Last sips of summer

I apologize for the hiatus in posting. I think intuitively I am savoring every last sip of summer. Summer always takes on a different tone once the kids return to school. The weather, however, has added a "feel" to summer. A feel of Fall. A feeling that summer has swept past us. Now, I know that we will have warm days again...for those of you not living in Michigan.....we have had a cooler summer. Let me put it to you this way, tonight it is supposed to get down to 38 degrees....yup....that probably gives you a sense of the "feel" that we are experiencing. So luckily, I have followed my instincts and have been sucking the last bits of summer with the kids and not blogging.

Creatively, my thoughts have not been tempered by the weather or my activities....I have lots of ideas floating through my head. Yesterday I managed to get some time with polymer to continue my bead odyssey. My clay tiles (those that I have carved....still more to carve) are slowly drying to insure nice, flat tiles (sure makes adhering a heck of a lot easier and more professional looking!)

Enjoy some recent pictures from our garden. Again, trying to savor summer. I know I will reflect on these pictures in the winter months for inspiration.

One other quick note. I am proud to say that I had a charm chosen for the Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine charm swap. The issue just hit the news stands. I am in very good company. The other charms are beautiful, creative and thought provoking. The issue itself is very fun, you won't be disappointed!

Wild Woman Poster...free

How perfect is this. After watching in sheer bewilderment this morning on the Today show as the editor of Self magazine attempted to justify the air brushing they did to Kelly Clarkson for an article called "Be Your Self"....be your self, but hold on we need to tweak your body a little here, a little here...oh what the hell......let's just give you a make over! The irony. Again...we wonder why our culture and society is the way it is.... Ugh! So...when i stumbled upon this....

Well....I am thrilled, tickled, happy, invigorated. Thought you might enjoy it to!

Thank You BlissChick!!

Head over to her site and get yourself a free copy of this rockin' poster!

http://www.blisschick.net/2009/08/free-wild-woman-poster-for-all-you-wild.html

Have a wonderfully wild weekend!

Fabric Postcards

A slight distraction from my previously planned art projects.
The mixed media art group that I belong to on-line is having a fabric postcard swap during the month of August. I was going to get to them, but once I started receiving some.....the pressure was on. So I used that as incentive to get going on them. They are fun to make. Mini pieces of art. I started looking through my fabric pile...which as some of you know is a bit out-of-control...to see what inspired me. Once I had some fabric in mind I sat down with sharpie in hand and started sketching. Then viola I had and idea and a basic pattern. I am pleased. I added some fun thread art and some beads. It really is exciting to discover a little piece of art in your mail. A little bit of sunshine. My fourteen year old would agree!

Zetti hat races on Lake Louise!

Batik Heart from North Carolina.

Mine will go out tomorrow....

there's some potential in them there beads!

I think I seem some potential in the new beads. I am loving it! I need to make MORE!!!!!!!!

Polymer Inspiration

Over the weekend I finally got the chance to dive into a new book.

LOVE it! So refreshing, inspiring and......let's just say I have started to work on my "Halloween" theme charms for the next charm swap with the Minnesota ladies!

I have enough to make a bracelet, a funky one I might add. Photos to come.

Speaking of Funky I made some molds of the design tiles for the back splash I am designing....not so good. I had to trash all of the molds. Super frustrating. So I have taken a couple of days off from that project and will get back to it tomorrow. I knew my frustration would only hinder my progress. So.....I let loose with polymer clay instead.

Have a great day!

Visual Poetry

Super excited to be one of thirty people taking Susan Tuttle's Visual Poetry: Photo manipulation on line class! Now I won't feel so left out when the kids go back to school and get to sink their teeth into new projects! Check out her site, you won't be disappointed. http://ilkasattic.blogspot.com/

Hope you are having a great Sunday!

Traverse City Film Festival Summer Fun

Summer Fun! Last night we sat outside in the open space in downtown Traverse City, along the marina and watched, The Goonies. This was one of 5 free movies shown in the open space during the film festival. Talk about super cool. We took advantage of it all. After parking our chairs and blankets we wandered around. Spotted a large cruise ship which we all quickly made stories up about their adventures.

Downtown was Friday Night Live. The streets were filled with people, live musicians and entertainers......jugglers, puppet shows, numerous bands, local restaurants selling food. We were in a long line waiting for none other...ice cream!

Finally we made our way back to our seats. Listened to more live bands and waited for the show.

It really was a perfect night. I did remark that we needed to lock this memory in our minds, because once the snow flies......well you know.....this was the kind of night that can get you through a long winter!