Color Funky!

Field of Flags

2011-09-13T13:37:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I went for my morning run. I stopped for a moment to capture this picture of the field of flags at Kennesaw Mountain National Park. Nearly 3000 flags were placed in this field for the ten year anniversary of September 11th. Each flag represents a person whose life was lost in the attacks. It's a stunning tribute.

The Culprit

2011-09-06T18:36:00.004-04:00

This fellow and his relatives ate all my parsley in one day! Yesterday, I noticed all the leaves were gone from my parsley in the backyard planter. Boo hoo. No more running out back to add some fresh color and flavor to my culinary creations. I did a little research and found out that this guy and his cousins will turn into beautiful Black Swallowtail butterflies. I guess I can sacrifice my parsley if it adds some of these beautiful creatures to our world.

Guess Who?

2011-08-30T13:15:00.004-04:00

Who is disguised by those sunglasses? Today I am thinking about all of the different roles I play in my life. For just a minute, I am trying to leave all these roles behind and allow myself space to just "be". This is a picture of me in disguise with a list of some of the jobs that occupy my time on a regular basis.

I'm Baaaak....

2011-08-14T13:38:00.009-04:00

The kids are tucked safely back to school, and I am getting my creative juices flowing again.

My son is playing football, which scares me given the intense Georgia heat. I am making sure he drinks a ton of water and has salty snacks on hand. Daughter is busy in the first dramatic performance of the season.

I entered the design above in the weekly Spoonflower contest. This week's challenge is to make a design in the fashion of a hawaiian quilt. It was a lot of fun and allowed me to exercise my Adobe Illustrator muscle.

Quilt Progress

2011-05-01T21:34:00.004-04:00

I'm really thrilled with the progress on my first quilt. After completing the top and bottom, I brought it to the local quilt shop to be quilted. I'm really pleased with the job they did on their long arm quilting machine. The size of the quilting pattern seems to be a great match for the fabric patterns.

Attaching the binding has been very labor intensive. I sewed the front of the binding with my machine. Now, I'm in the process of hand-sewing the binding to the back. Although this part is taking a long time, I love the portability of the hand sewing. I can snuggle under the quilt in any room in the house.I'm really excited to finish and show you the finished product.

Sliced Coins Quilt

2011-04-23T22:17:00.005-04:00

While I was surfing, I found a great quilt along on the blog Don't Call Me Betsy . It's the sliced coins quilt. It appealed to me for several reasons. First, because it looks like a good match for my skill set. I also love the modern simplicity of it. Finally, the instructions look well-written and easy to follow. So, although the quilt along is long over, I am following the instructions to create my own sliced coins lap quilt for my family room.

As a first step, I took my daughter to the fabric store and we chose some beautiful fabrics with orange in them. I was originally thinking the lap quilt will go in my family room pictured above. We couldn't decide what color sashing to use. The helpful woman in the store suggested green, and we thought that was a great idea. In retrospect, I wish I had stuck with my gut feeling to use a neutral like gray. I think it would have gone much better in this room. However, I think the quilt will still be really cute, and I will be happy to use it in my family room or in another location.

Right now, I have three of the four coin strips pieced. You can see how the stacks look in the picture above. I also have the material I am using for the sashing hanging between the stacks.

This project reminds me that I really need to make myself a design wall in my sewing room. Right now, I have these pieces hanging on a really cute picture in my sewing room. I'll show that to you in another posting.

I'll keep you posted on my progress with the stacked coins quilt. I'm very happy with the results so far. Have a great Easter holiday tomorrow!!

Passover Baking

2011-04-15T19:43:00.012-04:00

The first night of Passover is Monday, and I am having a few families to our home for a traditional Seder. Today I did the baking. I made four recipes, but these two turned out the best.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Meringues recipe came from the Smitten Kitchen blog. Ironically, I compared notes with my own mother, and her recipe was the same. These turned out crunchy, melt-in-your mouth yummy. Much more fresh and delicious than the store bought type. I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. They are perfect!

The other recipe is Chocolate-Covered Caramelized Matzoh Crunch. This also turned out great. I covered half in toasted almond slices and left half with no nuts. Wow, the caramel tasted like praline when I taste-tested it mid recipe.

I think the best advice I used this Passover is to get all of the baking done ahead of time. I'm so glad to have this task checked off my list!

Three Blankets for Three New Cousins!

2011-04-12T12:37:00.003-04:00

My husband has three cousins on his dad's side. Would you believe they all had their first children in the same month?

When my kids were born (11 and 13 years ago), my dad's cousin, Nina, made blankets just like these. The blankets are two layers of coordinating flannel, finished off with a pretty top stitch. My kids still treasure the blankets to this day. Although Nina is no longer living, the blankets bring back fond memories of her kindness.

I love the fact that sewing is a craft that yields useful items that can stand the test of time!!!

Preparing to Bind!!

2011-04-01T09:00:00.007-04:00

My quilt is off at the quilter. I am so excited to get it back. I am reading up on binding so I can get started when I get my baby back. The internet and my quilting books have been great resources on the topic of quilt binding. I found this tutorial from Jaybird Quilts particularly helpful. She has several free tutorials available on her website.

Swooning at Target

2011-03-28T10:35:00.011-04:00

Scenes like this give me an unsettled feeling inside. Not because the shelves at Target were messy, but more like a swooning feeling. It's like a little crush. I just love all the colorful, happy patterns on these notebooks. I would love to buy everything on the shelves. While I do use notebooks every day, I have a supply at home to last me at least a year. So, I will just visit these lovely little books.
As an aside, lately, on my recent trips to Target, I have been visiting the "Try Before You Buy" scent section at Target. Today I tried "Voyage" by Nautica. I sprayed some on my wrists, and it was so yummy that I added some to my neck. One small concern. I thought the scent might be for men. So, after tossing it in my cart, I did a quick internet search. Sure enough, Voyage is for men. So, I returned the bottle to the shelf. I enjoyed the scent for the rest of the day, with an underlying self-conscious feeling. Did people think I smelled like a man? Hmm...maybe I'll buy it for my man. Father's Day is coming up!!

My First Quilt

2011-03-19T17:40:00.002-04:00

I've been gone from the blogosphere for a while, but I wanted to share my progress on my quilt. Today I finished the top! I am really happy with it. It is for a queen sized bed at the beach. Here, it is laying on a king sized bed. I really just eye-balled the size, but I think it will end up working well on a queen or king bed. I am looking forward to hitting the fabric store on Monday to choose a fabric for the back. I am thinking of using white. I have heard that Kona fabric is good for a quilting solid. I think I will take a look at that. Right now, the walls in the room where this quilt will live are beige. I am planning on painting the walls white for a real clean, happy feel. Any comments?

How I Started Sewing

2010-09-19T13:06:00.015-04:00

I reached age 42 having never used a sewing machine. When I thought about sewing, I imagined frumpy clothing items that never fit quite right in some drab floral print. In high school, I had the choice of taking sewing or cooking. I chose cooking, and it turns out that decision has served me well. I find myself preparing food daily for my family of 4, and the basic skills I learned in the class come back to help me almost every day.

I managed to get through my professional life fine without the sewing skill. I was able to sew on the occasional button, and that was fine.

Fast forward 25 years after high school...

I'm a crafty mom of two kids. I have a need to express myself artistically. I have dabbled in polymer clay. I love the medium, however, I found that the clay dried out my hands so badly. I also don't like that the clay is not organic. Where does used polymer clay end up? How does it affect our environment?

I love to create items that are useful. I have a passion for surface design. Hmm... My daughter is a budding actress. Wouldn't it be cool if I knew how to sew? I could even save my family expense and hassle by quickly shortening pants myself.

While perusing Joann Fabric and Crafts one day, I looked at the multitude of class offerings. Why not take a stab at sewing? So, I signed up and went to a class. We were asked to come to class with some fabric. I found light blue "Apples and Pears" fabric by Alexander Henry. Here began my love with modern, fabulous fabric.

During that class, I learned the very basics of using a sewing machine. I used a machine provided by the store. I walked out of the store with this simple pouch, made from the fabric which I loved. My husband is now using the pouch as a light protective cover for his iPad. If you look closely, you can see how big and messy my first stitches were.

Hmm...I guess this sewing thing is fun. Think of all the useful possibilities. My next thought was to purchase a basic sewing machine so I could practice my new skills. Guess what I did next? I will continue my journey in my next post.

Breakfast

2010-07-17T14:13:00.008-04:00

I am trying to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator. As a way to give myself a little assignment, I am taking a stab at Illustration Friday. It's a great site. You can check it out here at http://www.illustrationfriday.com/ Each Friday, a topic is provided. This week, the topic is "breakfast". I used this topic to create a simple graphic in Illustrator using shapes. Easy for some. Mildly challenging for me. First, I drew some ideas with colored pencil in my sketchbook. Then, I simplified and translated the sketch to Illustrator.

Back on Track

2010-02-24T15:46:00.004-05:00

So my husband and I are making it our business to go on a date on Saturday nights. Thanks to Simply Modern Mom for starting Project 52 Date Nights. We missed a few weeks, due to kids' birthdays, work and bad weather. We finally got back on track last Saturday night. It was fun. It's such a relief to spend a little time alone, catch up and feel like adults again. We went to the Atlanta Fish Market. The food was yummy and I didn't feel like I ate too much when I was done. I got a very light fish cooked "Hong Kong" style. Yum. I can't remember for the life of me what type of fish it was. Here are some pictures I snapped with my phone.

Hooray, my way! One-Per-Month Challenge

2010-01-31T11:29:00.005-05:00

Here are my January results for the one-per-month challenge hosted by Chaletgirl's blog. Chaletgirl presented a challenge for us crafters who love to buy the beautiful craft books out there in the world. She challenged her readers to choose one project from a craft book which you already own, and make a craft from the book. I love craft books, and I love the idea. So, I willingly accepted the challenge.

My first project came from the fabulous book Applique, Your Way by Kayte Terry. I blogged about the book and the Hooray banner I chose. Well, my friends, the result is shown above. Let me start by saying I loved doing this project. My kids' birthdays are both in February, so I love that I can use my finished product to make their celebrations a little brighter. I'm hoping it may become a family tradition to hang a banner to honor our family's achievements.

Like any self-respecting crafter, I am critical of my results. If I were to do it again, I would definitely cut the felt letters from a felt color that contrasts more with the background fabric. Ahh, live and learn.

I'm itching to make two new banners, one with my daughter's name on it and one with my son's name on it. Of course, I will learn from my mistakes and make the felt contrast more with the background fabric so their names really pop.

I'm really excited to pick a new project for February. I'll be scouring my books and blog soon about my choice for February. I love the one-per-month challenge. Thanks, Chaletgirl! You are helping to sustain my craft book habit!

A Gift for Sweet Christine

2010-01-25T16:56:00.006-05:00

You know the friend. She's the one you call in desperation the night before your son's basketball game. You've finally realized that 1. you can't go to the game 2. you can't drive your son to the game 3. you can't drive your son home from the game. The conversation with Christine goes something like this..."Hi, Christine, I just realized we can't take R to his basketball game tomorrow. Can we drop him off in the morning, like early, and maybe give you a call sometime in the afternoon when we are done with this social commitment?" The answer from Christine is always the same..."of course, don't worry about it" Well, Christine, here is a very tiny token of appreciation for always saying yes.

I sewed up this set of 12 cloth napkins. I hope you will enjoy them. Maybe you will use them for every day like we do. They feel really soft compared to paper napkins. I just toss them in with my laundry. I never iron them. That takes too long. Thanks for all you do. And please call me in desperation once in a while. I won't feel like such a disorganized mom!

One Per Month Challenge

2010-01-16T16:37:00.010-05:00

Chaletgirl suggested the great idea of trying one new craft project from a craft book that you already own. She also recommended trying one new recipe a month from a cookbook that you have on your shelf. You can read about her challenge here:

http://www.chaletgirl.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/one-per-month-challenge/

I love the idea of trying one new project per month. I love buying craft books with all of their delicious ideas. So, here is what I am going to try this January. I am getting a late start, although I would love to complete the project this month.

I love the idea of the banner, because it is useful. Both of my kids have birthdays in February, so I'm hoping I'll have it done in time for that. I envision using the banner to help celebrate family milestones like a win in basketball, a successful drama performance, a debate victory, a work accomplishment etc., etc.

I'll post later this month to show the finished result.

Project 52: Date Night #2

2010-01-12T08:13:00.005-05:00

We're batting 2 for 2 in 2010. G and I had our second date night on Saturday 1/9/10. We started out by going to scope out The Yellow House in Roswell, Georgia. We are having a dinner party next year this time. I think the venue will work perfectly. The Yellow House has a tin ceiling and big square tables with 8 chairs around them. A perfect setting for our out of town guests. Best of all, you can order a menu from Swallow in the Hollow or Greenwood's on Green. They both have delicious "Southern" food that will be a fun way for our friends to celebrate the weekend.

After checking out the Yellow House, we ate dinner next door at Swallow in the Hollow. http://theswallowatthehollow.com/ Yummy baby back ribs, fried green tomatoes and the best banana pudding for dessert. I'm not even a big fan of banana pudding, but it has bits of home-baked chocolate chip cookie in it. It is soooooo delicious.

Finally, we went to a cantorial concert at our synagogue. The cantor sang traditional show tunes. There was a duet with him and a friend of mine. It was beautiful. Besides about 10 phone calls interrupting our date (from our little guy), the night was wonderful.

G has to work this Saturday night, so we will have to miss our date night this week. I'm looking forward to getting back on board the following Saturday, 1/23/10.

Freezing in Georgia!

2010-01-06T09:15:00.005-05:00

First Date Night

2010-01-02T23:02:00.004-05:00

Tonight was #1 of Project 52: Date Nights

My sweet husband and I signed a pledge to have a date night each week this year. Tonight was our first date, and it was a success!

First, we had a lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Then, we saw the movie Up In the Air with George Clooney. It was really good. George is really nice to look at too! We had a really good talk about the movie on the way home.

It was really great to have a few hours alone with my honey, and I am looking forward to a year full of dates!

A Year of Dates!

2010-01-01T18:18:00.004-05:00

My husband and I are participating in this brilliant project. It will be wonderful during our 17th (yikes) year of marriage!!!

http://www.simplymodernmom.com/2009/12/project-52-date-nights/

Check it out! Maybe you and your special someone want to participate!

Getting Organized?

2009-12-27T13:21:00.003-05:00

I'm on a sewing craze. G requested a little pouch to keep his guitar picks. "Oh, and please make it big enough for me to get my whole hand inside". I whipped up this one. I think the fabric is perfect. The twill tape drawstring worked out well too. It's a drop in the bucket toward becoming more organized, but better than nothing!

Photgraphic Journey Around the Yard

2008-04-05T15:37:00.001-04:00

Red in the Yard

2008-03-28T17:21:00.005-04:00

Here's our new red rooster friend...

Here is a camelia from the backyard. Things are getting mighty gorgeous in Georgia!

Blue Dot Tree

2008-03-23T17:55:00.004-04:00

Easter Greetings

2008-03-22T21:14:00.001-04:00

Purim Greetings!

2008-03-21T16:48:00.005-04:00

New Pen

2008-03-08T14:08:00.005-05:00

I'm finally getting my Etsy shop re-stocked after our move. Today I added a polymer clay covered pen. This morning, I was using an older pen I made a year ago. It feels so smooth and great in my hand. I love looking at the little patterns on it as I am searching for the right word to fill in my crossword puzzle!

Blast Off!

2008-03-05T16:30:00.022-05:00

G and R launched a rocket today.

After a much anticipated flight, it turns out the rocket got a bit "hung up".

Oh well, maybe next time!

The Blues-Illustration Friday

2007-09-29T21:28:00.001-04:00

2007-09-03T21:53:00.000-04:00

Here's my entry for Illustration Friday 9-3007. The topic was "alphabets".

2007-09-03T16:46:00.000-04:00

Wow! Am I excited!! I purchased this original acrylic today at the Marietta Square art festival in Marietta, Georgia. It was done by Vikki Mancil Weigel. She is wonderfully talented! I feel so lucky to own a piece of her work. She is the featured artist for next weekends' Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She is a delight and I look forward to watching her continued success. Great job, Vikki! She has a website that has not been updated in a while, but you can learn a little more about her work there. www.vikkipaints.com

2007-08-26T20:53:00.000-04:00

I've been tagged!

Here are 8 little known facts about me:

1. I went trekking in Nepal for a week.
2. I'm a city girl at heart (from Chicago)
3. I love my dogs Monty and Daisy.
4. I have a parapalegic fish.
5. I completed a triathlon.
6. I was a nursing home administrator.
7. I once worked at Blimpie.
8. I love old people.

You are now officially tagged. Yes You!

Bobby Pins

2007-07-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

Emily had the great idea to cover bobby pins with beads. She picked out the colors, and I did the beading. I think these are aptly named "Enchanted Garden Bobby Pins".

Paradise

2007-06-01T12:51:00.002-04:00

This is my first submission to Illustration Friday. I created this colored pencil paradise early this morning. I know I am an amateur among greats, so just let me know if you would prefer I don't submit entries in the future. I love looking at everyone else's work. It's fabulous!

More Painting

2007-05-24T21:43:00.000-04:00

I'm finding that I really enjoy painting bold images with acrylic paint. Today I was looking at the marimekko website. I love the bold patterns on their fabrics. I remembered the comforter I took to college in 1985 and the big pink flowers on it. Oh, I wish I still had that. One of my favorite prints of all times. In the meantime, I'll have to create my own big flowers!

Acrylic Paint

2007-05-23T22:16:00.001-04:00

I've had fun experimenting with acrylic paint lately. I love bright, colorful pictures. I think this would look great in a little girls room or in a bright kitchen or craft area. It makes me happy!

New Pens...

2007-05-18T10:54:00.001-04:00

Here are two new pens I made today. They are covered in polymer clay.

Welcome!

2007-05-14T22:32:00.000-04:00

This is a blog about all things creative!