Two pieces selected for publication!!

In early January I received an email from Amanda Belle Nolan (Managing Editor of Sew Somerset and more) saying she would love to see another contribution from me to Sew Somerset. So I gathered up two projects and some ATC's that fit the guidelines and mailed them off. Yesterday I was notified that two projects had been accepted for publication!! I was thrilled, to say the least!!!! WOO HOO!!

I am only going to give you some hints. You will have to wait until June when the next issue of Sew Somerset appears. Wait and see!!

First hint:

Second hint:

February Card Class

Once a month I attend a card making class given by a Stampin' Up distributor. The ladies are nice and friendly and it is an enjoyable time. Here are the cards we did this month.

I liked all three of them. In fact, I plan to use two of them in the near future.

Another finished piece.

I did another springtime piece. I honestly wasn't that "in love" with the one I posted yesterday called "A rose is a rose." Now, Lindsey left me a comment yesterday that she really liked that one the best. Hmm! Now I am questioning how "out of love" I am with "A rose is a rose." So I called Mystic Paper (more input). Kim pulled up the blog on her computer and gathered Ellen and Jennifer over to look at it. All three of them liked it a lot! Hmm! Now what??

On the "Babies tea party" I was taken with the tiny imps or fairies that are in the Crafty Secrets cotton scrap. There are four of them. Three are visible in this photo and the fourth one is hiding under the fabric rose. Can you find them??

So, you, the readers, can help. Please leave comments as to which one of these pieces you like the best -- "A rose is a rose" or "Babies tea party." Let me know what you think. I am going to take all four pieces up to Mystic Paper later in the week and set up a date(s) to teach these.

As promised yesterday

Here is the third piece that I finished today. Once again I used a Crafty Secrets Cotton Scraps for the picture of the roses. More gluing on this project, but still most is sewn on.

My Artistic Side -- One Year Old!

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my blog. Somehow that fact escaped me until this morning. I had even noted it on my desk calendar, but didn't read it.

This morning I was reading through the latest volume of "Artful Blogging" published by Stampington & Co. After reading several stories in there, my mind started to whirl. Just exactly what did I mean by "My Artistic Side"? How did I arrive at that name for my blog. To celebrate the one year anniversary I decided to share some thoughts with you about my artistic side.

Ever since I was a child I loved coloring, drawing, creating things in art class at school, and sewing. My grandmother taught me to sew by hand. She lived a block away from our home in Los Angeles -- yes, I grew up in Southern California. I created doll clothes for my dolls from scraps that my grandmother gave me. Then I took a home ec class in junior high school and that class sharpened my sewing skills.

I have dabbled in a lot of crafts. My mother, my grandmother and my husband all told me I had an artistic side and that I could do most anything I put my mind to do. Well, that's true! Over the years I learned to crochet, quilt, cross-stitch, needlepoint, crewel, decopage, and spent over 10 years at tole and decorative painting. For some I took classes and others I am self-taught. All these were accomplished while I was a stay-at-home mom for my two sons.

After I returned to work full time in 1992, I pretty much let my artistic side go dormant. After we "retired" here to Arizona in 2001, we traveled, I had my antique and collectibles booths, and then the world collapsed when my husband was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2003 and my sister was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2004.

Since my husband passed in late 2004, I have been awash in taking over his duties (as well as grieving over his loss and a year later the loss of my beloved sister, Jan). All of this has meant taking over the bookkeeping and bill paying, the house and yard when things aren't working, my car (and buying a new one), etc. All those things he took care of for 36-plus years. Getting my life under control took nearly 3 years.

My really good friend, Kim of Mystic Paper, was my saving angel. She encouraged me to try scrapbooking in her fledgling shop in Mesa. That was a turning point. Then she encouraged me to submit some of my work to Stampington & Co. Then she encouraged me to start a blog -- everyone has one, check it out, try it! Kim is my biggest fan and supporter. If she hadn't turned on my artistic side, I am not sure I would have made it this far in getting on with the rest of my life.

I now have everything "under control" here at home (except the stash of finds that occupies my 3-car garage!) and can devote the time and energy to working on my artistic side. I love to create! Once I start a project I cannot stop until it is finished! I get caught up in it. It takes over my day. Sometimes I forget to eat. I don't want to stop! My creativity seems to flow, ideas grow, and stopping is not an option when that happens. Letting it flow is a great "high"!

This is how "My Artistic Side" came about. Hope you enjoyed the story. I know there are a lot of you out there who read my blog and some have started to leave comments. I love reading your comments! Keep them coming!

I went missing again . . .

Sorry about that! I moved one of my antique/collectibles booths to a new space. That took several days -- and thank goodness I had the time and was not rushed to get out of my old booth. All is well now, and I have kept my calendar pretty clear for the rest of this week! Whew!! Here's a look at what I was up to today -- class pieces!

This little mixed media collage measures 6"x6". I love the little birds on the branch. Those are from Crafty Secrets Cotton Scraps Feathered Friends. I love this product from Crafty Secrets. A small amount of glue of glue was used, but most is sewn down.Another Feathered Friends from Crafty Secrets. Here, too, most items are sewn down. All the laces and fabrics are bits from my stash. Background paper from Anna Corba.

There will be one more but it is still under construction. Tomorrow's blog will feature it. I hope to teach the class in April at Mystic Paper. All pieces will hang from those cute laundry hangers that everyone loves!

Little Sisters in White

Aren't these little sisters just sweet?? They must be dressed up in their finest for this photo session. See their dresses -- just the same. They have their purses with them. Can you see the lockets??

What was this used for??

I found this cute chick in a box of old sewing notions. It isn't very big. About 3" across and almost 2" high. It is crocheted with pink yarn. The multi-colored comb is crocheted with multi-colored crochet thread. A pink sequin eye with a white bead center completes the eye. He is looking back towards his tail.I have no idea what this was created for. The gal I bought it from didn't have any suggestions either.See? The bottom is open and it would maybe fit over the top of a medicine bottle. But is that what is was used for?? It is too small to cover an egg -- maybe a Cadbury egg (yum!).

Do you have any ideas?? Let me know! Leave a comment.

Weekend Finds

I have been out shopping for my antique/collectibles booths this weekend. Here are some of my great finds:

I absolutely love the lamp with that really cool shade! The lamp is old and that shade is just wonderful! Also found a vintage picture hat, gold lame gloves with rhinestone buttons, an orphan chocolate cup and a very pretty sugar bowl that is hand painted.

As you can see there are lots of smalls that I picked up this weekend. Most are priced and will be put out for sale in my booths at Merchant Square.I also found this opera book -- $1. It has a nice blue cover but the spine cover is missing. Inside are stories and pictures of famous operatic stars -- none of which I recognize! I am not an opera fan!

This will give you a glimpse inside the opera book. Think I will decorate the cover and sell this, too.
Here are a lot of handwritten letters, ledgers, a ticket and a small tintype that was found today at a flea market. Lots of this will end up in art work.

A New Book

This latest book by Lynne Perrella is pure eye candy!! I love her work and this book is no exception!

Are you a collector?? How long have you been collecting?? Well, I have collected for years! Still collect. Still sort. Still put it in boxes or plastic bags. It's the hunt and then the admiring what I uncovered. Nothing beats finding that perfect piece or little treasure hidden in something!

This book is absolutely beautiful! I love the various collections and the way the artists have incorporated them into their work as well as how they store the collections. Makes me feel badly because all of my bitty bits are not stored nearly as well! I can find them, but it may take a while!

Anyhow, if you see this in a book store, take a look at it! It's wonderful!

It's Friday!

A sunrise surprise! I stepped out of the garage to put out some mail and get the paper. This is what I saw! Very pretty! Phoenix is finally going to get back to seasonal temperature today. It has been really cool lately, but we don't mind!

Take It Easy!

This is my ATC for Friday's LIVE swap at Mystic Paper. The theme was love songs. You may not think that "Take It Easy" is a love song, but it is! And I love the Eagles! See you tomorrow evening! Be there!

Gypsy Soul

Ah! Another mixed media book finished -- almost. Got two more pages to junk up!

This is the cover. Used dark red toile fabric and stitched it to canvas paper and muslin. Don't you love the gypsy jewelry??

Gypsies love to dance, love their finery, love music and tell fortunes. These collages were a lot of fun to do. Lots of layers giving plenty of depth.

A class?? Don't know! Am considering it for submission to Sew Somerset. This class would be a lot of fun. Got a lot of stuff in my stash that lends itself to gypsies.

Latest project -- A Gentle Lady's Keepsake

I love to combine sewing in my art work. So I have been working on this hankie book. Sewing a hankie cover, adding inside pages, etc. and here is the finished product (almost). I say almost because if I teach this as a class, the final touches will be added later. Love the combination of aqua and pink.Here's a peek inside. That's all for now.

Time for a glass of wine, read the paper, and open the mail. Planning to curl up with a good movie this evening. Been working on this book and another one that is called "Gypsy Soul" (more on that later) most of yesterday and all of today. Only went out to go to the health club to work out.