Every place I look ...

There are many things ART to finish!

Show coming up June 18th.

I feel like the "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!" rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

Gladly, my ears are not that floppy.  Yikes!

 The top piece is glass ... my first real glass piece.  I normally use tile.  I love it!

There are painted boards sitting all over the house!  Preparation for greater things to come! 

And there are painted boards on the front porch too!  They're every where, I tell you! 

This one is on the work table ... and I'm going to tile it as soon as I finish with this post. 

This poor ironing board is liable to fall through the floor any minute with everything that is stacked on top of it.  It has some incomplete journals, amongst the iron and starch, button boxes, sewing boxes and of course, painted boards!

And these guys are here to help!

Artemis - the scaredy cat 

Spartacus the warrior

Thanks, guys!

Life is good when you can fill your day with art (me) and peaceful rest (them)!  Will be back with finished art to show off by week's end! Yay! On mornings like these when the sun is bright, the sky is brilliant North Carolina blue, the birds are singing and I have the whole day to look forward to and conquer, I am so consumed with gratitude that it is hard to focus!  I am so very blessed!

Next week I will be in weaving class ALL WEEK!  I'm so excited I can't think straight!  Then when I proclaim "I am a weaver" it might have some validity behind it --- even though I will be a novice, I will have some information to perform the task!  How GREAT is that???  A two year in the waiting room process.  Oh. my. gosh.!!

Meanwhile ... happy trails to you all.  And happy all things creative!

Blessings,

Art and then some ...

WHAT is happening with Mother Nature? My heart is breaking into huge pieces for these people who are becoming homeless, injured and watching their friends and family die at the hand of tornadoes.  Blessings to you all.  I am reading about all the flooding in Wyoming through blogs I follow.  This is very heavy on my heart.  Lighten up, Mother Nature! I do believe you have our full and undivided attention!  The worst (and best) part is: our weather here is G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. and as I THANK YOU Mother Nature, others are dying by your hand.  I just do not understand the need for the drama here.  Both ends of the scale are before me and I find myself walking around in tears - please lighten up, PLEASE!

On the lightened up side from "our universe", Paul and Cheri land:

Paul and I went to visit our new friend, Sarah's farm.  All organic, beautiful, happy and peaceful.  The views from her place make you believe in miracles, fairy tales and all that.  Her asparagus was delicious, picked that very morning! She is also a potter and I picked up some very wonderful "little" pots, which is her specialty.  Very cool for paint brushes and etc.  It was a wonderful afternoon, thrown in as a little gift from the universe and boy, do we really appreciate it!  We feel like we needed a little morsel of joy and beauty.  We sure did get that! They have cows, goats and chickens, as well as a gozillion acres of gorgeous earth.  Thanks, Sarah and David, for sharing your slice of heaven.  WONDERFUL!

On the subject of organic gardening, Sarah and David gave us a big reminder that it is time to get ours going now that it has been proclaimed that we have finished freezing temperatures up here in the High Country.  For now, this is what we are harvesting.  Aren't they beautiful?  Don't know about you, but I think there is nothing like a sweet freshly picked strawberry.  Paul will make jam this afternoon.  Yum!

On the art front:

It's a grouting day ... STRONG sunshine, no moisture, lots of beautiful warmth.  Yep, grouting today!

Here's what's on the grout table:

 The frog prince

 Hot air balloons - lots of enhancements once they're grouted

a border for a polymer clay message - maybe Bless this Home - something like that.

These are ones the painting table

They turn into these:

Yesterday I had the opportunity and sweet gift to visit Patti the potter and sit in her "Bob Connor Shade Garden" for a lovely visit.  Inside her studio I was astounded to see how much work she has cranked out!  We marveled at how focused we must be, and how much we love our art.  Then it was time to go, all too soon.  I did, however find I was leaving holding onto one of her wonderful pots I could not let go of.  And these too!  Her girls have the most wonderful eggs ... always a green one, my favorite! So, now that I've had my breakfast, it's off to the races!

Hope every one of you have a wonderful days filled with blessings.  And if you still have a home, your family intact and are enjoying the beauty of mother nature, PLEASE say a special word or two packed with love for those who are in real peril this day.  Blessings to all.

Have you heard it?

Apparently there is a rumor going around that I've been kidnapped by a band of gypsies?  Don't believe everything you hear!  I am a gypsy and believe me, those bands don't want me slowing them down!

Truth is, the sun has come out, the flowers are blooming every where and the pace of life in the lazy mountains has picked up to "furious" on the pace-ometer.  It is very nearly art show season and I, for one, am going full guns to get ready for the mania.  Crazy, the things we love ... adrenaline rushes.  I honestly have the best seat in the house for working in the studio! So, I've got my head down and my mind focused.  There are GOBS of plans and ideas ... and some ruffled feathers too.  It's hard to be so mono sighted when there is so much that gets "left behind" in the process.  Don't worry dear mountain of laundry, I'll get to you a.s.a.p.! 

Shannon and I went to Burnsville this week to pay our booth rental for the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Festival and we saw this quilt!  It is AMAZING!  I think it is 10 feet wide, so I couldn't get it all in one shot.  It's the four seasons of the county (Yancey) and the black and white photos represent the shape of the county.  It was very awe-inspiring to stand in front of.  Sure made me want to come up with something spectacular!

The coffee shop is close to opening, as well!  We're all practicing our magic, so if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop in!  The Rusted Periwinkle, Lower Street, Elk Park. 828-733-1800.  We'd love to see you there!

More photos soon of the works in progress.  Even a Frog Prince in the mix!

love and hugs,

Multi Tasking (squared)

 First, as always, are the mosaics being assembled for the art show in 4 weeks.  I did the math this morning.  I will be busy from now until then, without a doubt, no questions asked!  My friend, Patti the Potter, Connor-Greene has taught me to keep my head down and move on.  Thank you, Patti!

Then, there is the time to accept gifts.  My sweet daughter and her son made me a journal for Mother's day!  It is fabulous, fun and precious!  I will post better shots of it with insides later, just wanted to show it off a little ;-).   She said she knew I would NEVER make one for myself --- true that!

 Then, there is the gardening that is a heart and soul quencher!  I LOVE flowers and the whole garden-y thing.  THIS makes me very happy.  Plus it was my momma's favorite flower - only in red.  I like purple, so it's a compromise!  (I don't think she'd mind).

 There are pansies and petunias also added to the frey now.  SO happy!

It makes our girls' night on the veranda such a wonderful treat!  This is what one of our spreads is like ... carrot ginger soup;  salad with fresh greens, avocado, tomato, feta, seeds and nuts and carrot, with a Dijon vinaigrette; rosemary olive oil bread; and a fun bottle of wine.

 I've been helping and making signs for the store - The Rusted Periwinkle.  These are pretty fun to make and they look great when they're done.  I polycoated them today so they will survive the elements when we get them up on the roof! YAY!

 The store front is beginning to take on a warm weather personality.  It's great fun and lots of creative energy goes into it.  It feels great! I've been here quite a few hours lately!

Colors ---- more pansies, what can I say!?

And the WONDERFUL and AMAZING  Chalk paint! Check it out here! I am so impressed with this stuff!  Apparently so are bunches of other people.  We are slammed with orders --- Tammy is amazing with getting them all out and tended to!

This is the display when you walk in the door to the left.   There are dozens of little areas like this ... and much, much more!

This is what I try to do everyday.  But really .... I make a lot of these little gems for art shows and etc.  They're inspirational and great for all sorts of sayings.  And they're cute!

The awning (canopy?) went up for the coffee shop entrance.  The sink finally got connected.  Now if the coffee man can get here, we can actually make and sell coffee! Whoop!

There is a lot going on ... and I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I LOVE this time of year.  The activity makes you feel alive again after the winter.  I will be ever grateful for the warmth, the smiles of the tourists, the enthusiasm of our visiting folks and the season to be happy and wear shorts and skirts!

Gotta go --- keep calm and carry on!

Blessings to you all!

We're in!

Shannon and I will be at the Rhododendron Festival in Roan Mountain June 18th and 19th!

Come out and see us ~ and all the other vendors!

SO excited!

Will be in the studio from now until ....

*****

Today I painted (yes, I know you can't believe I'm still painting!) but I used this amazing Chalk Paint to paint a dresser that was in horrid condition.  I now will swear by chalk paint. You don't have to prep the piece, it goes over anything and STICKS to it!  It goes on evenly and is easy to work with.  You can pick up the paint at The Rusted Periwinkle in downtown Elk Park if you are in our neck of the woods.  Or you can order it and we can ship it to you!  Check it out here chalk paint!!!!  I've been a painter for years - this stuff ROCKS!  And there are tons of colors to choose from.  If you refinish furniture at all, this stuff is your best friend.  Also, if you have any walls to paint that are not exactly perfect, you will be so happy you chose this paint to use!  I forgot to take a photo this evening of the dresser, but you will be seeing it soon, as the coffee shop is getting closer to being ready for you to come and drink coffee!!!

*****

Knowing all of you have mother's day obligations, I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day and many blessings for you and your families.  Here's a photo of my beautiful momma in 1942ish  as she waited for my dad to return from WWII.  Some concept, huh?  My mom passed years ago, and I miss her every day...still.  And not a day goes by that I don't hear some wonderfully profound and loving words from her either through my thoughts, or through my own words to my own children.  Thanks, mom.  I love you.

Happy Weekend all!

More Inspiration

I have been reading a series by Louise Gale on her blog.  She has invited some very dynamic, talented and energetic women to post about their "stories". here The things that have motivated and driven their creativity are very telling, substaintially helpful and a lovely gift this week.  It has been an absolute blessing to read these very uplifting stories (sometimes through scary attention-getting events) and I feel MUCH better today about going into the studio and working, and heck, just life in general!.  Maybe, thanks to these lovely women, I have finally given myself the permission I needed just to do what I love to do!  I'm certainly going for that.  WHY do we make things complicated and all messy when there is really no need for it ~ and life is so much easier through simplicity?!

So thank you to all those wonderful ladies who are sharing their hearts and souls with us.  It really does help!

Here are a few snippets of a newly completed journal from yesterday.  I LOVED making this one!  It was very full so I've only chosen a few of the pages for posting.  Enjoy! And if you have any suggestions to make these better or more inspirational for the recipients, PLEASE let me know!