For my dear niece, Colleen

Hey, I found this and thought you might get a laugh out of it (you know, after our talk Friday night)...

Ah, to be an adult, and have another adult bawl you out for living your own life the way YOU want to. I have been there, done that many times with the person in question. It goes back many years!

Maybe it's time for a little thing called INTERVENTION - the next time they visit, I'll provide the drinks - bottled water only, and of course iced tea for you - and I'll have the body restraints available if needed, unless you have some saved from your years at the nursing home.

I enjoyed seeing you tonight! Say "Hi" to hubby..... Love, Aunt Julaine

Can you believe I won some chocolate for this quilt?...and below, a picture pun! ~ It's 2:15 in the morning!!!

Way back in '02, the ladies of PAQA in Chicago, set up a challenge! To go outside of your comfort zone, and create something that was a challenge to you. For me back then, it was many things...free-motion quilting, painting fabrics, working with sheers, and putting it altogether to represent "A Master's Work in Fiber - Starry Night"...

The size is the same as Vincent's interpretation of that night from his past. He painted it when he was living in the asylum. Depression and anguish, they said. The year was 1889.
Many things I have learned this year, after celebrating my 50th birthday back in January. Even though all my creative sides have come full circle and everyone tells me how much I've grown as an artist, sometimes you just have to "get it" yourself. I am a firm believer in these facts: that depression and illness can be both a hindrence AND a help in your ability/drive/passion to create - for me it was a brain aneurysm 4 1/2 years ago; joy and energy can hinder/help; and what about anger?
These emotions and life experiences are from an exercise in the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"...of which I am using in my journaling class. Very powerful.

Getting back to the quilt, I actually got some votes on this - enough so I could pick out a prize...I went right for those Chocolate Rum Balls. But, alas, they were gone before I got home, so I couldn't share with my husband and son. Bad Julaine.....

And now, on a lighter note, check the pun below!

What is it? Post your answer, please!

Christmas ornament ~ 1991

While going through all the boxes of ornaments and memories, we found these goodies...

And on the same day (see below)... 

Mr. Excitement

The little boy is not so little anymore...
Jason, aka "DJ Mastershake" got his letter of acceptance for the Creative and Performing Arts Academy for next fall at Auburn High School. He'll be involved in dance, vocal music, and theater...
Jeff and I are very excited, relieved, and when your teenager shows you a HUGE SMILE, you know it's coming from deep inside... 

For our television viewing pleasure...

This is "The Carver" from "Niptuck" - a delicious, evil, strange, seductive program on the FX channel. Just wondering if anyone else out there in "Fiberspace" watches...

My DH thinks he knows the character's identity: "It's Matt, Sean and Julia's (no, Christian and Julia's) son," he says. Regular character, has a few problems, hmmmmm...

Our son visited the website (blog) tonight and learned a few things about the guy - even his taste in music! If you are a viewer, check it out - www.myspace.com/thecarver . Warning - beware some of the comments.

What I don't understand, I guess, is how a program like this is on the network that also owns Fox News Channel, home to all things conservative... (and idiotic) ~~~

"Blue skies...

smilin' at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see."

Okay, so now I have three pairs of socks on, because I took this photo in my Birkies outside with NO socks on. Make sense? - of course not, but I've been told that I am a bit impulsive.

Our neighborhood is full of tree-lined streets. From where I sit at the computer, and where I sit 'n bead or knit, I watch this old maple. One of the branches is particularly interesting, and I watch it every season to see what it's been up to. I know it has to be done, but I think the tree gets royaly p-o'd when the city comes to trim.

I've only done one quilt with a tree image on it, and that appeared in Quilting Arts magazine for fall 2005. Maybe if I were more confident in my drawing skills, I could do more. 2006 resolution maybe?

Here's a bit of info: did you know that the Druids believed that trees held the memories of people who walked by them?

Why is it so hard sometimes...

to see them go? Is it because you're particularly proud of the way they turn out? Does it come from being very tired, and staying up late as the deadline approaches, sewing on those 200 plus beads. There wasn't any blood or sweat this time, but there were tears...

This is called "How Beautiful are the Feet no.5" - I delivered it to Kelly today, and she was thrilled! This is the latest in a sort of series - the first one was completed in 2002, and that was way before I started photographing my work.

I always say that I will visit my quilts that are in town, but I rarely do - letting go the first time is hard enough..... 

The Creative Soul and Journaling

Five incredible women! In the photos below, you'll see some of their work from today's class.
A little new age music, a little meditation, and thoughts on peacefulness, anger, femininity, illness, energy, depression, joy, and personal traits helped all of these already creative women begin their art journals. They stamped, did frottage, image transfers, glued, painted tyvek, and didn't seem to mind that teacher gave them Astrobright cardstock pages (it's getting a little gloomy here in Illinois, you know) to work with.
I am very proud of them...
I honor Karen~Susan~Joy~Linda~Mary Lou~
Thank you..... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEME: I can't live without...

Caity's request! Easy one - 4 glasses/day. It's as close to a Starbuck's iced mocha as humanly possible AND no hydrogenated oils! (thanks, Sherrie Spangler, muse, for getting me addicted). princessandthepea - Caity's blog- check it out!!!

Heather and the Little Boy!

Jason, our son (in the pink hoodie), found his old puffy vest, and decided to give our 15 year old Heather a ride around the house in it. Sorry the rest of his face is not in the pic, but he didn't think he looked presentable...

She enjoyed it and didn't want to get out of the vest. Can't you tell by how excited she looks? My DH and I still refer to the teenage son as the Little Boy when we talk to her about him, and watch her look for him.