Splendid Little Stars

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-02-12T15:32:00.003-05:00

It's Scavenger Hunt Sunday time!

FACIAL FEATURE

cute little nose of Oliver kitty who is very busy today sleeping in a sun puddle!

SHADOW

My husband was "thrilled" that I made him do this with me! (That's snow on the ground! our second and "bigger" snow of the season.)

SPICY

nope. not a photo from Summer. I have a hot pepper plant growing in the house!

GOLD

Just what do you think this is? (*answer below)

FABRIC

My good friend Sally made these wonderful fabric pillowcases for me as a gift! There is a set of 2 for each of the 4 seasons of the year! Thanks, Sally! I love them! They are such fun!

*a packet of cane sugar (in the packet! to answer a question posed below)

This is a very fun meme hostessed by Ashley Sisk in which 5 prompts are given and one must then take a photo to illustrate each one. Come see how others have interpreted these words! Join in! HERE

Next week's prompts are love, duplicated, trend or trending, paper, plastic.

LOVE: a Challenge!

2012-02-09T16:05:00.005-05:00

Ahh, February, the month of Amore!

"There are as many ways of loving as there are people in the world."

~Mary Calderone

(more about this card at the end of this post)

Throughout the world, many symbols are used to express love. Here, I concern myself with one, the most recognizable, the heart.

The ♥ symbol has long been used to express the core of a human--physically or emotionally, spiritually, and morally. Even farther back in time, the ♥ was used to express the intellectual core of a person, the seat of the human mind. Today, in our culture, we associate the ♥ with love.

So without further ado, I introduce you to my favorite etsy team's February Challenge:

"In February we celebrate Valentine's Day. My challenge to you: Create a love-themed item. You can write a creative love letter, make a valentine, make a love-themed home decor item, etc. Be Creative and Have Fun!"

This Challenge was presented by Edi of Memories for Life in honor of the Month of Love

I was inspired to get my fabric dyes out and create some heart shapes on clothing.

THIS


and THIS

became THIS

and

THIS

I recently purchased cotton wash cloths and had already tie dyed some. I wanted to create painted ones, too. So I started the process of dyeing 4 cloths:

1. tie 3 circles on each of 2 cloths

2. soak all 4 in solution; wring out

3. dye the circles and background color

4. cure for 24 hours

5. untie and wash

6. soak all 4 in solution; wring out

7. let dry

8. paint

9. let cure for 24 hours

10. wash and dry

That is the process in brief!

To paint, I laid out my towels (lovely, aren't they?!) and set up my supplies.

I mixed powdered dye with thickener and water and began to paint! (You can faintly make out the 3 circles--soon to be flowers--in the photo above.)

the flowers start to take shape

and more hearts

hearts

At this point the cloths are still thick with the dye paint. After curing and washing, they look like this:

All the above can be found in my etsy shop, Splendid Little Stars.
(In answer to a question in the comments below: No, my dyed items do NOT bleed! I use professional dye and have perfected my processes over a number of years!)

To see what other teammates have created for this challenge, check out our team BLOG at the end of February.

LINKS:

Timeline: Heart in History, PBS

Symbols.com

Blogging Business Artisans monthly Challenges

Blogging Business Artisans February Challenge

more about the team and monthly challenges:

A new etsy team--Blogging Business Artisans--was launched last October. This team was formed to support and help its members grow artistically and professionally. It's been a great joy to be a member of this team!

The idea was conceived of holding monthly challenges to help us grow and stretch our imaginations. Team members must complete 6 of the 12 challenges within a year.
The first challenge, "New Techniques," was presented by Deb of storybeader See my entry "New Mittens, Old Sweater! a Challenge!" HERE.

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock! See others' completed homework assignments HERE. Come join in! This week our letter is "L."

more about the card:

I put this card together at my friend Ginny Lee's house last night. She made the wonderful heart with the flower. The glittery red felt heart has a front and back hand stitched together. The white heart is hand stitched to the red heart. The flower (She made it!) and pearl are glued on. The heart along with its attached paper clip is a bookmark that can be removed! A lot of work and love went into this! Thanks, Ginny Lee!

Treasury Round Up

2012-02-08T02:49:00.001-05:00

I've been featured in some lovely treasuries lately! Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.)

Nicole of Knit Nicole Knit featured my snowman T shirt in
Grape Jelly.

Nicole knits lovely Items such as this blue infinity scarf. She also makes very pretty earrings.

Judy of JN Originals featured my pink silk scrunchie in her treasury
Pink and Blue Just for You.

Judy makes lovely knitted and felted items such as this pretty blue bowl. In her shop you'll find head warmers, flower brooches, needlebook covers

Judy also featured my tie dye washcloths in another treasury entitled
Chasing the Rainbow.

Judy has a shop called Mister PenQuin where she sells her wonderful handmade journals, cards, and clipboards such as this mini brag book.

Gayle of Home Style Market featured my moss green and soft turquoise silk scrunchie in her treasury
My Favorite Color.

Gayle makes beautiful pillows such as this one.

Jewelry by Annemieke featured my margarita hand dyed silk scarf in her treasury
Margarita Green.

Jewelry by Annemieke sells lovely earrings, bracelets, and necklaces such as this blue Picasso jasper with Tibetan silver and hand linked Romanov chain bracelet.

Sinéad of Irish Viking Designs included my tie dyed wash cloths in her treasury
colors colours everywhere.

Sinéad's shop is filled with her photography and original art such as this fine art print "festive." She sells cards as well.

Sarah of Magnolia Surprise featured my red silk scrunchie in her treasury

My Love is like a Red, Red Rose.

Sarah has wonderful crocheted items in her shop such as this cute set of play heart cookies.

Linda of lindab142 included my red silk scrunchie in her treasury

Valentine's Day Gifts.

Linda makes lovely secular and Jewish jewelry, beaded wire kippot, magnets, beaded bookmarks, and accessories. These heart earrings are lovely!

Janet of Honey From the Bee included my pastel tie dyed washcloths in her treasury
Valentine's Gifts for Me.

Janet sells lovely handmade jewelry, inspired by her passion for nature, travel, and the creative life. This shabby chic vintage button bracelet is very pretty!

Sarmite of Sasa's Handcrafts created this lovely treasury
Red.

Sarmite's shop is filled with beautiful knitted baby booties, blankets, cardigans, and sets. I love this sweet hand knitted booties and bonnet set with crocheted flowers and edging.

I'm linking my Treasury Round Up with Rose's blog Random Creative. Come see more treasuries here and link up your own treasury posts! Rose will leave the linky up through this Saturday.

Blogging Business Artisans

2012-02-06T00:21:00.005-05:00

Late last year, I participated in the creation of a new team on etsy--Blogging Business Artisans. We are a creative group of artists, focused on business, and having fun along the way. I introduced you to the charter members HERE and a few more members HERE. Now, meet 3 more members!

Jamie is the proprietress of For Love of Cupcakes.

Jamie's SHOP is filled with hairbows and clips, rosaries, artwork, and more!

Check out Jamie's BLOG to learn more about her life with her sweet little baby.
Visit on Mondays and link up with her Make Yourself Monday Blog Hop!
Check out this book review.

Kathy is a fine artist.

Her SHOP features watercolor paintings, pen and ink, drawings, mixed media, and prints. I love her ACEOs!

This print, Your Best Friend is one of my favorites!

Many of her works feature the animals she loves, especially horses. Here's what she says about her art:

"I have loved art as long as I have loved horses. Now I love to share paintings of my horses and paintings of some of the other critters that have wandered through my life. My artwork is inspired by the beauty of God’s creation and by memories from my past."

In her BLOG she shares about her life with her fun sense of humor. Here's a current POST about her life in the country. HERE she share progress on drawing some VERY special furry ones!

Janet, of Honey From the Bee,

has a SHOP filled with jewelry "inspired by my passion for nature, travel, and the creative life."

In her BLOG, Janet speaks of inspiration, travel, nature, and her creative life. Learn a little bit more about Janet on her POST Six Word Memoir. Meet Daisy and Moose in this POST, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

I look forward to sharing more members with you!

"The focus of Blogging Business Artisans (BBA) is to promote our etsy shops, blogs, and one another with fun activities and via various social media. We will have monthly artistic challenges, treasuries, and giveaways. The BBA is planning fun social activities such as Secret Santa, link parties, and a blog hop."

LINKS:
team on etsy
BLOG where we post introductions to our members, their art, and interests. You will also find a list of our members and their contact information. Informative business articles are posted here as well. Additionally, there are links to our upcoming team challenges.
facebook
twitter
my POST on BBA charter members

MORE members
FABULOUS multi item GIVEAWAY

CONTEST DEADLINE:

February 21, 2012 at 11am central

CONTEST ELIGIBILITY:

Contest open worldwide

Fabulous Giveaway!

2012-02-04T10:00:00.004-05:00

I love this new etsy team to which I belong! Just look at this wonderful team giveaway happening in February! Our inspiration is the "month of love." We want to share with you, so come on over and enter. Winner takes all!

This is my contribution ↓

a luxurious hand dyed silk velvet zipper pouch in vibrant red, lined with quilted silk. Two hand crocheted (made by my friend Ginny Lee) flowers and a shell-pink button are sewn onto the front. (5" x 3 ¼")

This giveaway is open world wide! Enter now!
February's Giveaway -- Team Wide Love Event !
You have till February 21, 2012 at 11am central, but you don't want to wait!

photos by me and the individual shop owners © 2012 all rights reserved

Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial

2012-02-03T10:00:00.014-05:00

Yesterday, I showed some scenes from a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. I posted a photo of the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial, stating that it needed its own post.

Elizabeth Avery Merriwether, Lizzie Crozier French, and Anne Dallas Dudley

These women were active in the Tennessee Suffrage Movement.

Elizabeth Avery Merriwether (1864-1916)

■ held the first Tennessee public meeting in1876 to discuss women's rights

■ delegate to the National Suffrage Convention in 1879

published her own newspaper, The Tablet

■ inspired by the news of Susan B. Anthony's attempted 1872 vote, Elizabeth Avery Merriwether dared to vote in the 1876 Presidential election and reported:

"...when I tested the matter I was allowed to cast my ballot. Whether it was counted I cannot say. But counting my ballot was not important; what was important was to focus public attention to the monstrous injustice of including educated women with felons and lunatics as persons denied the right of suffrage."

Lizzie Crozier French (1851-1926)

■ President, Tennesse Equal Suffrage Association

■ Founder, Knoxville Equal Suffrage Association

■ In response to the argument that women should not vote because they could not serve in the army:

"Bullets and ballots are not companions; but ballots in the hands of people are supposed to be a substitute for bullets in the hands of hired agents...Thanks be to God that in giving woman the crown of motherhood he made her the giver not the taker of life. Woman has no greater claim to the rights of the ballot than that she is the producer not a destroyer of life."

Anne Dallas Dudley (1876-1955)

■ President, Tennesse Equal Suffrage Association

■ First President, National Equal Suffrage League

■ prominent statewide leader

■ in her words:

"We have a vision, a vision of a time when a woman's home will be the whole wide world, her children all those whose feet are bare, and her sisters all who need a helping hand: a vision of a new knighthood, a new chivalry, when men will fight not only for women but for the rights of women."

LINKS:
Elizabeth Avery Merriwether bio
Lizzie Crozier French bio
Anne Dallas Dudley bio
The Nineteenth Amendment and the War of the Roses article August 18, 1920
Harriet Stanton Blatch (1856-1940) bio and bio
Abigail Scott Dunaway (1834-1915) bio
document to Congress from The American Woman Suffrage Association (original)

history Women's Rights Conventions from Women's Rights National Historical Park

information Women's Rights National Historical Park, Seneca Falls, New York

This post was shared on Suffrage Buffs of America on facebook!

the heart of Knoxville

2012-02-02T11:21:00.007-05:00

On the way to visit my daughter in Asheville, North Carolina, my hubby and I (and sometimes our son) will often stop in downtown Knoxville for a meal. This is such a wonderful spot with Krutch Park and Market Square. Charles Krutch Park is an acre of natural scenery featuring a pond, a stream, and temporary artworks. Market Square, which began in 1854 as a marketplace for farmers, features restaurants, shops, and bubbling fountains.

Come along with me and see a few of the sites!

Enter Krutch Park...

A stream runs through this verdant oasis in the middle of a city.

The Storyteller by Mike Roig

8' x 3' x 2' painted steel $8,000

Mother and Child by Gordon Chandler

8.5' x 5' x 4.5' welded, painted steel

looking through Trinity by Douglas Gruizenga 7' x 7' x 3' aluminum

Now cross the street to Market Square...

Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial

(This deserves a post all to itself! more information HERE)

We like to eat at "the Tomato Head" which is farther down on the left.

Market Square is on the National Register of Historic Places. Farmers still gather to sell their products. The Square currently hosts many events including concerts, political rallies (like suffrage in the past), and open air ice skating in Winter. It is a gathering place for families, artists, street musicians, and activists.

a little alleyway retreat between buildings

bell from the old Market House (note police on bicycles)

time to leave the Square and head back through the park

I hope you've enjoyed this little Summer trip to the heart of Knoxville!

LINKS:

► detailed POST on Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial (The women of the USA have so much to be thankful for in these brave women of past generations!)
!!! The above post got shared on Suffrage Buffs of America on facebook!
► MAP City of Knoxville, map of Krutch Park and Market Square
► interactive MAP of the area
► the Tomato Head
► Mike Roig
► Gordon Chandler
► Douglas Gruizenga website with a picture of the full "Trinity" bio

I've completed my homework assignment this week! Therefore, I'm linking up HERE with the rest of Ms Jenny's class. This week we studied the letter "K."

photos by me © 2010 all rights reserved

New Mittens, Old Sweater! a challenge!

2012-01-30T18:00:00.004-05:00

The idea was conceived of holding monthly challenges to help us grow and stretch our imaginations. Team members must complete 6 of the 12 challenges within a year.
The first challenge is presented by Deb of storybeader and is called New Techniques.

"This first Challenge was set in motion because I'm always wanting to try new projects but stress about where to find the time? So, BBA members are hereby given permission to set aside time to work on a new project you haven't tried before. It can be within your field of expertise, but doesn't have to be. This Challenge also asks members to blog about your New Technique at least once during the month of January and talk about your progress."

Last year, I became interested in creating new items by cutting up and re-working old sweaters. I began to collect mostly wool sweaters from thrift stores. I looked online and brought books home from the library.

Soon, I had a first project in mind-mittens. I found the perfect sweater.

(sorry, I don't have a photo of the sweater before I cut it up.)

The first thing I did was to felt it in my washing machine. I added hot water and detergent. I put the sweater in a zipping pillow case cover to control the errant pieces of felt fuzz. After washing, I put the sweater (inside the pillow case) into the dryer on hot till dry. There was no scientific method to this procedure. I would take whatever I got. What I got was a nice soft wool fabric.

yes, that's me.

About this time, my friend Nancy Gamon, invited me to come to a "sweater chop shop" at her studio. Four of us attended. There was soon a mound of sweaters on her large work table. We chopped and chopped and some of us sewed.

I made a paper pattern by drawing around my hand and added about ¼ inch for a seam allowance. The pattern was pinned on the front of the sweater and through the back as well, wrong sides together, in order to incorporate the snowflakes. The mittens were then cut out.

Now for the part I'd been temporarily avoiding. I got out my new sewing machine (which I've barely used) and the manual.

Directions were studied, the bobbin was threaded, mittens pinned, and I began to sew.

It was a little tricky sewing around the thumb. For one thing the fabric is fluffy and dark. I was able to mark a stopping point (at the base of the thumb) with a white marking pencil and that helped. I'm not used to this new machine yet and the foot pedal is still a bit difficult for me. Also, I've sewn extremely little in many years.

Next I wanted to add the red binding from the front of the sweater to the cuffs of the mittens. I decided to hand sew this on because I didn't want any stitching showing. Before adding this, the mittens had a nice finished cuff edge because this was the bottom of the (now former) sweater. I wanted to preserve that. I also machine sewed the raw edge a couple times to keep it from raveling. (Was this red yarn wool? hmmmm... The sweater tag said it was made of wool, so why is it so loose? This is the unknown you get with a thrifted sweater.)

the finished mittens! soft and warm! (sorry for the bad photo)

This was a challenge to complete. There were definitely times when I was out of my comfort zone. However, now I have some cute new mittens. I would like to make a matching scarf. I just have to think how to cut up the remaining sweater and how I'd like to put it together. I'm dreaming of some other sweater projects as well! (a pillow, knitting needle holder, more scarves, wine bottle bag. I may make some flowers and add them to a sweater I have already.)

Intrigued by our team challenge? Come on over to our BBA BLOG, and see what others have made!

QUESTION: Have you made anything lately which challenged you artistically?

photos by me © 2012 all rights reserved

jagged

2012-01-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald

a sculpture in Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Cincinnati, USA

a "drive by shooting" In January 2011, probably in Kentucky

LINKS:
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

Laocoon sculpture by Alexander Liberman (welded steel, 1982)

Glacier National Park

I have Jovially Journaled a Jaunty Jumble of Jagged Js! Just for Ms Jenny's class on the letter J. Come on over and visit some more Js. You will have a Jolly good time! HERE

I'm joining up with SkyWatch Friday as well. hosted by Wren, fishing guy, Sylvia, Klaus, and Sandy. Come join in this awesome meme, and see skies from all over the world. HERE

Treasury Round Up

2012-01-22T19:42:00.003-05:00

I've been featured in some lovely treasuries lately! Thanks to the treasury makers!
This is Part One of two.

Sharla of Beaded Tail featured my set of 4 tie dyed bright rainbow washcloths in Hearts, Frogs and a Cat OH MY! (My Blogging Business Artisans teammates sure know how to brighten up a winter day!)

Sharla makes beautiful jewelry and donates a portion to animal causes. These cute kitty earrings can be found HERE.

Karen of Mystic Wynd featured my red silk scrunchie in Skinamarinky Dinky Dink, Shinamarinky Doo (Gifts that say "I LOVE YOU" from the Blogging Business Artisan Team.)

Karen makes lovely jewelry such as this Spring green retro necklace.

Sheryl of Sher Hastings Designs featured my pink silk scrunchie in Love, Romance, Flowers, and Hearts (From the softest shades to the vibrant reds, these things represent love and romance in my mind.)

Sher sells her graphic designs such as this one--Love is in the Air--in her etsy shop and on her own website. She also designs patterns for sewing.

I'm linking my Treasury Round Up with Rose's blog Random Creative. Come see more treasuries here and link up your own treasury posts! Rose will leave the linky up through next Saturday.

Idaho scenes

2012-01-19T15:36:00.001-05:00

please enjoy these random photos from a trip I took to Idaho, USA in 2008


fog--Blanchard, Idaho

scene from the road

Huff Lake, Idaho--peat bog

not solid ground! a floating mat on the edge of Huff Lake. It is made of sphagnum moss and sedges resting on water. More inland, the mats are thicker and are on top of deep muck soils. Miniature islands of peat called hummocks grow around the base of trees on the thicker mats.

picnic lunch on a beautiful lake

thimbleberry--Rubus parviflorus

A young hiker introduced us to the luscious thimbleberries. YUM! Careful! Bears like them, too! Thimbleberries are larger than raspberries and taste like raspberries, but milder and sweeter and softer. They grow in sunny patches in mixed deciduous forests. The plants are thornless with woody stems that are two to three feet tall.

pearly everlasting--Anaphalis margaritacea

Beautiful flowers abound in the higher elevations!

shoe tree--Nordman, Idaho

I wrote about this shoe tree HERE. I asked the question, "What is one strange thing you've seen in your travels?" There are a few links on this blog post.

Alphabe-Thursday is a favorite meme! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and perhaps even enlightened! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "I."

for the love of books! a LINK LIST

2012-01-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

A recent POST by my bloggy friend Storybeader inspired me to write a post about books as well. Deb wrote a link list of a few of her favorite book sites.

Here are some random book links I discovered:

ONE: follow your book's adventures! Want to give a book away randomly? Book Crossing lets you download a label which you then affix to your book. Give it to someone or even more fun, "release it into the wild." When someone picks it up, they can log on. You are then able to follow your book's travels. How fun is that?!

"When another reader finds your book, they can enter the BCID on BookCrossing.com and report that it’s been caught. Journal entries about your book allow you to see where your book is, who's reading it now, and follow where it goes next."

According to the website 850 thousand members have registed close to 7 million books which are traveling around 130 countries!

TWO: Give! Consider sending books to US Troops. Here are a couple sites:

Operation Paperback

Books for Soldiers

THREE: Sell! Book Scouter helps you to sell your books for the best price. This site compares prices from over 40 book-buying websites. It's free, too!

FOUR: Join bloggy friends! Blog Books is a site whose members "read books, blog books, write books, and publicize books." Members participate in forums, events, groups, and chat. Join for free!

FIVE: Enter a contest! I was perusing my bloggy friend Ruthie's BLOG, Live Love, Laugh, Write! I clicked on her "Books Read 2012" tab and discovered a blog that has a book reading contest. How fun! It's called the Bookmark Break Challenge. Keep track of the books you read this year and....Instead of me telling you about it, go HERE to Who's Your Editor?'s blog and read all about it yourself!

SIX: Trade! Go to Deb's POST to find out about a book trading site called Book Mooch.

I have not used/participated in any of the above. But now I just might!

PPS: Deb was inspired to write a link list, as was I, by our bloggy friend Rose of Random Creative. She likes to post link lists on her blog on Saturdays. HERE is her most recent Link List.

The photos and logos in this blog post are © by the individuals and organizations represented.

Cozy

2012-01-17T10:00:00.003-05:00

It's January. It's cold and gloomy outside.

Oliver

Earnest

Can you think of a better way to spend the day than napping on soft pillows?!

I am linking up with Cats on Tuesday by Gattina. Come on over HERE to see some great kitty stories!

Secret Santa Revealed: Part Two

2012-01-16T10:00:00.003-05:00

I'm part of an awesome team on etsy--the Blogging Business Artisans, brand new in October! We have lots of fun events planned. One of these was a Secret Santa Swap. Participants signed up stating their likes and dislikes. Sharla of beaded tail (with some help from her husband) made the assignments.

My Secret Santa was Judy of J N Originals.

Judy sent me the most wonderful gift! Just wait till you see what it is!

Oh WOW!!!
It's a beautiful hand~made journal!! Wait till you see the inside!
I open it up and discover it has a beachy theme. Perfect!

a pocket with seashells and lovely tags!

Just look at this paper! a sailboat! (One of my favorite things to do on beachy vacations is to take a sailboat snorkeling cruise.)

Waves, and oh look! There's an inside pocket. (I already have a few items stashed in there including a map of a favorite island--St. Maarten.)

another beautiful seashell pocket with tags! and a little note on the back of Judy's business card. That will stay in the book.

This journal is filled with lovely paper, some patterned, some blank. Here's another seashell pocket page.

Once I calmed down a bit from the excitement of receiving such a lovely gift, I began to think about what I would put in it. This journal will be a treasure. There will be photos and written memories of beach visits over the years. When I was a young child living on the East Coast of the US, my family would go on beach vacations. (Here's a POST about that long ago time with photos. At least one old time photo will have to go in this journal.)

Here's a couple photos from when my kids were young.

My parents lived in Naples, Florida, and we would visit them (of course!).

In more recent years, I would take my sketchbook, watercolor pencils, and a paintbrush with me on vacations. I made a few sketches. These should go in the book as well. I may tip them in.

This journal is most certainly a treasure! Judy constructed it sturdily of lovely fabric. It has a velcro closure. The journal is made up of 3 wonderful signatures. I can't wait to start adding my memorabilia!

Judy, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!

LINKS to Judy Nolan's websites:
BLOGS:
This Creative Journey
Word Walks

SHOPS:
J N Originals
Mister Pen Quin
Dancing Thimble
2nd Chance Treasures

OTHER:
twitter
flickr
facebook
Pinterest

MORE LINKS:
interview by Storybeader

photos by me © 2011 & 2012

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's Scavenger Hunt Sunday time! Here we go!

stacked up

I love making things. Oh, what ever should I make next? Here's a small stack of books from which to chose. Some I own; some are from the library.

stacked up

dyed scrunchies, one cotton, the rest silk

Winter Wonderland

a creek near my house in 2010. No Winter Wonderland in my neck of the woods so far this year.

sweet

Oliver and Earnest are great buddies!

hole

What do you think this is?! (answer below)

frozen

Hey, bulbs, don't you know it's January?! You, too, pansy?!!

We had a light sugar powder dusting of snow a couple days ago, our only "snow" so far this year.

Hole above is looking down through the top of an empty wine bottle.

This is a very fun meme in which 5 prompts are given and one must then take a photo to illustrate each one. Come see what others have done HERE.

humuhumunukunukuapuaha

2012-01-13T21:21:00.003-05:00

What??!!
Yesterday, I posted about some memories of a trip to Hawaii. I stated that I had fun learning how to say the name of the state fish, a trigger fish.

photo © Will Deutsch

Today, I'm going to teach you how to say it! "Why should I bother to learn such a complicated thing?" you ask. "To impress your kids and your friends, of course!"

Are you ready??! Here goes!

humuhumunukunukuapuaha

hoo moo

noo koo

aah

poo

aah

memories of an Hawaiian vacation

2012-01-12T15:51:00.003-05:00

In 2005, 6 couples traveled together to Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. (like herding cats, the friend who organized the trip said!)

Here I present a few memories from that trip.

scene from a hike--river flowing to the sea

My (much older!) cousin Rick searching for the perfect wave to ride! Even though the beach said "CLOSED," he strode out into the depths, returning unharmed. I, on the other hand, while standing in ankle deep water, got knocked down by a rogue wave, loosing my glasses and pulling a muscle in my leg. This photo is particularly poignant to me because it reminds me of Rick's adventurous spirit and love of life. Sadly he died a couple years later on his birthday at age 65.

Kauai, called the Garden Isle, is verdantly lush with abundant waterfalls. This was taken from a helicopter by my husband. Sadly, I was chicken to go and soon regretted my decision. The next year, my husband and I decided to go back to Kauai. I, dosed with motion sickness medicine, had a blast flying above the beautiful island!

Here I am on the beautiful beach of Ke'e (pronounced kay' ay). Yes, there were a number of trees with exposed roots like this. This is the beginning (or end) of the famous Na Pali Coast, cliffs that plunge thousands of feet straight down into the sea.

Na Pali Coast from Ke'e beach.

Na Pali Coast (pronounced Nuh Polly) as seen from the helicopter (by me!) the following year.

LINKS:
Kauai a previous post with photos of the Na Pali Coast & Waimea Canyon

Lush and Lava (Kauai, part 2) another previous post with more photos and a map of Kauai

SOME FACTS:

☼ Pali means cliffs. The Na Pali cliffs rise as high as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above the Pacific Ocean.

☼ It is believed that the Na Pali coastline was the first area of Kauai to be settled by the ancient Hawaiians.

☼ The numbers: Kauai is circular and emcompasses about 550 square miles. There are 113 miles of shoreline, 50 miles of which are sandy beaches. Almost 3/4 of the island is inaccessible by foot. 97% of the land is used for agriculture and conservation.

☼ Mt. Wai'ale'ale (3,000 feet high) is the wettest spot on earth! More than 430 inches of rain pours on its peak each year. This creates the magnificent abundance of waterfalls on the island below.

Personally fun for me was learning to pronounce the name of the state fish. It took lots of practice! Humuhumunukunukuapuaa Every Letter is pronounced individually in Hawaiian! This is a trigger fish. (easier to say, huh? But not nearly as much fun!)
UPDATE: I posted about how to pronounce the word HERE!

Alphabe-Thursday is a favorite meme! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and perhaps even enlightened! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "H."

Random Creative's Giveaway

2012-01-09T08:27:00.001-05:00

The Blogging Business Artisans Team on etsy is presenting a wonderful giveaway! Rose of Random Creative created this lovely beaded wrap bracelet that can also be worn as a short necklace.

This lovely piece of jewelry is hand woven with Japanese delica seed beads.

Want to know more? Rose does such beautiful hand work, so of course you will! Go to our team BLOG to enter. It's easy! This contest is open internationally. You have till January 19, 2011 at 11am central.

Good luck!

Greens

2012-01-05T12:52:00.002-05:00

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utaha.trail.in Bryce Canyon--see the person?

somewhere in Utah. I love the layers of various green colors in this landscape.

on our way to Zion National Park, Utah

entering Zion National Park. Notice the red road.

Zion National Park--Emerald Pool

Zion National Park

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, North Rim. A storm is coming up.

These are a few of my favorite photos from a trip to Utah in the late Summer of 2010. I love the colors in all of them. Some landscapes show stark vibrant contrasts--azure blue sky, sandy orange-red rock, vibrant forest green foliage, perhaps even a puffy white cloud. Others have muted shades and layering of colors.

LINKS:

Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Alphabe-Thursday is a favorite meme! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and perhaps even enlightened! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "G."

I'm also participating in SkyWatch Friday, another fun meme with lovely photographs from all over the world! SkyWatch Friday is hosted by Wren, fishing guy, Sylvia, Klaus, and Sandy.

Sharing: by Oliver and Earnest

2012-01-03T23:30:00.003-05:00

Oooo...the most wonder-fur toy arrived this Christmas! Yipee! a mod shaker from Modern Cat! filled with the most delectable catnip! We loved this toy SO much, we played with it all night long! We totally soaked it out! ("eeeewwwww" said our mommy the next morning)

We both love it, but sharing with your best friend is the bestest!

I am linking up with Cats on Tuesday by Gattina. Come on over HERE to see some great kitty stories!

PS: We learned about the wonderful catnip toys from Beaded Tail's BLOG
PPS: My computer is in the hospital. I'm sharing a computer now, so I may be very slow in responding to your comment. I love hearing from you and will get back to you as soon as I can.

best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Glacier National Park

A traveler am I and a navigator, and every day I discover a new region within my soul.
~ Kahlil Gibran

photo by me © 2011

goodbye, old year

2011-12-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

somewhere in Utah

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

Why won't they let a year die without bringing in a new one on the instant, can't they use birth control on time? I want an interregnum. The stupid years patter on with unrelenting feet, never stopping....
~John Dos Passos, 1917

photo by me © 2010

Secret Santa Revealed: Part One

2011-12-28T23:09:00.001-05:00

Here are some of her likes:

Hunter and dark green, deep purples and reds, black. Day of the Dead/Dia de Los Muertos stuff. Fabrics. Notepads and pens. Coffee and sugars. Chocolate and peanut butter!

and some dislikes:

Hard fruity candies, fruits, nuts.

Now the fun began!

For starters, I knew that she had visited Asheville, NC and liked the yummy chocolates at the Chocolate Lounge. Since my daughter lives there and I was visiting, she and I chose some yummy chocolate truffles we knew Athena would like. (While we were there, I admit, we bought a few truffles for ourselves. ssshhhh.....don't tell!)

photo © French Broad Chocolates

Next, since I know that Athena loves to sketch, I bought a Strathmore sketchpad and altered the cover. This was fun. I researched Dia de los Meurtos. I then wrote a description and printed this out on dark green cardstock which I affixed to the sketchpad cover. Next I drew a sugar skull coloring it in with colored pencils. After gluing this down, I then made a hat of cardstock, ribbon, and fabric. I tried a new (for me) technique of burning the edges of the fabric to keep it from raveling. Inside the back and front covers, I glued a recipe for making sugar skulls. I paired this book with an artist's pencil.

One more item to round out this gift. In early December I went to Christmas in the Village in Waynesville, Ohio with a few friends--a yearly tradition. I met Melissa of La Crema Coffee Company, a small business that roasts and packages gourmet coffees. With Melissa's help I selected a little package of medium roast coffee called "Cranky Before Breakfast." I thought this would appeal to Athena's fun sense of humor as well as her love for coffee.

photo © La Crema Coffee Company

I wrapped some of the items in tie dyed tissue and added eyelash yarn ties, thinking perhaps Athena could use these materials in her creative endeavors. I thoroughly enjoyed putting this gift together. It was so much fun! You can read Athena's reaction HERE.

Want to know what other BBA members received? Of course you do! Check out our BLOG to find out!

If you want to know more about the Blogging Business Artisans, click the links at the top of our BLOG or find us HERE on etsy.

Día de los Muertos

A ritual known today as Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico and in certain parts of the United States and Central America. Families build altars in their homes, dedicating them to the dead. They surround these altars with flowers, food, and pictures of the deceased. They light candles and place them next to the altar. Sugar skulls, made with the names of the dead person on the forehead, are eaten by a relative or friend. The skulls were used to honor the dead, whom the Aztecs and other Meso-American civilizations believed came back to visit during the monthlong ritual. Unlike the Spaniards, who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as the continuation of life. Instead of fearing death, they embraced it. To them, life was a dream and only in death did theybecome truly awake.

Sugar Skulls

Supplies and Ingredients:

plastic skull molds
mixing bowl and spoon

1 piece of cardboard, approximately 5" x 5"
2 cups of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of meringue powder
2 teaspoons of water

Directions:

Mix the sugar and meringue powder together in the bowl.

Sprinkle the water in and continue to mix until the sugar is completely moistened and

becomes the consistency of moist sand.

Scoop some of the mixture into the mold and pack it evenly and firmly.

Place the piece of cardboardon top of the mold and quickly flip it over so the sugar skull pops out.

Make all the skulls in this manner.

Let dry for 24 hours in a dry place.

Icing

Supplies and Ingredients:

1 pastry bag or zip closing plastic bag
plastic cups
spoon

electric mixer

2/3 cup of water
1/2 cup meringue powder
2 pounds of powdered sugar
concentrated food coloring (the kind professional cake bakers use)

Directions:

Blend the ingredients with an electric mixer until the peaks form in the icing.

If using assorted colors, scoop the white icing into separate bowls and add a dab of different

colored food coloring in each one. Mix again.

Scoop the icing into the bag. if using plastic, snip the corner.

Continue until you have several bags of different colors as desired.

Seal and refrigerate until use.

*Makes four small skulls.

Stayed tuned for Part Two--what I received!

Margaret's Mushrooms

2011-12-17T14:00:00.005-05:00

This family favorite, known simply as "Margaret's Mushrooms," as in "Oh Margaret! Make your Mushrooms!" is easy to make! This is more of an idea than a recipe with specific measurements. I no doubt make it slightly differently every time.

Here are the stuffed mushrooms before cooking.

INGREDIENTS

@ 18 oz mushrooms

extra mushrooms (optional)

1/3 C onion, chopped finely

1 T + 1 ½ t butter, divided

1 T and 1-2 t tamari (soy sauce), divided

½ lb Xtra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

Get out an 8" x 8" baking dish. Put 1 ½ t of butter and 1-2 t tamari in the dish.

Grate cheese.

Finely chop the onion. Use whatever type of onion you wish in desired amount. (Today, I used a red onion.)

Remove stems from mushrooms and place them on cutting board.

At this point it may be necessary to carve out the inside of the mushroom cap a little.

When finished, place mushroom cap in the baking dish, open side up.

Finely chop the mushroom stems, the carved out cap insides, and any extra mushrooms you wish to add.

Today, I added a few shitakes.

On low to medium heat, melt @ 1 T butter in pan on stovetop.

Add onion and saute till beginning to get browned.

Add the chopped mushrooms, stirring, for a few minutes till they are slightly cooked.

Add 1T tamari and stir.

Add cheese, turn off heat, and stir till melted.

Spoon mixture into open mushroom caps.

Bake in a 350 degree oven till browned about 20 minutes.

There will be liquid in the bottom of the dish when finished. This makes a delicious gravy.

For more of my recipes, click on Margaret COOKS.

Fog

2011-12-16T01:49:00.002-05:00

fog high in the mountains of Glacier National Park

enveloping fog

secreting the world away

a lone tree remains

Here we are in the midst of another round of a favorite meme, Alphabe-Thursday! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and perhaps even enlightened! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "F."

Eager Earnest

2011-12-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Eager Earnest wishes to Edify you in regards to the letter E.

Most importantly, there is Eat. He is simply Ecstatic about Edibles! He can be quite Elegiac with his lamentations when his bowl is Empty.

After Emptying his bowl, it's time to Ease his furry self onto something cozy

like the stairs which is the center of Everything or a soft blanket on an Elevated couch.

After a good long nap, it's play time! Earnest is Energized by feathers, but

even more Ebullient about catnip

which can be shared with a furend because there is plenty!

time for another nap!

Although Es are very Effable, and Earnest was quite Elated to Elucidate, their Explanation requires much Effort and has the Effect of drowsiness.

Earnest is Excited Ms Jenny has decided to do another round of Alphabe-Thursday! He Explained some of his favorite Es with Elan! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and even Enlightened in a delightful way! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "E."

sleepy

2011-12-06T12:56:00.001-05:00

It is rainy and gloomy today, so we are indulging in sleeping!

We have been very busy re-arranging Christmas decorations.

Such exhausting work! We hope the hoomans appreciate all our efforts!

Oliver and Earnest

I'm participating in Cats on Tuesdays on Gattina's BLOG. Go to the link and read more kitty stories!

Storybeader's Giveaway

2011-12-04T18:35:00.000-05:00

The Blogging Business Artisans Team on etsy is presenting a wonderful giveaway! Deb of The Storybeader's Bookshelf created this lovely necklace. There are even earrings to go with it!

And that's not all! There is also a set of 12 kitty beads.

My kitty-lovin' heart is palpitating! So why am I sharing with you? Because I'm a generous soul and I want everyone to have a chance to win. This contest is open internationally. Go to THIS LINK to get the skinny. You have till December 20th.

Good luck!

Desert Scenes: Fish Creek Canyon

2011-12-01T10:00:00.009-05:00

exploring Fish Creek Canyon near Phoenix, Arizona...

sky growls overhead

rocky road winds on and on

adventure awaits

Fish Creek

red rock so dotted
with spiny sage green prickles
kiss speckled blue sky

jaunty white petals

with cheery yellow centers

swaying breezily

I'm so happy Ms Jenny has decided to do another round of Alphabe-Thursday! This is such a fun meme! Thank you, Ms Jenny! Come and join in the fun! You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way! See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "D."

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-11-27T20:55:00.004-05:00

For Thanksgiving, my family got together at my daughter's house in Asheville, North Carolina. We cooked, ate, played games, laughed, played with kitties.

waiting

Tigra is earnestly expectant when dinnertime approaches!

foliage

candid

Thanksgiving festivities at my daughter's included the raking of leaves.

knife, fork, or spoon

Thanksgiving food prep with glasses of wine!

rule of thirds

"drive by shooting" on the way home (yes, I was the passenger, not the driver!)

I'm having so much fun participating in this challenging, inspiring, and fun meme. Come on over to Scavenger Hunt Sunday on Ashley Sisk's blog and see some wonderful, creative entries. Link up, too!

photos by me © 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T02:00:00.001-05:00

Here's to you, my dear blog readers! Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-11-20T16:00:00.001-05:00

Out for a walk on a rather dreary, rain-spitting day....

Water

water everywhere, dripping from the trees,

Reflection

in puddles on the ground, reflecting sky and branches, and one lone leaf

Mainly One Color

the sky, the trees, the rocks, the water--all mainly one color

Writing

believe me, I was not tempted to swim!

Time to head home!

Around the Home

Earnest and Oliver wait.

I'm having so much fun participating in this challenging, inspiring, and fun meme. Come on over to Scavenger Hunt Sunday on Ashley Sisk's blog and see some wonderful, creative entries. Link up, too!

Colorado

2011-11-17T01:18:00.001-05:00

scenes along the way...

traveling from Pagosa Springs to

Mesa Verde

and back again

Do you see the shooting star?

I'm also participating in SkyWatch Friday, another fun meme with lovely photographs from all over the world! SkyWatch Friday is hosted by Wren, fishing guy, Sylvia, Klaus, and Sandy.

Blogging Business Artisans

2011-11-16T10:00:00.006-05:00

Recently, I participated in the creation of a new team on etsy--Blogging Business Artisans. We are a creative group of artists, focused on business, and having fun along the way. In a PAST POST, I introduced you to the 6 charter members. Here I will introduce you to 3 more members. Come visit their shops and blogs!

Linda Pruitt has 3 shops on etsy!

Her Pruitt Creations SHOP is filled with wonderful fabric items-- coasters, zipper pouches, decorations, aprons, quilts, coffee cozies, pillows, paper items and so much more!

Linda's Pruitt Design SHOP promises romance in jewelry and pillows! She also has wonderful pouches and paper bag art like the ones here on the right.

In her Pruitt Supply SHOP, Linda carries fabrics, buttons, findings, and fun yo yos like the ones here.

Linda has 2 blogs!

On her Pruitt Handcrafts BLOG she shares lovely new hand made crafts, crafty ideas, and "occasionally, little stories about my grandchildren!" HERE'S a post where she talks about using The Square.

Abigail's Attic is Linda's second BLOG. Here's what she says: "The reflections you will find here are all my own meditations, introspections, musings if you like, of the thoughts in my attic. Not stuffy or starched, I hope, but like finding a rare pair of vintage button-downs, dusting off the years and discovering the beauty hidden there. Enjoy your time with me, settling in for a delight or two, a story or three and I hope you will go away refreshed with new observations wanting more. "

Find a poem she wrote about Fall HERE.

Jenny is the artist owner of A Bird in the Hand Art.

Jenny's SHOP features unique home decor items and jewelry pieces inspired by birds. "I have a background in biology, specifically animal behavior, and I have been inspired by the beauty of various bird species."

On her BLOG A Bird in the Hand Art, Jenny shares about her art, participates in Iron Craft challenges, and posts business tutorials such as this one
about making a button link.

Sarah is a crocheting diva!

For her SHOP Magnolia Surprise, Sarah creates wonderfully fun items for your home--crochet coasters, dish cloths and scrubbies. She also makes scarves and afghans, play food and toys. "At Magnolia Surprise, there's always a surprise waiting to be found!"

On her BLOG Magnolia Surprise, Sarah shares about her life, her craft, and her granddaughter. Check out these beautiful new shoes!

I look forward to sharing more members with you!

Blogging Business Artisans: Charter Members

2011-11-11T12:03:00.001-05:00

Recently, I participated in the creation of a new team on etsy--Blogging Business Artisans. We are a creative group of artists, focused on business, and having fun along the way. Here I introduce you to a few shops and blogs. I will start with the charter members.

Erika's Little Andalucia SHOP is filled with fabric goodness--dresses, skirts, patterns, DIY kits, and fabric, too!

Introducing Erika's brand new SHOP Artful Rising!!

In this shop, she sells wonderful art journals and story dolls.

Erika's BLOG Artful Rising is dedicated to embracing creative passions and dream fulfilling. She loves to engage others in her creative, soul and mind searching dialogs.

Read about her Project Embrace--"Embrace your creative energy to not only help yourself but those around you. Use your art to make someone smile, to raise money for a cause, or to bring attention to something important."

Right now she is collecting handmade cards to give to a local Ronald McDonald House in early November.

On Mondays, she hosts a fun meme, It's a Wrap Party--easy and fun. Simply link your favorite blog post from the past week! HERE is this week's wrap.

Erika is our team captain!

(Read an introduction to Erika HERE.)

(Going in alphabetical order,) next up is Deb.

Deb writes wonderful haikus and attaches them to her handmade journals such as this one--Sea of Yellow Flowers. Art journals and paper beads fill her Storybeader SHOP.

On her BLOG The Storybeader's Journal, Stroll through Storyland, she shares lots of photos of her handmade journals and beads. She's an avid reader and posts insightful book reviews. She also shares wonderful business posts such as this recent one on pinterest, a visual social media site.

(Read an introduction to Deb HERE.)

Edi is the artist behind Memories For Life Scrapbooks.

Edi's SHOP is filled with a variety of paper-making goodness, such as these wonderful custom word scrapbooks. Recently, Edi purchased an engraving machine. She now carries an assortment of engraved items--monograms and photos on glass and wood. She loves custom work!

On her BLOG, Edi shares photos of her work as well as family stories. Harley, her beloved dog, makes appearances as well!
Be sure to check out her giveaway of custom engraved wine glasses on our team blog. (See "LINKS" below.)

(Read an introduction to Edi HERE.)

Rose, also known as Random Creative, makes lovely beaded and button jewelry. She even has PDF patterns!

Visit her Random Creative SHOP to see all the wonderful beaded bracelets, cuffs, and earrings she has to offer. She's also a member of the etsy beadweavers team, and participates in challenges like this one called Totally Twisted. You can vote on your favorite now through November 15. Rose does custom work as well.

On her BLOG, The Beadings and Buttons of Random Creative, she shares her newest creations. On Saturdays, she posts a random and very fun Link List like this one.
Rose frequently posts to Hub Pages. Check out this one for 10 free stocking design tutorials.

(Read an introduction to Rose HERE.)

Sharla of Beaded Tail makes beautiful custom jewelry, often with a cat or dog theme. She's an animal lover supreme!

Sharla donates a portion of her earnings to animal causes. She also belongs to the etsy angels, a team that donates to a new charity every month. Visit her SHOP to see lovely beaded earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

Her Beaded Tail BLOG is hosted by the loveable fur babies in her life--Isabella the beautiful tortie,

Angel the floofy-tailed kitty, and

Sadie, a sweet Husky who often takes us on wonderful strolls!

Make sure you check out Niptini where "a little nip mixed with friends makes a whole lot of fun!"

(Read an introduction to Sharla HERE.)

Lastly there's me, Margaret of Splendid Little Stars

My SHOP is filled with hand dyed cotton and silk accessories and clothing for both children and adults. Lately, I've been having fun dyeing silk scarves and playing with various techniques. I love to do custom work!

My BLOG is an eclectic mixture of various topics, but I most especially like to share photos of nature and my kitties, Earnest and Oliver. I love to explore the world around me with my camera.

(Read an introduction to me HERE.)

These are the 6 charter members of the Blogging Business Artisans. I look forward to sharing more members with you!

Zion Beauty: Views from Angels Landing

2011-11-10T09:23:00.000-05:00

In a past post, I showed you photos from my Angels Landing hike in Zion National Park in August of 2010. Here are some of the beautiful views from that hike.

The path beckons....I'm drawn in. What's around the bend?

Walter's Wiggles--looking up from near the top. I love the play of light in this photo.

Walter’s Wiggles, named after the first superintendent of Zion, are a series of 21 tight switchbacks carved into the face of the rock cliff in 1926. This trail remains one of the park’s most spectacular construction wonders.

"In 1985....Walter's Wiggles was resurfaced with 88 cubic yards of concrete, and the concrete for this job was hauled onto the site by helicopter. This took 258 flights. WHEW!" *

a view from Walter's Wiggles. Zion is a veritable botanic wonderland. Almost 800 species of plants abound in the park--from desert flora to mossy gardens, flowers, and trees.

Sandstone cliffs of golds, oranges, and rust contrast with the deep green of flora and the azure sky.

Scout Lookout

at the top!

LINKS:

* NPS FAQ Zion's hiking trails
Angels Landing my blog post 11/4/2011 with links
Zion my blog post 10/13/2011 with links

I'm also participating in SkyWatch Friday, another fun meme with lovely photographs from all over the world! SkyWatch Friday is hosted by Wren, fishing guy, Sylvia, Klaus, and Sandy.

photos by me © 2010

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-11-07T15:33:00.003-05:00

food

guide: Swiss chard (leaves in back. These come with white, red, and yellow stems.), eggplant (creamy, yellow rimmed veggie in the middle), 3 beets (on either side of the eggplant), radish (on left), 2 carrots (on right). The colors and patterns are so beautiful!

purple

detail of Indigo Angel by Janice Campion

On Sunday, I attended the reception of Chrysalis, a life retrospective of fiber artist Janice Campion's work. The show was held at Grailville, a retreat and education center, with a Fall Harvest Supper following. Most of the food was grown at Grailville and it was delicious!

in disguise

This landscape is disguised by water from the carwash rivuleting over the windshield.

shapes

detail of The Guardian by Janice Campion

The full quilt follows. Janice hand dyes, batiks, and paints much of her fabric. Most quilting is done by hand. Some decorative sewing is done on machine. When seen in person and up close, the detail of her work is truly stunning.

The Guardian by Janice Campion, 1993

"The challenge of my work is to combine both decorative and figurative elements." This work was inspired by Gustav Klimt, and was part of an international show in Paris inspired by the works of Klimt.

(cotton, applique, reverse applique, hand and machine pieced, hand and machine quilted, textile pigments, hand embroidered)

photographer's choice

detail from the hem of a doll's dress by Janice Campion

This dress is made entirely of woven strips of fabric about a quarter inch wide. Each strip has stitched details along its entire length.

I had to show you the entire doll even though this is a bad photo. I wish I had taken more photos of the details.

Janice's quilts have been in Juried and Invitational Shows throughout the United States and in Europe. They have appeared in Quilt magazines, on the PBS show, Sew Creative, HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show, and on the cover of a textbook.

LINK:
Grailville --a center for retreats, spirituality, women's empowerment, the environment, the arts, and good old peace and quiet.

I'm having so much fun participating in this challenging, inspiring, and fun meme. Come on over to Scavenger Hunt Sunday on Ashley Sisk's blog and see some wonderful, creative entries. Link up, too!