Julie's Flower

Just had to share with all of you this wonderful flower that Ms Hesse sent to me that I have worn a few times and received so many compliments!!! We had talked about how to do something a little different from the flower pin from the workshop...and I said, "How 'bout a necklace?" and she came up with a fabulous detachable "extra stem" that adds the extra length to go around the neck. You can take it off and have the pin, too, with flower and stem.

CUTE!

Thanks so much, Julie!

"tornillo"

 "Welcome Home, Clare!" ... we have missed you ...a LOT! Rainbows to celebrate your return.......xoxoxoxo

They dance around my kitchen at certain times of the day.

...and this is a "tornillo," which means "screw" in Spanish..... (hmmmmm, get your minds out of the gutter...) In English, the tree is "Screw-Bean Mesquite."  I think that these things are incredible. I picked up a handful when we were in El Paso in early August and have them in a clear box so that I can look at them all the time. Thought you might like to see it.

sew little time

Hello Pantry Gals,

Here are some pictures for you.

First is my bits bag overflowing with wonderful pieces to be made into treasures, hopefully someday soon. Still on the flower craze but want to work on some fabric necklaces soon.

And this is a bracelet I made for a friend (sorry a repeat from my other blog). I think it turned out pretty well. Lots of yummy velvet and some retro underneath. An amazing amount of books are out right now on everything but I have been on a magazine craze (actually nothing new there) and have been inspired by so many pages. If you need more info on what books or magazines to refer to for what you want to know or see please ask me. Hope everyone has a great week.

Fall ...sigh......

I love the fall. It brings good energy and I am beginning to feel a LOT more like myself. 

What a relief!

I have been cleaning out my studio and it is going to take a lot longer than I thought originally.

I have found some amazing things, though, that make me smile...and laugh out loud!

..........and bring a tear, or two to my eyes.

I miss all of you. What I would give to have a week at Briancon right now.

I need to hear the frogs! And lie in the hammock and listen to the brook.

Tried to get a photo of the hummingbird enjoying my red salvia this morning, but he was too quick! I will try again. He has been around so much.

Where is everyone? Has life swallowed you up?

This is a tiny (5") scene that an incredible artist friend of mine made. She is filled with a gift that creates magic and fantasy out of bits of clay. Her name is Jane.

...and this is a little Russian piece of porcelain that has always made me smile. I have several pieces by this artisan, but this one is my favorite!

Rainy Afternoon

Isn't this salvia beautiful? It blooms August and September in the front garden.

It is rainy here right now, after sunshine all day long. I love that about New Mexico. And once it rains, everything cools down and the light is fantastic. We also get rainbows here - not just little, wimpy ones, but BIG, sometimes DOUBLE ones that you know have HUGE pots of gold at the end.... haven't found one of those yet, unfortunately.

subtle treasures

This little guy hangs in the bathroom and makes me smile everyday.  My friend Tricia made him years ago and I treasure him. She is an amazing artist...absolutely magical.

...and this one is on my kitchen sink, patiently holding the sponge. Tricia uses such subtlety in her work - the shapes, colors, patterns. I am so inspired by her and wanted to share these special things with you all......knowing you will appreciate them.  xo

Bittersweet

I started these a while back, but finishing them seemed appropriate for the "Bittersweet End of Summer  Challenge" ....

Mushrooms / Toadstools grow rampant in the mountains above Santa Fe this time of year. It is moist with afternoon showers and shady under the pines and aspens.

With what we did in France (create!) and what I love (felt and color) and the time of year..my contribution is these little toadstools....two so far and many more on the way, since that seems to be how they are. You find one and then as you walk along, there are hundreds in your path...

(photo is out my back door)

One of the many ways to stop landfill

Inspired by Julie Arkell and suggested by her I made a papier mache frame for a stitching I did.  My son drew this picture for his Dad's birthday and I copied it on to an old sleeve of his.  I like the way that so much it is recycled.  The paper is from an old french book. Thinking of you Margo and all that landfill that needs saving.

"Makes Me Smile"

I was laughing so hard when my son and hubby were moving the canoe to the back porch. I made them stop so I could capture "the moment"...

.....simple pleasures....

bittersweet end to summer

A reminder of the magical summer days I spent with all of you in France, a reminder of Becky's summer garden (where this flower was made and photographed), and a bittersweet reminder that it is a long wait till spring/summer 2010...


Thanks for the challenge Jone! Anybody else working on it?

monday am

Hello ladies,

a picture for monday am, a small doll made from that wonderful lightweight clay, that I made a while ago, reminded me of Jone and Sue's illustrative style....

More Memories

good morning.... it's me again....

more photos:

*Miz Dare

*Dave's guitar

*Jodi's "little green"

*the House

*Dancing Girls

love you all

Fond Memories

It's Saturday morning, sunny and warm here in Santa Fe.

Thought I'd post a few photos from our workshop that I haven't posted yet.

*Sue with a SMILE

*Julie "Bird Brain"

*our group!

*Julie and her coffee

*..my favorite place at Briancon

....missing all of you......

more soon...

machine embroidery

a combined effort from Francesca and myself.

More to follow after the weekend? xx

at last I have something to show and tell!

hello pantry violets,

great blogging those of you who have already posted gorgeous images....I'm afraid I have no Julie Arkell moments to share with you as I have been isolated in south of Spain with 3 teenagers...but I did have a sewing machine, lots of dyes and some woollen fabric, oh yes and a ball of wool!

so I am sharing those makes with you as no- one here seemed particularly interested!

When we run out of rabbits and summer madness shall we pick a theme a month? colours, numbers or simple words?

I received a letter from Julie TODAY, so I have something to post.

I also bought a couple of my favorite books at Powell's Book Store in Portland, OR - wow!

The "Alice" is Lisbeth Zwerger, one of my absolute favorite illustrators. My copy is well-worn, but this is for a friend.

The "Aesop's" is one I had growing up and I needed to have my own copy. I have a collection of books illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen and am thrilled to have found this one.

Julie things

Here are some of my Julie pieces. The huge ship is very old - it has wire steam coming out of the chimneys

Some of the others are ones I made on Julie's workshops - I'm a Little Fairy and The World is my Lobster and Irresistible Bowel.


















Watching a Disturbance of Clouds and Trust Me I'm a Rabbit are two of my favourite Julie pieces

Here are some of my Julie pieces

The Julie Collection

Hey Pantry Violets,

I was thinking about how some of us have major or minor (like poor me) Julie Arkell collections and I thought it would be nice to see them all, so... can you take some pictures of your collections and post them. Here is my lonely one (you have seen dear Help). As usual I am out of focus. Working on a new camera or a new set of eyes- really I am. It's your turn Violets- let's see your wonderful Julie collections.

Holiday felt

It is Tuesday and warm. We leave for Oregon tomorrow. I have some sewing to do for another submission to a magazine, but wanted to post these goodies that were just accepted for the winter issue of SEW Somerset.

hmmmmmm, where is everyone? xo 

Someone has a birthday today...

Happy Birthday Margo!

Hope it was a great one. Hope all of you are well and having a great end of the summer (sob). Love seeing all the images on this blog. xxoo Taylor

Thought about all of you today. Taught a small craft class to some lovely young ladies. We had a good time making "Wish Candles" by using watered-down glue brushed over colored tissue on a candle in a clear glass. We cut out things that make us happy....and words to describe things that make us happy and glued them on, too. Everyone had a good time and was pleased with their results.

Rather than showing my half-finished candle, I have chosen to show something else that makes me happy - little houses cut from paper. They are only 2" - 2 1/2" tall and I love them!

Ok Jone, Thanks for the challenge.  I have finished my bag, you can't see it all in this picture, but it does look great.  I have kept it plain inside in the end and put the Aunt Violet's Pantry stitching inside. It is now hanging in our bathroom.  Thought you might also want to see a picture of Womad, the whole site was filled with hundreds of these beautiful silk flags in endless colours that filled the skyline and made a wonderful flapping sound.  Spent yesterday constructing a giant rocket out of a fridge freezer box for the boys, does that count towards my 2 hours of creativity, they were both very happy and spend a wet day drawing all over it? Will try to be inspired in Corsica.

Ladies! I encourage you to come up with a challenge for our group. 

We talked about it in France and never made the list. I know that none of us really has any time, so it is the perfect thing to encourage our spirits to find an hour, or two, somewhere in the day (or week) to create with each other something that makes us feel like we have done something magical for ourselves, right? As summer is winding down, there are things that are a little "bittersweet"... So, what if we did those bittersweet thoughts and feelings of summer? It can be any medium and we have the rest of the month of August to finish it - what do you say? 

This photo is in the garden room of our house when you first walk in, and represents my love of color and simplicity....wish my life really was like this....sigh....

by the way...here is my cat, Marble, helping me get ready to go.....