May Square and what ya been doing Annette?

What ya been doing Annette?   Oh my dears come and help anytime.  Spring yard work, you know the drill-we hurry to get started on the yard getting pretty for Spring.   Well this year Mother Nature is being strong willed with us.  I mean a freeze last week, the trees are ugly and anything that came up from last year is uglier.  Pure UGLIER.   So Mr. Graves and I ran to Lowes and got some spring plants to make the pots around the front pretty.  We even got the plants out of the "Tropical Hideaway" and they are really lush and green.  Now remember the "tropical hideaway is the back garage with heaters, baby monitor and smoke and fire alarms where when it is really cold the fur babies stay at night).   Well not the bougainvilleas they have to be in a protected area for a couple of weeks so the wind can beat the leaves to death and then we can put them on the patio.  Some of them are over 10 years old and really bloom pretty.   We use to have, I kid you not probably 100  plants but not any more.  We have cut down on the amount we save.  We did use to have a green house to put them in but that was then and this is now.    It is suppose to possibly freeze the end of the week but  we think we can make them all be safe and scrunch them together and put sheets over them.  Last late fall we did that, and it looked like sheet world on the patio. But then it turned super warm for several more weeks. 

Then the next step will be keeping the plants pretty during our toasty warm Summer and there we go into our seasons again.   Fall and Winter.  You know I wonder sometimes why we do this.  Are we into torture and hauling heavy plants around?   Thank goodness for dollys to help with that.  Nope we just like pretty around us.   Eldon put down 22 bags of fertilizer, I watched and the grass is getting pretty.   Now I do have to add that we have a 54 inch riding mower and a giant fertilizer spreader and Eldon takes about an hour to get it all down.  So  the fertilizer is  down so we can mow, I think I am getting a pattern here with yard work  not sure yet.  We are bone tired but love doing it---putting our stamp on the world so to speak.    usaually he mows the front and I edge the front and then I mow the back and he edges that back around the 13 trees we planted.   It  really isn't work to us, just something to do to keep us out of trouble. 

Now May is coming upon us so I did make a new block a couple of days ago for May.  Using  some of the pretty lace Leslie from the UK sent me.  : )

 

Here it is, this time I used some scrollies to fill in some spaces, I draw them all the time so why not?  I mean the little bee won't mind or the butterfly.  This is fun to make a block a month so I need to branch out some more and make the blocks  different and see where they take me.  I have so many pretty colors of fabric and laces. 

 

So there you go my readers.  I am sketching and playing in the art room  every day, I am thinking that is what is helping me grow in several areas of art.  Still searching and maybe when I am 100 or so I might find out where I am traveling to.  Who knows?

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.

 

XOOXOXOX

Annette

The Young and Older of it all

Hello to you and getting closer to the end of April.  Still cold and our poor new flowers are still in the garage waiting to be planted.  One day it will get warm enough to do this fun job.

  Age, you know I think it is just how you look at it.  Of course sometimes you get up and feel 100 plus years and then other days you feel like you can whip the world with one hand tied behind you. Well lately it has been the later for us and with the help of Motrin for the aches we can get back to world whipping.

I know they say that 60 or whatever age they are saying now is the new 40.  I don't know about that though.  Do I want to be 40 again?  I am quite happy at the age I am now, I would tell you but then you would faint or say my goodness she and Miss Clairol are best of friends.  Most of the years I have been happy at where I am in the scheme of things.  Good or bad that is just what happens and you deal with it and off you go.  Not  skipping in the field of flowers but you go and  thank goodness you are still kicking.   I do believe things and events happen for a reason and hope that you grow from them.   I am not sure where I am going with this post, probably won't know when I am finished.  LOL 

I have been doing some sketching all along and wanted to do the young and older  of us.   Well not me but you will see.   The young and youth so innocent and ready to see what is going on and having such a fresh look and explore.  Then the older, having lived and experienced so much in life.  Their faces are like little road maps of life.  I am not a poet and wish I could do some of that but just thinking  of how I think of life and faces. What they show, kind of like hands man or man do they ever show what is going on.    I do have a wonderful friend Nancy that is indeed a poet and does a wonderful job of creating with the 27 letters of the alphabet more than I could ever do. 

 

My first attempt of Mother Teresa.  I know little about her but knew that she was indeed a wonderful person.   For some reason when I got up yesterday morning I thought I want to sketch her.  So I got on the Internet, yea for it, and found a photo of her and this is the one that spoke to me.  I hope I did her justice and got the kindness in her eyes.   I know I have not put enough   "stories" on her face maybe next time.   

 

 

Now this little cutie is no one in particular but she is who appeared on my paper.  A knowing young lady and ready to explore the world and so much out there to do and see. 

 

 

So there you go my young and Older.   Thanks for stopping by today and seeing what is going on in my world. 

 

XOXOX

Annette

Just a little Dilly Dally time

You know I love that phrase, Dilly Dally.   Can mean so much but I think at times I am queen of the dilly dallies.  Or maybe Piddle,  that could mean the same thing.   What do you think?   Some days you just get so industrious and other days well Dilly Dally away.   Well I had a little time so thought I will play and see what I get and guess who popped onto my canvas?  this flower child or fairy or whatever she wants to be.  I can't decide if I am finished with her or not but maybe until I look at her for a day or two.

 

That is it for today just wanted to see my dilly dally for the day.  Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.

 

XOXOXOXO

Annette

Always be curious

On my art table, AKA lateral files with my hubby's parents old door on top, is a saying I found while cleaning up.    "Always be curious" I had printed it on fabric to use on a project and when I create I am the worlds worst messy person there is.   I do clean it all up before another new project begins and it is like hide and seek sometimes.  Not that artists are ever messy.   I loved it and thought yep that is me with my art I think.  Wondering what is next, what if I do this instead of this.  You know the feeling I bet.   There is so much different art directions one can go and again I have said there is nothing new under the sun. It has already been done and said, but we all put our little twist on it as in life and off we go.

Lubbock has an Art Festival every year, there were lots of empty booths this year, I hope it doesn't dwell down to nothing though.  It is fun to see what is being created out there.   We go on a Friday and not many shoppers compared to Saturday and Sunday I am sure but lots and lots of school children.  Some were complaining about it but I loved it, to see the excitment of them  seeing art in different ways.  they have make and takes for the children and to see their faces with such intent looks as they created.  It was well worth the trip for me, DH always is such a good sport and goes along with me.  Then we always have a good lunch afterward so I guess it is our date day.   

We try to find something different to buy, to support an artist.  A lot of it I do so I just don't buy what I do.  There was some fabric art there but hey, I do that.   On of the pieces sequins and beads on it,  hummmmm wonder who is the Queen of beads and sequins?  Well, maybe not the Queen but would give her a run for her money.   We did find a booth that was worth going back to for a second time.   It was some glass art.  I don't do that, although my friend Nelda says I can.  I still have my kiln, it is old as the hills but they just wear out.  But this booth had pretty colors and you know I love colors and did force myself to buy a piece.   It was one of her larger pieces and just spoke to us---take me home you don't have anything like me there.    So we did.


Now I took the pics, I know---Annette you can do better, but it is in a dark corner right now I want it to be safe and sound until it finds where it wants to be.   Glass rods and copper tubing are just some of the work on it. 

Here is a close up of Mr. sun or moon or whoever it is.   I think moon but hey he may not even be that.   Cute though. 

 

Here is the whole piece, very heavy but I think it needs to be where the sun can shine thru also.  It is very different from anything we have but just called to us. 

 

Now as you might remember I am taking Life Book 2013 and very behind and I mean behind on the weekly doings, but this year I am just picking and choosing what I want to do.    Tammy posted this cute lesson for I think week before last about quirky birds ------so this is one of the birds I did.    Fun and will do more of them, they are kind of habit forming. 

 

 

 

Just a section of what I did, just a nothing little thing and once you got started you just couldn't stop.  I guess like eating potatoe chips.  

 

There you go some of my playings and doings.

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I am doing in my world. 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

April CQ square

Hello  there,  looks like I have been tardy with my post.   Now one good thing about blogging if you are tardy you don't need a note from your parent or won't get licks from the teacher.   Not that anyone I know would have done that.   : ) 

So with no further ado here is my post.    April is the beginning of Spring, I know some of you dear people are still getting snow and I am sorry about that.  Sometimes Mother Nature, you know she is fickle, likes to clear her throat at us.   Change is in the air for all and we are fixin ( a Texas word for gonna do it ) to go on another adventure.   Will keep you posted on the change ,  so please forgive me  for not posting as much and please no licks ( swats with a paddle). 

I have sent my April Crazy Quilt Square to Kathy for the CQ challenge.  It is funny where these go.  I start with a square of muslin or white fabric and sit at the sewing machine and think OK where are you taking me this trip?  And off I go sewing and cutting like Edward Sizzorhand.  Well that may be stretching it a tad but you get the mental picture.

 

A close up of the square, with beads and butterflies and all kinds of fanciful flowers.   The center butterfly is part of some silk with the butterflies on it waiting to be set free.

 

 

Here is the whole square, the finished part will be 8x8.  The left upper corner is a tad bright for the other colors but you know me I have to add some "spark" in my work somewhere. 

 

So there you go my April CQ square,  I have enough of them done til August in case our next project keeps me super busy.  CQ is kind of like the chicken and the egg thingy.   Which came first?   The collecting of the pretties or the sewing of the pretties. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

 

XOXOXO

Annette

A Gift of Love

It is COLD   burr here today, what happened to our 80 degree weather?  I guess it is not up to me to question---but I do.   Sorry Mother Nature, guess you are the weather queen for sure.  OK, so March is over and went out like a Lion so now ready for some pretty gentle weather.  Well in West Texas it ain't so - but can wish for it, no wind, sand or tumble weeds.  Mowed and edged yesterday and some of those shredded wheat looking things just tumbled into the yard.  Saying Ha ha Annette here we are what ya gonna do about it?  Well into the dumpster they went and the big blue dragon-aka trash truck-came and whisked them away today.   So who has the last laugh now Mr. Tumble?    Guess I better not be to smarty pants because they may all just come to see me when the wind blows.  

I promised you the second treasure I received the other day.  This arrived and I do believe it is a gift of love just pure love.   The veil and headpiece of my cousin Juanita.  I know I will create something so dear to the heart with this.  To go along with the pretty Nottingham lace sleeves she sent.  Maybe combine it with some of the delicate lace Leslie sent me.   I was so overwhelmed and it made my heart so happy.  

So without further ado, here it is.  She also sent some more of the beautiful butterfly paper to me and the veil was wrapped in an antique Rose paper,  I will not show it until it gets a special piece of art made from it.    I am thinking I can photo the paper and then print up for some beautiful Crazy Quilting.   What do you think? 

                                             The Edge of the fingertip veil.   So delicate.

 

I had to do a close up of the edge of it.  Whatever I make it should be stunning just from having this veil as part of it. 

The sweet flowers as the head piece.  Still as beautiful as they were the day she got married.  Perfectly preserved.  

There you go I just had to share this gift also.  I am strutting around like a bantie rooster right now.  

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

                                                                           XOXOX
                                                                           Annette

What a Welcome to April

Happy April to all.  I hope we all get the spring showers for May flowers.  It sounds good doesn't it?  

I got some wonderful mail and it came in two's like the other wonder packages did.  I don't know what I did to deserve all this generosity but gang I love love love it. 

They are both to precious to share a blog so I will show on separate entries.    I think you may remember my give away of my lacy fabric pages.  Oh that did the heart good to give them away to some of my blog followers.  One was to Leslie in the UK.  I was so proud to send to her across the big pond.  Well a wonderful surprise came in the way of a thank you from Leslie.  What was it you may ask?  I am just going to show you, my heart just pitter pattered when I opened the package.  And remember I got two packages that day.   I don't know how fast a heart can beat before exploding but mine was doing a pretty good job of it. 

So here is the thank you giftie from Leslie,   Girl I think you need another page.   Loved it and hope you are feeling 100% now.


I opened the package and I can see new pretties for my CQ   oh my goodness I hit the jackpot.  AGAIN!!!!!!

Thank you Leslie, I can assure you these pretties will be well used to make something pretty.  

 

Coming PDQ is what was in the second package I received.

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.

 

XOXOXO

Annette