Don't forget about the FAIRY!

My fairy painting is ending today....don't forget about her!

I'll be blogging more later. I'm going to give something away, just have to make up my mind which thing! But keep an eye out for it!

Studio Update

Since y'all are all asking about my studio....I will give you an update, although there's not a lot to tell! I painted the bathroom on Saturday. Painted the walls a color called "Cherry Vanilla". The ceiling is "pale moon"--the same color I will paint the doors and trim. The paint was still wet in the picture and I haven't even been back since they dried! We also have all the tile board up except on the ceiling over the shower/tub. My husband is working on the drain on the tub, then he will install the shower. I have to paint trim, we have to put the sink & toilet back in, put down vinyl and get the door painted and put back up. Sounds like a lot, but its really not! This is the way we usually do the trim--my husband cuts the trim to fit, then I paint it while he is at work or doing something else. When I'm done, he installs the trim and we touch up the nail holes. Keeps me from having to be so careful about getting trim paint on the walls & floor! Anyway....that's not much to look at, but once I get everything back in there, I'll share more & better pictures!!

I can't find a shower curtain I like, so I'm going to make one. I really want some Rachel Ashwell fabric with little tiny roses, or even a sheet would work. But I am trying to spend as little as possible in there. Should I splurge on the shower curtain or try to stay on a budget? I can't even find any fabric I like around here. I'll either have to go to Huntsville or order from the internet. OR....I'm scheduled to transport some kitties to Nashville on Saturday morning. I'll bet they have some good fabric stores. Anyone know of any good places to shop while I'm there? I might as well treat myself if I have to drive that far!!

This is where we're working on the bathtub--had to cut a hole in the wall on the other side to get to it!

 

And this is why I don't have my office painted yet....I have the walls patched and sanded but it got full of tools, so this project is on hold! Can't wait to get this part done because I'll be able to move my office!

Here are my outside kitties at supper time. Left picture is Cricket (black kitty) and Rusty. On the right are Dusty (gray kitty), Dill (black & white) and Elvis (gray & white in the back). 

Where I'm from Part 2

So I'm going to  tell you about where I'm really from! I live in Scottsboro, AL but I was raised in a community called Macedonia. Its so small, we don't even have a post office! So if you look up Macedonia, AL on the map, you probably won't find it. The address is actually Section, AL.

This is the highway driving from my house to my parents'. They stil live where I was raised--since I was 5 years old!

Its a really nice drive--just look at the views! I especially love it in the fall. When I was 18 I moved out of the country for about a  year & a half. (What was I thinking?) I came home in the fall when all the leaves were changing and I had never realized how beautiful it really is here! Since then I have loved to see the leaves change--it always reminds me of how happy I was to be back home in Alabama!

Tennessee River

 

 

 

 

Almost home....my Momma nick-named these curves "Mason's Curves" because an old man named Mason lived on the right, right on the curves! The name stuck--we still call them that. (So sad, Mason and his house are both gone....he had an old timey house and pigs out back!)

 

This is Salem Church--a primitive Baptist church. It hasn't changed much at all! Until recently they didn't even have an indoor bathroom. That addition on the front hasn't been there long and has a bathroom. Not long ago they hired husband put carpet in there. I hated to see it change--it had the best old, primitive, creaky floor in  it! It may still have the old wooden benches in there...

 

And here are a bunch of good lookin' kids at Buck's Pocket park! (My two nephews in back, my niece and my sister's fiance's son in front) It is close to my parents' house so we made lots of trips there...and still do!

Of course, when I get home....there are my crazy cats waiting on me!!

Where I'm from....

  I'm going to tell you a little about where I'm from.....with photos! One day this fall my husband & I went riding around town to take some photos. This one is here in Scottsboro, at the railroad tracks, of course! At night sometimes I can hear the train. I love to hear it! Its not too close so its not really loud, I just barely hear it in the distance. I don't know why, but I have always love the sound of a train!  

Of course I always see a cat!!

Another view of the fall foliage!

 

Right outside of town--we live near mountains and the river.

The is leaving Scottsboro to go to my parents' house (about 30 minutes away). You can see the river on the right, barely!

This is near our house...

Bob Ross could have painted this scene!!

Something that I love....

This is one of my favorite things that I own....my Daddy won this at the fair one time and I always thought it was beautiful! (Probably part of the reason was that Daddy won it!) When Momma let me have it, it made me so happy....when I was little I remember using it for serving butter at least once. I thought that was really fancy!! I've never used it for serving butter, but I do keep it out so I can see it. It always reminds me what a fun  time we had going to the fair every year.....we didn't live in town, so it was always exciting driving there. When we were driving off the mountain we could see the lights of the fair! Thirty minutes of driving to get there seemed to take forever!!

Fall Fairy

Guess what...I finally have something listed on ebay!!

Click here to view my auction and to bid!!!

Have a great day and STAY WARM!

Snow in Alabama!

It snowed here yesterday....we couldn't believe it! I picked up my nephew at school and it started to snow soon after he got in my truck. He was so excited! He snapped so many pictures on the way home after it started to stick to the ground. He wanted to make snow cream and we put a bowl on the truck to catch snow, but I doubt he will get that much in there. I checked it when I left and they might have been two teaspoons full!! :) But it was pretty to look at. They live on "the  Mountain" (Sand Mountain, that is!) and I live in Scottsboro. It was nice & white when I left, but there was no sign of snow when I got to Scottsboro. Below are a couple of pictures my nephew took of the snow....

 

Tonight I'm in my studio staying warm and working on some papier mache figures...I'm trying to learn some new techniques, so there's no telling how these guys might turn out! :) I bought new fabric for dolls....I spent about an hour & a half at wal-mart trying to get someone to cut fabric for me!! After all that, I haven't even cut the first piece of fabric tonight! I wanted to get the  papier mache guys started so they can dry while I sew!

A few nights ago I was planning to paint a Valentine fairy ....but she ended up being a  Fall Fairy! This is a photo of her before I finished....just a little sneak peek!! I'm planning to list her on ebay yesterday!! Ha....since I didn't make it, I'm planning to get her on there some time this week!! Until then....she is up for grabs. If you are interested, email me at denise@scottsboro.org!

Last but not least.....I wanted to show you a picture of the view from my computer chair tonight...

Doggies found their homes!

Remember the dogs I was going to help transport? I got an update about them and they all found homes! That makes me so happy....

Here they are....how cute they all are. Its no wonder they found homes in a hurry! (You can click the pictures and they will get a little bigger)

   

Here is Boo just before he went to his forever home....

 

And here's Manny...

 

I have to admit, I might have been tempted to bring some home with me! ;) Seriously, I am still up for helping transport some animals when they need me. I have a link to Cheryl's website....maybe you want to volunteer to help out too! Just look at those sweet faces....how in the world could you say no?

Do y'all remember Buddy? I thought I would post a newer picture of him...He has put on weight (but still a little on the lean side) and he seems so happy! And he loves his friend, Blondie!

Free Pattern!

I'm offering the pattern for my peppermint sticks to you for free! Click here to download the pattern. (It should automatically open with Adobe Reader--if you don't have it, its free to download.) These are so quick and easy to make!!

I'm planning to have new free patterns at least once a month, maybe more! So keep an eye out here for new ones....

New Designs in the works....

I am so glad to be back to "work"! I can't wait to start getting some new stuff done! I have so many ideas....it will be a challenge to work on them and my studio at the same time. I wish it was ready to move in, but it will be a while!

I didn't get to transport the doggies today. There were 8 dogs so I was going to take some and another guy take some. Two were adopted, so he just took all 6. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to go, but they got to go and that's what was most important!

I thought I would share another photo....That's me in the middle holding my brother, Jason. My  sisters Ranee' (right) and Lisa (left) on each side of me. (My youngest sister, Jamie, is missing, but that was before her time!) We're in the back yard where I grew up and where my parents still live. Where we had picnics, made mud pizzas and had funerals for Junebugs we found on the ground. Where we chased lightning bugs, ate watermelons until we were sick and played in our playhouse. (I will tell you about me playhouse another time!!) Those trees in the yard behind us are HUGE now! The grapevines are gone and there is a shed on the right now. Past the edge of the yard is where Daddy always had his big ol' garden. I thought it was big, but now he has another big ol' garden on the other side of the house! See that tree in the back on the right? That's where I went to have a picnic with one of my sisters one day. We spread out the quilt and right when she was about to sit down, I saw a snake where she was about to sit!! We were always seeing rattlesnakes there, so I'm sure we thought that was a near death experience!! ha! Way down the dirt road to the right (just out of the picture) was where we had a well house and there was a big wild cherry tree there. Have you ever had wild cherries? They are really good, but so tiny they barely seem worth the time to pick them up!! I just realized that they are about the size of those cherries with a Hi-Ho Cherry-O Game!

It has been fun going through these old photos....I will share more with you later on with some stories that I hope aren't too boring!! Now back to work....working on some projects for Create & Decorate magazine!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me!! Yesterday was my  birthday!! I can't believe I'm 39....that's all I'm going to say about that!

When I was at Momma's on Christmas, I went through her pictures and brought some home to scan. I think this may be my very favorite picture of me. I had been in a beauty contest that night and I thought I was so pretty! My sister was in it too....I think I was 4 and she was 2. I didn't win, but she won second runner up. I cried all the way home. I laid in the back window of Daddy's mustang and cried. (Was I ever really small enough to fit up there??) I think Momma thought I cried because I didn't win,  but that wasn't it. It was because my sister got her picture made to go in the paper and I didn't!! So here you see the picture I had made--after I had taken off my pretty dress and gloves and put on my favorite thing to wear, my Daddy's white t-shirt! And yes, that made me happy....just getting my picture made!

Notice the rabbit in my arms? That was a sleeping bag....you unzip it in the back to put your clothes in and it has some kind of wire form or something inside so it kept its shape. Its body is yellow plush with pink satin around her hat and her head is hard plastic. I have been looking for one to replace mine for a long time, so if anyone knows the name brand or anything to help me find one, I would be so happy!

Do any of you have any New Year's Resolutions? Here are mine:

1. Lose Weight (I have this one every single year!)

2. Start Excersing (again)

3. Complete my studio this year

4. Work less--try to take some time just to relax

5. Start remodeling our living room and kitchen

6. Do some volunteer work (starting with transporting the doggies on Saturday!)

I think that should be enough for the whole year....