Nearly Fall

Here it is, down to the last couple of weeks in August, and I am starting to think about Fall... Cooler weather today (dipped to the upper 80s here) has me thinking that it might just get around to being Fall sometime soon. Though we don't really have "Fall" in this part of the country, we do have a few days of really nice weather. Today was one of those days that I am sure that there is a God in Heaven, and he has sent a couple of days of cool breezes to promise that change is coming.

With Fall, there is change. We don't see the leaves change until nearly Winter, but we have the kids going back to school, Football, the Corn maze, Pumpkins in the stores, and all that goes with the coming of October. I am most excited about the month of October, not for the spooky yard decorations, and not even for the cold spell that comes the week of Halloween... I am excited about the 31 Days Writing challenge!

I'm signing up again for the challenge... I know, I know, last year I probably said something like... shoot me if I ever do this again... but... even with all the crazy  stuff that happened last year, and even though I complained that I was behind... I want to try it again this year!
I am going to really have it organized better, and now that I have decided early... not like 3 days before it starts... I will have my outline really concrete and stick with it (last year, I think I tore up my outline after the first day... nearly changed topics, and did cry a few tears). This year... I'm excited to say... I am determined to finish each and every day!!

Visit the new home for the challenge blogs, at My 31 Days  and the blog list at My Blog Series 
If you have any suggestions on making the site more navigable or more readable, please leave me a comment. I appreciate any comments!

See you in October!

Wanting to paint!!!

I've been wanting to paint for a while, every day it seems, but life and work always get in the way... sometimes I just can't stand it and will paint something that I have made just to fulfill that craving... I can't seem to find time to pull out my easel though.

You know, I might just have to today...

My son went to camp yesterday, and while we were driving to and from we were able to see what the recent rains brought to our arid region... bodies of water that normally would be fields of corn, cotton, or sorghum! What a treat! I didn't get a good picture, since I'm not driving... I can't just stop the car and take pics like I normally would... that and we were running a bit tight on schedule...

but I was able to take a few pics on the way home of some sunflowers... that would make a beautiful painting, but I really wanted to capture the water that we saw... and I came acros this article today, how timely!



How to paint light on water - How To - Artists



So, I visited the site and thought, wow... I need to get my paints out!

I really want to, but I know in my heart that I will just pine away and want to paint and just never do it unless I make myself...

I always say that I crave oil paint... and I think it is addictive... the smell, the feel, and the 'high' you get when you are creating... it is a drug for me!

OK, I've talked myself into doing it... just step away from the computer... take a break on working on jewelry, and remember that I don't have to make dinner tonight... and I'm going out onto my back porch and setting up my easel!!!

The Pioneer Woman... again she's giving stuff away!!

I usually start drooling when I go to The Pioneer Woman's page. There are yummy treats that will make you do that... but also the weekly (or so it seems, sometimes it seems daily) giveaways that are drool worthy capture your attention in no time...
Today, it is this beautiful mixer... and you know how i love this color!!!
Pretty, Pretty Blue Mixer.  What on earth can you say???

Give a look at some of the recipes, or gander at her beautiful and enchanting photos of life on a ranch, homeschooling? there's that as well, TV shows, Cooking of course...Home and Garden, got you covered... and well.. just go look!

Ree Drummond is multi-talented and just the person that you wish was your best friend. She's that nice.  Funny? you got it, she would keep you in stitches, and I know she is more than intelligent, she's got a bunch of kids that she's homeschooled... all the while she runs a business and household, and... well, she's a go-getter.

I've signed up for this beautiful mixer, you should, too!

Playing Catch Up

I have been trying to get my Year of Jewelry blog posts caught up today. I took a lot of pictures of work that I have done... and try to match them to the weeks that I made them for. It has been hard, and I didn't realize that I was so far behind. I feel like I have lost a whole month... and pretty much have. Mom was in the hospital for three different problems... and now... well... between that and my son... I haven't been home much in just over a month. I really hadn't realized it had been that long until after I blogged about the Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop... I thought it had been a few weeks... and today, while I was taking pictures, I thought... Wow! that's a lot of jewelry... and then I started trying to catch up with the blogs... and man... I did a bunch and didn't get caught up. I looked and thought, yes... I am done... nope... only in April!
How time flies... and don't let anyone lie to you... it isn't just while you are having fun!
 I looked at my son today and realized that he has grown another inch in the past month! How?
How on earth can he grow so fast?
His voice is starting to change! How funny is that?
No, it isn't funny... it means that he is going to be hitting puberty soon... ergh!!!

Well, if you get a chance, take a look at the Year of Jewelry page. Not great work, but it is mine. I'll try to get more posted... and if you get a chance, look at the blog hop page as well. Now, there are a couple of pieces on there that are pretty nice!

Blog Hop Reveal Day!

Today is the day of the big reveal for the Bead Peeps Swap 'n' Hop! I've been excited about showing the items that I made,but I have been even more excited to see what my partner Alicia made!
the blog is  under the tab  "Jewelry Bloghops"
Please click on it and see the pieces that I made and visit my bead partner, Alicia, at her blog All the Pretty Things and be sure to scroll down the page and use the link to find the other participants in this blog. There is some really beautiful work out there!!!

Keeping your hands busy-Again

While mom was in the hospital this time, I tried to keep busy crocheting again, I tried to do as many butterflies as I could, and I did a few more white with smaller thread, and a multi-colored and a hot pink one... but I was interrupted so often that I kind of gave up... one day I took my beads with me, thinking that there was the possibility of getting some of my swap n hop projects done... nope... the only time that there would have been enough time at a stretch to work on them was during the night... the first few nights after surgery, the nurses were in the room every half hour after that, they were in every hour, and the last night it was two hours in between!! YES! Honestly, I wasn't able to sleep much but I couldn't really work either. The lights needed to be low because Mom was so tired, she needed every bit of rest that she could get... so I sat in the dark or semi-dark and either crocheted or just sat.
It is so hard for me to just sit...

keeping your hands busy

While my mother was in the hospital recently, I needed to keep busy while visiting. I can't sit long, and when I am sitting, I have to have something in my hand or I go crazy. When it was time for her to eat, I was ok. I helped her eat and I was occupied, but when it was quiet, and nothing to keep my mind from roaming... it was pretty boring and well...you know me.. when I'm bored, I can get into trouble... What is that saying about idle hands being ?

I took some thread to work with to keep me out of trouble. Not that it helped much, I still had way too much time on my hands. But... I did get a couple of things made. First a shawl for Mom. It started out to be a lap blanket, but when I realized that she was going to leave the hospital and her dress to leave in was sleeveless, I turned it into a quick shawl for her shoulders. I didn't take a picture of it, or her... and I could kick myself. The dress looked very, very nice on her.
The other item I made was a baby wrap. It is a piece of linen that I've had forever, and thought it would be a nice summer blanket for a little one. It is a turquoise color of linen that I picked out when I needed a couple of shirts after I had my son. I thought the linen would be nice and cool... but I never made the shirts. When I would start to sew, my son would be fussy and I just gave up trying to get much done. I folded the linen and put it away, and forgot about it!

just started to tack down

A few years ago, I came across the linen pieces while cleaning up my sewing room and moving things out. I used some of the coral color that I purchased at the same time. It was used in a quilt and a few bonnets, but I saved the turquoise.
I think it is coming out ok. First the crocheted edging and then I made a crocheted butterfly for the body of the blanket. I like this pattern. I've used it for over 30 years for numerous projects. I think the first was for a blanket for my daughter... then a skirt, pillowslips... and back to blankets! It is fast, and pretty and I really love that it looks like a butterfly.

I just got started stitching it down to the linen when they announced that Mom was going to be dismissed, so I haven't finished tacking it down, but it will look better when fully finished. Crochet is a lovely way to keep the hands busy. I think next time I'll make a set of mittens or something a little smaller. Maybe a cap... this size is pretty small (30"x30") but it was hard to keep from shifting off my lap. Think a smaller project would be easier to handle. Last time she was in... I knit an infinity scarf... it turned out ok and was easy to handle.

One day at a time

The weeks have flown by, never a dull moment with me and my house.
The first of the year brought cold, colds, and lots of work.
My mother had a bad cold that left her feeling terrible. She turned 90 the end of the month and she seemed to be going downhill quickly. But she perked up a bit, after she was over the 'cold' or whatever she had... We had it in the house as well, my son came down with it first, so I am pretty sure it came from school. He now has manflu... not just a cold anymore. sheesh.
So, February brought my birthday, Valentine's, and work, work, work...
March brought the Scottish-Irish Faire... and more work,work, work...
April has brought more sickness for my mother. She's been in the hospital again, which is so sad. It is hard to see her suffering. But... for 90, I guess no one can be without some problems?
There are so many projects that I started, some that I never finished due to time, energy, and money restraints... and some that I have finished and am pretty proud of.
I made a couple of mirror frames for a two little girls, I think they came out pretty well. Was happy that they were delivered without too much trouble...
I say without too much... I broke a mirror.... before I put it in the frame, then one that I had already put in the frame... yikes!  but got them to their house without more trouble...


 They were totally different themes, one was faeries, Pegasus, and flowers, the other was underwater theme... with mermaids and fishes... I like how they turned out.