Valentine's on the Mind...

 This project started with a grand idea while laying on the couch nursing a sore neck. Some of my most brilliant work begins this way! I wanted to have a fun project ready for the girls when they got home from school and this proved to fit the bill.

Paper bags and ....SNACKS!

I gathered some paper bags and cut them to lay flat on my table. I had so much fun reminiscing about covering my text books in junior high and high school with these paper bags. I did, however, notice that Trader Joe's bags are much more artsy than the bags we used to get from Mister Market!

Paper bags were NEVER this beautiful in the 80's!

I then decided that I needed a tablecloth. I unearthed the sheet I had used as a tablecloth last Thanksgiving. It brought back lots of fantastic memories as I read the things our guests had been thankful for that day. 

The girls came home and got right to work. They were so excited to have free range with their paint colors and to be using sponges

 

 The end results were beautiful! I tried my hand at sewing them on my machine, but got a bit frustrated with how they were coming out.
So the next day, I went into the studio and took it up a notch and created this lovely string of hearts...Jolee had a day off from school, so she painted, I cut and sewed and she stuffed. Fun, fun FUN!

Must make crafts...work, work, work...

This is my mantra these days...as you can see, my workshop is getting filled up!earring cards filling up

my messy production area

I've managed to crank out 50 pairs of earrings and the "legs" to my felted angels. I also threw in some fun collage on a mirror...we'll see how that goes over at the craft shows!

Oh, did I mention I've agreed to do two this fall? Crazy woman. That's me!

Let's see...today...I survived today. I suddenly realized that I'm very glad I'm not a single parent. I do think that I would send my kids to public school or live MUCH closer to Merriconeag...driving to Freeport twice a day is NOT my idea of a good use of time!

Okay, I'm going to try to simplify my postings. Lists.
Ready?
10 Things I did today (out of the ordinary realm of my life...see, it's tricky!)...my therapist would have a field day with this one! I can hear her now, "Leslie, you are always wanting to accomplish things. You feel the need to produce all of the time." I know, I know...

1. Visited with a friend in Yarmouth
2. Spent some time looking for fun children's books at the library
3. Took a nap with Elvia (she usually sleeps in her crib)
4. Took care of banking crap immediately rather than waiting a month like I usually do
5. Made some yummy chicken soup and BISCUITS for dinner! They actually ROSE!!! No hockey pucks tonight!!!
6. Managed to keep the woodstove going all day despite me not putting wood on before I left at 8am this morning!
7. Had "family reading time" on the couch (instead of bedtime reading in bed)
8. Let Jolee and Meka sleep in my bed
9. Oh! I almost forgot! I "organized" my freezer! I know, scintillating, isn't it??? I had all of this blackberry puree in ice cube trays that needed to be put in baggies and stuff that was frozen and needed to be sealed. Phew! A big job done!
10. Relaxed on the couch and read my newest library book, I Was a Great Mother Before I Had Kids (it's close...not sure of the exact title)

and number 10 is "pending" so I have to end this and get on it!

Fall Harvest...

Not much to say today...except that my husband went out of town for the week and I'm TOAST already! We had an impromptu haircut (NOT by me), a pretty-darned-close-to-the-eye injury from a flying metal serving tray...is that enough? 'Cause, if not, I'm sure I can come up with more!

But, the great news is that I harvested all of our carrots today...as you can see above! They are beautiful! Gracy and Elvia helped me...Gracy LOVES eating carrots and was laying beside me begging the entire time.


This lovely was done by Jolee and me. She did the base painting and glued various papers and things on. I tried my hand at drawing Jolee but it's not even close! Oh well! The upper body is whacked out...but I had fun and Jolee did too! Another idea/inspiration from Kelly Rae Roberts...I highly suggest her book!

A Special Wedding collage

This is a collage I made for my brother and his new wife. I constructed it from old music sheets (a shared passion they have) and bits and pieces from their wedding invitation...you can read about it on the image below.

Art and BASIL!

It's been too long...I know. I've been busy! But, now Fall is in full swing and I'm back to living more indoors than out and finding more time to be creative. Phew!
Here's a preview of yesterday:



we started the day with some painting! The girls got "into it" a little more than I did...I was more tame and followed instructions from Kelly Rae Robert's FABULOUS book, Taking Flight. I don't love it yet...but it's still a work in progress:

And then came the BASIL!!! 2 POUNDS of Basil to be cleaned and then made into....
PESTO!!!!

Artful Navy Knowledge

Okay, so I have been totally open-jawed "oh-my-gosh" about the Navy and everything I've learned about the "inner workings." My neighbor is an officer in the Navy and his wife and I have become friends. She has commissioned me to make some art for two dear "cows" (Commanding Officer's Wife) in her life.

Donny asked me to explain the artwork one evening and I just had to say "no." I couldn't muster the energy to explain the whole thing...but I'll try:

One of the squadrons' logo is the "old buzzard." I designed the artwork using their logo and "changed it up" a bit by turning "him" into a female cow. I then added "stuff:" the red stripes are actually paper towels that I had used to clean up my children's art project months ago. The words are the "Navy Wife's prayer" which I got from my neighbor. The wooden letters signify the date of the husband's change of command. The rest is rather hum-drum...embossed stars, metal stars on the bottom...but it was definitely something new for me!

The second piece was using another squadrons' logo, the fighting tiger. I changed him up and made him into a cow as well! I, artistically, like this one better, but feel that the other one is much more in keeping with the patriotic, Navy theme. Oh well...my inner voice came out and called and I HAD to listen!

I did a lot of painting, which I love doing, in this one. The tree has the Navy Wife's prayer written on it and the wooden letters, again, signify the date of the change of command. The sky has embossed "8's" signifying the squadron number...VP-8. Now I just need to find a frame for this one!

I must thank Mary...she inspired me to be artistic again after a bit of a slump. And with summer in full swing, the garden has been stealing a lot of my creativity away!

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day.

My family made me a scrumptious breakfast: egg sandwich, strawberries, coffee and orange juice...all served outside on our patio. I had lots of lovely gifts...a new basket/tote filled with gardening goodies and a JoAnn giftcard! My thoughtful husband also got me a "grow-light" contraption for starting seedlings. He's so thoughtful!!! They also bought me some beautiful purple pansies...lovely!

We went to Lowell's cove just in time for low tide. I looked for sea glass and other treasures while everyone else had fun in the water. I know, ocean water in Maine in MAY!!! Craziness!!!


We then went to lunch at a lovely cafe in Harpswell.

We came home, I made some art. Donny made an amazing dinner and now I get to share my creations with you!

Enjoy!

Art...finally!

Finally...I made some art! I was inspired while looking through a past issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. It's nothing glamorous, but it filled my soul last night while creating her. I'm not sure what I'll do with her.

I have this issue with creating art. I feel like everything I make should be able to be sold. Crazy, huh? That feeling keeps me from making things like this "Joy Within" piece. I can't sell her. I ripped off the idea from another artist and it's very personal to me. that's good, right? I SHOULD be making art for ME, right?

The weekend was great. We went to Wolf's Neck Farm on Saturday and met our good friends, Becca and Rob and their kids there. There were, of course, poop stories. I'll spare you all from them. Let's just say they had more then chicken manure on their lawn that day....

Yesterday Lorraine came down and we had a great time looking at old photos and reminiscing. My favorite part of the day was preparing dinner while Meka, Lorraine and Donny were playing Parcheesi. Listening to their laughter and discussion filled me up with sunshine.

And back to reality on Monday morning! Meka went back to school today and Jolee and Elvia are playing "puppy." Thank goodness they are playing and not attacking each other!!!