Bug Bug Go Away Plus a Tag & An Award

Hi Everyone. I have missed you all and am way behind in blog visiting.
I have had a nasty 'bug' for the last 6 days and have really felt punk. While away from the computer I received a TAG as well as an AWARD so I will start with those.
Alison from Creative Art and Craft has tagged about swaps so here goes:

1. What was your first swap?
My first swap was the 'bits and pieces' swap. We took a 9 x12" canvas and marked it into 12 squares. Then we filled the squares with 'bits' and 'pieces' of 'stuff.' I had the lovely Natasha from Artistic Creations for my partner.

2. What has been your favorite swap and why?
I honestly don't have a favorite swap. All the swaps I have been in have been fun. They have pushed my creative abilities to new depths and they have brought me so many new and wonderful friends. I actually am disappointed now when I miss a swap I didn't see until too late!!!
I think you can call it being a 'swapaholic'.

3. What has been your least favorite swap and why?
I don't have a least favorite yet. I have enjoyed all of them and don't think there will be a least favorite. I look at each of them as a challenge and a chance to learn something new.

4.What have you tried for the first time as a part of a swap?
I have tried a lot of things for the first time--the bits and pieces swap, the tussie mussies, paper dresses, altered art, tiaras, etc. With each swap I have been so excited to have learned a new technique and to make a new friend!

5. What would your fantasy swap be?.
Hmmm I would really have to think about that one. I am not sure. I think it would have to include victorian emphemera, the color pink or red and lots of doodads.

This has taken me so long to answer and put on my blog I won't pass it on but if anyone wants to grab it and go for it you are very welcome!!!

AWARD:

Barbara from 123lavendarlollipoplane made this award up herself:

She LOVES glitter and will glitter anything that does not move!! No I take that back------------she will glitter ANYTHING grandchildren included.

I SPARKLED someone's day! Pass this award on to people that have sparkled your day...as we all know...playing with glitter is contagious...just touch it to your day and it adds glints of light to every facet of your life and spreads throughout your being! No outfit is complete until you add the glitter!

Thank you Barb!! I am supposed to pass this on to ten deserving people: You are listed in no order of importance since you are ALL IMPORTANT to me......tee hee

1). Paula from onarainynight always sparkles my day. We grew very close in the three month 'sister' swap from the sweet goodness swap.

2). Dolly from mycherryheart sparkles my day with our shared love of hearts and the color pink!

3). Karen from Bluemuf'scorner who sparkles my day with her special friendship.

4). Marie from Marie'smuses who sparkles my day with her wonderful blog. She shares so much of her life and her DELICIOUS food recipes.

5.)kai from thepartyinkai'shead who sparkles my day with her beautiful sense of humor and zest for life.

6). Susan from Blackeyedsusan'skitchen sparkles my day with her love of hearts and her family. I love reading her blog.

7). Mica from garboodlesoup sparkles my day with her immense talent. You have to visit her blog to appreciate her art dolls.

8). Viv from viv'swhimsy sparkles my day with her enthusiasm and her beautiful bears!

9). Connie from roseporchdesigns sparkles my day with her creativity and my beautiful QUEEN tiara!!

10). Alison from creativeartandcraft sparkles my day with her sincerity and sharing her children and grandchildren with me.

PHEW it was sooo hard to pick just ten of you if anyone else wants to join in and add this to their blog and tag others please do so. Barbara would be very pleased!!!

stay tuned for pics of my studio yahooooooo it is almost DONE!

more winter storms and PRETTY MAIL!!!!!

Okay this is a verrrrrry loooooong post with lots of pics so grab yer coffee or tea or 'drink du jour' and set a spell. You need to take a break anyway!



Good Morning!!!! Today it is actually warming up and the snow is melting......melting...... mmmmmeee............................heheh I took these two nights ago after another big snowstorm dumped an additional 3-5" of snow. Until this morning many outlying communities were literally 'snowed in' and unable to go anywhere on state highways and secondary roads. The drifting and additional snow was just too much. Thursday night they actually called off the sanders and snow plows because of the terrible driving and icy conditions.
This was sooooo pretty and even blue sky earlier in the day!!
This was the night the storm showed up . A few hours before...... the snow plows showed up to actually plow our street out. the snow was 1-2' deep where people don't drive.
I took this picture and had to keep the lens open so it is blurry sorry.

But you can see the mounding snow against the fence.

MORE SNOW!!!!
My metal hand molds along the front pathway.
a very long icicle-----------------------just wanted to share. How many of your rememeber when you were younger and we would break icicles off as long as we could get them and pretend they were popsicles or better yet have sword fights with our friends and siblings?? This pretty icicle reminded me of those days.
the snow is actually about two feet deep in our back yard They say this is the LAST winter storm and the temps for the next four days are highs in the 40ish range so..... who knows.......................spring may be at the end of the 'big thaw'!!!!

NOW FOR THE MAIL IN THE LAST TEN DAYS OR SO>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> what can make a person happier than having the mail lady ring the bell and say..................another package for you today!!!!!?

These hands are from my dear friend Shannon and her daughter Nat.

They are carved and have a very pretty finish. She knows how I love hands and sent these for a late bd/christmas gift. I can't wait to display them.

I am thinking they would be very pretty in the bathroom with a small picture of grandchildren hanging from the fingers and nestled in the palm????? maybe that is the perfect thing!!!

The " altered heart box swap" hosted by Maria @ the junkkdrawer brought my partner Kim from vintagemehemmedinprayer to my life. What a fun lady and great Mom. She took this metal heart tin and decorated it in such a fun way!! I love it!!! She really picked up on what I love. Then she filled it with all these wonderful 'treasures'. Thank you so much KIM!!!
This swap had us making a recipe 'page' and sending them to Karla and Beth who made covers for 42 booklets. Then they put them together for each of us participants and mailed them off to us.
All the covers were different and that is mine. Here are two pages of the recipe booklet. All the recipes look sooo yummy and it will be so fun to try each of them out. PLUS we each have 42 pages of art from everyone!! What a special gift!!!
My friend Shannon included this beautiful heart in her package with the hands she sent me. It is hanging in the kitchen where John and I can see it every day. THANK YOU SHANNON AND NAT. We LOVE you so much.
IN the Hanging Heart Swap sponsored by the Sweet Goodness Swaps
I had Anina from twiddletails for my partner. If you are a quilter or just love quilts you have to look at the work on her site. She is AWESOME.

She made this hanging heart garland for me and it incorporates all the colors in our main family room. I am NOT going to take this down after Valentine's day but will keep it up. Hearts symbolize love to me and I like to have them 'hanging around'.

Anina also hand made this pretty pink heart out of wool. The dark pink is the same wall color here in my studio so it will hang in here. I am going to hang all the fun small things from swaps on a garland chain across my window above the work table.
Dolly from mycherryheart sponsored a vintage valentine swap that was supposed to incorporate hearts. My partner for this was Connie from connielivingbeautifully. She made me this QUEEN tiara!!It is so sweet. John was home the day I got it and we were picking up around the house and I put this on to 'cheer the chores'. He loved it and wanted to get a picture of me wearing it so..... take a close look......I don't like my picture taken.
Connie also made this very pretty hanging 'rose' for me. It is so pink and so me!!!

Here is another view of the altered heart tin from Kim. I got the pictures out of order when downloading all of these!!! whew. I will post pics of the 'art' I sent my partners when I know for sure they have all received them.I don't want to spoil their surprise!!!
THANK YOU all of you lovely ladies for your beautiful art. They all have special memories of new friendships and I will think of you often when I am admiring them time and time again.
happy art!!!!!!!

A STATE OF EMERGENCY!

This past week brought three major snowfalls. Our schools were closed for and entire week. Thursday (yesterday) the governor declared much of the state an emergency. In our fair city all state highways were drifted closed and people could not travel far due to the terrible road conditions. Not only did we have snow and more snow, we had winds and drifting as well. They couldn't even get snow plows out. These are pictures of after one snowfall and before. You don't see the flowers but the day before you did.

Here is Callie walkingON TOP of the snow. It was pretty iced over and of course she is not so heavy. You can click on it for a close up of her prowess.
This above picture was taken this afternoon. The temps warmed up to almost 40 today after several weeks of near to sub zero weather at night and teens to 20's during the day. Snow was melting from the bottom and lowering the snow level. The first sunlight in several weeks.

more before one snowfall and after. We are supposed to get another 4-6" this weekend with falling temps so whatever melts today will soon be replaced. This is the first 'normal' winter we have had in a decade.


I actually ventured out today with John to run errands and took my handy dandy walker with me. Most parking lots were full of several inches of ice under slush and snow. As long as John was there to help me get to the bare sidewalks or store entrances I was okay.

I hope those of you who are yearning for snow get enough to 'wet your whistle' and not and over abundance. For those of you who have more than enough like us please take care when out and about........some people do not realize that ice plus snow +wind= poor and dangerous driving conditions and many DO NOT stop for yellow or even red lights.

Sighing.......... four wheel drive or just a bigger vehicle does NOT give you immunity from accidents. I think some people are missing the 'common sense' gene. hee