The Autumn Collages

I made it.

I took a photo a day for 366 days following the color scheme by PositvelyPresent.com.

In mid-January 2012, I started positing the photos daily on Instagram.

The Gallery effect is very pleasing to me.

All photos were taken with my iPhone4.

 

The collages here are created with Picasa.

I have created my own list for the coming year should I choose to take it on. I looked forward to taking and posting these each day. I am not sure I want the discipline of this again, or if I want to post spontaneously. Not sure. To be seen. I feel tired of the challenge yet was inspired daily by it. I take a photo everyday. Maybe that is enough. I am so trying to find enough and not my usual too much...

A Precious Reward

Setting the table for four on Christmas Day, I decided to use my parent's dishes, mine now since they are gone. Growing up, my family ate every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner on these "good" dishes.

I got four plates down and started setting the table.  Holding that sweet 1960s plate, I was transported back, back to the sounds of the table, smells, my father's voice, the bowls including that canned cranberry, mother's sweet tea, back through a tunnel of time to my mother's house. When I realized I was in 2012 preparing a meal alone, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for those memories, for that childhood, for this day.

It occurred to me what progress that way. A corner turned.

It was a moment of reward for the last year and a half processing the fact that I have no family of origin. A few cousins I rarely hear from. A nephew, a relationship young for him to know me long. Processing that no one knows me before the age of 14. Feeling alone. Feeling pitiful. But on Christmas day 2012, I felt grateful for what I had. And still have, those precious times I can float back to...

Spellbound: Senora Perez

I would have enjoyed Spellbound without, but with her, it was transcendent.

Charlotte Perez inspires in me every way. All of them.

No need to expound on that kind of connection with someone where you communicate with just a look.

 

And her Jorje is a hunk of burning love.

Thank you, Charlotte, for being my beloved friend.
This sums it up...

Thank you Martha Schuster for this collage.
Martha, you have an ability to move your head and neck in a subtle way that slays.

Spellbound: The Event

Spellbound, a Gilded Life Event was held in November 2012 in The Langham Hotel in Pasadena California. I will not go on about how opulent it was, I'll just post some pictures and you deduce what you will.

The Langham Hotel was truly the perfect setting for a Shea and Debbie event...

 

The property is smack dab in an old Pasadena neighborhood through which I took a quiet walk whilst California showed off its weather.

The name tag. Yep, name tag..

Welcome dinner make and take was this sweet pouch.

Here with my Kaari class bracelet and the goodie bag. Yep, bag...

Place setting for lunch...

My necklace from class with JoAnna Pierotti...

Stitching goodies from Pam Garrison.

My project which will become a journal cover rather than a wall hanging...



My Kristen Robinson project is unfinished. I was having a hard time soldering that day but the bracelet project is beautiful with lots of nice components she supplied.

Michele Muska. Oh what a lovely surprise she was.

I made the ladies a little mix {tape} as a gift...

The plan is to hold second annual Spellbound Event November 2013.

Chances are quite good I will not be able to resist...

Spellbound: French General

It had been a year and a half since I attended an art retreat. The last one was shortly after mother died and I amazed myself with the good time I had. Of course it was about the people, the place, the projects and activities. And food...
It was Art of Spring at the Church in Dallas hosted by Debbie and Shea of The Gilded Life.

I had decided to choose one event per year because you can't go to everything but I always want to. I kinda didn't want to do another Gilded retreat simply to change it up. But I chose their event again because it is a sure thing, it will be good, it will be worth the money and it will be low stress because they think of everything. So I chose Spellbound...

The night before Spellbound, held in Pasadena, California, was a Soiree at French General hosted by Kaari Meng. I have a love affair with Kaari, well, it's just me involved but I think she'll come around.

I always go to Kaari's classes for the following reasons:

1.   French General products and quality are second to none.

2.   She is friendly, funny, engaging and a calm teacher.

3.   Nothing is required. all the tools and components are there.

4.   You will walk away with a completed project that is usable and high quality.

5.   Also I love Kaari.

It was a delight to be in her Riverside, California brick and mortar store...

I couldn't even look at the Wall of Beads in Jars for about an hour and a half.

 

Make and takes.

What I bought.

The class I took with Kaari at the Spellbound event itself, her Bijou bracelet. 

Over 70 beads and charms.

See what I mean?

 

Sweet postcard make and take of French General for Jolee's Boutique.

Dee-lish my sweet sweet Kaari...

I alway act like such a goofball around her...and also everybody.