...blogging

Sometimes...life is just so full of great stuff to do that blogging goes by the way side.  My brother mentioned to me on the phone this evening that I've been absent.

I made him laugh when I told him that upon over hearing a conversation this week about grocery shopping for a big dinner... I was suddenly very aware of the fact that they were not talking about Thanksgiving but Christmas!!  For heavens sake, when was turkey day?? 
I'm not totally out of touch, I do have our little tree up and Brad has been joyfully adding to our little train layout.  Last night he worked for hours adding more color to the rocky landscape and glistening snow.  Tonight a trestle.  I'm hoping to film it and put it up here for all to see. 
Soon you'll get a peek at the newest Christmas art...but first I have to mail it out to family. 
For now, enjoy my silly reindeer.  Happy Christmas!

....this week

What a rough week....my Mac decided it no longer wants to turn on.  I push the button, the light faintly glows under my finger and goes out...then it won't even glow if pushed again.  I may haul it down to some HappyMac people I was told about to see if they can breath life back into it once more. 
Presently, I have had to convert to my sons PC.  I'm thrilled to have an option but really miss my Mac.  It's sort of like waking up in a different house, nothing is where you left it. 
A funny thing that happened this week...I was changing the water jug at work...muscling those jugs is a comedy act for me...it started to get away from me so I quickly dumped it on the despenser.  Whew, put my hands up in the air to declare victory and heard a clunk....my rings!  How?  It's still a mystery but there they were inside the despenser.  Needless to say, I've drank a lot of water this week and today was able to remove the jug and rescue my rings.  And no, I did not put a new jug on...rings off next time. 

The Wedding...

Looks like it is time for me to change up my short bio....I have two children, one now married to an amazing son-in-law and the other now driving and soon to graduate high school!  Life in the fast lane! 
The wedding was amazing, location, crew, wedding party, family, food, flowers, the weather even cooperated.  The bride was so very beautiful and the groom so very handsome.
Seeing family I've not seen in too many years, the 'OH' look on my face as my son remained on the task of escorting me was the reaction to seeing my cousins all grown up and looking just as surprised to see me! (all silver) 
I now have new family through this magical union of two equally amazing kindred spirits.  
What a day it was and what a wonderful new life of opportunities and friendships this has opened up for all of us to share in. 

....for my Mom

somebody is having a birthday today....

....today, my sweet 'mom-in-law' turned 80!  She didn't want anyone to know...but was fine by tonight when I arrived with cake and candles after work.  Above is our pup Chance, who worships the ground Gramma walks on.  So this was her card today.  His favorite toy is a ball with feet that he talks to often. 

It's a busy month for us. as they are moving to Florida shortly.  My daughter's wedding is in two weeks and there are a plethora of birthdays, including two on the day of the wedding.  I'll be drawing up a storm!  My sweet Mom's is this Saturday. 

Everyone have a great month.  I'll come up for air after Thanksgiving!

Finished!

...my daughters lace bridal shawl. I knit this out of cobweb weight yarn from Scotland. Her Grandmother brought it back for me when she was just little as I knew someday I would do this for her. It's light as a feather! Can't wait to see it draped over her shoulders.

Lists....

...the best thing about a list....crossing things off of it!

I've been working tirelessly on a cobweb weight lace shawl for my daughters wedding...I bound off the last row this past evening and will finish the edging today.

I've thoroughly enjoyed working on it but will definitely be relieved to place it into a gift box shortly. When I figure out how to photograph it to it's best advantage, I'll post a picture for all to see.
Hope everyone is having a great start to their week,

Thursday....

what I want to do....what I 'should' be doing...tonight, I played with my computer and one of my line drawings....

Life....

can be too busy. I can not believe I haven't posted in over a month! And I really don't have time to be sitting here tonight but am blown away that I've been so remiss.
I can say...I have finished a big commission project, delivered and was paid. Woohoo! I'm almost finished with another and have been steadily adding to the length of my daughters lace bridal shawl that I'm knitting.
Something new for you to go explore...I've not been totally remiss...go check out this website. ArtBizBlog.com It's a great read and you can sign up for her newsletter as well. At ArtBizCoach.com Some of us need a pinch to get moving at times.
Have a great holiday weekend.

Line Art....

...finished

I've a goal...many actually but the present one is to finish several projects that I've left to rest long enough. When I was publishing my designs...there was no resting, the deadlines loomed over me heavily. I've enjoyed not having them but it's time to give them back to myself...self motivation. It feels really great. Hugs to moi!
Above is a small piece that only needed the outside border zipped up. I call it "Nest". Approximately 5.5" x 4.75", I've used silk floss, silk hand painted ribbon, thread made from soy and colorful brads that were a blast to discover. Nest will be available in my ArtFire studio this week...have to get it matted! Matt will be titled and signed. All copyrights reserved by me. This is an original one of a kind needle art piece.

Dreams...

Blog Award...

... what an honor to be awarded by a fellow artisan. ColtPixy.com awarded this to me and several others, check out her blog so you can then click on all the great blogs she's stumbled across. I've also been tagged by LibertyDoll.blogspot.com. I'm going to list some favorite blogs of mine for you to go explore...then I'm supposed to list seven random facts about myself....we'll see how that goes. First some favorites...
5PreciousThings.blogspot.com (all the way from Scottland)
AllenCapoferri.blogspot.com (I can't seem to leave him a comment but love his art)
AndrewsReclaimed.blogspot.com (very cool bird, butterfly, bat houses)
ArtDollsbyNat.blogspot.com (random fact, I love handmade dolls)
Moonstone.tumblr.com (Moonstone.ArtFire.com an amazingly generous artisan)
ArtisticAbstraction.blogspot.com (another very cool, very colorful artist)
BeedeeBabee.blogspot.com (really pretty pieces you'll find here)
CatherinetteRings.blogspot.com (very cool Steampunk)
CottageGardenStudio.blogspot.com (namaste Sarah)
MichellePerkett.blogspot.com (she's a very whimsical artist)
JoyceStahl.blogspot.com (you have to go see her dolls, they'll make you giggle)
Kathleen-Coy.blogspot.com (you must go visit Cloud)
RainwolfStudios.blogspot.com (wish I could travel to all the places she's photographed)
ThatstheWaytheCupcakeCrumbles.blogspot.com (my niece! future pastry chef )
TheFairiesNest.blogspot.com (more amazing dolls..random fact, I love scifi fantasy books)
CarpeBiblio.com (my brother the bibliophile)
CeilingTrainKit.com (my other half...random fact...we have trains in almost every room here)
Whew...few other random facts...I'm quirky, colorful in my work, my hair started to turn silver at the tender age of ten, I could lay on the porch for hours watching for just one more shooting star, often hear myself wishing that sleep was not so important.
I'm hoping you'll all leave comments as you visit these blogs and let them know how wonderful they all are. Guess you can't do that with the .com's but they do have counters! Have a great week and enjoy doing a little internet exploring.

Movement II...

...Yes! I finished a new piece. I didn't quite stick to it as I said I wanted to in an earlier post but...I did finish...being distracted happens to be a huge part of my quirky nature. Go check it out in my ArtFire Studio, the above is just a portion of the bigger picture.
akimberlydesign.artfire.com