Update

Thursday Morning: My beautiful girl, Maggie, has gone home to heaven. I'm Ok, just going inside myself for a little while.
Thurdsday Night: A friend found my purse where I had dropped it in a car park - and I am getting everything back, including the cash. I had not even cancelled most cards.

I started this blog to focus on art and animals and with the aim of focussing on the positive. This week is beyond blah so I will simply give you a quick update and be back when the wheel turns.

Maggie has had two feet of bowel removed yesterday in major surgery. Apparently the improvement we saw on Sunday was a result of the relief felt when her bowel perforated. The vets said if she survived last night she had a 50% chance. I have just left her tonight and she is as well as can be expected - but they won't improve the odds for at least another 5 days. The perforation led to peritonities (sp?) - that is a lot of infection.

To add to the blah I have managed to lose my purse today. At a time when what will become thousands of dollars are being committed to Miss M, this is a huge issue. I don't think it was stolen - I think in my tired haze I have left it somewhere silly. However I am going to have to cancel cards if I do not find it soon.

I am spending as much time as possible sitting in Maggie's cage at the vet, and trying to give little Archer time too - while turning up for school occasionally. Life is busy.

Those of you who pray, then please pray for my Maggie, for the irritating cough I have, for finances and that I would find my purse. Please also give thanks that Maggie has made it this far, that there are wonderful vets caring for her and that so many lovely people are helping out walking and dog sitting Archer.

Goodnight friends

Finally some play ...

on etsy sold

I made this pin today and did the backgrounds on some door hangers. The pins was lots of fun to make, I like the contrast between Making Memories hardware and the rusty washer, and between the bead head and the Queens head on the coin. I think the background on the door hangers is Misty Mawn meets Michael deMeng, I will have to see what you think when they are finished.

I will wear the pin to work tomorrow - I like to wear everything once even if it is a gift or for sale - that way I can check there are no pieces to catch on clothing and that each items dangles the right way when worn. Some of my students even get cranky if I don't have a new piece to wear on Mondays!

Does Goldilocks give lessons?

When I awoke yesterday morning I did find it difficult to believe that either Maggie or Archer thought that they had found the "just right" bed.

Maggie had a severe bout of pancreatitits this week, and I caught the lurgy so we have spent a lot of quiet time in bed. Now my art room is calling and I have put the heater on, set the kettle to boil and taken the phone off the hook ... See you soon.

Camp - Part 4- Gifts and Friends

Dotee made this very beautiful altered book for me. The pages are rich in texture and colour, and resound with her love and care. The rail top was not wet when I took these pictures, but the droplets hanging beneath will show how eager I was to get out and photograph this treasure for you.

The tallest people on camp (not), but definitely two big hearts, my dear friend Dawn and my new friend Jacky.

This is my sweet and kind friend, who drove me all the way from home to camp and back. I am so glad that we got to share this experience and get to know each other a little better.
Dotee and I, not a perfect photo of either of us, but I think it shows how happy we were to spend time together and the joy we share as friends.
And this is a precious gift too. I fell to my bottom in front of these bikes and snapped them quickly - a little self conscious and yet determined. Determined to capture the innocence of country kids in a fairly safe country. Where were the riders? I do not know - they were not within sight and yet they felt safe leaving their bikes.

Art Camp - Part 3 - Some of My Art

I had a lot of fun making this junk pin and will make more when I have time. The key is from my first suitcase, the black buckle from one of my old bra's, 'be' is from my first attempts at resin and the rest of the trinkets seemed to gel.

I painted this apron in Jane's fabric painting class at camp - what a lot of fun!

The button bracelet is very similar to one I saw in Step-by-step Wire Jewelry I have loaned my copy out and can not remember the name of the artist. Watch out for an edit to this post.
This is one of my designs and features recycled hooks given to me by the kind and talented Doreen.

Art Camp - Part 2 - Overwhelming Gifts

These are some of the wonderful gifts I received at camp, I was humbled and blessed by the time and effort that had gone into treating me. The very talented Jane blessed me this felted hat, an extra special treat as I have a very large head and can not often find hats to fit.

Jacky created this beautiful felted quiltie and made a gift of the rusted heart wire, what a treat it was to meet this warm and talented lady - who managed to convert us all to hand felting within minutes of our arrival.

Each month there is a Mystery Muse on INKrediblyRT, the group linked to this camp, this was my May treat and I am yet to find out who the talented collage artist is.

Kelsey whipped up this stunning ATC at camp - featuring Sheer Heaven transfers and stamping, I do love the quote!

Nikki, Dotee and Shirley demonstrated the wide variety of styles at camp with these ATC's.

I met the very talented, kind and insightful Sulea for the first time, I was left without words after she quietly handed me a small bag containing this marvelous Gothic arch assemblage and the beautiful jewellery set below.

And there was more, a couple of glossy items I need daylight to photograph and some I have yet to unpack. My heart swells as I look at this collection, I see not only each items beauty but the time and care that went into their making. Thank you.

Art Camp - Part One

Art Camp 2007 is over ... and my heart is full of joy - oh not that it is over, but that it was as wonderful the second time round as that first magic long weekend, last June. It was the first weekend of winter and the sun shone brightly through four still days, the birds sang - and some enthusiastic children, at the next campsite, spent an afternoon with a karaoke machine (oh well, we needed a reminder we were still here on Earth).

Four days and three nights with warm, kind, witty and oh so talented women - the time passed so quickly. There was art chat, friends to hug, gifts galore and side trips to the hardware store, salvage yard and second-hand shop. I managed two beautiful walks on the beach, one alone and another in the company of friends.

Over the next day or two you will meet my friends, see the gifts I received and some of my art too.

On Saturday morning Jane very generously taught us some fabric painting techniques and we painted our own aprons. See the beautiful Sulea being photographed above, click on the picture to see more of the detail on her fabulous apron.

Here are some of the artists, all poised to stretch after many camera's snapped this end of camp picture.