I'm on a Roll...

....and since I wasn't finished with the post I just did, I will continue on a new post. Still learning!
At the store we had our second Author signing. I'm happy to say that I had a bit to do with it, although if the whacky lovables hadn't been there to put me together when I got overwhelmed, the signings wouldn't have happened. We had Carol Haile who writes, illustrates (and also does beautiful calligraphy) childrens books. It's the second time she's been with us and she's great with the kids as well as customers who thinks she works there!
We had a poetry author, a satyrical Sci-Fi author, a historical fiction writer, a self help author and a adult fiction writer. All these folks are local to the BerksCounty area.I hope we'll be able to do more signings and events in 2009.

One last little something....This is Sebastian Bear. Many years ago when my girls and I were struggling for survival I wanted a home and life like Tasha Tudor, and the folks in Country Living Magazine. Believe me the dreams kept me going when we were close to being in the streets. I had seen a teddy bear standing on a hearth of someones home on the cover of a winter issue of Country Living. I ached for that teddy bear...jointed and antigue, all the stories bundled inside this wonderful little bear.
I needed an operation and wasnt able to work for some time and I decided I would make this teddy bear, somehow! And using the coats my little girls could no longer wear and odds and ends from around the house.....I created Sebastian. And because he was made from these coats that my girls wore in all kinds of adventures he is VERY special and I love him. And he's jointed, too!
All I need now is the hearth....ahhh, another dream that WILL come true.
And now, Sebastian is posing for my art work, too. He loves Christmas!
I just noticed he's up there with the authors and he should be down here!!!! Another Adventure in Blogging begins! Ta, for now! Oh, that reminds me....the sweater Sebastian is wearing was done by Griffins mom, Heather, when she was starting out with knitting and here she is knitting Pirate sweaters for her own little man! How awesome is that! Bye again :D

December Already???!!!

Well, okay, what to write today! I'm into Christmas this year moreso than I have been for a while. Maybe the fact that there's a grandson to shop for.......that we are in our own home and some bloomin landlord can't decide to sell the property, raise the rent for whatever pathetic reason they come up with, decide to put new windows in only to change their minds after they've torn out your bathroom window and used our towels to clean up with.....multiply that by MANY years of renting hell and you get my drift? Peace!
So, here are some new Griffinbabyboy photos for your viewing pleasure ( I can hear you, Lupie, saying "Well, it's about time!!).

This is Maggie, although she came to us two nights ago with the name CC. She is a 3 or 4 year old Pomeranian. She's as cute as a button! This was totally not planned and I must admit I'm not to comfortable about her,yet. We already have Oliver the cat, 2 birds and a fish. Plus Heather and Lees dog, Cassidy. And a new baby........which I've heard makes small dogs rather nervous.
But, I'll be optomistic...I DO want a dog, she's just so fragile! Gotta give it a chance, right?
I will be more than happy to hear advice from anyone familiar with Poms, so please jump right in, okay??!! Please!!!
I wrote a Halloween poem and I'll post it later......Hope everyone had a deliciously spooky Halloween!!

Welcome To My Life, Griffin!

I am a Grandmother! He was born two Saturdays ago ( as some of my Ravelry friends found out rather abruptly in one of their posts!)
I spent the weekend with them and it's amazing how things come back to you when you hold a little one in your arms. It all feels so right. Heather and Lee are so proud and , I'm sure , relieved. They've waited so long for everything to come together and then BOOM! Within a week, there he is!
So I will post some pictures. Believe me there are MANY to choose from. I'll probably add other things later but I know a few folks who have been waiting.....Here you are my friends.....Griffin.

Birthdays and Babies and Critters, OH MY.....

Well,here we are in October.....Halloween, and harvest festivals and home fires beginning to burn. We have some color in the trees and we've had frost in the area. And then, today, all the windows are open and its warm......Fall.
I've been dragging books from the basement to the attic, they're now in my bedroom, by the attic door. My daughters afraid by the time I get them all up there the roof will cave. It's the only way I can organize them. The attic will eventually be my room, but since we bought the place I just have this need to gather things in one place and deal with them, you know? Either they stay, organized till we get the bookcases built, or they gotta go! So, I'm sticking to it and hope I'm strong enough to get rid of some.
Jeni had her Birthday and we had all the critters join in...we really didn't have much choice as you can see by the pictures! Ms. NannyBNanny really likes Birthday cake and Oliver, the cat, loves wrapping paper! And vanilla ice cream! Sorry, I know there's a bit of blur.
Every year we go to the Heritage Festival where, Heather, my other daughter sells her knitting , felting, jewelry and Jeni has been selling her jewelry, too. This year Heather and Lee found out at the last moment that they were going to meet the birth mother of their soon to be baby boy!
So Jeni and I went ourselves. She bought me the red ware plate and we just enjoyed the afternoon so much! We were hoping to see sheep, alpacas, and spinners but didn't see any. One year they had angora rabbits sleeping in the spinners laps while the fur was being spun. Amazing to watch.
And last, but certainly not least, if any of you are traveling through West Reading and Wyomissing come say "HI" at the Book Warehouse! We're having a fund raising for the PETS IN NEED FUND. It's there to help people who may not be able to afford life saving treatments for their pets have the alternative to loosing their pet due to financial reasons. I believe their first recipient was a rescued dog from Katrina. It's nice to know their is help out there , isn't it?
Well, that's all the babbling for now....started a knitting project, and will post some pictures soon! HAPPY OCTOBER!!

Its The Autumn of theYear

Happy Autumn, everyone!!
Once again I've been lost in blogland confusion. Seems I have 2 blogs connected to 1 and I lost an entire post yesterday because I goofed and what I posted was in the blog I dont want to use but cant get rid of instead of here! Confusing,hu?
I actually knit an entire skein of yarn into a "sharf". What, you may ask, is a sharf? It's not a scarf and its not a shawl....something inbetween. I decided to practice my knit stitch until I got it right and as I went along I really liked the feel of the yarn and the way it looked. So, when I was finished I was pretty thrilled because I tend to start many projects of all sorts and then burn out!
When I cast off the last row I used my hands to gently pull and straighten the sharf and TWING! The whole row unraveled! And since I havent mastered fixing goofs yet...I frogged (my new word) the whole thing! But I did take a few pictures before all was lost so that my new friends on Ravelry can see that I do knit! Or at least , I try!
So , once again, HAPPY FALL! Go out and crunch the leaves and smell the fireplaces and get inspired by the colors. We humans may mess things up but somehow Mother Nature gets it right!
Till next time I'm posting some photos of my extinct "sharf" and Fall!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas....

Okay, I promise if this works it will be the last post today!
I figured since this is an art blog ( well, I DID say that!) maybe I should put in a few pictures of a work in progress...
It was done in pencil originally but once again I'm trying to work in charcoal. I hope to have this become a Christmas card. Course, at the speed I'm going it wont be THIS Christmas!
Talk to you next time!

Out Of Africa

I told you it would be soon!
My Son-In-Law, Lee, just came back from his second trip to Africa and brought us some goodies.
One is this beautiful batik piece. He says it reminds him of the strong women in his life. Isn't that a wonderful thing for him to say? Very intelligent young man!!! Bye the way? I'm the one with her top on!!!lol

Blog 101

Greetings Blogland!
I can't believe it's been about a month since I started my Blog and haven't posted! I went into bloggy-shock, I believe. I decided I needed to be educated in "Blog" so I started looking up the word Blog and after a brain swelling amount of information came across a magazine called Artful
Blogging (http://www.stampington.com/) through Somerset Studio. After browsing online I sent for 2 of their earlier issues.
I am in love!! What amazing people are creating out there! People with fears and passion and homes and families who are finding ways to create art! I am so hooked on this publication, I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to reach out there but, like me, is afraid of failure, or rejection. Or, if you just need inspiration, believe me when I say "You WILL be inspired!"
Let me know what you think, okay?
More soon!

portrait of lucie de la falaise

portrait of lucie de la falaise

I just lost a post somewhere! So, I'm trying again!
This is my first charcoal portrait. It was scarey to do because I'm used to pencil and I was afraid if I goofed Big time I'd loose all that work. I really need to lighten up!

and so it begins....

Wow, I've done it! Started a Blog! Now I just need to figure it all out!
This will be the place where I babble, and show my creations as I create them.....it's nice because I really get shy and all stupid when it comes to actually Showing them. I feel safer this way.
My creations will consist of Portraits in black and white. This can be anything from charcoal, pencil, photography and once I get color educated, that too! Then there are black and white sketches of special friends and loves in my life.....a lot will have to do with Halloween and Christmas. And I may put some poetry in, too, since I hope to create cards and books, too.
then there will be the Crafty items I want to play with....knitting, dolls, maybe jewelry....we"ll see.
So this space will be a creation in progress and I'm 100% sure I'll do some major screwups so be gentle when you respond, okay?
Later...