One More Photo

Grayson went "Trick or Treating" with friends - an Orange "Oompah Loompah" and a Vampire. I hope they had fun and got LOTS of candy!

Happy Halloween

Here are a few of the costumes that walked into my house this afternoon:

My friend, Jodi, channeled Janis Joplin - really great glasses!

My friend, Anna was "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" which was so fun! (she wore a tree skirt - ha!)

Jodi's daughter, Dehlia, was a very cute BEE with the most amazing platform shoes! Un-bee-lievable!
And here is Grayson, though you would never know for sure. I made this hat years ago for him. He outgrew the suit that went with it, but chose to wear the hat again.....
Cullen and did not dress up...we went to dinner and watched an "American football" game. Our team (University of Texas Longhorns) won!  "Hook 'em Horns!"

Halloween cake wrecks

Dear Violets

I am sorry not to be contributing much to the site - but I can't seem to make this work most of the time, despite having tried often to comment on your wonderful postsand pictures.
As a slight contrast from the wonderfully tasteful images you are all putting up - I thought you might enjoy some of these rather amazingly awful Halloween (and other) cakes

Happy Halloween!

dear violets, hope you are all having a scary and happy Halloween... thought you might like to see this combined effort that crawled in from fran and I for our halloween table!

Snowy "Jump-Ups"

I think that little flowers peeking out of the snow is magic! 

It is amazing that I got a photo at all, since Jack (the 90 lb lab) was all over me!

WINTER is here.....

It is snowing! 

Actually, there is a huge storm coming...it's just the beginning.

There is more snow on the east side of town, closer to the mountains, 

but we have a nice little dusting...

I LOVE IT!

What's in the pantry today?

Hello Friends,

Hope everyone is doing well. I am gearing up for chilly winter. I guess it is time to say my final goodbyes to summer. At least I have some summer fabric to inspire me. These are two pieces I found at the antique mall. One is going on my apron and the other maybe a large bag.

Below are two pages I did for an altered book swap. I like the rich colors.(told you winter...)

We are deciding what color to paint our kitchen /family room. I vote for pumpkin, but Chloe wants this beigee-taupe color and husband wants... who knows what. Actually I don't care as long as it gets done. He started the project when we were in France and never finished. No furniture in that room since then. A boy came over to sell us some stuff for a fund raiser and he asked us how long we lived in our house. He was shocked when I said 11 years. I told him we kept it clear for dancing. He was impressed, but then I felt it wouldn't be good to lie to a ten year old so I came clean. Anyway any color (but peach) as long as it is soon.

Sewed a bunch of petals today during our all day in service. I was glad to have it with me in my little bag. Have a great week gang. xxoo t

marvelous mushrooms

Some stunning autumn weather brought us out of the house this weekend for a forage to our local woods....rain and leaves have also bought out an amazing array of mushrooms and toadstools...inspired Jone?

clothkits

Have made up my wonderful clothkits, Rob Ryan skirt which only took about 2 hours to sew up. It is such a brilliant company, everything was explained and packaged up beautifully! look at their website for more great designs! www.clothkits.co.uk/

HaLLoWeeN....

Had to get my mantle decorated for Halloween (BOO!)

I really love my collections.

Halloween is not my favorite, but one year my friend, Cheryl and I made some little witches and even after many years, they remain among my favorites.

Here is a detail of what the whole mantle looks like...

(If you look carefully in the lower left hand corner, you'll see one of the witches.

 Also in the basket under the BIG bat in the upper right)

Have a "sPiDeRy" holiday!

Mountain SNOW

We awoke to snow on the mountain yesterday... and it was COLD!

I took this photo on the way to the Teahouse for my daily cup of chai..

........(don't know how to get rid of this "underline" - yuk!)

Then in the afternoon, we were at the soccer game (football, for you Brits!)

and this was the mountain from the field. There are two more games today and it 

is supposed to be very sunny...and warmer? We'll see...

Christmas!!

So, I have been in the studio working on Christmas cards and thought I'd post a few so you could see what it is that I really do ........

This one still needs some work... maybe some words?

 

I love her, but must re-do so that you can read "Magic of Christmas"....

These two are images put together for wrapping paper.

What do you think? Some may end up as cards, too, though...

Off to do more...I am starting to get "In the Spirit"...... xoxo

Oolie's Jewelry Stash

I was going through my photos this evening and found these of Oolie's jewelry. Sue and I always go through one another's "stash" when we got together. So, when Oolie was visiting, we attacked HER stash! ... and what a stash it is! Enjoy!

The girl really has an eye for great things! Thanks for sharing, Oolie. 

xoxo

stiching time

I had a couple of friends over from the UK last weekend, for a few quiet days of sewing and one of them brought me this exquisite lavender bag in silk. It is designed by a woman named Sophie Pattinson who has taught a group of Bangladeshi women how to sew. Read her inspiring story and see more of her wonderful work at http://www.sophiepattinson.com/index.php

Another great site to look at is: http://www.hazelldesignsbooks.co.uk/hazell_designs_books_portfolio.php This shows the work of Rachel Hazell, a friend of Julie Arkell's who may be coming over next year to give a workshop here.

And Just to make you smile, a photo of the newest member of the Armitage family......

Meet Miss Daisy!

a rose is a rose...

Today, my friend, Jodi, came over and she brought this 

MOST beautiful ROSE to me.

It is absolutely incredible!

Strong stem and the color is spectacular.

What you cannot see is that the backside of the petals are the palest yellow/cream.

It does not look real....

Another treat is this collection of bone buttons. 

When I was in Austin, my sister-in-law brought over her grandmother's box of buttons and she let me take whatever I wanted....

I am the luckiest girl I know, right now.

 I am really excited about these, in particular...
Who knows what wonderful things will be created from these lovelies.... 

ps. I dedicate the rose photo to Becky. Though it doesn't hold a candle to her photos, I am so inspired by her ability to create a tiny universe with each photo. I think of her everyday and how she sees the world with such intricate detail through her lens...thanks, Becky! xo

FALL

The leaves of the season here in Santa Fe re spectacular! Everywhere I go, I wish that I had my camera at the ready to capture the sun through the colors - the red, the gold - the stunning shimmering leaves throughout this city. I will continue to try...and share with you....

I am disappointed that this photo didn't turn out to show as much as I saw when I took it - (mouthful!) But, maybe it gives you an idea....

On Their Way....

"Alice and the Caterpillar" got in the box and took off to California today to "audition" for a spot in the March Issue of Somerset Studio magazine. It was quite a "send-off" since I was running late to pick up Grayson at soccer......whew! .....made it with time to spare.....

If you would like to see more details, please check out "polkadotponie.blogspot.com"  xo

My Favorite Book

When visiting my mom this weekend, I found a book that I have been thinking about for a long time. The images are burned so deeply in my memory, that when I opened the book and saw the illustrations, I was astounded at the emotion in my reaction.

I wanted to share with you some of the drawings that are so close to my heart. The name of the book is "Ring-a-Ling" and it was printed in Czechoslavakia, which is no longer. I was planning to bring it home with me, but looked it up on Amazon and ordered a copy for myself, so my mom did not have to part with it.

Julie, I KNOW that you will squeal when you see these.....I'll show the book to you when we meet again.

Love to all of you and your memories of childhood....xo

bits book

Hey Violets,

I have started a little book that is just made up of bits and (oh sad sad, I can not longer remember that expression. I know it is not bits and pieces. It is something much more charming) anyway, the book will just be made of scraps. Here are a few pages I started- but nothing is finished. I still need to add words and pen doodles and more galore. If you want to see more I put another page on my Half Full blog.

In other news, Danielle I saw your Selvedge thank you letter and cute picture taken by Becky. I bet the readers will now be extra sad they couldn't attend. Wow it is amazing all the sewing going ons in England. I sure wish I could be there shopping and gasping at such beauty.

Not much else here. Chloe asked to use the sewing machine again(out of boredom) and didn't break it and today she had to practice her running stich by hand. Not sure how the lay out of all of this will look as it is looking very odd right now. Sorry. Hope everyone is well and creating. I still have to finish that apron.

xxoo Taylor