The Mightly Little Hummingbird and #mailart, #snailmail

We visited with Chris, Amelia, and Bryce Eleanor Tuesday night before Chris left for Georgia.  A hummingbird had flown into the window and was stunned and unmoving; hours later, it was alive, but still not moving.  That night, B.E. and Amelia tried feeding it, and finally did get it to eat a little sugar water, but it couldn't, or wouldn't, fly.  Wednesday afternoon,  B.E.  sent a text message that the tiny creature had successfully overcome the trauma and flown away!

Mail:  Finally, I'm beginning to catch up on the mail I owe!

Incoming

 

Outgoing

To Teresa & Ricky

To Hester

I still have a few letters to answer, and it is time to start thinking Halloween mail!  

The next postcards and envelopes will have some orange and black and spooky stuff.

Interesting:

Mysterious Postcards Sent to Chefs   (using old album covers)

Books/Reading: 

I'm not keeping up with reviews too well over at A Garden Carried in the Pocket, but I read and read during September.  In spite of the beginning of cooler weather, September was a month of "apathy attitude" in my world.  There are several reasons for this--it is a month that reminds me of lost loved ones, allergies make me unusually tired, the news is almost always distressing, and it all becomes a mash up of procrastination and mood swings and general torpor.  I've been coming out of it lately, but that means a lot of books still need to be reviewed.

I did review this one, and today I saw an article that made me think about it again:  Britney Spears Conservatorship Alludes to an Older Story of Controlling Women Artists.   

The article focuses on Claudine Claudel and her commitment to an asylum by her family.  It is a sad account of a woman whose rights were commandeered and who was locked away for 30 years.                                                                                                                                                                    Claudine's story  here.  

While Spears may have needed help, what she got was something entirely different, and probably entirely based on her financial benefit, not on her mental health.

The Mad Women's Ball reviewed here.  

Crafty:  little Halloween monsters

So Long, June

June has flown by.  

B.E. brought me some books to read when she visited last weekend.
The Warrior Cat series still reigns, but
 the Magnus Chase series is also high on her list.  :)
I appreciate that she wants me to read the same books she does,
but I do hope she is not in a hurry.

We had to customize some Pet Shop cats

into Warrior Cats.

Yahoo hijacked my search engine!  Not a way to  make me feel good about Yahoo.  

I think I'm in love with David Zinn...

I have some mail to take pictures of and post later.  My mailbox is happy.

Have a great pre-4th of July weekend!

Sunday Morning

And I thought I was the reader in the family!

B.E. came for a visit this weekend and brought her reading material.  She finished Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard yesterday.  She gave up on Paolini's Eldest, a bit much for a nine-year-old.  

Both B.E. and Mila have been fans of the Warrior Cats series for a long time.  She quizzed me about the names of some of the cats, and I admitted that I read only a couple of the books and so long ago that I couldn't remember their names off the top of my head.  (Yeah, I think I was previewing possible books for Mila at the time--because I don't normally read children's fiction...right?)  Anyway, she promised to bring me the first book in the first series, Dawn of the Clans, the next time she comes to visit so I can refresh my memory.

After breakfast this morning, we had breakfast dessert-- a Nutty Buddy each.  I should be ashamed, but sometimes the kid has such good ideas.

Ever walk into a room and forget the reason you entered? 

I hate it when that happens!  Saw this on Ronni Bennet's Time Goes By blog and it explained a lot of things!  Now, maybe I'll think a little harder before crossing a doorway.

Final Countdown to Halloween

I found this cartoon on Jackie Long's blog and had to smile!

Bryce Eleanor and Jonathan
proudly displaying their awards 
after the Academic Pep Rally.

I love B.E.'s new glasses.

Lately, I've been trying my hand at leaf stitching.

There are some beautiful examples across the blogosphere,

and I have been experimenting...

carefully.

Such a fragile surface.
I'm learning, but it is a slow process.

I love the green circles on the leaf  on the left

and tried a cut out for the one on the right.

(punched out a star, then 

added it back on in another position).

This is all new to me and so a lot of trial and error.
Playing with different needles and threads and number of strands.

The cut outs on the hibiscus leaf below were already there--
something was chomping on it.

This one tore even more easily.
Each stitch tended to rip a little.
I gave up on it, but am keeping it to watch it continue to dry.

I have more leaves in progress 
and more being pressed beneath books.

Outgoing Mail

Using a pic of one of the La Calavera Catrina dolls 
I made last year and Picmonkey, 
I played with one to see what would happen.

The pic I used below was before I added the skull necklace, 

but Picmonkey let me alter and add elements--

the spooky sky, the red rose, the text.

Then I added it to an envelope.

To Prim Paws

the back--using one of Naomi's stickers.

Reading

Yesterday, I met Amelia for lunch and then we went to St. Joseph's for their award ceremony and Halloween program.  Bryce Eleanor was to receive an award for reading, but she didn't know that. She asked her mother if she was coming to see the program, and Amelia said she wasn't sure if she could make it.  Since B.E. didn't know about the award, she was satisfied.

Of course, her proud mama, couldn't have been more delighted to know that the award was for reading and wouldn't have missed it.  Ellie, the blonde with the Pokemon, got first place and Bryce Eleanor got second place -- best friends and top readers for the entire second grade!  

:) And a proud grandma couldn't resist getting a picture with an award winner.

As an addicted reader, I couldn't be more pleased that all three of my grands enjoy reading.  Max may be even more committed than the girls!

Happy Halloween!

Monday

Last year, I worked on Halloween projects all summer long.  This year, not a new Halloween creature, witch, or doll so far!  And I have projects that have been sitting for more than 6 months; not necessarily Halloween creatures, just heads started in December or January.

I'm determined to get back to some creative activities, whether clay or fabric.  My addiction to reading has to be controlled, and actually making something has to get a re-start.  

After Suzie's visit, I looked through my stash and decided to order

some more crinkly seam binding from Bluebird Lane--scrumptious!  

The packaging is a pleasure in itself.

 Some shades of pink and some fall colors.

 And a little bonus gift.

Always love lagniappe!

Also ordered some more sari ribbon from Victorian Gypsy Girl.

Opened the ribbon up and pressed it --

lovely stuff!

Now, the challenge is to get up to the studio, decide on where to start, and get busy.

Bryce Eleanor beat me at two games of Go Fish Saturday on Saturday and one game of Concentration.  You might think I let her win, but no, I was cut-throat and still lost!  She takes after her mother with games.  

Sunday, though, I actually won ONE game, and I was hopping around and whooping like the aging idjit I am...at having one a game of Go Fish against a seven-year-old.  I should have been ashamed, but finally winning a game was too exciting!

August

Wow--another month has gone by without a post.  Mostly because I've done little in the studio, but also, perhaps because of mid-summer malaise.                

My best friend was up from New Orleans for ten days in late July and the first few days of August.  Friends since junior high (back when they had junior high), whenever we get together, we pick up almost as if we'd seen each other the day before.  

When she was available, we spent 4-6 hours at a time in the studio, playing with fabric and talking about everything.  Ahem, or outside with a glass of wine, discussing books, current events, and youthful memories.  It was, as always, wonderful!

We figured out a simple way to make a bag for her mother's walker, and she made this one from upholstery fabric on sale at Hancock's; the dowel just shows how it would drape over the front of a walker.  She wanted two large pockets--one faces her, the other sports the heart she added.  I should have taken pictures of it while it was laid out flat, but didn't think to at the time.  Velcro on the undersides keep it attached.

The side facing out is actually the side she wants to face her mother, so that the heart she applied would be a little secret.

We also played with creating lacy fabric from Solvy and my stash of threads and embroidery floss leftovers, which I keep in a little jar; made some pretty cords from yarn; and she made a pincushion for a friend.     

Bryce Eleanor plays with clay.

 

Amelia and Chris have take a little away weekend

and after Bryce Eleanor had breakfast this morning,

she said,

"Let's go upstairs,"

 in this little whispery voice.

Like it is a secret....

 Here she is working on a dragon.

Now, she is entertaining herself for a little while

and the dragon is sitting in the sun.

I started this lady in December

and have worked on her several times,

each time giving up because I didn't like her face.

Finally, last month, I repainted her for the LaSt TiMe.

Stuck a butterfly in her hair...

and I almost like her now after disliking her for months,

I  even started working on some clothing for her ungainly body.

Now, I'm off to check on the kid.

:)