Artist Class

I've been having such a good time working on my Artist Class projects in my spare time...I just never seem to have enough of it! I'm sure we all feel that way sometimes don't we? Anyway here are two of the projects I've finished recently. The first is an altered spoon inspired by Nancy Maxwell James' tutorial. I've been saving pretty silver plate spoons for the longest time thinking I'd eventually do something with them so I had some on hand to try this. This is a fast and easy project that turns out so pretty and can be modified in so many ways. I've also completed some tart tin pin cushions inspired by Tina Jensen of Tiny Bear.
I love these and plan to have some more ready in time for the next Mixed Media Market. The February session of Artist Class is still available if you're interested in making any of these lovely projects. Artist class is a collection of online workshops organized by Mary Green of Green Paper. The projects are varied, the instructors are so talented and there's always lovely free images and extras provided. Mary even offers discounts on tuition for early registration! One thing I really like is that each project is offered as a complete download so I can save them to work on at my leisure...no time pressures! Oh well, speaking of time...it's time to get ready for work! Enjoy the day!

Angel

When we were growing up my older sister Nancy always called our mother Angel. I don't know if there was something specific that prompted it...I just remember always hearing it and accepting it just like the nicknames the four of us used for each other. But the name certainly fits my mom. She's spent most of her life caring for others. She was taken out of school in the 8th grade to raise her younger brother because her parents had to work. Once she was married and raising four daughters she brought her mother to live with us when she lost her eyesight. Once we were grown and gone she helped raise two more young girls whose parents were busy lawyers. She's an angel who's touched many lives. So, when Dawn Edmonson's Canvas Collage tutorial for Artist Class featured an angel I knew that I wanted to make this a tribute to my own Angel. Thank you Dawn for this lovely tutorial. I love you Mumma!

Valentine Exchange

Cathy at Hazelruthe's had a Valentine exchange this year. She invited old friends and new friends to a one on one card swap. Here is the lovely Valentine she sent to me. It's a beautiful wall hanging with a gorgeous vintage image layered on vintage text and sheet music and lovely papers...so pretty! With everything going on lately I forgot to take a photo of the Valentine I sent her so I've borrowed this one that Cathy took to show you. If you get a chance be sure to go visit with Cathy...her blog is quite charming and full of lovely images and art to inspire you! Thank you Cathy for this lovely Valentine!

One World One Heart

Well, the magic carpet ride is over for this year. According to Lisa there were 1088 participants from 40 different countries! I had so much fun visiting many...but not nearly all...of them and so enjoyed the sweet comments that everyone left for my entry. I had 202 comments on my entry. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by! So, without further delay...the winner of my drawing (using the random.org) is....#26 Jingle from Just Jingle whose left me this comment:

"This is such a wonderful wall hanging! It is done with fabulous images and all of my favorite colors! I love it! Thanks for a great giveaway! I'd love for you to enter mine, too!!! Thanks!"

Congratulations Jingle and thanks again for stopping by!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Free Myspace Graphics

Paper People

Grace and I took a little trip across the sound last week to Edmonds to see the Paper People exhibit at the Edmonds Historical Museum. This is a sweet, small museum...only two floors...that was formerly the home of the Edmonds library and City Hall. The ground floor houses a permanent exhibit commemorating the centennial of the incorporation of the city of Edmonds with several full sizevignettes showing changes from 1890 through the 1950's. It's very charming and each vignette had so many of the old vintage things we love. Upstairs was full of paper dolls! I've taken some photos to share with you. This was a wonderful little exhibit. If you love paper dolls and you're stopping in Edmonds be sure to take a look!

The ferry from Edmonds pulling into Kingston


Donovan, the mellow yellow bug patiently waiting to board the ferry


The Edmonds Historical Museum

A Valentine

I completed one of the Artist Class tutorials recently. This is Danielle Muller's Valentine Door Hanging. I love how she suggested giving the birdie a tea bath...it gave him the nicest aged color!

Valentine Tag

I've been enjoying all the Valentine's Day goings on at Two Crazy Crafters this month. They've been sharing sweet images and lots of fun projects. The other day Lindsey shared a tag she made with one of her vintage valentines. I chose another one of the images on her blog and made this one. Tags are so much fun to make...try it!

A Few More Valentines...

With less than a week left until the 14th I thought I'd share a few more Valentines with all of you. I've so enjoyed seeing all the sweet images that everyone's been posting on their blogs...I never tire of looking at them. I've been lucky this year to find a few here and there locally. Enjoy!

Valentine Treasures

I received my swap from Susie and just look at the treasures she's sent me! Susie and I were partnered in the latest round of A Swap for All Seasons which is the quarterly swap held by Linda Smith. Linda and Susie are sisters and although I've never met either one of them they've both become dear friends to me. How I wish we could play together some day...it's on my wish list for sure! Susie sent me the sweetest box filled with treats...a tote bag and matching clutch made out of the softest old quilt, a yo-yo pin, a hanging valentine with a winking owl, sweat treats and the cutest pair of gnome earrings. Susie...I love it...thank you dear friend!

Look where I'm going!

but not until Sunday...maybe I'll see you there...

A Sad Passing

You know how you carry things with you through your life? Things that were given to you and that you've used through the years never really thinking too much about them? You just always reach for them and they're there. Yesterday marked the sad passing of one of those things. My Sunbeam "Burst of Power" hand mixer bit the dust! Right in the middle of mixing up a Betty Crocker Strawberry cake mix! What a sad end! It would have been much sweeter if it had gone down during the creation of a splendid made from scratch masterpiece. But no, it happened during the mundane mixing of a box cake found in the pantry (probably passed its expiration date too) when the girls decided "we need a cake." This little mixer was given to me as a wedding shower gift by a wonderful group of nurses on the ortho/neuro floor of Crawford Long Hospital. I used to work there as a nursing assistant while I was in nursing school in Atlanta. They were a great bunch and taught me a lot. Well, little Sunbeam...thanks for 30 years of happy mixing!

The "pink" cake...a bundt no less!