A Happy Mail Day

A little while ago, Carolyn Summers wrote to ask if she could donate a journal for me to decorate to sell. I said I would love it! Today it arrived. Much to my amazement, it is a chipboard journal and the cover had 'Mexico' cut out of the board. I couldn't wait to get started - having just bought a bag of scraps. Off I went - and I have the cover completed.  Have a peek.

These scraps are so much fun to play with, I can't believe it!

The album has four more chipboard pages, and of course, Carolyn could not resist sending me some beautiful papers.  Thank you, dear friend!  You are simply the best.

No more for today.  I've been working on a birthday card, but can't blog it for a couple of days, until after the birthday get together.

Thanks for dropping in again today.  Thank you for your comments.  They always give me a lift.  And friendship!  A strange commodity isn't it.  Never having met Carolyn, I feel like I know her and love her like a sister.  Thanks again for all the lovely goodies.

“There is a destiny that makes us sisters, No one goes his way alone; All that we send into the lives of others, Comes back into our own.”

Edwin Markham (1852-1940)

 .

A very quick block in ...

When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right. Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest nights.  

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am I'll come running to see you again. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, you've got a

friend.

James Taylor's famous song, "You've Got a Friend".  And he's right, we all require someone to love and support us in our lowest moments.  My question, and the question that these women in the painting put to me today is this.  "Does it always have to be a man?"  They are right!  Women are very good listeners, very good at coming to your aid when in difficulty, and of course we could not do without our dearest women friends.  Then why are we so afraid to touch each other?  Why are we so afraid to put our arms around each other and just let the love flow, the support flow,  Everyone needs touch.  With so many women alone these days, especially as we age, sometimes days go by without even a touch on the arm.  This needs to change.  Comfort and support through touch is one of the needs of women and it's simply not there.  I have no trouble holding another woman, if indeed she is open to it.  It seems to have always come natural to me.  Nothing sexual about it.  Just sheer love and support.  Think about it, 'cause we desperately need touch to survive.  It's part of a good quality of life.  I'll leave you with that thought.  This painting came through me yesterday - just a very rough block in with corrections still visible.

Some people don't like to be touched.  I miss it terribly.  Honour what the other person needs and wants, but please, don't be afraid of it.

Thanks for dropping by.  It's a beautiful day here today, so I hope you enjoyed the sangria on the covered terrace while you watched the hummingbirds.  Drop by again soon.  Love seeing you here and reading your beautiful comments.

We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth. Virginia Satir 

  

Experimenting with scraps and going organic ...

Happy Father's  Day, Papa.  You carried me for a long time.  Miss you so very much.  Sending lots of love.  (Our little family).

There is a little shop in town called Abrazos (hugs) which sells absolutely incredible textile goodies, all made from scratch. Lately, the owner has been selling scraps. All you can stuff in a large bag for about $8.00. I couldn't resist. I trotted right in and started stuffing. I was excited, as I usually am when thinking about cloth, of any kind, scraps or otherwise. So, I stuffed my little bag full and trotted off home to see what could be done. I haven't played very much as yet, however, I did attempt a card. I think with a little practice and more imagination they could be quite
stunning.  Here's my first attempt.

First attempt

I applied golden matt medium to the scraps and a piece of heavy card stock and placed the fabric in random fashion.  Let it dry.  Used a couple of coats of paper glaze to give it a little shine and let it dry.  Cut a piece just a little smaller than 5x7, rounded the corners and mounted it on red card stock.  Next time I will try ironing the scraps using spray starch to see if I get a nicer finish.

Cut out a small portrait of Frida, cut a frame with a sizzix die and mounted Frida in the frame.  Then I made a mistake.  I gave her a good coating of glazing liquid and it definitely had an effect on the photo - it faded and ran just a squeak.  Next time I will seal the collage piece before applying the glaze.

After it was dry (or I thought it was dry) made another mistake by sticking the card under something on my desk which left a dent across the collage of Frida - so really the card is unusable - but a good first try.

This was the final result.  Next time I will try a few things a little differently.  I think the whole pile of scraps has great possibilities.

About six weeks ago I decided to go organic.  I'm still healing from a serious melt down, coming off heavy drugs on to a natural regime - so I figure anything I can do to speed things up will help.  A small organic grower has opened a shop in town and delivers every Saturday.  You can choose a small, medium, or large box of vegetables in season.  There are always some surprises.  Here's what was delivered today.

Always lots of greens which are not always easy to find here.  They cut the tops off their beets for example.  So I love that part.

Underneath the greens this week were fruits and vegetables in season.  The surprise?  A coconut.  I got two large glasses of coconut milk - it's in the fridge while I explore the possibilities of how to use it.  I look forward to my beautiful box of vegies every week.  They also have organic lamb, trout and chicken - sometimes shark or other types of fish.  Beautiful bread, cheeses, yogurt, and on and on.  I usually settle for my small box of vegies and perhaps some ground lamb or vegie burgers.  

No more news from Mexico for today.  Thanks for dropping by and having a look around.  Hope you had fun.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Wayne Gretzky

(always did have a soft spot for Wayne)

 

Card for a Princess and Party Alert at Miss Sylvia's

Was asked to make a card for a 'princess'. It took a lot of thought. hmmmmmm ..... Decorating colours are brown, lime green and some pink. hmmmmmmm..... You know, when you are asked to do a card for a very special person it takes a lot of thought and a lot of fiddling around to get it right. In the end I was pleased with the product and so was the person who asked me to make it (That's the main thing!) .... so .. here it is. My first baby card ...

Card front,  Hearts cut in different sizes and colours.   Medallion on top with little girl in appropriate pink dress with crown.  The sentiment says 'Princess"  Tied with hand tied silk ribbon and lime green sequins wirh a rose in the middle.

Inside I cut butterflies and embossed them.  They will no doubt flutter out when the card is opened.

On the right I placed two hearts in an 'arty' fashion.  The lime green one will be a place for the person to write a note and sentiment.

This is the medallion.  It can be worn as a necklace as the child grows.  Naturally a crown and the word Princess is prominent.

On the reverse side of the medallion, the text says "I should live in a castle."  (So should I!)

The "envelope is a fancy see through bag which will not crush any of the 3D hearts and ribbons on the front.  I cut butterflies, embossed them, attached them to ribbon and allowed them to cascade down each side of the bag.

We attended a soiree at Miss Sylvia's today.  Champagne and mango juice (YUM), wine, all sorts of goodies to nibble on.  Miss Sylvia, you may remember from my stay there, is a top notch cook.  Lovely little get together with a diverse group of people which always makes life interesting.

That's all she wrote for today, my lovelies.  Hope you are having a wonderful beginning to a great weekend.  I sure am.  Thanks for dropping by.  No sangria here today, we drank it all.  :o(

No matter how weak we think we are, we all have the power to turn dreams into reality.

 

Sir Ian Laughlan, OBE

An unlikely candidate for Knighthood, Sir Ian met his match with his Royal title when he dragged a small lamb from a fast flowing creek, saving it's life, and thus allowing the lamb's Mama to keep her sanity. Amazing story really. Hit all the British rags and took the country by storm. The Queen had absolutely no choice but to bow to the pressure of the public and award him a Knighthood as well as an OBE for the tremendous contribution of saving a life
and family.

Sir Ian Laughlan, OBE

Painting Sir Ian brought back a lot of good memories of my time in Scotland.  I lived in Glasgow for awhile after arriving from Europe and before heading to London to live.  The working class Glasgow accent is a truly amazing one - it took me about three days to 'catch it', and I'm usually quick to pick up accents.  If anyone is familiar with the old Glasgow of the 60's, I lived in Clydebank, close to the Clyde where the big ships were built.  I spent those days pretty much not having a clue what was going on in the household.  One of the phrases which came to mind today was this one.

"Whit's fur ye'll no go past ye."

This one basically means 'whatever is meant to 

happen to you, will happen to you"!  (You can see my 

issue with the Glasgow ways)

That's all for today my lovelies.  Hope you had a great weekend.  Thanks for dropping by to have a look.  See you soon.  

 

Bob's Birthday Party

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Two posts in one day ...

I'm doing two posts in one day, so if you have not already met "Sir Thomas" scroll down to the next post and have a lookie loo. Yesterday, as I said before, we spent a lovely day in the country, tasting wine, cheese, looking in markets and visiting a lovely town which I could not tell you the name of if I tried - and enjoyed a lovely lunch there.

It was Bob's birthday - however we will celebrate tomorrow at their home where I believe a LOT of cooking is going on! Back to yesterday and a few photos.

The beautiful grounds of the cheese factory.  Family owned, family run, absolutely all by hand.  No machine with a cord on the end in sight.

One of the most handsome holstein's I have ever seen!

Two ducks off for a swim in the pond.

Bunnies everywhere!

Bob felt the flower beds needed attention.

The antiquated cheese press.  Nothing but man power here.

Deep underground, in the cool cellars the cheese is aged.  Fascinating.

Our driver, Francisco, translates for us.

I thought the way the rounds were stacked was beautiful.

Is that not beautiful?

Some cheese formed round balls and hung from rag while it aged.

Oh goodie!  More animals - love those geese.

Cheese tasting time - then to the shop on a buying trip.

The winery window bars.  Fell in love.  Didn't take any more photos.  To busy tasting.

Stop in a gorgeous town for lunch.  Find a beautiful restaurant on the square.  

My lunch arrives!  OMG that shrimp was good!

A stroll through the mercado.  Tempting hats.

I want a horse!  O WAIT!  I'm scared stiff of horses!

Some of these beautiful panama's reminded me of my Papa.

The orange taxi's of where ever we were!

Hmmm....those are pretty ... just keep walking, Donna.

Oh crumbs!  For just a split second thought I was back in greece.

Look at that beautiful agave plant.  If you look closely on the ground - another bunny.

Suddenly it was over and we were back in San Miguel.  Beautiful Day, Great Company.  What more can one ask.  Thanks for popping in and making it to the end of the 'few' photos I was going to post.  Just couldn't help it.