Crafting up a Storm!

I am doing well on this round of chemo, my energy levels have been good.  I have been able to hang out with my super cool family and craft up a storm.
The weather here in Arizona has been warm, then cold and rainy then warm, then cold and rainy.  It is a bounty of weather when we usually see clear skies.  I love the variety and we are having fun taking little walks out to explore the wet park and neighborhood.  Luci is less sure about the rain so we have to reassure her regularly that the sky is not falling.  Our winter will end soon so we are enjoying the chill.

On to the crafting storm!  I have been inspired by several creative ladies and I want to mention them because  they lift my spirits on a regular basis.
One amazing creator is Geninne from Geninne's Art Blog.  She takes her inspiration from nature and shares that regularly.  Geninne taught me to carve stamps with the detailed tutorial available on her blog.  She even wrote a book about carving stamps called Making An Impression.  Geninne is an accomplished painter as well as a gifted photographer and she shares her work with a humble pride that I love.

I recently found incredible crochet inspiration from a lovely lady named Lucy on her blog Attic 24.  Her style is so vivid, she chooses the best color combinations and creates beautiful and fun crochet projects.  I used her tutorial to create my tiny bunting and I also used her patterns to create tiny flowers, stars and hearts.  Lucy's blog is full of unique crochet and beautiful photos of the English countryside where she lives.  I love seeing what Lucy is up to, she inspires me to continue crocheting.

I thank both Geninne and Lucy for the work they do to share their lives and their art.  I feel like my crafting is better because of the influence of artists like these bright ladies.

Let me show you what I've been up to lately.

I've had the urge to work with clay, but since I am a novice I did not want to spend a lot of money on my first practice creations.  I found this great air dry clay at Target of all places.  It is Crayola brand clay that came in a nice size tub for just over $3.  Yea!  I wanted to make some small little dishes to hold my bits of nature, so I tried an experiment.  I took bits of the clay that I warmed up in my hands and smooshed them against some medium size rocks.  I like the way they turned out.  You can sand the dried clay, but I liked the rough look with unfinished edges.  I painted one silver and I like how you can see the texture of the rock, the rest are unpainted.  The clay is a bit chalky but I liked it and will use it again.

 I crocheted this cute little grey bowl to hold my crochet stones.

 I crocheted this bowl and put one of those artificial candles inside, it makes a soft glow at night.

The red thread I used for the flowers is called "Liberty", what a great name.  The company that made the blue was not quite as creative with "Dark Blue".  Funny.

 This is a leaf I made with a pattern from an online library book, I just can't remember which one.  I love the Greater Phoenix Digital Library.

I crocheted a few hearts, they are bumpy and will look nicer after a light pressing.  I asked Isabel is she would like tiny heart bunting and she said "Only if they are black."  So I am going to try some black hearts, I'll let you know how they turn out.

I crocheted this tiny owl.  I love the color of the yarn, it has brown, orange and green shades.  Who?

I made these clothes pins into tiny arrows for my bulletin board, they are sweet and add a bit of sparkle.

I love small projects and have had a great time crafting these little things.
I go again for chemo on Thursday, I get a little nervous a few days before, but everything always turns out fine.

I hope your week is going along well and have a great Valentine's day.

Bespoke Shoes and A Tall Girl

Today I want to share two great blogs I like to visit.

The first one is so interesting and different you may be surprised by the behind the scenes information you learn.  The blog is called:  Bespoke Shoes Unlaced:  A Shoe Making Blog.  The blog chronicles the work of two shoe artists making custom hand sown British men's shoes.   I know, on the surface the subject may not sound interesting, but I can't seem to get enough.  The tools are so fine and the hand work is amazing.  The posts range from photos of the classes they lead to trade shows they attend to finished shoes.  You can tell both have a sense of humor because of their nicknames: Madame Shoe and jimmyshoe.  Check out this great blog if you get a chance.

jimmyshoe and Madame Shoe
Photo Courtesy:   http://carreducker.blogspot.com/ 

The second blog I want to share is called Tall World After All.  This blog is about a Canadian Tall Girl sharing her life, travel and adventures.  She is a world traveler with a great sense of humor, and has lived in Germany and England.  We have that in common, so I really enjoy how she compares experiences in different countries.  Now Tall Girl is going to live in Spain and is going to be married soon.  (Just like my friend Luli-Yea!).  From the funny elderly things to the missing tarts at her shower, I enjoy reading every funny Tall Girl post.  Stop by to meet her at Tall World After All.

This is a funny glass fish Tall Girl found in her new flat.   Her caption was  "You won't find that at Laura Ashley.."
Photo Courtesy:   http://tallworldafterall.blogspot.com/

Have a terrific Monday.

Hand Carved Stamps and Photo Help

I love all kinds of handmade crafts, so I am always on the look out for great tutorials that show me how to make wonderful things.  Well today I hit the jackpot!  I stumbled into the crafting kingdom of Ishtar Olivera. Her blog name is her name, here is the link:   Ishtar Olivera.  Her blog is in both English and Spanish, I was able to understand everything, but Google can translate the Spanish parts if you need it.  Ishtar is a professional illustrator with a love of rubber stamps.  She has a two part tutorial on hand carving stamps that I cannot wait to try.  They are so beautiful.  I am also going to try some of the amazing tips she gives in her photography series.  Her snaps are just perfect.

Take a look at some of Ishtar's lovely stamps:


1-. House stamp/ Sello casita: 2-.- Kitty stamps/ sello gatito; 3.- Fox stamp/sello zorro: 4.- Mandala


1.- Apple girl/ niña manzana;2.- Summer flower / Flor verano 3.- Bicycle and tree/ Bicicleta y árbol 4.- Birdie/pajarito

I think the bicycle, fox and mandala are my favorite.

I want to thank Ishtar for sharing her work.  I appreciate the inspiration.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

A Scottish Tree House and my Right Now list

As I was wandering around blogland this morning I stopped by Sophie Isobel's blog Her Library Adventures.  First, I love her name.  My daughter's first and middle names are Isabel Sophia, so to find a Sophie Isobel is just cool.  Sophie's blog is really nice, she is in Australia and is expecting.  I saw a post about The Lodge, a fancy hotel in Scotland that has this Treehouse as a room for rent.  

I do not want to travel to Scotland, I just want to daydream about living in this treehouse.  It overlooks the loch. 

'

This is a cabin at The Lodge.

So I have been thinking a lot about a Life List, I posted about it a while back.  My dilemma is that I am in a situation that does not allow me to travel or even go out much.  I don't want my list to be made up of things I know I will never do.  So I am working on a list of "right now" moments that I can use as a kind of Life List. 

Right Now List Item #1

Have thoughtful conversations that allow me to get to know each member of my little family even better.

Right now I have the time and I just want to get to know each person better.  I have been thinking about ways of  asking questions that I could use to help open up conversations.  Don't get me wrong, I ask them questions all the time and we do talk.  I just want to get closer, learn more.  The children are very special and I want to get a peek at where they are going and what they will be doing in their lives ahead.

In the past we've all been busy and have not had enough of the conversations that bring people closer.  At this time those conversations are more important than ever.  I have two books on reserve that I think can help with conversation, I will let you know if they are good.

Do you have a specific approach to conversation?  Is there anyone special that you want to have better conversations with?  

Mine is off to a great start, I hope you have a happy Tuesday.

P.S.  I drew this fish so I could water color him.  He looks a bit angry to me, we'll see after the paint.;)

Life List

I love her blog because she is funny and I really like the way she writes.  The bonus is that AB Chao is a successful designer with an interesting life.  I enjoy AB's photo series of headless pictures of herself, they are so funny.  And like me, she has a very photogenic dog;)

I bring her blog to your attention not just for great dog photos, but because I feel compelled to share the Life List she put together.  I have been thinking about the world and my place in it for some time now.  A list like this made me feel so many things.  For me the point of the list is not about doing them, it is about identifying the things and places we love and the dreams we have inside.  My list would be very different except for the photo show of my dog's pictures and Kenny Rogers (Islands in the Stream-I know all the words).  Fun Frances Fact:   I learned the "Thriller" dance in high school. What is the Tamale Trail?  I looked it up and the trail is located in the Mississippi Delta and let's just say good eating and good times are the focus. I like how AB crossed out the things she has done already.  I am working on my list and hope that you are inspired to write one of your own.  Thanks AB.

Here is a small excerpt, you can see the complete list by clicking here-AB Chao's Life List:

Compete in a darts tournament
Buy and renovate a beach house on the Gulf Coast
Give a dramatic reading
Spend a day on a shrimp boat
Have a chef cook a 7-course meal for me and a crowd
Learn the "Thriller" dance
Run the New York marathon
Decorate a room with Jonathan Adler
Tour the Tamale Trail
Do a back flip on an in-ground trampoline
Sing a duet with Kenny Rogers
Attend a Super Bowl
Have a photography show with pictures of my dog
Speak really good French
Smoke pot in Amsterdam
Make the cover of a magazine
Eat a rice burger in Taipei
Have bespoke clothing made for myself in Singapore
Quit my job
Own a vintage Danish light
Eat at the French Laundry
Eat at Alinea
Eat at Cochon
Live in New Orleans

Here is a peek at a few flower pins I made recently.

I made this out of thick grey jersey like material.  I love the way the blue bead catches the eye.

These are also made of jersey and are super soft.  I sewed one onto my orange hat and just love it.

I hope you have a Wacky Wednesday!

A French Connection

While I enjoy watching the actor Gene Hackman, I am afraid this post is not about The French Connection film he made in 1971.  This post is about a few things I have enjoyed lately that happen to have a French connection.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I moved to Germany while in High School.  I was there for several years, Sebastian was born on a small Army post in Nuernberg, Germany.  Spending time abroad as a young person definitely left a positive impression on me, one that lasts to this day.  I regret that I was not able to travel to France when I was in Europe.  I think that has helped to build the romance in my mind.  So now I take virtual tours on the Louvre website and dream of picnics under the Eiffel tower.
Speaking of picnics under the Eiffel tower, I got the idea from a blog I love called Oh, Happy Day!  The blog is owned by event planner Jordan Ferney.  I started reading it while she and her husband and two boys lived in Paris for a year.  Most of the photos are taken by her husband Paul and are stunning, I felt like I was transported.  Jordan's posts from Paris helped me to remember the best things about Europe.
They recently moved back to San Fransisco and they take us with them as they get reacquainted with the city. You can still read about their adventure by clicking the Paris tab at the top of the home page. This Paris section is packed full of great tips and fun places to visit along with photos showing this little family in action.  Because Jordan is an event planner, the blog also has a lot of cool ideas about putting together a gathering, celebration or photo booth.  Jordan also writes for Babble.com and she does a summary of her stories from there each week.  A very special blog for sure, I urge you to visit when you get a chance.  Here are a few photos from Paris from Oh, Happy Day!  











Next I want to share about a book I got as a gift for my Birthday.  A special person (who does not read this blog) gave it to me knowing that I would never get it for myself and I really appreciate that.  I learned about the book from a blog I mentioned before called DesignSponge;  it was featured a few months ago and is called The French Cat by Rachael Hale (Rachael's married name is McKenna, but her books are published under Hale). You may have heard of her or at least seen some of her pictures, Rachael Hale is a very popular photographer of super cute animals and babies. There is actually a website that offers books and items with her super cute photos here.  After years of capturing them in the studio, Rachael wanted to get out and photograph animals where they live.   I consider myself a dog person but I have never seen anything like this book. Rachael, her husband and baby moved to France and set out to capture photographs of animals in their natural environment.  Her first book from France is about cats and the photographs are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  Included are bits of information on the area in France and the cat being photographed.  There are also fantastic quotes and great behind the camera information.  Like how Rachael used a feather tied to a stick to get the cat's attention and lead him/her into better lighting (no zoom lens or photoshop used!!).  While it seems like an unlikely treasure, I continue to enjoy my cat book.  Her other book just came out The French Dog!  I am wishing on a star that someday it will be mine.  Hey it worked last time;)

The pictures below are all taken by Rachael Hale and are just a few from the original feature on DesignSponge Here. 






These pictures are of Rachael's notebooks, so detailed.

The last thing I have to mention in a French related post is a stretch, but work with me.  French Fries.  Yes, I know they have nothing to do with France and the French call them chips.  Anyway, you may remember my love of waffle fries from Chic-Fil-A.   I have not lost any love for them, I have just grown my love to include Smash Fries!  Recently our nearest Mall added a new restaurant called Smash Burger.  I had never heard of it, but word of mouth spread quickly about the special french fries sprinkled with rosemary, olive oil, garlic and a little salt---Smash Fries.  My knees go weak just thinking about them.  Give them a try if you get a chance.



The fries in front are SmashFries! 
This photo is from the Smash Burger website.

Have a Monumental Monday!



**The views expressed here are mine.  I was not compensated in any way for my opinion.**   Although I would consider some type of fry payment plan;).

Fine Art and Clip Art

The Louvre Museum
While I have never been, I've often thought of and imagined the Louvre museum in Paris.  I was so amazed when I found their website.  The site is very functional and available in English, you can use it to plan your trip to the museum, review maps and get information on live tours.  But the best part is they also have virtual tours available!! I was able to see some Egyptian antiquities and a Midevial section of the Museum.  The tours are very clear and worth the time if you are interested. There are other sections of the website where you can view individual art pieces, just awe inspiring.  I grabbed a few of the pictures quickly to show the range of art works available for view online.  Take a look when you get a chance, I really love it, like food for your mind.

You can reach the Louvre website in English here.

The Graphics Fairy

I've been looking for a new blog background that better represents us and stumbled onto a jewel of a blog called The Graphics Fairy owned by Karen Watson.  This blog has thousands of clip art pictures available and most are vintage looking.  I found cool images of lions and bees which are my favorite right now.  Using those images, I put together two quick colleges with Picmonkey.  Take a look:

I think the first is the crest of Scotland.  I love the fox blowing bubbles and the human like faces of the lions in the last crest.

The honey bear in the top right square makes me smile.  From a few of the posts I've read, some of the pictures are scanned and cleaned up images from old rescued magazines and journals.  They are all free, Karen just asks that you give her credit when using them.  She also collects pictures of crafts people have made using her images, there are some pretty cool and inspiring projects available to look at. A recent post of that can be viewed here.  I may use one of Karen's free backgrounds in the next few days, so don't be alarmed if things look a little different next time you stop by;)

I hope you have a Magic Monday!

The Enchanting Butterfly and Grow Creative

I mentioned in an earlier post that I wanted to share with you some of the smaller blogs I love to read.  Today I will talk about two that I really enjoy.

The first is called The Enchanting Butterfly.  The owner of this beautiful blog is Luli and she takes and gathers the best photos!  From NYC at it's best to the Queen and her Jubilee, I continue to go back and look at some of the great shots posted throughout.  Luli also has the best quotes and she shares what she is currently reading.  I sometimes check what Luli is reading and then check the digital library so I can read it too.  I am a big fan, so check out Luli's blog when you get a chance.

Photo credit:  Getty

Photo credit:  Stefan Rousseau / PA Wire

This is Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield.  Another great photo.

When I am not up to making something I like to read about other people making things.  I found this lovely blog called Grow Creative where Elise shares her amazing watercolor paintings with us.  The best part is that she not only shares what she makes, she has several tutorials available where she teaches watercolor techniques.  One of the first craft gifts I got when I had some free time was a little watercolor set from Esteban, I can't wait to try some of Elise's tutorials.  I plan to watercolor with Isabel this summer so I will let you know how our paintings turn out.

Abstract Watercolor Tutorial

Progressive Watercolor Tutorial

I hope you take a look and enjoy these blogs as much as I do.

LOVE Sick

Before we go any further I have to say as a family and as individuals we have things we love.  But my little family has a funny saying when we REALLY love something, we say "you are sick with it".  For example: "You are sick with M&Ms right now Mom." This is Isabel trying not to call me a pig when I have melted M&M stains around my mouth. So liking something way too much means you are sick with that thing.  I wanted to let you know about a few things we are sick with right now (we were not compensated to endorse anything on this post, we wish;), here goes:
Whole Family LOVE Sickness:
Luci:  Each of us has a special bond with our dog Luci. Maybe because we have had challenging times and she has really been there to love us all through it. What ever the reason, Luci is at the center of our universe and we each feel lucky to be part of the team taking care of her. All four of us list her as our #1 sickness.
Chick Fil A:  We love it so much our family budget and calendar has Chick Fil A built in for twice a month.  The Chick Fil A sauce is the best sauce in the entire universe.
Sweet Tea:  I remembered how to brew sweet tea and cooked up a batch about 6 months ago, since then Isabel and I cannot make enough.  I taught her how and now I love it when she does a batch on her own, she gets all puffed up and proud.
Pumpernickel Bread:  There is something so earthy about this dark bread, a loaf is gone in a day or so. 
NetFlix and Hulu Plus:  We ditched cable over a year ago and got NetFlix. Now we also have Hulu Plus.  I was paying more than $75 a month for cable (gold cables?) and now at about $16 ($8 each) a month and we feel like we are way better off and see fewer commercials to boot. I find we do much less vegging out in front of the TV and more watching exactly what we want.
Tempe Marketplace:  We live in Tempe Arizona, a few miles from ASU.  Nearby there is an open air shopping center that is very nice. There are misters (water turned to mist and sprayed down on people) throughout as well as fire features, a water fountain and seating areas with umbrellas. It has a giant Harkins Theatre, Target (with groceries!), Michaels (my fave), Best Buy and all those places that kids like to go.  We go there for outings, sometimes all together like to the movies, or to get a few groceries or the kids meet up with friends there.

Frances' LOVE Sickness:
Chocolate M&Ms:  Yes, I do regularly get M&M stains on my hands and mouth. 
Waffle Fries:  I know I have Chick Fil A listed above, but I am sick specifically with the waffle fries.  I think about them every day.  It may seem silly to schedule our fast food outings, but it gives us something to look forward to and we don't end up over doing it and going a few times a week. You can have too much of a good thing. Next week is the next visit!!
Instant Folgers:  Coffee lovers will be disappointed to learn that I am sick with instant coffee.  It is just so easy to microwave the water and milk and then add the delicious crystals. I drink about 2-3 cups a day and have to hold myself from drinking more.
Blogs:  I stumbled into Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing over a year ago and I am still a big fan of hers. Her book is #2 on my wish list (Sorry Gertie, it is #2 only because the DIY book has tons of easy projects;).  Through that blog I found an entire online sewing community that is generous, caring and supportive.  I read The Sew Weekly started by Mena Trott, it is a group of women from all over the world sharing clothing items they make based on a weekly theme.  I love seeing so many different and beautiful creations.  I also ADORE the blog I Spy DIY by Jenni Raddsevich. Her new book I Spy DIY is #1 on my wish list. She has super cool DIYs, especially the jewelry. Design Sponge by Grace Bonney is my favorite right now, I am super sick with it;).  It covers design, re purposing, DIY and a series called "living in" where they identify a movie that it would be cool to "live in" and why. I added the links below so you can take a look if you like. These are a few of the bigger blogs I love, I read a few others that are very special and I will share about them in another post.

Happy Tuesday!



http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/ 

http://www.sewweekly.com/


http://www.ispydiy.com/


http://www.designsponge.com/

Design*Sponge