Blythecicle Dolls

They make me laugh. Poor Blythe. I keep abusing her picture, LOL. I just love that sideways glance!

The never ending Winter....

It's snowing again. I'm at home sick -- really sick! Too sick to make art or do my report cards. I can't even concentrate enough to read a book. So I'm flipping through decorating magazines -- I've already decorated my new house!! (on paper) I'm sure it will change many times over the next few months.....
Here I am last weekend -- see the SOLD sign -- that's my new house!I'm thinking about painting all of that iron railing stuff in off white. Shabby Chic like.... Note that there is no light at the front of the house. I have to add one at considerable expense. And one at the side door. And one at the back of the house. The flag flying there is a faded flag of the Azores Islands, part of the republic of Portugal. The neighbourhood is predominately Portuguese (mostly from the Azores). So I'll be practicing my Portuguese here!
Adeus!

Monica's Wedding

My friend Monica got married yesterday to Peter. It was a beautiful ceremony in the chapel at The Old Mill -- and then we went to a reception at Le Jardin. I don't know how she does it, but Monica looks younger now than when I met her -- about 10 years ago. I met her at a neighbourhood community centre when I started lifeguarding. My new house is right across the street from the same centre -- life is coming around in a circle. I got to see many old friends -- some who still work at the same community centre -- so I'll be seeing them a lot more really soon!
Here we are last night -- near the end of the night -- I'm a bit tired!And I made her this: The frame is 8x8

Hippity Hop, It's an Easter Swap!

This will be my last swap for awhile. I'm in an Easter swap -- just like the 12 Days of Christmas one! Again -- Heather Simpson Bluhm is hosting. There are a few different groups (4? 5?). I'm in the Pink group. It's just the name of the group. I don't think that our gifts have to be pink.
We don't get to start it until 12 days before Easter. So I can't show you what I've made. But here is the wrapping (click for a better view) The tags are bamboo tiles. And they are very cute! I used a clear stamp from Stampington for the rabbit (I think that it's the French Dictionary Page set)
Okay, twist my arm, here's a sneak peak of what's inside.... LOL....

Family Day

Today is Family Day -- a new holiday in Ontario. It's nice to have a holiday in February! I needed it. In celebration of my family I'm sharing a few pictures.
First -- my family around 1970My Grandma and Grandpa Poole (mom's parents) with me in 1966My Grandma and Grandpa Brown with me and my brother in 1972My baby around 1990Lauren and I in 2007 -- we like photo booths! (click on it to see it bigger)
My brother and his family in 2006
Ray and I in 2007

Flag Day

Flag Day in Canada was on Friday -- and I forgot to post my flags :(
They were part of my Red and White ATC Swap at Bizzy Bs

Red and White

Our theme this month for ATCs at Bizzy Bs was Red and White. This is one of the red and whites I did. I've kept this one for myself. I'm going to frame it with some red fabric behind it. (the image is a rubber stamp -- Paperbag studios -- stamped on cotton organza with Cherry Pink Stazon. I layered on lots of different white fabrics and put a little stuffing behind the image to make it puff out a bit. Then I crazy stitched it all together.

Whites and birds -- encore une fois!

Do I do too may spreads with whites and birds? It's very much in my comfort zone...... This is a spread that I did for Rachelle. -- her theme was whites and birds -- so you can't blame me for this one, LOL!!! The backgrounds are papers, gesso, fabric and texture added with white paint. Only the nest side has fabrics and fibers. Maybe someday soon I will branch out and do texture with colours!

Orange

June picked out the fabrics for this collage a long long time ago when I did a demo at Bizzy Bs. (They were my fabrics -- I let people pick fabrics and then I was demo-ing techniques -- but I never made it to June's) I finally sat down and made it. I'm quite happy with the results! It's about 5"x6". The old alphabet is laser printed on transparency.
I'm working very hard at using up my fabric stash. But people keep giving me more faster than I can use it up. (please don't stop!) Oh well.........

Ch ch ch ch changes.....

Changes are coming! We're moving at the end of April. We bought a house! It's only a few blocks from where we live now. It's exactly where I want to live! Unfortunately it's clad in this lovely angel stone -- but I'll be painting it a nice light sage green some time in the future.... It is semi detached -- that means it's attached to one other house (this is very common here in Toronto). It's got a little back yard for Andy to run around in. And an apartment upstairs for Lauren. And a basement for me to work in. What more do I need? (a giant kitchen? It's got that too!)(Yes, there is workspace for Ray too -- we didn't leave him high and dry, LOL)

There are many more pictures of the interior of the house in my PictureTrail Gallery, but they are password protected. Because I don't own the house yet, or anything inside of it, I wasn't comfortable posting pictures of someone elses house (I did have permission to photograph). If you would like the password, please email me.

I'm supposed to refrain from calling it "The Money Pit". Unfortunately it's taking up every penny that I have, so I won't be swapping/trading until May. I'm sticking with my RR commitments, but that's it. I'll still be making art -- I just can't afford to mail it anywhere!

The Year of the Rat

Thursday marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year. In the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the Rat. I was born in the year of the Dragon (very auspicious). My forcast for this year insists that this will be year of wealth. I can't really see that happening....... well, monetarily anyway... I'm very wealthy in other ways!
I made this ATC for Diana. These very cute little rats were in the newspaper. So I did a packing tape transfer. That's the best way to use newspaper images! I am very impressed with the quality of the image.

I'm still loving birds........

This spread is for Sandee in the We Dream in Colour RR . Here colours were white, sepia and an accent colour -- I guess that my accent is robin's egg blue -- but this isn't a Robin. Oh well.....