Crazy Shoes!

No copy needed.....I admire the creativity and imagination, and the quality appears to be high, but would you want to walk in any of these?

What Will They Think of Next?

British-born artist Ivan Lovatt forms sculptures out of chicken wire!

This koala is my favorite!

Wedding Flowers

Front (last week)

Back (last week)

Wreaths (today), and I am still trying to figure out why they wanted blue and white ribbons on something that is white and pink. I worked both last weekend (for Mel) and this one (for English Garden); two weddings last week and seven (count 'em) seven this weekend. Makes me tired to think about having that many - but it was fun!

We went out to dinner tonight with our next-door neighbors, to our favorite Italian place. I had farfalle alla Nina (the chef and owner) with bowtie pasta, scallops and shrimp and a really tasty sauce - very buttery - of course. Since I  had a plate of Thai food about 2pm, I didn't want an appetizer or salad and wonder of wonders - I didn't eat any dessert, although mr. kenju's tiramisu surely looked good. We ran into my very good friend Pam, with her husband and their next-door neighbors. It must have been the weekend for getting together with neighbors....

Monday night, some of the women in my neighborhood are going to Wine and Design. I am really looking forward to it. I have done a few drawings, but I haven't had a paintbrush in my hand for about 33 years. We have chosen to do a beach scene and it could get interesting. If mine turns out well, I'll post it.

It's Not Only the Girls in My Family......

who have art talent!  These two were drawn/painted by my oldest grandson, age 17, and I am surprised at how good he is! My daughter took the photos with her cell phone, so they are not the greatest quality - but I think they are terrific anyway!

I can tell you that he is much handsomer than his self portrait would appear. He did such  a good job on the hands - hands are the hardest thing to draw well. I started college as an art major, so I'd like to think that they got their talent from me. Their mother was always good at art too, as was their uncle. But they didn't keep up with their art - and I am really hoping that the grandchildren will!

Carolina Fiberfest + A Blogger Meet-up

Vicki, of A Mark on My Wall, teaching this pretty young lady how to dye a silk scarf, at the Carolina Fiberfest, held last weekend at The NC State Fairgrounds. This is the third time I have started this post - only to have it partially disappear - so I sure hope this time is the charm!  Apparently, it is not to be, my last two paragraphs disappeared before my eyes. Suffice it to say I was very pleased to meet and spend time with Vicki, and you would do well to visit her blogs posts and read back into the archives. You are sure to be glad you did. I have to leave now - so I will try to resume this post later.

3:30 pm:    Dare I try again?

When I went to the fairgrounds, I was surprised to see hundred of cars and a whole bunch of people. I didn't know that in addition to the Fiberfest, there was a NC Festival going on there all weekend. It was almost as busy as the state fair in October;  there were rides, food vendors, displays, a tractor parade, etc. and it was 90* in the shade - which didn't seem to dissuade people from attending.I had to park about 1/2 mile from the gates, so I was very grateful when a shuttle picked me up in the parking lot. I found Vicki's building, and walked up while she was teaching the young girl how to dye the silk scarf. It was an interesting demo. There was a basket of finished scarves, and I found a beautiful one I couldn't live without.

Vicki took a break; we got something to eat and walked around the building looking at all the beautiful wool, mohair, alpaca for sale, as well as items made with all these things. There were knitters, weavers, spinners, felters and dyers, and I got a lesson in alpaca fibers. She is so knowledgeable about all things wool. I used to weave, so it was interesting to me. I never learned to knit, but Vicki says she can remedy that in short order! I would love the opportunity to learn.

If you have had a long-time blog friend, you know how badly you would like to meet them in person. From almost the first post I read of Vicki's, I felt we could be kindred spirits. I have 'known' her for over five years now, and we have quite a few blog friends in common. Being able to meet her in person was never thought to be a possibility, until she moved to NC last year. Although she is over 4 hours away, she had the connections to attend this fiber fair, making it possible for us to get together. I have admired her for her savvy, her intelligence, her wit and her expertise in so many things. I have known few people who have their fingers in so many different pies. Vicki gets an idea and acts to make it happen, while so many of us (me included) just wish it could be. I have now met quite a few bloggers; some local and some from afar, but I will always be grateful for this opportunity. Now if I could just have remembered two things:  to have remembered to ask all the questions I had in my mind and to have someone take a photo of the two of us together!

Double Yuck + Butterfly Love

Double Yuck! It looks like a cesspool. It will be a while before anyone can swim in that! I love having a pool until something like this happens. There were holes/slits in the cover, so the rain water and gunk mixed with the pool water below - et voila - a complete mess. The pool guys will be back today to clean it.

My eleven year old granddaughter gave me her butterfly painting and I LOVE it!! Rainbows and butterflies - what's not to love?It kinda takes the sting out of the mess in the pool.

My New Wallpaper (on the computer)

Modern art lovers - you have to see this!!

Last Week at the Flower Shuttle

Roses, statice, wax flower, jade and larkspur

Roses, lilies, hypericum berries, eucalyptus and hydrangea

A parrot tulip

Roses, hydrangea, tulips, hypericum, eucalyptus, jade and lily grass

Roses, salal, alstroemeria, Fuji mums, purple mums and lily grass

Our weather was glorious yesterday. We reached and then passed the previous record of 80* for that date and went on to 85*. I pruned some dead wood out of my forsythias while they are in full bloom and the bare canes can be seen easily. I usually don't get around to it until the bushes are in full foliage, making it harder to see the dead parts.  (Don't ask why the copy in the post decided to assume this form - I have NO idea - but it makes me angry.I need to re-do this wreath. It is old and shaggy. Maybe I should just toss it out and start over...lol)

From 1939...

The inside cover of my first reading primer. I would have asked permission, but I doubt any of them are still around....lol

When I was in elementary school, I always wondered if I would end up with a guy named Jim. It must have been a foregone conclusion. And you know what? Judy is still going faster!

I've always loved the illustrations in this book. There is no mention of who the artist was.

Budding Artists, Part Two

Thanks for all the nice comments about the art in yesterday's post. Today's three paintings were done by my 11-year-old granddaughter. I was amazed at the details, and very proud of this one as well.

I love this one, and I'm sorry that they have been folded (they should have been rolled). The colors are wonderful, aren't they?

Such a wistful-looking sheep. I love the color selection here too - most unexpected! Perhaps in 25 years, people will be lauding the two sisters from North Carolina who paint so well, and going to museums to see their work!

Budding Artists, Part One

I went to visit my daughter and her family yesterday and I was blown away when my 14 year old granddaughter showed me some of her work from art class. If you look closely, you'll see "John, Paul, George and Ringo - and the yellow submarine!

This is her self portrait (she's much prettier). She is a swimmer and soccer player, and I'd add artist to those descriptions!! Please join me in urging her to keep up with her art. Her mom didn't, and she was almost as talented.

Tomorrow, I will show you what her 11 year old sister can do. They both make me say  WOW!

Norman Rockwell

The North Carolina Museum of Art has a Norman Rockwell exhibit (until 1-31-11) and if you haven't seen it, I recommend you go. I have a magazine of Rockwell art which was published in the late 70's, and I've shown some of these before, and if you search for 'Norman Rockwell' on my blog, you'll find 10 links.   Here are three more examples...

"Norman Rockwell encompassed youth and age, innocence and wisdom, within the horizons of his art. His place was secure in his time: While values hold, he will belong to the future."

"For the most part, Rockwell left battlefield and bombs to other artists; his war was the war at home, and his most eloquent wartime covers are the ones with 'homecoming' as their these. For this serene evocation of the joys of small-town summer his model was a sailor in training at Williams College. The house in the background is [in Arlington, VA]. The shoes are Rockwell's, and the dog is his son Tommy's.

Christmas 2010: The Capital City Club and Brier Creek

The main lobby tree at The Capital City Club

The lobby wreath  (Too bad about that huge copier!)

The entrance to the bar.

The Ballroom Lobby tree at Brier Creek Country Club. I made the large wreath at the Capital City Club, but the trees were joint efforts of 5-6 people.