With The Grey Comes The Beauty


I often say you can take the best photos on a grey day.

The colors are at their brightest, without having to compete with the sun!


Our grey, misty, weather is caused by hot inland temps, which draw in the gloomy coastal clouds to obscure sunny days at the beach. Once the ocean warms up, the cloud cover is finished. But we have to endure this "June gloom" for several weeks every year. Many days the clouds burn off by mid morning, but sometimes they stick around all day... :o(


In the misty air, Lola and I walk with our heads down, and our scenery is the sidewalk. Often we find a treasure or two. Today I remembered to bring my camera. Lola sat patiently and waited while I photographed "sidewalk art".

Join me as I look for the beauty that surrounds us,
even on a grey day, or when the sun doesn't shine.

I Love What's Happening Over Here!


Photo courtesy of Impress on me

It's been busy, and we are extra tired, but it's all really good. Check it out with me...

- Change Drew and Kyle's room from little boys to teen boys room, check!
- New bedding for Drew and Kyle's room, check!
- New rug for master bedroom, check!
- Paint kitchen, check!
- Paint hall, check!
- Paint guest room, check!
- Touch up all interior woodwork, check!
- Paint exterior trim, check!
- Paint front gate and garage door, check!
- Wash down all interior walls, check!
- Buy new bed sheets at TJ Maxx (what a deal!), check!
- Revamp gardens, check!
- Power wash back patio, check!
- Have builders build exterior front wall, check!
- Design water feature for exterior wall, check!
And last but not least...
- Fall into bed every night utterly exhausted, but loving what you've accomplished for the day. Oh yes... check!

Blue Blue, So Much Work To Do!


Image via flickr

Yes, it's true.. I'm blue because I can't sit, knit, play, design and refine the way I normally like to do with my days. I am so busy with getting our house ready for our July vacation renter. It's not a terrible amount of work, but then again, it is! I clean out our closets and drawers, and I put away anything in our house that's important, or that would make us sad if something happened to it. The vacation renters who come and rent our home take fantastic care of it, so I'm not worried about the house or furnishings. The real work is in all the painting, repairing, touch up, and fixing up that goes along with the preparations. Of course, it's nice to be able to come back to our home after the renter leaves, as it's fresh as a daisy! So, you won't hear from me much over the next couple of weeks, and I am sorry about that. But when I get back to work, I'll certainly be refreshed and ready for the design bug that will be working on me during my days of house painting and repair...

So, enjoy your June, and I'll see you very soon :o)

A Summer Shopportunity Event Today!

Photo courtesy of Lisa at curiousgirl Thanks, Lisa!

Yes, today's the day! The Summer Shopportunity Event is happening at Marie Bean's house here in Coronado, from 3-6 pm. This is the first event of this sort that Marie is hosting, so we are working hard to make it a successful happening! Marie's house is at 810 Balboa Ave, in the Countryclub area of Coronado. Take the bridge to Coronado, left on Orange Ave, right on 8th Street. go about 3/4 mile and turn left on Balboa. All the Austin's Gallery artists will be there, plus some special guests of Marie's. There will even be a Wine Tasting going on! It will be fun in the sun, with a bit of wine- so fine!! Come and say hi, and join us for a time!

Look For Me in an Upcoming Issue of Belle Armoire... In The Salon!

I am blessed once again with the news that my work has been accepted for publication in another fantastic Stampington magazine. This time it's Belle Armoire, and I will be featured in the Salon section. I take this news with a feeling of immense pride in my accomplishments. It's been less than 4 years since I tipped my toe into the deep waters of starting my own business. Funny, 4-5 years ago, just before making that decision, I found myself in the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, poring through the many Stampington magazines. The one I bought was Belle Armoire, which seemed to feature projects that were the best of the best. To this day, I still take that magazine out and look at the pieces featured in the Salon section. There are only about 5 or 6 projects in Salon, but each is more exceptional than the last. As I often tell myself, 'Be careful what you wish for'... I certainly must have planted a wish in the back of my mind when I bought that beautiful magazine! So, yes, look for my lovely needle felted necklace in the very next issue of Belle Armoire. Um hum, that would be in the Salon section, no less :o)

Craft Hope Project 8- Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Today, I'm spreading the word about Craft Hope for the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.

project 8 :: gulf coast oil spill

Do you remember Craft Hope for Haiti? What an amazing success that was! Even in my own little shop. I didn't raise a ton of money, but was able to raise approximately $300 to contribute to the relief efforts in Haiti. Heck, every little bit helps, right?

Now the Craft Hope girls have regrouped and are putting together efforts to help with that huge toxic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. If you want to know more about it, click here, and you can read all the details, plus you can find out what you can do to help out. Now, your donation does have to be handmade. Even though I can knit and crochet, I am DEFINITELY NOT sending washcloths that I knit. Instead, I am going to get out all our old towels, and I'm going to put the boys to work this weekend. We are going to cut and rip them apart, and resew them into manageable sizes, just right for washing off sea turtles and wiping down dolphins. They will be handmade, of the sewing sort. Yep, that works for me.

Golly, so much to do around here! Better get busy so I can clear a spot for setting up the boys for ripping up towels. I do think they'll get into it, don't you?!

Celebrating Signs From The Great Beyond


Photo courtesy of MadeByGirl

Do you get them? Signs from above? Well, I do. Yep, I get them every single day. They come in many shapes and forms. I find it adds some real interest to life. Though I don't look for them, I recognize them when they come. It's sort of like an "ah-ha moment", when I least expect it. Today I'm celebrating the signs (thus the cupcake photo :o) Especially the sun sign, my horoscope. Here's what mine says today;

"You'd be a fool to stop now. You know that, but nagging doubts keep you from fully committing yourself. Accept those doubts without succumbing to them. You have a good idea, so see it through."

Um humm, nagging doubts (that's me). Humm, 'a fool to stop now' (that's been my mantra for the past 6 months). Accept without succumbing (I'm sure trying, dang it!) See it through (Yes, I WILL!)

So, for the past month, I've been doing some focused GOAL SETTING, and it's been working out pretty well. I have always battled procrastination, but this time, I'm really focusing on a few really important goals, and I'm putting all my eggs in that goal basket. Instead of making a full page To-Do list (my normal modus operandi), I'm only looking at one or two items. So far, I like the results.

One of these goals is to really put my heart and soul into my creations (which I generally always do), but to really focus on bringing the best all together. I've been really happy with the results of my sweet summer outfits, like the So, So Sweet dress and purse here. The outfits have been doing really well at Austin's Gallery. They are selling as fast as I can make them. Well, really, who can
resist? I mean, that owl outfit... Heck, totally something I would wear! Never mind the looks of strangers...

So, So Sweet is another combination of the most colorful, irresistible fabrics ever, with a recycled wool panel for a needle felted design. This one is a swirly ice cream cone, beaded and embroidered. The matching purse is often the deal sealer for a potential buyer, and "Ice Cream Conie" is no exception!

Okay, I'm off to get on with my day. I'm going to keep my eyes and ears open for more signs coming my way! Give it a try, and pay attention to what you learn about yourself. All it takes is an open mind and heart. Now let's go celebrate the day!