For the Love of Fabric

Yesterday a friend and I took a trip downtown to a fabric warehouse.

Oh my.

We went mainly for the remnants section. However, they had a sign up that said closed and a bunch of boxes sitting in front of the shelves of fabric calling our names. But really, what are a few boxes when you have climbing skills, I ask?

We got our remnants. And that fast, little sample cutter guy with his handy dandy scissors came in quite handy on many an aisle.

Then there was THE SECTION. You know what I'm talking about. That section of fabrics that whisk you right back to time, long ago, when lovely heeled shoes clicked clacked on marble hallway floors and the swish and rustle of silk gowns was heard as you turned a corner and found yourself in the ballroom of the chateaux.

I wont even go into the trims, with you... just too overwhelming.

Paper Cowgirl

Wow! Last week just blew right by me. I had intended to post about Paper Cowgirl on Monday, a week from yesterday, but like I said... whooosh!

How about a photo overview?


Ann-Denise teaching her crepe magic.

My finished project from her class.


Dale teaching Nature's Song Shadow Box class.

A peek at my un-finished shadow box.


My girls and I on vendor night. (Donna, Nina, Cheryl and me) There was a "saloon girl" theme and Nina won best costume.

I joined two swaps for PC... Miss Texas Crown Swap and a Texas Fabric Fat Book Swap.



Joanna made this wonderful fabric crown for me. All of the elements are handstiched on.


Here is what I created for Cindy.

Queen of the Yapping Cat Saloon.

And the Saloon Girl crown, itself.

Side view. That bit of black lace is from Wanda's unmentionables stash.


Valita hosted the Fabric Fat Book and did an AMAZING job of putting it together.

Here is my contribution to the book.


I bought this little darling from Ann-Denise. Loved her so much, I snatched her right out of Nina's hand. I'm such a terrible friend!

There was more to the weekend, but that seems to be where I stopped taking pictures. Probably because quite a bit of shopping ensued from this point on and unfortunately I had a hand for carrying purchases and a hand for paying. Going to have to look into getting a third hand for picture taking.

I hope everyone here in the States had a wonderful 4th of July!

Cowgirl Peeks

I'll be heading off to Paper Cowgirl this weekend, so I thought I would share a few little peeks of what I've been creating for the swaps.

These two go together.

Now I have to admit, that one of these swaps was quite the challenge for me.... completely out of my comfort zone with colors. I'm sure, like most of you, color is important. That's the way it is for me. But regardless, it really took me by surprise that it made the piece as difficult as it did to work out. But I finished... finally.

Sorry for the fuzzy photos. I got a new 50mm lens for mother's day and I was too lazy to switch it out with the other for the close up photos.

I'll show you full pictures of everything next week. Now I need to go start the list making and gathering process to make sure I remember everything.

Have a beautiful Tuesday. Today is Tuesday, right?

A Random Act of Kindness

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a complete stranger. Turns out, not all strangers mean danger, as McGruff the Crime Dog taught me when I was little.

So, I received this email from Darlene who, unbeknownst to me, has been reading my blog for the last 2 months. Her email said that she had been given an old Victorian scrapbook by a family friend, and would I like to have it.

Can you say "SHOCK"!

Can you say "YES"!

Can you say "Squealing and Jumping Up and Down like a little kid on Christmas morning"!

So, she sent it to me and I sent her a journal of her choice in return.

The book is simply wonderful! It has calling cards and some fabulous coffee cards in it, as well as, school awards and such. I have been sitting and looking through it over and over again. It makes me wonder if someone will be as excited to find my art journals and my own scrapbooks, a hundred years from now, and be as thrilled to sit down with a cup of tea and linger over each page, as I have done with this scrapbook.

Even though I've said it half a dozen times already, Thank You so much, Darlene!!!

Summer Reading

Here is my list.

Spanish Daggar by Susan Wittig Albert. This is a China Bayles mystery. I like this series. Easy reading with interesting herbal knowledge.

Three To Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich. A Stephanie Plum mystery. Another easy read series I love. Can be a bit crude at times, but I love a book that makes me bust out laughing.

The Body in the Bookcase by Katherine Hall Page. A Faith Fairchild mystery. Can you tell I like mysteries? This series shares some good recipes.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Classic. Love this book and it's been several years since I read it, so it's time again.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. This is a young reader book, but it's a "summer tale" and sounds nice.

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. I've been wanting to read this one for awhile now.

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton. I picked this one up at Target the other day, on a whim. Sounds like it may be a bit Ya-Ya Sisterhoodish.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. I've been trying to read this book for years now! I'm going to do it this summer!

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. What is a book list without some Austen in it, I ask?

Little, Big by John Crowley. I have owned this book for over 10 years now. Every time I purge the bookcase, I hang on to this one and say I'm going to read it and then promptly forget about it. I bought it when I was in the "fantasy" phase.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. I read her first book, Garden Spells, last summer. I read it in 10 hours. I really enjoyed it, obviously. I'm hoping this one is just as good.

Collaborative Art Journals by L.K. Ludwig. As soon as I heard this was out, I ran to B&N as fast as I could. Enough said.

So, there you have it. More than likely, I will "revamp" Twilight and New Moon too, since the movie is coming out in November.

If you have any books you think I should add to my list, please don't hesitate to leave the title!

And before I go, Thank You for all the well wishes. I woke up this morning and feel SO much better than I have the past few days!

Have a beautiful Sunday!

This Is What I'm Doing...

It's not really what I would like to be doing.

This is what I want to do...
*have picnics at the park with my boys
*bake (weekly)
*read ALL the books on my Summer reading list
*organize the kitchen
*make the last two kits I purchased from Posie: Rosie Little Things
*sew a skirt
*start a quilt
*bike down to the ice cream parlor (and then eat some)
*art journal (I slacked off again)
*relax in the hammock at least once a week
*paint the dining room
*eat lots of grilled veggies from the farmer market
*watercolor (it's been a very, very long time)

This is my "Summer To Do" list. It's started off, well, not quite in the direction I had hoped for. But we'll see what happens.

What are your Summer plans?

*Sigh*

I am somewhat caught up on life.

So this is how I'm going to spend my morning. In the hammock, with my coffee and this beauty to gaze upon. (I got mine here. I think she has more.)

What are you going to do today?