Christmas Past

Although I love Thanksgiving, I got to tell you I'm so looking forward to Christmas!!

I was going through some of my family photos and came across this sweet picture of my grandson. 

 It was his first Christmas last year,  

I can't wait to get this years Christmas picture.

He is so stinking cute, he's one of the best gifts I could have 

ever received.

It will be a quiet Christmas without him here this year, 

but he will be here for my New Year !!!

I so look forward to the many joys that Christmas brings and 

the adventure of a New Year.

I pray that you are all able to spend time with your families this Holiday Season!!

Fill each day with loving memories!!

x0x0x

Imagine my SURPRISE!!!

OK, this is how it all started out, got up late didn't sleep well, nothing new there, ate instant oatmeal again nothing new there.  Stepped into my studio to get a little updating work done on some of my favorite blogs.    No sooner had I sat down to get started my Honey comes in and want to know what  my plans are for the day?  

Well I give him a quick rundown of catching up on my blogging and networking, his exact words:

"So your going to be playing on the computer all morning."

Now I know those words could ruffle a few feathers, but then I stopped and thought, 

that's right my work is PLAY, 

how blessed am I!!!!

So no I didn't get ruffled and agreed to take a break to run a few errands with him.  

Of course I also had some conditions that needed to be met before I would agree to gracing him with my charming company.(ha ha)

My one and only condition was that he drop me at the book store, 

Barns and Nobles while he's dealing with the coin dealer(one of his errands).

So with much excitement in my heart we headed out to run errands.

Well do you think I got to the book store, 

NO!!

It was like he completely forgot and pulled straight into the coin shop.
 I didn't panic the book store was just across the street, I could walk, it's a beautiful fall day.

But as we got to the front of the coin shop he opened the door for me to enter and then waited to come in behind me.  

OK, I thought to myself just a peek a little moral support and then I was going to be off as fast as my little short legs could carry me.

Upon entering the coin shop I saw a bunch of boxes filled with old bottles. 

The sign read $1.00 each or a box of 12 for $5.00.

Well you don't have to be math major to know a deal when you see it.

How did they know how much I love old bottles.

So now with the book store on hold I sorted through the bottles, Honey bought me a box full.

With his transaction almost done it was time to prepare for my book store adventure once more.  

I was just getting ready to excuse myself and head across the street and leave the bottles for Honey to put away in the truck when my phone rang.

My son was on the other end sick as a dog with a migraine headache.

I know first hand the pains of migraines and it looks like my sweet boy had inherited them from me.

So it was off to help my little 21 year old to the doctor for a migraine shot.

There would be no book store today, no Somerset Magazine, no green tea latte. 

 Instead it looked like Instacare here we come, 

and that was alright, I'm a mom first a slacker later.

One hour later I'm back on my way home with sweet boy in tow,

who just got a shot for his migraine.

All of this and it was only 12:30 PM,

 and there was much more that needed to be done at home as well as keeping an eye on my sweet boy.

So after getting him settled I snuck into my studio for a little play time of my own.

I needed to finish drawing our family Christmas card get it painted, take pictures and start printing.

No sooner had I sat down and gotten all my art supplies out the door bell rang. 

Again, are you kidding me,

who could it be,

 what do they want and don't they know

 I'm trying to create!!

At the door stood our adorable lady mail carrier with a arm full of mail to big to fit in the mail slot.

Not a big distraction, I could handle this and get right back to creating.

As I took the mail into my arms and gave her a big "Thank You", I noticed in the pile of mail was two magazines, that's why the mail wouldn't fit in the slot.

I had already received my Southern Living and Country Living magazine for the month, so I knew it could be them.   

So just imagine my surprise when I flip over the magazine to get a better look and find this bright yellow paper staring back at me with the words:

Congratulations!

You've been published in 

Somerset Studio

Gallery

WOW!! I knew I was to be published but to have a free copy in my hot little hands was just about 

to much  to handle.

Now here's the real exciting part.

There was another magazine 

and another yellow paper.

Congratulations!

You've been published in 

SEW 

Somerset.

Hello pick me up off of the dinning room floor, 

I had no idea I was going to be published in this magazine as well.

What a day, the book store came to me,

 something like if you can't go to the mountain the mountain will come to you.

Thanks so much to all the wonderful folks over at

 Somerset Magazine

for making me a part of your magic!!

A big thanks to 

Jennifer Jackson,

Assistant Senior Managing editor 

and all of her crew over at 

Somerset Studio Gallery

and

SEW Somerset.

page out of SEW Somerset

That's me in the upper right hand corner, looks like I'm in amazing company.

A little closer look

I love seeing my name next to the title "ARTIST".

Two full pages in Somerset Studio Magazine.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Thanksgiving and Christmas came early!!!
x0x0x

http://www.stampington.com/sewsomerset/2012/sew_somerset_winter12.html

Hello Dolly!!!

Well just what have I been up to this past week?

Well I'll tell you or even better I'll show you!!

These are my girls, hand made from head to toe by little ol' me!!

I had a blast creating these little ladies.

The idea to make them came to me in a dream.  

Yup call me weird,

but that's exactly what happened.

These girls are the 3D version of my art girls that you see in my paintings.

This project was a stretch for me since I'm not a cloth doll maker,  

or should I say, I wasn't a cloth doll maker.

For starters it took me several attempts to figure how to get the  faces I wanted on fabric.

Through a little trial and error this is what I came up with:

From start to finish, and a lot of notes on what not to do next time.

I  didn't have a pattern for the head size so I just had to guess.

And as far as the bodies go, I also guessed. 

I was happy with the final pattern so I cut them out

and sewed them up.

As for the body fabric I used what ever I had on hand, 

prints and solids.

I chose to tea dye all of my fabric so I could get a vintage look.

After stuffing and stringing I attached the heads, 

my son said the girls looked like aliens.

I think he was right, at this point I was pretty worried about the final out come, 

but I had come this far to late to turn back.

So with courage in my heart I started on the hair, just some yarn.

Still a little alien looking!!

Be brave, follow your heART!!!

And with that pray said,  I stitched up some clothing for my little naked aliens.

Again I just used old scraps of fabric and some old skirts I was going to throw out.

I put a scarf on each of my girls and gave a couple of them a hat, 

much like so many of my paintings.

Here's one of my painted girls with a hat, scarf and a tweed jacket to boot!!

So with that in mind, this is what I came up with!!

little pill box hat,

tweed jacket, lacy scarf.

"Believe in your dreams and they may come true.
Believe in your self and they will come true."

Just like in my paintings I wanted each one of my girls to have a little

inspirational saying to share, so I stitched it on to their dresses.

raspberry beret

tweed jacket and lacy scarf.
"Live in the moment."

lacy shawl and scarf with a silk rose and bow.

"Life isn't about finding yourself, its about creating yourself."

And last but not least ...

My Blondie here has no saying on her skirt yet,
I'm working on what to have her say.
And as you can see again a tweed jacket with a soft scarf and a
bow in her hair.
I still need to paint the shoes on each of my girls,
I just ran out of black paint and have not got to the store yet.
(to busy sewing)

I sure hope you enjoyed my little ladies as much as I enjoyed making them
and sharing them with you.
They will be up for sale Dec 3rd and 4th
along with the rest of my art work
at the
"St. Ambrose Holiday Boutique."
2315 E.  Redondo Ave (1995 So)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Sat 10AM - 8PM
Sun 8AM - 2:30PM

Maybe I'll see some of you there!!!!!
x0x0x

Treasures of Oregon!!

Im back from the beautiful state of Oregon.  I had an amazing time with my family and also got a little treasure  hunting in as well.  I came across this sweet baby doll in this cute little shop called the 

"The fussy duck"

I just love everything about her, she just called to me and I had to answer.

I can't wait to get her cleaned up and a little outfit made for her.
I love her tin eyes that open and close and that sweet little smile.

I also got this great book of Hymns.

I'm going to use then to paper some of my trailers walls.

I just know "Tootsies, Painted Lady" will love it.

Maybe a little inappropriate to have Hymns in my brothel-chic decor
but then again what better place.

I was also able to snag a few little linens, at such great prices I couldn't pass them up.

When I see such beautifully stitched pieces I have to wonder about the talented
hands that did such sweet work.
I was even able to fit a trip to the beach into my visit.  I took about 200 pictures of the ocean(I'm not kidding)but was able to whittle it down to about 50.  I came up with just a few that I'd like to share.

I love this next set of pictures.
It's the start and finish of one wave.

I could have pulled up a lawn chair and sat on that beach all day, contemplating and solving
the great quesitons of life.
I don't know what it is about the Ocean it just calls to my soul.
I had a little visitor while I was contemplating, he seemed to understand
that I had a camera and this was moment to shine.

 I love his reflection!

I think he also loves his reflection!

I know this guy does, ha ha.  My son-in-law, Cole.

That morning before the beach I was able to fit a little fishing with Cole.  

And although I gave up after about 30 minutes he just kept on trying.  

We fished at the Salmon River, what a peaceful place.

This shot of the bridge just struck me as vintage.
It was like Mr. Bridge had just been sitting there just waiting for me to come along so he
could tell me his story.

I love all the moss that clings to all the trees in the area.

And of course I found my dream house while I was there.

or should I say another dream house.

So while Cole kept trying to land the elusive Salmon. 

I, on the other hand had something else on my mind,  Christmas Ornaments!!

Christmas Ornaments

 you maybe asking yourself, well you should know by now I never pass up the opportunity for a good craft project.  

I wanted to leave my family with a little prize for their Christmas Tree this year.

So although I wont be able to be there in person they can look upon these 

Ornaments I've made them and think of me, for I will surly be thinking of them.

One for each of them!!  

Inside these little dainty glass globs I put sand from the beach, 

some little shells and of course 

moss, along with some twigs.

All in all it was an AMAZING trip!!!

I had so much fun seeing what great adult my children have grown into.

It made me proud to be there mom!!!

I want to send out a big thanks to them all, for their hospitality and love.

You have all made me very happy!!

I LOVE YOU!!

x0x0x