My birds are flying across the pond

What bird's and what's the big deal, you may ask? Well my bird's aren't just any old bird's. They are special embroidery bird's going to a fellow artist randomly picked for me in the Wild Olive stitch swap! And she just happen's to live across the pond in jolly ol England! Exciting!



I must confess that I didn't tackle this till the week of the deadline. So my punishment was in spending the
 last two nights madly stitching away to finish, and literally greeting the real bird's at 3 am, tweeting good morning song's, while I drug my weary bum to bed and bid them good night! Still, it was a fun venture!

The object was to send a small stitched piece of work to a person randomly chosen for you, by the end of March, and the same was to be done for you. The subject matter , favorite color's,address, site, and ,or blog was sent to you so you would have an idea as for what to make them. My artsy pen pal liked dragon's and bird's. And you know what I picked. Thusly, I made a design , stitched my little gut's out, and gussied up my hoop as well. What to ya think? Not too shabby! I hope she like's.

So off and away they fly to a wonderful part of our world! Meanwhile I will post as soon as I get mine.. Hmm I wonder what exotic place mine might be from?

Have A Glorious Weekend! And Cheerio!:)

My Sweet Ol Postcard Man

Oh how I love old key's!

These are some of my favorite drawing pencil's. The lead has great dark color!

A souvenir card from Jerusalem, with pressed flower's and, greeting's in pen and ink

I have a wonderful little ol'gentleman, who is primarily my vintage postcard resource. He occasionally give's me a call when he is having a garage sale, and I am there! I alway's find little interesting thing's to use in my artwork, and at the very least beautiful card's, or old illustration's. I have quite a store of old postcard's, thank's to him. I will show you more from time to time. I adore reading the correspondence from family, friend's, and an occasional love interest.So thankyou Mr Postcard man, for having such an interesting hobby, and sharing your ware's with lover's of old treasures, like me!

Spring thing's that make me smile...mostly

The Smell of fresh Lilac's

Charming baby bird egg's

Wonder's of Nature that miraculously pop up overnight.

Spring Frog's named Hoppy that miraculously appear in my Buffalo China..

Spring is my favorite season, it's when all around me seem's to come alive with glorious color! What is your favorite part about Spring?

Kids love to sew

My little guy asked to make a little orange stuffed angry bird, from my scrap's of felt. Alrighty, say's I, and I will let you do most of the sewing, by hand, and machine. I thought he would whine, but as you can see he really enjoyed it! I think it help's kiddo's feel more pride in their project's. Happy day to you all!

Black Angry Bird  was a sweet gift handmade by little cousin Sophie.

Night at the Blackfinn

My friend's Emmy and Anna alway's are alway's in the know, especially about new restaurant's opening in St. Louis. So when they got the special invite to try out the Blackfinn American Grille, and could invite a couple guest's , I said "yes please"! So I started my weekend off, with an awesome dinner out, which included, yummy flatbread's for starter's, delicious entree's, all, and any drinks you liked, and to die for dessert's, I recommend the Blackfinn hot chocolate! All was delicious and totally free! Aaaand on our way out we were given gift bag's with great pub glasses! The service, decor and atmosphere were great too! It was just the thing I needed after a long week. Boo to Monday's.

Iron Skillet Mac n' cheese with Lobster

Herb Rubbed Campfire Steak

The Sangria was lipsmakin good!

Flash back

My sister aka vintage honeybee , was just reminiscing about the super groovy, sweet ride we had as kid's. Our blue, and brown woodgrain van! Don't be hating! It was the Dee-Lux version! Decked out with, swiveling captain's chairs, a couch, that turned into a bed( of course), and a mini- fridge, card table and sink.. What more could a, hip" supa freak" family want? . .Oh well of course we had Olivia Newton John playing on the 8 track too!! What wheel's did you grow up riding in? I bet it didn't have curtain's like our's!! Lol!! Top o' the weekend to ya!

Baby Magnets

Reader's, forgive me for being late with this post. It was a nonstop Friday! Alas it is Saturday, and I have a project for you, using vintage pattern's. I needed something unique for a friend having her first baby. So as I was going through my patterns, I found some for baby's. "lightbulb moment!" Why not make her some fridge magnet's for her sonogram's, and or first baby pic's! So here we go!

Supplie's: pattern, wood shape's( found in bags at craft store), Mod podge, scissor's, Americana silver paint, pencil, peel and stick magnets.

1) take your wood shape's, and trace around the image you want.
2)cut out your image's
3) paint all your wood pieces silver, or whatever color you like
4) use Mod Podge to glue and seal image's to wood shapes.
5) stick magnet's to back, and press firmly.









I have been making magnet's for year's and alway's find them instantly gratifying, and hopefully you will enjoy this project too!:)

 

Vintage Sewing Patterns

When I hit the thrift stores , I almost alway's pick up an old pattern or two. And after about 10 years , I have amassed quite a collection. They cost very little, and the styles are nostalgic, amazing, and totally useable, for fashion, and for a rambling artist's mind.. lot's of other project's. Pop in tommorow, and I will show you a quick, fun idea.;) Happy day to you all!

Are these not gorgeous?

Macho,macho, men....

One Mans Trash Is Another Ladys Treasure

I'm driving down my road, minding my own business, when off to my left I glimpse something intriguing on the curb with the trash....something retro kool, and eye catching green!

Two awesome vintage chair's, that would perfectly replace my metal folding one's in my studio!

Of course, I quickly did a U-ee, and whipped up to those chair's, and had them in the back of my ride, faster than you can say.. "Hot diggity"! Cruising on home, feeing that rush from my sweet, free score!

A good soapy scrubbin... and hello new studio seating! Happy Wednesday!

Lino Bird Art

Remember Linoleum printmaking in art class? I thought it was pretty fun, especially when you carved your own block. The real challenge was to complete your project without losing a digit in the process. That said, I saw a fresh block of grey Lino, at Hobby Lobby, calling to me, waiting to have a tweeting birdie carved on it's otherwise boring surface. Soo , along with classic Speedball carving tool, brayer, black Speedball ink, some pastel's for a blush color effect, and some blank stationary, this is the end art:)

 

Beautiful Old Books

I collect old book's. What I particularly fancy are late 1800's and early to mid 1900's children's story book ,and school book's. The illustration's are vivid, and they were from a simpler time when most families had only a few treasured volumes, that I like to think were stored in a grand chest, with other memorable item's. I'm also alway's touched to find an inscription on the inside, written from an inkpot, in a beautiful hand....






My especially favorite author I adore is Mrs. L.T. Meade, who wrote charming, stories for young ladies, that have such beyond pretty artwork of Victorian ladies on the cover's. I was hooked, then I read the storie's, and they were clean, and uncomplicated . I just loved them.
She wrote upward's of 30 book's, and I had throughout many years, collected 16, from all over. I lost them tragically...But I came across another while at an old book store, and my fascination was rekindled, so here I share my # 1 , of a collection I truly appreciate. Do you have a favorite old book? Happy almost Tuesday!

Honorable Miss ,by Mrs. L.T. Meade