Insomnia equals creativity

I can't say insomnia is all bad, I finished the last three of the Inner Child dolls I had ready to assemble early this morning from 2:00 to 4:30.

They all received a tag so they will remember where they came from :-).

 Then I spent 3 1/2 hours assembling pouches and packaging them and bidding them farewell.

 They will go in a basket in the studio until listed in my etsy and Artfire shops or to  whomever else finds them a delight .They will be $20 including US shipping. I can't ship outside the US because customs rips them apart :-(
Speaking of Etsy shops, My talented friend Pam has filled her shop with the most delightful Spring pretties. Tags, crazy quilted boxes,CQ kitty dolls (exquisite), brooches...oh my! You must go have a look.....

I need to order more lavender and feet charms because when I start making these little fellas I can't stop.Now it is time to clean up my mess and do a bit more stitching on the CQ. Today is warm and overcast...perfect for porch swing stitch session! Have a good one!

Finishing a project inspired by three special friends/artists

It was an absolutely gorgeous day and I spent most of it finishing the garden duties. Clipping evergreens, rose briers and raking any leaves left from last Autumn was my task for today. DH mowed the yard and brought the garden fountain out and hooked it up Saturday evening and now I am ready for the sound of trickling water and bird watching.

After doing all I could for now in the garden I ran in to grab my unfinished cuff I was making with my friend Leslie last Wed. It was inspired by three friends, Margo Duke, Gillian Allen, and Lilla Levine. I felted the base (Her Majesty Margo), scattered sequins and beads across it (Gillian), and Did a bit of SRE and used a sheer sequin butterfly fabric (Lilla). I love how it turned out and  to add a bit of "Pat Winter" to it, I filled it loosely with dried lavender buds before sewing it closed.

This was such a fun and easy project I may have to make more!!!! Does anyone have a source for sheer sequin butterfly or dragonfly fabric? If you do, and share the source, I will make you a cuff too.

Tomorrow I will fill bird cages with little white lights for the porch and garden patio. I am so ready for Spring!

 Enjoy your evening!

New discovery of online classes

I don't know where I have been , perhaps with my head in the sand, but I just discovered a wonderful site that offers beautiful and inspiring projects of all kinds through online classes. Just look at the beautiful things to create..........

 One spot...several mixed media tutorials, inspiring teachers. My friend Lilla Levine is offering a beautiful book class right now. You know how romantic her work is I'm sure.You must check it out here.  If you see something you want to make, you can still register. The "Garden Party " is going on now.

Sharing some exciting news, for the next class, Summer, I will teach something in crazy quilting. Start gathering your pretty fabrics, threads, beads and treasures and learn this beautiful art. This will be a beginner level so anyone with an interest in crazy quilting is welcome.

 Mary Green  is making this possible and she offers vintage images for purchase and through her blog photos she takes you "junking" with her and shares treasures galore...drool, drool.

I hope you take a moment to browse, you never know what project will be offered.

Can't fill mom's shoes....I'm Not a cake decorator!!!!

Remember last year when I found a vintage lamb cake mold at a tag sale? Well, I've always wanted one, not the new Wilton aluminum pans, but the old heavy ones like the one mom used every Easter for her lamb cakes.
With memories of the beauties mom presented on the Easter table year after year enticed me to try one for my family. I couldn't wait to create my own lamb cake. Dreams of a fluffy frosted sweet little lamb sitting at the dinner table surrounded with green dyed coconut grass(can't use coconut, DS hates it) and colorful jelly beans (If the thought of that isn't enough to make your teeth hurt).


I realized I had no idea how to use these pans so I asked mom....she had forgotten since her lamb cake making days so I went online. I printed out directions and set out to make my sweet treat.

Fresh from the oven I saw this...and my heart sank....

Oh dear! I knew this fella wouldn't have ears. I continued to follow directions and let it sit for 15 minutes before removing the top pan.....seemed like eternity.
I was pleasantly surprised to find him intact and his ears weren't broken or fragile.

 The floured pan left him looking weird but then the icing will cover that right?Whew! On to the icing....

I dug out my icing kit and opened  Betty Crocker white fluffy  icing (I told you I don't do cakes, this includes home made icing) I spooned the icing in the decorator canister and chose a wide tip. This process was fun however the results didn't resemble the wonderful image in my mind....I added a pink gel smile (much too comical) and jelly bean nose and eyes and tossed some edible grass around him...he needs more help but the guys will eat it anyway........I hope...after a laugh or two!
I have a lot of practice to do before making these for grandchildren.
Mom......I tried.
Does anyone else have a food disaster to share? To make me feel better?  Back to cooking..........

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter!!!!

I just wanted to" hop" over to say Happy Easter to all my blog land friends and leave a few "eggs" for you to enjoy.

I hope you have a great day and you get your fill of chocolate bunny ears!!!!!!!!

These flowers bloomed since Friday...just in time for an Easter surprise! Spring has Sprung!!!! Yeah!!!!!

Fun day with a friend

Yesterday was so enjoyable spent with my friend Leslie from St. Joe MI. I met Leslie years ago on a Yahoo group and was excited to learn she lived nearby. We first met in person at The House of Stitches with two other gals from the group. Leslie brought some of her work with her and WOW. It is gorgeous. She makes the most wonderful French wire edged flowers and her color combos were amazing and rich. Needless to say we hit it off and have gotten together whenever possible. Leslie is a nurse and it can be hard at times seeing so many illnesses so she calls time with me "Therapy", which is very heartwarming. Actually it is the other way around because I get to take a day off from my daily tasks and just experiment with someone who enjoys the same things I do. We both love the beach and hunting for mermaid's tears so guess where we headed as soon as Leslie arrived???

It was a very gorgeous day at the beach.

 I caught Leslie in her search for mermaid's tears. 

 We found a nice lot for her collection and.....including a little blue piece. I send my friends home with the treasures we  find  to entice them back, LOL. :-)

This lady knows how to enjoy a beautiful day!

Armed with her folding chair, cooler and book, she was heading to sit and read by the shore as we were heading home to play with fabric. We told her the beach was reserved for her today!

I forgot to mention that Leslie is also a lace fairy. She frequently surprises me with bundles of gorgeous laces. Everyone knows lace makes my knees buckle. She apologized for bringing it because she knows I have a lot of lace.I feel like a pig accepting it but turning it away would be like shutting the door on a puppy in the rain.

( Well, I had to make it sound like I was doing her a favor right?)

Any lace lover knows it is an addiction and one can never have too much lace....or just to see and touch it. I did explain that being given lace allows me to experiment and use it more freely. I don't hoard it as I once did and enjoy giving it another life.
This was my "little" surprise stash of lace from the lace fairy...Lace lovers,sit down or hold on to something sturdy.....

To top that off she brought me a beautiful Spring bouquet......which will be part of my centerpiece for Easter dinner. How cheerful it is and smells of sunshine.

Those are the biggest snapdragons I have ever seen. I am enjoying this fresh flower gift and dreaming of the day I can start digging in the garden . Leslie also brought me two old wash basins on removable bases for planters in the new garden. I'll get a picture today. I could also see one on each side of the Summer kitchen planted with colorful flowers and vines to greet students...hmmmmm. Enough about me being spoiled......

After the beach we grabbed a bite and sat on the back deck for lunch before starting on a project. We felted a cuff with various fabrics and played with the Cricut. Thank you for an awesome day and great warm memories made Leslie. These are the times I will remember when I can no longer trek down to the beach.
The day went much too quickly as always but we plan on junking on Saturday :-) That should be a blast. I hope I remember my camera!

Two days in a row at the beach has spoiled me for any housework....I am heading to pick mom up in an hour for yet another beach jaunt. Whatever housework gets done in 30 minutes is all that will get accomplished today. Ready....set.....GO!