the FIRE

There is a huge fire up near Los Alamos........

It went from 0 to 4000 acres in one night and the next night was up to 40,000 acres (!!!!!)

It is now up to almost 70,000 acres and threatening the nuclear labs and waste areas near the National Lab. It is less than an hour driving from here, but much closer as the crow flies.

There is a mandatory evacuation, at this time, for Los Alamos and surrounding areas. The National Forest and Monuments have been closed, as has the Lab.

This photo is beautiful, in a terrifying way.

From our driveway last night, this is the sunset as seen through the fire..

Pray for Rain.....really........

Almost Ready for CAMP!

Here are the badges (iron-ons) for the

girls coming to the camp next week!!!!

From the top left we have:

ART, ARCHERY, DRAMA,

SWIMMING, FASHION DESIGN,

ORIENTEERING,

HIKING, SEWING, CANOEING,

STAR-GAZING, COOKING,

and YOGA

Can't decide which of the yoga images to use - I like the buddha

What ever they choose, I think the t-shirts will be fabulous!

We leave tomorrow morning at 7 am to drive up to Colorado.

The camp is rather south and east of Aspen, if you look at a map.

I am really looking forward to it.

EmBrOiDaBLeS

My friend Jami just sent these images of the new Fairy

embroidery patterns that will be available from

www.embroidables.com

pretty soon!

If you have the kind of sewing machine that can load discs

that will stitch all kinds of patterns,

then these will be available to you very soon!!

It is always fun when things I've designed actually come to fruition!

(aren't the phrases really FUN?!)

Have a great day!

xo

New Gate

Cullen built a new gate last weekend so that people can park their car in the drive and come in the gate instead of waiting for us to open the big gate across the drive.

But first, here is my first attempt at painting the new mailbox that Cullen also built.

I do NOT like what I have done here - yuk!'Guess I will have to re-paint it this coming weekend.

And, here is the GATE!

He did a very nice job - but I have to paint it, too.

Why is it that a "blank slate" is so tough?

Maybe I will wait til after Grayson and I get back from Colorado on the 27th.....

Lookin' for inspiration!

the tiny boat

I walked into Curiosa the other day....

.......and walked out with this:

I fell madly in love ( guess I do that a lot, don't I?)

Isn't this tiny boat the most delightful, charming HaPpY little boat you ever saw?

I am fascinated by how it rolls along the waves as you turn the little crank....

....simple pleasures......

J*O*Y

Finally found myself back in the studio this morning.

I had a great workout this morning and came home to finish up things that I have been thinking about for at least a week now......not quite knowing what to do with them.

It all came together and here are the results!

Shawna and I have a thing for stars...

*MaGiC*

(front and back)

made this little bouquet....I like how "real" it is

...and these "bird's eye view" shots are fun!

makes them look so different...

...and much bigger than they really are...

Hope you are inspired today, too...

xoxo

Bryce #18

Eighteen years ago today, I gave birth to Bryce Carlson Hallmark.

Actually, he was Hunter Carlson first.....but he really didn't look like "Hunter"...

.....so we changed it.

This was his first (and only) birthday cake with ONE candle on it.....which he did blow out,

with the help of his brother, Forrest (age 3 1/2)

moments after birth

(I looked pretty good!)

it was just one and 1/2 hours of labor (!!!!!)

11 months old

climbing under "the table" at Nora's

(all three boys climbed under that table...)

This was Brycie's first taste of birthday cake - he really liked it!

He also made a HUGE mess - on the table and on his face!

Guess that is what first birthdays are supposed to be.

Looking through the photos this morning wasn't so easy, though they did make me smile a LOT! It has gone so quickly

....and now Grayson is 16, as of three days ago.

And Brycie would be 18 (!!!) and Forrest - 21!

Hard to believe it all.....

I'm In Love - again

Yesterday, I received a little box in the mail.

When I opened it, this lovely toadstool hopped right out onto the table!

Imagine my surprise!

...and inside this delightful little group of gnomes!

I am spoiled rotten by such loving and generous friends.

Charlotte, what a wonderful and perfect surprise!

Thank you so very much for this little treasure.

It (they?) has/have already moved to the mantel (sp?) and seems quite happy there.

What a treat......

Strike-Offs

They arrived this morning!

These are the first images of my new fabric line that is going to be available in September (!)

The name of it is "Believe" and it is with "blend" fabrics out of Atlanta, GA.

There are 9 patterns in each color-way and I can hardly wait!!!!!

PINK

GREEN

YELLOW

There are a few little "tweeks" on the colors, but for the most part, the line will look a lot like it does here - yippee!!!!