Currently in my hands...

When Anna sent me my birthday hanging... see post below.... she also included some goodies.

Some of those goodies included giraffe tissue and some hints of Africa.

Well, Miss Anna is hosting an ATC Swap on Africa over on Christian Paper Artists

and I took this as a sign that I should make some ATCs with an African theme.

Fortunately I have a great book full of b i r d s and could find some that love Africa!!!

Anna...I'll be mailing to you soon. Okay..below is a little something I've been working on for a few weeks.

You know how Rebecca Sower influences me...and Teresa... and Pam - so I've been dabbling in embroidery again the last year.

Then I saw Amy's "take" on the samplers and I knew I had to do one like that...

You just have to click on Amy and then go to her May 1 post to see it.

I'm just making it up as I go....things get ripped out occasionally. Still not sure about the nest with the beads or that number 3...but they each have silver so they are remaining for the moment. Not sure what to put in the remaining squares... I think I need to put more around the bird... oh, may have to do that bowl of cherries like Amy did!!

I really meant to remove the blue markings before I photographed it....I'm doing it 5 x 5. I was going to make it bigger and BFF Virginia talked sense into me. Which if you know Virginia and her history of enlarging sewing projects...well, it's quite amusing.

Anyway.... thought you'd like a peek!

Have some exciting news...I'll save it for next post!!

Putting birthday away...

Here are some scattered images..... I'm trying to put my birthday celebration away....

I run with a wild crowd that does strange things and one of those strange things is how we gift one another. THIS year we drew colors and elements and can spend $5 on a gift. The group calls themselves Dirt Divas and I've talked about them before on here...... one of them gives purple metal...see above ...yes, I know it's sideways...but it looks good on here that way.

Below is a gift from BFF Virginia.... she gave me a glass cloche with a bird on top...can you make it out? Click on the photo and see it closer. I ADORE it!!! And behind it I'm showing you the wrapping paper she gave me with it (rolled up .... of course) .... Papaya is putting out paper designed by..... yes, you have a good eye - Pam Garrison! aaaaagggghhhh!

Here are more of "those gifts"..... yellow paper (she sprayed a lampshade yellow and wrote words describing me perfectly)... And the red wood gift which is SO me!!! The blue cloth gift is to clean my glasses and my cell phone with (practical, sweet diva did that) and black glass gift is there, too....she usually cheats. You also see a glimpse of the art piece that Natalea sent that I blogged about a few days ago... Carole, a QB5 from New Zealand...got in on the action because she mailed me goodies! It's good when you have friends that know what you like and they SEND it to you!!!! She bought a massive bird book and for the next 30 years she will send me pages from it....

DH sent me flowers.... also a couple of Sid Dickens plaques..which I didn't photograph yet... Here are some of the things my kids gave me! And.....Anna...... sweet, sweet Anna.... Doncha love it! If you sent me something and it isn't shown here.... just tune in again soon!

Anna's altered book

I have been meaning to share these for quite awhile..can't find that I've already done this... My BFF Anna sent a few of us her altered book to work in several months ago..the theme is love. Nathalie worked in it first. Here are some, if not all, of my pages.... so if you want to be surprised, Anna...don't look....

Below is the cover..which Anna did herself.... now the book is with Katie!

Memorial Day 2009

I hope you get time to make something today!

Childhood Art in a 4 x 6 format...

This is a sneak peak for the QB5.... it's a swap I'm doing with them!

Art Dog Goes Hunting

Guess I should've taken a picture of the empty yard next...huh? Bunny ran through the fence and sat on the other side...always does! I suspect this is a daily game.

Kris.....yesss!

Yes, I'm one of those that voted for Kris all season long. I've downloaded more of his songs from I Tunes than I did for Danny and all I downloaded of Adam's was Madd World...

I like Adam and he will be a HUGE star! But he's not reallllllllly American Idol material. I always like the cute boy-next-door!

Have you heard him sing "The Way You Look Tonight"? "Ain't No Sunshine" is a fave, too!

But no one beats David Cook!!!!!