Something new

This is the result that came from the collection of fabrics and such that were selected and displayed on the previous post:

Shoes are such a passion of mine, but who can afford all they would love to own? Not me. To help me with this dreadful deprivation I make my own versions and it seems to satisfy my weakness for buying shoes I could easily do without. If you love fast cars for example, and do not need one (who does?), just paint a depiction of one and before you know it, your mind will be elsewhere.

To the left is something I did need and that was a stamp with my info on it. I got this lovely item from lovetocreatestamps.etsy.com. I've been stamping everything that doesn't move!

Voila' !!

Isn't it amazing how something catches our eye and we want to make it tangible? Artists do that as a way of life. Here's what came of that fabric I showed in the previous post:

The painting is entitled Victorian Setting and has been added to my shop by my secretary. Okay, that's a big lie, I don't have a secretary, or a shipping department.......yet. ha!

And since it was raining, I made a little pouch out of the material which I can slip the painting into for shipping. I suppose there will be other uses for the pouch the new owner will discover.

Onto the next project! While watching a Christmas episode of the Vicar of Dibley, I got an idea for a dining room setting. I searched for some swatches and whatnot, mixed them all together to create a color scheme. This is the sketched canvas which is primed and ready for painting. And I can't wait!

See that little oval box at the bottom right hand corner? It's a tiny paper mache' box which I decorated, put in a tiny surprise and will include it with this painting when I post it on Etsy.

What is in the box? Think fortune cookies.

Ice Fishing Joy

I think I'm the only person I know who still is enjoying winter. I learned this from my dad. He also helped me not to dislike the smell of skunk as well as which mushrooms were edible and which ones were not. I loved his words whenever we parted company, "be careful and don't talk to any weird-os". He was serious. I regret that at times I didn't heed his advice. I suppose this advice would be the same as "don't take any wooden nickles",hmmm..I think the so called stimulus package may have a few of these in it, unfortunately. This photo is of my dad (at right) and his brother Erv. They are incredibaly happy because they were going ice fishing.

I'm not going ice fishing. I never did learn to like that. And, he never learned to like painting pictures. Though he did do a mean Howdy Doody.

Oh, and he loved Alfred Hitchcock's profile, but then, who doesn't, right?

I was going through my scraps of material the other day and thought what a

terrible shame it is that I don't make something earth shattering lovely with them. So, I decided to pick and choose which materials/colors would go nice together in a room decor. This grouping will be used for a color base on which to work from. I sketched an interior design with pencil on the canvas, then will select certain colors to match that of the materials.

I'll come up with something by golly.

Meanwhile, it's fun to goof around with these colors on photoshop. The first one is done in a sketch mode, the second wasn't altered. I decided I prefer the warmer tones, which luckily, are the actual colors.

Soooo, got that going for me.

It is only through the morning gate of the beautiful that you can penetrate into the realm of knowledge. That which we feel here as beauty we shall one day know as truth.

_Schiller

Live Each Season

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each

Henry David Thoreau

Winter will be passed, and then spring, and before you know it, winter again. Don't wish away your days spent inside keeping warm longing for the next season. Instead, make a quilt, read a book, discover something you've forgotten about, something way, way back in the attic. Let it take you to a memory, then perhaps, write a poem, a short story, paint a picture or share your recollection with another.

See the Blue Jay?

My new winter companion

Ta-Da!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My present from Santa: This new old looking thing has a radio, will play records and cds! The first one ordered came from California and didn't have a cd player (my bad, I ordered the wrong one). Let me tell ya, it's not cheap to send a big ole' thing like this back to California a week before Christmas, but we did. Luckily, my sister had stowed away all these old albums, some of which were our mom's. Listening to these albums was like peeking through a window into the past. Besides listening to old records and making jewelry art and painting, there isn't much more exciting news to release. However, when you consider all the stress you get from watching the news on television with all their exaggerations, fear tactics and down out big fat lies, it must be refreshing to read my blog. lolo!!!

State Parks are vital to sanity

Ahhhh!!! It's over. I loved it, every bit, but it's over and now my normal routine way of life is a major welcomed sight. After Christmas I think I sat in my lazy boy chair for about, oh say, 3 days. No, not three days, but for sure a good 8 hours!!

A few days after I went to a state park in our area, Quail Hollow, where I have gone for years and years to get back my sanity. So many good memories at this place.

There are trails galore and the herb garden is, I think, the largest in Ohio. The mansion, well, it's old and it has a beautiful personality! Here's some pics of the place. The sky was as blue as the air was cold. I about froze my fingers off taking these snaps.

A blessed New Year to all of you and a special congrats to our friends who just had their first grandchild and to my nephew's just-born yesterday, baby boy.

Life!

I have said, many, many times, if my home in Heaven is like Quail Hollow....that would be wonderful!

And, since I'll live for eternity, then there will be plenty of time to do all the upkeep for a home like this!

(Miss Ellie Mae in her smashing faux fur prancing about the grounds.

ooh! la! la!)