Two New Favorite Blogs for Me

Have you ever stumbled on to a blog and thought, "Why have I never seen this before??"

Two that I particularly love that I just found are:

Rusty Rooster Vintage

I love everything about the things that Vicki makes.  She has some fantastic quality tutorials on her site.

Karla's Cottage

Really,  really great painting tutorials!
I have seen Karla's Etsy Site site with her dress form tutorial but just discovered her blog.

You have to start somewhere!

Our little shop has been open since September and slowly evolving.  We bought this tall hutch at an estate sale and it was just what we needed.  See the bench in the back?  My husband made that.  Most of the things shown sold (hooray!) and it's going into its next evolution.
So here is Early December at For the Birds.

This little spot has become a chatting and visiting area for old friends and new ones! 

I have been trying for a while now to find this artist: Mrs. Bingles Vintage Christmas!  I had seen her work more than a year ago and finally found her blog again.  She makes the most AMAZING ornament trees I have ever seen! 

Train Case Giveaway at GatherYerRoses

Rebecca makes the most beautiful treasures out of old train cases!  This is a great giveaway so go and check it out!

REALLY nice giveaway!

The Girls over at A Beautiful Mess have this Giveaway...you have to enter before Monday.  Great piece of jewelry from Victoria Stoehr Designs.

A Beautiful Mess Giveaway

Finally, a project to post!

I created this birdhouse, actually re-worked it from it's former homeliness.  Mod Podge fabric on the sides, lots of paint application and removal.  It was a good project for my recovery from surgery.

 

     Blessings,

News from the Homestead

I'm finally about done grieving over the arthritis in my hands.  About 8 months ago, I started going to occupational therapy because I have early onset arthritis.  I have had to give up playing my guitar, throwing pottery on a wheel, and just being rough on my hands in general.  I need to save up what I have left in them for as much art as I can handle. 

 

These are the splints that I wear.  Only at night or for hard work now.  I had to wear them 24/7 for a few months.

Opened a little shop:  vintage and handmade stuff.  It's called For the Birds.  It will take a little while to get in the black but I have met so many great people! This is the logo that my daughter and I designed:  

The sign looks similar except no text under the title.  I have a tagline on the back of the card that reads "Vintage Hip" which I think I like better than "A Unique Shop"

These are some of the fabrics that I'm working with to decoupage some footstools:

Well, that's a start for getting my blog going again.  See you soon!

Lovely Clusters Catalog and a Tutorial

Rachel Follett of Lovely Clusters has released her spring catalog: it is delicious to say the very least!  The colors are incredible and it's very easy to navigate.  Most links are to Etsy items, which I love.

 

Giveaway From Lovely Clusters: Enter by the 14th!  Win free advertising.  I'm all about the free advertising!

I ADORE Ashley Ann's bedroom!  I have it on my Pinterest, too.  Here's a great idea for a backdrop.  I'm very in to making a whole "scape" for your collections! 

 

Source: ashleyannphotography.com via Lisa on Pinterest

On the left, notice the TURQUOISE dresser and antique or distressed mirror.

Great Blog to Visit

This is my daughter Erin's blog.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be able to share this crafty blogging thing with her.  The creative streak runs strong in our family...in my other 2 daughters, too!

 

PFATT's Spring Giveaway!!

There are a lot of really cool prizes to win!  Head over to PFATT's blog and leave a comment for your chance to win!

Returning...

My Loves!!

I'm back to my blog, trying to get going agiain.  (there are lots of "g"s in that sentence)  :-)  So many roadblocks and dead ends these past couple of years.  I'm trying to get back on my creative feet again.  I think I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and that is a very sad thing for an artist.  I will know more in the coming weeks.  But my hands are starting to twist.

I'm making singed flowers right now.  Seems I never have a good photo set up but I'll work on it.

chic Nouveau

chic Nouveau by bubbies555 featuring a satin blazer

Favorite Tutorials #1

I love this tutorial!  No, I haven't done it (yet).  Katydidandkid has so many cool features on her blog! 

Recycled Book Wreath Tutorial

Altered Spoons?

Does anyone out there alter spoons? I bought some gold plated spoons the other day...the handles are not ornate but I was looking for ideas on what to do with them. Any ideas???


I began work on a Cat piece on Friday. Another thrift store find...she was very very homely. So I'm getting her spruced up with gesso and then paint, and then we'll see how pretty she can get. ;-)

I decided this last week that I need to really push to get some works to sell on Etsy this spring so that I can get back to Ohio to see my Dad. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers and is slipping fast. I'm afraid that he won't know me before too long and it's already been about 3 years since I last saw him. I talk with him on the phone but it's not the same as in person. My heart has been hurting and I would have gone already but like so many others, my finances are so strained that I couldn't even consider it. I know that sounds extreme but we're in extreme times with my husband on disability and my health problems. So...I will be putting up creations on my etsy regularly for the next month. But the first probably won't come till next week.

Please leave some creative words for me...ideas on spoons and anything else you want to say. I would love to hear from you.

To Renee

Need Creative Energy!

I've had the worst flu that I have had since 1978. Probably H1N1 but didn't go to town to have it checked. I figured I didn't want to spread it unless I got into real trouble.

So it's finally on the way out, leaving me weak and disoriented.

I will get back to some creative thinking eventually and some visiting of your blogs.

Last Snow of the Season

It doesn't snow enough here to make me get sick of it. It snowed last night, probably the last snow of the season. It's beautiful today.

I'm sick so I'm gonna loaf around today. Maybe play with some clay.

Only one more day till the giveaway! So scroll down to enter!

Renee is Circling my Head

I'm in a very strange place today. Do you know how it is when you follow blog links and people who leave comments and their links and groups they belong to, etc? It can be such a grand adventure!

On Saturday afternoon it was very rainy and I sat looking out my window and I worked on my website. Every now and then I would go to my open blog window and visit a new site. You see, I had just returned to blogging after many months of the blahs.

Somehow I landed at Renee's blog, Circling my Head. The first post that I read was from her daughter because Renee is now passing over to the next life as a result of Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I saw a picture of Renee and her precious little grandaughter walking, and my heart was torn apart.

I read Renee's words for hours, old blogs, blogs by topics, went back to the beginning blog. I read again yesterday for some time. Renee has touched my life and I have never even exchanged words with her. She brought to light things that I have thought of but didn't want to talk about, not even to myself. Deep fears, when not faced, can be a demon that poisons your every glance at the landscape. This is so with me.

Renee addressed all of those demons. And people didn't run away! She is an honest, gutsy, and loving woman who I admire, although I don't know her. But I do. She is part of me. And she cusses, besides! I like that ;-)

I generally shy away from cancer topics on my blog because I figure that no one wants to read about them. My own journey through breast cancer 3 years ago till now has left me reeling. I honor Renee today and want to say that it was her words that led me through a place of pain over the last couple of days to some real healing and self-care. I cannot really describe what has happened...I may be able to create something eventually that expresses it. This thing is beyond words.

To be so loved and to love as much as Renee does, that is my wish in life. Be free, sweet angel, Renee. Know that I love you, too.

New classes, giveaways, ets.

There are some great new classes at my website, That Creative Place! Please go and check them out.

Marilyn Radzat is teaching Sculpting Hands:

Christi Friesen is teaching a pendant and necklace class from polymer called Quetzacoatl Calls:

And Judy Skeel is teaching a no-sew cloth doll called Queen of Hearts:

Another note is that Faerie Knoll Folk Art is having a giveaway to celebrate her entry to PFATT and the opening of her Etsy store (on February 15th). Go and comment to enter her giveaway!