a week with candice

at the beginning of the week my friend candice sent me this fabulous package . such a bundle of lovlieness!
the blue sash is tied around the greatest funky apron. the collaged card on the left is sewn paper and fabric and there is a stack of beautiful napkins tied with lace and secured with a rhinestone pin.
then our art group met at candice's house for a wonderful dinner and a whole evening with art and friends. when we arrived she had a table set up in front of the fire for us to work at. i had to wander around and look at every beautiful thing she has arranged in her home. a magical winter display set up in the entry and her office was filled with so many cool things to see. it was all so inspiring.
candice put together a little kit for us to get started on. inside was a gorgeous blue box with a page from a bird book, a collection of twigs and feathers from nature, and other lovely bits to decorate with. this is how four of them turned out.

this is only the second time our art group has met. already i feel such a connection to these girls. thank you to each of you, sherri, sue, candice, rena, and amanda for such an amazing evening! i really can't wait for macrame rings everyone. . .

birthday fairy

the birthday fairy is officially stopping by here to wish my sister kris the happiest of days! i am hoping you made it to your cabin retreat and celebrated both of your birthdays with a bit of chocolate vegan cake covered in festive candles.
a package is on its way, but i won't post a picture just in case you are looking before you get it!



the big flower on the left is quite the yummy flower i found at my fav antique store, a piece of grannys wallpaper is the background (still in her house also), the card i bought from misty mawn
and the tiny box has a surprise in it for the birthday girl! now you are intrigued.

the birthday fairy is the first of my attempts to remake the little vintage cotton figures that were orriginally made as christmas ornaments. i have sent away for some fiber samples to see if i can match the little ball of fluff i found at a vintage store. i love the color and the loft. i am also using vintage cotton pipe cleaners for the arms and legs.

meet the ickles

the boxes of fabrics i have saved for years are flying open and i am sewing everything lately.
i guess during my sewing-quilting phase i burned myself out on fabric, and now here i am again. full circle back to sitching again. i made myself a little pincushion, a tiny zipper purse, then i started making little stuffies based on sketches by marina and olivia. meet the ickles.
first was ik, then lil, and last . . .mim for liv. ik has a bit of a house with a view, lil sleeps in a hello kitty bandaid box, and mim has been roaming around the house. luckily she has a bell.

wool felt gifty

i am sending off a gifty to my cool sister-in-law today! i sat down to make something for her out of my box of dyed and recycled wool pieces and just finished it. i love how the different flowers turned out. the red is the best red i have ever found. it used to be a ladies coat from the 50's. very styling big buttons and large lapel. the tiny yo-yo is made from a vintage piece of fabric that has been waiting for me. . . the beads are the smallest i have ever sewn with and i was so happy to find a size 13 beading needle by clover that works beautifully. i am also sending on some of the amazing clover brand glass head pins from japan, my favorite!

snowman

before i put everything christmas away, here is our christmas card for the year. marina painted it!
its how i feel to be headed into january. some fun things to look forward to:
i am taking a metal clay class from Sherri Haab,
in a couple of weeks. i have already started thinking of ideas of what i want to make. then it is my birthday! i share the day with my sister kris-10 years apart exactly.
i am planning a day up in salt lake to shop and hang out to celebrate. our art group will be meeting again, our second ever meeting. oh and i am continuing a major cleanout of my studio. scheduled for today... continue to expose the carpet and create a walking path through the stuff.

all vintage

my friend Laurie, from california sent me the most lovely gift for the holidays. it was a vintage tin with presents inside all wrapped with aqua tulle.
there was a tiny bottle of mica flakes tied up with ribbon, the tiniest soft hanky with the smallest bullion roses embroidered on it, a card of blue and white vintage trims, and the loveliest vintage enameled earings.
i spent a while figuring out the photo editing system Photoline, a free download from the web, so i could colorize the earings for the photo.
then i doodled around with a new format and uploaded a profile picture. so, i may be here blogging for a while. . .