More sharing

Yesterday was a wonderful mail day. My dear friend Lynn Schoeffler asked if I would be interested in loaning some CQ items for a presentation for the San Jose Quilt& Textile Museum last month. Naturally I was honored and excited to be asked by such a talented woman. I was equally honored when I found my work shown along with some ladies who I have high respect and admiration for such as Rengin Yazitas, Maureen Greeson,Leslie Ehrlich,Hideko Ishida, and Cathy Kizerian, to name a few. My items arrived home yesterday with a wonderful stash of purple goodies. Being invited to share my work was more than enough Lynn.However I do love everything you sent :-) Thank you.

 I also received the beautiful purple cuff creation I had ordered from my sweet friend Lilla.  Her presentation is always a gift in itself.





I could just look at her work for days. Every once in a while I must treat myself to friend's work. It feeds my muse and gets my behind in gear. Now that my time is my own, I have no excuses not to create some new fun goodies to share.

It has been sunny all day and I have had the house to myself. DH went to visit his mom and run errands and DS went to W.Lafayette with a group for a Superbowl weekend.
I know it sounds strange but I have enjoyed cleaning today.I finished the laundry  , then cleaned and reorganized the studio so tomorrow when DH is watching the Superbowl, I can create my heart out.

Last night I met Brenda who is taking over the Comfort Doll Project. I filled her in on everything I could think of. I am so excited she is continuing to collect for this cause and she is excited as well. Such a nice and vibrant woman and she lives nearby which is really great. I couldn't believe it when I found that she is my pal Jilly's back yard neighbor. Very neat indeed.

Time for a cup of tea and off to play.

Enjoying time with friends

Thursday day was spent in the company of three fun friends. Laney, Becky ,and Karen. We headed to Michigan to the bead and fabric shop. The gals have been wanting to check out the goods at Trade Winds and Lemon Creek for over a year now so we planned a trip when all could attend.
We first stopped at a funky resale shop in Benton Harbor where I found some pretty teapots and corked jars for the studio, and a shell necklace all for $8.00.

 

  

There were a lot of neat shells on that necklace! I love the blue ones and can see them in an under the sea project.

Then we stopped at Trade Wind Beads in Watervliet (my fav shop). 

My buds!

My beads!

Next stop.....and Antique mall. I saw two beautiful old thread storage cabinets that I would have loved.........if I were rich! Instead I found treasures to pacify me. A neat shabby wire basket, a small mirrored dresser tray, and a china thingy with Victorian women images that I put  a glass dome on. 

 

The girls browsing for treasures.

Our next stop was in Berrien Springs at the Lemon Creek Fabric shop. They sell upholstery fabrics and some designer for home dec, not clothing.  I found a few new fabrics, beads,metallic lace and beaded vintage applique for my stash.

 Karen found  fabric for some pillows for her redecorating project. (Did I say decorate???)

 

We stopped at Panera for lunch and a home dec fabric shop on the way home. What a fun filled day spent kicking around with friends. I was exhausted and fell in my comfy chair and put my feet up. Thanks for a great day girls!

I've been framed! Again!

Alright, I haven't actually been"framed" for any wrong doings, however I have found and painted more frames  for the family photo wall. Here are some waiting to be filled  with a special photo and hung.

 Odds and ends from the thrift shop,antique mall, dollar store, and a scrolled little cabinet found in my studio closet. Since I was painting, I treated myself to some very cool heavy iron work scroll-y things.
Reluctantly I had to run errands today because my car goes in the shop tomorrow for a tune up/oil change. So....to make it a pleasant errand day I stopped at Hobby Lobby to browse and found so many treasures, all half off. I found a frame for my father's Navy graduation picture which will get a coat of paint,

.....and I found these wonderful iron things to work into the family photo wall. They are pretty heavy, and nice large pieces. The best part? None were over $4.50. Can you believe that? I still don't!

One of them were already painted "shabby".

I wandered into the seasonal area and found these adorable treat bag headers and lunch bags. Too cute!

The next thing I found raised my blood pressure. I was so excited to find the wall words at Hob Lob. I had planned on buying some from an etsy shop. I had to have this one and it was 1/2 price! You just rub it onto your wall and they are removable.

 As soon as things were unpacked and groceries put away, I went to work applying it to the stairway wall in the front hall. I have the scrolled wall paper to hide old plaster walls and imperfections and these words stuck wonderfully. I had no idea they could be used on rough surfaces. I love it! Run, go on, run to Hobby Lobby now!!! In case you find a treasure not on sale, use this coupon.....

Angell watched me the whole time.

 

Being in a creative mood again, I realized the vintage egg basket sitting on my back deck would be perfect to hold my old sheet music. I love the beautiful sheet music Becky gave me for my birthday last year and wanted to display it without framing it. The floral graphics match my dining room perfectly. Here it sits along side the Victrola with a few others and some hand made beautiful cards from friends. 

 

It wasn't so bad running errands after all!  I am off to whip up a salad and then grab a cup of oolong tea and a ton of magazines Jilly dropped off. A great way to spend "Ladies days" ;-)

Have a great evening and please enter my OWOH giveaway and leave a comment to possibly win one of three prizes!