Maybe THIS year I'll actually redo that Santa Claus. I threaten to every year. I bought him years ago because I really liked his kind face. I'd like to give him a lovely new coat made from one of my old red and white quilts. Oh, and he definitely needs an artist made bear and stocking and a tree with german glass baubles. Maybe this year. Maybe. It's not like he really NEEDS a redo. We'll see. It's a lovely idea anyway!!
Happy Halloween! Won't you come in and sit for a spell? I promise only treats, no tricks.
Oh, but wait! One little trick here. Those chair wraps are made by taking black sheer curtains purchased from Ikea (I think they were $6.99 for the pair) and tying them in a knot. How simple is that?!! I inserted one of my Halloween wands but you could gussy them up with flowers or....whatever!
The house we're living in has a greatroom floor plan. The entry, living, dining and kitchen are all open so the whole space got a little Halloween magic.
Miss Mannie and Miss Quinn are all dressed up and ready to greet guests this weekend. If only they could help me string all the spider webs to really set a spooky mood.
Thank you for dropping by. I do hope you have a Jolly Halloween!
Welcome to my new studio space! It's cozy. That's a lovely way of saying it's really quite small compared to what I was used to. :)
This is a moment when my desk was clean. To see it today it isn't quite that tidy. When I'm at my most creative, I'm at my most messy!
The nice thing about working in a small space is that everything is within reach.
This space has a vanity sink and cupboards just to the right of the closet and through the door. It makes it really nice to be able to airbrush and paint all in one space.
I love, love, love IKEA shelf units. They make a small space much more organized. Especially with all the boxes that fit nicely inside! Atop the shelves are some of my favorite things. Pink and white with touches of aqua. 
The morning of July 13th forever changed our lives. I took Macey to meet Brittany at Macey's doctor's office for what we thought may have been a milk allergy. As it turns out though, Macey was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Her glucose reading was 592. Normal is around 90. I remember the doctor saying over and over, "I'm so sorry." 
After what seems like it's been an eternity, we are moving on and building a new nest. Our previous home still hasn't closed. We are on the third, or is it the fourth, buyer. An all cash deal for the bank, this latest one. If they don't accept it, there is something seriously wrong with the banking industry. It's ridiculous!! 
We've found a house to begin the rebuilding process and we're starting to feel okay. It's odd to rent after so many years of owning. Our landlords have been kind enough to let us make it our own by allowing us to paint rooms. I've only painted two so far. Macey's bedroom and my studio are a beautiful shade of soft pink. That's enough for now. 
The cats seem to have weathered everything just fine and have found their favorite spots. 
And would you look at our sweeter than ever granddaughter!! She celebrated her second birthday in May. Can you believe it?!! :)
Now that I have a studio in which to work and spread all my projects around, I'm back to creating again. I'll post tour pictures soon. For now though, it's enough for me to have a blog post up letting everyone know we are on the mend and have so very much to be thankful for. Thank you for hanging in there with us and cheering us on as we move forward.
This photo, taken of one of my favorite old dolls, truly shows the sadness and scrapes and scuffs Bill and I have lived this past year. You may have noticed from spotty posts since April of last year that I really checked out for awhile. The economy and housing crash took it's toll and despite our best efforts to hold on to our beautiful home the time came to let it go when the banks wouldn't work with us. Being self-employed has it's upside and downside. Losing one's home can only really be understood by those who've experienced it themselves.
So, we have put on our best smiling faces and we're moving forward. There are boxes everywhere waiting to be moved. Packing my studio and Macey's room have proven to be the most difficult in different ways.
Speaking of Macey, our most precious granddaughter, here is the most recent picture taken of her. This move hasn't seemed to have fazed her a bit so far. I have to tell you, if not for being her caregiver Monday through Friday, there would be many days I would not have even gotten out of bed. Macey has been a blessing in so many ways no one could have ever imagined. Hard to believe, she'll be two in May!!
