{Refreshing the old...}

Several years ago I made this steel sculpture, it was one of my first

attempts cutting and welding heavy steel.  It was also one of my first paintd pieces.

This photo shows the new paint job.  Below is an old

pic of the original paint. 

It was ugly even then but I kept it outdoors and wanted it to be somewhat rust proof

so I sprayed painted it.  It was all plain paint and I never really

like it.  But I liked the design so I kept it and moved it indoor hoping someday

I would be able to paint it more artistic.

Over the last several years I have been tring my hand at painting and

it looks like I am learning. :-)

Now with the new paint job it is as I first envisioned it.

(Yes, I have my own torch and mig welder)

{Antiquing, Shopping, & Shopping, & more Shopping...}

Just a few of the treasures we found

1. and 2. a couple of pear pictures I got in a local antique shop.  I'm really into

pale yellow color and these were the perfect shade of yellows, grays and blues.

3. My sister and I both got these cute little wire bird cages.  We had thought about making some ourselves but then we spotted these two in the trees outside of a little shop in Old Town Glendale (OTG).

4. and 5. is a faux book I also found in OTG.  It opens like a box for storing more treasures.

6. Are some silk flowers we got to help freshen up my kitchen.

7. My new purse. Handmade and signed by the artist.  8. Flowerpot from OTG, again more yellows.

9. and 10.  We both bought this magnetic weekly calendars.  And it gave me away

to revive using the magnetic poem pieces from a few years back.

11. Linens and wooden bobbins. I'll use in my art journals.

12.  Even the bags were pretty from OTG.  13.  Lavender silk plant. 14. Pear picture and lavender plant in there new place in my kitchen.  15. and 16. A very old, did I say old dog my sister found in an

antique shop and repaired it's worn nose with the fur from the old bear she found in another antique shop.

Still to come:  art journals

{Life is Good...}

Hiking the Pevine Trail along Watson Lake    

We have a few "lakes" here in Prescott, AZ.  I say "lakes" with

a smile.  Coming from Michigan, the Great Lakes state sometimes the lakes here

are more like puddles and you can't swim in any of them.  What the @%*&! you can't swim

in them.  Go figure.  Anyway, after 26 years here I've learned to spend most of my time kayaking on them anyway.

And we can always dip our toes in them.

We diverged from the main trail.  Which I will always do.

 And find the secret treasures

on the path less taken.

The sun was bright so picture taking was not at it best

What with cows and my sister?

Her first rock climbing

We had a great view at the top.

One fine day

Next up:  Antiquing and Shopping finds

{It's Good to be Back after my Sister's Visit...}

My sister has been visiting and we have been

hiking, shopping, making art journals, antiquing, shopping, relaxing, shopping, eating,

painting, visiting, enjoying morning lattes outdoors, cleaning and

rearranging my house, but alas no blogging :-(

First up:  In the Best finds category

my $2 table.  After a little removal of the

wood grain contact paper and painting

this became the lovely beauty above. It is still very shabby chic which the

photos don't show all that well. (can you see that faux

wood grain contact paper?)

And my sister found a pair of $10 cowgirl boots.

They were a perfect fit and all broken in.  As comfortable

as can be right from the start.

All they needed was a little clean up and polishing

My sister and I have such a great time when she comes to

visit.  She was here for nearly two weeks this time and

having her as a part of my day became the norm.  I hardly new what

to do with myself after she left.

But I'm slowly getting back to my old routine,

including blogging

Next up Hiking and Rock Climbing

{Taking Time for Myself...}

I have been spending all of my time out in my yard gardening and I couldn't be happier. 

Nature and gardening are my first loves.  And over the last several years I

have been spending so much time in my studio creating fiber and mixed media

art for Les Femmes and local galleries

that gradually I began spending less time outdoors and in nature and I have

missed it too much.

Nature sustains me.  It is part of my very life force.

And I need it.

While I will still be creating art pieces I think the pace will slow down.

I also want to create some personal pieces.  Which I will continue to post.

This morning I spent a little time in PSE. (Finally, I can create something in a little time)

The top photo of course is my favorite. But while playing around I also

got this photo. Also quite nice I thought.

Which is your favorite?

{Happy Chickens...}

One of my neighbors now sells eggs.

The other day they put out an "eggs for sale" sign.

So the next time I need eggs I stopped in and bought a dozen fresh...

really fresh eggs

There is something really wonderful about buying these eggs from a neighbor

and not a supermarket.  You feel a certain connection with the chickens and the people

who cared for them.  You know the chickens are raised free, right in your own

 neighborhood by people that actually spend time with the chickens.

The beautiful colors they come in white, green and tan.

And the taste was heavenly

{New Art Journal...}

I printed this painting on fabric to use as the cover

The inside front and back covers

include a altered tree photo

and some stamping.

I will add some blank pages with simple stamping on them.

For the back cover I decided to do a simple

heart stitching.  I  like the look of a simple design and

once all of the inside pages are filled the simplicity

of the back cover will be the perfect compliment

{Working with layers in PSE...}

Using imagery to explore personal meaning.

Who am I?

This started out from a photo of an old building I photographed in

Jerome AZ.

After a few layers altering it.  It seemed like the perfect background

for something.

So as I added other layers it  began to come together as a personal

story.  I would

even call it a self portrait