A Day of Mixed Emotions

I recorded the Royal Wedding and watched it today.  The bride was lovely and her groom so handsome.  It was a wonderful day for a wedding in London, England!  Happiness abounds.

In the American South, there is despair and heartache.  Lost lives, Lost homes, Lost Towns.  Sadness abounds.

We need the strength to carry on and to have More Joy in This World!
Please, Give Us Strength.

Home Sweet Home

This is an article that I want to share with you.  Lesley Riley is a life coach of sorts.  She is an accomplished quilt artist and business woman.  She has given permission for this article to be reprinted and I've taken her up on that.
 
" If you are not happy at home (and I mean being at home with yourself), you will not be happy anywhere, not in the next class, on the cover of a magazine, buying your next art supply or in your studio. Being at home with yourself is the result of taking control of your dreams and pursuing your passions once and for all. It means taking a no excuses approach to creating the life you want. Anyone can be an artist success. It's not about what you know or even how talented you are - its about what you DO. And here's what you need to do - create your best possible life and become your best possible self.
Yes, I know, that's much, much, easier said than done, so I'm going to give you three tips that will help you get started right now.

And let me ask you....."if not now, when?

1) Write down all the things you don't like about your present situation. Now go back over the list and see which ones are a result of your inaction. The number one reason we get down on ourselves is because we don't DO the things we say we want to do. The cold hard truth is that only YOU can make change happen. If you don't see how, then apply your creativity to yourself and figure out how to craft the life you want.

2) To be at home with yourself, create your own recipe for happiness. Check the pantry of your heart for the ingredients you have on hand and then see what you can cook up. If you find you are missing any essential ingredients, create a shopping list and set about acquiring what you need in order to lead a fulfilling life. A tablespoon of gratitude? A cup of compassion? Spreading your gifts? Mixing in a lb of self-care?

3) Start where you are. Is your physical home in conflict with your inner home? Are you just passing through? Are you using it to complement and enhance your life or is it set up for "company," to please others, or just because that's how everybody else's home looks? Your home should be a reflection of your true self. In order to be at home with yourself, your house, your home, has to be a place of your making that gives you joy. So rearrange that furniture, toss the clutter, paint a wall with chalkboard paint and color your world."

Lesley Riley, The Artist Success Expert, is the creative founder of Artist Success, Solutions for the Struggling Artist. To receive her bi-weekly articles on creating your own success as an artist, visit http://www.artistsuccess.com/.

More Playing Around With Fabric

Today I played with fabric and my sewing machine.  I completed a small art quilt I had started some time ago but never got around to put the finishing touches on it.  Today was the day.  I will be adding stitching along the outside edges of the quilt then it will be really finished!  I went to JoAnn's today and bought some storage boxes for 50% off.  I transferred all my thread I had just tossed into a box into this very nice organizer.  It made me happy.  I'm still working on cleaning up my space and trying to get better organized.  It's coming along pretty well.  We are finally having some really beautiful weather, sun and warmth, boy it took it's time coming this year!

I've added some vintage scarfs to my Etsy, "Just A Little Something" shop and also added a couple of photos to my other shop.  Stop by and take a look when you have a minute?
www.etsy.com/shop/grandmamasattic
www.etsy.com/shop/dsigns

Here are a couple of photos of the art quilt I played with today.  It is made with cotton and silk fabric, canvas and commercial as well as hand painted and stamped fabric.  It is machine quilted with clear nylon on the top and cotton thread in the bobbin.

Playing a Bit Today

Today I decided to work on a Journal project I read about in one of my favorite craft magazines.

The journals are made from basic office supplies ie. folders, glue and paper.  I might make a couple of these and feature different subjects.  I'm still not decided on what this Journal will feature.  I'd like to make one featuring birds, another with trees and maybe ancestors?  We'll see.  I'll post when I finish this one.

A Very Busy Weekend!

I had a very busy and fun weekend.  First on Saturday I went to my niece Heather's play in MA which was followed by a wonderful dinner prepared by my sister-in-law and brother.  A feast of Brazillian dishes was served and very much appreciated by everyone.  Twenty of us at dinner, we had two tables in the dining room and one in the kitchen.  The meal ended with a cake in honor of Heather's performance.  A very delightful time.  Heather is a cancer survivor and we are all so proud of her strong determination!

On Sunday I went to my granddaughter, Kimberly's 14th birthday party.  Lots of family members were there and she spoke with her maternal grandmother, who is in Florida, by phone.  Gift certificates, jewelry, makeup and chocolate candy were some of her excellent gifts.  My daughter Karen brought a wonderful fruit salad and we had a taco dish, chips, popcorn and of course cake and ice cream!  Congratulations Kimberly!

It was a good weekend!