Family how it used to be

I can't believe I let this blog sit stale for so long...for that I apologize.

Today is a topic close to my heart.....FAMILY....I was blessed to grow up in a large family on both my mom and dad's side. My mom's mother MY NANA came from a family of 14 13 grew to adulthood....My greatgrandmother Janie raised them all on a farm less than 2 miles from George Washington's estate Mount Vernon. My Great grandfather left this earth and her and his family at age 40 of his own choosing. Thankfully they were very reliant and had a large farm to grow everything they needed to survive. from the hogs, chickens and cows, vegetables and the extra they had they would sell or trade for what they did need. I grew up between that farm my nana's farm where I would spend my summers and a apartment on fairhaven avenue and later a house on franklin street. I loved being part of this huge family and the unspoken traditions....Sunday dinners at either Great Granma's or Nana's. Made with fresh food so fresh sometimes it still had the dirt on it...eggs plucked from the chicken coop while dodging the evil rooster. fresh baked bread made from the flour ground at the GW Mill ....and later at home.

Pickles and other things that would be put up every season ...to get everyone thru winter.

The house wasn't fancy ...but on a clear day from Great granma's room you could see Mt. Vernon It was white frame house with crowded bedrooms to raise all of the kids. My great aunts and uncles....no one today is blessed to grow up in such a way, or it is very rare. There were barns and hog sheds and corn cribs ...ice house, root cellar for cold storage and all the other necessary out buildings and equipment.

BUT out of all of that came something time nor money could ever buy ....Love, respect and Support. If someone needed something they would get it somehow .. if they needed help repairing their home someone or many would be their to help. I loved them all and because of them I learned to love and accept people no matter how unusual they were.

We used to get together almost every other sunday for a big dinner.....and on major holidays...wow ...the fourth of July was awesome ....fireworks on the big front lawn....homemade peach and strawberry ice cream ....their peaches and strawberries. kids running everyhere catching parchuting army men landing from the fireworks. Letting the cows out one time to run down the middle of Route one ahhh that was funny to us but not the adults that spent the hour or so rounding them up.

This closeness and genuine family spirit is so special that I wish more people knew of it. There are still some us out there who know how to enjoy life and live it to the fullest with the ones we love. but many times more than I have found they tend to ignore their families because of work, or their own selfish concerns. Even when they important ones are sick...maybe even terminal they do not make the effort to share more of their time with them. Or to assist in anyway they can.

Its a shame ....they would receive such blessings of the heart if they did.

I will continue this tomorrow Boys and Girls....hahaha but remember love the ones your with.

Getting through

The Arch was created for Surface Design Trade a group I belong to on Yahoo....Arches have always reminded me of Churches and believing. So when it came time to embellish this piece after adding all the fun yarn fibers and roses and gems...I needed something for the background...and the vintage gold doves and my little keeping the faith shrink art piece I made a couple of years ago just seemed the right touch. I will admit I fell in love with this particular one so much having to make another to send off will be the same but not.

The background is made with layering the dreaded sheer fabrics that many are not sure what to do with ... I love slicing mine up and layering them on top of each other and then trapping them with a white organza...just love the look ....these are made from a large "sheet" I made then cut what I needed out of that....used some ombre rainbow , and then layers of two colors of pink. a purple and blue ....then just stitch it all down ...part of the fun. used silver rayon thread for this panel. the lower panel is to let you see it before embellishing .. this is a piece I am trying to finish in time to mail out for the SAQA 1 foot square auction. I have a tree and field of flowers to add yet ...

The Arch was stitched to a pre-stiffened purple felt then a vintage green brocade was stitched to the back and trimmed with pinking shears. I really like this piece ...The roses are from a dollar bag of stuff I bought at a CVS and never thought would use them .. but they just worked so well on here with all of my yarns I have been collecting.

Hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoy creating them ....

To Create or not to Create there is no question

The photos are of some of my recent works...,.Small can be better...

The first piece is a ATC 2 1/2 inches by 3 inches of a pirate animal done on fabric and canvas and embellished. Arrrrrrrgggghhhhhhh handsome fellow he is this was done for ATC group on yahoo I belong to

The next piece is Odd Creature....I love the flow of a dancing jellyfish ....so I created this fellow in Organza and patchwork background. he is truly 3 d the body puffs up off the card a 4 inch by 6 inch fabric postcard....and the tentacles hang loose and flowy belowy.... love the way he turned out. plans to make a larger version are in the works. This piece and the next one were made for Surface Design a group I belong to that truly inspires me to stay sane by creating treasures to share with others, although there are times its hard to do if I forget to make myself one. It went in a clear envelope and the 5 were mailed off to my trade partners one went to Canada and well still waiting to hear if the one I mailed to England made it.

Wild Cherries I love this piece ...Batiks are the most incredible fabrics they have so much going for them .. the black and white fabric I bought at a yard sale... and its so elegant with the wild cherries done in a reverse applique technique...amazing how something so simple can be so striking. this again is a 4 inch by 6 inch postcard.

I love creating in the small format you can put all the crazy energy in a piece that you would do in a large piece but in a fraction of the time... and share with people all over the world. Since I joined Surface Design I have received some of the most amazing pieces of Art and its incredible what is in my shoebox gallery as well as those displayed.

So if you want to create think small ...and build your palette of techniques and then you can bring them to the table on larger pieces. Enjoy ...

Blessing in Disquise....

Sunday My wonderful Husband wanted to do something nice for us and get a chicken dinner on his way back he was in a accident with MY car ....well lets say its not pretty . But the Blessing is that he was not hurt nor the person in the truck he hit.. and our Puppy who turns a year old tomorrow Winston who was thrown from the van was not hurt ... My van they say can be repaired...we will see.

Today we went for his check up at Duke to see how he is doing since the brain surgery in February ...and he seems to be doing pretty good. But because of the accident he is on limited driving priviledges until October when he gets another MRI.

After we saw the Doctor we met up with Sandra our bestest friend from Caring House...whom we love alot and her grandaughter Megan and Sandra's bestest friend and running partner Betty. We hugged then exchanged directions for John's fav restaurant in Knightdale and we all went there for lunch and met John's fabulous cousin Sheila there and we all just laughed and talked while we enjoyed a great meal and the best hush puppies ever.

Time was way to short....but as the 3 amigos had driven almost 3 hours to visit with us...today they had to leave way to soon. and so did we.

GOD's Country

You know as a artist everyday I look up and see dragons flying across the sky in a cloud formation or a fish with wings.... this is not something that is taught to people but I wish it was.. We are so blessed with all the Natural beauty around us. When a child says Mommy look at the puppy dog in the clouds say oh isn't he cute... teach your children it is ok to see those things.

Then when you are driving out in the world and you see something GOD wants to share with you.. YOU will see it and say oh wow isn't that amazing. Whether it is a Sunrise or a rainbow or a glorious sunset. Stop and enjoy it ... those hamburgers at mcDonalds.. will wait they have been there all day.. or 2 minutes late to work or a meeting just think how much better you will feel having seen all that nature and God has to offer....

So take in that old saying Stop and smell the roses....

Breathe and Create

Wow the summer is about to begin and I will be busy working in the Gift shop I manage...but ...I have spent the last few days cleaning and organizing my studio so I can sneak in there on a moments notice and create something.. anything....I have so much I want to get done. But getting the gift shop ready for the big season .

I finished another Favorite Artist Journal Page ...Van Gogh' Crows in a Cornfield .. I love the colors in this painting and crows are believed to be the messengers in Native American Lore and Corn is very Important to the Cherokee which I am 1/16th ...Mother Selu delivered the corn to the Cherokee and because of this they survived. I have a quilt in sketches right now as a tribute to Mother Selu. So that is why I chose the painting .. I also always wanted to paint this design on my kitchen wall.I wish you could feel and see the yellow fabric I used it has loose threads on it that make it look corn standing ...then used some thread painting where I use the sewing machine to "embroider" images on the page. and last the crows were layered first by thread painting and finally by dimensional paint....I am very pleased with this piece I used Artist canvas for the back of the page so it looks like a painting in the raw.

I also am putting together some more Fabric postcards...playing with denim and layering sheers over a shiny satin background. I will post pictures when I get my first samples done.

As we walk through Life it is always important to breathe...and then create ...do something for yourself YOU are IMPORTANT is you are not happy then no one should be happy.. Just kidding...but you should be happy.

Next time you go for a walk listen to the birds and the sounds around you Mother loves to talk to you and assist you in creating something above and beyond.

Another good Visit

For those who know and read about the adventure of Life that John and have gone through to keep him here.. and get rid of the cancer ...He went to see all his Doctors tuesday and got a very good report....we go back in 3 months on July 29 for a MRI. they are amazed out how well he is doing and has recovered from his 2nd brain surgery in 14 months. What a Strong Man I am married to and blessed to be loved by.

Hug your special people today....

Plant a Prayer grow a Miracle

where am I ???

I am in one of those its taking too much time in real life...so creating is being sidelined...

But ................ I did work on some of my challenges the other day...and I think they turned out pretty darn cool...

Tuesday was my only day off and I chose to not do housework or anything else someone wanted me to do...instead I sat in my Studio all day and worked.

It was such fun and relaxing... I made some fabric postcards one signifies my hometown ...Mt Vernon, VA...and the other one was recreating a photo into a fabric PC...amazing what your brain can make you do.

Check them out....

Wow amazing how Life is

In 2005/06?? I met a lovely lady who is a cancer survivor named Peg and she had a friend named Nan...Peg called me because of my mobile bead store she needed to buy some beads. When she saw what I had she told me that when her and Nan(also a cancer survivor) got together next time on the beach she wanted Nan to be introduced to the beads. And we did just that on a nice day when they came to the beach... at first Nan said she was not interested ...but we showed her some work that we had done, then showed her the beads all glass or semi=precious stones. She found some she liked , Lizard my daughter pulled out a table and chair from the van and the necessary supplies and Nan sat and created her first necklace right there in the parking lot. It was beautiful Large Amethyst and I think carnelian, forgive me Nan old age ya know. anyway the finished piece was gorgeous and glorious. Well Miss Nan was hooked ..and she went home and became a Jewelry designer .. I helped her a few more times and she started designing jewelry in cancer representation colors. She marketed her designs and now she has a full fledge business and is retiring as an accountant. She does beautiful work and is so enjoying the wonders she has found in beads and stones and designing.

I have to tell you these two gorgeous women paid me back a 1000 fold...I was too meet with them the day I found out my husband had lung cancer...and because of their personal battles they were so supportive and helpful to me in a very bad moment. May GOD continue to bless them with the wonders of good health.

Continue your wonderfuls journeys

thank you

I want to thank everyone who is reading these posts and seeing the message and getting it.

As a person I feel it is one of the most important things I can get across at this time to all who visit.

Its not easy being ..........

This came to me because I wanted to say its not easy being a caregiver...but then I heard Kermit the Frog singing in my head ...along with the other little voices....that live there.



anyway .. I decided to write that Life is Not EASY ...PERIOD. But you know, what if you don't go through the rough patches even the really scary ones... you won't learn to appreciate the good ones and great ones even more. I have asked for and received 3 miracles...John's first diagnosis and 2nd and 3rd. We may not have wanted them but they found them before it was too late.

So we hope and pray.



For example ...when John was diagnosed with the lung cancer inoperable and the doctors at Duke said sure we can get rid of that ...and they did. A unfortunate side effect of lung cancer is the cells travel to the brain during the treatment and lay dormant ...then pow you find out you have a brain tumor(this is called a brain metaste). This happened to John in January 2007. That one was removed and treatment was performed to keep any others from coming back, at least we hoped ...so We enjoyed life together...then on Valentines Day 2008 we were told another tumor was found.



That tumor was removed on February 21, 2008 John's 60th birthday. He is doing good but unable to work as the brain and the body has said enough is enough. This is hard for someone who has worked all of his life...So he gets grumpy. But I have to learn to deal with it ...Because I love him and he is still with me

So appreciate everyone in your life whether they are sick or not...because you just never know.

Piece of Mind....!!

This was a Piece I worked on one week while at Caring House the Adult Cancer House in Durham where we stayed from May to September in 2006 while my sweet hubby underwent treatment for stage 3 lung cancer. Which he was cleared of by October 2006.

Anyway .. I did not take my sewing machine right away .. so much of the work I did was all by hand...and took alot of patience to design and create....while going thru the rest of my life.. a hubby who was sick from chemo ....a place that although restful was not my home.

I created Coyote spirit because he reminds me of how helpful and ultimate survivor he can be . He adapts to whatever surroundings he is in and not only makes the best of it but he thrives.

This is not always copasetic with those around him because he is a bit of a trickster ..but is also a teacher , he will pass on his skills of how to make do in day to day life. I learned this from my studies in Native American Art and ways and my tiny but very important link to Cherokee Nation. My Great Great grandfather was full Cherokee from Tanasi .. now called Tennessee and was part of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. but as I said my link is but tiny to the world but huge in my heart.

It is this that I use to adapt to what is going on around me and how I learned to have patience with myself and others ( most times) and to make the best of any situation. When people whether residents or visitors would comment on my work I was happy to share and explain what ever I was working on...whether it was this piece or a fabric Postcard or Artist Trading cards...which I gave away at least one a day to someone .

You need to understand we were staying in a house full of people and their caregivers who for the most part were unhappy people who just did not know how to get to the positive healing attitude you need to beat cancer and feel good each day. So coyote reminded me to teach and share what I knew . The first thing I did was to bring my beads .. I had so many left over from bead store closing in Sept 2005 that I just brought boxes of Fun stuff and Memory Wire to make bracelets with. It was something that could be created quickly once the beads were selected,,,but selecting the beads were part of the fun...everything was in a big tray ...all mixed up the therapeutic aspects of sorting and feeling the beads between your fingers takes your mind off your troubles at the same time there was always someone else to sit there with and talk and commiserate about their lives with. Many Wonderful Friendships were born over that tray.Do to donations from people all over the world the tray has continued and expanded .. and local High school kids have come and helped...I visit everytime we go to Durham to see my friends I have there still. The tray will 2 years old on May 31, and it is still doing so much good.

So I took something so simple as a tray of mixed up beads and gave people the initative to think about something else other than the BIG"C" and helped them get into a new mindset on how to deal with the illness affecting them or their loved one. It also created a in house support group for everyone who wanted to be a part of it .

So Coyote spirit is more than a Art quilt it is a inspiration for a way of life and PEACE of Mind...

Ok here I am

Friends have asked me many times because there are ones I have never met what do you look like.

Well I turned 50 in January .. I am not ashamed ....my mother actually looks better than me at age 70 when we are together people think she is my sister ... so she either looks really young or I look really old .. so I take that one. But you know .. you are only as old as you feel and If I was as old as I feel most days .. I wouldn't be here.. but you just cannot let yourself react ... you just jump forward and do what has to be done.

This Picture was taken yesterday at the quilt show where my message in a bottle quilt is hanging. This is one of my accomplishments for the year with many more to come.

Have a wonderful day .. and tell the aches and pain and bad moods to go sit in the corner.

Why FairyGodmother??

There are new people reading my blog who do not know much about me or who I really am...the block above was something I was working on for SAQA 12 inch block auction but she needs work so this one is a new piece for my studio.

I have been creatively involved in life since I was 4 years old ...and because of that I am able to decipher and solve many things that leave other people wandering. One of my gifts was that i was raised in a huge southern family 13 great aunts and uncles and cousins and family tradition and sharing was a big thing.

I have always tried so hard to make sure people are taken care of... I would share my lunches at school ...this training for lack of better words put me in a place where when I started creating I loved to share the things I made, if someone fell in love with something I made at a show I would work it out for them to take it home ...depending on the financial reward or not. Children especially have always made me melt. I love to share. But I also like to problem solve, and to me given the challenge I will rise to it. ok so I digress...

When I had my bead store and then bead store and art gallery ...we had such a huge following because we taught our jewelry basics for free and could prove to people even those who swear they could not make anything that indeed they could. and a short time later they would leave with a gorgeous necklace that was just perfect for them because they made it. We would help people of all ages the youngest being 2 yrs old to 90 yr olds learn to create. People would come back again and again to Ocean Beads to make gifts, or get help in starting their business because they knew I and my daughters would share gladly. It was then they started calling me their fairygodmother and the first year we were in business I created the saying "NOT all of us can be Cinderella But some of us can be Fairygodmothers" which basically ..maybe your not perfect in the model since ...but you can give your heart to those around you who need it.

Then when Hubby had to be at Duke Hospital in Durham for Cancer treatment I would take my small wallhangings to work on and give them away to patients and caregivers..then it became ATCS artist trading cards so I could make more and give away more...made it a point to give away a least one a day. I also started the Bead Tray at Caring House ( avery special place for cancer patients to stay when far away from home) and taught people how to bead and make jewelry and get their minds off their disease or loved ones disease. The tray will be 2 years old May 31,2008 and High school students have been going in and helping the residents. Also bead donations have come in from all over the world after I posted on bead sites about the need.

It is so much easier to smile and be nice than to be grumpy all the time and it is the best thing you can do for your health.

So my love of random acts of kindness are what garnered me my nickname FairyGodmother...

and I will always be happy to hear someone call me that.

Amazing Fabrics

This was a challenge swop in Surface Design where we had a to chose a color that represented something to us. I think of Orange and yellows bright inspiring colors.....wakes you up and say hey look at me .. make me beautiful.

Well these Batik Flannels did just that along with another one of my word fabrics collected to my stash and treasured.

If you have not investigated batik Flannels do so you will be amazed at the VIBRANT colors and texture....it makes you want to play with it... the photo just does not do it justice...I love the flannel aspect because it frays and you can cut it out as I did here for the flowers and the edges just add to the project. also because of the softness of the fabric when you machine stitch it quilt or embroider it adds to the livcliness. It is great for many project .. from ATCS to PCs and journal pages and of course Art quilts. They are whatI used in the Looner Love quilt posted on my blog. I have collected many colors and can seem to do so much with them. So next time you are out stash building ... look for them... you will be glad you did.

Create ....and follow your heart

I did it ....my quilt is hanging in the show

I went to work today for a little while ...and got a call asking me where my quilt was ... so I dashed home and picked it up and got it there on time.

They liked it ...but I have to tell you the work hanging there and being hung was amazing....

some are very vibrant and eye popping and some were classic traditional designs.

I am so anxious to go to the reception sunday and be able to really look at all the talent we have here on the Outer Banks.

I am still working almost every day in my studio whether it is working with painting fabrics I played with some fun stuff tonight and ended up with really cool papers to use for my paper ATCS....I will show pics later....

I have made it my point to spend at least a half hour in there everyday...and so far so good.

My quilt hanging in the show just proves that dreams really do come true, i know its a small one but to me ....its huge

Blessings to you all

Recent Accomplishments

Here are the two pieces I recently finished over the last few weeks I have been off work.

The first "message in a bottle" was inspired by the words on the fabric.. I purchased a couple of years ago ...imagine, live, love, laugh ....We have a quilt show here every year on the Outer Banks and for the almost 9 years I have lived here I have tried to complete a quilt for this show.

This year I did it.. now is the anxious awaiting to see if it gets in. The fabrics are all pieces I collected over the years....my fav fabric I got to use was the antique looking shell border...that I have had for what seems forever. It all came together in a beautiful quilt .. and the embellishments add so much I think... The bottle has a organza over the top so it looks like glass.

the 2nd piece was a gift for my hubby for valentines day ....It is two loons sitting in front of a Gold Dupioni silk full moon on a piling ,,,,the loons are purple based batik flannel...(love batik flannels) and the background fabric is a brown/orange/gold batik flannel . The border I found a luscious synthetic suede fabric...feels so nice ....the piling is stipple embroidered as is the water below it. My hubby really liked this piece .. He has had good comments about most of my work lately....

It is so fulfilling to be able to create and "FINISH" pieces for once.

Being Creative saves my sanity

Last week I finally finished my largest art quilt to date..."Message in a bottle" and another for my hubby for valentines day called "looner love" two loons in front of a full moon ...I will post pics tomorrow ...as I only just got back from Duke Hospital with my hubby yesterday, where he underwent successfully another brain surgery .

I spent my time hand sewing ATCs, fabric postcards and a New Art quilt called Life ..while we were there. The above pictured pieces are Postcards I created for Surface Designs group I belong to on Yahoo...I have belonged for almost a year and have had so much fun creating these small pieces of art and fine tuning techniques. the top two are Poetry PCS, I printed pictures and the poem on ink jet artist canvas and then cut them to size to embellish.

The lower card is a Postage Stamp design the challenge was to create your own Stamp...I chose the heart it takes to love ourselves, the spiral signifies the creative spin. and the hand the means to bring all things great together. Surface design inspires us through many trades to push ourselves and spend time creating. It is why I finally thought I was ready to pursue my love of art quilts again.

I make the ATCS to give away now because I can create more of them to give than I can the small art quilts.

I was off work on Winter Hiatus as I live and work on the Outer Banks where the Wright Brothers first flew ...So I spent all that wonderful time ...redoing my studio ..and creating the pieces I mentioned above.

It is a wonder what you can accumulate in a short period of time. And after seeing what I have in my stash here I want to get into my stash that is unfortunately in the storage unit I had to rent after I closed my 2000 sq foot bead store and art gallery. I have so many bags of fabrics and stuff that I accumulated...that I want to get too...

I love to embellish my Art quilts with everything ...It is amazing where you can end up..you never know what you will use or add at that last minute that makes it just right....

So always make time to be creative ...whether it is sewing or writing a friend a lovely letter or just doodling some small landscapes...

Did I get Lost ????

Wow has it really been since October 2 since I have been here to post....

Well lets see I had been busy working managing one of the best gift shops on the beach...full time in season requires 50 plus hours a week....its alot of hours and I am a old lady but I managed to do pretty good. The Store is called Something Fishy ....and yup you guessed it we sell decorative fish things...plus beach decor, clothes ... heck I don't think there is much we don't sell. Its in a beach shack that is made up of 4 rooms and a porch where I like to sit when its quiet and listen to the ocean crashing on the beach.

We closed January 6th for Winter Hiatus... and will reopen March 1st ...But I have been going in and taking care of the merchandising for all the new product I purchased for the store in Dec.

January 7th was a big day for me ...I turned 50 years old....wow where did the time go.....

And did I have fun??? Just kidding ... John turns 60 February 21.. and our youngest grandchild turns 2 on the 17th .

So guess what I did while I was off from work.. I finally got a working studio together its not perfect but I can go in sit down and sew or work on my treasures. My new studio has huge windows I can look out while sitting there and I love to watch the squirrel races... they are so funny ... and have some little Carolina Wrens that like to come and say hi.

I belong to a online group in Yahoo called Surface Design ...and I had signed up for a lot of trades before I went back to work ...I had been unable to get them all done ...well I spent the first week off ...finishing them I made some really cool stuff. the piece above is a fractual study wallhanging I call facing Fractuals...quite interesting.

I have managed also to get two art quilts done one which is for a upcoming quilt exhibit here on the beach.. Its called "Message in a Bottle" I will post a pic later.

John and I went to Duke this past Thursday for his checkup with the radiation oncologist the one that found the brain tumor....he got another all clear...Thank You LORD....He goes again April 29th . Work is slow here right now in Construction so he has time to rest...a little more than ususal although he doesn't like it.

Winston well is Winston .. He is almost 8 months old .. weighs about 50 pounds and is one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned. Unfortunately for me John has spoiled him ... but he is a great companion for us ...and I am very glad we have him ....

I pray and hope all is well with you and yours....and keep all those whom I know close to my heart.....