juliehaymakerthompson's blissbee

Taking a blog break

2011-10-30T19:02:00.004-06:00

Taking a blog break Please Visit Our Blissbee Web site www.blissbee.net !! Hugs to All Julie

In memory of Steve Jobs ....

2011-10-07T08:08:00.000-06:00

"Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”- Steve Jobs

lusious !!

2011-09-26T08:30:00.001-06:00

Thought I would post some images of the luscious clothing I carry in our shop !!!! Wish I could afford it myself tee hee . I carry three lines- Meg by design- Magnolia Pearl and Vintage Kitty. If you guys know of any hand made clothing artist that are looking for a shop to represent them I would love to hear about them as I am looking to expand more in that direction .

Stepping back in time ...

2011-09-18T08:03:00.002-06:00

Down the street from our little shop is an amazing shop called "Optimo hat works" owned by Grant Sergot . The other day I stopped in for a visit and came out an hour later with tons of photos and a new passion for hand made Panama hats. I have never been in a more beautiful shop ! Hence the reason I wanted to share these images with everyone. One feels like they have stepped back in time over a hundred years ago and yes almost every thing Grant uses to form these hats is from the 1800 and early 1900 hundreds . He also fitted me for a hat using one of his many strange antique contraptions .Well I hope you enjoy these images. PS Grant's lady friend makes hand cut rubber stamps . Hope to visit her soon too !!

types of bows you can select Grant only uses vintage ribbon.

A very amazing hat hand woven into a very tight weave. Grant gets the basic hat forms form artisans in south america and then he forms them into what ever style you want and stretches them to the exact fit of your head .

Notice the weird scary bumps on the side of the pattern taken from my head. Am I growing horns ????

A eye candy post

2011-09-12T13:20:00.001-06:00

I went to the mini fall Tucson gem show and came back with a few goodies . For you bead/jewelry artist the latest trend is AB finishes , large gem stones and HOT is Pearl chalcedony! I have started to list these on my new etsy shop bisbeebliss. Also for those into turquoise my favorite is sleeping beauty from the now closed mine in Globe AZ . Since the mine is now closed it is harder to find. I splurged on a faceted string of A++++ grade and the color is stunning !

Yummy AB facet cut large gems

sleeping beauty !

my town

2011-09-05T21:32:00.000-06:00

We have lived in Bisbee for 9 months now and each day I find new reasons to love this sweet little mining town. I thought I would show some of those reason in the following photos......

new classes at Blissbee

2011-08-29T11:22:00.000-06:00

Just got my classes listed for the next 6 weeks on www.blissbee.net! Most are small easy under 3 hour classes ,unlike my workshops and retreats. I am working on making these smaller classes into kits and already have 3 listed on my etsy site. Boy all this takes so much time. When you come up with this ideas .You think... oh ya I will do this and then that and then this !!! and theeeeeen 2 months later you only have a tad of your ideas done. Why can't the days be 48 hours long and why can't we live a lot longer too ! So much fun stuff to do and so little time. Do any of you every feel this way??

Sew Spookly

Mosaic cupcake music box

Wee Doll

Skelly

Rusted Relic

finger fun

House of wood and paper

Yes you can drill into the doll

2011-08-23T18:35:00.001-06:00

This is an update to Sundays post . I had time to play with the Tim Holtz rusted doll I showed in the last post and YES you can drill into the plastic!! I drilled a hole for the wings so that they are secured with glue and a small nail and I drilled her head and added a wire wrapped hanger. SOO Easy and kind of nifty looking ?? Oh she has a wee real pearl necklace .

Julie's How to for creating real rust finish!!!

2011-08-21T17:46:00.002-06:00

Today I am going to show a mini "how to" on creating real rust finishes on metal, wood ,paper and plastic. I use a 2 part process using real iron paint and then an easy rusting solution .
Both can be cleaned up with water .

I started with a piece of card stock paper , a Tim Holtz plastic

"fractured doll" ,

A wood tag and a tin bottle cap.

Next I painted them all with the "Blissbee iron paint".

2 heavy coats on the wood and paper and 4 heavy coats on the plastic doll and tin bottle cap.

I allowed each coat to dry before re-coating . The iron paint is then cleaned up with water .

I then coated each with 2 coats of the rusting solution. I used a paint brush for this as it agitates the surface a bit . Also use gloves for this process and allow each coat to dry naturally . The first coat will not show much rusting action. The second coat will. You can then clean the solution up with water . Dispose of excess properly.

The iron paint and rusting solution(enough to cover 3 sq. feet) can be bought on the Blissbee web site

www.blissbee.net or right here.

It is 32.50 and that includes shipping

These are Tim Holtz's plastic" fractured dolls" (small 2 " large 3).

You should be able to drill into these unlike porcelain. So an eye hook could possibly be added for hanging. I have not yet tried this but I would add a clear matt sealer to the finish if I was to do so and use it for a necklace .

These can also be bought on the Blissbee web site

www.blissbee.net or right here.

They are $6.30 and that includes shipping.

Thanks for reading and putting up with the "pitch",

I have to say this is one of my favorite techniques .

busy and having fun

2011-08-10T09:14:00.005-06:00

It was off to Art Unraveled in Phoenix this last weekend. A fellow artist friend and wearable art artist
Lorri Scott ruptured her retina YIKESSS!! So was unable to teach and run her booth at Art Unraveled . She asked if Lori Garver, my sister Lorrie and myself would run her vendor booth for the event. It was a shopping frenzy all day as we played Barbie arraigning and rearranging clothes and we sold like mad!!! The rest of the weekend was spent in quite play time as my sister and I journaled at our Mom's dining room table. It was a wonderful weekend all around and nice to get away from the shop . Cal was left in charge there and did a fine job of it too.

On the way to phoenix .Yes this really is the Arizona Desert!!!

A happy customer in Lorri Scott's wonderful clothing .

The Business of vending

The end of the day -Lori , Julie and Lorrie

Journaling fun !!

You are given one little spark of madness.....

You mustn't lose it.

2 pages from my journal - simply dry brush painted backgrounds using Claudine Helmuth paints (which I LOVE ) a few collage elements and some letter stamping.

My week in highlights

2011-07-24T22:03:00.001-06:00

My sister lorrie and my mom came for the weekend. I had begged Lorrie to come in and teach a journaling class for me so I could learn some of her skills she is a wonderful journalizer and the class was soooo much fun . I lOVE taking classes . I have always frozen up when it comes to the collaging elements and the putting down of the text .After her class I now feel more confidant .She was a very gently teacher moved me along with just the right nudge when I got "stuck " now thanks to her help I am over the hump. After class the 2 of us had "sister " time and kept working for about 3 more hours and then it was home to pizza Cal had ordered for us from Bisbee's little brick fired pizza shop. I have also been up to a bit of sewing and have altered some jeans for the shop and a few little tops too!! That too was so much fun that I ordered a surger. It's a refurbished one and I have yet to try it but I am sure it will work fine.. Oh and this was a little altered spool class I taught last week . Much thanks to the influence of my friend Marie Kennedy and her little spools I carry in the shop . My plan is to do a different spool class every six weeks and then at the end of the year those who take the classes will have a fun collection of altered spools. This one was called " Poetry in Motion"

set up for class

Diane is intensely into the mess of creating

Some of the journals drying ...oh such pretty colors !!

a page spread in lorries' class sample

A page spread from my journal with the start of a Mary Oliver poem

My Altered jeans

A dress I altered by turning it into a tunic

"Poetry in Motion" .... Have a poetic week!!!

blissbee news

2011-07-19T17:50:00.000-06:00

Some of the things going on at "Blissbee "this week..

new " meg" clothes came in today paired up with some "Vintage Kitty"

More new jewelry

We carrry Chris Roberts- Antieau

My favorite Fabric folk artist!!!

And then last but not least our class today was

"Cross your heart and hope to fly"!!!! Thats Renee, Ginny and Evelyn. We have a tiney class room for 6 students but just found out we can rent the back workshop space in the store this Fall!!

Have a great rest of the week !

betwixt

2011-07-15T08:06:00.002-06:00

Even thought the store is taking a lot of our time. I am finding time to be creative too . It is sooo wonderful to have my studio in the back room . I even have room for my sewing machine to be set up all the time and I love my sewing machine it is the crafts expression Janome model. Any way a new fun thing I made is this doll she is in perfect mode for the fall season and will be teaching her this fall at Terri Brushes ART CAMP oct 6 - 10th . The event is sold out but there is always the spring ART CAMP . So plan ahead .

betwixt

Blissfully in Blissness!!!!

2011-06-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

I think I forgot how to blog. Yikes!!! But here goes and it will be along post !! It must have been fear or the perfectionist in me or who knows what??? Why did I not post along the journey of creating Blissbee??? HMMM I guess I was afraid to jinks the magic. And it has been pure magic. So here is the picture unveiling and and more of the story . Our water damaged condo in Santa fe (which never felt like home) finally got repaired and finished in April. Cal did all the work traveling back and forth between Bisbee and Santa fe, working on both the condo and the store . On his last trip to Santa fe finalizing repairs he listed the place for sale we felt only a glimmer of hope in selling in this market BUT!!! Low and behold while on the road back to Bisbee the listing agent called him and said there is an an offer coming in!!! We were shocked !! Of course we accepted and closed last week . By by Condo !! What a relief!!! and what a further message that Bisbee was meant to be our new home . Cal and I then put all our efforts into the boutique and also moving into a permeant rental as we had been moving every few weeks from one vacation rental to the next . . My studio was the first to be finished in the back room of the boutique . We also found out that not only is our boutique the old funeral home ( hauntings too) but my studio is the embalming room- ya gotta love it!!! The main boutique room and bathroom followed. Soft linen, whites, tongue and grove and a hint of pale blue cover the walls . In the months of April and May art work began to flood in from all the wonderful artist who agreed to allow me to feature their work . Yummy!!!!! everyday has been like christmas as boxes arrived- except Cal said "YOU CAN NOT KEEP ANYTHING"!!! Anyway the opening kept getting delayed as we had NO idea how long this would take . A super visit from Lorrie and Bruce really helped as I was feeling a bit frozen and overwhelmed and asking myself " Who do you think you are ? and "Can we do this"???? I really needed Lorrie to see it all as a big adventures like this in my life just does not seem real or possible with out her input and blessing. After their visit I was able to pull it together and with the permits ok-ed and the wonderful new sign up which was designed by Ericka it started to feel real. We still have yet to launch the web site which Sara at Sadie Olive is almost done with and it will feature all the news of Blissbee along with this blog. Well here are images . Much love to all of you for your support and I PLAN to stop by and say hi to you all as I have missed you and feel very out of the loop of your lives !!!

Hope you enjoyed the peek into our "baby" BLISSBEE I also hope some of you may be able to come for a visit we plan to launch the in store classes soon which will be listed on the calendar page of the new we site!!

Plan B is for BISBEE!!!

2011-02-21T11:26:00.002-07:00

Big thanks to everyone for your comments and advice !!! We where all ready to move to Michigan and then Mom said no and she was the deciding force as it is her home. I trust the universes so much in all I do as everything happens for a reason and when one door closes others always open .And open they DID !! As of my last post we where still in Bisbee as the our condo was and IS still not repaired!!! We keep feeling that we are meant to move out of Santa fe . The morning after Mom said no , I went for my walk with the dogs which took me downtown Bisbee . As I walked along I passed by this cute old building and noticed a new for rent sign in the window ? My thought was we could never afford the rent for this place but I called any way for fun. WOW it was affordable and we where first in line. WE took a leap of faith and rented the place. The next few days we also found I cute old house within our budget to rent . After a week long trip back to Santa Fe to check on the condo repairs which are NOT progressing .We where able to have the insurance company pay for our move to Bisbee !! Our things are in storage as we do not get the house rental till April . I can only feel that this is meant to be as it just flowed into place . Cal is working on doing stuff to the shop as it has a little room in the back that will be my mess making studio .The shop will carry antiques and art and I will have a small teaching studio offering on going weekend classes both short and long. Tons of cute boutique hotels are everywhere for those who might want to make a trip and take a workshop. Bisbee is well worth the 1 1/2 hour drive from Tuscon as it is so historic and a creative visual meca oh and the airport does offer a shuttle once here everything is within walking distance! I can hardly wait to teach a watercolor journaling class here . Tiny tin roofed victorian houses and old run down miners shacks cover Bisbee's steep hills and tons and steps lead you everwhere - soooo cute. The town gets a fair amount of tourist trade on the weekends and is so unique and cute as a button yet Funky as HECK !!! Perfect for my ex hippie hubby and my free artistic spirit!! As we get a bit more settled in I plan to start a new BLISS BEE blog , that the name of our store . I welcome any ideas and what ever .Wish us luck !!! Oh and p.s. last fall my computer died and it just DID IT AGAIN !!! So I am using Cal's Mac but have no access to my files or old photos . Always by the Apple protection plan as it is well worth the cost !!!

Pictures of the store!! Our's is on the left .

Dear blogger friends I need your advice ???

2011-01-09T09:44:00.033-07:00

SO here is the big question?? How many of you would move back to your home town if you left when you where 18 and where now 52?? Cal and I are thinking of doing just that?! My Mom has a beautiful home in a small town called Allegan in Michigan . It was the last house my father built 30 years ago. This is the reason she will never sell the place. It has 2 bedrooms 2 baths . The home features tongue and grove wood ceilings and pegged wood floors ,pine kitchen cabinets with custom stained glass window inserts that I designed . It heats with a wood stove and back up furnace and has a well with wonderful water . It sits on a wooded lot high on a bluff overlooking a river and a wooden bridge . The town is small about 4500 and is 30 minutes from lake michigan . A large river meanders back and forth through the town with many bridges . The home has a huge 3 car garage as well as a large pole barn featuring a bath room , all with a large paved driveway and parking . Cal and I would open a pretty antique store and also sell cool hand made goods . HINT HINT I would love to feature many of my blog land friends work in the shop !!! Such as wearable art,( Deb Hodge this mean You!) jewelry,( Sharon???) hand made beads( Denise ??) and art work So many of you are so talented I have not the room in this post to list you !!!But you come to mind. I would also teach art classes and bring guest instructors in for weekend retreats . All could stay in town at the Fabulous Delano Band B !! .We would have a small organic garden and chickens( black and white ones of course, Cal said no to pigmy goats ) . Cal is going to take upholstery lessons so he can help restore our finds . I hope he likes working with Belgium linen , natural duck cloth, and my beloved black and ivory check . Oh how I love Ballard design and the new Restoration hardware line!!!I have always wanted to do hand painted furniture in the Tracy Porter and Mackenzie Child style !!! We would open for spring, summer and fall on weekends only and could also have a cute tea/ coffee house on the site . Many people come up from Chicago( 2 hours drive or ride amtrak) to Allegan for antiquing as it has one of the best
antiquing markets held once a month at the county fair grounds and the town is sweet as can be in a northern small town way , close to many beautiful lakes as well as lake Michigan and wonderful Saugatuck Mich. a super tiny resort town.. The only thing is THE COLD SNOWY WINTERS and my past growing up issues.... I could not wait to leave!!! And would my Mom give her OK to this idea, she is thinking on it now . She has not lived there in 15 years but has had a caretakers / tenants living in the place for the last few years they would have to move out and I feel bad about that as thay are family friends . I would love the feedback and yes I know this is a very bad time to do this in a recession and in MICHIGAN one of the hardest hit areas economic wise in the country!!!!!! But on the other hand the building and home site set up for this is already in place, perfect and just ready to stage and it is a very inexpensive place to live .Please tell me your thoughts, are we CRAZY??? Nothing ventured nothing gained ?!

A baby painted turtle from an Allegan Lake . My mom tells a story about me as a little girl. After I had found a turtle ,I was told to give it to my friend .I said no to this with the response that " you can always have a friend but not a turtle" . How do you spell Brat ??? J-U- L-I-E

homeless but not hopeless

2011-01-06T12:43:00.004-07:00

Well in everyones life a little rain must pour , but in our case it came from the sprinkler system pipes over my studio on the 2nd floor. While we have been in Bisbee the pipes froze and broke in our condo back home in Santa Fe and tons of water poured down and the ceilings caved in . The condo maintenance man saw water running out the doors and truned off the main valve . Our friend Fred took these pictures after we called him for his help . I have not had the courage to go home yet and see the mess, but am letting the pros handle everything. We have been advised that these types of total losses are very emotional for home owners .Water flooded down the stairs and walls to the first floor . The entire place now needs gutting as all the walls are ruined and many furnishings and electronics are ruined too. Our insurance company sent an emergency crew over to start the salvage and brought out a large container . Everything will be moved into it and then sent to a place to dry out what can be saved .Books and papers are frozen and sent to Texas to a restoration place. Once everything is moved out the gutting of walls etc. can happen and rebuilding can begin. I am trying to figure out what the universe is trying to tell me . My gut feeling is saying Santa Fe is not for you "my Dear" ( My friend Renee would agree I bet!!! ) as it has done it to you again!! I have had past bad luck in Santa Fe but keep moving away and then insisting on coming back!! I think it is time to let go for good and move on ... trust the universe to open new doors and walk through them to hopefully new opportunities . Any one have any ideas ???? Cal and I are serious!!! If anyone knows of a good very inexpensive place to live and with opportunities for 2 creative people let me know . Cal has great building and handyman skills . Any where in the country will do we are only looking for the open door of change !

New class Jan 19th at Paper tales in San diego

2011-01-05T16:04:00.008-07:00

Paper Tales is excited to Announce

Julie Haymaker

and

Terri Brush

together teaching here in

San Diego.

Jan 19th Wed 4 til 9 pm

$75.00 includes all art supplies and snacks in class.

Regsiter here !!

My younger twin????

2011-01-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post was about the color "Orange" as I was photographing on my walk with the dogs a women with red hair called to me from over her balcony with a question about Scooty. I of course snapped her picture as she had "orange " hair .When I got home and loaded up my posts pictures, I looked at her image and told Cal She kind of looks like me.?? Funny Rene thought so too as she said in her comment ...Julie you look so rested .. Thanks Rene I do look rested in that photo as a red head and about 20 years younger tee hee .... Here is the photo of the woman with red hair again and one of me .Yes all of us do have many " twins " living somewhere out there!!

Think warm!!

2011-01-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

The second color that stands out so much in Bisbee is Orange another perfect southwest color.....

I guess I was inpired .

shades of winter

2011-01-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

What color best depicts the southwest better then grayish blue sage. In this tiny town of Bisbee the color dominates the scene . Everywhere I look I see it but this could be due to the fact that it so strongly contrasts against the towns deep red earth . I decided to make it the theme of my morning walk and photo shoot. Here are my results , enjoy!!

A perfect winter storm

2010-12-30T15:56:00.002-07:00

Our little temporary vacation home in the town of Bisbee is experiencing its version of winter. Cold winds howled through the night and brought rain and timid fits of snow. Cal , I and of course Scooty and Peanut are cozied in the for the day with a warm fire going which we burned through the night. I have my little table of creativity going on by the fire and I work a little then plop down on the sofa every now and then for bit of reading. I am finally finishing "Water for Elephants" ONE GOOD BOOK . Cal has pasta planned for dinner. I reckon it could not get any better then this !

Remnants of the summer hang in view of our living room window .

My palette seems even brighter as the gray day swirls around my window views .

This is life

2010-12-23T19:43:00.002-07:00

The joy of getting older, is getting wiser and for me that means knowing oneself better . I know what makes me happy, what makes me stressed ( the phone for one thing - Tee hee) , what brings me peace, joy and energy . The thing is I feel I am still not mature enough to figure out how to quiet the voices in my head. The ones that say you " should" as in you "should" be doing this or that you "should" have done certain things at this point in your life , etc.... The endless lists I make for myself that never get done . Well this past week I have spent my time doing just what makes me happy. These things are - Being kind to my husband , spending time with my pups , making art , sitting in the sun , walks , hot baths , hot chocolate , warm fires and reading. I have not been able to read in years. I just have not been able to quite my mind enough to comprehend what I am trying to read . This last week I read an entire book . I am truly at peace, just for now. Just this moment, that is all one can ask for, just the precious present. Here I am content . Here in Bisbee this tiny little mountain town nestled in a deep canyon . Merry Christmas to all . Hugs Julie

A good book- Charming Billy ...

"The one that got away" made this week for Kim's Husband ....

I also created another "Heart in Home" .....

and Peanut seems at peace too!!!

winter escape

2010-12-19T12:36:00.004-07:00

Cal and I packed the truck tuesday , loaded with tons of art supplies including Scooter , Peanut , Cal's golf clubs , good reading books, the 4th season of Dexter and headed for a special winter get away for 5 weeks in the old mining town turned artistic enclave of Bisbee Arizona . I had never heard of this place but Cal had and he has a special eye for finding wonderful places to visit. I am smitten!!! The climate is perfect so far , sixties during the day and perfectly cool at night for warm fires .The town is charmingly nestled in a deep canyon high in the mountains ( 6000 feet) .It resembles a European village, the homes are built just about anywhere they can safely perch one .Long Staircases and winding roads connect owners to their homes. The style is Victorian/ bungalow/ cottage early last century in style . So much charm and not much change except for a bright coat of paint here and there. In it's hey day the town was a bustling copper mine town of 20 thousand . Now it boast about 6000. Which is much better then most mining towns can say these days . I hope to post many pictures in the next weeks to give each of you a feel and hopefully the bug to visit this enduring little bit of history.

Oh the color!!!

Give me a hammer and some paint.....

....then just add a little lace in the windows

and I am in love,

Scooty and Peanut are a perfect fit .

Love the local wild life .

Getting exercise is not a problem here.....

and treasure hunting is at a premium !!

This fence rail was just leaning on an

old abandoned building of which there seems to be many .

Update on Jan 21 22 23 Classes

2010-12-15T21:03:00.004-07:00

Terri and I have moved our Jan 21 22 23 teaching venue to the Urban Barn in Escondido CA. It will be a bigger space so more room to make a creative mess !! It will be so fun, just look at this space all in beautiful southern CA. I cannot wait as I hope to see many of you I have not seen in a while!

"The Pitch"

2010-12-13T09:41:00.014-07:00

Boy do I hate pitching myself. Don't we all, but on the other hand I try to tell people to go out with confidence and tell others about themselves .Try your best to push yourself to succeed no matter how hard it may be to do so . Practice self confidence as it is very becoming. We women must do this and try especially hard if we are artist who tend to be a bit shy by nature . It is also nice to support each other by spreading the word about others we know and what they do . It helps us all as women to network and succeed . So here I go practicing what I preach .Here is an image of my newsletter for the coming year which I just sent out this A.M . I made it on my soft ware I -Works in" Pages" . I also just signed up with Terri Brush to do a duo 3 day retreat at the Urban Barn In Escondido Ca Jan 21, 22 23 we will each teach 3 classes in 3 days with meals included . I am doing" memories of the Heart " , "Just Bee" and "Hanging Around" I fun mix of many of my techniques. Here is the link to see more detail.http://www.juliehaymaker.com/site/Classes.html

Hanging Around

Memories of the Heart

The is " Just Bee" I just made for Jill and also decided to teach it as a class!

My news letter.

Just Bee

2010-12-09T09:45:00.002-07:00

Well I leave in the A.M. for Home!!! It has been a very intense 7 weeks . Mom has been home from treatment for 2 weeks and in her new home .She is doing amazing. She is a changed woman and making her continued recovery from hoarding and other problems her priority. I am filled with so much joy and peace for her and my family. I am also filled with much hope for her continued recovery and that will depend on if she stays with her healing program .It is now in her hands .She has the tools and support . One day at a time. All this just goes to show us that we are never to old to change. Just Bee --- the person we want to be . Just Bee is a commission I squeezed in for Jill this last week while in the midst of the whirl wind of helping Mom make the change . It was great to be creative . Art is my saving grace as I am sure it is for many of you too.

Inspired

2010-12-08T09:49:00.001-07:00

Just for today be grateful for what you do have .

The pups are waiting for me to come home

2010-11-16T17:19:00.007-07:00

My blog , home and art life has been collecting dust again but this time for a good cause !! I have been doing another family project !! It is for my Mom as she has taken a major step in seeking help with her self destructive patterns . 2 1/2 weeks ago she entered a 4 week retreat program to seek help in becoming a more whole and healthy person !!! I could not be prouder. In exchange for her willingness to do this work on her self I am willing and agreed to be there for her and give her the support she needs through the process, which so far has been being with her for 1 week before she went into the program , moving her into a smaller home and getting rid of the millions of hoarded boxes of clutter at her old home. I did and am doing this while she is in the program . This week ( week 3 ) of her program I am also doing a 4 day family week with her to help us both learn to communicate better , It has been good, but hard . I then go back friday to her home and finish up more move details like the estate sale details at her old house . Hopefully I will have time to pop home for a visit next week and then back again to bring her home and spend the first 2 weeks with her at her new home in order to help her make the adjustment to her new patterns of living and life style . I am sure it will take another life time of work but 2 weeks should help a bit and many more visit in the future IF she stays healthy, but IF not then back to tough love. What more could a daughter ask of her 73 year old mother but to have the courage to change and make these changes at 73 !!! Yippee!!!!! What a great gift she is giving her self and her loved ones !!! I am so hopeful and happy for her and the family as my Mom has been in crisis mode for some time and many family members have been heavy hearted . Please all rejoice with me and remember -As long as there is life their is hope !!Now the other side of this is my artwork business and home life have had to take a major back seat . So please say a prayer that all will be ok with those things when I get back to my life again . And I want to say a" Big Thanks "to Cal for being so supportive and helping my Mom with the move too!! Love you Sweetie!!!You have come a long way too!! And I know Peanut and Scooter miss me too and wait patiently for me to arrive back home with them where I belong.

heading to Atlanta

2010-10-20T22:41:00.001-06:00

In the morning I head to Atlanta Georgia to teach two classes at Jill Coopers I have not yet met Jill and yes she is really married to Jack- Tee Hee . I am sure it will feel as if we have known each other as she is part of "the clan" you know- creative folks !! I know it will be another "best time". Speaking of creative folks and best times ,when I was teaching in Portland at Art and Soul , 2 weeks ago , I did the three day class with Nina Bagly .What can I say about this woman , she is an old soul!! My soul is just a teenagers compared to her. Here is what I made. The class was called " because I want to remember" and yes I learned a lot and will remember the Nina wire wrap !! Thanks Nina.

Solona Beach CA fun Nov. 19 20 21

2010-10-16T08:43:00.003-06:00

I want to post today about 2 friends Terri Brush and Deb Hodge If you live in southern CA mark a date for Nov. 19, 20 , 21 when they will both be in Solana Beach southern CA . This is a very sweet place to attend a wonderful vendor event at the Mermaid Mercantile and see Deb's wonderful wearable art as well as other unique vendor wares . Then hop up the stairs to a sun filled studio and take 1 , 2 or all 3 days of fun classes with Terri Brush !! This sweet little beach town has not lost its bygone small beach town feel either and makes for one wonderful pre holiday fun filled weekend. Think -pretty home, pretty body adornement , pretty art and Pretty NICE people!!

Terri's work!!! and just one of the fun items you will make !

Deb's work and just one of the fun items you can wear!!

Art in Soul Portland

2010-10-04T21:43:00.000-06:00

I am all snugged into bed in my hotel suite in Portland for Art and Soul this week . I teach 3 classes and get to take a 3 day class with Nina Bagly . My sister Lorrie is coming in for the class with Nina too ( Time with Lorrie is always my best time!!) . I left behind a wonderful mess in my stuido as I created up a storm . How come ones studio has to end up looking like this ( see below ) to create this...
.

I made this for the teapot art auction. The theme is Wonderland!!I had to add a Stempunk twist .

OMG!!

Peanut thought if she perched on my suit case she could go too.

The whole process of me packing and creating just exhausted Scooty!

fun things in the works Heytommy shop!!!

2010-09-24T10:17:00.005-06:00

Lots of fun stuff going on , summer is over and it seems it is time to get on the stick and I did. I FINALLY got my web site updated with a new look and added my on line shop which I had wanted to do forever. I sell stuff that I use in my art work and classes . I was printing this long supply list of all the places I buy my items and giving it out to students when I taught. I found it was getting complicated for them and me . So why not just offer everyone "one stop" shopping so they can go to my site and buy the items they want and not have to buy them in the bulk like I do for some of the items !! As time goes by I will add more and more things. I have cute hand crocheted flowers coming in next week and unpainted game pieces, paints etc...YIPPEE. It should be fun and most of all easier for my students and other folks . By the first of the year I hope to have a few kits with dvd instructions. Cal is building me an awesome light box for shooting the classes with our dvd camera so we get really good light and quality. Well, here it is HEYTOMMY .That is name I also use for my shop on ETSY . It is a combo of Haymaker Thompson TEE HEE!! If you have any suggestions for items for me to carry in the shop that you do not see let me know . Oh and USA shipping is free. I am having trouble with my new web site publishing right now for some folks wwwjuliehaymaker.com I have contacted Tiger technologies about it, so I hope to is all worked out in the next few days. Yuk!!! Computer tech. stuff!!!! What a love hate relationship.

Just some of the stuff in my shop!!

Fish Out of Water

2010-09-11T09:18:00.001-06:00

Another mindless ramble... Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water, my mouth is always opening and closing . But instead of gasping for air, words come out. I will run my mouth about anything!!! Sometimes the most shocking things things are spewed out but most the time it is just mindless chatter. ( help I've started talking and I cannot stop!!) .Often I will feel guilt about all this chatter and wish so badly I could make some of the words come back. It amazes me when I meet so many people that are able to censor themselves and therefore in my mind they are so " nice" . I am just not one for those people. For those of you who know me you can also say "and she even chatters on about chattering" !!! I guess this post is just another one of those chattering moments, but instead of my voice I am using cyber space to ramble .Well today I am off to teach an all day class. It is one of my favorite projects and the first time I am teaching it at the Frenzy Stamper , "Shelf Life". Maybe I will bring ear plugs for the students so they can tune me out when they need to. Tee HEE

PS -I did the frog jump callenge ( bellow post and link) , correct about 3 times but for the life of me I do not know how it happened. Try it it's silly fun!!!

Leap frog !!!

2010-09-10T23:01:00.000-06:00

For a while I have been having a hard time keeping my brain on a train of thought. I feel even flakier then ever. Is it age or what !!??? Well I droped by a new blogger friends Blog and he had this link to a puzzle. I could not resist trying . Yikes! now a feel even duller !How do you do this darn thing?????
http://funstufftosee.com/frogleaptest.html

New on Pfatt market

2010-09-10T08:52:00.011-06:00

Every month on the 10th I list new items on Pfatt market . These are 2 pieces I did, inspired by my smaller ( tiny) versions . It is fun for me to see how things change when you work in different sizes .
The artist Jeff Koons has been doing this for years taking basic irelevent small objects and blowing them way up in size. He oftern works in chrome . Also think of the Sta puff marshmallow man in the old movie Ghost Busters. Oh do not worry mine are NOT ten feet tall ( TEE HEE) .Only about 12 - 17 inches.

Inspiration and influences

2010-09-05T21:12:00.004-06:00

Number 2 in my series on inspiration and influences. From time to time , as I had stated in a past post I want to feature artist that I am inspired by and as before if you feel I have overstepped my boundaries let me know . I just want to say very few of us have an original thought yet in that all of us are original !! Life, nature, society are all influences. This is good and unavoidable if you are a visual person. This post is dedicated to the the artist Elizabeth Frank ( her esty). I first saw her work at Sequoia, a unique gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico . I lusted after this Angel for 6 months and then I took the plunge and had to have it which meant a special order from her as the piece I had original saw was long gone . . . 3 years later when working on some pieces to teach at Hacienda de Mosaico I put my influence to work along with my other techniques to create my pieces called "Someone to Watch Over Me". Here we go....

Elizabeth Frank's work

My Angels

Tunnel Vision

2010-09-01T08:38:00.001-06:00

What do you see??? I took this shot on a recent road trip . I thought it was very thought provoking . I would love to hear your thoughts???

Somtimes you have to risk everything for art !!

2010-08-31T09:03:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been giving a lot of thought to my art direction and asking a lot of questions. It has left me rather confused and without motivation, as I question what I am doing, what are my goals, am I enjoying it, do I have what it takes to make it and what is making it , am I using my talents to the best of my ability . And the biggest of all... how do I do this and try to deal ( yes I will say it) with my bipolar mood swings. Moods that can sometime bring me to my knees with deep depressions, severe social anxieties and then the hoping and waiting for that manic high when one can succeed at everything one dreams of!!!! Well, this morning I woke up and went to my list of blogs I follow and Angela Racada had posted this moving UTube short ,it just touched me deeply . I have to share it too. Thanks Angela .

And the winner is ......

2010-08-27T12:41:00.002-06:00

Cranial Purge!! Thanks to all who joined in the fun and visiting my site and reading my ramblings !!! Here also are the pictures of my little garden ( always a work in progress) but the little tiny pond is up and working !!!You can hardy see it because I love to garden and clutter the garden with plants and rocks In a few years you will not even see the rocks as "hopefully" they will be covered with the mature crawling type plants a scattered aournd the rocks. I have posted the last water feature I did in the graden of our last house we moved from last aug 2009 . It was on much bigger scale, but I loved it!!! The birds did too and the dogs and the cats .In this new one I created a small little rock steeping stone for the birds to land on as they can fall into the water and drown , did you know that ?? Well enjoy!! hugs Julie ----and for those how did not win the spoon I hope you can make one !! And I will keep the kit up for a bit longer and the post will asawys be in my old post for review . Oh and I can make one for anyone who wants to order one . But I am as slow as a rock.

Before May 2010

After , Aug 2010

Aug 2010 The tiny new pond . It is deep and can keep fish all, year !!! But of course we will keep a heater in it for the birds and fish!!

Old garden, 2008

Old Garden ,2008 I have to say I miss this garden the most about the old house .but hopefully the little new one will look like this on a small scale in a few years too and a lot less work !!! I hope to plant lots of bulbs this fall.

200th post!!! A Big thanks to all who stop by!!

2010-08-18T17:42:00.009-06:00

A Spoon Full of Stars

It's my 200th post and in honor of that I am doing a free little tutorial called "A Spoon Full of Stars " . With this post I will also be giving the finished piece away, picking randomly from those who leave a comment . If you feel like making this whimsical little piece but want to make it easier I am also selling kits ( see the side panel ) . But most of you may have the supplies for this piece hanging around your studio and in this case maybe your kitchen. Hey!!!all of us know we have far more "stuff" then most of us will ever use in our creative life time!!! So here we go !!
Materials Needed.
1=wooden spoon and wooden knob
2=19 gauge annealed steel wire ( ace hardware -it is bascialy a blackened wire that is heated /annealed so it bends easily)
3=silver and gold paint
4= 3 colors of glass glitter, gold, clear and silver
5 =Paper Clay
6=white glue optional Mod Podge
7=drill and small bit
8=Paint brush
9=Exacto knife and pencil
10= Lettering stamps black ink and charcoal
11=sand paper med. grit
12=clay roller
13= paper for making templates and scissors
14= needle nose pliers and wire cutter

Step 1= Roll out Paper Clay to about 3/8 " thick( I use a piece of plastic plumbing pipe cut to size).

Draw 3 different stars sizes on paper and cut out for templates . Place you star templates on the paper clay and cut them out cookie cuter style with an exacto knife. Set them aside to dry . Paper Clay is an air dry clay and so it does not need to bake in the oven but you can speed up the drying time by heating in the oven at around 225 degrees .

Step 2= Roll out another sheet of Paper Clay about 1/2 " thick and then make a banner shaped template from paper . In the same way you cut the stars out, cut you banner shape out too. I then bowed it and set it under pencils to dry.

Step 3= When the Paper Clay stars and banner are dry, sand then and then paint the spoon and the stars . I painted some stars gold some silver and left several white .I glued a fun wooden craft store knob on the end of the spoon and painted it with silver and 2 types of gold paint.

Step 4= Drill 2 tiny holes through the edge of the banner and 2 holes through the spoon . These will be for the 19 gauge wire hanger so you will need to use a dill bit big enough for the wire to pass thorough. Make sure the holes on the banner line up on the holes on the spoon.

Step 5= I took the sanded Paper Clay banner and rubbed charcoal on the edges and smeared it with my finger . I then took lettering stamps ,black ink and stamped the words " A Spoon Full " on the bare Paper Clay. If you make a mistake simply sand it off and start over . You can also cut the letters out of paper and glue them on to the paper clay or hand write them onto the Paper Clay. When this was done I sealed it with matt spray fixative . You can use regular hair spray if you do not have spray fixative .

Step 6= Using matt Mod Podge as glue I added 3 colors of glass glitter to the stars and spoon . I used clear , gold and silver glass Glitter. If you do not have Mod Podge you can use watered down white glue . I like Ultimate Glue .

Step 7= Now it is time to take the 19 gauge annealed steel wire and wrap it around a pencil, making a curl for the wire hanger . Insert the ends into the holes you drilled in the spoon.

Step 8= Run the end of the wires thorough the holes you drilled in the banner and with a pair of needle nose pliers add curly cues to the ends . Snip any excess wire off with wire cutters.

Step 9 = Drill two more holes . One through the spoon bowl and one into the edge of one of your larger stars. Wrap a short piece of wire around a pencil again making a curl and insert one end of the wire into the star adding bit of glue . When the wire in the star is dry, make a little hook with the other wire end and insert it into the spoon bowl so that it creates a hanging star.

Step 10= Now just glue your stars in the spoon and add a ribbon to the knob . I then glued some german gold dresden paper to the spoon handle . When all is dry you can hang your finished piece.

Now once again if you feel like making this little bit of whimsy yet do not want to gather all the stuff . You may buy one of my pre made kits!!! They come with everything pictured plus written instructions.

1-spoon and glued on knob , pre drilled

2= pre-made paper clay stars( one with drilled hole) and one drilled pre-made paper clay banner.

3= 3 bags of glass glitter- gold ,clear and silver

4= ribbon and german dresden paper

5=Ribbon and wire

6 = gold and silver "Golden" brand cups of paint.

You will need the following supplies with this kit..........

1= white glue and optional mod Podge

2= needle nose pliers and wire cutters

3= paint brush ,pencil for twirling wire

4= Charcoal , lettering stamps and ink pad or just cut your words out of old books

and glue on to the banner .

Kit is $25 and includes shipping . There is a Pay Pal, " Buy it Now" button on the right side panel if your wish to purchase a kit. Thanks and hugs, Julie

An evening at the Thompson's

2010-08-14T11:56:00.022-06:00

Our little Scooty is addicted to TV. Favorites are of course "The dog whisper" any add with dogs and any show with animals. . Then of course animation !! The Chipmunks movie was a huge success. . When the tv is off and we are just enjoying the quiet he will run over to the blank tv and jump up and whine. Well here is a photo documentation of a TV evening with Scooty. Is this normal or is he just a product of the new generation of dogs? Of course there had to be the quik break to sniff Peanuts butt and then Peanut had to get her 2 bits in !

15 minutes later

yet even later .....

and then later agian ( horses )

And even later !!!His attention spand goes all night long!!

a break for some play time with best buddy Peanut !!

and love from Pappa for "Daddy's little boy"

Wheee can we go to bed I am exhasted !!!

Ice cream tasting spoons and progress

2010-08-12T22:57:00.000-06:00

The answer to last post question... Ice cream tasting spoons over a hundred years old !!! So------
I thought I would show some progress pictures of spring and summer projects .In our spare time we have both been working to add personal touches to our place to make it more "home" . This spring I tackled the first phase of the tiny yard it is coming along I only lost a few plants . Next up is the small pond with a fountain. Cal has to dig the hole. Hopefully this weekend !! I can hardy wait to add fish .Scooty will get a kick out of them!

May 2010

Aug 2010

Vintage finds and other thoughts .

2010-08-08T12:28:00.003-06:00

Just got back from a road trip to nowhere and back. I stopped at every little antique shop along the way. Some good some so so . But I did get these 2 great finds .One is a black felt vintage purse, perfect for my new stump work passion as of my last post discoveries. Can you see it totally decked out and only 8 bucks!! So the other find was these tiny spoons. I have been collecting them for some time ,they are a bit hard to find . Bet you cannot guess what they were used for ??? I will let you leave your ideas as comments and the winner will get one in the mail !!! ( the first one to post the right answer !! )"A wee teaser!! I think more then likely they will end up with faces on them as in the the wooden spoon in progress in the middle , or maybe in my found objects collage work like this piece . It is called " The heart of the Ocean, Have fun guessing !!

Perfect old wool felt purse! For $8 HMMMMM stump work!!!

She was born with a tin spoon in her mouth ,thats me!! And then she made it art!!

the spoon may end up in one of these or ...

....HMMMM Maybe in one of these . This one is made from an old civil war fork .Cool!!!( the fork)

OMG.... Lookie lookie!!!

2010-07-25T12:07:00.004-06:00

I think I am going to pass out at the sheer beauty of these amazing stump work artist and these are kits that can be ordered!!!!!! I stumbled on this site last night Colour Stream The owner/artist name is Robyn Alexander .She carries several amazing artist as well as her own kits and supplies of yummy hand dyed silks ,velvets, felts etc..... I have always been fascinated by the stumpwork art but have considered my sister the needle work artist in the family. But alas I am going to take the plunge and order a kit for Lorrie and I , and maybe with Lorries' help, togehter ( Also this means Lorrie and I doing several weekends together ..my best times) I can learn, as a trip to Australia or New Zealand is out of the question at this time. I will keep you posted as to how I do but do go visit the site and drool.

My sister's amazing work!!! LilylovekinTails -blog ( the pocket holds a vintage hankie with a poem of hers hand stamped on the surface) Her name is Lorrie

fins and fangs- yes they do go together just read and see

2010-07-20T22:07:00.005-06:00

I just got back from a purely magical weekend in Manhattan Beach attending and teaching at Kim Caldwell's Mermaid event. Kim is beyond talented at event planning .No detail is left unattended EVERYTHING ran like pure magic. From the vendor night to the cupcake party with a tour bus ride to the flea markets and antique stores. 4 different classes where taught and Make and Takes ,Swaps and Dress Up contest where all a part of this magic . At one of the wonderful luncheons Jenny Doh gave one of her inspiring lectures . Dearest Maija introduced me to the chocolate martini and for those who joined us in the evenings at the Sweet Belamr hotel lounge and bar, you all know I Loved them!! I did not have the mac and cheese. But I think Danielle had it every night ? I have to say the best part was hanging with the gals . And an extra treat was meeting dear Renee and Lisa at Houston's sunday night .Bless them for putting up with my hyped up personality as I tend to get a bit hyper when over stimulated .Sorry... Guess this makes me kind of like a kitty cat at least that is how my Boo Boo was ,but I do not bite thank goodness ??? Now for the name contest HMMMM I have such a hard time with names and am guilty of calling everyone Sweetie and Dear ( old age) but on my drive home I practiced putting the names to faces in my head..... Julie, Karla, Char , Priscilla, Terry, Christine, Jessie, Jennifer, Maija , Sherry, Cheryl, Val , Kim , Danielle Melissa, Maureen,Holly, Karin, Jane ,Jenny ,Michele, kay ellen, Denise ,Beth ,Sherry, Cynthia Jamie....... How am I doing?? I know I have left many out ,so sorry Dears and Sweeties .Oh and I am still working on the Camera issue .My new camera came in the mail just in time to take to the event. But I am still trying to figure out how to load the pictures. So to give you a visual to go with this post I am adding a funny You Tube short . This does not have anything to do with the mermaid weekend except that I found mermaids love vampires . Lets not go there!!! Hope this makes you laugh, that is if you are a Twilight , True Blood fan or both. Thanks Michele for linking this on your blog I found it when visitng your blog. Michelle is the lovely owner of Paper Tales . Sure hope to teach there soon!!!

The Frenzy Stamper

2010-07-06T16:24:00.013-06:00

Once a month I teach classes at the Frenzy Stamper in old Town Scottsdale. Debbie Bick the owner of this wonderful mixed media store has been so good to me and the artist that come to my classes are just the sweetest group of Gals . I have added what I call my "stimulus package" to the 6 hour classes starting in Sept. and will provide lunch along with the class fee . The Frenzy Stamper has become kind of a testing ground for my new classes too as the Gals are always up to new things. So here is where you can take the latest classes developed by me . So come be the first and a Guinea Pig too!!! I have listed on my web site a hotel The Valley Ho for those that may like to come in from out of town. This hotel is the "Cats Meow" It is a restored 1956 mid century modern hotel done in the latest modern design . A destination all by itself with its pool, spa, wonderful restaurant and Trader Vic's next door.
The Frenzy Stamper is also one of the best mixed media stores out there and all of this is in the famous Old Town Scottsdale area , the home of galleries, fine restaurants and shopping. Am I doing a good pitch!!?? TEE HEE !!! Oh and if your guy likes to golf well bring him along cause ain't no place like Scottsdale for it's golf courses!!! There you have it a weekend perfect for 2!!! Check it all out and my classes too all posted through Sept at www.juliehaymaker.com and more coming soon.

Silly Teasers.........

Face Book !!!

Paper Glyps

Oh and .... Shelf Life + MORE----------

The , Valley Ho

Instead of wine in the room they provide vodka and martini glasses Ya gotta "Dig it Daddy O!!!"

Juliehaymaker@me.com

For the love of influences =1st in a series of post

2010-07-01T23:59:00.003-06:00

I have been wanting to do a series of blog post on other wonderful artist who have influenced me. I think we feel awkward to do this for fear of what others will think " OMG you mean you copy !!!!" Well, I hope not exactly, but it is natural to be influenced. All artist are and they have been all thorough the ages . Hence the saying " does life mimc art or does art mimc life?" The thing is each of us has our own artist voice and we represent our art with that unique voice. The influences may or may not be apparent to others if our voice is coming through ( I call this moving it a few generations) But trust me nothing under the sun is unique or new and most anyone would be in denial to think what they do is totally without influence , if nothing else nature itself ( the greatest art work of all) is a basic influence . We need to also keep in mind that all creative gifts are gifts . Not ours but ours to share . So I am starting this series and from time to time I will feature an artist that has had an influence in my work . These artist deserve the thanks and exposure for sharing their artist gifts and it is my way of saying, thanks for creating . One of the first mixed media artist to inspire me was and is Julie Arkell . If you do not know her work then here is my introduction . This piece of mine is one that I was inspired to create because of my love of her work . Ps I also am a Julie Arkell collector. You can find her work at Earth Angels Toys PSS if you think OMG Julie ( me) is a copier then feel free to call me on that too. I am open to any feedback .

A Boy and his dog =by me

Julie Arkell's, Piece . Love those wheels and old paper, don't you too!!

I'm home again!!~

2010-06-29T23:29:00.000-06:00

Just a little image that is one of the happy reasons to be home again.

Art in Soul Urban Cowgirl style !!! 2011

2010-06-21T13:09:00.016-06:00

Green Valley Ranch Resort

Art and Soul Las Veges.Vegas 2011. Hey everyone think about taking a fun break and heading to Art and Soul in Las Vegas next Feb. Last year the event was on the strip. BUUUUT this year Glenny picked a new wonderful resort out of town. The Green Valley Ranch Resort So much comes with your package at this place plus the lovely scenery to boot ( Thats cowgirl boots Dawling!!) . It will be the perfect combo of glitz , tranquility and great art classes. There is also a give away for sign ups!! This is a chance to win a piece of art from one of the instructors including me!!. I will be teaching 3 classes =
"Musical Cats and Dogs" , "Enchanted" and "The House of the Rising Sun".

Enchanted

The House of the Rising Sun

Musical Cats and Dogs

And You could win this.....

Happy Fathers Day!!

2010-06-20T16:56:00.002-06:00

Peanut and "Daddy's little boy" ( Scooty ) say happy Fathers day to their pack Pappa!!!

Spooky Time Jingles

2010-06-13T11:01:00.006-06:00

Guess what? I am the guest artist on Spooky time Jingles a wonderful site for all that is Halloween and Christmas !!! I just introduced a new series called "shelf life " Fun little guys to sit anywhere you would like a wee bit of whimsy!! Oh and the site also features some of my other favorite fellow "whimsy " artist too! Go take a peek at all the artist artwork as it will be sure to put a smile on your face . Also thanks for all the kind words about Boo Boo. Our pets are also our family, as I know you all feel too. Boo Boo was a rescue kitty and my heart knows we gave her a life of love . She was also the only pet Mark ever had and I know she is in his arms right now or playing Roly Poly with him with an Angel feather ( her earthly favorite was a peacock feather ) . Have fun my loves.

In the arms of the Angels 1995 - 2010

2010-06-07T14:21:00.002-06:00

Boo Boo Kitty died today

This little song is for you my sweet ,timid and gentle Kitty.

Lovely little Boodle Kitty.

She's My little Boodle Kitty.

Lovely little Boodle Kitty .

Boodle Boodle Sue.

finally after 4 months

2010-06-06T07:05:00.002-06:00

I finally have my Etsy shop full again. I have not listed anything new in 4 months . I guess that makes me a pretty poor buiness woman. Here are some of my goodies .....

A perfect storm( in bead land)

2010-06-05T18:35:00.001-06:00

Last winter a spent about 6 weeks sorting my beads. I was sooo proud ( I hear it comes before a fall) . I had them FINALLY all organized and in their little bead boxes by color all in my perfect paper drawers. WELL then came the move and the photo shows what happened . I wonder waht it would cost to have someone sort them again asI can not yet face this mess !!! Anyone want a summer job ?? Those little bead boxes are for the birds not one clasp held !!!Does anyboy have any fool proof ideas for bead storage and also esay access?? I love storing them in the thin paper drawers but the little boxes , now that is another story.

Happily Busy!!

2010-06-03T10:08:00.002-06:00

Boy it has been several weeks since I blogged. I miss it. Just got back from Art and Soul in Virginian. I hardly ever get to visit the East Coast and the green of the landscape made my eyes burn!! I think everyone who lives in the desert feels that way when they visit a wooded state in the spring or summer. I had a wonderful time and meet some people that I hope will be long time friends . Hanging with creative souls really feeds mine. I lost my Nikon camera on the trip, so no pictures .Hope who ever found it likes it, as it was a great camera. I have my eyes on the Panasonic Lumix,its smaller then my Nikon. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!! Well, the move in is going slow. I have been busy creating and not unpacking , I have my studio set up so that is good and I guess all that matters for right now.. Letting the other rooms "ride " is weird for me as I am usually so uptight that all I can do is think about getting organized. HMMM maybe we do change a bit with age or maybe it is the new meds -TEE HEE!! What every it is , it's OK. I have been revisiting some past art techniques and also having fun with color on some pieces . What ever the mood of the day calls for , color or neutrals The images are of some of the things I have been creating . I am using Cal's camera . I also hope to get by everyone sights to see how everyones summers are starting!! I love to blog in bed late at night. it makes my dreams colorful !!! OH and My poppies are blooming too !!! What is blooming in your gardens ? Hugs Julie

For the love of Dogs

2010-05-05T09:40:00.002-06:00

My dear friend Renee over at Renee Troy has organized a group to do a book for auction that will benefit " A Place to Bark ". One of my favorite charities . It's a no kill shelter and it specializes in hard to adopt dogs found at overcrowded shelters. Here is the page I did for the book . The theme was animals and hearts. It was fun to get back to my roots on this piece and do an illustration. Oh and take a break from the move and packing. The movers come in the morning.

morning coffee talk

2010-04-29T07:58:00.052-06:00

Last sunday night on my evening walk I had an amazing gift given to me. Just a small thing but it evoked a powerful response in me to make another big push in growing . I believe that our life is kind of like school and that the experiences we face in our life are spiritual growth classes . Some experiences we are handed are " tough test" and then some can be seen as "spring break". But what ever we are given in life it goes to say we will feel great times of joy and also great times of sorrow. The sorrow that comes is natural but requires us to learn how to heal ourselves and in doing so we grow stronger and closer to being the whole and complete person we are here to be . Anyway my gift last sunday night was a baby Great Horned owl sighting !! Folk lore says that an owl will only show himself to those who are wise and intuitive like the owl or those who have those traits in them but need to get more in touch with those traits. I feel the latter was the reason the owl showed himself to me. So this week I decide to search for sites and info that dealt more with my personal issues that need further healing. My hope was to find places that help me embrace my weaknesses with stronger tools of knowledge and support . One of my crippling issues is constant " fear " as I work for myself and support myself on my art . In searching I came on a great blog site I would like to share with those of you who also have fears that go along with wanting to start your own business or if you already are working for yourself then the fears that come with the "job". Here is is the blog site . I love the Name- Itty biz . http://ittybiz.com/entrepreneurship-what-to-do-when-youre-scared-shtless/

I think I can... I think I can ...

2010-04-25T23:52:00.003-06:00

I can solder !!!!! I have taken several soldering classes in the past and just could not get the hang of it!!! So I packed my tools, glass and ideas away and just accepted that that was not my thing , That isssssss..... Until Terri Brush insisted it was easy and she would show me how if I would just please be willing to try again and take a class from her. Well, I finally agreed and she was right! I was finally shown how very easy it is . Terri gave a simple sweet demo , provided all the right and best tools and it just flowed... I am hooked!! When a class I take is special like this one was to me. I like to make little frames for my pieces to remind me of the classes and the wonderful teachers that shared their talents with me. These 2 little peices are in honor of Terri and what she taught me and yes I can do Shabby Chic too!!!

2010-04-13T22:06:00.026-06:00

Kim Caldwell created an artistic challenge for me when she asked me if I would teach a tiara class at her event this summer Artistic Affaire Les Sirens . HMMM I was stumped a bit .Those who know me know I am not the soldering type , I just never could get the hang of it and yet I have 2 years of College in fine metal smithing but the 2 styles are WAY different . So any way I thought why not a head band instead !!! Kind of something a 1920 mermaid would wear . So this is what I came up with . Kim's event will be July 15 - 17th at a sweet little beach town boutique hotel in Manhattan Beach CA . A town I once called
home.

A must see!!

2010-04-10T12:05:00.004-06:00

I always forget to take my camera to my classes .So I hope you guys will pop over to the Frenzy Stamper
And take a peek at the students work for my class last week called "Controlled Burn". Their work turned out so great !!! I was so proud of them !! Everyone had a lot of fun with this technique. If you want to take this class I will be teaching it again at Art and Soul in Portland It's new class name is My Paper Heart. Your creative juices will just flow as to how many uses you will have for this fun technique with its many layers and textures and you will get to play with a wood burning tool too. Now ain't that just an awesome thought!! I also have 2 other fun classes on this line up "walking Rusty" and
"Julie's World"

Prim

2010-04-07T15:56:00.001-06:00

Prim!!!

Ok Maybe not so wordless wed. For those who know me .They know I do not do wordless very easily. I just wanted let eveyone know about the new Sommerset Magizine called Prim .It is one of my new favs. All about making things from a by gone era. Mostly dolls. I am so lucky to have a feature in it too. And it is perfect as I happen to be teaching the class on one of the dolls featured in my article .I will teach it at ART and SOUL May in Vriginia !!!Here is is

Walking Rusty

wordless wednesday

2010-04-07T09:11:00.000-06:00

Simple Abundance

2010-04-06T12:11:00.000-06:00

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: They try to have more things , or money in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier .The way it actually works is the reverse .You must first be who you really are, then , do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

-Margaret Young

United we Stand

2010-04-02T10:46:00.004-06:00

We as woman much more then men know the importance of supporting each other .It is a gift we are born with. As we entered the work force we were forced to compete with men and for years ,and maybe still our pay scales reflect that competition. I just read JULIE'S ART LIFE this morning commenting on how the paintings she created had been influenced by so many artist and she named them, how wonderfully thoughtful, yet her work was soooo her!! That is how art is created we SHARE and so grow. Never fear sharing it can only grow into something good!! She said it takes a village to create art TRUE!!. This in turn reminded me of my dear friend Jane Pollack She has a charity business that is called "Art takes a village" she gives creative workshops that help women with addictions . Now I have another friend Karen Valentine. Karen is very talented. She loves beauty, old things and knows how to but it all together in a very stylish, professional look. She recently lost her job and has creatively come up with a new plan to hopefully fill the need to make an income and to do what she loves -Blog design- and is she good at it !!!! Here is her site . Valentine Designs I have watched the followers just flock to Karen's own blog it is a warm , beautiful blog, filled with much sharing, beauty and love . My point is that we as women need to support each other, help each other grow and most of all share . I am asked about this when I teach art . At first when you learn something new like say when you take an art class , learn, a new technique from a self teach book, etc... it may feel like being a mimic or the dreaded work "copy" But that is how we learn it is the old and tried way and it works. We then over come our fears if we stay with the process and find our own artistic voice and this is done when the process continues by sharing. I always learn new things from my students and taking classes. I hope I am never to old to learn as I love to grow and learn and I need others to help me do so . Where would we be if no one ever supported each other and shared each others ideas and everyone just lived in isolation. I for one might have saddle sores or worse yet no saddle at all and be sitting in the dark. ( but I must say I would have loved no telephone. My how I hate that thing!) Think about it, we as woman can do so much for each other when we work together . So woman go forth create, share and support each other! United we stand and divided we fall. ! Look how far we have all come with just blogging and what we have done for each other with our blogs Way to go... keep up the good LOVE !!!! ALL my love and support to every one OF YOU !!!! Hugs Julie

A Brush with magic

2010-03-29T20:30:00.032-06:00

For the past 10 days I have been traveling in the state of Washington and the last portion was without internet service. Hence once again I am behind in blogging and visiting blogs. My eyes have not feasted on so much moisture in ages !!! Moss grows in all shades of greens against backdrops of rust and browns . Mist floats in the spring air!! My first stop took me to Terri Brush's tranquil country home in Cehalis Washington . 3 days filled with soft rain ,bits of blue sky, sunshine and evenings sounds of crickets and spring peepers ( tiny spring frogs). From the moment I walked into Terri's home I was greeted by old friends I had just meet . Terri had invited them all over for a surprise birthday party for me!!! Candlelight, wine , and a house of treasures surrounded me and an awesome feast was set before us . Warm conversation filled the evening with harmony ! Terri's home and heart where a pure joy for the soul . Touches of lovingly created and artful vignettes filled every room from wonderful artist and artwork I adore . I slept in big cozy bed like a queen . The nights magical dining room was transformed into a light filled studio during the next 2 days of the workshops I was lucky to teach. My students embraced their fears and jumped past them to learn new techniques and in doing so created work that gave me goose pumps as I was so proud of them and their creations . The time flew by so fast and I was having so much fun that I forgot to take a lot of pictures ( Plus I was busy running my mouth). You must pop over to Terri's site and her blog for a visit and to see what she has planned and is up too. If you ever are in her area please consider taking a workshop as this is not just about taking a class but about a day of stimulating your senses with art , food , friendship and beauty .Trust me this can become habit forming. Oh when you pop over to Terri's link from there to the Art Camps on the beach. I get to go back in the fall and teach at the fall Art Camp . After the weekend at Terri's it was on to teaching at Art Fest in Port Townsend !!! I think am ready for a tv show "Julie's artful Journey"... Sound fun???

Terri ,our Hostest

Night magic

Day light and art

Spring moss

A few of the "enchanted" pieces created. See what I said , they are simply wonderful!!!

This is spelled BRUSH but it means Welcome

Gift from God

2010-03-12T08:11:00.001-07:00

The last year for me has been one of major challenges ,with that always comes the doubts the questions and the soul searching. Hopefully with all of this, one comes out a wiser stronger and better person. For me that would be the hope that I would learn to take things a little more as they come and just know and trust my God given intuition . The last few days have been ones of peace for me as I feel a little stronger in knowing that what ever the answers have been, I trust they are the right ones for me and have come from a higher source . My sister leads her day with the thought that when she lays her head down on the pillow at night, she rest in the assurance that her actions of the day have been motivated by what will bring her peace that night. I have been trying to follower her lead and it seems to be working. Let go let god !! Thanks Lorrie for your wise example. You are a gift from God too!!

In Memory of Renee

2010-03-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

Sometimes our candles burn the brightest just before they go out. This post is for Renee her family and for all those affected by cancer . My heart is with you. circling my head

Classes for Washington area folks !!

2010-03-09T08:10:00.003-07:00

The house is filling up again with kits for classes . In less then 2 weeks I head to Chehalis March 20 21 to teach. Normally my skin would be craving some moisture but we have had tons of rain here this winter. Well, any way we still have a few open spaces in the class "Rusted Whimsy" on March 21 You will have enough in your kit to to make 2 fun images with frames .You will learn some dry brush painting and collaging .The use of aging and adding detail with a stabilo pencil and how to make whim-some faces and the oh so wonderful real rusting technique too!!!Chehalis is about 1 1/2 hours from Portland and Seattle. Terri our host has wonderful studio and serves us lunch as we create. She is available to answer any questions you may have too. Terris Studio and contact info

Walking Rusty and Steampunk Lily

2010-03-08T07:36:00.001-07:00

Some of you know I am venturing out and teaching in the bigger venues! I just got back from Art and Soul in Las Vegas and I must say I was blown away at the students .They taught me. Well, Glenny added me to the Art and Soul line for Portland and Virginia. Virginia is a long shot as I am late to get on the teaching list so we thought we would give it a try. It is a chance for any of you who live on the eastern side of our country to take a class form me .We are offering 2= Walking Rusty and Steam punk Lily .These are the images. If you have never done one of these art retreats you are missing out on the best of times!! They are life changing at least they have been for me when I took my fisrt years ago at Art Fest

Walking Rusty

Steam punk Lily

Hope versus Goals

2010-03-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Today I am writing about hope and goals . Hope is an essential for living and for me so are goals . I think I have made hope the same as goals . But am not sure . When my goals are not meet I tend to momentarily loose all hope . It is dawning on me that goals are more an earthly thing and hope needs to be more spiritual. Up till now it seems that when I loss one the other gets lost too . This then becomes deeply discouraging and immobilizing . Somehow I need to figure out how to keep the 2 separate. I guess this means that I have a new "goal" and that is to "hope" to keep the 2 separate.

The Box

2010-03-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

Last week as I was teaching, the subject of " thinking outside the box " came up . Funny as what we where learning was " thinking about the box" and learning to make one. But anyway as we talked everyone began to add their own twist to the phrase like .... "I need a ladder to get out of the box" ... "What is a box?? " ..... etc. I thought it would be fun for everyone who stops by to try and leave a comment as to what their personal version is to this phrase ..... or what it means to them. Go for it !!!!

Fly Me to the MOON!!

2010-02-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

I will try to blog more later . I just wanted to say I am happily napping the afternoon away after a frenzied 4 weeks of prepping then attending and teaching at the oh so FUN "ART and SOUL" !!! Saw this silly Snoopy rocket on the way and had to take a quick U-E to snap it!! Ain't it a HOOT!!

Banking blog B*&^H session

2010-02-11T07:38:00.001-07:00

I guess I should consider myself "lucky" and that is exactly what the banks want me to think. I am trying to refinance my loan . The paper work is endless and the attitude of the bank!!! Yikessss . I think after last year when "We " the American people bailed them out We in general have a new attitude about them, well, at least I do . It used to be that I thought of the banking industries as the most conservative and also honest system with all their checks and balances. I now do not trust them one bit and because of the loan that "we " gave them I feel it is their duty to give me on one back. Yet they have his attitude that if they look hard enough they will find some flaw in my history .( Last week I got turned down for a credit card because my credit score was to low It was 734!!). It has been an unpleasant experience so far, but as I said with their "new" tighter rules system I am lucky to have gotten this far. I am sorry If I offend anyone that works for a bank. I know it it the CEO's that are the "greedy" ones. I doubt any bank CEO is going to read my blog .But hmmm maybe they will as part of the "checking" me out process?!?! TEEE HEEE

Go dogs go

2010-02-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Do you like my hat? Remember the odd woman dog in Go Dogs Go. I think she was an artist? I always kind of liked her as a kid ,yet I knew she was Odd. Go Dogs Go was my favorite Dr. Seuess book. That man was brilliant!! Our contemporary is Tim Burton!! Love him too.

Obsession or Love in Multiples

2010-02-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

My sister Lorrie is taking an online class in photography from LK Ludwig . One of the projects for the day was to take a picture of something you use everyday that comes in multiples. Do my Uggs count !! If you have ever had a pair, then you are hooked. I do not care how Uggggly they are as they are the best and I plan to have them one day in every color of the rainbow. I am waiting for deep true red . But last year I missed out on the metallics. They sold out before I could get them and this year hmmm I guess I am saving for next year?!?

There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound. ~Diana Cortee

2010-02-03T09:17:00.006-07:00

It has been almost a year since "Art Nest" art retreat where I meet Karen . A few days ago a surprise arrived in the mail !! After reading my blog Karen thought I needed a pick me up! When I opened it, tears came to my eyes . He stands about 5 inches tall and is the sweetest thing in the world!!! He now owns a place of great honor in my living room placed on my victorian clock shelf beside old clock. I call him " The Time Keeper " and he will remind me that all things heal in time . Thanks, sweet Karen and a BIG thanks to every one of you for your DEAR support and comments . I heal a bit more everyday. Art saves lives ! PS I have told Karen she needs to make these dear little guys and sell them! Her site is
http://tessandore.typepad.com/my_weblog/ Oh but she is warming in the sun in Maui right now!!! Hugs to all Julie

give me the courage

2010-01-24T22:10:00.002-07:00

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept and the wisdom to know the difference . I have made a big decision in my life . It is time for me to let go of someone I love very much as this love is self destructive and my loved one is determined to stay on a self destructive path no matter what I have done and want to do to "help" . I am sure we have all had someone in our life that is self destructive and we end up finding ourselves in constant rescue mode. When we engage in this type of relationship it ends up eroding our own self esteem , strength , energy , passion ,hope and joy. Often we find that the person we think we are helping is no better off and in turn has learned to resent us and blame us for where they are in life . It is at this point we must go down with them or cut them loose and save ourselves. I have made the choice to save myself . It is so hard as I have to trust my head and not my heart as my heart still feels so much love and is in so much pain. This choice is also very hard as it Includes breaking vows that I take as very sacred and serious .So I know I must ask for the courage to stay with my choice to cut free and do so with the conviction that life is about living to our full sacred potential . To me living in a self destructive environment and with self destructive people is not honoring that full potential and therefore it is not honoring sacred gifts which are my potential . I am sharing this on my blog as feel I have not been as constant here as most of you have been in turn to me. Your visits mean so much to me as I know my visits and others visits , mean to you . It is this moody emotional roller coaster ride that I hope will change along with the changes I am making in my life. I known this will take some time but I have to hope there will be peace, joy and passion one day again in my life. This is my prayer. God grant me the serenity....

HMMMM ....good question

2010-01-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Is it true that you have to see it to believe it , or rather , do you have to believe it before you can see it?

The Steam Punk Home!!

2010-01-17T19:56:00.001-07:00

I have discovered I new site to drool over or blog spot. Here is a sneak peek at some of the items you can enjoy if you are a steam punk lover like me!!

This is part of the Steam Punk Kitchen!!! You should see the wall paper they make for your
Steam Punk home ( another site I will share it another day ).
I am ready to redecorate!! Right now!!!
http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com/

Bad Dog verses Good dog

2010-01-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

The saga of Scooter... I make these little paper clay angel dogs. I love the idea that all good dogs go to heaven and that to me means ALL dogs. But I may have to make one exception!!!! I left my little box of "angel doggies" on the bed opssss .... and the little devil dog had a hay -day .Scooter ripped off all the wings halos and ears off!!! Do you think he is trying to tell me something ?

Dreaming of sleeping dogs !!!

2010-01-04T00:14:00.001-07:00

Ok so I am at Debs most the day painting and sewing curtains. This means Scooter and Peanut have to spend the day by them selves. Now I am back home, ready for bed acutally IN bed and they are wired. Well mostly Scooter ,he is only 6 months old. He is all over the place, bouncing, chewing my hands dragging every toy onto the bed bugging poor Peanut. Up and down, up and down . (They have a little set of stairs to climb up and on to the bed.) I need some puppy downers so I can go to sleep. But darn the little guy is soooo cute !!!

They came!!

2010-01-02T20:12:00.002-07:00

My prints came today!! Deb has been bugging me for almost 2 years to make prints of my work. I kept putting it off because the needing to be "right" person in me could not commit to a printer or printing process and the fear that they would be imperfect over overwhelmed me !!!! Well, the NOT needing to be right NEW ME just sent them to the printer and they came back and are on my etsy!! Hey they are just prints. Something fun to have around. Hang on a your bulletin board etc, small and inexpensive .Why was I freaking out so much . Sometimes I get so tired of being me anyone ever feel that way !!! gee wizzzz......

Thanks

2010-01-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

I want to report that my "friend" whom I wrote about is doing much better. Her and her husband seem to be re-thinking a lot of things and their future looks positive . I will continue to hope and pray that they find happiness in what ever they do . I thank you so much for your prayers as I know our Spiritual Creator is guiding them. Thanks and hugs to all and happy 2010

Once in a blue moon

2009-12-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

The last blue moon on New Years Eve was 20 years ago . A blue moon is a full moon that happens 2 times in a given calendar month. I think this is a very good sign for us all in 2010 .....Once in a blue Moon!!!

Party Angels

2009-12-31T12:54:00.003-07:00

It is said that how you spend your new years is how you will spend the rest of the year. I am spending mine creating fun art and filling my heart with thoughts of those I love. It will be the BEST, oh and calling my sister to see how she likes the "thrown' her husband gave her for Christmas. V-day better be the diamond crown to go with it as his "thrown" was a toilet all wrapped and under the tree with the excuse that she said they needed a new one. Can any one top that story !!!! He is a good man, but a bit off center. ( maybe more then a bit). So anyway, how will you be spending tonight? I am wishing for you that it is the way you want to !!!

Art saves Lives

2009-12-30T09:42:00.001-07:00

Jenny Doh has a theory ( Jenny is the editor of Somerset Studios and Stampington ). She is leaving to start her new project Crescen-Doh . Jenny says many times "Art saves Lives" this has so often been true for me. 17 years ago I went to Upstate NY and took the Skidmore College Summer Six ( art program) and did it in Metal Smithing . You stayed in the dorms and ate in the cafeteria. I was the only on in the program and had the studio all to myself . I worked 12 hour quite days, way into the wee hours of the night creating without anything to bother me . Just creating !! I had access to all the campus had to offer. I could wander off to the fine arts painting, printing and ceramic studios and library .Watch and visit with other creative souls doing the same thing. It was the best 6 weeks of my entire life and helped me focus on what I REALLY wanted from my life. I then went back home and got it!!! Fast forward 13 years and on a much shorter scale a few days at Art Fest and the magic happened again. Now this coming year I am teaching art Art Fest a dream come true. These events pulled me out of a stuck place and helped me focus on what I wanted. It happens daily in my studio on an even smaller scale. Once again I would love to have you share "art saving" stories of your own and P.S. This photo posted today is one of the tiny pieces I made at Skidmore College Summer Six so long along ago and no, I did not use PMC it had not been invented yet!! Darn.... wish it had .

I measure mine in art ..

2009-12-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

Some reckon their age by years,
Some measure their life by art;
But some tell their days by the flow of their tears
And their lives by the moans of their hearts.
- - - -Abram Joseph Ryan

Question of the day?

2009-12-28T10:00:00.002-07:00

An old saying /question came to mind this morning. "You can either be happy or right" I am one of those people that is passionate and thinks totally with the creative side of her brain ,so much so that I can never remember what side that is ?!? . I grew up in a very small town in the Midwest in a time and place where no one knew about the different ways creative people live and learn in this world. It was just the 3 R's go to church and always wear clean underwear and you did it that way or you were considered a slow learner. To make up for this "slow learning" I needed to try extra hard to be" common sense smart" so that I could earn peoples respect even if I was not book smart. All my life I have tried to "do it right " and it has turned me into a controlling, self righteous B*&%H at times. It has not made me happy when I try so hard thinking "what will others think?" and it has made lots of people unhappy when I am in my self righteous frame of mind ....wow and my voice that goes with it !!. The gift I am giving my self this year is the gift of just doing it with my heart be a "happy fool" and with passion. Doing it " right" has not seemed to make that much difference in saving me from life's painful lessons and maybe just the opposite, as life keeps telling me " let go of the CONTROL you self righteous B*&^#H" .So why not just try being happy rather then right? This may be a bit tougher then I think but I am going to give it a try . I would love to hear any of your thoughts as to this question as it is an interesting one that I think many creative souls struggle with.

Hope

2009-12-26T15:34:00.001-07:00

When my husband Mark was dying , Hospice had to be called in. The two of us did not want to face what that meant. I told the Hospice workers that having them on board took our hope away. The social worker told me ." No, you just have to learn to hope for something different" . I learned so much from Mark's death, that being one of them. I learned to look to the unkown in Mark's case . Maybe his dying was not the end for him and I had to "hope" that some thing was still ahead for him, something I could not see or be a part of but still something good for him . As I deal now with my " friends" loss I have to face that maybe for her I must hope for something different too. Maybe instead of life with this man there will be another life for her without him. I thank you for your prayers as I think they are reminding me of that lesson about life. There is always hope you just need to adjust your focus.

A prayer

2009-12-25T01:43:00.001-07:00

A woman whom is very close to me is in deep pain . She and her husband have gone through a very tough year . The husband lost his business and his emotional health . They then lost all they had worked for and have had to start over. They have both felt much fear, pain and insecurity . The insecurity of both has lead the husband to believe that he has lost his love for her and so a few days ago he left her. Please if you believe in prayer would you take the time to say one for both of them and ask our Spiritual Creator to give her the courage to face the loss of him and find her way. Thank you so much my dear friends and Merry Christmas .

My christmas gift to you!

2009-12-20T21:05:00.004-07:00

This Christmas I thought I would give a little "how to" to my bogging friends. It is a simple little
Snowman made from a light bulb. Here it is and Merry Christmas to you all!!! Hugs julie

After adding some ribbon and silver pipe cleaners . He is done!!

Next I added a layer of glitter to his cap by spreading it with Mod Podge

And then sprinkling it with clear glass glitter. I used a black sharpie to make his eyes and then a white and red ( not shown Oops ) Stabillo pencil to make his checks .I blended them together in

Circular motion to make pink. A Stabillo pencil will work on all surfaces, even glass.

He is all glued together.

Next I glued his nose , base and cap on with E 6000.

I used a clear water bottle cap for his base and covered it and his nose with

White glass glitter. I used Mod Podge as the glue for the glitter.

I sewed a few fun findings and beads to the tip of the cap.

I picked some fun ribbon and sewed it on the rim of the cap.

Using black velvet I cut a flower shape for his collar.

I stitched the cap together with black thread. It is hard to see but the raw edge of the

felt was cut with pinking shears.

I used wool felt to make the cap,which is part rayon , part wool .

I buy this at Joann Fabrics by the yard.

To make a cone shaped hat pattern I just folded the edge of a piece of paper. I made sure the

base was the width I wanted. I can always trim the bottom base edge later to round it off.

For his nose I made a jelly roll from paper clay and then by pressing firmer on one end

while I rolled, I tapered it into a cone shape . When it is dry you can sand the rough edges .

For starters I sprayed a small clear light bulb with frosted glass spray paint.

Workshop Specials for one week only!!!

2009-12-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

Glenny, at Art and Soul is offering a wonderful deal for her fabulous Art and Soul Art Retreat in Las Vegas Feb 2010. Each week, starting today she is featuring one of the instructors and for that week their classes will be 20% off . I am the instuctor she is featuring this week, starting today . These are images of the classes I will be offering !

Pneumonia!!!

2009-12-07T22:46:00.001-07:00

Poor Scooter Last night his cough got even worse. So off in the middle of the night both Cal and a raced to the emergency vet clinic. And it was pneumonia and bronchitis. Poor wee guy, Peanut has been so worried!! But with some new antibiotics, a few steam treatments ,some really strong cough syrup and He should be feeling better in 48 hours. Maybe then we can all rest . Thanks again for all the supportive helpful emails . But boy !!!!all those meds sure give him gas!!!! PEWWWWW!!! My eyes are watering as I write he is laying by my feet on his night night bed.

Scooter

2009-12-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

My blog list came back!!! But thanks everyone for the comments !!Now I get to spend some time visiting and seeing what everyone is doing to get ready for Christmas. Oh, I also have a question.I still am taking care of Scooter for Mom and he seems to have kennel cough. We took him to the vet and they put him on antibiotics . But two weeks later and he still has this constant little cough. Does anyone know if this is normal ,does it take some time for the cough to go away ? He only coughs when he lays down and it is this constant kind of hiccup sound. I only know it is a cough because he then needs to cough up phlegm every once in a while? I just thought I would see if anyone has experienced this with a dog with kennel cough. It seems to be common with rescue dogs. thanks fo any help

BIG BOOO BOOO ON BLOGGER!!!

2009-12-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

OHHHH NOOOOO !!! To all of you, who's blopgs I follow (Over 100 ).Blogger has erased my list . PLEASE leave a comment so that I can easliy find you again!!! Has this happend tpo anyone else????

Happy

2009-12-02T13:30:00.001-07:00

Scooter and Mom are happy and so are we!! Thanks for all your kind words!!!

With humble thanks !

2009-11-25T18:56:00.003-07:00

Mom went in for her first surgery on monday. We had been told at that point that not only did she have bladder cancer but a one inch tumor had been found in her kidney and so the surgery to remove that had been already scheduled for the 9th of Dec. Early monday morning my Mom's sister ,a trained Reilke therapist and Hospice social worker did a one hour therapy on Mom. The afternoon surgery lasted an hour. Dr. Webster came out after the surgey, sat down and said "do you believe in miracles?" Both Aunts answered yes . He said "we found NOTHING!!!! ".It has taken few a days for me to digest this info , hence the slow post WHEEEEE!!!. that is me letting out my breath! My family, my Mom and myself have not a thing to feel but Thanks this Thanksgiving !!!! Hugs to all -Julie- A side note- I am a believer in science and the mircle of life and of nature. I am not sure what all happened, but I am thankful !!!

New Classes!!

2009-11-22T12:05:00.003-07:00

Something new !!! Terri Brush and I have just planned 2 ( and Maybe 3 ) classes of mine that I will be teaching at her wonderful Chehalis Washington studio ( just an hour from Seattle and Portland)! The first will be on March 20th it is called " Enchanted ".
We will be exploring wood burning and colored pencils on wood . The second will be on March 21 it is called "Rusted Whimsy" .This is a dry brush painting for beginners combined with collage and all wrapped up in a whimsical creation! For further details look on the right side panel and click on the images for march 20th and 21st !! or email me at Juliehaymaker@me.com

Mom and Scooter

2009-11-21T15:28:00.001-07:00

Last week Mom went to a dog rescue fair and came home with Scooter!!! Then Thursday Mom found out she has bladder cancer . She has surgery on monday at that time we will find out if there is a tumor in her kidneys or of it is a kidney stone . We have all decided not to go off the worry deep end till we know more on monday. So cross your fingers ! She is very uncomfortable and will be for a while as they will do chemo after the surgery . We are told the bladder cancer has been caught very early and know that is a VERY good thing!!! But what ever the case I think Scooter has a new home, OURS! . Peanut is being sooo sweet too the little guy , but who could resist all this cutness and it helps that the little guy is a little "guy" and not a little " girl" I think!!??? I will keep you posted on the progress of" the saga of Scooter, Mom and the evil cancer".