"The sea does not reward those who are
too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient.
To dig for treasures shows not only
impatience and greed, but lack of faith.
Patience is what the sea teaches; patience
and faith.
One should lie empty, open,
choiceless as a beach -- waiting for a
"Gift From the Sea."
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
This quote was discovered on Lani Gerity's Virtual Garden Blog...Thank you Lani.)

I am just waiting for the gift from the universe......
When my muse returns, so will I.

November 2010 Calender

Isn't this great! Barbara S. created this neat turkey for November 2010...In a Yahoo Group, ArtGirls, 12 artist are creating a "Paper Doll" Calendar for each month. I now have May and November...I am eager to see the entire 2010 Calender!

Each tail feather was water colored with the brilliant hues. All six are movable as are the turkey's feet....so much fun!

I will treasure this November Charm...I can easily replace 2010 as the years go on....

Christmas Crazy Quilts

Dawn has sent me another beautiful Christmas Crazy Quilt. We were matched for the trade in Art4Mail Yahoo Group. The Gingerbread Crazy Quilt swap was a -one-on-one. I like that she always personalizes the squares! Again, she has shown her embroidery talent with special and detailed stitches. What a beautiful Christmas gift....

I received another Christmas Crazy Quilt from Rita in the same Yahoo Group. Look how the two match so well! Rita included a gingerbread too and created beautiful embroidery stitches. I so like the ribbon embroidery around a vintage Christmas photo.

They complement each other so well.

The selected fabrics, similar design, and the great quality stitching in both offer an opportunity to create a treasured Christmas wall-hanging!

Thank you both for your caring attention and very creative work!

Crazy Quilt Square

Thank you Dawn! Isn't this beautiful..we are doing a one on one trade. Notice her beautiful embroidery. Each snowflake is completed in such detail...sweet pearls too. I really like the gingerbreads! Such a treasure...

Christmas Stocking

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."

This is a Christmas Stocking I made for a Trade in Embroidery Swaps. I used a vintage postcard for the image and added vintage lace. I am enjoying hand embroidery! The vintage buttons add a final statement.

Dr. Randy

Dr. Randy is Pfizer's veterinarian. I just completed this Christmas wall-hanging for his office. I like the Christmas Tree made with Paws!! I included a covered button with Pfizer's photo and vintage cooper cookie cutters! I am eager to share this with him. I also made matching bookmarks for the other veterinarians great and support staff.

A Single Photo

I want to share a single photo..they are all different. A truly, vintage, crazy quilted lace place mats. I am so honored....

Secret Pal Package

I want to share the awesome package I received this morning from my Secret Pal from the Embroidery Swap Group I belong to...The photo does not do justice to the beautiful vintage lace, crazy quilt design place mats I received...Four pieces with such detail, design, and a delicate selection of lace pieces. They are a treasure. She also included three additional lace packages and a 100 year old thimble for my collection! I also received over a yard of Christmas fabric, four FQ of my favorite colors, six spools of thread, thread pullers, and a velvet pouch with a magnifying glass...much needed tools of the trade! She was so very generous...I am thrilled and filled with appreciation.

Faeries Among Us

This Fairy Box was created for my dear friend Gena in France. This art challenge was to make a fairy door. After several different attempts my endeavours resulted in this.

It worked out well since I could include treasures in the box!

The Merry Month of May

"The Merry Month of May..."

I am delighted to be a part of a group of talented women that are crating Paper Doll Calendars for 2010...what a collection it will be!

My month is May, and I have created Miss May. She is eager to be included in this years Calendar. I will post the Paper Dolls as I receive them...FUN!

Oma's Project Bags - Embroidery Swaps

The request was for a "Grandma Theme." I made each side for the Grand-Girls and Boys...Such fun to make with great fabric patterns! A Ballerina Doll in the pocket; a neat Bubblegum Pin; Hand Embroidery; Machine Embroidery; lots of Vintage Lace.



The next bag was made with a "Flower Theme." Neat with Vintage Lace; Hand Embroidery; Beautifully designed Fabric; a huge Vintage Button!

I used Rosalie Quinlan Designs - Oma's Project Bag

Such fun to create.....

Yongosona Wuuti - The Storyteller

Now that I have established my breathing and dried my tears, I want to share with you the extraordinary Blume Doll Barbara M., special Yahoo Group Art4Mail, created. I am so honored to receive this caringly made and researched doll. Her name is Yongosona Wuuti. In Hopi language this means Tortoise/Turtle Woman! Barbara conducted extensive research in naming her. "In the Hopi Culture, the women were responsible for all things domestic. They were nomadic and followed the quest to futile soils. They carried their belongings (houses) with them much like a tortoise, hence her name."

The first Stoyteller was made by a contemporary Pueblo woman in New Mexico, honoring her grandfather who was a storyteller. Storytellers dolls are always depicted with open mouths because they would sing their history. They would also keep their eyes closed. Turtle Woman is a real treasure.

What Barbara did not know is my Niece is a Navajo Indian from the Alamo Reservation, Alamo, New Mexico. Her daughter won the Miss Teen Alamo Navajo 2006-2007 title.

Art4Mail conducted this Ethnic Doll Trade. It is so special that Turtle Woman came to me and our family.

Friendship

This is a photo of the package contents I received from my dear friend Gena in France. Included was a Zine she created about D-A-N-C-E, "Quelle Couleur Estla Danse?"

Is it the color of Nature? Of Joy? Is it Feminine? A Mystery!

"One of the earliest structured uses of dances may have been in the performance and telling of myths." It was also sometimes used to show feelings for one of the opposite sex."

How interesting to delve into the origins, movements, interpretations, and emotions of this human behaviour called Dance! Gena offered an to express a personal reaction to the narration in the Zine.

"Make Your Own Dancing Spirit"

Fabric, flowers, ribbon, yarn, textured material, even faces---all included to begin the dance with Her!

Her - Gena, the Completed Doll, the Connections With You, Mother Earth....Let's Everyone Reach Out and D-A-N-C-E.

Thank you dear Gena for sharing the beautiful melody!

Big Horn Sheep!

The heard of sheep was grazing off our bedroom balcony!

What a beautiful experience watching them climbing the hill...The older males leading and occasionally butting horns...so neat.

The neighborhood enjoys the sheep everyday in the park near our home. It is sweet watching the heard and the children on the swings, slides, and picnicking all around them.(Photos posted on an earlier date-do scroll down!)

We were fortunate to watch them return in the evening to the mountain near our home. Over 50 big horn sheep crossing the street, stopping and grazing, then continuing up the stone and dirt terrain.