First half of September!

Labor Day weekend was a indigo tie dye party for us!

 

 

 

 

We had some wonderful results!

 

 

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I wore my new indigo tunic to our downtown wear a new mural has appeared!

 

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I had a wonderful time, and the weather was perfect at "Art in the Park" on September 17.

My good friend Sandra and I had a booth!

M

Sales were good!

 

We met other artists, including Annetta Gregory.

I have to love Annetta's zinnias! (Above)

Gayle bought these fabulous asters at the farmer's market there on the Bentonville square!

Later at home, I found one of my paintings from the first time I was trying watercolor. A scene of aspen and a river.

Daughter, Laura had a wonderful trip to Mexico!

That is enough fun for the first half of the month! The last days of summer!!!

 

 

More sewing in process. Easter memories.

Working on two flower girl dresses for a May wedding....this is the pattern.

Learning to gather and sew tulle...this little red clips help! I'll make the skirts while awaiting the peach brocade bodice fabric to get here.

We had 2 friends come for Easter dinner....here is the table being pulled together with new table runner and napkins as well as a spring wreath.

The grandkids weren't here, but 3 of them had a great time with an egg hunt.....girls wearing the dresses I sewed and sent last week!

Love these little ones! And all grandkids...including this track star...

And this little one on the way...

Who will soon make this guy a "big brother"!

"look Mom, a flower!" Even though dandelions are a "weed", you have to love that beautiful yellow!
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My own version of a field of flowers, this quilt which I am basting today. I will be hand quilting it soon.
The circles are made from 36, ten degree wedges! It was fun it make!

Spring break then and now! Making plans...

Years ago, my daughter's first spring break....we drove north of Little Rock to see the daffodils at Wye Mountain. These were planted years ago and have naturalized, spreading more every year! I did an earlier post about this in March of 2008.... In case you remember! LOL!

This year, she is far away and planning her own Spring Break trip with her 4 children, hubby and nanny!
No, they aren't coming here, but to Virginia to visit godparents! A good thing!

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The warmer and longer spring days led Mr. P and me to make a trip to nearby Eureka Springs on Saturday....hope to have more photos (of daffodils and old barns) to post soon, but for now, I'll just show my choice of shoes for the day.
My red and purple Mary Janes! Ever the child at heart, I love these (and my red cowgirl boots too!)

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Further plans for this week include a trip to a newly opened local tea shoppe! I hope to enlist some friends and maybe some of their grandchildren to come too...

I will try the matcha.....and perhaps bring some home, as I have been seeing recipes for coconut ice cream with matcha, gluten free mug cakes with matcha....!!!

 Matcha mug cake recipe is HERE! [Photo from A Calculated Whisk]

Matcha is finely ground green tea leaves from Japan. It has 10x the antioxidants of most tea!

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W are trying something new in the laundry....instead of detergent.

This laundry ball goes inthe wash with the clothes....and supposedly make the water molecules so efficient that suds are no longer needed. My first load is in the dryer...have my fingers crossed!

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I am now crocheting a striped blanket. I had all this yarn left from a granny square delight last year!

This is easier than all those granny squares! And no joining together to finish!


More needlework...
I recently picked up this "Lorna Doone" quilt ( from a kit using Kaffe Fassett fabrics,,,except for my own choice of border and binding!) from long arm quilter Sonja Koch.

Now I am sewing on the binding! A colorful batik which should wear well. (Not sure I really like batiks with patterns like this....so much like tie-dye! but it works here!) Below, you can see the floral striped backing too.

Here is a photo of a kindred spirit....I just love this! Her life may be hard, but she escapes into beauty!
gotta love those chickens too!

Paintings this week, and more

Great weather this time of year has made our flower garden SO happy!

Here the late afternoon sun yesterday makes drama as nearby shrubs cast shadows on the Black-eyed Susans!

The echinacea or purple cone flower is really putting on a show, too!

Snapdragons, above, and petunias are just glowing in the light! Some extra light is reflected from the light colored gravel too!

My painting class, 3 hours a week is still wonderful! Last week I worked on a landscape, and then finished it at home. "Autumn at the Lake" is 22x24 and for sale. $200.00. Acrylic on canvas.

Yesterday, I used my big brushes, stayed very loose and used a limited palette. The canvas was first prepared using a monoprint background...then I added my quilter. The quilt in the painting is also a good place to do a bit of collage with interesting papers....as is her sweater and the background.

I really love this one! 16 X 20, acrylic and collage on canvas. $300.00.

I have another quilter in process.....will post again when she is finished!

In addition, I have basted another low volume quilt top and have it ready to machine quilt on my antique Singer....back later with photos of that!

I have two great library books this week! Very different styles of writing, but both are wonderful!!!

 

 

 

 

Life is good! Now, where are those workmen who are supposed to be bring our new garage door???? The old one quit working (and was very noisy and creaky)....just when I was rushing to work on Friday!