2016 May
Conquest to Contest!
5/27/2016
Friday was our anniversary and Jeff spent the day working at his office in Georgetown while I was at Purdue working on Triennium details. We spent our anniversary texting back and forth... that was a first!
We made plans to celebrate on Sunday after I got home. But who celebrates their anniversary cleaning the garage? We did!
A steak dinner in our dirty clothes and a lot of progress on clean up! As you can tell, it needed it!
I'm still working to get stuff moved out of the store and am setting up three different workstations in the garage - who has room for a car when it could be studio space?? There will be a station for Torch Fired Enameling, a station for my fused glass kilns and a place for all my saws and woodworking tools. This space will be so productive when I get it done!
It's always great to catch up with friends from the past!
Bonnie, Patty and I went to college together at Eastern Kentucky and our lives, after the wild college days, have gone in three different directions. Monday night we met for dinner in Louisville and after two hours we were all caught up as if we had never been apart.
Our lives have gone full circle and we are ready to get together on a regular basis.
If you have any suggestions for great places to eat in Louisville, we would be happy to try them out. Any ideas???
I did it! As soon as I got home from Purdue I went right back to finishing the ottoman I didn't want to leave unfinished last week!
The frayed strip technique gives this ottoman a fun shabby chic look.
It's on display atReclaimed on Main and online at Funky-Fibers.com, where you can get more information.
I also finished two more footstools that were sitting in the basement just waiting for some attention and this bench, that now has a lot of personality since I've changed the fabric and trim on top.
It can also be seen at Reclaimed On Main and in our Sitting Room on the Funky Fibers website.
Check out my other ottoman designs. I would be happy to custom design and create an ottoman just for you!
Looky! Looky!
New Batik fabrics in and online just for you!
Quilting and Crafters Club members!
Place a five yard order (any combination of QCC fabrics) before June 3rd and we'll send you a FREE goody bag with fabrics, fibers and paper for you to get creative and busy with for our DESIGN A JOURNAL contest.
Not a member and want to become one? Go to funky-fibers.com and follow the STEP by STEPdirections on the Home page next to the quilt block photo. Each STEP is important!
DESIGN A JOURNAL CONTEST!
Design a journal cover using your 'FREE goody bag' and send us a picture by June 25th to be entered for a $25.00 online gift certificate (that could be 3 or more yards of fabric!). We will post all entries in the blog and let you all decide the winner. Let's see how creative you all can be! The only rule that applies is, you need to use all the supplies found in your 'FREE goody bag' in one form or another!
Next on my agenda, besides finishing the basement clean up (creating keeps getting in the way), is an ottoman with some bright fun owls....
0 Comments
Unplanned Getaway!
5/20/2016
Everybody needs a little time away and it's been a long time since Jeff and I were able to get away... just the two of us with no real agenda. We had an amazing last minute trip to Greenville, S.C. this past weekend.
A good friend of mine told me about an art show that happens in Greenville in May called ARTISPHERE
He kept telling me that they had beautiful art at this show and he was right!! Thanks Steve!!
If you get a chance to visit Greenville you won't be sorry!
This is one of the first art shows I've been to that REALLY concentrates on just beautiful and creative art. You can tell they're very selective on the artists they choose to participate!
We came upon a farmers market that was blocks long, under the big old trees along Main St. This happened several blocks before the Art Show tents started and we ended up with a few unplanned purchases! It was great fun!
These earrings were from one of my favorite booths. She actually makes jewelry out of old car parts.
Love my new earrings made from an old turquoise 1959 International pickup and an old orange 1962 Rambler. Check out her website, yougotmojo.com.
I know I'll be ordering more jewelry from her!
We came through Pigeon Forge thinking we would spend some time at the outlet malls. We have them here near home but we don't take time to shop with our busy daily schedules After about 15 minutes of fighting a crazy steady stream of traffic we decided to head to the hotel and forget about the shopping.
But on the way out of town we found a little flea market on the side of the road where we came across an artist who did beautiful wood carvings.
He was retired and he and his wife sold his carvings on the weekends. Great prices AND beautiful work! Jeff decided he wanted this wonderful Red Oak bowl.
It looks great on the kitchen table and is just the right size for a fruit bowl for the two of us.
Mass production was happening in the studio this week. It didn't take long to get the basement full of projects! I'm building ottoman bases so I can create new ones as the mood strikes.
And strike, it did!
Have you ever been working so hard on a project that you just didn't want to stop - but other plans got in the way?
I was in the middle of creating this beautiful piece of fabric for a new ottoman when it was time to head out of town again. It's sitting on top of a coordinating fabric ready to be put together as soon as I get home this weekend. It'll definitely have a Shabby Chic look and different than my norm. Fun to do...
Off to Triennium meetings at Purdue this week. Looking forward to meeting up and planning recreation events with friends!!
4 Comments
Phil Gehman - Please give us a call if you ever come back to Greenville: 864-848-2064. Delighted you like Artisphere!
Leslie - We sure will, Phil!! Would love to get together with you all!! We will definitely be back.... such a fun town!! Hope all is good with you...
Carol Henson - We probably passed you on Main Street! Come back Nov. 5-6 for Open Studios when over 100 artists welcome visitors to their studios.
Jon and Carol HensonLeslie - We looked for you, Carol... and thought of you when we saw Henson Farms banner at the farmers market. I have the November date on the calendar! That would be a great way to spend my 60th birthday! Hopefully we will be back. Sure hope things are good with you all!
Enough Said...
5/13/2016
Home again, home again and trying to catch up on sleep! A week in the mountains does a lot of things for me besides the spiritual renewal that I look forward to every year at The Annual Recreation Workshop. It lets me know how out of shape I have gotten over the Winter as I climb up and down the mountain several times a day! This is the one thing that I know every Spring... my legs will hurt!
Worshipful Laughter, contagious joy, creative and inspirational worship all tied together by recreation filled with faithful fun and fellowship. That's ARW!
These are some of the wooden people that Roger and I worked on a few years ago being recycled in worship. They were placed at our communion table.
One of the best lines of the week that really resonated with me was "You don't have to be THE best.... you just have to be YOUR best." Good words for all of us to live by!!
I brought another wild bike home to join my bright and crazy one. This one was for Lydia's birthday and the citrus colors were perfect for her. We're going to try to ride over in her neighborhood in the evenings to keep in shape.... as soon as we find the time. LOL The one thing you can't say is that we are not decked out for the occasion!
Would you like a crazy bike? I have two more on order that will be put on my website soon. Thanks Sonia and Angie!!
Check out this wonderful gift I was given last week. I think the surprise of this gift was one of the highlights of my week. Thanks Howard!!
Now to figure out how to make it 'Leslie style!' I think it needs to be put on a glider or something with wheels. I'm trying to figure out where to put it and I think that the front porch is winning out. How about polka dots?? Ideas??
These are a few of the fabrics I've pulled for a friend of mine to be made into table toppers. She has created a tablecloth ministry with a wide variety of styles at her church. They rent out the toppers and the money goes towards some of their youth work. This makes me happy since I strongly believe that some of the best hospitality that we can give happens around the dinner table!!
I'm hoping I can get to this project next week! Won't these patterns make some fun tables?
Patty, Betty and I were able to play yesterday in the studio before the rainstorms came.
I found some beautiful bamboo fibers at a fun store in Asheville, NC called Earth Guild. I brought home a color for each of them and we did a little wet felting and made vessels.
Patty's was formed over a bowl and Betty's and mine were formed over vases which we intend to leave in. I'm going to bead and embellish mine as soon as it's dry.
I intend to play some more with this technique and would love to try dying my own bamboo fibers. I'll have to study up on how to do that!
3 Comments
Jayn Lando - I love the felted vases/bowl ... so bright and colorful and creative!
Leslie - Jayn, you and Brenda will have to try it when you come to play!!
Jayn - I was thinking that :)
Montreat: My Second Home
5/6/2016
I always know Spring is around the corner when it's time for me to head to Montreat for ARW. This is a beautiful photo of the place I have spent a large amount of time at over the last 27 years. Wow, can it really be that long since I started into youth ministry and other wonderful conferences?!
I know that there are a lot of random pictures in this blog and not much in the way of my creative endeavors, but I want you to see the fun things that make me happy! So... enjoy my pictures this week and hopefully you might come play with us next year!!
I went in early to meet with Beth, a friend of mine and we were able to spend some time going over Triennium details for the conference coming this Summer in July. We were able to enjoy some catch up time and still get a lot of work done.
I then spent a LONG day and several other bits and pieces of time during the week helping to sort through the youth closet before the summer conferences start. Wow! There's a big difference in these two pictures!
It is fun to organize other people's stuff.... now to start thinking of finishing up my studio before classes start!!
Dumpster diving for a good cause? I love to create something out of nothing... or in this case out of other people's junk!
Lynn and I went and grabbed this old TV in someone's garbage for the 'Imagineering' class she was teaching.
Then we wrangled Sophie into helping haul it in to Lynn's classroom. I'll have to check with them later to see what they did with it in class....
Here are just a few of the fun signs that led people from the Inn to the evening party and worship. Looks like they're having fun!!
A seek and find "Eye Spy"
This is just a big box with random stuff glued on top and on the sides for folks to hunt and search. I can think of a ton of different ways this could be used at parties. It's been a big hit this week with folks from ages 3 - 89.
Love recreation ministry and the creativity that comes with it!!
I know but I am not telling now...
you'll find it in a blog in July!!
It has changed forms many times this week and will change a lot more, I am sure!
With the theme 'UNEXPECTED! UNEXPLAINED?'
There were many things that showed up 'just because.'
This big white rabbit was taking a break along Lake Susan while waiting for participants to arrive, and we also had a showing from Wonder Woman. She only stopped in for a short time, but it was fun to visit with her.
Some great leadership in worship this week. Just a few pictures from the music and preaching. Jon Brown is doing the music and Jenny McDevittt has shared some wonderful words of wisdom.
One of the workshops was to make some background pages for projects later in the week. I like the way these turned out. They were done with oil pastels and baby oil. This is a very simple technique that I'm looking forward to exploring a little more when I get home.
So... it is only Wednesday and I am wrapping up this blog.. I would love to put in more pictures but Judy is keeping me on task and said I'm a little full in this blog. So I guess I'll just save some from the rest of the week for next week's blog. I'm off to play again!
0 Comments
5/27/2016
Friday was our anniversary and Jeff spent the day working at his office in Georgetown while I was at Purdue working on Triennium details. We spent our anniversary texting back and forth... that was a first!
A steak dinner in our dirty clothes and a lot of progress on clean up! As you can tell, it needed it!
I'm still working to get stuff moved out of the store and am setting up three different workstations in the garage - who has room for a car when it could be studio space?? There will be a station for Torch Fired Enameling, a station for my fused glass kilns and a place for all my saws and woodworking tools. This space will be so productive when I get it done!
Bonnie, Patty and I went to college together at Eastern Kentucky and our lives, after the wild college days, have gone in three different directions. Monday night we met for dinner in Louisville and after two hours we were all caught up as if we had never been apart.
Our lives have gone full circle and we are ready to get together on a regular basis.
If you have any suggestions for great places to eat in Louisville, we would be happy to try them out. Any ideas???
I did it! As soon as I got home from Purdue I went right back to finishing the ottoman I didn't want to leave unfinished last week!
The frayed strip technique gives this ottoman a fun shabby chic look.
It's on display atReclaimed on Main and online at Funky-Fibers.com, where you can get more information.
I also finished two more footstools that were sitting in the basement just waiting for some attention and this bench, that now has a lot of personality since I've changed the fabric and trim on top.
It can also be seen at Reclaimed On Main and in our Sitting Room on the Funky Fibers website.
Check out my other ottoman designs. I would be happy to custom design and create an ottoman just for you!
Looky! Looky!
New Batik fabrics in and online just for you!
Quilting and Crafters Club members!
Place a five yard order (any combination of QCC fabrics) before June 3rd and we'll send you a FREE goody bag with fabrics, fibers and paper for you to get creative and busy with for our DESIGN A JOURNAL contest.
Not a member and want to become one? Go to funky-fibers.com and follow the STEP by STEPdirections on the Home page next to the quilt block photo. Each STEP is important!
DESIGN A JOURNAL CONTEST!
Design a journal cover using your 'FREE goody bag' and send us a picture by June 25th to be entered for a $25.00 online gift certificate (that could be 3 or more yards of fabric!). We will post all entries in the blog and let you all decide the winner. Let's see how creative you all can be! The only rule that applies is, you need to use all the supplies found in your 'FREE goody bag' in one form or another!
Next on my agenda, besides finishing the basement clean up (creating keeps getting in the way), is an ottoman with some bright fun owls....
0 Comments
Unplanned Getaway!
5/20/2016
Everybody needs a little time away and it's been a long time since Jeff and I were able to get away... just the two of us with no real agenda. We had an amazing last minute trip to Greenville, S.C. this past weekend.
He kept telling me that they had beautiful art at this show and he was right!! Thanks Steve!!
If you get a chance to visit Greenville you won't be sorry!
This is one of the first art shows I've been to that REALLY concentrates on just beautiful and creative art. You can tell they're very selective on the artists they choose to participate!
We came upon a farmers market that was blocks long, under the big old trees along Main St. This happened several blocks before the Art Show tents started and we ended up with a few unplanned purchases! It was great fun!
These earrings were from one of my favorite booths. She actually makes jewelry out of old car parts.
Love my new earrings made from an old turquoise 1959 International pickup and an old orange 1962 Rambler. Check out her website, yougotmojo.com.
I know I'll be ordering more jewelry from her!
We came through Pigeon Forge thinking we would spend some time at the outlet malls. We have them here near home but we don't take time to shop with our busy daily schedules After about 15 minutes of fighting a crazy steady stream of traffic we decided to head to the hotel and forget about the shopping.
He was retired and he and his wife sold his carvings on the weekends. Great prices AND beautiful work! Jeff decided he wanted this wonderful Red Oak bowl.
It looks great on the kitchen table and is just the right size for a fruit bowl for the two of us.
Mass production was happening in the studio this week. It didn't take long to get the basement full of projects! I'm building ottoman bases so I can create new ones as the mood strikes.
And strike, it did!
I was in the middle of creating this beautiful piece of fabric for a new ottoman when it was time to head out of town again. It's sitting on top of a coordinating fabric ready to be put together as soon as I get home this weekend. It'll definitely have a Shabby Chic look and different than my norm. Fun to do...
Off to Triennium meetings at Purdue this week. Looking forward to meeting up and planning recreation events with friends!!
4 Comments
Phil Gehman - Please give us a call if you ever come back to Greenville: 864-848-2064. Delighted you like Artisphere!
Leslie - We sure will, Phil!! Would love to get together with you all!! We will definitely be back.... such a fun town!! Hope all is good with you...
Carol Henson - We probably passed you on Main Street! Come back Nov. 5-6 for Open Studios when over 100 artists welcome visitors to their studios.
Jon and Carol HensonLeslie - We looked for you, Carol... and thought of you when we saw Henson Farms banner at the farmers market. I have the November date on the calendar! That would be a great way to spend my 60th birthday! Hopefully we will be back. Sure hope things are good with you all!
Enough Said...
5/13/2016
Home again, home again and trying to catch up on sleep! A week in the mountains does a lot of things for me besides the spiritual renewal that I look forward to every year at The Annual Recreation Workshop. It lets me know how out of shape I have gotten over the Winter as I climb up and down the mountain several times a day! This is the one thing that I know every Spring... my legs will hurt!
These are some of the wooden people that Roger and I worked on a few years ago being recycled in worship. They were placed at our communion table.
One of the best lines of the week that really resonated with me was "You don't have to be THE best.... you just have to be YOUR best." Good words for all of us to live by!!
I brought another wild bike home to join my bright and crazy one. This one was for Lydia's birthday and the citrus colors were perfect for her. We're going to try to ride over in her neighborhood in the evenings to keep in shape.... as soon as we find the time. LOL The one thing you can't say is that we are not decked out for the occasion!
Would you like a crazy bike? I have two more on order that will be put on my website soon. Thanks Sonia and Angie!!
Check out this wonderful gift I was given last week. I think the surprise of this gift was one of the highlights of my week. Thanks Howard!!
Now to figure out how to make it 'Leslie style!' I think it needs to be put on a glider or something with wheels. I'm trying to figure out where to put it and I think that the front porch is winning out. How about polka dots?? Ideas??
These are a few of the fabrics I've pulled for a friend of mine to be made into table toppers. She has created a tablecloth ministry with a wide variety of styles at her church. They rent out the toppers and the money goes towards some of their youth work. This makes me happy since I strongly believe that some of the best hospitality that we can give happens around the dinner table!!
I'm hoping I can get to this project next week! Won't these patterns make some fun tables?
Patty, Betty and I were able to play yesterday in the studio before the rainstorms came.
I found some beautiful bamboo fibers at a fun store in Asheville, NC called Earth Guild. I brought home a color for each of them and we did a little wet felting and made vessels.
Patty's was formed over a bowl and Betty's and mine were formed over vases which we intend to leave in. I'm going to bead and embellish mine as soon as it's dry.
I intend to play some more with this technique and would love to try dying my own bamboo fibers. I'll have to study up on how to do that!
3 Comments
Jayn Lando - I love the felted vases/bowl ... so bright and colorful and creative!
Leslie - Jayn, you and Brenda will have to try it when you come to play!!
Jayn - I was thinking that :)
Montreat: My Second Home
5/6/2016
I always know Spring is around the corner when it's time for me to head to Montreat for ARW. This is a beautiful photo of the place I have spent a large amount of time at over the last 27 years. Wow, can it really be that long since I started into youth ministry and other wonderful conferences?!
I know that there are a lot of random pictures in this blog and not much in the way of my creative endeavors, but I want you to see the fun things that make me happy! So... enjoy my pictures this week and hopefully you might come play with us next year!!
I went in early to meet with Beth, a friend of mine and we were able to spend some time going over Triennium details for the conference coming this Summer in July. We were able to enjoy some catch up time and still get a lot of work done.
I then spent a LONG day and several other bits and pieces of time during the week helping to sort through the youth closet before the summer conferences start. Wow! There's a big difference in these two pictures!
It is fun to organize other people's stuff.... now to start thinking of finishing up my studio before classes start!!
Dumpster diving for a good cause? I love to create something out of nothing... or in this case out of other people's junk!
Lynn and I went and grabbed this old TV in someone's garbage for the 'Imagineering' class she was teaching.
Then we wrangled Sophie into helping haul it in to Lynn's classroom. I'll have to check with them later to see what they did with it in class....
Here are just a few of the fun signs that led people from the Inn to the evening party and worship. Looks like they're having fun!!
How creative is this?
A seek and find "Eye Spy"
This is just a big box with random stuff glued on top and on the sides for folks to hunt and search. I can think of a ton of different ways this could be used at parties. It's been a big hit this week with folks from ages 3 - 89.
Love recreation ministry and the creativity that comes with it!!
Can you guess what Jon is making??
I know but I am not telling now...
you'll find it in a blog in July!!
It has changed forms many times this week and will change a lot more, I am sure!
There were many things that showed up 'just because.'
This big white rabbit was taking a break along Lake Susan while waiting for participants to arrive, and we also had a showing from Wonder Woman. She only stopped in for a short time, but it was fun to visit with her.
Some great leadership in worship this week. Just a few pictures from the music and preaching. Jon Brown is doing the music and Jenny McDevittt has shared some wonderful words of wisdom.
One of the workshops was to make some background pages for projects later in the week. I like the way these turned out. They were done with oil pastels and baby oil. This is a very simple technique that I'm looking forward to exploring a little more when I get home.
So... it is only Wednesday and I am wrapping up this blog.. I would love to put in more pictures but Judy is keeping me on task and said I'm a little full in this blog. So I guess I'll just save some from the rest of the week for next week's blog. I'm off to play again!
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