Soldering

I took a workshop that was mostly soldering, but it did have resin involved too (which was the reason I signed up for it).  This is the sample I made in class.

Mint

This is growing in my back yard.

Ostrich Festival

Our town Chandler, has an Ostrich Festival every March.  It's a carneval of a sort with rides, games, shows.  Among the many attractions it's an Ostrich Race.  They strap modified bicycle carts on a harness and around the giant bird, and off they go.  It's a funny thing to see.  Often times the harness doesn't stay on for the duration of the 2 min race.  It's not meant to stay, because otherwise it will hurt the bird.  It's more for fun.

 

This year there was something new for the kids.  Floating bubble rides.   A big inflatable pool was filled with water, and had bubbles big enough for a person to be inside.  A kid gets in, and the bubble is filled up with a big compressor pump, zipped up so the air stays in, and then it floats with the kid inside.  Patrick and Maggie loved it.  Here they are, side by side in a big bubble.

 

 

Maggie

On the one side of the table she draws, on the other I solder.  And that's how she can be my daughter and best friend.

P.S. Forgot about Baby Duck, she is hanging out with us too.

Week at a glance

I've been trying to be productive, finishing up old work, and making some new.  These are necklaces, they were sitting unfinished for a long time.

 

And although living in Arizona I can't say that I notice the arrival of spring, I am still inspired by it.  Especially now when the weather here allows for the windows to be open all day long, I can hear the chirping.  And that probably influenced me to play with some bird stamps and make these pins.

 

I recently took a three-session collage workshop, from a local artist, and these were my final project.  I need a lot of practice.

 

And back to fabric, when my mom visited a couple of weeks ago, we were making wrist pin-cushions.  These are the results.

Photo grid

Hallelujah!!!  I fixed my laptop tonight.  I thought it was done for, but honestly I haven't tried to put too much time in trying fix it myself.  I contemplated buying an Ipad, or another laptop, or something that I can use to keep up my blog alive, but with a big trip coming in May (yes I am finally going to Macedonia, see you've missed that news) I really did not want to have another expense.

And here is a photo grid I made with photos I took on my smart phone a month ago during a short trip to LA.  My husband and I went to a gallery opening where he had some work that I collaborated with him.  I wanted to go along so we went.

You maybe thinking I've abandoned my blog...and I did for a few weeks.  See my double second handed lap top gave up on me.  It will no longer connect to the internet.  And even though we do have another PC at home, it required an extra effort to sit behind a desk and a chair.  My day job, at Alaska Airlines requires me to sit behind a desk and a computer for the most part, and I make every effort to limit sitting behind another desk when I am off work.

I have been busy with crafting off course.  I've begun repurposing old kitchen linens into these stylish purses.  I've managed to secure a spot at a show called Junk in the Trunk, on May 3 and I've used every spare moment building my inventory for that.

 

And just when I though I got some tempo getting things done to have enough for May, the local antique mall called me to offer me some space as a vendor.  I've been on their wait list since last year, so I couldn't really pass on the opportunity.  I got a glass display case, not what I wanted, but it will do for starters.  And just about most of my inventory is now there.  Which means I got to start from scratch.

  

While we are on the crafting topic, let me also share the good news of having some of my work published again in one of the Stampington's publications.  This time Somerset Studio.  It is my little circus book I submitted some time ago.

In the middle of my busy working/crafting life, I must not forget the most important people in my life, my kids.  Going to parks, movies, building legoes, teaching my daughter zentangle (which she calls zumatary...I have no clue where that came from, her own imagined word)

  

And last but not least, I am taking a collage workshop.  Here are my first samples....need a lot of practice.