Chattanooga Is Where My Heart Is....

Heading back to where my heart is....

home in Chattanooga!

Be Thankful!

In the dear long ago.....

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful.

Become A Woman!

New art.....

"One is not born a woman, one becomes one."

-anonymous

Measure Your Standard of Necklace!

"It's a new jungle, measured not against the standard of yesterday,

but the standard of the day."

-Lourdes Gouveia

My best-est gave me an idea to make something out of wooden rulers.....this is what emerged from the crazy studio in my basement.  

Fun necklace!  I love the colors!

The middle pendant was the joint of the carpenter's ruler. 

Once again, emphasize imperfection...not perfection.  This is my standard ALL the time!

Cotton Fields of Home!

On my way to Artsy Chicks an item was checked off my "Bucket List"!

I have always wanted to get up close and personal with cotton plants in a cotton field.  Just happened to look to my right....noticed the upcoming exit...and boom, I was pulling up into a tractor type entrance of the cotton field.  Cotton growing in a field is breathtaking.

I wanted too pick some, but felt a cotton police might be watching and I would be escorted out to a cotton gin and tried for treason of cloth.

Any who....I took photos...and I thought it was outstanding!

Just a glimmer into what I saw Friday afternoon....

 "All work, even cotton spinning is noble; work alone is noble."

- Thomas Carlyle

"Half the world does not know the joys of wearing cotton underwear!"

- Phil Gramm

"I was influenced a lot by those around me, there was a lot of singing

that went on in the cotton fields."

- Willie Nelson

Cotton fields on the way home.....stunning!

Artsy Chicks!

On my way to "Artsy Chicks"!  

I'm very excited...my first time as a vendor.  My best-est told me about this little intimate affair and I feel quite honored to be participating.

Can't wait to share photos and stories.

Check back on Sunday!!

Kiss!

"Happiness is like a kiss...you must share it to enjoy it."

-anonymous

My little friend and her friend did a wee bit of kissable baking this past weekend.  Yum!

Repurposing A Man's Starched Shirt!

I recently was asked by an icon of my fair city to do a small segment on a mid-day local television show.  My topic was to be 'inexpensive ways to wrap Christmas gifts'.  Knowing I am cheap by most every one's standards, this was going to be easy peasy!

The night before the segment (I premeditate everything) I had to pull something together.  My 'Big Guy' had thrown a starched shirt in the floor and said, "I don't like this anymore, give it away".  Pleasantries to my ears!

My goal was to fill 4 minutes with ways to use this starched shirt....

this is what surfaced.

Project One:

A former jar of mayonnaise, with label removed.  Fill with gourmet coffee.  Take the collar of the shirt and wrap it around the top of the jar, cross it over and pin a tag made from a paint chip swatch.  Add sprig of greenery from shrubbery outside.

Project Two:

The box was a child's shoebox (they are always very graphic and pretty).  Glued the front pocket of the shirt on to the lid. Filled the pocket with shrubbery greenery and pens.  Tied it closed with a strip of fabric from the hem of the shirt.

Project Three:

Cut the sleeve off.  Invert the sleeve, measure the height of bottle of wine, and with sewing machine zip a single stitch across the non-cuffed end.  Invert sleeve.  Slide bottle of wine through buttoned cuff and tie with a decorative bow. Add shrubbery again.

Project Four:

Get an old cigar box.  Cut the button placket off of the front of the shirt.  Wrap it around the box and pin.  Add shrubbery and ribbon again.

Yep, that is what you can do with a man's starched shirt!

Light and Dark!

Had to share this photo...found a bag of crosses in a basement.  I put them on all different kinds of chain.  I feel they may have formerly been on rosary beads... don't know.  As I made them and hung them on my dress dummy, Lula.  The light was streaming in and the shadow made such an interesting juxtaposition of light and dark.  

Cool.

100 Proof Press Stamp!

Finally finished another piece using one of the infamous 100 Proof Press Stamps.  With all my work something stitchy is most always involved.  I had been looking for some old film strips in my many jaunts through the basements of Americana, and finally found exactly what had been looming in my head.  Went to use it....and no.  This was not at all as I had envisioned it.  Then it came time to select from the wealth of stamping options at 100 Proof Press and there it was a two frame film stamp (stamp # 6353-S)....eureka!  I immediately ordered it and above is how I envisioned it.  My little stitchiness exploding out of old school film.  I think it framed out nicely.  

Lesson learned:

Never underestimate the value of using present day wonderful crafting innovations, such as stamps, in addition to the assemblage of vintage.

It can work.

My Dog's Happiness!

Today, I just had to share a sweeeeeeet little photo of my youngest daughter.  She was quite sleepy and totally breaking all rules lounging on my bed....but, her complete bliss was hard to disturb, much less scold.  

There is nothing more heart warming than a content little puppy.

Love her!

"The dog's happiness comes first."

-Greg Forte

"Chums"

If ever you can assemble four gals that make your heart sing to be around....make you giggle like you were 13 years of age and a boy just said "hi"....make you not mind finding a floating piece of broccoli in between your teeth...women who honestly critique every thread your wearing...the beauty of gals can certainly be "CHUMS"!

Be sure and find CHUMS!

Reel Friends!

Just a little piece of art for "reel friends"!