Chance of FLURRIES???

I don't mind the snow... actually I really enjoy seeing the white stuff coming down in my yard. This winter, we've not had any just yet and so today it continued... the call for "flurries" by our weather man. Flurries? you mean inches in just a couple hours? When did they change the terminology?

I'm not complaining but it would be nice to actually know that it's coming!

Feeling The Need To Create....

A cleaner space that is! It's no wonder that I've not been making anything lately - just look at this mess!!! There are piles everywhere - I couldn't find a clean corner in this room unless I brought in a bulldozer. So, I've decided to get this mess cleaned up. While I'll never have the oh so beautiful "studio" look to my room that other artists have, I'm just a "dabbler" and it is my space and right now, it's intolerable! I keep complaining about it to all my blogger friends and mentioned posting pics of the room - June recommended that I go ahead and do it, air my "dirty little secret" rumor has it that I'm not the only one out here in this boat.. could that possibly be true?

So, here's the before shots of my room, please don't laugh or leave any meanie head comments - we've all got our quirks right? Mine just happens to be that I sometimes work better amid chaos, but it does reach a point that I just can't wait any longer and I need to clean it up. It also doesn't help that I'm a pack rat (first step, admit you have a problem :-)

Keep in mind, against the opposite wall there is another table and more stuff - it's a whole room full! Sure, I'd love to have one of those room makeovers - but they might make me throw stuff away!!!! Right now there are piles on the table, piles on the floor, and I'm even beginning to stack and shove things on the shelves around all my little organizational "tools" - not good! I've also got quite a bit of genealogy paperwork sitting about for various lines that I'm tracing right now and while I DO currently know what's in each of these piles, I'm going to take my own advice, posted here and do my best to get it organized in some manner while I'm still working on it... could be several days or weeks before you hear from me again!

"I'm going in!"

Where did I put that Craft Room? & Go get some Freebie Images from June

The holidays have wrecked my home so I'm still busily putting away and cleaning up and such. When I find my craft room and get the table cleared I hope to get back in here and use some of these beautiful images that June is giving away on her Art Freebies blog. You really must scoot on over there and check it out! The images are beautiful and she's even got backgrounds. You'll have a lot of catching up to do as she puts several images in each post.

Here's a link to June's Freebies site and while you're there, you should check out June's other blogs!

Enjoy!!!

A Toast to all my Blogger Friends

May you have a happy, healthy, prosperous 2009, and may your creativity never run dry

Happy New Year Everyone!

One Lovely Blog Award

I am so touched to receive the One Lovely Blog award for this blog. Many thanks to June, who is a special lady who makes lovely things and you can see her art at June's Arty Retreat, or at June's Crafty Tips - a site that I just LOVE for tips and tricks and trying new things! Thank you so much again June!

I will pass this on to 7 other blogs that in turn deserve this award for their hard work, beautiful art and the generosity of sharing themselves and their work in blogland. My nominees are:

The Kathryn Wheel
Paper Mischief
Magpie's Nest
Vintage Wil
Patties Art
Bits and Pieces
Rosie's ATC Exchange and other Arty Stuff

Because I'm "new around here" some of these bloggers will have never heard of me, but I visit their sites often and love looking at their work.

The rules are:
1. Add the logo to your blog.
2. Link to the person from whom you received this award.
3. Nominate 7 or more blogs.
4. Leave a message on their blog, letting them know they are “One Lovely Blog”!

Thanks again June! Look forward to sharing our art in 2009!

Just a bit of homespun

So I'm not one who sews often but I saw this ornament in a magazine a couple years ago and wanted to do some "relax" time on the couch - perfect opportunity to try something a bit different. It's two pieces of felt, cut into star shape (obviously) then a snowflake looking pattern on the front and blanket stitching around the sides. Two of these will go to friends this holiday.. one has already reached it's destination and I'm not sure the other will make it before the 25th but she'll know that my heart is in it :-)
Merry Christmas everyone!!!

An adopted doll!

Oh I'm so excited to post this doll! My friend Benjji who has recently taken up the art of creating Dotee dolls sent it to me. Although it's a bit larger than the average Dotee, it's a beauty, along with the others she's recently made. I'll post a photo of them all together - with her permission of course. Benjji - Thanks so much for letting your dolls visit my home and allowing me to adopt this one, I just love her!

If you're interested in making Dotee dolls, you should visit Dot's blog - she made the original "Dotee". I also understand that there is a template or pattern for making "Dotee like" dolls here. If you really like what you see, stop on over to YahooGroups and see the new group started recently by my friend Vicki from ATC_Connection. It's called Dotee_World - link here This is a members only group for trading ideas and swapping what else??? Dotee Dolls!!!

Goofy Yes, but fun at the time....

On a previous post I mentioned a 29 days of Giveaways going on at Art By Christi - lovies you must check it out! Anyway, one of the recent questions for our comments was "What is the most odd item within your reach right now". As I mentioned in my comment on her blog, my table is completely covered right now with mostly research papers and such BUT, if I looked around..... well, I found this. Yes, they're pin cushions that were made quite a few years ago, with the thought that we would sell them at a dinky little store near my mother's home. They were, at the time, the little whimsicle thing that someone who lives near the water (the area we were in) and loves to sew would just love to receive in their Christmas stocking..

Now I look at these things and think about the ton of fun we had making these, sitting at her kitchen table stiching away, making different creatures bodies and legs, and the 1.5 hour trip to the store and back to get the material. The shells we readily found in her front yard and the netting we also had on hand. We actually did sell some of them (and some at various yard sales and such we've had since) but as you can see, not everyone who sews enjoys a bit of whimsy in their world - we've got about a dozen left. There were green turtles also, but all of those sold.

I just wanted to share this strange but memory filled find with you.

Not Much Creation Lately

Ah the holidays! Busy days filled with shopping, cooking, decorating, oh and the usual housework that happens all year long... no time for creating right now! Not that my mind isn't swimming with ideas and overflowing with desire to come to my room and create something. But, alas this is all I've got to show for the last week, the blur of Christmas lights and ornaments and decorations that only come out for a month or so every year... I hope everyone is busily making their home merry & bright!!

Cindy

"29 Days of Giveaways"

In the true spirit of the season Art By Chrysti is having a 29 days of Giveaways at her blog. It's a wonderful read so please don't just skip to the comments. We can all gain something by looking at the world through the eyes of a child - all goodness and hope and love in one little being.

Click on the "29 Days of Giveaways" link above to visit her site.

Have a great day!

Mom's "Good" Dishes

Every Mom has a set right? I am the proud owner of my Mom's old "good" dishes. Dishes that she worked very hard to get so many years ago. Now, every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas, we use these old "good" dishes at my home. Mom gave them to me when she got new "good" dishes. The kids often ask the question - "where did they come from?" and comment on how pretty they are. I am very proud to tell them that they were painstakingly collected, piece by piece, week after week, at the local grocery till the set was complete - making sure not to miss an item, plates, cups, saucers, dessert plates, platters... you get the idea. These dishes mean a lot to me - they somehow signify the will of a woman who maybe couldn't get a new full "SET" of dishes but could certainly afford a few bucks a week to collect them. But can you imagine the time it took? THAT means something. But, these dishes mostly remind me of family holidays, all of us kids around the table and years later coming back with our own families, gathering around the same table and using the same "good dishes". Now, my kids will remember the story and recall holidays around the table using them and watching out for the plate that has a chip on the bottom, being careful not to use the cup that has the crack and the question that's asked every year... "What happened to the gravy boat?"

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day.
Cindy

Finally - Babe Number 4

I think I lost my muse for doing cards for about a week, but tonight I finally created Butterfly Babe #4. Again, using one of Tabby's fab backgrounds that she so generously donated to my stash (as if I don't have enough :-)