when life hands you lemons

this week life handed me some lemons
( my Hubby lost his job and Kelley gave be a bag full of Lemons )

so when life hands you lemons you make..Lemon Curd and Lemon cookies!
I have been talking about making Lemon Curd for a while...
really its just lemon custard..but i had 4 different versions in my cookbook collection..
and Michael found 3 more...
so I chose the most basic one..
and it turned out terrific!...tangy and very tasty...
I make lemon butter cookies also..they were not bad..not terrific...but not bad

anyone else have suggestions for other Lemon things?

I finished my pop top Bag

I am super happy how it turned out! I will change the strap for the next one
( so y'all just keep saving pop tops for me!)

I also made some rock cozies

Michael's mom said "why ruin such pretty rocks"...and although there isn't much real point to making covers for rocks..I think they are super cute and kinda fun..and after all there has to be a place in the world for pretty but not useful things.

something different...

 So I love to make odd useless things as gifts
( ask Nathan or Marc about their birthday gifts!)
while following a FB link ( ya know how that goes !)
I saw a pattern for apple and banana cozys !
how fun and silly ..but it would make a nifty "teacher gift"

I am inviting anyone who reads this to share any "unusual" patterns you have found

Stylish Blogger award !

What Fun! Cori from whereyouhangyourheart   nominated me for a Stylish Blogger Award, Cori is super fun and always has such great Ideas!

Here are my duties to fulfill:

1. Thank and link back to the person that awarded them.

2. Share seven things about themselves.

3. Pay it forward to 10 (or so) recently discovered bloggers.

4. Contact those bloggers about the award!

  well here are 7 things about me
( that you may or may not know)

1. I am a necktie junkie

I love ties! ..vintage ties..bow ties ....I have over 300 of them (some are not wearable anymore) but I continue to buy ties at thrift stores and yard sales ..and of course love gifts of ties !

2. My secret life as a professional artist 

I have had several shows of my paintings, and have done professional photographs for  Nathan Temby. and Have my art hanging in various locations. I haven't painted in years as I devoted my time to other pursuits.

3.  I am a pumpkin whore ( please note this is used in a nice non derogatory way )

Kelley passed this title to me years ago as I love all things pumpkin, pumpkin alcohol, pumpkin candy, pumpkin food ..and just pumpkins in general...

4. I am a princess!

my running joke for years ..I have tiaras, princess t shirts, wands, I take my job as princess seriously and I am a benevolent monarch!

5. I am part of the packrat rat pack
yes I cannot throw anything away..I am getting better ..but I hoard all sorts of random objects in the hope of using them for art projects later..I really do uses most things..... eventually

6. My secret desire ..to be an author
my poems and plays aside ..I have never thought I was much of a writer...But I still harbor dreams of being published! I want to write a cookbook..and I have always wanted to write /illustrate a kids book!  if anyone feels compelled to work on either I am available!

7.  my career goal
I worked for years for "the Gamekeeper" selling board games and jigsaw puzzles ...if you ask anyone who worked with me over the years they will say the same ..it was a great job!..fun games to play with  and pretty chess sets..My goal is to open a board game store of my own ..

alas except for Cori (see above!) 

 the only other blog that I follow is

 The Dinner Report  ......

Alex inspired my blog and I check on Cori and Alex on a daily basis ..so I nominate both of them!

new this week !

Now despite all the drama from my week I managed to get a few new projects done !

The Fox Stole

for Christmas I got yarn from Becca and Nathan ..and both gave me some beautiful Eyelash yarn ..I have to admit I love eyelash yarn..its soft fuzzy and forgiving of mistakes...

Kelley had recently sent me a link to a "roadkill" softie and I remembered seeing a "vegan fox stole" on Knitty...with 2 other patterns as inspiration I made my own version ..I liked it so much I made another in brown

Kelley sent me a link to a "Christmas ornament of the month " group on ravelry ....I love a good challenge...but i had been slacking..so here are my first 2

a Christmas pickle

and a Christmas light

OK the light looks more like a pepper..but really its BRIGHT pink...but I did a funny M1..and lit made weird holes....

this week I grabbed some of the pretty sparkly yarn Michael had bought to make barbie clothes and made this lace necklace ..I was making it up as I went along..its pretty but impractical ...

Hard week

Soon after my post last week,
I got some bad news about My hubby's work
( and if you didnt know we work together)
 it made me take a good close look at my environment.

And I realised that my work was not inspiring me ,
or reacting favorably to me having an inspiring environment.
( I wasn't being discouraged from having a decorated space...it just wasn't adding to my work experience)
 and that I need to make sure to take my job a little less personally.

 This is a challenge for me as in the past have devoted a lot of my extra time, thoughts,creativity, and passion to my job, thinking that's what companies want..

an employee that gives 100%...

only to come to the conclusion that most workplaces don't really want that ..

they want rules followed , and money made, and tushes kissed!
individualism, creativity and dedication are tolerated..but not required, encouraged, or rewarded
Sadly  it not just where I am now , but common in a lot of jobs...
Its taken me a long time and a few jobs now to see the light on this ...
.
but enough moping !
here is my positive spin ...

the less of my creativity I use at work
( my DAY JOB)
the more I can use it on my art
( my REAL JOB!)

yes I say it
 I am an artist....
I want to encourage all crafters, writers,musicians, photographers, jewelry makers, knitters,painters,vidieographers...
to do like me
open up your self to your art form
( or like a lot of people I know..art FORMS) .
proudly show your talents and give encouragement and praise to other artists

it makes me sad we are at a place in the world where creativity is not a requirement

lets celebrate all things pretty!
lets start a revolution for the arts !
lets make it mandatory for every workplace to have to have an artist available
to show the rest of the people who are too busy following rules, making money, and kissing tushes
what they are missing!

my hope is all of you follow your dreams and celebrate your talents everyday!

How to Inspire

Every two weeks or so my Michael and I meet with Kelley and Michael B at Panera.
 ( Michael has a web developers group that meets at that time )

Kelley and I starting talking about yarn journals, and keeping track of ideas Kelley has a teaching journal full of things she wanted to remember about classrooms she has visited.

And I have had for years been required to keep a sketch journal and other journals for various classes, and have acquired over the year a few blank books to record those fleeting thoughts and images I want to remember later.
the problem is ....
the books are still blank!
I admit that journaling is so not my thing, requires too much dedication and focus.
( insert here I am lazy and journaling is a lot of work!)
but to my great dismay the more images, and ideas I cram into my brain
the less I am able to bring them back when I need them..
don't get me wrong they reappear ....just in mid sentence and usually off topic! ...

I get a lot of my ideas from all of my wonderfully talented friends .....And I wanted to share just how talented they are with you!

Alex
http://alexsdinnerreport.blogspot.com/
Alex has a great eye and is not only a cook, but she knits, sews, crochets and has a great ability to know movies/books/music that will fit your taste ....check out her blog if you don't already do so !

Kelley
Kelley can bake, sew,knit, paint ( let me clarify she paints rooms..but pretty sure she can do a portrait if she wanted to )..Kelly is always sharing Ideas with me from the various groups she belongs to /classes she has taken and her great collections of resources

Tat
tat can sew/bake/craft and has a great photographers eye ..and has done a few years of "photo-a-day" journaling..not only does Tat have a great love and appreciation of all things crafty and colorful..but she has passed this on to her kids ! both are very talented youngsters ..and I learn so much from the whole family!

Becca
Becca is not only a jewelry designer, but a musician, a knitter/crocheter and she sellers not only her work ..but mine too!

Cori
http://whereyouhangyourheart.com/
Cori was part of the creative office team and now has her own website! Cori is not only multi talented but she and her family are always full of such joy!

Lisa and the office crew
Lisa makes beautiful jewelry, fantastic handmade cards and she can knit but to top that she has an eye for and appreciation of nice things and is handy with creative  suggestions and advice.
My wonderful coworkers Jessica and Danielle (and Alex from above!)  are also part of the creative office staff . they offer advice and suggestion on my endless array of projects ..kudos to Jessica who is never afraid of critique both good and bad ... it is a brave soul that speaks their mind but can always take time to see where and why things are ...

My Family
My mom, Nana,Aunt Linda, Jackie ( Michael's mom) and My Michael
they have all been supportive, and recipients of my whims, crafts, visions, crazy ideas... But they have all been champions in their own right! collectively they have taught me not only all of the things I know but have inspired me to be myself at all times! CHEERS to family!

 Here are a few pics of my office ..I try to keep images and items around to inspire not only me , but the office ,our coworkers and our clients and guests

the barbie table...linen chosen by Danielle

my knick nack shelf

our inspiration a day project

What a fun week , I love Feb!
when I was a kid my mom would always hand make valentines,
.eading to life long love of lace and glitter
..and teddy bears ..a
nd candy ...

this week we finished 3 ...yes 3 ..projects



the green pineapple shawl!



the green pineapple shawl was finally finished ...Alex had mentioned that the problem with most shawls is they don't really cover much..and really its the point of a shawl..unless you live in Sacramento and then the point is I suppose decoration...the finished version ( I am still debating if I want to add fringe or not ) is being modeled by Alex

it a very pretty silk/wool blend with a nubby texture and light weight..in a nifty earthy green "loden" it photographed much brighter in the office than it really is ( the non flash pics were blurry this time )



pineapple doily shawl



I found this nifty pattern for a shawl based from an old doily...and this very pretty sparkly mohair blend yarn that I never could find the right project ( and I got in 3 different colorways) ..2 balls made this pretty impractical shawl



the last shawl is made of super bright very fuzzy mohair I love the feel of mohair ..but golly working it is akin to pettin the kitty ..little bits of hair fly everywhere ..only pink and green hair !..and its WARM!



the moahir shawl

this week I started a new wrap/cowl ...and slippers.....

I have been trying to get more veggies in my diet lately ...so every soup/stirfry/pasts has been loaded vith veggies...I am in serious need of pulling out the cook books and seeing if vegetarian entrees will work for us at home ..alas unlike Oprah I cannot go vegan ( I love cheese way too much !)  

I