There's a Whole Wide World Out There!

I have mentioned before that I'm in a beading group called Beading with Friends that meets once a month at NanC Meinhardt's house. And please do click on her name to see all the amazing things she has created. I am truly fortunate to call her a friend.
But sit down people, because one of the women in the group is Lisa Binkley, world renown quilt artist!
It's was mentioned that she is "famous",  and that didn't surprise me since I see the work she does when we get together, it is exquisite! After chatting with her last week she gave me her website so I could see more of her work. HOLY COW!!!

I'm only showing you this one so you will go to her site and see them up close and personal! I spent most of yesterday inspecting each and every one! Can you find the one with the turtle crawling out of the sea?
She is one of the most genuine, sweet, down to earth people that you will ever meet. I think it comes across in her quilts, wouldn't you say?!
And then... and then! I see that her husband, Ed Binkley is an illustrator, Holy... Mole!

His attention to detail, wow, the way he draws the wrinkles on the faces make you want to try and pinch them.
What incredible artist these two are! Then both have work for sale at really low prices, imho, considering the amount of time that must go into each piece.
Now off with you, go see the beauty that's out there to behold!

Happy Birthday Baby!!!

I'll try not to get too mushy, but I LOVE this boy!

I am so incredibly lucky to spend my life with this guy! He has the best disposition of anyone you will ever meet. He's smart, funny and so generous. He's adorable (as you can see), he make's me laugh more than anyone, ever! When I first met him I knew he was the one for me and he has proven to be so much more!
His birthday, and I get the present! Hope I will share many more birthdays with you baby! Kiss, kiss!

I Ache!

For spring!
It all started with this photo.

Which lead me to this website, don't you just love that name, "Cottage in The Woods"?!

I would so fix this up and live here!

Which lead me to gingerella,

I can think of one person this works for :-)

and all the pretty photo's she has to offer! Monthly, so I will be going back for more!

What can I say, I LOVE PINK!!!

So open the door and come on in, you could lose yourself for awhile!

Fairy Tales aren't Just for Childrens!

Everyones loves a good fairy tale right?! Well "Grimm's Fairy Tales" is one of the most popular ones (well when I was growing up anyways). Besides the stories, the illustrations were amazing. Here are some of my favorites from artist/illustrator Gustaf Tenggren. Click on his name to see more.

Looks like Shirley MacLaine modeled for this one, in one of her previous lives no doubt!

This one would make an awesome tattoo, if your into that sort of thing :-D

The one above is from a book called "East of the Sun and West of the Moon"

Go to the link, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy the art!

Note to self, wait to have DH buy your Christmas present after the holiday!

Not that I don't love the boots he got me, I do, I do, but there are some really fantastic deals out there right now. Boots that I couldn't afford unless they go on sale. And I only say that because I think it is ridiculous to spend $300 on boots. $180 that's much better.
And before I continue let me just say, THESE ARE NOT, NOT THE BOOTS THAT I WOULD WANT TO BUY!!!!!!!!!!!! They are just so ... I don't even know the words to describe them.

First I saw these and thought, well someone probably was pushing a chair in and lost the heel to their boot and said to their self, hey that gives me a great idea!!

Then I saw this one and said to myself, fairies would like boots like these and I like fairies, so maybe there not that ridiculous.



Beside if you got tired of wearing that "Christmas Sweater" every year, this could be a new addition!
Coming across these though, what the???
You know ballerina's would not want to wear them, I'm pretty sure that they can't wait to put on some gym shoes after practicing their plie's all day long.
Oh I know, if you were a want-a-be ballerina or the stand in for the main ballerina, you would want to make sure your toes and calfs were at the ready when needed. So these would be the perfect pair of boot to slosh around in while your waiting for your big break!

All boots found at endless.com. Go and check out that great savings to be had, or have a laugh just browsing!

A Mouse in the House

Sorry to not have posted as much as I would have liked. As I mentioned my boss quit and so the one person that I worked with is now my boss. That means I am the only worker bee. And although I do miss posting here, I must say the days go by so much faster when your busy!
Today I have for you a woman named Maggie Rudy. Click on her name to go to her blog it's full of photo's of mice that she took for her book that's comes out in March named "The house that Mouse built". See aren't they adorable!

Check it out their little basket is made from a poppy pod!
Well what are you waiting for go check out her blog!!!

When is a Painting More Than a Painting?!

I know, I know this is kind of weird, but kind of amazing at the same time, which is right up my alley!

You can find them here, it's called Museum Anatomy by Chadwick & Spector. Spector paints museum paintings from around the world on to Chadwick. I can't paint on a canvas, so can't even imagine painting on a live body!? Oh my Gosh and certain body parts!!!  Don't miss their blog, you can see what's new and even vote on favorites!
Once again an amazing find from Inspire Me Now!

Holy Doll Parts BatMan!!!

Now I know I have fun when I'm sewing my beads together, but this girl must have a blast making her art!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Morphies to see more she made!! Quite the talented lady, she also paints and draws and make sculptures and mosiacs!! Oh My!
Once again thanks to Margaux Lange for showing us the goods!

Friday night and Saturday morning we got our first batch of snow, and then the temperature dropped to under 30 degree's!! Making it a perfect weekend to stay in and
cook yummy soup,

knit,

and bead,

over and over all weekend long!
I'm leaving out the laundry and the dishes, but you didn't really want pictures of that did you?!

I love this! Go to this site to checkout even more, especially the duck! That one really cracked me up.
I love the name too, "The Otherist", very clever! Oh! Oh my gosh! You can buy them here at their shop!
And for all you curious cat's out there, on Tuesday after work I did what any middle aged woman would do...I lost an hour in a used book store!

The Night is Mine!!!

Once again the DH is staying over night for a customer that's in downstate Illinois, which means, I have the whole house to myself! Yeah! I love coming home late, if I want. I love eating whatever I want for supper (usually popcorn). The thing I don't love is knowing he's not home "watching over" the house as I sleep.
The DH and I are on completely different body clocks. Because I get up oh so early for work at 4:15, I usually go to bed around 8 o'clock. The DH on the other hand is a night owl, occasionally crawling into bed just before my alarm goes off. But that's OK because when I wake up in the middle of the night because I heard something (I'm a very light sleeper), I can fall back asleep knowing he's there to take action, if action is needed. In other words get the raccoon out of the bird food.

Not sure how I'll spend my time after work today. I don't really need to do any shopping, most the Christmas present are bought. I learned along time ago, if you go to the mall just to look, your coming home with "stuff". I don't really need anymore "stuff", unless it's a pair of cowboy boots that is.
I could lose a few hours at Barnes and Noble, but we did that just last week so I'm kind of caught up.
I could just go home and finish knitting my scarf, or figure out what to do next on the necklace I'm beading with "Beading with Friends" at NanC's.
But I'm free to do whatever I want, I want to be adventurous! I want to go somewhere fun, new and exciting!
I guess you'll just have to stay tuned to find out where my freedom leads me!

Another Birthday Shout Out

Today is my sister La's birthday. I'm so happy she was born, for lots of reasons. She is one of the most generous people, ever. So much so that every year for her birthday I try to come up with something to give her that she just can't help but keep! This year, once again I'm hoping my gift will be a "keeper". If what I have planned works out it definitely will be! I'll keep you posted!
If you just happen to mention how wonderful something is, she wants to give it to you, so others have often ended up with gifts meant for her. Not that it's talked about, it would be rude to ask "if you still have the so and so I gave you for your birthday", it's just a given. JW and I were just laughing about it yesterday, at first it used to bother us, but we realize it's just part of her nature. As with all of my sisters they are generous to a fault, it's good to be one of the sisters!
Way back when we were small, I picked on her. A lot. I know with 5 siblings someone is always getting picked on, but I was a jealous snot and picked on her more because I thought she was Momma's favorite. Always wanting to help Mom, clean or cook or whatever, a kiss ass in other words, so I was mean to her. A part of my childhood that I am not at all proud of. Ever so thankful that she doesn't hold a grudge, and has forgiven me for my mean and unkind ways!
Again, now, I realize that was just part of her nature. She is one of the sweetest, most sincere, kind people you will ever meet. Really, she is one of those people that when you meet her you can't help but fall in love with her. It could be because she is unpretentious or her relaxed dispostion, which is amazing all by it's self, since she raised 6 children (and what wonderful children, now adults they are)! She is down to earth and non-judgemental. She loves the simple things in life, money and the riches they bring matter not, more important is the time spent with her kids or friends. She is head strong and tenacious, but she is also a push over.
She has this innocents about her, it's kind of hard to explain, she has this way of looking at you when you are talking to her that lets you know she hears what your saying, kind of like little kids do (sometimes) then you talk to them one on one, if you know what I mean. And it always takes her a minute longer to "get" the joke, which is not to say that she's dumb, because she absolutely is not, it's just that innocents "thing". She always sees the good in people, and hardly ever talks bad about anyone.  Traits I wish I possessed.
I am forever grateful that we did not lose her to cancer, so many years ago, now. Her going threw that taught me not to take my life or my family for granted. That family is most important, spend as much time as you can with them. Wether it's just sitting on the front porch with a glass of tea, or around the table with a good pot of soup. That's where the best memories are.
The best time I will ever have is time spent with my sisters. Talking and laughing like we did when we were young, minus the mean!
Happy Birthday little sis, I love you more than you know.

Good Vibrations...

Could it be the "new" outlook on my life with beads has worked it's way into the cosmo's?
Yesterday someone in Florida bought a necklace on my etsy site. Woo Woo!!!

What a wonderful weekend I had.
Saturday I stayed in my PJ's all day! And cooked, but more about that on Foodie Friday.
Sunday I spent the whole day beading at NanC Meinhardt's.

Mother Load Mask by NanC Meinhardt

Once a month she has beader's that she likes come over and bead-all-day-long! She likes me she really, really likes me! Actually she had asked me a few years ago to join her monthly group, but I was insecure and thought I wasn't good enough to be included with such talented artists.
Well I got over myself!
When I think of how I would love to spend a Sunday afternoon, it will always be beading the day away, taking the DH out of the equation of course! So to be invited to NanC's, well it's just crazy not to accept. That and everyone brings a treat, so you basically snack and bead all the live long day! Is that not a dream come true, or what?!
I've been thinking about my beading lately. The making, the selling, the buying.
I started beading because I loved doing it. Starting with one tiny little bead and sewing into another and another, until you've created an actual object. People often ask "how do you have the patience to make all these things"? To me it's a form of meditation. To just sit in the quite (mostly) and create something.
Well it didn't take long before I had more than a "stash" of beads, and jewelry I made with them, so I decided to do art fairs. Why not make some cash to replace all that I've spent on beads already. All summer I would bead like crazy to sell my wares at various shows around here and my hometown. And now when winter comes, the winter that I use to hate because of the cold and wet and cold... I actually like it. I get to bead at my own pace, and whatever I want. No pressure to work in the garden, I stay nice and cozy inside.
Something is wrong with that picture, I live for summer it's my favorite time of year. I end up hardly enjoying it so I can make and sell my jewelry. And that's a lot of work, in other words the thrill is gone. I'm also tired of making lower priced pieces so I can hopefully make a few sales. I miss beading just to play with beads. So guess, what life is too short, I'm going back to playing! I'll still try for my favorite art fair in Milwaukee, but I'm not missing out on summer anymore.
I'm beading what I want when I want. If I die with a barrel full of jewelry, so be it, at least I know I had fun making them. Better to have a barrel full of beaded jewelry than a boat load of beads waiting to be beaded!

Weird and Wonderful all at Once!

Although these houses are amazing, I don't think you'd catch me dead in one! But they are fun to look at, click on image to see more.

I found them looking for pictures of siding, why would I want that you might ask? Oh just you wait and see!

Sorry I got Side Tracked!

First Foodie Friday! Because I have to show you the pictures of the macarons I made last weekend.



I took this picture before I got rid of the dimples on top. And they weren't pink but a beige/brown color, because they were flavored with pumpkin pie spice. Yum! They weren't perfect, but pretty darn good for my first time. And damn tasty filled with pumpkin white chocolate creme! Click on the name to get the recipe, and yes I will be making the salted carmel ones next. Sorry no after pictures. As soon as I filled them I toted them off to my parents to share the goodness. You're suppose to refrigerate over night to let the flavors meld together. I'm betting not many bakers do that!
So now on to the site I lost myself in this morning. Euro Antique Market is a shop with a blog, that is filled with antique's from a french market. It's located in Louisville, Kentucky. What the??? So if you can't get to France go to Kentucky. That is just too bazaar! When you click on the name it will take you to their blog that is full of all things french and wonderful. Like this





I really, really want this

See that wire bird cage, to die for!!!

On top of all that if you scroll down on the right side bar there are heading called "Boutiques with Blogs" and "Like chocolate with your coffee", with tons of other awesome blogs to check out.
And, and, they have great music to listen to while you lose yourself!

Oh for the Days of Summer!

I know I said I like curling up on the couch with a magazine in my hand, but, I keep finding these great magazines online that I can't even find at the local book store. This e-magazine is from Sweden and is clocked full of great pictures.

I have no idea, but it must be summer there because all the photo's look like it. Which is really making me envious as I sit here on a blistery fall day, knowing that I'll have to wait a good 8 months before I see days like that here. Just typing that makes me want to cry! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts! Pumpkins, long winter naps, warm bowls of homemade soup, Oh and NO yard work. OK I'm better now!
Click here to go to the editors blog it's pretty fantastic too!

This is HIL_AR_IOUS!!!!

This just cracks me up! Again, click on video to see it full size.
Ok for you people out there that don't watch TV (you know who you are) Watch the 2nd video 1st!

Very Happy Belated (sorry) Birthday Shout Out!

I think it's important to celebrate birthdays. It's the one important day to show the person you care for you are ever so happy that they were born. Yesterday I got very busy at work so I did not get to do a shout out for a very special birthday (I apologies for that). Special because I'm ever so happy that she was born.
1. Because she's the best Mom ever.
2. I wouldn't be here if not for her.
Not only that but I wouldn't be the person I am today if not for her. Because she taught me how to be a strong, imaginative, independent, stop and smell the flowers women.
Growing up I was not very good at school. Or ever actually. Little know fact #1... I flunked third grade. She never yelled, or said she was disappointed in me. She just asked me if I did the best that I could. When school started again in the fall, all of us kids went to a different school. Was that because she knew all the kids would pick on me? Little known fact #2... I was very shy as a little girl, kids picked on me.
We were poor and we weren't like all the other kids. But we were clean and we were happy and we had each other. Which leads me to the best thing my Mom taught me and my brothers and sisters. Embrace your individuality. Be who you are, and be proud of who you are, don't change for anyone. It's our differences that make us interesting. Yes school/work is important, do the best you can. Other things are important too, like being kind and caring, love the little things in life. Work hard, stand strong for what you believe, be fair, honest and respectful. But don't forget to dance and be silly and make yourself laugh because that's just as important to get you through life.
Thanks Mom and a very Happy Birthday to you!

Oh what a weekend! (sung like "Oh what a night")

Man what a great weekend I had!
It all started by buying some beads Friday after work. I got out at 1:00 and drove to the city to buy some beads from my friend who just opened City Beads.

Cute logo huh?! A percentage of the profits goes to promoting scientific research for women's health, BONUS!
Wow, I was like a kid in a candy store (surprize). She has a ton of seed beads not to mention crystals and aiko's and pearls Oh my! And so many colors I've never seen before. Oh how I love color!
I have a bag that I carry with me when I know I'm going to a bead store that has about 8 tubes of beads that I'd like to buy more of, if I can find them, bag empty!! Some of those tubes I've been trying to get more of for years! So thank you Lisa for having such a great selection of beads! You can also click here to go to her blog, she just started, but is planning to inform us about all that is new and exciting at City Beads. I was too much of a magpie to think about taking pictures, next time for sure!
I took the expressway all the way home, by myself, for the first time ever! Guess I all grown up now.
Saturdays anticipated class at Sur la Table was wonderful, the chef Kathy Skutecki was full of tricks and tips as well as funny!
It just so happens that one of the tricks is to let your egg whites stand at room temperature for three days!!
I guess the yolk is what goes bad. Well we ate our batch's and I'm still here to talk (type) about it. So I guess that's OK.

Good looking cookies (not mine), nice "foot" (thats the rough edge on the bottom)

Unfortunately that means I have to wait a few days to get my macaron on :-D We'll see how it goes, the class actually made me more nervous about making them, they are so finicky.

Stir too much, bad, stir too little, bad. Cook too much, bad. Cook too little, bad. It's a very precise thing. For me as long as there edible, there good!
The class broke up into 3 groups, each group making 2 kinds of macarons. Our group made Chocolate with white chocolate ganache fillling and rose extract with raspberry jam buttercream.

Here's a picture of our groups batch's. We switched up the filling and put the raspberry buttercream in to some of the chocolate shells, OMG, I will be making those again!
Once again I took the expressway 50 miles west for the first time, all by myself!! I felt so independent this weekend going here and there alone. Alone but not lonely, just like when I was single. Not that I want to be single again, I love the DH more than ever. It's just nice to know I'm still the independent women I was before, I just need to get off my butt and go!