March Auction and Good Mail

I have my bid in on this month's Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Auction, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  There is always something exciting about an auction!  Especially an auction where the profits are dedicated to funding research for this awful disease.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I'd won a give-away.  Well, my package arrived yesterday!  Oh, the lovely things I received from The Warp and the Weft!  Now, I have to put my mind to making something with them!

 So many goodies!  Tags and papers and ephemera all wrapped in beautiful toile tissue!

 This is evidently a new line from Jolee's Boutique for French General.

Yesterday, I ran errands all morning, spending most of my time at Michael's and the grocery store because all the other errands were quick ones, except for the one I looked forward to the most, the library-- which was CLOSED!

I had intended to check out a bag full of mysteries to read in between all of the nonfiction.  I needed a fix.  Frustrated.  So when I got home, I downloaded The Snowman by Jo Nesbo on my Kindle.  And read the entire book.  Which was, as usual, far-fetched and graphic; but I continue to read Nesbo because I love Inspector Harry Hole.  Those Scandinavians have dark imaginations for a country that looks so bright and cheerful.

Not a stitch taken all day!  And I was supposed to finish the latest prayer flag using the running stitch.  Did not happen.

Maybe I'll get it done today.

What does your weekend look like?

Two New Prayer Flags

Joy is a series of paisley leaves.  In life, the appearance of spring leaves on the trees provides a joyful experience denoting the end of winter, in summer there is the joy of watching the leaves move in the wind or dapple the ground with shade, and in fall, the joy and wonder of the leaves turning all the various shades and colors, in the leafy piles, in the sight and rustling sound of leaves blown across a path.

Explore has an eco dyed scrap that I embroidered with running stitches in the fall, then attached to the flag.  I then added chain stitches over the other stitches.  Bad photo.

I've finally reviewed Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick over at A Garden Carried in the Pocket.  Geez, I love his language; although I could hope for a happier story, it is so beautifully written.

Continuing to read my books of essays, a little at a time.  A Dyer's Hand by Auden is a re-read, A Common Reader by Virginia Woolf is new to me, as is A Visit to Vanity Fair by Alan Jacobs.  No hurry to any of these, an essay here, an essay there.  None of the compulsion of my mysteries --which I've been trying to wean myself from temporarily.

Oh, and I won a give-away which I will share with you when it arrives!  I'm very excited about this because I love winning anything and this one will fit so well into my various crafty projects.

Good mail: Yesterday my sign from Goldiloo's Etsy Shop arrived!  Love it.  Can't wait to put it up!  I might have to order another one of her signs--she has a-plenty.

Tuesday...

I won two free prints and three magnets from Mariette Heb's Etsy shop!  Because we have our Triad of cats, the cat print and magnets are our favorites.  :)  Bad as our Triad can be, their personalities cannot be denied.  Thanks so much, Marie!

Vist Mariette's blog - Mixed Media - Leap of Faith

I LOVE that stretched out paw.  So Edgar in a commanding mode.

Bryce Eleanor came Sunday afternoon to visit and spent the night.

 She is quite the chatterbox now, and we had a several interesting conversations.  She even does knock-knock jokes--only one was a tried and true favorite, the rest were created on the spot and were funny just because they made no sense at all.

We took a long walk and gathered lots of leaves and acorns, had any number of picnics in which she spread all the little quilts out, drew pictures, played with her ponies, etc.  She wants to be a snow bat for Christmas.  Think she has some residual Halloween thoughts mixed in with anticipation for Christmas.


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Lately, I confront a new difficulty with Blogger or Facebook at least once a day.  A change that I don't understand or some weird anomaly appears out of nowhere.  This morning, my "new post" screen was about 1/3 the normal size.

 How did this happen?  How to fix it?  I hate spending time trying to figure things out and have had to do just that so frequently in the last couple of weeks. This one is some kind of maximize/minimize feature that appears without my deliberately employing it.

:)  We will be leaving for Baton Rouge tomorrow to see Erin, Mila, and Max!  Erin is hosting Thanksgiving this year, and we are looking forward to seeing the kids.  Amelia will be spending Thanksgiving with Chris' family in Jacksonville, Florida.

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving Week.

This and That

I've been busy lately, playing catch-up on some things and prepare-for on others.  

Good Things:

*Amelia and Emily had a tea party for little girls.

*This was my Note from the Universe today:


Baby souls follow.

Young souls lead.

But old souls, Jen, are happy to dance alone.

Not that I'm spying on you,
    The Universe



I love that!  So often my "notes" make me smile and lift my mood.  And this old soul is in a dancing mood!

*Because to go along with my note form the universe, I won some products from Eucalan, who make non-toxic, biodegradable, phosphate free, no-rinse laundry detergent.  The Give-Away was over at The Magic Bean, and Colleen uses Eucalan to wash and block hand knits, for felting,  for treating printer ready fabric, and to soak dyed fabrics.  Thanks, Colleen!


Do check out Colleen's blog for all kinds of crafty goodness!


*I'm reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit).  My SIL and brother read it and loved and graciously loaned me their copy.  It is the story of Louie Zamperini,  a champion runner who ran in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and hoped to win a gold in the 1940 Olympics.  WWII interfered, Louie enlisted.   What he and other POWs endured is a tribute to the endurance of the human spirit.

 
Have a great weekend!

Guardian Drawing

There were 13 entries and the Random Number Generator came up with #7:    The winner is Kim! I'll need your address and will get her in the mail as soon as possible.  Hope you like her!

The largest Guardian I made is 12 1/2 inches; this one is only 5 ", but she is a sweetie.
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Finished the light fixture girl today.

  I like her messy red hair in the turban.  I love using the two light fixture parts that I picked up in a couple of junk runs.  Here she is in one of her earliest incarnations;  the two fixtures are taped together while I tried to decide what she might wear.

 It took a while (over 2 months) to get her finished, but I'm pleased with her.  She waited patiently as I ignored her for other projects, but she finally got her turn! 

The fabric beads on wire make her arms flexible, so she can pose more easily. She looks a little medieval, I think.  Love the richness of the quilted skirt.

Monday Musings

I've been able to find a little time for the studio this morning, but so many ideas have kind of stalled.  I did gather and attach the quilted skirt to the light fixture girl who has been waiting impatiently, but that is about all.

I used fabric that I'd discharged several years ago, quilted with a variegated thread, then with a metallic copper thread, and then beaded.  All that effort and the neither kind of bead really shows up much, but they do give a nice texture.

Tonight, after yoga, I'll do the drawing for the little guardian.  The one on this blog and the one on my book blog.  I haven't forgotten!

 Haven't put a tree up yet.  Since The Triad climb the artificial palm, they are going to be a problem when it comes to a tree.  Must get a refill for SssCat!!!  Love this product. 

Lots to Share!

Here is a tutorial for the cutest needle felted snowmen ever! (found via The Magic Bean)

I love these and haven't done any needle felting for a while.  Where's my wool?


 In the Wishing Wood has the most adorable bunnycoats!    Visit her Etsy shop for details.  I love the shape and imagination in these precious coats.

Just Something I Made has great images and ideas.  I think I need this EPHEMERA label!

Michelle Palmer has the most enchanting little designs on baby clothes, doll clothes, cards, and doilies and is offering this lovely journal as a give away..

 Visit her Etsy shop for more of her hand drawn beauties!

Craftily Ever After has a tutorial for the cutest pasta angels you have ever seen.  I'm not kidding, you would never know these little angels had anything to to do with pasta.

And...


Don't for get to check my Give Away on this previous post.  I love the little guardians; working on them was such fun, and this one needs a new home.

Guardian Give Away

I'm finished with all of the guardians and will be giving this one little one away on this blog (and another one on my book blog).  All you have to do is leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win.  Neither you nor I have the time to do all of the multiple entry (comment on Facebook, Twitter, Become a Follower, etc.) rigmarole.  Things are already busy enough!  I'll use the Random Number Generator on Dec. 6 to select the winner.

She is a tiny thing--only 5 inches tall.   Good luck!  Oh, and be sure that I have a way to get in touch with you if you do win, so I can get your address!