ta da!!

What a delightful, inspiring and energetic weekend it was.

"BELIEVE"

blend fabrics

International Quilt Market

Houston, Texas 2011

Here it is! My name on the wall and everything.

Charlotte Lyons, Kathy Mack and me

Gosh, I am so darn lucky to call these amazing ladies my friends

The celebration was GREAT!

(pink champagne and all!)

Anna was so generous with her compliments for everyone.

(Anna Griffin herself, that is)

I don't usually share photos of myself, but Kathy took these and I think they are pretty fun. They really capture the celebration in the air at the Friday night preview.

And, then there is Kate, who, with Anna, made the entire collection - ALL of the blend collections - come to life.

It was pretty cool to be a part of this launch

The booth was beautiful and the people were fantastic.

It was the perfect opportunity to meet some incredibly talented designers without the old feelings of insecurity.

Gosh, maybe I am finally growing up?

oh Boy! oh Boy!!

Qulit Market is just a week away and I just got a few samples of my fabric and ....

....wow....

The name of the collection is "Believe" because

I DO believe in fairies

I need to sit and do a little sewing this weekend so that I can make a few fun things from this fabric. I washed it all and am ready with scissors in hand to cut it up....oh boy!

I know that there are a couple of "Believe" quilts that will be on display in the booth, as well as lots of other wonderful things that are inspired by the collections of several talented artist pals of mine who are also a part of blend fabrics.

I have to pinch myself sometimes just to "believe" I am lucky enough to be a part of this group of talented, creative visionaries with Anna Griffin and Joe Spiegelberg at the helm.

If you are on your way to Houston next weekend for market, come by the booth (#1600-1606)

and meet all the amazing folks involved.....and grab a hug!

We'd LOVE to see you......

::::::::

by the way, you can contact Joe Spiegelberg by email: joe@blendfabrics.com

He'd be glad to talk to you about blend fabrics!

bird domes

Last week, before doing the "paint out" on Canyon Road, I made these four little "birdie" things for Curiosa. Good thing I got photos.....two of them sold - one the day of the paint-out and the other the day before.

"And love's path is really complicated"

"INSTINCT"

"There are no great mysteries to tell"

There was one other one, but the photo is not so great:

"Silence, a very curious sensation"

I am on a roll, I think, if I can find the time to do the things I am thinking about.....

xo

PAINT OUT

On Canyon Road in Santa Fe, there are LOTS of galleries. It is amazing the amount of art in this city. Today was the Annual Paint Out where artists make art "live" outside, in front of the galleries where they show their work. I was invited by my friend, Shawna, who has CURIOSA, to sit out front and make my art.....so I did.

So odd to see photos of myself since I am usually the one behind the camera.
This is one of the new items I worked on today. I have started to cut up beautiful beer cans that we find at Trader Joe's.....the colors and patterns are FAB! (see the little green leaves around the nest)

Here is my very messy table, though you can see the blue & white harlequin designed cans for Oktoberfest Beer....yummy! Below are the little discs that I have cut from them that will eventually become flowers on the wire skirt of papier-mache figure...can't wait to how they turn out.

fun, aren't they?

advent reinvented

Here is my next project for Inspired Ideas for the Holiday Issue

It is a felt advent calender with leaves that "open up" to reveal a little pocket to hide little goodies in. I like the concept and design, but I am not sure if it will actually work. I guess that time will tell....oh, and finishing the wreath itself.

Best get to work!

class at Los Poblanos - stamps

Oolie was there with some lilies and a cup of tea - Happy Birthday!!!

Isabelle (below left) and her mom, Emily took the class. Isabelle blew us ALL away by carving 8 or 9 stamps in record time (!!!) Her first two are shown above - positive/negative

Look! Oolie joined us for dinner, too.

Nancy carved a couple of beautiful stamps

including the above "tag" stamp

Then, she had a chat with Oolie...

My new friend, Haila, came and brought her sisters,

Sara and Goose (below)

Goose was right up there with Isabelle

She made some beautiful stamps:

Goose's initials carved, above, and stamped, below

I am sorry to say that my other photos were pitiful - blurry and dark.

I have no photos of Haila's "triple "H" tower and Sara's signature. I do not have even one photo of Ashley (!) who did the cutest owl, as well as a cute acorn and "A".

Nancy did the absolute cutest "Ant N" for her aunt and after class was over, she and I did a goat and a little dachsie, in honor of her pup, Rusty.

It was a great class! Thanks to all you ladies who came and played with us.

Hope you had as much fun as I did!

xo

yummmmmmy

Grayson cooked dinner last night from the Arabian Cookbook that Cullen loves.

When I got home, Grayson was cutting up the chicken and the onions and everything...and this is the result of his labor. I'm so proud of him! It tasted fantastic and, as you can see, it looked magnificent. I can't wait for his next masterpiece..

Three Houses

Once Upon a Time......

I made three little houses.

They aren't finished yet, but I still like 'em a lot.

Inspired by Julie Arkell, I stitched on the paper before papier-mache-ing it to the house.

I love the color it adds.

This one is just cute - front (above) and back (below)
This one is pretty subtle, but has some nice patterns in the paper cut-outs.
I don't know where my mind is these days. I have been too distracted to finish any project. It is terribly frustrating, but I do seem to continue to have ideas, so maybe all is not lost.

JACK

I opened the car door the other day and there was Jack (!) holding his "baby" (aka. the white tiger cub stuffed animal) I was glad that my camera was right there so I could snap the shot.

pretty hilarious

He always has to have something in his mouth to "greet" you.

He will pick up the tiniest thing, if he can't find one of his

"regulars"

And, here is the latest in my series of boxes......

These little wire domes will have small papier-mache birds in and around them atop papier-mache boxes of different sizes. I am looking forward to having finished products to show you.........

simple, but sweet

or, salty!

My friends, Jodi and Dehlia brought me this potato chip the other day.

Jodi felt sure that I would save it somewhere - forever.

Dehlia bet that I would eat it.

....which I did.......after taking a couple of photos of it.