Oh my Oh my

Yes, I have a little boy, but sometimes he wants to be like mommy and have a "ponytail" as he says. Yesterday was the first day in a week that he did not have diarrhea, a tummy ache and lack of appetite. Pretty much I gave in to him for simple request such as, "ponytail mommy!"

Above is us playing outside. If the ponytail fell out he would cry and beg for another. So silly.
Then below was later in the day. He took a nap and luckily I got him off of me and onto the couch so I could sneak in a quick shower (and let me tell you what a small wonder that is, usually I shower at 10 o'clock at night).

This season has been especially busy with custom orders. I love it but it has keep me very busy and I have not had much time to make my own art...but that's ok...not complaining!
I have put up a few and some I may have posted in progress or before so sorry if I have doubled up. I have one left to finish up, and I am not 100% sure I will get it done in time and most importantly shipped out in time, but it is for a friend of mine who is being very understanding. :)

Here we go....

"Willie Hour" - 24" x 32" fabric on wood

"Spanish Mackere" - 9" x 24" fabric on wood ...the cool thing about this piece is it is meant to hang over a doorway!

"Tree of Life" - 12" x 14 Fabric on wood

"Honeymoon" - 12" x 14" Fabric on wood

"I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon" - 12" x 14" fabric on wood (love the title of this one!)

"Simon in the Starlight Lounge" - 10" x 12" fabric on wood ( love this title too and this kitty just looks like the sweetest!)

Well there you have it. And I get to let out a big *SIGH* :)

Hope you all are getting ready for the holidays...they are almost here!

Mr. Calhoun

Last week we lost our beloved dog Calhoun. My husband has had him since he was 5 weeks old, hiked 600 miles of the Appalachain Trail with him. He was 13 1/2 and it was really really hard to let him go. I thought I would do a little post with a few photos. Most of my photos of him are on my desk top but if I put some on this computer I may add them later.

He is the one in the back of the top photo...Alex is the one closest to the camera. They were a tight little pack. It still hurts so much that he is gone.

Best buddies

Always in the background.

xoxox...to you sweet Calhoun :)

BLACK Friday / BIRTHDAY sale!!!!

SALE***SALE***SALE

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with friends and family! I am having a BLACK FRIDAY / BIRTHDAY sale that starts today Friday the 27th and goes until Midnight on my Birthday Tues. Dec. 1st!

I am offering 10% off of all purchases and FREE shipping. This is by far the best sale I have ever offered so take advantage and get some of your holiday shopping out of the way!

Once you make your purchase here in my ETSY shop then just wait for me to send you a revised invoice through paypal!

I thought I would also post some of my favorite shot from our thanksgiving at my in-laws. Unfortunately my dad woke up sick with the same funk we are just getting over, so we postponed Thanksgiving at their house. :(

My in-laws...Granny and Grandaddy :)

London and Scott playing upstairs in the playroom.

My sister-in-law and nephews posing for a family shot...ummm Joe is almost as tall as his mom- eek :)

London playing with Grandaddy and white kitty baby.

London and I outside. We let him run and run and run...he had to work off the huge piece of chocolate cake he ate with Grandaddy and we wanted to make sure he slept good last night (he did!)

Happy shopping everyone and enjoy your weekend!

My Dad's 60th b-day party

We celebrated my Dad's 60th b-day a week or so ago. Here is London sitting on the fantastic deck that my brother built onto the back of his house. I mean seriously, my bro is talented!
Eventually he is going to cut a hole in the side of his house and put in french doors that will take you right out to the deck. Not too shabby!

Yeah, it's a BIG deck!

The one and only shot of the 3 of us. Too bad London looks like he is surprised and of course too bad he blocked Scott's face. haha

Angie bringing in the cake....ice cream cake

My Dad posing like he is going to blow out the candles. hehe

Actually Angie and Nathan and Ginger put together this presentation for my dad. My brother dug up like 2000 + slides of all kinds of pictures my Dad had taken over the years and old family photos. He digitized them all and we watched it on his big screen tv. It was really cool to see a lot of shots I have never seen before and find out a little bit more about my families history.

"She Grew to Love the Moon" - original fabric on wood piece in the shop here. I made this while chilling at the 3 day show. The show was a bit slow (for me...some people did great :) but I met lots of really wonderful folks. Who knows if they do a spring show I might try to do it again. I only do one or two shows a year but I really enjoy getting out and meeting like minded artists and crafters! I met several other etsy sellers which is always fun!

Here are a few that kept me company.

Floradorainc - Courtney was one of the coordinators and small world- we went to school together as kids and were quite good friends. She has not changed a bit and makes really lovely home decor items!

Purplecactusstudio - Great ladies who make amazing polymer clay jewelry...very colorful and fun!

Jellykoe - They have a shop full of fun little creatures. I actully bought one of the little pirate guys (arrrrthur) for London. He keeps saying "Yarrr Matey" when he sees him.

MISSALANEeous - super sweet and has just adorable bags and purses!

Here was my set up on the last day. I was kind of tucked back in the corner the first 2 days...which Im not going to lie...kinda sucked.
But there was someone who did not come back Sunday so I got to move up to the front!

There are 3 panels to this but the 3rd one is hidden by the angle.
I finally have everything put back where it belongs in the house and I can resume working on the commission pieces I have in progress. Many orders to fill before Christmas...ahhhh! :)

Art/Craft Show this weekend!

As the holidays approach I have had many many custom orders. Here is one I just finished last week. I was so nervous about making the bike in fabric. I seriously was going to call her and tell her I was not sure I could pull it off. But I sat down one night and just worked and worked. My husband helped direct me on a few of the angles that I had all wrong. After adding in the extra rock, flower, trees and just a tiny little glimpse of the black and red chili pepper bandanna he wears the whole piece came together. I was so proud of how it turned out and really happy that I was able to pull it off. Hopefully my customers husband will be happy with it for Christmas!

Mountain Biker - original fabric on wood

This weekend I will be participating in a 3 day show at the

Anne-Robb- South Charlotte Banquet Center
9009 Bryant Farms Rd
Charlotte NC (Ballentyne)

South Charlotte Handmade Crafts Holiday Sale
Friday, November 13 - Sunday, November 15, 2009
9am - 4pm

If you are around and looking for handmade holiday gifts please stop by. I know there will be artist selling a variety of items. This is the longest show I have done in a while so I would love to see some familiar faces! Bring a friend!

Fall...Autumn...Fun

For the past 9 years my brother and sister-in-law have had a pumpkin carving party. They kept things a little smaller this year but it was just as fun. London is finally old enough to really enjoy it. I think all the kids were super impressed with the cupcake making station...of course.

Here are a few family shots from the night. Scott and I camped out and my mom took London home which was fun for us and we got to stay up until 3 in morning with the late nighters around Dave's fire pit. Good time!

Here is Christie and I...she flew in the night before.

My Dad found the secret (not so secret) weapon of holding London's attention...yup a flashlight. My dad was in charge of grilling oysters and London thought it was fantastic that he needed a flashlight to see what he was doing.

My mom (grandma) and London

Aunt Angie and London...really love this photo of them!

My sister Christie came home from Alaska, where she has been living and working for the past 6 months. As fate would have it she applied for and was offered a full time job with the Alaskan Tourism Bureau and accepted the job the day before she flew back to NC. Today she is flying back to her new home with excitement and her sewing machine (as a carry on and she is spending the night in the Seattle airport this evening...what a pillow that will make!)
While in NC for 2 weeks she made her rounds and hung out with family and friends. She stayed with us one night and boy does London love him some Aunt Christie! He told me, "Aunt Christie gonna stay with London and mommies got to go" ha ha That is a long sentence for my little guy and he has not stopped putting long sentences together since!

We are a little sad to see Christie go but I know she will make a great life up there. Hopefully someday soon I will get to go visit...that is my goal anyway!

I know I have not blogged in a month. I thought I would just put up a few pictures from the past month.

London helping daddy with his computer...that is always fun.

Jumping outside in his playhouse.

I love this photo of him!

Park!

This is a photo of some of our friends. The two girls are Brookelyn and Emma with their dad Doug. They are straight up dare devils.

London and Scott running. Scott stopped by the park that day on his lunch break and we were happy!

Here are 2 more of the Judaic pieces I have been working on. The top one is the tree of life and the one below is sort of a collage of things....Jewish living.

Here is a piece that I never posted anywhere. I made it as a little extra something for a wonderful artist I did a trade with, Kate Savage of www.girlsavage.etsy.com She makes the most amazing Feltidermy little critters. I thought it would be fun to do a fabric piece representing one of her pieces. :)

Fort for us all

Here is the fort we put up in Londons room and yes this is him passed out in it. He did this a number of nights until the plug in Aquarium we found second hand stopped lighting up. Now it is all about the IKEA "starlight" we mounted about his bed. He is back to sleeping in his big boy bed but occasionally we find him passed out in the fort again.

I also keep finding Calhoun snoozing in the fort. I think he is happy to relive his hiking the Appalachain Trail days with Scott but in a dry warm fort/tent in Londons room. I know he would be out in a tent in the woods in a heartbeat if his legs would let him. It is deep rooted in him and if you want to see him spin circles of excitement, just get out his very own backpack...but you better be ready to really take him out into the woods or that is just mean.

Sweet Calhoun

Out on a Whisper - new fabric on wood piece in my etsy shop. I finally used some of my new fabrics I ordered from www.goddesswares.etsy.com The new fabrics are so so yummy, I am sure you will be seeing them in more pieces to come!

Here is a Judaic piece I have been working on. The top picture is with the lacey scarf over her head. I am still waiting to make sure everything is as it should be before I polyurethane it. This is the first piece in 6 Judaic pieces I will be working on for a very lovely client.

"Shabbot Dinner"

Well we are out the door here in a few to a playdate with some neighbors we met at the pool this summer. It is raining again today but sometimes a rainy week here or there is kind of nice.

The crib is GONE...and few other new things

Some wee little thank you note I made today. Depending upon how the making of more goes...I may makes some to sell??? We shall see for now they are for me to include in packages.

I have ordered 2 different thank you notes on etsy to include in my packages and finally decided to try some of my own. Seeing what works and what doesn't I can't wait to make some more and play around with them. The picture above are my 3 favorites out of this batch.

Over the weekend we packed up London's crib and crib tent. Acutally the crib was bought used and had some issues after a while. When Scott took it apart one side cracked so we had to chuck it. There was no turning back.

Here is Scott packing up London's big boy bed to move it over to the side where the crib was. We also brought down his fort that has been up in attic for lack of places to put it. That is now in the corner where his bed used to be.

London and I playing around with my new camera. The top photo was supposed to pick up the blue in our eyes but I think it was too over cast out. And below we set it to pick up black...I think London's eyes look cool.

And now for a custom piece I had the pleasure of working on this week. I really have the best customers and many turn out to be great friends too!
This piece was a larger version of the smaller piece "Content with being Alone - Golden Moon version" - which is still in my shop.
With the great eye of my customer we changed out a few fabrics and I think the end result turned out great!

"The Light that Shines on Me" is 20" x 20" and turns out has a beautiful story behind her.

Sometime I think some of my best work is when I have a little bit of direction from a customer. All of your ideas and input are so important and help me step out of the box in my mind to see things the way someone else does.

I am so happy that tomorrow is Fall.
Crunchy leave are on the way...which I am sure is going to drive my father in-law crazy since he told us the other day he finally got rid of all of last years leaves- hee hee. Take care everyone and start mixing up some apple cider and pumpkin spiced things- LOL