Perfect Aniversary Tulip

 Was picking flowers to give to my in-laws for their wedding aniversary and came across a double tulip.

                                                 Two flowers on one stem.... HOW PERFECT!

Card Swap

Joined in on a Card Swap for March, the theme was Sympathy or Condolences. I had to get someone to a appt. so I just dropped off my 12. I just could not resist having some fun packaging them. I can't wait to see what the ones I get look like.

It's March and Hot in Minnesota

I just can not believe how warm it is outside. As you can see from the pictures I have been going a little crazy making these Raggy Quilts. They are so fun to make and thought it would be a good project for WINTER?!?! But we really have not had a winter! We have been having such warm and calm weather, the tulips are coming up.

Cloth Weaving

Just wanted to share what I made from the last on-line artsy class I am taking.

It is called Cloth to Cloth and this is the link to Jude Hill's Spirit Cloth. http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/

I have followed her for several years by getting daily emails of her posts, she is so talented with a style I love. She hand stitches her beautiful works, but I used my sewing machine and enjoyed how quick it went together.

I like how the light filters in on my cloth weaving valance I made. I used an old peasant style skirt I used to wear, backing is an old sheet ripped into squares and then the other strips are a neutral cotton I already had.... It was so fun and little measuring, just my style!

Happy 2012

Wow was it ever windy here yesterday. It was a great day to sew on paper and torn cloth, one of my favorite creations of late is Lunch bags!

I have given some as gifts, made of unused sewing pattern paper, torn cloth, gesso and lots of THREAD. Just my style no measuring or pins needed.

It was a great day to be at the sewing machine, out of the wind. Wishing all who browse on my blog many blessings in 2012.

Three year blogaversary at Trash to Treasure

You just have to visit Trash to Treasure, Lynn is having a wonderful generous giveaway. Check it out http://trashtotreasureart.blogspot.com/2011/11/three-year-blogaversary-giveaway.html . She is so talented, enjoy your visit. Blessings~Barb

The Cat and the Cake

A friend at work told of how she had decorated a layer cake for her daughters birthday. The family was enjoying the get together outside while a cat was eating the pretty fushia frosting flowers! The mom was upset that all her work on the pretty cake was ruined. But when she tells the story you just can't help but laugh.
I found a neat Vintage Cake taker at a second hand shop.... added some rubons and sprayed them with sealer. It was fun and she was so surprised when I gave it to her.

My fall artsy roadtrip full of happenstance!

 I  and my artsy friend Jane went on a Roadtrip to check out an art shop in Hastings, Mn.
 Friday October 14th!
 The day turned sunny and was full of surprises.
 I had heard about this shop from an artist I met briefly in Rochester.  " Betsy " and I  had exchanged emails and I sent her a message that I was going to take a fall drive and would like her to contact me of where her shop was and of where a good place to eat would be for my friend and I.
 I did not here from her ( she had been ill, that is why I did not hear from her ) but headed off to the two hour or so journey to Hastings, I or Jane had not been there before.
The minute we drove into town we saw a sign for tour times for the LeDuc Historic Estate.... If you ever go to Hastings it is a must to see.
It is so hard to write in a blog post of all the happenstance of the day, but after touring Estate we headed to the downtown area because all I knew is the shop was on second street. We drove down second and did not see the shop but did see a garage sale sign that said fishing, scrapbooking and kids stuff on it. Well we  had to stop at the garage sale and out from the house came " Betsy"!

That was the first of many happenstance moments of the day! We ended up with another  beautiful house and garden tour, great finds at the garage sale, getting to shop at the store when closed and under remodeling!
Best of all two new, very kind Artsy friends, Betsy and Anne..... they made our day!


  Here are a few pics of
fall at the LeDuc Estate.

                                                   Please do not copy my pictures, thank you.

                                                      Please do not copy my pictures, thank you.

    Please do not copy my pictures, thank you.

Fun Lizard Wiz

I am always trying to think up something new for my shop and this is my newest creation.
I used a dry stalk from a flower that I have planted in my yard!
See a seamstress smile using this funky tool.

Do you need a lizard in your sewing basket?

Fall Road Trip

 I made my first Treasury on Etsy to promote other shops... It was a fun Road Trip just looking for Fall items I like on Etsy.

Digging for Treasure!

 My hubby likes to go metal detecting but seems he never gets the chance.  Today was a beautiful warm sunny day, we went out digging for about 40 minutes. He found his first arrowhead, I found a tooth! Here is a picture of everything we dug up lots of pieces of glass and nails. We found an interesting clay item with a date on it.... all I can guess is that its a cap to an old clay bottle, we think from 1860's?

Miss Margaret, my first girl I made from the on-line workshop I am taking.

 She was fun to create..... I used old book paper to make her body....on her neck and  face when I got all done, I noticed the print reads " Miss Margaret"!  I like her.

Blessings from the Garden

It is like a piece of art to see jars of my garden produce in the pantry. Each year I try to find something or some different way to can from the garden.

This year it is Marinated Roasted Peppers... only got two small jars and I have no idea how they will taste! I planted Cherry Pick sweet peppers. I will plant more next year if they taste as good as they look.

Bells of Ireland

Just had to show a close-up,
 too bad I can't send the fragrance!

Garden Blessings

I have wonderful weather since on vacation.... just doing things around home... It was a Dreamy day.

 I found this tag while cleaning in my pantry..." I wonder how it got in there! I am getting ready to stock the pantry with my canning goodies from this year... The tomatoes I will can today.

 I plan to make my Sloppy Joe condiment sauce and hopefully will have time to make a batch of Ketchup.....it cooks down to this wonderful deep Ruby color.


On my table my favorite flowers from my garden, Bells of Ireland, they have a spicey fragrance that I just love.  It is hard to believe that my favorite flower is just green!
  Yes , wonderful tomatoes from my garden, a delightful  sunny day, and I do have a grateful heart!

I gave my mother-in-law a gift certificate for an " Afternoon of Art" for her 85th Birthday. Yesterday was a picture perfect September Day in Minnesota. Here is a picture of Beatrice with the Visual Stash Journal she made.

My computer is still in the shop!

I have missed blogging and loading more items on my Etsy shop.. I have not been able to check out my blogs I love to visit. All is well with me, but not my computer.  I will be back to blogging hopefully soon.

Art journaling class

I  had given my nieces daughter a gift card for Christmas. It was for an " afternoon of art" making a artsy stash Journal. On Saturday, July 2nd  Dharma age 10 was able to come to play. She brought her cousin Faith  age 9. We had  a lot of fun, and got so busy I did not get pictures of the finished journals, Dharma's mom made one also. I did take some pictures of my creative studio before they came. It was fun to have the table ready, and to see the look on Dharmas face when she entered the room!

 All three of the journals turned out so cute.  As they buckled in the car for their ride home... they got there journals out to look at again!

 A picture of my desk, all cleaned ready for company.

My Delphiniums inside and outside!

July in my garden and my studio room! I just love the color of blue these delphiniums are. I stenciled this piece years ago, it works so well as storage for my wool fabrics and such in my art studio. I love the contrast of the blue and white of my fence in my flower bed also.

Sorry I have not posted lately.

I have been having problems with my computer and it is in the shop.  Have been picking flowers and am amazed at how everything is growing so fast. I hope to be up and running with my computer soon.  blessings~barb