Fibre & Stitch Premier Issue

I simply had to make a post regarding the first issue of Fibre & Stitch that is now available from Sue Bleiweiss and her staff. What a super job they have done to capture work of some very talented artists!

My darling daughter-in-law, Tracie Lyn has an article on Mixed Media Integration. As many of you are aware Tracie does some beautiful creations through collage and painting.

Then a terrific interview with one of Tracie Lyn and my artist friends, Shari Beaubien. Shari creates beautiful heartfelt works that demonstrates a true passion for life!

Sue Bleiweiss, shares painting ideas. Sue is a very giving and lovely person. For those of you who haven't discovered her, she constantly shares ideas and techniques. Her work is lovely and very creative!

Also, included are many of your favorite artists. Their work is beautiful and so unique! Very detailed descriptions of the processes and lovely pictures!


If you haven't yet subscribed to Fibre & Stitch, you are missing out! This first issue is so full of ideas that each of you fiber artists will be amazed! Please check out Fiber and Stitch's site and sign up for this creative publication! It will be the best $29.95 you can spend!

Belle Armoire

I want to say thank you to one of my favorite Stampington & Company magazines, Belle Armoire. I am so honored they published my free-style crochet purse in their distinguished publication. It is humbling to be published among so many artist's creations.

This is a work that was a round robin with a fabulous group of ladies I met at Art FiberFest - in a class given by Doris Arndt. We had so very much fun! While our class was small we had LOADS of fun! The article describes how this fun purse was developed.




To the staff and Belle Armoire I want to express my most heartfelt thanks. Please pick up a copy of this magazine so you can see all the wonderful pieces of art to wear.

Immersed in the Magic of Art

Thursday evening before leaving for Art Unraveled , Tracie Lyn arrived in Kansas City and we scurried off to meet Annie Lockhart for dinner. It was a fun girl’s night out where the three of us laughed and shared art experiences. We talked about how much fun it is to teach and to share our artful creations with others. I am sure we must have looked like three teenagers laughing and giggling as we ate dinner while excitedly anticipating all the experiences we each were looking forward to in our futures. We shared fears as well, as we each nervously spoke of all the challenges teachers faces, such as wanting to make taking our classes a fun experience for each student! EACH of us is so PASSIONATE about our teaching that we DON’T want anyone to walk away disappointed.

It grew late and we all knew our fun must end. Tracie Lyn and I needed to gather last minute items for our trip to Art Unraveled in Phoenix. We were leaving the next morning and wanted to be fresh upon our arrival. We said goodbye to Annie, hugs went all around, we each snapped a few quick pictures then parted.

Tracie Lyn and I arrived at my house and again began a conversation on how excited we were to be teaching our house journal to new students. We gathered all the last minute items and stuffed our suitcases as tightly as possible! We were ready!! Off we headed - to bed - so the next day would come quickly! We didn’t want to waste a single minute. We wanted to be in Phoenix at Art Unraveled as soon as possible!

Friday morning we rose early - made another check of all our stuff - headed to the airport! The flight was on time! YEAH!!! Up - Up- And Away! We were headed to Phoenix! We arrived on time! Lady Luck was on our side! No problems finding the hotel. We went to the local market to get water, soda and snacks then collapsed in our room! WE’RE HERE!!!! YES!

We decided we were exhausted and didn’t want to go out so we ordered pizza delivered! As we enjoyed the pizza we made our plans for the next day. It was the vendor show and we wanted to be sure to get our tables ready on time. Laughing and planning our day we talked in the dark until we both drifted off to sleep.

Saturday came quickly! We woke early, went for breakfast then grabbed all our artwork and headed to the vendor show. Linda had all the tables arranged perfectly, they were numbered and easy to find. We began to cover the tables so we could place our artwork, ephemera, and vintage papers just right.

Once we finished we scurried off to see if we could find our art friends. It was ABSOLUTELY wonderful to see so many people we know!! AND the ARTWORK - WOW!!! What a TALENTED group!!!

Once the show started we were so busy! It was heartwarming to have attendees come up to us and introduce themselves. I was very humbled when someone told me they wanted to meet Tracie Lyn and I. How rewarding is that?! We are TRULY Blessed!


Kim Kwan was a hoot! We had so much fun laughing with her! I simply had to snap this fun pic to share!

Stacie brought me my charms from the swap she hosted. Thanks to all you who made these charms - I will CHERISH them. I want to find a SPECIAL chain to place them on so I can wear them!

Carol Parks who hosted a fat book swap stopped by to say hi. Again - MUCH laughter and FUN talking with her.

The Banquet that night was remarkable! Linda and Chuck had organized the best evening - from the diner to asking to be mistress of ceremony to the auction to the awards - The agenda was fun, Fun, FUN!!! We had the best table mates. Laughing and sharing good times were the atmosphere of the night.





Laura won second place in the art awards for her “Shoe”. Talk about a terrific piece of art! It was the talk of the table all night as it was continually wondering toward the dark on the art table but darkness did NOT keep everyone from noticing its fantastic decor - I heard that first and second place were VERY close!


Saturday morning arrived and it was time for our class. Tracie Lyn and I jumped from the bed anxious to begin the day. We simply couldn’t wait to meet our students. What a FUN day we had planned! Linda had our room arranged PERFECTLY! We had plenty of electrical outlets for the irons and sewing machines, ample space for each student and BEST of all the tables were arranged in a way that aided us to assist each student without bothering another. WE could NOT have arranged it better! It was obvious that some thought had gone into the plans.

We placed “goodies” at each work space. Then the first student, Marsha, arrived. Next came Sandy, Maija and Clair.







They were all smiles as they entered the room and greeted us. I think we started laughing right away and the laughing didn’t cease throughout the entire day. I honestly can’t remember when I have had so much fun! I felt like 6 rather than 60. I did not want the day to end! Just look at what the talented ladies created in our class!!











That night we met Maija for dinner. While I haven’t known her long I felt as though we had been friends forever. There was a connection that only happens with a few select people in our lifetimes. Maija and I have been online friends since we met last year and have shared many a private thought via our email. Her kindness and gentle understanding has aided me during this past year when I lost my mom at Thanksgiving. Maija’s friendship has given me support and strength. I cherish her and appreciate her thoughtfulness.

Maija made me this BEAUTIFUL picture! It now has a VERY SPECIAL place in my home!




Mary joined us for awhile as we shared many more experiences. The laughter filled the room as we talked about our fun at Art Unraveled and shared stories of our lives and families. Strange how we all seem to have similar events that affect our lives in ways we never expected. Yet fate brought us together here at Art Unraveled.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end so after several hours of laughter, tears and chatter Tracie Lyn and I bid goodbye to our friends. As we hugged each one tightly we knew it was not goodbye but merely a parting until later.

Friendship - the unexpected gift a stranger gives to us as our lives change forever.....

The stranger is no longer....

.....But a friend has entered and shall forever remain.

FUN......EXCITEMENT....PLAY

These are the only three words that can describe the anticipation I feel for our classes. Tracie Lyn and I have sooo much FUN planning for the classes that we are teaching at several art retreats.

We have such a good time gathering items and planning little gifts to share with each student. Spending the spring and summer gathering flowers for pressing in anticipation of the way faces will light up at the sight of these lovely botanicals really has given us many hours of fun. This year there was a bumper crop of Queen Anne's lace! The blossoms were really large and quite lacy.





As we are preparing for our trip to Phoenix for Art Unraveled we are overwhelmed with EXCITEMENT! Putting the class packets together, looking at all the "little items" that will go into the fun projects and getting them mailed to Art Unraveled has been terrific!

We spend long hours on the phone planning and rechecking to ensure that nothing is forgotten. WE WANT THIS TO BE THE BEST EXPERIENCE! Giggling like school girls we talk about the EXCITEMENT we see on each student's face as they enter our classroom. Everytime we teach the EXCITEMENT grows! We LOVE to spoil our students!

AS the day for the classes draw closer we talk about the PLAYING and can't decide who we think enjoys the classes more - us or the students! PLAY is what is all about! PLAYING with fabrics, yarns, thread, feathers, various ephemera - THAT is what we want the day to focus on!! Remember PLAYING with your friends as a child? That is the atmosphere we create in our classes. We want you to spend the day PLAYING, creating and sharing ideas!

If you haven't planned to join us for a day of FUN...EXCITEMENT...PLAY then please look at our schedule and plan to attend one or all of these wonderful art retreats!!! WE have made so many wonderful and talented friends and are anxiously anticipating seeing them again and meeting new ones.

WE will be teaching at Art Unraveled in Phoenix, Arizona on August 12 (not too late to register), Art and Soul in Portland, Oregon, October 2nd & 3rd, ArtFiberFest in Port Townsend, Washington, October 19th and Quilt Internation in Houston, Texas on October 31 thru November 2nd.

I promise you will enjoy creating our lovely Fiber Fusion Extended Journal and our darling Fiber Fusion House Journal. Knowing how to sew is NOT a requirement in either of these classes.

YOU WILL have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE!

Saying Goodbye ( Continued)

“Wake up, Angel,” whispered Mother. Mother had always called her Angel. “We are here at the new house.”

Angelica sleepily raised her head and peered out the window. There was a beautiful two-story white house with a very large front porch. There is a swing on the porch! “Oh, Jasmine, come on. Let’s go see the swing!” Angelica jumped anxiously out of the car with Jasmine following close behind. Angelica was running up the stairs to the porch when she glanced back to see Jasmine stretching her legs as she slowly began to amble up the stairs. “Hurry, Jasmine! Jump on the swing!” Jasmine jumped onto the swing next to Angelica and they began to swing.

“Look at the fireflies! Why, there are millions of them! They light up the entire meadow. Do you suppose they are welcoming us?” Jasmine only yawned and lay down in the swing paying no attention to the fireflies. Angelica was completely mesmerized by the flickering of their small lights. “I wonder if they are talking to each other”, she thought as she continued to rock the swing back and forth.

“Angelica.” She heard Father’s voice.

“Jasmine, wake up, Father is here.” Jasmine jumped up, ears perked as she scampered toward the door. Her tail wagged faster and faster as Angelica began to open the door. Then, before Angelica could take a step Jasmine hurried past her and ran to Father. Father reached down and patted Jasmine’s head gently. Angelica cried, “Oh Father, it is beautiful here!” He gave her a big hug and said, “ I am happy you like it. Now why don’t you go upstairs and checkout your room? It is the one to the right as you get to the top of the stairs.”

Angelica ran up the stairs so quickly as if she had wings. She didn’t stop until she was at the door. Very slowly she began to open the door, leaned her head inside and peeked. She never made a sound. She just stood there - frozen. In the room were all her favorite toys, her books on the shelves, Jasmine’s bed and the soft coverlet that grandma had made. Why it looked just like her room at the old house! It looked like she had never left. With a big smile she yelled, “Mother, Father come see! My room-it looks just like my room at the old house.”

Her mother and father smiled at her joy. “We wanted you to feel at home, Angel. We know it is difficult to move to a new place. We hope you will love it here. Tomorrow you will be able to see the outdoors. There is a beautiful willow tree down by the brook. And the meadow is full of wildflowers.”

“I have prepared dinner for you and Mother so lets go eat before it gets too late.” They all went to the dinning room to eat the meal Father had prepared. He even had Jasmine’s food ready. They all sat down to eat.

After they finished Angelica carried her dishes to the kitchen then went to her room. She wanted to check everything to be sure nothing had been lost. She looked in the closet and each drawer. Everything seemed to be in its place. Even Jasmine’s toys were in her bed. Angelica brushed her teeth and slipped into her pajama’s then climbed onto the window seat and looked out the window to watch the fireflies. “Come, Jasmine, and watch the fireflies with me.” Jasmine sat beside her on the window seat.



As it grew darker the sparkles of the fireflies’ lights grew brighter. Angelica watched intently as they flew randomly about. Then as she grew sleepy the sparkles of light seemed to form the word “Welcome”. Angelica rubbed her eyes in disbelieve - there was her name written in the tiny sparkles- “Angelica.” The fireflies were welcoming her to the new home. Angelica smiled as she climbed into her bed and pulled the soft coverlet over her. Jasmine snuggled beside her. Angelica drifted off to a peaceful asleep as she thought about tomorrow.

Wheggie Story - Saying Goodbye

A couple of weeks ago I introduced my Wheggies and promised to begin posting some of my writings about them and their adventures. Today I wanted to introduce all of you to Angelica Raveu and her dog, Jasmine. Angelica's father has taken a new job and the family must move. This means saying goodbye to her friends and leaving the only home she has ever known. What Angelica doesn't know yet is that she is about to meet some of the most loving and caring creatures she could ever imagine. And Jasmine will accompany her on this magical adventure.

I wanted to begin this series today and will try, as I promised to continue these writings at least every two weeks. I hope you enjoy them. Please always feel free to leave comments to let me know your thoughts. I appreciate your input.

This a picture of a journal I made where I pictured Angelica and Jasmine. Angelica is speaking to Jasmine, her friend.



Saying Goodbye

The skies were cloudy, but Angelica did not notice on this the last day of school. All she could think of was saying goodbye to all her friends. This year in her third grade class she had made many new and wonderful friends. Now with the school year coming to a close she realized that she may never see her friends again. She was moving away to a new home. She fought to hold back the tears as she waved goodbye. Mother was waiting in the car and she must be going.

"Why do things have to change?", thought Angelica. "Why can't we stay here? Why do we have to move?" So many thoughts were going through her mind as the car moved further away from what was familiar to her. She watched out the car window looking at each building that quickly passed. She had lived in this neighborhood as long as she could remember and knew everyone on her block. She and Jasmine, her dog, would take walks and she would stop to say hello to all the neighbors. "Mrs. Wringle will miss me. Who will get her mail when she is sick?", she wondered. Soon all the houses and people began to fade in the distance until they were no longer in view.

Jasmine licked her hand as if to say, “ I understand, I feel the same way.” Jasmine always understood Angelica in ways no human could. She and Angelica spent a lot of time together - having fun and exploring. Jasmine’s large brown eyes seemed to also be filled with tears as she, too, watched out the window. She laid her head on Angelica’s lap and rubbed her nose against her arm. Her gesture was one of love and understanding. Soon Angelica folded her body softly over Jasmine as she placed her head on Jasmine's back. They both fell asleep as Mother drove down the highway toward their new home.

(to be continued)

Dried Flowers

Nature's beauty abounds on the hillsides and along the roadways. This is a picture of the sage in bloom among the other herbs in the garden. Its soft floral petals are a lovely shade of pink.





The Queen Anne's lace floats gently in the wind. I can see where it gets its name because the tiny floral botanicals look like bits of lace. As I touched the blossoms they felt like velvet in my hands. What beautiful gifts nature provides!






Tracie Lyn gave me this fantastic botanical press. It is a very large size ( 12"x 24") which allows me to dry many florals all at one time. I thought I would share a few tips on drying flowers in case any of you have thought you would like to dry some florals from your garden. You do not need a special press. A very heavy book will do. In fact, that is what Tracie Lyn and I used for many years. Purchase a tablet of NewsPrint paper at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. I would tell you to use a newspaper but the ink may rub off on your florals. Rather than cut the NewsPrint paper - fold it to a size that will fit in the book. That way you can reuse.




Then grab a sack and a pair of old scissors and go to your garden of favorite flowers. As you cut your florals leave a stem on them. You can always cut it off later once the floral has dried. With the stem left on you can use it that way if you want the look of the stem. Depending on the floral you may not be able to leave a stem. That is fine. Once I have the sack full of florals I start placing the blossoms between the NewPrint folds.


Gently lay each floral separately and press it flat with your hand so you can see it will show the petals once it is pressed. Once the paper is full place it inside the book. Then repeat this until the book is very full. It is okay if the stems stick out a little. After the book is as full as you can get it, close it and press the book covers together very tightly. You can then place it on the bottom of a stack of heavy books or you can have someone hold it together tightly and wrap a couple of times with masking tape to secure it. Set the book on the shelf for a few weeks








This is Queen Anne's lace that is waiting to be pressed. Notice the large lacy floral. I will lay these on the NewsPrint paper then take my hand and press the floral flat to the paper, cover the floral with paper, press all as flat as possible then slip into the book.




These are lovely florals and sage blossoms that I pressed about 3 weeks ago.

Here are some helpful hints:

1. Pick the florals in the afternoon or evening. If you pick them in the morning they will have dew and can be more difficult to dry or the excess moisture may form mold then you will need to discard them.

2. Use a used gift bag with handles so that it will hang it on your arm then both hands are free for cutting.

3. Use white paper plates or napkins to dump the freshly picked botanicals. This is a hint from Tracie Lyn. This enables you to see the small insects that came in with the botanicals.

3. Be sure to have a very heavy weight on the book that you are using for the pressing or tape very tightly. You want to ensure the botanicals are flat as possible.

4. Handle extremely carefully once they are dried as they crumble easily.

5. Store the dry botanicals in a box with a layer of paper between each layer of botanicals. I use printer papers.

6. Keep an open mind when collecting the florals. Sometimes very small blooms on bushes make the prettiest pressed flowers. Also, some flowers have very small individual blossoms that form the larger flower. I cut each blossom then I have some very small florals for projects.

7. If you want to make a press: Take corrigated cardboard and use between each of the NewsPrint. This allows for air flow. Here is how to layer: Corrigated cardboard, NewsPrint (with florals), Corrigated cardboard, NewsPrint, etc. Then weight down with something heavy. If you want to make a wooden top and bottom; cut 2 each 1/2 inch thick pieces of plywood (one for the top and one for the bottom.) The layers of corrigated cardboard and NewsPrint are sandwiched in between and wrapped tightly.

Tracie Lyn and I will be bringing many Missouri and Kansas botanicals for incorporating into your projects.

Art Unraveled is only 5 weeks away and we are very excited to meet all of you!

THANK YOU CLOTH, PAPER,SCISSORS!!!

I want to express a very special thank you to Patricia (Pokey) Bolton for the wonderful write up in the Cloth Paper Scissors web magazine. Her interview with Tracie Lyn truly expresses the relationship that Tracie and I share. The essence of the article captures in detail the love and companionship that we have been blessed to experience together.

Words cannot express how grateful we are that Pokey included us in this fantastic artistic media! The article in the July/August 2007 Cloth Paper Scissors that is available at book stores across the country was super and this on-line piece is truly the "topping on the cake." To be included in these publications with some of the best artists we know humbles us. We could never have dreamed our fun together could touch so many.

Thank you, Pokey, and thanks to all our wonderful family and friends who are supporting us spiritually and emotionally on this - the experience of a lifetime!

WE ARE TRULY BLESSED!!!!

Love to all of you,

Marylin

The Wheggies of Willowbrook

Today I want to introduce the Wheggies to all of you. These are little angel fairies that I feel are ever present in our world. I hope you enjoy meeting them. Please feel free to leave me a comment regarding how you feel about the Wheggies. I will be posting short stories about them from time to time. I hope you enjoy the pictures of these small creatures. I have created these angel fairies so that you can see what I envision these lovely beings look like in their various surroundings.







Who Are The Wheggies of Willowbrook?

In all the land that is near, Wheggies scurry about spreading joy, happiness, beauty, and love. Wheggies are small angel fairies present everywhere. They are various colors and no two Wheggies look alike. Individuality plays an important part in the role of a Wheggie with its name being indicative of the function it performs. Each instinctively knows its purpose and immediately pursues its daily tasks with vigor and purity of heart.

While all humans enjoy the fruits of the Wheggies’ labor, rarely are they aware of the Wheggies’ presence. Often the only time a human will experience awareness of a Wheggie’s presence is when a slight touch is felt but nothing is seen, or a gentle drop of moisture falls unexplained upon the check. The slight touch that tickles the skin is a Wheggie’s wing brushing gently as it swishes past. The moisture drop is the gentle kiss of a Wheggie.

Words cannot describe the feelings of joy and happiness within a human that the loving, caring nature a Wheggie creates. It matters not whether a human is blind, crippled, or deaf because the love of a Wheggie is “felt” not seen touched or heard. A Wheggie can only be felt within the human heart and can never be duplicated.

Some Wheggies go about their tasks during the day while others work under the cover of the darkness of night. Regardless, a Wheggie always sleeps in a willow tree beside a babbling brook. During the nighttime hours the leaves of the willow surrounds the sleeping Wheggie like a curtain of moonbeams. And as the Wheggies of the night sleep during the daylight hours the willow creates a gently curtain of shade protecting them from the bright sunlight.

From time to time humans lose pieces of treasured jewelry that go unfound no matter how diligent the search. When a Wheggie discovers a lost treasure it places the cherished gem in its hair or on its garment. It is considered the ultimate act of love to rescue a lost gem. The Wheggie wears the gem forever with pride and joy.

When a Wheggie flies about the land, the fullness of its hair creates a breeze that blows gently to assist the bees and other insects as they move about. The hair is a distinguishing mark of a Wheggie and flows about it like a soft cloud floating in the sky. The Wheggie’s garment, hair and wings reflect the colors surrounding it as it works, thus enabling it to blend and remain unseen. The gem it wears reflects sunbeams creating a prism of color. Clouds capture the colors, and then transform the colors into a beautiful rainbow one sees following the rain.

There are times when a Wheggie becomes ill from various hazards in the environment. When this happens all Wheggies gather together and pray for a speedy recovery. As they cry tears of sadness for their friend, the tears form raindrops that fall to the earth. The falling tears nourish the plants and quench the animals’ thirst. This gift of rain created by a Wheggie’s love for a cherished friend provides a way for the Wheggie to share the gift of friendship. The trees bow in admiration exposing the underneath of each leaf enabling it to absorb the raindrops as they fall to the earth. Animals drink from the streams where the tears gather to receive nourishment after the sun pushes the clouds away. The sun then smiles upon the earth bringing warmth and comfort to the Wheggies. As the sun touches their wings the Wheggies bask in the joy of knowing that love and happiness continues to spread aimlessly about the land. They fly happily about giving thanks that their friend is well.

Wheggies labor relentlessly to ensure that flowers, fruits and trees display their deepest colors and fragrances. They enjoy watching the insects, animals and children at play. Laughter is a song to their ears and brings warmth to their tiny hearts. They know the feelings they share are also felt deep within all creatures that roam the earth. The beauty of the land forms the basis for a pallet where the various colors come together and blend creating a beautiful canvas.

So, as you smell the sweetness of a breeze, see a beautiful flower, or admire the twinkle of a star, think about all the Wheggies working in harmony and synchronized in the feelings of love. Don’t brush away the tickle felt on your arm; don’t wipe away the gentle drop of moisture on your cheek. Instead, you should smile and enjoy the warmness in your heart as you have been touched or kissed by a Wheggie as it passed closely by you.

© Copyright 2004 Marylin F. Huskamp

™ Registered Trademark Pending

SWAP FINISHED!!!!

Here are the completed 4x4's for Elise's swap! I decided to embellish them so I used various ephemera. Also put beads and buttons on the yarns. Hope you like them!

Heart Card Swap

Here I am creating my 4x4 Heart cards for the swap hosted by Elise Buskey. I am having so much fun with this project. As with all my work, I simply must include fabric and fibers on the project somewhere.


I decided to cut my watercolor paper into 4x8 pieces using scissors with a decorative blade to create a shaped edge. Once all the pieces were cut,I painted them with purple metalic acrylic paint using a crumpled paper towel. On top of the dried purple paint I dabbed silver metalic paint using another crumpled paper towel. This was random to create a pattern of purple and silver.







Of course now the fabric comes into play. Using the fiber techiques Tracie and I teach in our classes I made this beautiful piece of fabric.




I cut a heart template from a piece of watercolor paper scrap and began cutting fabric hearts. Each card will have a large heart on the front then I will make a tiny heart to put on the back.






Using a satin stitch on the machine I sewed the hearts to the watercolor paper. Under the pointed edge of the heart I placed strands of yarns and ribbon. I haven't decided whether to leave these dangle as is or if I should put some beads on them. Guess time will dictate that decision.

The final step was to fold the card in half to create the 4x4 size for the swap and stitch the edges together. Once I have all of them completed I will punch holes in the left side so Elise can bind them in her book.

I can hardly wait to see all the beautiful cards that everyone will be making for the swap.

I've Been Tagged Twice!!!!

I hope getting tagged twice - once by my friend Debbie and once by my lovely daughter-in-law, Tracie Lyn -does that mean I have to tell 16 random things about myself? I hope not!! I have been frantically creating art and almost forgot they tagged me! Let's see I think it was eon ago!

Well, here goes:

1. Yellow is my very favorite color but no one would know. When I look in my closet almost all items are blue. In my art I seem to gravitate to pink and purple, go figure! Maybe I don't that yellow isn't my favorite color!?

2. Love to be around people but yet I really enjoy my alone time! I love the early mornings - love the sunrise and the birds singing! It is the time I love reading my favorite book with no interuptions. Views of my garden keep me connected to God's wonderful gift of nature undefined. It is fun to watch the small animals - they have such personalities!





3. Art has always been a secret passion! While I have my day job, I work to support my passion --ART!!! When I am in my art room creating I am totally absorbed. My husband refers to it as my cave. He ventures in once in a while but does it cautiously as he never knows what to expect!

4. Never had 5th or 7th grade. Went from the 4th to the 6th grade, did 8th grade work in the 7th grade and in the 8th grade worked on high school work. Went 2 years of college, got married, stayed home and raised our boys---LOVED all those wonderful years!!! MISS them TERRIBLY! Then went back to college and got my BS and MPA. I tell everyone I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up!! My mom used to say I would go to school the rest of my life. (God Bless her soul)



5. Want to finish a book I have started about angel/fairies I call "Wheggies". I love to write although I tend to let it take a back seat to other artistic endeavors. Please watch for their adventures in future blogs.



6. Have always wanted to go to Hawaii. It is my dream vacation!



7. My family is the most important thing in the world to me - I would sacrifice anything for our children and my husband is truly a keeper! My art teaching adventures with Tracie Lyn rank as some of the most wonderful experiences in my life! I love Tracie Lyn like she was my own - would adopt her but then she couldn't be my fantastic daughter-in-law and my son would be lost without her! They are truly a couple in love!





8. Retire? NEVER! Too many things yet to accomplish! Working in my art room takes me to the "Fifth Dimension"!

New Items in My Little Shop

Finally got my etsy shop updated with a few items. My goal is to get more items out there as soon as possible. I got some journals posted but haven't gotten the berets on there yet. Seems there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Hope you enjoy the items and these preview pics. Please do leave comments to let me know your thoughts. Also, if you have some suggestions for various colors for journals as I create any color.

This is sure to be a favorite. This is a one of a kind altered composition book that will make a great journal.



This is another one of a kind altered composition book.

















Some small 4x4 spiral books for your purse so you can take notes: