Tea Party at Fanciful twist!

I'm going to participate in Fancieful Twist's tea party this year. It should be lots of fun.

And I promise, no whining! (Go ahead, click the link above!)

Subscribe?

There was a time when I had a few readers. An albeit small group--not very chatty, either. They were out there, though! Ah, those were the days...

What happened? First, I switched to Typepad. I wanted more control over the look of my blog, so I decided to take my business elsewhere. While at Typepad, I had some friends who would stop by.

Then, I got busy.

Real busy.

Too busy to blog, busy.

So, I got rid of Typepad because, why pay for a service I don't use? Of course, when you get rid of a Typepad account, there is no good bye post. You cancel it, it's gone! Just like that! Like it never existed.

Of course, I started to feel like blogging again. Almost immediately. So, I moved back to Blogger where they were keeping my old blog warm for me.

Unfortunately, I lost my readership. It was that easy.

So, are you looking for something to read? Do you like pictures of half-assed crafts? Do you like occassional psychotic posts in which I say things I'll regret later? Would it sweeten the pot if I were just a little drunk?

I would like some subscribers. You don't actually have to read my dribble. Just pretend. Just put me in your Google Reader, or whatever you use, and you will totally make my day.

I'm willing to bribe...Giveaway? Maybe? Think about it. Sleep on it. Just please, please, come back...

(rock bottom)

Some Revisions

This isn't a great picture, but I just wanted to show I've corrected something that was really bugging me.

After taking photos of the lovely lady below, I could help but to feel like something was...off.

I didn't like her mouth.

It just didn't fit. So, I fixed it. The photo to the left reflects the changes! I think she looks much better now. She still needs a good ironing, though, and some more pizazz.

On a completely unrelated note, my deck, which I can see from my desk, is apparently a hot spot for single pigeons. Pigeon wooing has risen a whopping 99%. While I think pigeons are very cool, especially with nifty little head jerks, I am worried about my deck furniture and grill. Where there are pigeon parties, there is pigeon poop. And I'm tired of watch pigeons trying to pitch woo.

Is she sneering?

Progress as of this morning---------->
Now, I'm stumped. I want to embellish, but where to start? Star shaped sequins? Beaded eyes? Draw some of the background into the foreground with embroidery? What to do?

The first thing I should do--iron. She looks like she has a noose around her neck. (Just a crease left by the embroidery hoop.)

I was filling out a questionaire for North Georgia Street Team's blog, but I am stuck on the questions. I would love to be featured, though, and I need to get that in. Maybe I'll do that this morning...

Hope everyone has a happy Friday!

Another peek at the Princess

Still trying to shake the crabby. I'm about to take the kids outside. Maybe I just need some sun? And a glass of vino? I think that might just be what the doctor ordered. Fresh air and booze.

To the right is a peek at some more progress on my mini quilt. She is lovely, no? Once I bring the little darlings back in from playing, I'm going to try to finish her mouth. Then I will work on eye liner, eyebrows, and her upper lip.

Oh, and I bought a quilt showcase slot for tomorrow...then realized I only have two small quilts to offer. Maybe I'll have three, if I get her finished.

Also, I entered my Star-Spangled wrist band in a North Georgia Street Team contest. I might need some votes. More on that later, though, as the children are getting impatient.

Look into my eyes....

Blah, crappy mood. The bright point of my day? Staring into the soulless eyes of this doll. The morning light was hitting it just so, and I thought I'd share.

Okay, well my day wasn't all bad. I did pick up some more in my studio. Some. It's hot in there, though, and I quit after a half an hour. I did make a teensy bit of progress. Someday it'll be clean. Someday.

For now, just peer into the eyes of this doll and ask your self, is the portal to hell in a cat's eyes, or in a cheap plastic doll's?

Star Spangled

Must. Get. Clean.

Summer Vacation. Day 2. Ready for Fall, already.

The house is a wreck, I have crafty things I would LOVE to do right now, if I weren't preoccupied by the sorry state of my house, and the kids are adding a lovely cacophony of noise to my already dumpy mood. (Kill me now.)

I'm trying the timer method to get my rear into gear. You set the timer for 15 minutes and devote your entire attention to the task at hand. Right now, I'm enjoying 15 minutes of online time. (I have eight left.)

I wanted to mention I joined a few groups. Check out their blogs! You can find links to wonderful Georgian artisans! One is the North Georgia Street Team, the other, Handmade Georgia. North Georgia Street team has a store here. Proceeds benefit various charities. In the future I plan to donate some items. I'll give a heads up here!

Also, real quick, here's an item I made:

Peek at Progress

This little lady's quilt is coming along fine! I have about 50% of the groundwork down. After the major pieces are sewn together, the real fun starts--embellishing! (Oh, I love to embellish!)
This is what I have so far. Just a little tease!

I know it's hard to see--that's the point!
It's a tease!

The worst job in the world...

...is being the Chuck E. Cheese mascot.

Aaron has three (yes, THREE) birthday parties to attend this week. We knocked one of those three out yesterday. The party was at an old stand-by--Chuck E. Cheese. Ugh. That's all I have to say. A 100+ kids going bonkers over a guy in a rat suit. It was pure insanity. One kid was spanking Chuck. About a dozen kids group hugged him at once. I watched in terror as children screamed with delight as they strangled Chuck E.'s legs.

The poor sap in the Chuck E. suit has the patience of a Zen master. Do you think he (or she) goes to his happy place as the kids are kicking him in the shin?

Chuck E. has an escape plan, though. When his show is over, his assistant throws free tickets. Like pigeons in front of a bag lady, the kids all hit the floor, greedily snatching up the little chipboard rectangles. During this diversion, Chuck sneaks off to the employee break-room, probably for a stiff drink.

Sea Foam and Silk Bracelet

Available!

Just added to the shop yesterday right........here.

Later, there will be an update on the art quilt I'm working on! With pictures!

Cupcakes, Cub Scouts and Mayhem

First of all, I'm not making cupcakes out of cub scouts. That would be wrong.

Today, cupcakes. 24 of them. For my son's class, since his birthday is on Saturday. He wanted store-bought. I wanted to save $$. We compromised with Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix.

When I was in elementary school (almost three decades ago) there was no classroom celebration for birthdays. No school announcements. No party hats. No need for my mom to bake (or buy) cupcakes in addition to birthday cake. Hmphf.

Cub scouts. What can I say about the Cub Scouts? My boy is entering 1st grade next year, and they sent recruiters to the school. (Yes, the Cub scouts recruit.) Aaron has his little heart set on joining, and, as much as I'd love to fulfill my dreams of merit badge mastery through him, I was hoping my husband would be the one taking him to the meetings. Not so. (At least, for tonight.) As much as I have been trying to be a brave, social mom, these things still bring me a bit of anxiety. But, I have to take one for the team and hope that John will be there to take him to the next.

Incidentally, John is doing what a great provider has to do every now and then--work late.

I know how Aaron feels, though. When I was a little older than him, I wanted to be a Brownie. I would stare at the other Brownie's uniforms, and all their neatly placed, beautifully embroidered badges, and wish and hope that someday I would be...a Brownie. One day, that opportunity arrived! My mom, after enduring much pestering from me, agreed to take me to a meeting! As the other mothers started to plan an day of camp, a simple request was asked, one that would end my short career as a Brownie:

"You'll need to sew your daughter a waterproof cushion."

Now, I love my mom, and I don't want to paint her as a villain, because she is not. She is also not the mother of a Brownie. She was pregnant with my sis and and sewing a waterproof cushion was more involvement than she wanted. So, my Brownie career lasted all of one evening...

Taking Aaron to join the Cub Scouts isn't just my duty as a mom...it's my destiny.

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Loose Teeth Vintage Inspired Sundress with Petticoat GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Ooooooh! I want this dress!!!!!! Check it out!

In the works

The sewing machine is a-humming again. I've planned another art quilt, one similar to "Lucy in the Sky."
Lucy was sold a while back, and as proud as I was to make that quilt, I intend to make this new quilt better. It sounds awful, but as an artist, my craft is ever-evolving. I don't mean to diminish my older work, but I learn from each project and take that knowledge to the next. So, as much as I loved Lucy (named after my niece, who was named after the Beatles song and the comedian, Lucille Ball), I know my next work (untitled as of yet) will be better.

Here is a sneak peak at what I am working on. The sketch is of the young lady I will be sewing, and on her eyes is the fabric I will be using for them.


As I work on this project, I'll continue to make smaller items. As fulfilling as the art quilts are, they take more time and a lot of work. I spend a lot of time on the details, after piecing the meat of the quilt together. All the facial details will involve some embroidery, and I like to add beads and buttons for texture.

I can Can-Can, can you?

Just listed the latest at the shop. This cuff is called the "Can-can."

You can find it here.

What's next?

This!

Coming Soon to the shop!

Added to the Shop!

Now that school is out, I'm planning new projects, and restocking my store. Well, I can't really call it "restocking," considering my store hasn't gone empty. What I mean to say is I'm going to start added new items, and tend to the older ones. (Taking new photos of old items is one of the things I'm planning to do, since many of them could be improved on!)

So, the first completely new item I am adding is this pretty brooch. (Handmade by me, of course.)
There is also other possibly good news concerning crafting, but I don't want to post anything until I make up my mind about what I'm going to do...more later...

Skool is OWT!

I finished up my final tests for this semester and am officially on summer break! I don't know my grades, yet, but I imagine they are good.

This is what I have planned for today....

I feel like crafting BUT my craft room is a disaster, so I'm going to organize. I also need to do some general cleaning around the house. I know. Excited, right?

I spent my mother's day taking a drive around the Georgia mountains. My husband and I are dreaming of moving up there in a year, so we just wanted to check it out. It is so beautiful and quiet up there! Not like the hustle of a suburban city right outside of Atlanta.

I took some pictures of the mountains, but haven't uploaded them yet.

Off to do some cleaning!

Bread and Yarn

The bread I baked yesterday came out better than previous attempts, but it still could be better!

I'm still getting the hang of my new, supposed-to-be-easier-to-use camera. I also need better photo editing software. Here are some pictures of bread...
...and yarn...
The yarn is what I'm using for my soon to be started knitting project.

Bread Baking

Last week of school! That means four tests this week, which sucks, BUT I'm not going to let it get me down. I'll take it all in stride and study as the tests dates draw near!

At any rate, I decided to do something fun today. I'm baking a loaf of bread. (Yeah, doesn't sound as fun out loud...) One of my goals for this summer is to master bread baking. It is something I'm not good at, at all! :) Just have to keep practicing!

I bought myself some yarn the other day (oh, my!) and am planning to start a small project. It might not sound very impressive, but I want to make some dish clothes. I have one I made a few years back, and it is my favorite dish cloth, if there is such a thing! I'd like to make a few more to go with it.

Also, I bought an apron pattern the same trip to the craft store. Another future project.

I can not wait!