Lavender Farm 2011

Here are some photos from the Red Rock Lavender Festival this year.  I made some pendants, wall hanging collages, and some magnets to sell and it was pretty successful.  The one day that the wind was not blowing with hurricane force, I got out to take some pictures early in the morning.  Unfortunately, the screen was not working on my digital camera and it was tough to get the pictures at the right angles.  Well, truth be told, it wasn't the screen, it was the operator of the camera that wasn't working!  I guess that I hadn't had enough coffee!

A Tribute

Today is Father's Day.  It's been 3 years since I've been able to wish my dad a happy Father's Day.  He had Alzheimer's, but thankfully, always knew who we were.  The last time I saw him, I brought him a piece of blueberry pie that I made.  It was hard for him to communicate, but I know he really enjoyed that pie! 

What do I remember about him?  I remember how we always watched scary movies together, and "The Alfred Hitchcock Show".  I remember how he put notes on my bedroom door declaring it a "disaster area".  I remember I remember how we teased my brother when we dropped him off at high school in the morning.  I remember him grilling bratwurst and hamburgers on the grill in the summer and buying "one more tank of gas" for the boat so we could water ski.   I remember him sharing his peanut butter toast in the morning with the two dogs sitting on each side of him at the table.  He would even tease them!  I remember that twinkle in his eye, when he was joking or teasing someone.  Most of all I remember that he was a faithful, devoted father and I know that we were the most important people in his life.  Thank you Dad.  Happy Father's Day.  I love you with a thousand hearts. 

New Collages

What is it about the mountains that gets me inspired?  The fresh air, lack of distraction, blue skies and white fluffy clouds?  I don't know, but I have a feeling it's a little bit of everything with an emphasis on lack of distraction.  In the past two and a half days, I have made 8 small beeswax collages.  Two of them are samples for a class that I hope to teach and the others are to sell or give as gifts. 

We arrived at the cabin on Wednesday. I unpacked, did some organizing, picked up some flowers and tomato plants and got them planted, but I skipped the whole cleaning of the cabin for now.  I just hit the highlights and will tackle the major cleaning later on (MAYBE). Last year I think I did one room a day.  I think I did them all in a row so that may have to be changed.

Anyway,  here are some photos of the collages.  Now back to work.

Life

I am finally feeling settled enough to take time from organizing and recombobulating to start  disorganizing and discombobulating again.  I always feel that I need to put away and start fresh when  a new project springs from wherever they spring from.  I've been making some soldered and glass tile pendants, and working on an online art journaling class with Pam Carriker.  Tonight I just took some time to do some art for me and it felt good.  Soon we will leave our fairly well organized and decorated new home to head for the mountains.  The weather is warming up here and the cool crisp air of the mountains is calling my name.  I'll be busy working at the Red Rock Lavender Festival, getting stuff ready for The Quilted Wings Boutique in October and hopefully teaching some classes at Embellish too.  In between, I'll go hiking and bike riding, hit some antique and second hand stores, eat pie in Alpine and relax on the deck with coffee and a book.  That does sound nice.  I am so lucky. 

Here are some photographs of some of my recent projects, a bobcat that walked through our backyard and the beautiful Palo Verde tree blooming

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Getting Settled

I know that no one reads my blog regularly, but I feel the need to explain where I've been for the past few months.  We bought a house, prepared our house for sale, moved about 40 minutes away, sold a house (WHEW!) and unpacked.  Believe me that's A LOT!

OK - so the move is over, most things are put away, my studio is organized (or as organized as it's going to get) and it's time to settle into life.  I am starting this "settling" stage by taking Pam Carriker's Journal 365 online class.  It's a year long class so I feel like a can actually keep up.  I've made my journal, and already spilled paint on the cover.  It's not very creative, but I liked Pam's simplicity of the black and text and I just wasn't inspired at the time.  Here are some photos of my new digs and the journal for the new adventure.

Closing out 2010

Dear 2010,

You have flown by!  I don't know why, but it seems like just yesterday we were looking forward to you as the new year. 

This year has not only been busy, but full of lots of changes.  Early in the year, I took several workshops at Art and Soul in LasVegas.  I was exhausted after four days of classes, but inspired to make lots of art.  I didn't have near as much time as I had ideas, but did follow through on lots of them, and the list is still there somewhere in my head.

During the month of May we made a wonderful trip to Italy and Greece with our good friends Rick and Cindi.  We were treated to wonderful and unforgettable food, scenery, and experiences   The trip was fabulous and definitely something I would love to do again!

2010, you also brought some great sadness.  My dear friend Peggy Ziebell lost her battle with breast cancer in July.  She was a dear, brave friend and I miss her everyday.

I taught some soldering classes at Embellish and found that I really enjoyed that.  People were really appreciative and it was fun to see them get excited about learning something new.   Working at the Lavender Festival in late June and July was great fun as well. 

After spending a lovely fall at the cabin, I made a trip back to Wisconsin and really lucked out when it came to the fall colors.  I just happened to be there over the "peak" weekend and could not get over the beautiful colors, nor taking pictures of them!  Thank you 2010 for scheduling things that way for me. 

We returned from the cabin in early November and decided to make some "major" changes in our life.   We decided to look at moving to an active adult community called Saddlebrooke.  After looking at the possibility, and finding a house that we liked, we made an offer, bought the house, and put our house on the market.  This all happened in a 3 week period, during which we had company twice, I made a trip to LasVegas and we made a trip to the mountains! 

Needless to say, Christmas really snuck up on us this year.  Because the house was on the market, we didn't do a lot of decorating and that was sort of disappointing.  It's a little hard to get in the Christmas spirit when you are constantly wiping down counter tops, washing mirrors and windows and sweeping the floors.  I think this is the cleanest my house has been for an extended period of time EVER!  I did have a little aluminum tree in my studio and the early morning sun reflected light all over the walls like a disco ball. 

Now as you come to a close, 2010, I look forward to the 2011 and the changes it will bring, but will also look back with fondness, happiness and some sadness on this past year. 

Thank you and farewell.  

Catching My Breath

 

Sunflowers - Summer 2010

I honestly don't know how other bloggers can post EVERY DAY! (or even every week!)  Am I too busy, too disorganized, or just plain lazy?  OK, I'll stop beating myself up and get going.

It has been a very busy second half of 2010!  The sunflowers in the mountains were so phenomenal this year I couldn't stop taking pictures!  I have been to Wisconsin to visit family and friends.  We have had visits from Leslie - Stan's sister, JoAnn and Curt - Stan's cousin, Rich- his brother and Kayla and Richie - his niece and nephew.  I've also been to Boulder City to do an arts and crafts show and made several wonderful trips to the mountains.  I taught several classes at Embellish and made 4 large glass vase snowmen for the North Pole Experience in Greer.

To top off all of that, we bought a new house!  We have been talking for some time about eventually moving to Saddle Brooke - an active adult community north of Tucson and decided it was time to see if it was possible.  Well, in that process, we found a house we really liked, and our offer was accepted.  We decided it was "now or never.  So. . . now our house is on the market and we "decluttered" (which really means - get rid of half of all your stuff!) over Thanksgiving weekend.  Now we live in our "decluttered" home with everything neat, tidy, shiny and labeled with little cards that say "granite counter tops, custom lighting, etc. . ." 



Mark, Chris, Brett, Marina & Sadie



Great Blue Heron






















I've posted some pictures of the sunflowers, the beautiful fall colors both in Wisconsin and the White Mountains, my visit with the kids, the snowmen and "Doodlebug" Arts and Crafts show in Boulder City. 

Modeling our "monkey" pajamas

Wax/Tissue Paper/Dried Wild Flower Collage

Terry Flat Loop, Alpine AZ

Oh, one more thing that has kept me busy - Unraveling the 439 chains and pendants that I helped Carlanda take apart and reprice!

Doodlebug Boutique December 2010