Whosh!!!!!!!!!

It seems that I woke up and it was May 1st. Yikks!!!! It's the 20th! The month is buzzing by. I started the month out by attending the Claim Your Power conference <http://www.claimyourpower.net/> in Hershey, PA. It was sponsored by Candi Danzis and featured John Holland (Medium) and Brian Weiss (past life regression). I know, I know this is all woo - woo but I have to tell you it was very enlightening. I came home renewed and with new friends. I also visited with an old college friend before leaving on Sunday. It was sweet. Then home and home again in VA and off to Fort Myers Beach to check on our condo, get it ready for summer rentals and some sun and fun on the Gulf Coast. Here is a link for it. Perhaps you would like some beach time yourself. We rent it out year round. http://www.vrbo.com/40945 Now to settle down for some studio and garden time. The kitchen is almost finished; still need to have the backsplash done. I'll be sure to post some photos when completed. I'm still waiting for my writing assignment critique to return by mail. Been over a month. I guess I won't be going through this class fast! Big time for graduations and weddings. What are you all up to? :)Sue

Hanging in There...

Comrades, I'm hanging in there with our kitchen remodeling. This week we are getting the countertops and sink installed. The past week I moved everything back in the cabinents, cleaned another layer of dust off, etc. Inbetween I am submitting my writing assignment, previewing new books. Two are: Creative Feltmaking by Lizzie Houghton. Awesome book. If you are into color and an artistic approach to feltmaking this is the book for you. It is also strong in teaching wet feltmaking techniques. The illustrations are excellent! The second book I discovered at the local library: Quilts of Provence by Kathryn Berenson. I have always had an interest in the textiles of Provence. This book is full of education about French textiles/quilts and has a section on techniques plus patterns. It is also chalked full of color and perhaps something I need right now to rejuvenate my artistic senses. I had a terrible hankering for my dollmaking the other day. Earlier this year I was sure I was finished with it but now I know I just need a break to round out my life and experience other things. I think this is very good.

Another thing I am concerned about is blogging. While we cross pollinate each other as artists and share information about ourselves and processes I feel it goes against the grain of self containment and individual experience. If you have read any of Julia Cameron's books about the Artist's Way then you know she is a supporter of holding onto your new creative projects until you are ready for the world to see and experience them. I think this boundary is an important one to set up for yourself. You are not bound to leak out a crucial part of your experience. It says that you are commited to what you are working on. Experienced artists don't give it all away because they are finding their way. Perhaps it is irresponsible to lead others astray from their process. What do you think about this for yourself? A good discussion..... On the other hand I like blogging because I like to journal. I think discernment may be a good idea though.....

the good, the bad and the ugly.....

What a week it has been! It started with our kitchen being demolished, travel to VA with Bill and the 'Twizzer cat', then back again, hardwood floors installed in the kitchen, moving bedroom to other side of the house so the hardwood floors can be refinished to dance class this morning http://www.jazzercise.com/. I think I'm a bit crazy by now. I haven't been able to cook for a week and a half.....eating out everyday is not what I thought it would be. I keep telling myself, when the kitchen is all finished I won't be able to get out of it...oh dear.......:-)!

One good thing happened yesterday. I decoupaged an old suitcase that I found in my parent's attic a few years ago. Inside it I am storing my watercolor supplies. Pretty nifty portable studio don't you think?

Old Gypsy (Rom) saying.....

Who can walk a straight path when there is a bend in the road?

Cherry Blossoms and Italian Cream Cake

Today I baked an Italian Cream Cake recipe from last March's Cooking Light magazine. I hadn't made a 'from scratch' cake in quite a while. It turned out very well! Find the recipe at this link and make something special for Easter dinner! http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1591081

Earlier this week while in Virginia I got a glimpse of the emerging cherry trees coming to blossom. I think they predict the peak to be on the 29th. If you have never been to the tidal basin in Washington, DC when the cherry trees are in bloom you have never witnessed such an introduction to Spring and the nation's capital. People come out in droves; federal employees, students, families, lovers, tourists..... When the blossoms begin to fall it is like walking in a pink dream. The Cherry Blossom festival starts the last weekend of March. The cherry trees were a gift to the US government from Japan in 1912. Some of the remains of the old trees still survive. Those gnarly old tree trunks with blossoms are something to behold. New trees replace those that don't survive. Parking this year will be at Hayne's Point with shuttlebuses bringing people to the tidal basin. Probably a good thing as the whole area gets pretty conjested but don't let that put you off.....GO!

I am just finishing up Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth. I had a hard time getting into it but as I read on I have found it to be a very important message. One that goes hand in hand with my study of A Course in Miracles. Oprah got it right..... 'Namaste' my 'Old Friend from Far Away'.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the luck of the Irish be with you today! To the right are a list of my links of which one is Irish Blessings Matter. Check it out and learn what an 'Anam Cara' is...... Here is an old Irish blessing....S

May the road rise to meet you,May the wind be always at your back,May the sun shine warm upon your face,The rains fall soft upon your fields and,Until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Woo Hoo!

Yesterday I traveled to Hoover's Bernina Dealership in Mifflinburg and bought myself a Aurora 440 QE.....I am in sewing heaven! It comes with the 'BSR' (Bernina Stitch Regulator). Now to become acquainted and learn how to use it! I bought my last Bernina in 1993 so I was more than ready for a new machine. Once you have sewn on one of these I can't imagine sewing on any other! My previous machine was the basic, mechanical 1005 and for my doll making purposes it worked and served me well (I've decided to keep it as back up). But like most of us the free motion quilting and embroidery has captured my imagination. I took a FMQ class before buying my new machine. I think the upgrade will be well worth it in new adventures. Anyone else have one?

Spring is starting to show itself here in central PA. Birds are chirping and a pair of mallard ducks are in my backyard looking to make a nest somewhere. My garden seed order has been sent and I look forward to another year in the garden. Easter comes next weekend then off to a remodeling project here at home; our kitchen! Creativity reigns here for me also. I'm going to hate the mess but love the results. Everything has been ordered, cabinents built, time alloted. Wish us luck, will ya?

I'm plugging into my children's literature class, starting to do watercolors again, thinking on new doll designs. Even though it is Spring I plan on wet felting a few more scarves. Thinking about an etsy shop. Is it hard to do?

Posted are some pics from last year flower pots and butterfly garden. The steel butterfly sculpture I bought at our summer arts festival...looking for the steel flowers this summer. The multicolored coleus ('Rainbow Florist Strain Mix', www.johnnyseeds.com) I started from seed right in the pot. It grew so large and was easy to do. Enjoy! S