I found a new blog today  Wind and Honey  that has a wonderful post about creativity and giving back to others.  Not only is Elizabeth a talented artist but she also has a great way with words.

I've always volunteered from the time I was in my early twenties until about five or so years ago...one project in particular totally burned me out and I decided to take a breather.  Although I do support several organizations with monetary gifts when I can, the hands-on volunteering came to a halt.  I was getting older and I didn't have as much energy and...well...that was my excuse anyhow.  Anyone who volunteers knows in their heart that the pure act of helping someone brings you energy - energy to your spirit which then will energize your body.

Elizabeth got me thinking today.  When I retire in about three years, I hope to get back to the hands on volunteerism.  I have thought about it now and again.  What will I do?  Who will I volunteer with?  How and who will I be able to help?  But I never thought about helping in the best way possible.  Taking the best things about myself and passing them on to others.  Using my best capabilities to creatively help others.  I think it's time to start a positive list - all the things that embody my spirit that I think might be worth teaching or using in some way to help others.  Maybe by the time I retire I'll actually have a plan of action?  Thanks Elizabeth!

A Splendiferous Forest of...Well Come and See

We all know I’m not much of a gardener. No matter how much I try, my black thumb always seems to get in the way. I keep trying though most of the time I leave it to my garden boy, Jack. He loves the challenge of bringing dead plants back to life LOL Or leaving them to grow and grow and grow through bad weather, winter, and sweltering heat until they are so scraggly that I can no longer stand it and pull them up by their roots. Oh yes, I admit it, I’ve ripped those suckers right outta the ground and thrown hidden them wrapped in paper in the garbage. You see, if I put them into the pile of leaves and branches waiting to go to the dump, he might retrieve them for another go around.


So late in the fall we planted some already overly large ornamental cabbage in a large metal washtub next to our garage. They were green and purple and lovely, as long as you kept the bottom leaves trimmed. Then came the first frosts, the ice storm, some snow, and even though I would eyeball them when I’d pull in the driveway, I never yanked them out. A couple of months ago I noticed the stalks (yes they were getting just a wee bit horribly straggly) had tiny pink somethings on them. Our first warm day made those somethings burst out all over and now we have a wonderful forest of ornamental cabbage. Tiny little, dare I say, cabbage trees? It’s like a little fairy forest and makes me want to set up a tiny fairy house with a glistening glass pathway.

So just maybe I won’t be yanking this time – maybe I’ll just let them keep growing and see what happens in this splendiferous forest.

OWOH 2011 TA DAAAAHHHHHH Time!

OK it's TA DAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH time!  Here are the three winners of the One World One Heart 2011 giveaway prizes:

Diane from little purple room who won The Book of Grace

Wendy from BLISS ANGELS who won Queen of the World Crown

JoAnne from Vintage Dragonfly who won Soul

I will be emailing all of the winners shortly.  Congratulations and I hope you'll come back and visit often!

Fishbone Studio

I have been wanting to stop by this pottery studio every time I go past it - which is every month or two on my way back from North Carolina.  Today I listened to my inner voice (which kept saying "you know you are missing out on something wonderful if you keep passing it by - go in, go innnnnnnnn").  So I parked the car, went through the cute little white gate down the steps to the cute little house, and opened the door to folkart splendor!  The first thing I saw, besides all the wonderful pottery, was this huge dog taking a very nice nap in the sun on the couch.  When Betty Wassmer came out to greet me, she told me they had gone to this farm without any intention of bringing a puppy home, and this beautiful Great Pyrenees was the result LOL  Up off the couch to sniff me and then right back up there to finish her nap with one eye open on me LOL  She was a real sweetie!  Here is what a Great Pyrenees looks like but this one isn't quite as pretty as the one I met today.

But back to the pottery.  It's a wonder I didn't drool all over the floor!  It was wonderful - colorful, fanciful, full of flowers, and birds and other motifs.  Some mosaics, some jugheads, flower pots, plates - I could have looked and shopped all day.  I'll take one of everything please LOL    I did do a little Christmas shopping (yep, gonna start early this year) and bought a cute little three story polka dot house that I can put a candle inside of for myself.  Betty showed me some of the new jugheads and other things that she is working on.  If you ever get to Blue Ridge, Georgia, you MUST go and see Fishbone Studio at 425 West First Street.  It's the street that runs parallel to the main street in Blue Ridge, on the west side of the railroad tracks.  You can see some of the wonderful pottery here Fishbone Studio   Blue Ridge is a charming little town filled with great places to eat and wonderful antique shops too.

Lunch with two good friends and pottery to boot - what a delightful Saturday this has been!

One World One Heart 2011 Is Here!

One World One Heart begins today and I’m participating. Just click on the OWOH 2011 button at the right to find out all about it! Year before last when I ran across it on the internet, I was amazed. Blog after blog where excitement and creativity was shining. I met some wonderful blogger friends and I can’t wait to get out there and see who is participating this year – read new blogs and meet new friends.

For me, creating is to my soul what food and water is to my body. I MUST think it, touch it, do it, and revel in the happiness it brings to me. I’ve always crafted one thing or another. I especially love wool, primitives, sparkle, and color – what a combination, eh? My creations and my house are eclectic. But I believe that if you put your heart into your creations – it will show!

Now for the really exciting part! Leave a comment on this blog post between now and February 17th 5:00PM EST. Later that evening I will be randomly drawing three of those comments and those three people will win one of three handmade creations. Only one comment per person will be counted. Please be sure when you leave your comment that there is a way I can get in touch with you.

My first giveaway is SOUL - a shadowbox. This was made using vintage book pages, a special rust paint solution, and beads, beads, beads. The bottle inside is also vintage and filled with soul – German glass glitter. Thanks to Julie Haymaker Thompson who came and taught a class at my home and showed us how to make wonderful shadowboxes and fantastic jewelry! She is one of the really special bloggers I met at last year’s OWOH and if you ever get a chance to take one of her classes, DO IT! She’s so much fun and so knowledgeable.

My second giveaway is THE BOOK OF GRACE. This is a completely hand sewn wool book containing altered art pages. Each page has a pocket with a special tag inside. On the front of the book is a wool sunflower with a beaded center.  It may be displayed on an easel or you may open it and it stands on it’s own.

My third giveaway is QUEEN OF THE WORLD CROWN (NOTE:  Doll is not included). This is made of a vintage clerical collar, vintage lace band and trim, pearl and cord trim, wire with mother-of-pearl flat beads hanging down, and a wool flower with a button center.

So good luck and I hope you’ll come back and visit often.

God's Garden Must Be Beautiful

God Looked around the garden,

and found an empty space.

He looked down upon the earth,

and saw your tired face.

He put his arms around you,

and lifted you to rest.

God's garden must be beautiful

for he only takes the best.

He knew you were weary,

and knew you were in pain.

He knew that you might never,

be well on earth again.

He saw the roads were getting rough,

and the hills were hard to climb.

So he closed your weary eyelids,

and whispered peace be thine.

Author unknown.

About 36 years ago I met my best friend Kathy.  I was a recent divorcee and had been moving into an apartment - 'friends' who promised to help didn't show up, my son had an ear infection, and I moved boxes all day in my old Ford Pinto.  My last trip was my son's crib that I had taken apart and put into the back of the car.  I cried all the way from the house to my apartment.  As I was pulling into a parking space, Kathy was pulling in the one next to me, getting home from work.  She came over when she saw I was crying and helped me carry that crib upstairs to the apartment.  She helped me put it together and then stayed and we talked for hours.  Meanwhile her husband, Bud, brought us frozen daiquiris and food.  And Kathy and I have been best friends ever since.

Saturday afternoon, Bud passed away unexpectedly.  They say friendship is a sheltering tree.  I hope that I'll be able to be her sheltering tree in the months to come.  Prayers for Kathy and her two grown sons would be appreciated. 

The Giveaway Box

FINALLY, Mya is going to get the wool box that she won in my last giveaway!   I have to admit that I'd like to keep it for myself but it was made especially for her so away it will fly next week.   Mya, if you see this, keep in mind that it's much prettier in real life - my digital camera leaves a little to be desired when it comes to taking pictures - OK, OK, it's probably me and not the camera LOL

Inside is beautifully spot dyed wool

 

Front panel has beaded rolled wool worms
Little bird is cotton with beaded paper wings and crown,
wire legs, and is holding a rolled wool worm;
top panel hangs over a little for easy opening

 

Back panel has couched wool roving
with beaded wool center

Side panel with beaded rayon ribbon leaves
and beaded wool pennies

 

Side panel with shirred wool worms



I hope you enjoy it Mya!