I miss you....

I am missing a lot lately:

my studio ( I haven't been in my studio for a week), my computer(was sick and in the shop but now is home and fixed), the feel of Spring in the air ( it is cold and spitting snow today), but most of all I miss my dear neighbor Beulah!
Beulah was a beautiful lady, 96 years old, and has lived by herself for the last 30 years. She died Saturday morning of pneumonia. She was a joy to know and love. She liked to watch me work in my flower beds because she knew I would work on hers next. She enjoyed every flower that bloomed - especially the yellow rose. Her daughter-in-law (who lives in CA but visits twice a year) and I have become very good friends. When she would visit I would steal her away to my studio to play as often as possible. We share a love of creating and have taught one another many techniques through the years. Beulah loved my grandchildren and they loved her right back. She lived an amazing life - I will miss her deeply.

I will try to get back here more often.

Mastodon Art and Science Regional Fair

This is said to be the largest Art/Science Fair in the world. I have been an art judge for 13 years. I have judged 5th and 6th grade art for most of those years. I love young art - it is so real, so free, and so brave. This year my granddaughter , Reagan- 6 years old, entered a piece of Cave Art . I am so proud ! Good Job, Rea!!!!!

Books

Books, I love books- novels, art, children's, journals, dictionaries, soft cover, hard cover, spiral bound, hand bound - But... I hate paperbacks! The small ones. I read in bed before falling to sleep at night. Paperbacks are so hard to hold and the type seems to be getting smaller! ( That could just be my eyesight diminishing) I also love looking a shelf loaded with books, stacks of books, being in a book store surrounded with books. I think you get the picture.

Now my dilemma, I am think about getting a Kindel. Have you seen them? If not, go to Amazon and do a search. They are awesome! Thin, lightweight, so cool! You can download hundreds of books and read them when ever, where ever because this thing would fit in most any purse.

Paula, a friend of mine got one for Christmas. I really didn't think I would like it but she had it with her on our Ski trip - which by the way, was a very good trip! Now every time I pick up a book to read I think ohhhh, I think I would like a Kindel. Do any of you have one?

Charming...

Sally Jean I will never be, but these are so much fun! If you like soldering , Sally Jean Alexander has a fabulous book - Pretty Little Things.

I am looking forward to a Wonderful Ski trip to CO.

Will this be the year for a really wonderful trip?

Last year an ice storm arrived the morning of departure. We were knocked into the median of the interstate on the way to the airport. The jeep was badly scarred, rear fender was flapping but still drivable - on to the airport. Our flight was cancelled and rescheduled twice before we arrived - the day continued in the same manner. By 5:00pm the airport is completely shut down and we were on a flight the following morning. After several phone calls we found some hotel rooms at Harrah's. (We live 50 miles from the airport and we have a group of 8)

Before 10:00 pm our flight has been cancelled and rescheduled for not the next day but the day after next! We canceled this time and came home and put my jeep in the body shop.

This year we are taking Mike's truck to the airport.

I have many, many ski stories - Blizzards that forced us off the highway only to sit at a rest stop for 7 hours with 6 children and 5 adults (we used to drive from MO to CO 18 hours - straight through), Flat tires. Multiple ER visits, and oh, so many other things.

This year I am not skiing - I am going to read, shop, knit , and read some more.

It will be a wonderful ski trip!

I will let you know next week.

a bird and a house ...not a birdhouse

Some days I go to my studio fully intending to make something fabulous.
Some days that happens and some days it doesn't.
I like to keep small projects on hand for the days that I just want to be busy creating.
I just bought these cute little kits last week at www.smallstudioproductions.com
Ginny Smallenburg does a great job of keeping her offerings interesting, fresh and fun.
She also ships quickly. I have her blog listed - check it out.
The picture in the house is my Mother at age 2.
The egg in the bird is a small plastic egg I cut in half .
Now go to Ginny's 'Small Studio' and shop!

Happy Birthday!

Today is a very special Lady's birthday!

This is the necklace and earrings(not shown) I made for her using some charms she had given me from her stash of broken but 'dear to her' jewelry.

This is a blurred picture but I decided to post it anyway.

beads in a pod

Resin- book page-copper frame

copper bead pod

The weather has been nasty here but the sleet / snow is melting and the brown of winter is showing through now. The sun is shining and that is the best I can hope for during the month of February. February is my least favorite month of the year. I actually count off days in February - it also has the weirdest spelling! anyway, I made these copper pods - tough on the hands - I doubt I make anymore.

I also played with resin and pages from an old German book . I will do more of this technique.