Monday

I won that pendant at Cindy Leader's blog.... Useful Books (for putting things in).

She makes wonderful things!!

She's a longtime internet friend from Christian Paper Artists.

Go see her.

I hung the pendant and then I left the chain out of the picture...

but knew you'd enjoy what else was "sitting around". ha!

I'm such a follower....

Amy at Inspireco

posted her sampler update

and so I pulled mine out

and worked on it Saturday night.

I'll post the whole thing in a day or two...

need to wash it...get the blue lines out of it.

I showed someone how to schedule your posts to automatically

upload - and now I can't get mine to do that. What am I

suddenly doing wrong? Maybe it's Blogger's problem?

Birdcage halves!

I fell in love as soon as I saw this!

Do you not LOVE this!!!!

I saw it on Janet's blog.... It's an Evolution.

Janet will be at Silver Bella in November.

Silver Bella brings so much good to my life..... in so many ways!

Janet told me to contact Nell Hills in Kansas City...which I did.

They said they have gotten a lot of orders based on this blog!

Janet, they should be sending you some kind of gift...don't you think?

I never heard of Nell Hills.

But their online store opens July 1...

this piece isn't on it right now tho...they told me.

But you can call the store and order it!

Mine ships Monday!

Woo Hoo!

P.S. Due to public demand.... here is a link to Nell Hills in Atchison. This store called me after I emailed them...and they are sending my "cage" to me!

It's not just me....

Found here!

I just love the above!

Anyway....

about Michael and Farrah...

go read my Silver Bella Friend

and fellow Texan...

Miz Juney or as I call it...Julia's blog

She said it all so well....

Current Events..... of a sort

I know

you've probably already made your 4th of July decorations

if you are in the U.S. - but thought

I'd point you in this direction.

Go over to Country Living for all the directions and

MORE stuff to make!

Not that Teresa needs my help...... at allllllll ..... but there is a new E-Zine opening up. It starts THIS Monday..... and since I usually do these things, I thought you might want to also.... Click on Teresa to go see how to sign up. and one more thing....

Go visit Andrea's blog...she has a wonderful giveaway to celebrate her 100th post!

You are going to WANT to win this!

Wonderful Wimberley Shops!

Wimberley Square! Great shop called Brocante! All of these inside shots are there... well, below are a few things I bought... now at home getting their picture made...

Here is the front of Brocante. This shop could have a booth at Silver Bella on

Vendor Night. I even asked who the owner was...thinking THIS has

to be owned by a Bella. But, don't think so....

..and, yes, I asked if I could take pictures inside....

they said yes, everyone does!

Back to inside.... I bought the little box with the bird on top!

Meanwhile...outside it was HOT!

The family settled in at a local watering hole called Inoz while I shopped.

So I had no pressure to hurry!

It was great!

Winding Down in Wimberley

I'm back. Wanted to put up a few shots to let you know I have returned!

Destination Wimberley, Texas

1. Wimberley Creek, 2. Frito Pie, 3. Hanging Colors, 4. Deer, 5. Sunset Near Wimberly, 6. Bluebonnets - 122/365, 7. Brocante's Window, 8. Harpo Duck, 9. Ian Goes Fishing, 10. Wimberley, Texas Doe, 11. Inside the Wild West Store, 12. Jackrabbit, 13. _DSC9610, 14. Wimberley, Texas, 15. Blanco River 2-2-08, 16. Blanco River

My family and I are going to Wimberley, Texas til Monday! I'll see you Tuesday!

It's birds again!

Last night I realized the swap that I thought was due mid-July is actually due June 29th. Panic! So I spent this afternoon in the art room trying to pull something together!

These aren't finished...

but I don't want to

break my post

a day cycle yet..

This one below needs it's lace glued down...

and both need their hangers on. I can't find my

upholstery tacks! I have a ton! I want

to put tacks on the side and

then wrap wire for the hanging.

These are all on 5 x 5 stretched canvas.

This one below...you've seen....it's my inspiration piece.

Old stuff

Do you like that? Go here.

Happy Father's Day!

I know you are getting ready to celebrate Father's Day .... isn't this the cutest?

Childhood Art Swap

My new swap partners....the QB5.....

recently exchanged 4 x 6 pieces that were to be about our childhood.

Here's mine...... I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and I lived in books.

I read all of those favorite childhood books in the 50's - such as Nancy Drew,

The Bobbsey Twins, The Adventures of the Hardy Boys, The Boxcar Children,

Black Beauty and any book about horses.

So I had an old copy of Black Beauty...just the right size....

I glued some of the pages together and then sewed around the edges.

I then brushed melted beeswax over it.

After that I assembled an old library card (thank you, Nathalie)

with a black and white photo of me on a horse...with lace around it on some

(velvet ribbon or rickrak on others).

Added a vintage "looking" flower (come in packs at Michaels and scrapbook stores).

Put eyelets in and ran vintage seam binding through for a hanger.

I forgot to photograph the back...and I didn't keep one for myself...

so here is Margaret's photo of my back

I had some new library card and pockets ...

so I adhered that to the back with a small card describing my childhood love of books.

Patty in Virginia couldn't play with us this time....

but she did send us all childhood atcs and was able to do one 4 x 6 (we had a drawing).

Isn't this the cutest! It seems there may be tongue issues in this group.

A very sweet, young Nathalie pictured here! She embellished her card to reflect her homecountry dress. She now resides in Missouri. Below is Margaret's. Margaret is from New Zealand but has lived for many years with her husband and children in Switzerland. You should go to her blog for more close-ups of all of our pieces! Here is Carole's piece. She is in New Zealand and loves fabric and excels with it. Be sure and visit Margaret's blog for great close-ups. Visit all of their blogs as they have wonderful art posted. Nathalie and Patty have come up with GREAT ideas for hanging Carole's piece...through those loops. Go look! We are working on our next swap! It should be fab!

Have you seen this, Sugar?

Have you seen this? It's by Kirsten Lepore and just won an award.

I Just Can't Help Myself Sometimes....

I'm in this swap!

I know you just said "duh"...you did, didn't you?

Danielle Muller (a Silver Bella) is hosting it on her blog. Go visit her!

Soothing Summer Sunday Soak!

I hope you are someplace comfortable today!

Wandering Thoughts Wednesday

You know, of course, that I have a whole SLEW

of blog favorites that don't show up on my blog roll.

I think it's illegal to have as many favorites as I do....

or at least not advisable.

Anyway...... thought I'd mention a couple of them to ya...since it's a slow day... I'm confined to the house because we are getting a new roof...the old one ...which looked perfectly grand...was almost 24 years old. You woulda thought Hurricane Ike would've messed it up, wouldn't you? But....noooooo...we were blessssssssssssssed.

I go to the art room and do a few things, think of something I need downstairs, end up on the computer, book a vacation, have them write back and say "oh we are so sorry....that house is already booked by the owner". Geeeeze louise.... so I'll just update my blog... Anyway.... look here:

A Fanciful Twist is one of the most magical blogs I read. I love her!!

And I've ordered from her etsy shop and Highly Recommend!

She has great blogland parties....you can spend hours on her blog...don't scrimp.

Yes, I've probably told you about her before ...you veteran readers... but I

think it's worth mentioning again. And she's at the top of my alphabetical list...almost.

Scissor Variations

I really thought this was in the blog roll.... you must go here!

Concrete and Honey...

I just discovered it the other day. Below are a couple of things I recently made....

I made two bookmarks out of scraps on my desk and immediately

put them in the mail to internet friends!!

I'm in a childhood themed swap with some friends... below is what I thought I was going to make. I wasn't happy with it.... so this is mine to keep and I'll show you what I ended up making very, very soon - when the recipient has it in her hands!

I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas.... "Where the West Begins" is the city trademark...

Art Quilting Studio on the shelves!

Above is one of the latest publications by Stampington!

You should really check it out and consider buying it....

lots of good stuff in there..... including me....

Yes, finally it's out! The Pink Artists again.

I told you about it last December here.

It's always a joy to have a really good excuse to buy another

paper/fabric/mixed media art book!

and...then go here

to see more about how

YOU

can contribute some art!