Feel Good -- Worked on Fabric Book

At the Summer in Paris workshop this summer (I've mentioned this before), Korie had a class entitled, "The Women Who Went Before." In the past, I showed you one photo that I had worked on of my German Grandmother, Grandma. Today I was able to get a few more pages almost done. It was fun. I love the photo of my Southern Grandmother, Momo (on the left). These two very dominant women were not very much alike and to top it all off -- lived next door to each other. For many years I can remember them addressing each other as "Mrs. Lessmann" and "Mrs. Baker." Grandma was mother's mama and Momo was dad's mother. Mother and Father married right after he came back from WWII and had only really met through many many love letters mailed across the sea. Momo encouraged mother to write to her son, probably never in her wildest dreams, did she imagine he would come home and marry Martha Jane. But he did!

I love the photo of mother (the youngest) and Aunt Mary -- and once again this photo keeps popping up in my different projects. The other photo is that of Aunt Mary (the oldest), mother, Walter John, and baby Esther. Although Uncle Walt snuck into the Women Book - the photo was just too cute to pass up. Shame on you Uncle Walt. I will soon be working on a page including two confirmation photos of Aunt Mary and mother. Yes, I will show you these in a while. All of these photos have been printed off onto canvas. Yup, Korie introduced me to that one! Love it.


OK, time to go for a bubble bath and then fix dinner. It is still raining and I did not make it to the grocery store - will have to do a quick run at lunch tomorrow! It's been a great day....... I am gonna try to call the travelling' boys to see how close they are to St. Louis. Hopefully they have not run into too much, if any, snow. You know the other travelers are facing the same woes on the roads depending on where they are coming from or going to...... I suppose that is always the story of our lives. I know, I am starting to ramble and I'm yawning. Oh my, can't go to sleep early since the Amazing Race is on and we are getting down to the final three.....

The Boys are headed Home

It has been an eventful Thanksgiving this year. My festivities started out with Oliver, Phil, and Larcy coming over for Hard Times (slow cooked in crockpot) Cincinnati Chili Tuesday evening. Oliver had been slowly recovering from his "fixing" job and didn't have to wear the "cone" at Auntie's house since he was held most of the time by one of the three of us.

My heat went out sometime late Tuesday evening and I realized it on Wednesday morning. Now, guess what, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is not the most opportune time to try to get your heat guys out. Do you know what I mean. They are busy finishing jobs that have/had been scheduled and the day is full until 8:00 pm. Wednesday is also the day that the boys showed up. I met them at 8:30 pm at our favorite Glory Days for a steak dinner and then we headed home. The two positive sides to this story are: 1) the boys like their home cold (NOT me); and 2) I do have a working gas fireplace.


So we made it through the night and not too badly. I pulled out more blankets for Aaron and me since we slept upstairs where it was a little colder. Jim had the privilege of sleeping on the living room floor (where he usually does) and had the heat rising from the condo below and the residual heat from the gas fireplace. Well, the heat guy showed up at 8 am on Thanksgiving morning (bless his heart) and many hundred dollars later the heat was fixed. Basically it was an investment in the heat unit - he said although 14 years old -- it is in exceptional working order since the owner (ME) has kept it so clean and in good working order. It really has not given me that much problem.


We had a great late lunch with Larcy, Phil, and Oliver joining our traditional turkey dinner. This part of the tradition started last year -- however we added a new little 4-legged pup to the fun this year. Oliver and Aaron got along really well. Larcy and I really love (the guys do too) Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes. Larcy mashes well with the electric mixer. I let her mix and me, I get the stuffing, rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce ready for the table. Jim stands in the corner carving the turkey. Aaron, Phil, and Oliver do the best thing by staying out of the way watching whatever is on TV!





Now today -- after getting up at 5 am to get the boys off on the road (they were not going home until tomorrow but saw the snow forecast for the area they would be driving in and decided to head home a day early to miss the brunt of the weather) by 6 am, I am now getting sleepy. However, need to do laundry and some craft stuff - I'm suffering from withdrawal here folks! I did get the Paris photos selected for the new photo album scrapbooking adventure. The finish of the London album got me "jump" started! So I may post again late in the afternoon to see what I have accomplished. Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful!

After all is said and Done

YES, I finished the taxi cross stitch and got it mounted on the London Album. The next thing I did was to look for the metal letters Larcy had given me that I wanted to use on the album -- and BAM - there is the little original cross stitch. Can you believe it? Yes, look close, you can see it. It is peaking through the metal letters, safe and sound from all harm, nestled in the bottom of the little container. OH well, I am going to try to use it. Here is where we are now. The original album:

The cross stitch and black mat mounted on the album.

Experimenting with a die cut which I did mount.

And, seeing if I like the idea of a line of taxis. We will figure that out later. Have to get going, chili is in the crock pot. Oliver came home following his little manly man surgery, clip clip. So Larcy, Phil, and poor little Oliver will be over in about 45 minutes for chili and Frito's!

OH, I went to the dentist today for a cleaning and he announced I had two small cavities and I said can you fill them now and he said sure -- can we do it without Novocain - I said sure and we did it. No dead feeling in my mouth, no drooling, and their wasn't really any pain - they were just starting and little bitty cavities. WOW - I'm cool beans! I also went to a tennis clinic. So a busy day waiting for Jim and Aaron to arrive tomorrow about 6:00 pm! Bye bye....

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving - OH BOY

The honeysuckles are in bloom and the breeze is warm -- at least in my world. In your world, it is frickin' cold outside as I look out at 9:30 am. Yes, I am dressed and not in my jammies. I need to get my butt moving and go to the grocery store. I discovered several years ago that if I keep my same Thanksgiving Day shopping list from year to year, I don't have to reinvent it every time. WOW, what a concept! I have been busy as you know. Finished most of what I started yesterday and even had time to create a little. I made a trip to Goodwill. Don't know what came over me when dusting (it had been a long time) and decided it was time to give some knick knacks away that no longer were near and dear to my heart.

I finished the "Where I'm From" book that was started in Korie's Summer in Paris workshop. It is now done and ready to give away. A number of year's ago I did a Recollections workshop (no, I promise not to go off about Michaels closing it) with Sarah (who is a beautiful soul) and it was one of the few creations I went home and immediately finished up. It was a Recipe Album for the holidays and I so wanted to get all my recipes in it that had been held together in an old magazine on top of the refrigerator. I did finish it -- got photos in and am still adding photos from year to year... I keep some mementos in it like the movie tickets the three of us always manage to get in every year. So it is a working book and over the years has some of its own little grease stains. I know, kiddies, how touching.

The caption on these photos are "Bad Hair Day" -- the only one with nice hair is Aaron. This was at a time when I was finally growing out the red hair to let the silver gray happen. I had to add our cowboy/cowgirl photos to dress the page up.


I also finished the little London taxi cross stitch for the London album. I may try to get it over to Aaron Brothers in order to get a dark blue mat cut for it. Maybe today. It is suppose to rain later on and I get to play tennis tonight indoors! Life is good. I had better get moving or all the stuff I want to do won't get done! Tomorrow morning is an early one for a dental appointment which is only a cleaning. Till tomorrow kiddies! Think warm breeze in my honeysuckle land....... Cookies, anyone?

Oh yeah, I met Claudine, honeysuckles are breezin'

Right now I am sipping my Pumpkin Spice Latte and nibblin' on Madeleines Petite French Cakes. How good is that? I ask, "how good is that?" What a perfect day to start off a week long vacation here at home during the holidays. Laundry's done. Need to do grocery shopping but that will be no big deal. Got turkey last week!

OH YESSSSS ------>I got to meet her. YESSSSS, I got to meet Claudine Hellmuth! How much fun Larcy and I had yesterday. It was a nice day. A leisurely lunch at our little french cafe. Arrived early at Angela's to get good seats. Bought her items before they were sold out. (Yes, I have been to enough of these to know, buy first before the workshop or demo.....buy first otherwise it will all be gone when the class is over.) Had great fun watching her demo her new products through Ranger. Can't wait to try some of these techniques. Her paints seem to be really good better -than others I have. It always depends on what you are going to use your paint for as to rather you go cheap or good, as my friend Michelle Ward said in her workshop I attended in Wisconsin.

I was able to get my photo made with her. She autographed my book I showed you yesterday. I got home and put her products on my shelves.

I am now working on the "house" book I want to finish before my brother, Jim, and godson, Aaron, arrive for Thanksgiving. I will most likely give this book away as a gift to a special young lady. I won't name her in case she is reading this blog, who knows! ; ) -- but when I see her in January, I will give her this little gift.

And, I did as I told you I was going to do... I am referring to an earlier post this past week concerning goodies that arrived at my door. I told you I was not going to hoard the stuff and I did use one of the vintage flash cards in the "house" book. Let me tell you -- when I got ready to "big bite" the holes into the card my heart raced and raced! When I got ready to rubber stamp the flash card, my heart skipped some beats. But I did it. I walked on the dark side and ALTERED them.

Speaking of altering, I bought the coolest cute black t-shirt from my friend Korie titled "Altered State." I love it and it so explains my world. Back to creating! This day is good. Probably need to run to the grocery store! Life is great in my Honeysuckle land, the breeze is blowing, and the honeysuckles smell so good. Takes you back to another time, another age, another era! Oh my, my soul can soar around at times.

Honeysuckle Breeze and Claudine! YES, Claudine!

OK, I admit it, I can be a groupie just like anyone else -- or at least those who admit it! I know who you are.... Today, I get to go to Angela's Happy Stamper and meet Claudine Hellmuth. Of course, I feel I already know Claudine. I have purchased items from her, we have exchanged e-mails (as she would with any other person out there), and I read her blog faithfully. Since she moved to the D.C. area last August, I have been waiting for a chance to meet her at one of our very FEW privately owned stamping stores. Right now we have the Queen's Ink and Angela's. Michaels and AC don't count and, altho, I still shop at Michaels -- I still hate Michaels for closing Recollections. You all know I'm not going to get over this one. You Suck Michaels. OK, I lost it.

Back to reality (mine not yours), in 2006 I bought a book by Claudine. I have always loved collaging even as a young child. Claudine's book, collage discovery workshop, can be found locally and is an excellent tool to work with. It so inspired me that I had an accordian book bought at a conveniton that I had no idea what I was going to do with..... and like many other things I was hoarding it. Her last chapter was called "Storytelling With Collage." BAM, the light bulb went off and I ran around gathering my magazines called "Realm" (a Brittish thing) and started painting, walunt inking, clipping, and glueing.....

The final product:
This vignette was called, "he couldn't become a distant memory soon enough to suit her." And so started the tale of all women out there who have left their man or their man left them - whatever. He left or probably should have been kicked out to begin with.... you get the drift this is flowing? I especially love the "Miss Marple" page (for those not familiar with the PBS series the image I used is of the actress who plays Miss Marple) ". . .and then I ripped his lungs out." You go girl.... (No your eyes are not deceiving you....Yes, that is a sealing wax impression of the Eifel Tower over his crotch.)



So, hopefully I will have some photos tomorrow of me and Claudine.... one way or another. Remember -- I am a Groupie!

Oh boy, fun stuff in the mail and sundry stuff

It is one of those cold cold evenings in Northern Virginia. Brrrrrr..... It is Wednesday night and I have a few minutes because we aren't going to have outdoor tennis any more on Wednesdays until spring time. Which is OK. Saturday morning tennis is also cancelled until early spring. I already feel the pounds piling on -- have to come up with some kind of cardio - two indoor tennis time spots during the week won't do it..... I know I keep trying to convince myself it is all because it is winter and my body is feeling like it is going to freeze to death if I don't make it warm with those naught fat cells. Ewwwwwweeeeeee.

Tonight in the mail I got some really cool stuff which I have to promise myself I will use and not hoard. I know many of you also have the problem of hoarding some supplies because they are so darn precious... These are wonderful unmounted rubber stamps from Michelle Ward's GreenPepper Press. They are called "Rough Draft" and I have been meaning to buy them for quite a while -- just needed a push. Her upcoming workshop in Wisconsin next October uses these shapes. When I was in Estonia in 2004 we stayed at an Estonia Orthodox Monestary. The spirals were breathtaking and I have some photos of the beautiful place. For those who have been following this blog I used one photo of the sisters' graveyard featuring the nuns graves marked by beautiful silver crosses... row on row on row.

The next items that came in the mail were vintage math flash cards. They are so cool. Also a metal tag and Jeanette's "calling card." She has many other stuff on her web site and I know that stuff is calling to me ======> buy me, buy me, buy me. But I think I will state this fact outloud(remind me later), "I will use these few items up first before I buy anything more from Jeanette." You should go and see her tiny little dolls. Oh my, oh my. They are talking to me. I am holding my hands over my ears saying, "I don't hear you." Jeanette Janson is a mixed media artist from the Carolinas. I discovered her from another blog I am following. What a joy! From the above link you can also locate her blog and Etsy shop.

And from my wonderful friend, Korie, I received the transparent Rolodex dividers. Korie, as you know, is one of my favorites. Such a talented artist and wonderful young lady. I love her packaging!

It is getting close to that time of the year, again, and I should start thinking about how I am going to "wrap" Christmas presents. Many times I use baskets and holiday bags to package the gifts I am giving.

And so, speaking of packaging. Here is one I made this past summer. I really love it. It is a paper mache box which looks like a book. I painted the outside a midnight blue before decorating.

I love the Tim Holtz movie theatre paper and coupled with Korie's "popcorn" which she sells on her blog - you have a great little box. Inside I decorated with more Tim Holtz paper and then rubber stamped some "tickets" and glued them to the box. Making tags are very special since you can personalize them for the individual you are giving the gift too. So, this has been my day in my little Honeysuckle land and it has been pretty good! Hope your day was good too!

Visual Journaling Again

I'm sure you remember my visual journaling I started on my trip to Wisconsin at Halloween. Well, you will be happy to know I have not given up working on the pages that were started on the plane, in the hotel, on the plane, and then home. I have been adding elements to the pages and really like this one.

Here is the "before" page called "Fly the Friendly Skies":

OK, now to the finished visual journaling page....

I added rub-on swirls, the face of a 20's gal, and then sewed some of grandma's lace on the page. That was a little tricky and you should see what it did to the "cat" on the back side. OH oh - that page looks like Halloween -- yes, Pumpkin Head lives:

If you see this cat, RUN baby RUN!

Fabric Books

Although I love fabric books and am working on one, I have only made one. I took a class taught by Beverly Seymour one summer. I have taken a number of her classes when she is in town. This fabric book was really fun and was my first one. I'm not sure when I happened but I started laying pages out and having them tell a story. It just sort of evolved that way. One of my favorite ones was the "old maid" page on one side and the "dear john" on the other side. The old maid is clip art from Beverly and I found the man on a piece of Lynne Perrella paper sold through Stampington & Company. I used Diamond Glaze to make his monocle stand out, however you can't really see it.

The interesting thing in this book is I never sewed anything in it. This was done before my sewing on paper days. Another favorite page is the one I did of the WWI solider. "In Flanders Field the poppies blow, between the crosses row on row. . ." I had to memorize that poem (written in 1915) in junior high and it still sends chills down my spine. WWI was more of a scary war to me than WWII. It makes me sad for no reason and I remember, in junior high, of watching a Lew Ayres movie (1930), "All's Quiet on the Western Front," and the final scene was a solider in the trench reaching for a butterfly and at the same time a French sniper shoots and kills him - the final scene is the butterfly in his open palm. Lew Ayres became a pacifist after that movie and had trouble finding work in Hollywood especially when WWII broke out. Most remember him for his Dr. Kildare movies.



My final two pages are fun one dealing with royalty. I don't think I need to say much more. I really enjoyed making this fabric book.