vote at spoonflower!

...here's a follow-up to my last post. voting for "gourds" contest is up & running! (this is my first time entering a contest there & i have much to learn....) there are some really fun prints & you can vote for as many as you want!! (new contest every week :)    spoonflowercontest

some art work...

ok here's some things i've been working on lately ...(i've actually had a bit of an obsession: i really want to design fabric! so i've really been pouring a lot into developing an idea --but i'm realizing i just can't rush this, primarily cause i don't know enough about the medium yet.) so i've rediscovered spoonflower. i already knew about it, but i didn't think of it as such a resource for learning the medium (one of the only resources for someone like me.) it's a whole new ball o'wax to translate art work into something that's graphically pleasing & repeatable. so i'm starting to take advantage of this "design-your-own-fabric" site. it's a great way to mess around with your ideas to see what works or doesn't. so here's some pieces i did inspired by the "gourds" contest next week (there's a new theme for a contest every week & anyone can go vote -fun!)                     ....& here it is in repeat:       so  i wanted to do some sweet little prints to complement the main piece, so this is bird village, which i'm really happy with how it looks in repeat- more "fabric-y".                       ...& feathers, which i love, but need to work on a little more so it's a smoother repeat .....                   .....& this is a totally different project. it's a banner i painted for the other blog -my side business with my friends.                 

...hello

i just wanted to check in & apologize for being MIA for so long... my lack of posting is due to a.) our camera is broke (we just don't have much luck with electronics grrr)  & b.) just not much to report. ....but i'll give a little update anyway. sweety girl is now a kindergartner -at home- & things are already more of a challenge than i expected. we're so bad about being in a good routine, so that doesn't help, but actually teaching this girl is not always going smoothly. she's extremely bright but just seems to have a bit of a block when it comes to letters & words. i don't know if it's stubbornness or that she just isn't getting it yet. we're persevering though. ....little man is still working on the potty training, but we'll have a good day followed by 2 or 3 frustrating ones, but i don't expect these things to happen quickly so it's ok. he has a new word though! it goes like this:  "dehr-CHTT!"  did you get that? it means "truck", of course :)  ...i want to get back in sewing mode & make sweety girl some dresses & little zipper pouches for school, among other things, but can't get into that mode yet. i have been working on some water color projects, though, that i'll post soon. ....also want to motivate myself to get out & get my fall garden planted, (which first involves tearing out the scorched overgrowth & weeds weeds weeds from the summer garden) but the weather is just starting to turn, so soon it will be cool enough to want to be out again.   ok. i'll stop there. see, i told you it wasn't exciting ;)  just wanted to give a little shout ...out there.

peek at a project

here's a little something i'm working on --i'll show the whole thing when i get to a scanner... (i've never done birds before, but i'm kinda lovin these little finches!) ...

happy place (this qualifies)

 um... amy butler does wallpaper now. i want some. any of it. 

 

someone's potty training!!

i've heard boys are notoriously tough to train, so i've been expecting the worse. but here he is, a month shy of two, and he's being easy peasy. we're just being very relaxed about it & keeping it fun. the baby sign for "potty" is a tremendous help, as he's not real big on the spoken word. in fact, this boy's been a little ahead on everything but talking. he says 3 words: mama!, bye bye & dad. oh well ...i heard a rumor once that einstien didn't talk til he was five. but don't quote me on that :)      

We Made a Wedding Cake!!

We had a "little" job this weekend. It shouldn't have taken too long, but since we're not too experienced with cakes just yet, we really took our time. But it turned out just lovely & we got a taste for so many other things we want to try! Of course we make everything from scratch & always the best ingredients. This buttercream is to die for -so luxurious & not as intimidating as I had thought. All said, it was a great experience --even if we're new at something, we really take our time at it till we get it right. Can't wait to get more orders & chances to perfect this sweet artform :)

happy place!

i'm calling this new installment "happy place" --absolutely anything that is so funny, adorable or ingenius that i just have to pass it on. this video has to be the cutest kid in the universe -for real. i almost don't need to read the story, just watching her & listening is amazing ( "cro-co-dile" :) (but the story is too cool also.) ...& i think she should play audrey tautou's child double in her next film ;)               and this one just made me crack up....  aren't we lucky our kids don't remember much for the first few years...?                                                                                                                                                   

Fairie Tree

We come to this park to play all the time ...and still one day I noticed this tree for the first time. It's a beautiful tree, though seemingly average. But look closer ...           

                      Isn't this just where you'd be if you were a little critter or, say, a fairie? (At this point I do apologize that my photos don't do it justice.)      

    .....I took a watercolor class when I was 16. Nothing against the teacher, but she was very conventional in her view of what was acceptable. She was only interested in teaching the proper technique, not in  translation from the eye of the artist, & certainly not in breaking "the rules" a bit. The feeling i was left with was that watercolor was a very touchy & difficult media and that I just wasn't good enough. Isn't that a shame to feel that way about anything you're interested in? Especially when someone else has unwittingly caused you to doubt yourself? It's taken me 16 years to pick up a watercolor brush again & I'm having so much fun! I may not be very good from a conventional point of view but I'm discovering my own style. ..So please never let yourself or someone else tell you you wouldn't be good at something you'd like to try --do it for yourself & enjoy it :)           

                                                      oooooooo! DUCKS!

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS!!!

 (All sweet, generous, wonderful crafters...)

This is the wee beginnings of something that could be beautiful :)   Here's the story: My sister-in-law has a dear sweet little girl named Magnolia (she's known as Nola.) Due to severe mecomium aspiration at birth, Nola was left severely mentally & physically disabled. My sis-in-law is in her early twenties and has found herself the single mom of this dear child, now three years old. She is such an amazing mom! She sacrafices everything for that baby and her only goal in life is to make Nola happy & comfortable. But as you can imagine, after the stress & exhaustion of doing this for the last few years and without near enough financial help, this little family is in dire need of some support. So Nola's grandma, aunt & I are starting "Knitting For Nola", a community for crafters & anyone who can help in any way. Any little way you can help would be wonderful. We are mainly asking for handmade crafts of any kind that could be sold, the profits of which will go completely to Nola's care. Please read a little more here & I will be adding more soon on both blogs. I really look forward to hearing from all you out there with any thoughts & ideas. Thankyou for reading this!!! 

a little sneak peak

... at a just-for-fun project i'm working on.

Dinner Party

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             We had a lovely little dinner party last night for some friends that just had their one year anniversary.  Three good friends & I have a business doing dessert catering (it's still in it's infancy), so we love any excuse to play & work in the kitchen & try new things.   All the food was wonderful ...I have been craving salmon mousse forever & was waiting for an excuse to try making it. This recipe was so easy & super tasty! Serve it with dill & capers & it's amazing.                Awesome mojitos my brother made- with fresh mint & sugar on the rim -yum!      These goat cheese, tomato & basil tarts on parmesan crust (once again from this yummy blog) were to die for!       Julie made tasty summer squash soup with lemon creme fraiche & garden chives...                            & Sara made this heavenly chocolate cake with caramel & rich chocolate ganache. She had to put it together in a hurry & in a hot kitchen, but did a great job. We decorated it with fresh flowers.    The cookies are my mom's secret recipe "Lottie's"' named after her grandma. They are the most addictive little almond cookies you will ever have. I get requests from my hubby & the rest of the family for these all the time!   ...Very nice evening with some family & friends  :)