Sunny day

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It was a beautiful day today, and I had lunch with a couple of good friends at the local Art Center. While there we toured the galleries and the gift shop. There were exhibitions by the Texas Watercolor Society, the Southwest Sculpture Society, and the South Texas Art League. But the exhibit we went to see was the Fiber Arts Society Show. There were quilts on exhibit that covered almost every technique you could think of, and it was interesting to examine each quilt and discuss the methods used to make them. I wish I could have taken photos of the quilts, but that is frowned upon. But I did take these photos of the marina on the bayfront. This was the view we had while eating lunch.

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This ATC is for a Floral Challenge, again involving images from Paper Imagery Designs. Using the design called 'Nia', I called this one zinNIAs. I used printed tissue paper, a rubber stamp, and a clipping from a seed catalog, plus a photo of a zinnia bloom to place behind Nia's head.

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This button fairy arrived today from Leslie C. in Tallahassee, FL. I love her wings! The Roman coin button for the face is an interesting touch. Thanks, Leslie!

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Little sweet things

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This little anole, less than two inches long from nose to the tip of his tail, crawled across my window yesterday. You can see his internal organs through his tummy! (Boy, I guess I need to wash my window, huh? It gets splashed on when hubby waters his plants underneath it.)

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This hibiscus is named "Ice Cream Float." The bloom is about 6" across. It is blooming on our patio right now.

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This button fairy is named Audrey, and comes from Pam P. in Carrollton, TX. It's hard to see, but she has a teeny-tiny necklace with a pink bead on it! I love her antennae, too.

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These two ATCs were made using images from Paper Imagery Designs. I coated them with a mix of gel medium and glitter glue to make them really shimmer in the light. The top one (Nia) has another coating of an olive green ink under the glitter layer. The bottom one (Elizabeth) has a light smear of tan ink which I then wiped off. They are both made on wood bases.

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Inchies

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Here are twenty inchies that I made for a swap. I've never made any before, so i hope they will be up to standards. I wish I could take a sharper photo, but this was the best of many that I took.

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Pendants

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I received all three of my painted paper towel pendants, and although the pictures are a little blurry, the pendants are fabulous! The one below is from Meg L., who added copper foil around the edges, and copper wire and beads to the front.

She also sent this piece of really funky fabric--I love it.




This one is from Gloria S. and has a large wooden bead on it with a button and some rattail cord.
She also sent fabric that she bought in Japan; some buttons, yarn, and extra cording to hang it from. Very nice of her to send extra goodies, wasn't it?



The third one is from Kathy H. It's hard to tell from the bad photo, but the pendant is teal with yellow dimensional flowers on it. There are hot-fix crystals on it as well. Very pretty!

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I finished up some amulets today for a swap. The top one is mine. The talisman is a doggie angel pin that I was given when Monty died. I think of Monty and Maggie as my guardian angels. This photo shows the inside of the amulet.

These three are the ones for the trade; I won't show the talismans because I want them to be a surprise. This shows how the amulet fastens closed with a small skewer. These are made with felt that has been sealed with gel medium and and colored with alcohol inks. They feel like leather.


My next swaps are 20 inchies for mmartfriends and some Dotee dolls for FiberArtTraders. I've started on the inchies and will try to get some decent photos of them to post when they are finished.

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My MIL is really confused sometimes. A few days ago she left a message on our answering machine asking for DH, then me, then DS #2, and finally DS #1, who hasn't lived at home for nearly 10 years! At least she remembered his name. She asked DH to get rid of her outdoor stray cats because they hiss and swipe at her when she feeds them. I bought a Hav-a-hart trap for him to use, but by that evening she called and said she had "forgiven" the cats and no longer wanted to get rid of them. Today she had changed her mind again. This time they are going whether she wants them to or not. We don't want them giving her some disease or an infection.
Her inside feral cat does scratch her occasionally and it will be the next one to go.

She had a problem with her answering machine, and asked me to replace it. I bought her a good one with simple operation, and DH and DS put it in for her and showed her how to use it. The next day I went with DH to check on her. She asked what she should do with the old phone that no longer works. DH told her to trash it, and I motioned to him to take it with us so she wouldn't dig it out of the trash and want to get it fixed. That evening she called and left a message that she wanted it back so she could use it in another room. The next day she told DH that if I wanted her phone that badly I could have asked her for it and she would have given it to me, instead of me "stealing it" from her! Although I know logically that she does not understand what is going on, it hurts to think that she still doesn't trust me.

She is still wearing her Lifeline panic button, and the new unit is working properly. At least we know that she can call for help if she falls. I don't know how long it will be before she takes it off, though.

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I was installed as Martha in Eastern Star this past weekend. Martha is one of the Star Points, and that is all I can tell you. I have been studying hard and intend to blow everyone away with my phenomenal memory (yeah, right!) I will more likely forget my lines and have to be prompted. I enjoy Eastern Star--I have met so many nice people and have made lots of friends.

This Friday I have a Red Hat luncheon where one of the members will be "reduating"--turning 50. Now she can officially wear red and purple instead of pink and lavender (ugh!) I enjoy Red Hat Society meetings even more than Eastern Star. We have so much fun and laughter at our meetings that it always lifts my mood. For a couple of hours I can forget all the difficulties with MIL and just have a gabfest.

We still haven't finished painting the woodwork in the bathroom, but we are slowly getting along with it. Most of it has the first coat on it, and the vanity has two coats on it. We still need to put the door handles and drawer pull on it, though. I will be so glad to get this finished.

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Surprise!

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DH planted these two coleus plants in the front flowerbed. They're a really intense lime green. The flowerbed is now full, and very colorful.

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I won a "door prize" at a birthday party online at FiberArtTraders, a Yahoo group I am in. I received it today, and am so thrilled with it! Look at all I got (donated by Dove S.!)

There are six coordinating fat quarters--I love the spaceship theme! Also a small handmade heart pin, a bag of yoyos, and a kit for making the heart ornaments (Comfort and Joy by Nancy Taylor.)


Dove also included this lovely handmade box, beautifully done, which opens up to reveal three drawers. Isn't this great? I will probably keep my charms organized in this. (FAT stands for FiberArtTraders--it's not a comment on my shape, however appropriate!)




All this was packed in this gorgeous hatbox! How did she know that I was a Red Hat lady? I always need another hatbox for my numerous red and purple hats! And this one is particularly nice.


Thank you for your generosity, Dove! I love everything you sent. May the creativity fairy sit on your shoulder in perpetuity!

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I had a disturbing encounter last evening. I was sitting in the backyard, enjoying the warm breeze, when I heard a disturbance two houses down. The man was yelling at his dog, and as I watched he reared back and kicked it with all his might! Instinctively I yelled at him to cut it out or I would call the ASPCA on him. He responded with a stream of the most vitriolic invective I have heard in a long time, calling me every name he could think of, spitting at me and using obscene gestures and language. His school aged children were in the yard with him. He obviously has an anger management problem. He was still cursing at me ten minutes later. I am now afraid that he might try to exact retribution by harming Copper or by vandalizing our property in some way. If he makes the slightest move in our direction I will not hesitate to call the police--he really frightens me. I suspect that the kids and wife are probably treated in the same way as his dog. He has verbally attacked the neighbor who lives between us, as well.

I hate this neighborhood! Although the climate here is beautiful most of the year, if I had the means I would leave in a heartbeat. Some of our neighbors are friendly, but I hate living in fear.
We are unable to move, unfortunately. We live on a greatly reduced income now. I am tired of the racial tensions and high crime rate in this area. Our outdoor cable box has been tagged by gang members, we've had things stolen out of the yard numerous times, and now a neighbor who is obviously unstable and dangerous lives two doors away. I will no longer be comfortable relaxing in my own backyard. End of rant.

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Blooms and grooms

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Several plants are now blooming in our yard:

Firecracker Plant with Caladiums

Ixora

Copper is blooming, too- having been groomed this weekend. He feels much better now in this hot weather--it's been in the low 90's for awhile.

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I finished these pieces today for a FiberArtTraders swap; it required that I use blue fabric, circles, thread or yarn, recycled plastic, and something representative of nature. The kimono are made of shipping tags, inked, stamped, and embossed with UTEE. I used pieces of black plastic mesh vegetable bags to tie on Japanese 5 yen pieces and added eyelash yarn. The obi are made of blue fabric with a silk flower attached to each one. I used chenille yarn with old pink and blue plastic macrame beads as hanging loops.

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Here's the blue jacaranda tree we planted in the front yard. It's about 8' tall, but they grow fast. It looks spindly (and it is!) but the winds here will toughen the trunk within a year or so. DH grew this one from seed.

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My MIL agreed to wear an alert necklace, so we got her one. She's still wearing it, but the unit doesn't work. The company agreed to replace the base unit, but we haven't told her it doesn't work right now; it would convince her that it's unreliable and she would stop wearing it. At least we know the alert system works, the company called all three of the responders to tell them the unit wasn't working. I hope the new unit gets here soon.

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