Happy Birthday To Me!

Here's the first photo I took with my new camera. How lucky am I to look into those big brown eyes every day??

Tag A Day

My challenge was to create a tag a day for the month of November- so here's 30 tags uploaded to my picture trail album. Lots of decorative papers & photo images, and a chance to try out some very cool resist techniques from my favorite magazine "ClothPaperScissors."

Lucy's Crate

Our big girl has a big and generous heart- sharing even her own crate with Ya Ya.

The Hunter

Hawk's Return

This young Hawk scared me last week when he hit the window of my studio. I'm glad he's ok but I wish he wouldn't hunt at my bird feeder! I say he is a Northern Goshawk but Ray says he must be a Sharp-shinned Hawk. (The birdbath is less than 20" across.)

Altered Book

I finally scanned my altered book "Gift of the Sea" and added an album for it on my Picture Trail page. This was my first altered book and I really had fun doing it. I had a 'less is more' attitude when embellishing the pages, now they look a little plain when I view them on my moniter. I'm wondering if I should add some photo transfers of seagulls and crabs and such.

Tree Lights

Christmas at our house

Santa

Montgomery Wards Santa
1962

Christmas Lights

A little camera play and photoshop on our tree lights.

Finished Cards

Here's the completed set of cards that I made.
I added text to the original art, created a back and printed them on matte photo paper in a couple of different sizes.

Decorating the Tree

Here's my two helpers, fast asleep on the sofa, long before all the lights are on . . .

It has been 50 to 60 degrees everyday this week.
Great for housetraining a puppy but . . . . no sign of snow.
Here's an example of Ray's artistry from winter past.
Maybe January will bring the white stuff?!!

Companions

Hey, she's touching my stuff! She's touching my stuff!

Lucy consents to a game of tug-of-war

After a hard day's play ...

Santa Door Tag

I painted this in a fun class taught by Sue Rau.

We buy toys, toys, toys and what does Ya Ya play with? . . . . . . . . a potato.

Ya Ya!

The newest member of our family.

The Queen of Cats

Garden Queen

The Queen of Cups

My most recent artwork for a Studio X Project:
The King of Cups

Anniversary

Remembering our sweet little Asta girl on this very special day, the fifth anniversary of her adoption.

Our Dearest Girl

On September 18, 2006
our beloved Asta passed away.





She was a treasured member of our little family, and is so, so, so very missed.

Marbled Fabrics

Here is a recent batch of marbled cotton fabrics I did. This is a class I'll be offering in October.
I'm doing an eight step gradation dyeing class as well.

First Flight

I've been watching these little wrens every day for weeks.
I was delighted to be around when the babies left the nest for the first time. And lucky to have my camera handy.

Fabric Transfers

This is a set of successful inkjet photo transfers onto fabric for the fabric journal I'm working on about my garden. After alot of experimenting, I'm able to get consistent results using Golden Gel Medium. Next comes the text for the book.

Backyard Thermometer

This was the temperature in our backyard today, the hottest I think so far in this weeks heatwave.
And this is in the shady corner of our Hosta Garden

Fabric Painting Class

This is the lighthouse scene I painted in a fun class I took with Sue Rau. We used acrylics and fabric medium, and painted on heavy weight muslin that had been dyed blue. Overall, I ws pretty pleased with my results (even though the lighthouse looks kind of looney-tunes.)

Our Resident Wren Family

Every morning Asta and I go out into the garden and sit in our favorite chairs while I enjoy that treasured "first cup" of coffee.
Lately we've been watching Momma Wren catching insects and feeding them to her hungry babies.

Maggie

Lucy and Asta say goodbye to their canine cousin "Maggie" who passed away earlier this month.
A big, sweet, sensitive yellow lab-
Maggie will be missed by everyone in her extended family.

Yellow Swallowtail

A daily visitor.

Where did July go

By the end of July I give up on weeding (quite obvious in this shot) and just sit back and enjoy the garden.
I let the catnip flower and go to seed, which is a favorite of goldfinches.

The last bunch of Daffodils from the garden,
white Mt. Hoods in my favorite
Fiestaware Vase.

Lucy will catch snowballs as long as Ray is willing to throw them.

Asta Enjoying the Snow

Chasing Lucy or chasing snowballs, Asta has fun in the backyard.

Lucy

Realizing Lucy will be 9 years old this year, I've been looking at her puppy pictures. Begging seemed to be the first thing she learned when we brought her home. She quickly developed a fondness for sleeping on my fabrics.

Asta

A current photo of our girl Asta
Pictured above her namesake
"Asta," the dog detective
from one of our favorite movies
"The Thin Man."

Arrived at last

The Complete Thin Man Collection on DVD-all six films starring William Powell and Myrn Loy. And of course, my girl's namesake. . .Asta.

Hilton 25th Anniversary

The Hilton threw a FABULOUS party for all "day one" employees on the 25th anniversary of the opening of the property in December 1980. We were treated to cocktails and dancing to music from the 80's. Then we enjoyed a great meal prepared by one of the best chefs in Atlantic City. A wonderful time was had by all....