Remember those crazy photos of my friend Kathy and me playing guitar hero and singing along to Guns N Roses? Well, we are huge fans. We love Axl Rose, circa 1988-1992 only though...he's just scary now.
I made these for her birthday using iron-on transfer paper. Needless to say, she loved them! 
I'm sure that Axl is so wrapped up in lawsuits that he won't mind me using two cropped images on the internet for my best friend's birthday...fingers crossed.
Carving and printing with linoleum blocks and rubber stamps has been on my list of things to try for some time now. Mike bought me carving tools and rubber and linoleum blocks for my birthday in November.
It only took me a month to sit down and carve something. 
Carving linoleum is a bit harder than I expected, but really satisfying to print your images. I can't wait to carve rubber stamps next! 
Did I mention how much I love my little work area? I think everyone should have their own little space, no matter how small. I wouldn't use textured paper again, but I'm quite pleased with my first attempt.
As I mentioned before, Mike and I decided to keep it simple in our Christmas gift giving this year. We each made an ornament for each other, and decided it would be a sweet tradition to start. 
You've already seen my bird ornament, but Mike made a little monster that he named "Eggtooth Goobles", since all creepy-cute beings need ridiculous names. Those green things are supposed to be wings. But bless his heart, he sewed it inside out and flipped it so he wouldn't have stitches showing. He started before as a surprise, otherwise, I would have gladly shared my easier to sew felt with him!
Mike has always been drawing funny little monsters, and this one is a spoof on me, since my dad calls me a "Turkey" and I bit two little girls when I was a baby. That's right. I broke the skin too. 
I couldn't stop sewing, so made one to start make up for the six Christmases without ornaments. I put our initials and made it look like an old school Victorian Valentine.
Mike must have really loved my ornament, since he gave me an extra present of his own when I returned in January. It's in there with the other rings he's given me over the years.
It took me almost 2 weeks to come out of shock, but yes, he asked both of my parents and of course they said yes. Granted, if Mike had responded differently when talking to my mom about Florida Gators football, she may have said no. Ha!
P.S. I said yes too!
I have been following the work of Heather Smith Jones since I saw her art. I'm drawn to her use of color, different techniques, gorgeous transparency and opacity in her watercolors, and the words and phrases she uses. There was one piece that I especially loved, and when I finally convinced myself to buy it as a thirtieth birthday present to myself, it had already been snatched up. Rightly so, but I was very disappointed.
Well, what I got was even better! She did a small piece for me that contained certain elements similar to the first piece. I did not want her to feel confined to recreate something. I told her what I really liked about the other piece, but told her I would love whatever she created for me and to use her artistic license.
This is what she made for me.
When I read the title on the piece, it says, "It was raining stars that night, yet one shone the brightest." I was really touched when I saw that. You see, my Dad had a star named in memory of my brother, Andrew. So unknown to Heather, sometimes we think of Andrew as our star in the sky, since he always wanted to go to space!
My dad gave the star chart to me, and Mike reframed it to include a favorite photo of my brother and me. I showed my friends the new art and the star chart. I had forgotten, but there's a red circle highlighting Andrew's star.
My friend Vic had to point this out, but we realized that my new piece also had a red circle highlighting the "brightest star" in the title.
Some may think that these things are just coincidences, and you can find a correlation between anything. In fact, I sometimes think that. But I also know that if I want to feel comforted that these little coincidences mean something, I'm allowed.
When I don't know what I believe, it's those random little things that give me hope for a place I can't even imagine, hugging my brother again, or just the unlimited options for the unknown. At the very least, I think of those little things as Andrew telling me that he is okay. Or that he can still see the huge history that happened yesterday, and oh, would he have been celebrating!
So thank you to Heather, for bringing me unexpected additonal joy on my thirtieth birthday. If you want your own piece of magic, you can visit the shop for Heather Smith Jones here!
I often find it hard to start talking once I stopped for longer than usual. (I know...me?! At a loss for verbage?!...) Well, I don't have to tell you everything all at once.
Here is some pink and purple yarn that I received from a holiday yarn swap at Rosie's in December. I tried not to become too attached, I knew someone would swipe it. But no, I guess more people hate purple than I thought possible! Thanks again to Kate who didn't want it. I'm only one of her many fans! (wink)
Yes. That is my third Lace Ribbon Scarf. It's for Mike's mom, and was meant for Christmas. It was not possible to finish, so I made her a card showing what was on the way, and hope to finish it very soon. I think she'll love the color, since she's another fan of flamingos like yours truly.
Perhaps I'll be more talkative after I finish all my thank you cards tonight! I just hate having things hanging over my shoulder. Don't you?
The urge to create fabric flowers struck me when I was inspired by Ambika's on (Into) the Fray. Wanting to make some little presents, having a quick deadline before Christmas and facing a heap of fabric stash, I got straight to work.
I used scraps of fabric from my stash (gasp!) and some denim from old jeans. They weren't fraying enough, so I hand washed my hundreds of circles and took them to the laundromat to dry them. They thought I was a lunatic (which believe me, is nearly impossible with the shenanigans that go on in there).
I showed up with nothing but a plastic bag and stared at the dryer while scraps of fabric spun around and around. It was fascinating and meditative to watch them cascade repeatedly with each turn. 
I did them my own way. I cut some circles in a flower shape, others in circles and did all different sizes. I then stacked them together from largest fabric scrap to smallest, sewed them together and messed with the back to make them pouf out a bit. I added some beads in the center to keep it together. You know me, very technical. I found pins and sewed them to the back. I think they'll look cute on a jacket, a hat or a tote bag. 
In my pre-holiday sewing and baking frenzy, I had to laugh when I realized I was wearing the pants I had sewed for Mike, an apron I made and taking a break on the quilt we sewed. If that isn't overkill, I don't know what is.
Oh! And Happy New Year, everyone. I'm still working on my goals for 2009. And laughing at ones from previous years in my journal. Perhaps I'll have to share some of the funnier ones...professional surfer anyone?
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