began to say they were "sending mojo" to another member who was going through a difficult time. The phrase caught on and we now regularly pool our collective well-wishes, prayers, positive energy, etc. to any member who shares a need with the group.

Last year was a particularly tough one for many of our members with stuff like job losses, serious illnesses, injuries, freak accidents, and all sorts of mishaps and we began to joke about what might happen next. Things just kept on happening to one of us right after another so that, by the end of 2007, we were seriously fed up. Somebody jokingly said we needed to start lighting candles when we sent out our mojo and the idea clicked. So a group of us decided to art up some of those inexpensive religious candles from the grocery store and arm ourselves with maximum mojo-power, determined to have a much better new year.

The candle I bought somehow escaped from the compartmentalized trunk organizer I'd carefully placed it in at the grocery store and rolled out the minute I opened the hatchback, shattering to smithereens all over my garage floor. So I rummaged around until I came up with this old cylindrical vase from a past flower arrangement (thanks, hubs!)and arted it up, tongue in cheek all the while. Popped in a candle and I am ready for whatever life throws at me or my sisters of the list. (I didn't have enough letter tiles so spell out Our Lady of Pick on Somebody Else For a Change!)

Oh, Deer

2008-01-02T14:40:00.000-05:00

About a mile from us there's a stately old home and barn on a large fenced acreage. It's bisected by a major street but has become a sort of defacto deer preserve and lots of folks stop their cars along the sides of the road in the early evenings to feed and watch them.

During the warmer months we sometimes ride our bikes over. When it's this cold and snowy, they're visible most all the time because they're constantly foraging. I stopped on the way home today. Odd to see so many small fawns this early (or late?) in the season. These are shots of both sides of the street. This is the biggest buck I've seen yet.

Ski Michigan!

2008-01-02T14:31:00.000-05:00

When we first moved here I was surprised to see these ski hills dotting the area. Turns out, they're landfills! This one is just about two miles down the road from us. It's called Pine Knob.

Kind of fun to see a mini-mountain in the midst of all this flatness.

Digging out

2008-01-02T14:24:00.001-05:00

Darcy simply ADORES snow so she was anxious to get outside. I've been working on clearing a little path but this snow is so wet and heavy that it's a very gradual process. I decided to let her off-leash for the first time since her surgery and she was such a crack-up.

In snow this deep, it's a pretty hard slog so she won't stay out long at all but she loves for me to wad up a little hard snowball and throw it. She roots around in the rest of the snow until she actually finds the bugger!

Got it! Now let's go inside, please.

What a way to start a year!

2008-01-01T08:54:00.000-05:00

I guess I officially have the flu. Yuck. Temp is 101, everything hurts, and my throat is just raw. Didn't get a lot of sleep because of the respiratory symptoms. And we had a winter storm blow in overnight. The official snow count for my town as of 8 a.m. is 15 inches and it's not done yet. (As always, click to enlarge.)

This is coming out of the garage to the back yard after my first shoveling foray (but after the sun came up). Darcy was a real trooper and launched herself into the chest-deep snow to go potty. She got out a few leaps and turned around, looking at me as if to ask, "If I squat and don't surface, will you come get me?" No leash needed today! She wanted to go back inside NOW.

This is looking out the patio door. I've left those hanging baskets out there because I noticed that tiny little birds will burrow in under the snow when it gets like this. Who knew birds made igloos?

This is the back deck. Once the sun came up, the winds started so now we're starting to see a little blowing and drifting. Hopefully the wind will blow it AWAY from the back door. I see that another 2 or 3 inches have already filled in where I shoveled this morning. Uncle! I give! Please stop already!

You know how they say the first 12 days of January will represent the weather of each of the months of the year? Please be wrong about January and February, please be wrong about January and February, please...

Hope things are much nicer where you are and that you're enjoying a restful (and healthy) New Year's holiday.

One last batch...

2008-01-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

In these quiet, post-Christmas days I took some time out to make a few ATCs. Several of these will go to my monthly swaps but please LMK if something catches your eye and you'd like to propose a trade. (Click photo to enlarge.) February 1 update...all cards now traded.

Happy Christmas

2007-12-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

Here are DD and Darcy Blue on Christmas morning, just before tearing into the gifts. I just put up these three itty bitty trees instead of the mammoth 10-footer that better fits the scale of this room to keep things simple. Well, that plus the fact that I can't wrangle the big tree in from the garage by myself. We have done the teddy bears every single Christmas since DD joined our family so they were required elements and the woodland Santa seemed to tie in nicely with all the other woodsy/rustic items. This theme seemed much more at home in our last place, up in the Sierra Nevada mountains of northern California but we've held onto them because they remind us of our time there. We got the carved bear on one of our trips to Lake Tahoe.

Darcy has been eyeing her stocking for the past several days and has occasionally even stepped up on the hearth to try and give it a sniff. It's funny how she's able to remember that she gets fun things from it every year. She was very impatient to find out what goodies she had this time but DH only let her have them one at a time. Sorry she's so hard to see in these pictures.

Her favorites are always toys that squeak and, of course, things she can chew. Miss Kitty was camera-shy today but she's snugged up in her new kitty bed with a microwaveable buckwheat insert. Isn't that a great idea?

There was a very distinct horse theme to many of DD's gifts this year, including this western-style ultrasuede shirt in a horse print, a hatband, several horse figures, and even a Horsez 2 game for the PlayStation. My sweet sister sent a whole box of wonderful little gifts like this necklace and other girlie things which were so much fun to open.

It's been a very nice Christmas morning here, if a little quiet. We're always so aware of being a long way from our families at the holidays especially. We hope you're having a wonderful day with people (and pets!) dear to you.

A fond farewell

2007-12-15T13:13:00.000-05:00

Thursday night the ATC club hosted by The Stamping Grounds in Royal Oak met for the last time. After 25 years in business, TSG is closing its doors this weekend. This has been my most favorite shop for artful rubber stamps and supplies since moving to Michigan and I've made some wonderful friends through the club.

Here are Dot, owner of The Stamping Grounds and Ms. Maggie, her right-hand woman. I'll miss the shop and all the great classes and ATC club meetings I've been able to attend. For our last get-together we enjoyed appetizers and desserts, chatted and then sang Christmas carols. Maggie brought her guitar and led the singing. A bittersweet occasion. Gals, please stay in touch!

It's beginning to look like That Time of Year

2007-12-15T12:36:00.002-05:00

The three of us had a nice, quiet Thanksgiving at home. DH surprised me by agreeing to turn in early (he's a charter member of the Midnight Oil Burner's Brigade)and get up at dawn-thirty the day after to hit Kohls post-turkey sale. We thought we were so good rolling up to Kohls at 6am, only to find the parking lot of the entire shopping center SWARMING with cars and people. We were stunned to find that the 2 checkout lines ran around both side aisles and met at the back of the store.

Taking a deep gulp, each with a copy of our needy family's wish list in hand, we plowed into the crowd. It was so much fun! Everyone had a great attitude and there was lots of laughing and joking. When our arms were overloaded with stuff (not a shopping cart to be had at any price), DH agreed to take a stand in line while I continued to work down the list. He literally shuffled our mound of stuff along for about an hour and a half till it was finally our turn to check out.

Once we recovered from the shopping, DD & I got everything festively wrapped and tagged, then loaded it back in the car for delivery. Adopting a couple of needy individuals or a family has become one of our favorite family traditions, so we were especially glad DH started his new job in time to do so this year. What special traditions make it feel like Christmas for you?

Fire in the sky

2007-12-15T12:12:00.000-05:00

This was one of those gorgeous late-fall sunsets we get up here. There were a few stormclouds off to the north so the contrast of the steely grey punched up the contrast.

This is looking off our back deck with the neighbor's house in the distance.

Back in the saddle

2007-12-15T12:02:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know I'm a very erratic blogger. Sorry 'bout that. But priorities are important, too and blogging is fairly far down the list. But I'm trying to be a bit better. I have at least been making an effort to snap more pictures as I go along, and will then have posting sessions when time allows. So the posting dates may have no correlation to when the photo was taken, okay?

Lessee, I think my last post was around my birthday. Lemme look to see what the next picture is.

This was the scrumptious meal I made for my birthday. Fried oysters (my most favorite food in all the world) topped with a brown-butter panee of mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and white wine on top of mashed potatoes. I make fried food about twice a year so it was a very special treat, especially since you cannot get fried oysters within 500 miles of here. As they'd say back in my hometown, it was so good it make you wanna slap your mama!

Antique? Who you callin' antique?

2007-11-16T14:15:00.000-05:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Most Serene Highness Lady Marilyn the Antique of Much Leering
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

I saw this on a friend's blog & just had to go check it out for myself, since it's so wonderfully funny and whimsical. And the title it spat out for me seems quite apropos, being as it's my birthday this weekend. But I do take exception to that bit about antique!

I've been fighting off a serious case of the blues for the past couple of weeks. I was dreading my birthday since DH is now in PA for his new job, DD is STILL in the hospital, and my closest friend here just lost her job and is in no mood to celebrate. Another birthday all alone. (Well, okay, not alone exactly since Darcy the Wonderdog is not only here, but needs lots and lots of attention.) So I signed up to go volunteer for part of the day tomorrow at a distribution center for the needy. Nothing like giving stuff out to folks who really, really need & appreciate it to make one feel very blessed.

And then I got a real slap in the face yesterday morning when I learned that my precious little German grandmother in Texas has pancreatic cancer. The docs who operated on her at her local hospital took what they could, then closed her up & recommended taking her to MD Anderson Cancer Institute in Houston to see what they'd recommend. But first she must get back on her feet from this week's surgery and weigh her options.

I have cried so much the past couple of days and suddenly my little case of the blues over distant family and my self-absorption seem so trivial. I've been wondering what I'd do if I thought this might be my last birthday. Odd thing is, I'm not at all sure. But I think of Oma & wonder if she's thinking this coming holiday season might be her last. What would YOU do if you suspected your next birthday might be your last?

Poor Darcy!

2007-11-10T13:57:00.000-05:00

Somehow or other Miss Darcy Blue managed to blow out her ACL last week, just as DH was getting ready to head for PA. Because it was a full rupture, the reconstructive surgery was MAJOR. Here she is the day after coming home.After a few days, the swelling is much improved and the Fentanyl patch (which was stapled to her skin...OUCH!) has been removed. She is on very close confinement for the next 8-16 weeks, depending on her recovery. She must walk on-leash even indoors and is only allowed outside for very brief potty breaks. I have to use a belly-band to help her down the 3 steps to outside and to cross the tiled floors and she can't go upstairs, to the basement, or jump onto her usual hangout on the couch, thus the glum expression.
This is how she spends most of her time when I'm home, alternating between sleeping and giving me poor-pitiful-dog looks. She does not understand why she has to stay in jail when I'm sleeping or at school. Even though I've had to cut her food portions in half, I can see that she's already gaining weight due to all this inactivity. Poor baby! Now who's going to keep all those pesky geese out of the yard?

Good news and bad news

2007-11-10T13:50:00.001-05:00

Well, at long last DH has landed a wonderful new job. That's the good news. The bad part is, it's 500 miles away, at Three Mile Island, near Harrisburg, PA. So last Friday night we three went out for a farewell dinner at the wonderful French Laundry restaurant in nearby Fenton, MI. I made DD and DH squish together for a quick photo to mark the occasion.

Sweetie, we're really proud of your new position but we'll sure miss you! Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!

2007-11-10T13:36:00.000-05:00

I just have to show you my adorable nephew and tell you how clever my little sister/his mom is. She MADE this Halloween costume out of a cardboard box! I think it's so creative and she did such an incredible job. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have such a cutie-patootie wearing the pants...square or not.

An art-full event

2007-11-07T09:11:00.000-05:00

My friend Linnet is once again hosting one of her amazing boutique art sales, this one just in time for holiday shopping. I can't think of a better place to find wonderfully unique not-from-the-mall gifts. If you go, please tell her you saw it here.

A Blaze of Glory

2007-11-02T14:17:00.000-04:00

We had our first really cold night (mid-20's) last night and awoke to heavy frost this morning. As the sun came up and hit these trees across the backyard, the colors just glowed. I just love the way you can see the leaves in mid-fall from the trees! (Click photo to enlarge.) Sounds like we may see our first snowflakes early next week so I'm soaking up all the color I can, while I can.

Fall Already

2007-09-29T19:10:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the glorious weather and nip in the air, DH and I ventured out after our early morning walk for breakfast and a visit to a cider mill in nearby Franklin, MI today. Turns out, almost all the property around the mill has been sold off so it's far too crowded to have much scenic appeal and it was quite busy and expensive. However, it's always a treat to visit the tiny village of Franklin, which still manages to be scenic and charming. And because I well remember how scarce fall colors, not to mention cooler temps, can be in my childhood home along the Texas Gulf Coast, I'm posting a picture here for ya'll's enjoyment. Wish I could share a real fall treat from Michigan, the fantastic locally-grown Honey Crisp apples.

Here's some more gorgeous color. We're on a mission to visit every cider mill in the area because we've only made it to a handful in the three years we've been here. No telling where hubby's next job will lead us so gotta strike while the iron's hot. Errr...while the cider's fresh? No, make that while the doughnuts are hot. Warm apple doughnuts are good almost anywhere!

I cleared out my big pot o' color on the front porch yesterday and hauled it in for the winter. Now my little old apple cart is out but only has a bunch of Indian corn on it so far. Maybe we'll find a reasonably-priced pumpkin patch after church tomorrow.

Hope you're able to find some events or sights to mark the changing of the seasons wherever you are.

Two shows in September

2007-09-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

If you're in this area, I hope to see you at one of the two events I'm participating in this month. The first is the 3rd annual

Art in the Garden, a collaborative show by my Feisty Chicks art group. It's on Saturday, 9/15 from 10am-4pm in the garden at 43359 Saal Rd. in Sterling Heights, MI 48313. (Just off Schoenherr and Canal, near the new Archiver's store.)

There will be a wide variety of art and jewelry on display and available for sale. We'll also have some demos and several artists at work throughout the day.

I will also have items available at the next semi-annual VOILA gallery sale. Here's a clickable flyer you can print with all the details. Linnet does a remarkable job of selecting diverse and well-made products in a wide variety of mediums. If you have any gift shopping to do, this is the place. Please tell her I sent you.

Day Trip

2007-08-20T12:20:00.000-04:00

A cold front blew in late last week, bringing very low humidity and wonderfully cool temps so we capitalized on the opportunity and scoped out a very budget-friendly destination and headed out Saturday morning. We drove to Midland, MI which is about 1-1/2 hrs. north to visit Dow Gardens. Here are a few images from the day.

Mr. Alden Dow was an architect who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright. When he returned to Michigan in the late 1930's, he constructed the very contemporary home surrounded by water. He also designed a series of wonderfully sculptural bridges to the home and throughout the gardens. We hope to return and tour the home eventually.

Latest Project

2007-08-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

The BadBabies group is in the process of making an alt-ABC's chunky book. I was assigned the letter "N" and the first off the wall N-word that came to mind was Nincompoop. And the first nincompoop that came to mind was....well, here...see for yourself.

This is the front. The image of Pee-Wee has a cool retro-style aqua and white spiral that didn't show up in my scan.

Now I just have to wait patienly until I get my completed ABC book in the mail from Idaho. I LOVE fatbooks!

Please visit my shop!

2007-07-26T06:37:00.000-04:00

I've finally carved out the time and opened up an Etsy shop (online store). If you like to buy handmade, you'll LOVE Etsy. Scroll down to see some thumbnails and link on the right.

Michigan Lavender Festival

2007-07-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

I will be participating in the festival, along with my fellow Feisty Art Chicks, July 20th & 21st. Those who took part last year simply raved about the scenic beauty, wonderful food and music, and overall atmosphere of the event. Looking forward to a memorable weekend. Stop by if you can. Here's a link for more info and photos:

http://www.michiganlavenderfestival.net/index.html

Another Link to help you pass the time

2007-06-24T15:36:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIJtKxdRQzY

Stay tuned till the end and all will be revealed. Pretty amazing!

Step-by-step makeover

2007-06-24T14:23:00.000-04:00

I've been making a serious effort to get my studio better organized during my semester break and have been tackling lots of roundtuit projects...you know, those jobs you say you'll do when you get around to it. I've accumulated quite a pile of instruction sheets, how-to's, tear sheets, class handouts, etc. that are much too dear to throw away but that I only use occasionally. I had a couple of nice binders from a previous business venture so I decided to overhaul them to hold all these assorted papers.

First I applied a medium coat of gesso and let dry well.

Then I gathered up a handful of lovely paints in juicy colors and randomly applied them using a brush, sponges, and a few splatters.

Once it was painted but before it was completely dry, I grabbed a couple of my favorite stamps. Using black StazOn, I stamped lightly in a random manner.

Then I reinked and stamped quite hard in other spots. The solvents in the ink pull up the tacky paint and leave a sort of ghost or negative image, such as the one in the upper right corner or the text image in the upper center.

Now for something dimensional...hmmmm. Oh! Last month, much to my amazement and delight, I won a drawing for some of Julie van Oosten's brand new line of chipboard products called Collections Elements. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to check them out.

The printed flashcards fit perfectly on the chipboard tags and I was impressed by the smooth and clean edges of the diecut shapes. Also popped out a couple of spiral flourishes and a frame, then went over everything with a quick coat of ivory paint.

Pretty eye-popping but I've always been a "More is mo' better" girl so I finished off by ironing on just a bit of silver transfer foil.

And here it is, all done and ready to hold a bunch of loose copies.

I really like Julie's products and showed them to my friends at The Stamping Grounds who hope to soon carry them in the shop. Here's a link to Julie's site: http://members.westnet.com.au/collections/index.html

If YOU decide to alter a binder, please send me a link. I'd love to have more ideas since I'm always repurposing them to house my collections of ATCs and other precious treasures.

A total waste of time...

2007-06-05T06:44:00.000-04:00

...but what a blast! Dare you to leave in less than 5 minutes. Go here: http://www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html

My review of the UHU Glue Roller

2007-05-08T07:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've played with this nifty tool for a few days now. I LOVE the mechanics of this product. It's the best adhesive applicator I've tried to date. It operates perfectly every time, with no skipping or bunching and you need very little pressure to apply the adhesive so it would be great for those with arthritis or other limitations. I was glad to see that it's also refillable.

However, I am pretty disappointed with the actual adhesive itself, which is made up of tiny little sticky dots that dispense in a continuous line. It works just fine to adhere very smooth and lightweight papers but it wouldn't make a good initial bond on papers with high fiber content. Heavy papers came unstuck and the product wouldn't adhere to Fantasy Film at all. So I'd recommend this adhesive highly for use in office settings, as an envelope adhesive, or for projects involving only light, smooth papers. Might be great for giftwrapping...I'll try that next.

My guess is that, since this is a refillable product, it would be a simple matter to either improve the adhesive itself or else UHU will introduce another, higher-tack refill. It would be a shame to have developed such a great-performing applicator without a great adhesive for it to dispense.

Now here's a cool deal...

2007-05-06T06:29:00.000-04:00

http://www.mariafilosa.com/

If you'll follow the link above, you can learn how to request a free sample of an UHU (of hot pink glue stick fame) adhesive product. I requested one on Tues. and here's what arrived on Fri.

Now I'm off to the studio to try it out. Stayed tuned for my product review.

My Next Venue

2007-04-09T16:12:00.000-04:00

I'm once again flattered and excited to be showing some of my work at this upcoming event. Several of my fellow Feisty Chicks will also have work on display, as will my dear friend Patrice Pannill. Her beadwork is just exquisite!

The image will enlarge if you click on it but my scan is not very good due to the printed background. Email me if you need help with any of the details.

Thoughts on the month of March

2007-03-30T07:42:00.000-04:00

Oh my...how did it get to be the end of March already? Someone please tell me that the passage of time will eventually slow down again. Remember when you were a kid, how slowly time seemed to pass? I wonder if it slows down again in old age? Hmmm......

I got a hilarious email the other day from my dear friend Janie, who sends me so many genuinely funny tidbits (Thanks, Janie!) Then I got thinking about the old "In like a lion, out like a lamb" saying about March. Somehow my brain made a lamb/sheep/March connection and I thought, "Hey, why not end the month with a good belly laugh?" So here goes...(If you're politically liberal, quit reading now.)

Many will recall that on July 8, 1947, witnesses claimed that an unidentified object with five aliens aboard crashed onto a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico. This is a well-known incident that many say has long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and the federal government.

However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of March 1948, exactly nine months after that historic event, the following people were born:

Albert Arnold Gore Jr.
Hillary Rodham
John F. Kerry
William Jefferson Clinton
Howard Dean
Nancy Pelosi
Dianne Feinstein
Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Boxer

See what happens when aliens breed with sheep? This piece of information clears up a lot of things.

What love looks like...

2007-02-14T16:10:00.000-05:00

DH blazed a trail through the snow for Darcy Blue so she won't have to get snowballs (which quickly turn to ice) caught between the pads of her feet. Hope somebody shows you some love today, too.

Happy Valentine's Day!

(click images to enlarge)

Winter...at last!

2007-01-16T14:32:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time comin' but we've finally gotten some true winter weather even if there's still very little snow. Today it's really cold (17 F. last time I checked) but the sun's been shining brilliantly since I got out of school this afternoon. I love the way it refracts on the ice that encases every single branch and glitters with color like a diamond! Photo above is the crabapple tree in from of the house. The picture below is looking across the back yard from the deck. The lake is behind those trees in the background. Click images to enlarge.

Little Treasures

2007-01-16T14:23:00.000-05:00

Before stowing it all away until next year I snapped a couple pics of my little studio tree, decorated with ornaments and ATCs made by friends and topped with a hat I altered for the Feisty Chicks' Christmas party. The banner reads "...and a peacock in a pear tree".

My latest tradeables

2007-01-02T08:56:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more cards I made yesterday for Joyce's online swap. The center card is made on a piece of copper sheeting with a transparency overlay.

(all cards have been traded.)

2006-12-31T08:19:00.000-05:00

Here are

a handful

of cards

available

for trade.

More to

come!

**(click to enlarge)**

(all cards have been traded)

Tell 'em Joyce sent you

2006-12-30T05:34:00.000-05:00

A few more cards available for trade. Thanks for looking!

**(click to enlarge)**

All were traded.

2006-12-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is a red-letter day! Today is the day that I make my last trek to the Post Office and send off my final packages of the season. Every year at this time I'm wrapping gifts, foraging for that just-right box, and fretting about whether I've forgotten anyone. You'd think I'd have wised up a bit by now and start earlier but no, not me!

To tell the truth, I actually adore wrapping presents. It's the mailing part that stresses me. Now I can really have some fun with the gifts that stay here or will be hand-delivered. No worries about keeping things flat!

Here's a pic of a birthday gift I'm mailing today. I think it's kinda purty in spite of its flatness. Hope the recipient thinks so, too!

2006-12-03T20:16:00.000-05:00

I should have been studying for finals or preparing for Christmas but I snuck in some time to make these this week as well as one that was just too darn chunky to scan.

That pink butterfly is made from really thin, pliable metal (aluminum?) and I remember them from my childhood...just not sure in what context. Anyone? Bueller? I got a few at a yard sale a while back & would love more if I could find 'em. They hold whatever shape you like.

Card at top left made from a recycled envelope which was made from a recycled catalog page or something. Repurposing...my favorite kind of art!

Ready or not...

2006-12-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

...it's here. It's official. It's December. Don't know about you but I waded through Thanksgiving in a sort of surreal fog. It just didn't "feel" like Thanksgiving. Don't know if it was the warm weather or my biological clock or what. I admit, I was sorta dreading Christmas.

Had to make a trek to the Post Office late yesterday afternoon. I decided to hit the one in the little village of Clarkston rather than my usual one, which is in a strip center next door to a huge mall. The traffic around there is bad all times of the year. Anyway, I really lucked out as the village was all decked out in its old-fashioned holiday duds and lots of the little mom & pop shops were conducting a holiday open house. I had a great time strolling about in the drizzle, gazing at all the unique lovelies while listening to diverse seasonal music & enjoying sample bites of this & that. Kicked my December off just right! A major cold front blew in last night, coating everything in a sparkly, glassy tunic. I savored my morning coffee with my first slice of Panettone of the year and started a pot of stock (turkey, of course) in preparation for tonight's soup. It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas! Hope you stumble onto some Christmas cheer, too.

Whew...finally finished!

2006-11-26T14:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, 1980 WAS a pretty good year overall. I graduated high school, hadn't yet gotten my Flock of Seagulls hairdo, and had my whole life in front of me:-) However, I just couldn't live with our old circa 1980 powder room with it's brushed stainless vanity, chrome bijou light bar, and grey fixtures (left) any more. Only problem is, our crumbling master bath and sagging foundation are a much higher priority, especially in terms of the budget. What's a creative-but-budget-challenged girl to do?

After a little thought and research, I decided to try making my own wallpaper. What looks nice with grey and silver? Hmmm. Something purplish...yeah, that's the ticket! Unrolled some nice craft paper, slathered and spattered on a few coats of plum, grey and white glazes, then hit it with a little black Spray Webbing. While this was drying, I used my favorite old cheap, hairy paintbrush and scrubbed on a mixture of half dusky plum-c0lored paint and half glaze (plus a squirt of silver to grey it down a bit). Then, I tore my painted paper into largish irregular pieces and covered one wall (left side in photo below).

When I started tearing and pasting the paper, I struggled to decide about the tear lines. Should I re-tear so that none of the brown craft paper would show? Ultimately DH helped me decide that it actually gave a rather interesting faux-marble effect...if there were such a thing as plummy marble, of course. Plays off the faux-marble floor tiles, too.

After allowing the paint to cure and sleeping on it, I decided the painted walls were a bit too dark and flat so I mixed up a little Interference Blue in a lot of glaze and scrubbed this on over the painted walls. Now they have a slight silvery-blue sheen when the light hits them a certain way. Boy, my arm and shoulder muscles got a serious workout with all this glaze-scrubbing!

The cherry on top is the slight touch of silver foil that I heat-transferred to tiny areas of the spray webbing. A couple of chunky canvas collages and a few accessories and we're like, wow...2000-something. Hopefully this won't have to tide us over for too many more decades. Now if you have any cheap ideas for making over that light bar, send 'em my way!

2006-11-16T09:55:00.000-05:00

Happy-happy, joy-joy....I finished up yesterday afternoon and I am now on Thanksgiving break until classes resume on the 20th! While I'm (mostly) enjoying it, I do miss the freedom to do stuff I want. And to kick things off, DH is flying south for a long weekend so I have the next few days all to myself. After getting him packed and off to the office this morning I've enjoyed a second cup of coffee while blog-surfing and watching the golden leaves blow off the tree outside my window. Forecast for the weekend is chilly and drizzly, possibly changing over to snow. Perfect for my plans!

Tonight I get to go to a workshop with friends in the nearby hamlet of Lapeer and make a "holiday dangle", which I may post later. Tomorrow I'm off to deliver goods to my buddy Rosie for the upcoming show at the Mt. Clemens art center and, since she's over halfway-there, I simply must make a stop in the charming village of Romeo. Hoping to snag some German glass glitter if they have any left. And Saturday I get to collect DD on the way to my dear friend Patrice's trunk show at The Stamping Grounds. Since that's my birthday, I hope DD will indulge my desire to dine at one of the great-but-unusual restuarants in Royal Oak before a shoe-shopping jaunt. I know she'll be happy about the shopping part since she has a ton of her own birthday bucks to spend!

In between all these little treks I have two books I'm dying to read and of course plan to spend a goodly amount of time in the studio. I owe a ton of returns and thank-you's, have a swap due on Tuesday, and need to get started on some goodies for my Secret Sister parcel.

Okay, I've reached the bottom of my coffee cup so it's time to get dressed and get started. Yippee!

I'm now the mom of a sweet 16!

2006-11-14T10:47:00.000-05:00

This weekend my DD celebrated another milestone. She has become such a lovely young lady...see for yourself!

At the top of her birthday wish-list? Getting her ears pierced for the second time. She was so anxious that the gals at the store offered to double-up and do both sides at once so she wouldn't back out while she was half-done.

I am SO excited!!!

2006-11-10T07:53:00.000-05:00

This is a flyer for an event that I am just thrilled to be a part of. (I have removed the color in the hopes it might be easier for you to read. ) It's printable...just click on it.

A lovely lady called Linnet Walla presents a juried showcase of art items quarterly. It's called VOILA (a clever play on her name) and she's accepted some of my pieces for her holiday show this month! She opens her gorgeous home and displays all the work in a really wonderful way. I was just dazzled by the quality and diversity of the items she selected for her last show so I couldn't be more flattered to be included this time. Thanks, Linnet!

If you live in my area, this is a faboo opportunity for some out-of-the-ordinary Christmas shopping.

I made this!

2006-11-10T07:41:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd put up a few things I've been squeezing in between school and family stuff recently.
These ATCs are made from flattened aluminum cans dyed with alcohol inks. The dolls have heads of smashed bottle caps, Rummikube torsos, dyed safety pins for arms and framer's turns for feet. This is about as "dolly" as I could get for a paper doll-themed swap. Wish I'd scanned one individually so you could see it in focus...dimensional stuff just won't scan sharply. Sigh...I'm so techno-impaired.

Mid-November already!

2006-11-09T08:42:00.000-05:00

Wow...over a month since my last post. (Kinda sounds like something you'd hear in a confessional, huh?) Where DOES the time go? I have been so busy with school and just trying to keep things afloat around here. Fall has been a rollercoaster weatherwise but I am so thankful to be living in a region with four full seasons. Growing up on the Gulf Coast we had only two---hot and muggy interrupted by a few fleeting days of either crisp and cool or else deep freeze (usually accompanied by ice). I miss many things about Texas but the weather ain't one of 'em!

My daughter is turning 16 today! Hard to believe but she's almost as tall as I am and is really becoming a young woman. We will have our official celebration tomorrow but she's very much on my mind today. Off to look for a special cake recipe...

More recent projects

2006-10-05T15:22:00.000-04:00

In addition to the stuff I was making for my first show, I squeezed in time to make a couple of gifts for special birthdays. This necklace and earrings set was for my mom's birthday. It has a carved mother-of-pearl flower on the drop portion of the necklace that didn't photograph well. All the bead colors were taken from its beautiful shades . Hope it coordinates well with lots of stuff in your closet, Carla!

Here's a pennant banner I made for my sweet sis's 4oth birthday. Not as dark as it appears here. The letters are glittered for a little festive sparkle.

I survived!

2006-10-05T15:09:00.000-04:00

Art in the Garden, my very first show and sale, was last Saturday. Unfortunately, the day was exceedingly windy, wet and cold for this time of year so it could have been just awful. However, the cheerful attitudes of my Feisty Chick Art Studio sisters and the hardy souls who braved the rotten weather to view our work made for a fun day in spite of it all. I sold a number of pieces and enjoyed the experience very much. Sadly, I forgot to charge my camera battery so all I have to show you is this picture of my friend Rosie, displaying her usual enthusiasm and good humor. Hi Rosie!

More Buckets & Bottles

2006-10-05T14:35:00.000-04:00

The Skinny Li'l Bucket would make a great receptacle for paint brushes or pens & pencils. With vintage silverplate teaspoons for handles and tiny wooden spools for feet, it's a perfectly unique idea for any lady's (teacher's?) desk. Sold.

The turquoise and bright pink Diva Pail is medium-sized and is edged with fru-fru tulle trim in pink, blue, purple and yellow with a vintage rhinestone brooch in the same colors and a pretty bow. Sold.

On the left is my Autumn Fire Funky Bucket. The leaf is embossed metal that's been dyed and mounted on hand-marbled paper. Sold.

The vintage Black Cat shoe polish bottle is embellished with a small round "scaredy cat" tag as well as a manila shipping tag with a cool image of three old hags dressed as witches, apparently having a tea party. Suitably odd for Hallowe'en. Sold.

This bucket is perfect for any Young Miss. It is quite large and is done in soft shades of pale pink, minty green and ivory. The bow-topped locket holds a vintage portrait of a pretty young girl. Subtle French flavor plus vintage bits and bobs. Lovely gift for a diva-in-training or a sentimental sweetie! For sale in my Etsy store.

2006-09-22T10:28:00.000-04:00

These are Funky Buckets and they're just a joy to create!

The one on the left is called Suburban Artifacts for its mix of old and new everyday items. It's in shades of aqua, lime, pale yellow and copper. There is a circle cut from a vintage document behind the retro "bling" on the medallion that doesn't show up in this picture. Sold.

Winged Heart is actually done in shades of salmon, coral and rose so it's a little darker and less pink than it appears in the photo. It has accents of mossy green and incorporates some vintage texts, an antique key and embossed velvet leaves. Pam, thanks for the cool old wire I used for the handle! Sold.