Arcosanti

I've been under a little stress lately, with work, family and probably the big city life style.  In times like this I seek nature.  It's how I ground myself and attempt to get balanced.  Last week we went to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  This week Arcosanti.  It's been a while since I've been to Arcosanti, an urban laboratory about 1.5hr drive from Phoenix, just outside of Cordes Junction on I-17 North.  Being thousand of miles and an ocean away from home, Arcosanti is the only place I know that feels like home to me.  It's the raw nature, it reminds me of a home my grandparents own in Macedonia.  Outside of town, with just nature and hills, and dirt and rocks and weeds.  No fancy landscaping, just nature the way it was created originally.  You can live there, in Arcosanti, and if it was entirely up to me, I'd be moving there tomorrow.  But there are others to consider and for now I am back home in our house on North Jay Street. 

Walkabout

I needed to destress, to get away for a moment from the everyday and a trip to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, just east of town was well suited. 

Jewelry Affaire

A first time for me, having my work in Jewelry Affaire. Feeling excited!!

Christmas sneaked up this year

I am a little bit behind schedule with the holidays this year and still haven't mailed a single Christmas card.  I started making the cards over a week ago, and today I made a little more progress.  

No snow here, ever

My mom tells me they got snow in the midwest. Ah, snow that white beautiful stuff, I sort of miss it. I miss seeing it fall.  I don't miss shoveling it, or being cold.

In the mean time, here in Arizona, we are free to play in the park, with no jackets, gloves, scarves....

I took a picture of the cottony sky with a fisheye camera, and it's the closest to a snow ball I am going to get.  Stay warm, if you are in cold weather. 

 

Arizona Craft Rave

Tomorrow I am participating at a local crafting event called Arizona Craft Rave.  It's a marathon of crafting, where visitors can learn a quick craft, and make gifts to take home.  I am teaching how to use shrinky dink plastic and draw zen doodle motives to make different items.  Here are my samples.

Buttons.

 

Rings

 

Hair pins

Goofing around with the kids

The plan was to go to watch the birds at the Gilbert Riparian.  These two wanted to run and have me chase them in the play area.  I snapped a few pictures of them running, hiding and being happy kids.