More play time

Whew! I joined a new group that is one fast moving , busy bunch of ladies. I love it and you all know how I love swaps...but this group is like none I've ever belonged to before. The owner of the group is tough in a fun sort of way...she means business, but she is a gentle leader in a stern sort of way. I like her!
Anyway I jumped right in as usual. Only I would join a group like this right before the busiest time of the year..Those who know me would expect nothing more LOL
I will be taking pictures of the latest swaps...Hopefully by the end of today. Ceil is coming over to work with the Cricket and to emboss some papers, so I have a fun day planned.
I am almost done with my PC for my one group, my Santa Swap for another, Charms and a sidestep card for another...so as you can see...I've been busy LOL I love being busy...but it isn't getting my studio any more organized :-( Maybe tomorrow LOL)
Years and years ago (I think one of my students follows me Blog) I used to make Kandy Korn from wood..They were actually pieces that were left over shapes from another class project...So that was my Oct freebie. The ladies loved them and used them to decorate..One year they just had faces another I put legs on and still another had arms and legs.
This year I saw an adorable little doll that Sherry Goshen made for Halloween...she strongly resembled my wooden Korn...(I even silently wondered if perhaps she hadn't bought one of mine many moons ago) I loved the face Sherry drew...she is such a fabulous doll artist. so I drew a similar face on my Kandy Korn this year.
My Kandy always had comical faces...I liked the idea of this kind of face...what do you think?
I also made some cute little pumpkins for friends...which reminds me...I have to ask Norma if she ever got my package...Are you there Cutie?
So by days end I am hoping to have a BD card for my  Dear  SIL (who is more like a son), The Winter Wonderland card swap, as well as my PC swap for another group...Oh and my charms in an envelope ready to mail tomorrow...If that can all be accomplished I will be a very happy Lady...So here's some pictures of Kandy and the pumpkin...

Oh My

It certainly has been a while. I have been so very busy,plus there was a bit of stress along the way...I always slow up when stressed (A) because I think it shows in my writing (B) I spend more time in meditation then I do on the computer. Nothing stops me from playing though so let me show you whats new.
This is a Raven I have been working on (Frowning Francis pattern) ..Several years ago I made a bird for a friend. I named her Sandy, put shells in her hair ...My friend likes the beach...Since then they bought a Beach House and that's where sandy lives. I thought she could use a friend and what I've seen so far of the beach house, I felt some Steam Punk might fit right in so Edgar was born. He is made from muslin that gessoed and painted...Gears from old watches came in handy. I didn't have a propeller so I made one from an aluminum plate...his goggles are from a watch bracelet the nose piece made from the same paper plate then all were painted with rusting paint. When I make another, and I will, I will use heavier wire for his legs...but other then that he was a blast to create. I'll be back later...my brother just stopped in for a visit.

The crown charm has a sepcial meaningnote the K on the key and the shell is from Long Island NY...my friend lives on the West coast..and a butterfly because it represents me.

Happy Times

I should be posting pictures of all the fun projects I've completed (bwahahahaha I crack me up). I do in fact have some projects on the drawing board but I took a little sabbatical when my son, his wife and daughter showed up... Karen (my DDIL) is also a friend, she is game for just about anything so we always have a fun visit.
On Saturday we went to a Harvest Fest (one I should have been a vendor in but took family first) WE managed to hit 3 booths and we were out of money LOL First was the church peanut brittle booth, then the Magic Quilt Booth, Karen doesn't sew, so she loves them. Then to my favorite the silver and mineral booth. While there I got to talking to a woman who told me all about the Herkimer Diamond Mines...I do not live far away and have always wanted to go there...but life goes on and we grow up and forget about dreams of diamonds (they are really very unique quartz crystals) Karen and Krista seemed interested and before we knew it, we were off buy pails and shovels and garden rakes and headed for Herkimer County.
WE didn't find the place the lady told us about, but we did find Ace of Diamonds..So much for our little "baby" tools. We drive up to see a few people with sledge hammers and picks and huge buckets....Karen and Krista left their pails in the car...I didn't care who laughed at me...I paid 30 cents for that pail, it was coming with me LOL Karen got to hammering (we rented equipment) while I parked the car...She was eager to find treasure. I found them and grabbed a rock and whack the thing broke open to a beautiful glittering crystal. People actually stopped what they were doing when a lady yelled OMG!!! Look at the size of that...and did it sparkle in the sun. It was worth the 50 year weight. Next to it was a smaller one but crystal clear and perfect. The Herkimer diamond is actually a clear quartz that nature has cut with 18 faceted sides...the bubbles you see in my big one is not a fracture, but gas bubbles captured within the crystal. It is a perfect specimen.
We also went pumpkin picking and worked on putting fabric kits together for the 10 Quilt Magic things she bought...but the high point of my week-end was definitely hitting the mother load in Herkimer...we found lots of small ones too...
So me showing off my finished works of art will just have to wait...allow me to show off my find instead

What a JOY

I've had my daughter and my Grandson up for a visit and it has been such a joy. He had to do some cooking to earn his cooking badge in scouts, so he made chili with Grandpa and a breakfast casserole with me. We also made some cookies which were gone in a flash LOL
I have been having a real good time with these mica samples...I can't even begin to tell you how my mind has been working. As the stuff is finished , I will post for some feed back. They are really quite fun and the people at Wilsonart are just fabulous. I can't say enough good about the company who makes such an effort to recycle things rather then trash them, plus a staff that is so willing and eager to help. You don't get that too often and think it is something to crow about.
I have a unicorn almost completed (pattern by Frowning Francis) but I've changed it a bit. There are some fabulous patterns out there (even though I like drawing my own) love using them, but I still want that OOAK  look...I'm very happy with what I've done thus far and hope to have him done real soon.
There is also a purse almost done...I real  fun one with many pockets.
Gourds are almost read to be reborn...I've got a penguin in mind for my DDIL and a doll for someone special on my Christmas list. I also have some glass blocks (more trash to treasure) that I'm hoping to paint up within the next week or two...So there is lots to look forward to for ME and for you...so please keep visiting......

WOW!! What a trip

My son had no idea we were coming down for his BD. Hubby walks in holding a bottle telling my son he couldn't send alcohol through the mail (I wasn't there) . When asked where Mom was, hubby says she's home, I have to get back on the road. (It's a 3 hour drive from our house to his) Rich said he wished he'd had a camera because the look on our sons face was priceless. WE seldom get to surprise  our kids. Rich finally told him I was  at the house (the one we haven't sold yet on Long Island) making him his BD dinner which is Sauerbraten and potato dumplings. THAT really made his day.
We had lunch with dear friends Ellen and John and present4ed them with their quilt/wall hanging. Ellen had picked out the fabric during a trip up to visit. She knows how busy I can get and I'm sure she never expected to see it done (isn't that right Ellen?) So now I can post a picture of it.
I also finally took a pic of the adorable  post card Norma sent me in a swap. Norma does such lovely work on her cards.
The mica samples chips are done...I turned them into pendants...feel free to comment. I'm pretty thick skinned LOL I did them with Adirondack inks, which I love..the chips are glued back to back because I couldn't remove the  label ...it helped with the hanging beads :-) then I did some twisted wire to give it a pendant look.
My sewing tray swap went out yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing the one I get. Don't worry, I'll post a pic.
I'm making Rich crazy with all these swaps. He says I'm always getting happy mail and all he gets are bills...Join a group Babe! Since some major running is out of the way, I'm hoping to be a better Blogger.
Lot's of projects on the table.
Got to take my daughter and family out for their 26 wedding anniversary and I will see them again this coming week. They are coming for a visit woohooo and next week my Grand daughter will bring her Mom and dad for a visit LOL It's a fun time of year. We get to go Pumpkin Picking!!

I'm baaaack

My, my it has been a busy time. Am I the only person that feels life is in high speed mode? Seems the days are just flying by... Lot's going on in my life, not all of it good. Fortunately what IS good is VERY good.
After promising myself I would take a break from swaps for a while, I went and joined another fun group...a very busy group. I looked at their swaps, took a deep breath and kept repeating "I can't, I can't"...but I did...I joined their Santa swap. Those are always fun...you just make a small gift for anyone that joined the swap...6 people, 6 gifts. It can be a card, a pin, a charm...anything really. The only rule is that it MUST be hand made. Doesn't it seem like I will have lots of extra time on my hands to commit to such a swap? When do I EVER have extra time? When do any of us have EXTRA time? What is that anyway?
So aside from life being busy I have also been doing swaps...Those charms were a swap...Then I joined one that used Formica sample chips (funny story with that one) they are to be zipper pulls or pendants. I decided on pendants...They are only half done but I'll post a pic. I used some ink, beads and I experimented with a twisted wire thingy...You'll see.
I also sent a PC to my Birthday sister Corrine...she was my partner in a PC swap hosted by Norma. Norma is a kind and patient friend that puts up with me under the worst of circumstances, so I made her one too.
Now about the sample chips. I was going to ask at Home depot but one of the girls got a phone # for a place that had retired chips that they were willing to send. I happen to remark to Cherie (another very patient and understanding friend) that "with my luck I'll call and get 1000 of the things"...but I did call and made a point of saying I could use about 12 of them. I few days later I heard a loud THUMP on my deck...It was UPS dropping a 10 pound box of sample chips. Oh stop laughing...I plan to share the wealth when I send out my "goodie bags" so there! Not so  funny anymore is it?
So let me share the pic's of the experimental pendants , so far. Plus the Post Card swap Summers End and the spooky one for Norma...Presently I am working on a quilted wall hanging that was commissioned...I hope to  present it Friday :-) Oh the wonder of my dreams...be still my heart.

Playful Moments

What happens when you wake up after being in a blue funk for weeks...You look around you and ask "What the....?" The studio you have been trying to organized is more disorganized then ever. Every flat surface is covered with stuff from about 15 different projects...Where do you start? Folks who know me, know that I have been cleaning this studio forever. Where did I go wrong? I truly think that tops should be made round, like a ball so you can't fill them up...Gosh it's like having 10 corners in a room, I'd fill them up too.
Okay, so I decided to start with just one small corner...My computer desk and it's surrounding area (which consist of many flat surfaces) Guess what? I have a carpet on the floor in that corner. Who knew? I wasn't even sure there was a floor...Thought perhaps it was just a mound of paper I was standing on. Found those coffee cups I thought Rich broke and just didn't tell me about, some bowls (no telling what they once contained) about 150 pens, about 7 pair of scissors and money...Not wealthy but I bought a pattern...it's like FREE. Speak of patterns I found a few of those I was looking for as well. Are you amazed? Me too. LOL
I found a box of tiny gourds, like I said sometimes I amaze myself. I'm talking small, like golf ball small and smaller...Decided a series of gourd dolls might be fun, so I experimented...You'll see pictures of Gourdino, my first...he was so much fun. He is smaller then a golf ball and that REAL pumpkin he is holding is smaller then a dime. He was a BD gift. I also made a purse as well as a purse charm...I'll  eventually get back to my studio Rome wasn't built in a day...There were some people I've overlooked along the way...good people that just fell between the cracks while I was over whelmed. I think they are more important then finding another floor, or carpet or...........