Studio Fun

I have been spending a lot of time in my studio lately because there is a community market this Saturday. I'm planning on having some nice little gift items for the holidays. I made these cute little pin cushions and really had fun making them. They are made with decorator fabrics and have vintage buttons in the middle of them.

Cooking Memories

Last night, well early this morning actually, I was laying in bed not sleeping thinking about crudy stuff. I decided that I needed to change my thoughts around so I started by thinking of all of the things that I've really enjoyed cooking. I thought of a beautiful Pizza Rustica I made years ago...don't remember how it tasted but it was so pretty I took a picture of it.

Then I remembered one Christmas when I was probably in Jr. High and my dad was helping my brother and I make some appetizers for Christmas Eve dinner. We decided to make a snowman out of braunschweiger spread. It was really soft so didn't hold it's shape...and who ever heard of a pinkish-brown snowman? It had a radish root nose. We thought it was the greatest...my mom wasn't so sure though!

The great thing here is I went from being pretty down to having a good time with my memories.

Chocolates

On Friday we went down to Roanoke, Va and discovered a store called chocolatepaper. It had cases and cases of chocolates and truffles and racks and racks of funny greeting cards. The chocolate was not only candy-candy, it was also eye candy!

Of course, we got a couple of chocolates...mine was a milk chocolate turtle with cashews. It was good, but I have to say my grandmother's homemade ones were better. I may have to hunt up her recipe and try some during the holidays.

Obama Rally

Friday was my husband's birthday (50!) and we couldn't decide what to do. The night before we were listening to the news and heard that Barack Obama was going to be in Roanoke, VA for a rally. Well, that is only about an hour and a half away so we went. We got really good seats, except we were facing his back! He turned around a few times but every time he did the guy in front of me waved his little flag like crazy so my photos turned out a little weird. That is why you get to see my best photo of his backside! The whole experience of an orchestrated rally was very different from the other time I saw a president - Bill Clinton. He had already been elected, but not inaugrated and there was no stage craft in the presentation. I'll reveal it all after the election!

Heron

Every day I drive along the Rockfish River, which is quite beautiful. Often I see an amazing gray heron in the middle of the river standing on some rocks. It is such a treat to see this amazing bird. I think it is a Little Blue Heron which is shown on this page of the Roger Tory Peterson Guide to North American Birds.

Rumi

One of my favorite - actually, my very favorite - poet is Rumi, a 13th century poet and philosopher. This is one of my favorite quotes:

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there.

---Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Face Class

On Sunday I taught a class on making embroidered faces, similar to the one in the photo above. It was a great time and I'm really grateful to the nine women who took the class and made me feel welcome. For the whole story, go here.

Timberlakes

There is an old timey drugstore in town that has a lunch counter and soda fountain in the back. It is one of my favorite places to eat lunch...tuna salad on wheat with pickles, a bag of chips and a real cherry coke. The inside hasn't changed since it was built and even the women that work behind the counter have 50's hairdos. It is a real blast from the past.

Fall Picnic

On Saturday I went out to Beaver Creek Reservoir with my husband and had an impromptu picnic lunch. It was a beautiful day. As I walked along the water little minnows scurried around and frogs plopped in the water.

I also came upon a bright cardinal flower standing all by itself along the water's edge

and a cork floating in the weeds.

Signs of Autumn

This morning I went to the Charlottesville City Market and took my camera. The air is cool - not crisp yet, but very nice. I saw lots of signs of fall, pumpkins, squash, gourds and mums. There is a football game today as well. Enjoy the images.



I also saw my old friend Jackie who makes all sorts of lotions and potions, spins her own yarn and makes sweet little knitted stuffed bunnies.

Advent Calendars

In July I was commissioned to replicate an old advent calendar for a customer. She wanted four of them to give to her grandchildren. It was quite a bit of work because each calendar had 24 little ornaments-one for each day of December-that get snapped onto a tree. If you are doing any multiplying that is 96 ornaments...whew! This morning is finished the last stitches and got them to her. She was happy and so was I!

Chicken Story

My friend Connie lives on a beautiful piece of land where she raises ducks, chickens and has an old golden retriever. The ducks are pets with names and Connie and her family eat the eggs, which she says are wonderful. They got a flock of chickens awhile ago to raise for the eventual purpose of dinner. There was one chicken in the flock they named Leghorn who was an unusual breed. When it came time to take the flock off to their end Leghorn escaped that fate and stayed on.

It turns out she missed her chicken friends and decided to make pals with the ducks. Everyday she would go down to the pond with them, but the ducks would go in the water and chickens hate water, so still she was lonely. She turned to the dog for companionship and the dog, surprisingly didn't mind. They have gotten to be such good friends that Leghorn will find the dog lying down, walk up on his back and pluck the ticks and fleas off of him. Connie says the dog has never been so free of ticks. What an odd symbiotic relationship!