Look what I won!!

Look what I won!!  I'm so excited!  Especially since I won two things in about a week!  I won the ABAlteredBooks Monthly Challenge, with my ATC "Music Makes the Heart Light".  I run that list, but I've never won the challenge before, so that was exciting!!  Then, I won this give-away over at Courtney Walsh's blog!  I just left a comment.  There were about 250 comments left that week and mine was chosen!  At random, mind you....but, how cool is that?  I love Webster's Pages and this kit looks way cool!  I just received it yesterday.  It will be put to good use.  Oh, there are several other things I won, along with that...but, they've not been sent, yet.  They are:



Autographed copy of Carla Stewart's novel Broken Wings

3 Disk set of Harry Connick Jr. CDs

Handmade cuff from Farmgirl Paints

Where Women Create/Where Women Cook (3 publications in all)

Autographed copy of Scrapbooking Your Faith

The things I'm the most excited about are the inspiring publications from Stampington & Co.:  Where Women Create and Where Women Cook!  (Mostly, Where Women Create, because I identify more with being creative, in an artsy kind of way, than being creative in the kitchen....but, I do love to drool over beautiful kitchens!)  And, the "cuff" from Farmgirl Paints.  Cuff??  Farmgirl Paints??  I'm intrigued, for sure!!  Thank you, Courtney!!

Anyway, Courtney's blog is called "Telling Stories - prose, paper, paint, print".  There's all sorts of things there....I can't even tell you how I ended up on it!  :)  Perhaps something that was "pinned" on Pinterest??

Here's the ATC that won the challenge:

There's always great art-work entered in these challenges, so I am definitely honored to have won!  And, thanks to Mandy Collins over at Pearl Maple for the goodie-prize!!  All the way from Australia!  A lovely little care package for someone who loves to do altered art.

So, are you ready for the new year??  I still have some Christmas gifts to finish up....which I was really hoping to have done before the new year, but I don't think that will happen now.  :(  I really wanted to be done with Christmas; totally, thoroughly, completely done before the new year hit.  Otherwise, I feel like there's old business hanging on from the last year.  Of course, there's always "old business", but you know what I mean.  Business that needs tending to before you can move on to other things.  So, okay, I need to get off of here and get working on that stuff!  Hopefully, by the time I do the next post, all of that will be done and in the mail...or wherever it's going.... and I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Wish me luck.  :)

Happy New Year!! 

~  Teri

Christmas freebies, as promised!

So, here are the images that I promised.  Click on them and they'll show up in their original size.  Right-click on that image and click on "Save as".  Make sure you put the images in a place that makes sense or you'll never find them on your computer again!!  You can make all sorts of fun and beautiful things with these types of images.  Like the little plaque that I made, that was in my last post.  You could even make Christmas cards out of them.  Whatever you do with them, have fun!   

 Happy Creating!

           ~ Teri                                                                                                            

Christmas birds plaque

Thanks for stopping by!!  Here's my newest piece that I just did for a family member, for Christmas.  I'm so-o-o-o-o far behind with Christmas!  I say that every year, but this time, I mean it!!  I always try to make something for my immediate family....something that I can make for each of them.  Last year it was jammy bottoms.  This year?  Well, that's not happening.  I don't know why I wait so long to get started!  I'll never understand people complaining about stores gearing up for Christmas before Thanksgiving.  No, I don't want to see Christmas decorations around town before Thanksgiving.. I like to enjoy the fall colors, etc.... and Thanksgiving marks the end of all that.  But, seeing some Christmas stuff around makes me start thinking about what I could be doing/making for Christmas gifts.  How it is that we think we can do all of this, especially those of us that like to make things for gifts, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, basically four weeks, is beyond me!!  That's not nearly enough time!  I really love all the stuff that goes on at Christmas-time.  Some people complain about this or that; the crowds, etc... well, my advice is start early!!  Have it all *done* by the first part of December and then you can bake cookies and candy to give away.  You can enjoy your tree and the beauty that all the gifts underneath lend it.  You can avoid the crowds!  You can have time to get all your packages mailed, if you have friends/family in other parts of the country/world.  You can go to carolling parties (or host them!) that you've been invited to; you can go out and carol around town or in a nursing home/assisted living place.  It's not the store's fault that we wait so long to start!  You can have time to sit down with your family and some Gingerbread cookies and watch It's a Wonderful Life.  That's what Christmas is all about to me..... what can I be doing for other people?  What gifts will my children and husband just love?  What would bring a smile to someone's face?  None of that can happen if we don't allow time for it.  I'm not pointing the finger at anyone but myself, here!  I'm terrible about it!  And, every year I vow to do better next year!  It's not because the stores tell me I should..... it's because that's what Christmas is all about.  The stores aren't going to get any more of my money whether I shop in Sept. or if I shop in Dec.  But, I'll feel better.  Someone, please remind me to read this post next July!!  So, anyway, here's my little piece of artwork.  I'm going to upload some images that you're welcome to use and this image will be included.  I hope you're all having better luck with your Christmas preparations than I am!  That is, if you celebrate Christmas.  Have a wonderful night!

       ~ Teri

 

   

A Creative Imaginations ATC Raffle

Well, before I talk about this artwork, I'd like to say "Happy Thanksgiving!" to those of you who live in the States.  Be thankful for what you have.  I know, sometimes it's difficult to not think of the things that aren't "right", when you're trying to think of the things that are.  But, it's so important to focus on the things that you love about your life!!  What you focus on g-r-o-w-s!!  So, whatever you want more of... focus on that!  Do you want more chaos, sadness and grief in your life?  Then, by all means, focus on that!  Because that's what that will get you.  If you don't want any of that, don't focus on it.  Don't talk about it; don't blog, incessantly, about it.  Give your attention to the positive things!  And, be grateful, each and every day!  Some time in your day - in the morning, which would be a great way to start your day - or, in the evening, which would be a wonderful way to go to sleep - write down five things that you're grateful for.  Think of those things during your day.  Dwell on those things... not all the not-so-good things that are going on in your life!

OK... stepping off my soapbox now.  :)

So, I've had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with my family.  All four of our kids were with us, which is a rarity these days!  The oldest was there, with her boyfriend - they've been together for three years, but he'd never had Thanksgiving Dinner with us before.  So, that was nice.  Our older son's girlfriend was there, too - that was also nice.  We had a wonderful dinner, played a couple of games and had a nice visit.  I have much to be thankful for, that's for sure!!

OK... so, about these ATC's.  Creative Imaginations is hosting an ATC Raffle.  They have a line called Luminarte  - various kinds of paints, in bottles with dauber-tops, sprays, little pots of shimmering watercolors, called "Twinkling H2O's".  All great products!  If you go to the Creative Imaginations website, they'll tell you all about the raffle.  Your ATC is your raffle ticket, which could win you Luminarte paints and "Luminarte Friendly" products.  So, I put the background down on this "sun and moon" one first.  But, I actually finished the "autumn greetings" one, first.  For the sun and moon, I put down, with the dauber-top Radiant Rain Color Concentrate (which is a watercolor/acrylic paint blend), some Hot Cinnamon and Mallard.  This was done on glossy paper, cut to the size of the ATC.  (always 2.5 x 3.5")  I wasn't sure I liked what it looked like.... so, I sprayed on some of the Shimmering Mist (Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist) in the Ginger Peach color.  I started liking it at that point.  :)  Then, I saw that I had some of the color, in puddles, on my craft-mat, so I took a pre-made ATC, made for acrylics, and put that, face-down, swirling it all around the puddles of color.  That's how I got the background for the "autumn" one.  I continued with the autumn one and got it finished.  I just now came back to the "sun and moon" one to finish it up.  I stamped the sun and moon stamp, with Jet Black Staz-On ink.  Then, I used an acrylic flourish stamp, with some VersaMark watermark (clear) on it and stamped over at the left....kind of around the black stamped image.  Then, I used True Blue Pearl-Ex pigment powder, by Jacquard) (I LOVE pearl powders!!) over that flourish.  I heat-set that, by misting it with water in a mini-mister (a Ranger product by Tim Holtz) and dried it with my heat gun.  I then took a couple of pieces of Tim Holtz' tissue tape (I'm pretty sure mine is the Nostalgic set, but I'm not sure - I threw away the packaging!) and laid those cross-wise, how you see them.  Photos just don't do these kinds of things justice... you kind of lose some of the shimmer.... or brilliance... of the whole thing.  Oh, well. 

Oh, the other cool thing about entering that ATC raffle is that your work could be included in their travelling exhibit!  How cool would that be??  I'm only making two, but I'm doing it because I've been in ATC-making mode, anyway, and it's good practice.  It also makes you do things that you might not get around to doing when you have a dead-line!  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Creating!

       ~ Teri

Playing with alochol inks

Here's a little piece I just spent the last hour and a half on.  What fun!  This was my first time of really playing with alochol inks.  I layed down the inks (from Tim Holtz' Ranger line) and then started doodling over them with a few gel pens.  Those inks are *so* cool!!  I can't say enough good things about Tim Holtz' products!!  My first love, of his products, was the Distress Inks...these are the second.  I did this on a glossy, 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.  I layed some ink down and then used the Alcohol Blending Solution - putting it onto the same piece of felt that had the inks on it - and patted it around a little more.  Fun, fun!!  I'm looking forward to getting some clear, plastic or

acetate pieces and playing around with the inks on those.  I'll let you know how it goes!  For now, it's bed-time!!

Ciao!

   ~  Teri

I'm not sure how I missed this little guy... I made him two years ago, and, somehow, he never made it to my blog!  His name is Ollie.  That was a friend's idea... I'm not sure why.  But, it's a cute name, so I stuck with it.  :)  The pattern came out of Martha Stewart's Living magazine.  I know, it's a little early for Christmas stuff... well, not if you're making things, but for general decoration.  I like to enjoy the beautiful colors of Fall before we jump into Christmas.  We already have some Christmas lights up downtown!  They're beautiful, don't get me wrong... but, already???  Really??

Wow....it's shaping up to be a gorgeous, sunny day!!  Cool, but sunny!  Yay!!

I hope it's a beautiful day where you are!

       ~  Teri

Surrender to What Sets Your Heart Free - latest mixed-media art

Hi!

Just a quick "Hello!" and post, to show you my latest piece of mixed-media art.  It's for a friend... I'm pretty sure she doesn't look at my blog much, so I'm hoping she won't see it before I give it to her!  :)

It was fun to do, although I always come to a point where I'm like a deer in the headlights!  I need to do some art-exercises, to get over that.  Choose a time where I won't get interrupted; I can't allow myself to stop... just go, go, go..until it's finished!  Otherwise, I get too "in my head" about it... and our muses can't work through us if we're doing that.

There's an exercise in the book, Kaleidoscope, by Suzanne Simanaitis, (who runs artitudezine.com) where you get all of the supplies out that they tell you you'll need and for each step ~ you set a timer; when that timer goes off, you move on!  You don't really *have* time to think too much!  You're also not allowed to read ahead, before you begin the project.  :)  I haven't done it, yet, but it's one that's definitely on my "Art-To-Do-Soon" list!

I had the background of this piece done fairly quickly....then, I put it away and had to think about it for a while.... for, oh, about two months!!  I was afraid to go on for fear of messing up my background that I loved so much.  (That's the part that I need to get over!) 

(Any tips or suggestions for working past the deer-in-the-headlights thing would be greatly appreciated!)

Thanks for looking and, please, oh, please, if you stop by, please leave a quick comment!  :)

Thanks!!

     ~ Teri

ATC Swap

These are ATC's that I just made for a swap that I'm participating in.  ATC's are Artist Trading Cards.  People trade them, sort of like baseball cards.  Only prettier.  :)  They are the size of a standard playing card, 2.5 x 3.5".  They are supposed to be traded, never sold.  :)

I'd never done one before.  The third one down, in fact, Music Makes the Heart Light, is the first one I'd ever done.  Some people think they're too small to work with.... too confining... they like a big page or canvas to work on.  Others love this little size, because it's less intimidating....not so much space to fill.  I can see both points.  Probably depends on your mood at the time!  :)  This last two weeks, for me, these have been the perfect size.  It does mean having smaller images on hand ("inchies" work well) or being able to print out images that you love - in a smaller format.

This "Boo to You!" one was made for my friend, Jana, who is hosting the swap.  It's up to her to gather them, spread them all out and randomly choose (without looking at the images) however many (if you put in two, you get two back; four, you get four back, etc.......)  for each participant and get them all mailed back to each person in a timely fashion.  I knew that Jana had originally wanted the theme to be Halloween, but we realized we'd run out of time... by the time people got them done and mailed to her, Halloween would be long-gone.  So, then, we decided to make the theme "open"... so, you could do anything you wanted!  But, I knew that Jana wanted Halloween ones, but also Thanksgiving ones... so, I did one of each for her, because I couldn't decide!  :)

I tried some new background techniques on these.  Another great thing about the smaller size.... it's not too much of an investment - either financially, physically or emotionally - because the area is so small!  That's not to say that it didn't still take a lot of time.  I'm not quick about these things.  Of course, I have other things I'm doing in my life, but even when I carve out time to do art and don't have too many interruptions... I only get one done a day...maybe the start of a second one.  But, I never got two completed in a day.

Anyway, they were loads of fun to do... I look forward to doing more!

I hope you enjoy looking at them!

Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!!

      ~   Teri

My own book - Victoriana

This is my own book, which five other people worked in. I did these three things - the title page, the sign-in page and the tags and then sent it off. It went to Oregon (about 15 miles from me), Western Canada, Arkansas, Minnesota and Maryland. It was so fun to participate in...what a journey, for my book and myself.

This first picture is the title page. Now that I have it back, I want to add more to that spread. I also still have to do the front/back covers.

This is the sign-in page. The dark-brown paper creates pockets, for the sign-in tags to go into.

These are the tags. Each participant signs one.... their name, where they live and the date is appreciated, but people can do whatever they choose.

Some people sent a little "gift" to the next person who they were sending the book to....that was fun, too. I got several little packets of goodies, because I was the hostess of the Round-Robin.

Now, a different group, that includes some of the same people, are working on an ATC swap. ATC's are Artist Trading Cards. They're always 2.5 x 3.5" and they are never to be sold...only traded. They're just a little piece of art. Here's a great site that has three pages of ATC's, so you can see what I'm talking about. Be sure to look at all three pages! Incredible work here!!
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/atcnov03.html

I'll be doing the swap, so that means I need to make two ATC's, to swap... and one for the hostess. I'll post those after the swap is over, so the participants don't accidentally see them ahead of time.

Happy creating!

~ Teri

"The Beach".... my first Round-Robin book!

This was the first Round-Robin book that I did. The theme was There's No Place Like Home. I immediately thought of "the beach". I grew up on the beach.... I mean, I lived one mile from the beach, so I spent a lot of time there! The beach culture is completely different than anywhere else. Especially the culture in Santa Cruz, which is where I was.

I found that sweet scrapbook paper with the little huts, surfboards, guitars and bikes and just knew I had to use it in this spread! I loved the colors and the look of it. So, I used it to start from....chose my colors of paint accordingly. I made a little pocket out of it, where I put an accordion-style folded paper, talking about where I grew up and why I chose the beach. Then, I added those beads.

Such a creative process doing this kind of art!

Enjoy!

~ Teri

The second Round-Robin book

Here's the second book. It belongs to my friend, Jana, and her theme was "Questions of Love". I had a lot of fun doing this one. Once again, I didn't really know where it would lead... I just knew that I was going to include actual questions of love, like "Can you live on love alone?" "Is Love the greatest gift of all?"

I'd been thinking that I was going to incorporate fabric into her book

....then, I noticed, on the inside front cover, that she had used a fabric that was in a collection that I had just used for a baby quilt, so I decided to use one of those fabrics in her book. It's inside the little door.

Yep.... All You Need Is Love.

~ Teri

My third Round-Robin book

Here's the third book that I did. The theme was "Magic". I did "The Magic of the Muses".

This was the first book (or anything!) that I put gesso on and moved it around with a "credit card" to create texture. I loved how it turned out! Then, I started putting acrylic paint on. Oh, but first I used some masking fluid to mask over some words that I wanted to keep, from the original text of the book, and not have to worry about painting over. I had a wee problem, though... I had so many layers of paint on there, that I couldn't find my spots of masking fluid! I found a few, totally intuitively. Was afraid to peel up the paint on the rest of them, just in case I was in the wrong spot... then, I'd just have a spot of roughed-up paper. :( So, I left them alone. But, it turned out all right, anyway. I was pretty happy with this one.

Oh, the magic of the muses....where would we be without them?

~ Teri

More Round-Robin photos

Here are the last two books! This first one was themed, "Teapots, Cups and Hats". This first spread, "It's Time for a Tea-Party" was completely unplanned. I mean, I only meant to do one spread in this book, because of time constraints, but the first things I did were the teapot, hat and cup...in "zentangle" fashion. Then, after I got the background on this first spread, I realized that those zentangles were *not* going to go with that background! So, I started my hunt for some images that were completely different!

These images are the "zentangles". They were fun to do! I used some new gels pens to do the "frame" around both pages and to add all the text with. I just wrote things that I thought of when I think of having tea! Scones, crumpets, lemon curd, good friends, favorite hats, ginger and lemon tea, Earl Grey... you get the picture!

This was the last book I did.... with the theme of Vintage Sewing! This first photo is of the "sign-in tag". The owner of the book provided the tags, for us to use, but we could decorate them however we wanted. I used some fabric that I also used in the spread, so it was coordinated.

This is the spread for this last book. It's funny.... I was so excited about this theme, being one dear to my own heart, but found it to be the most daunting! Perhaps because there were so many ways I wanted to approach it and so little space!! I don't know. I do know, though, that you have to trust the process with this kind of art! (All kinds of art?? I know that's true of painting!)

But, with this kind of art, you just don't know what it's going to end up being. I'd have ideas, but sometimes those would be changed, completely, as I worked! Sometimes, I only had a very basic idea and it just took on a life of its own.

It was a very rewarding project. I tried new techniques. I learned about working with mixed-media and I learned some things about myself. I had done very little altered art... but, have been wanting to (and collecting supplies!) for about five years! So, when the question of doing this round robin came up (on the altered books yahoogroup that I run), http://groups.yahoo.com/abalteredbooks I was intimidated, needless to say! There are people on there who've worked in this media for years... and who are very good! Also, people who've been published in the "best of the best" magazines and books of this particular medium! But, I also knew that it would force me to play with all those collected supplies! It would force me to take the time to do art! That's exactly what it did. It was wonderful!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I contributed to these peoples' books.

I look forward to the next Round Robin!

~ Teri

The latest baby quilt

Here's the latest baby quilt. I just gave it away yesterday. I used fabrics from two different collections. One was by Jason Yenter, called "Camelot", for In the Beginning fabrics. I can't remember the other one's name! It was a woman that designed it. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. But, they are gorgeous fabrics in my humble opinion! These pictures never do justice to the piece. I realize, now, that I should've taken a close-up of some of the fabrics. :(

I have "key-tags" that my local quilt shop, Boersma's, sells for $1.00. (Yes, they should give them away, but.....) I think I have six of them saved up now and when they are full (which mine are!), they are good for $25.00 worth of merchandise!! I've been wanting to make a quilt for my husband and I, but our bed is king-sized, so I knew that I'd have to quilt it on one of the long-arm machines.

So, I'm going to get the top all sewn together, first, then go take a class on how to use those machines! My SIL has used them a bunch, so she will help me, if I need it.

The other cool thing is that if you shop on your birthday, you get 25% off of everything! So, I'm going to go in on my birthday (I hope!!) and buy all the fabric then. I think I'm going to use a Fig Tree Quilts pattern with Fig Tree fabrics. Not sure, but I have to get it all figured out before my birthday!! Oh-no!! Wish me luck! (I only have eight days!)

Enjoy the day!

~ Teri

The socks are done!!

My socks are done! Yes, I knit them myself!! I am SO excited!! I'd just done another pair, out of this gorgeous blue yarn (similar to this green, but in blues), but they were too small!! That's when we realized that even my 10 year old son has bigger feet than I do. (And, mine have grown by 2.5 sizes since I've had kids!)

Anyway, I digress. These are so comfortable! They're a washable wool. Yes, that means machine washable and dryable (is that a word??). But, I'm trying to get into the habit of hand-washing them, because I plan to have many more pairs and they may not all be machine washable!

I'm working on summer-socks right now. I can't remember what those kinds of socks are called... you know, short socks. They barely poke out of the top of your shoes. Anyway, that's what I'm making now... out of a cotton/nylon blend. I figured I wouldn't want to wear wool in the summer.

I just finished up a project I've been working on for some time now. Well, I hadn't actually been *working* on it - that's why it took me so long to get it finished!! I hate when I do that!! I'm too easily sidetracked! Anyway, I can't tell you what it is, yet, or show you any pictures. The recipient will get it today. After that, I'll share pictures.

Besides that, I've been working on an altered-book Round Robin! There are six of us, including myself, that chose books and our own themes. I'm hosting it, so I figured out whose book goes where, and it what order....and now they are making their way all across the US and into BC. And, I mean *all* the way across the US.... there are two of us in Oregon and one guy in Maryland.

I've done two of them, so far; am waiting on the third to arrive. Should be here tomorrow or the next day! I'm so excited! It's been so fun to do this! I've been collecting supplies for about five years, but had only done a couple of small pieces. So, doing this RR has really made me jump in and play; figure out just how to do this type of art! It's amazing to see a piece come together. Even if you aren't sure where it's going when you start.... you just start playing and pretty soon all these ideas come to you! Before you know it, it's done!

So far, I've worked in books with the themes of: "There's No Place Like Home" and "Questions of Love". I'm waiting on "Hats, Teapots and Teacups", "Magic" and "Vintage Sewing". Oh, and my theme is "Victoriana"....anything Victorian. I'll share photos later, when the whole thing is done!

In the meantime, I'm hoping to get my tomatoes planted in the next couple of days!! It's supposed to be in the 70's the next few days.....I'll believe it when I see it. :( 80's over the weekend. Again, I'll believe it when I see it. It's so hard for me to imagine weather that nice right now. It's been so long! I think I've forgotten what it feels like! As you can see from my previous post, though, things are coming alive, once again, and blooming!

So, out to the flower garden for some weeding....until that altered book arrives!

Enjoy the day!

~ Teri

First small bouquet of Spring

Signs of Spring abound.....now if it would just warm up a little more! Oh, well. Bring some of those signs of Spring inside, where it is warm and dry, and you'll feel better!

I keep this small, glass, hanging vase in my bathroom as long as there are flowers blooming. I love making petite bouquets! It's a great way to use Pansies and Nasturtiums, among others, which usually can't be put in a regular bouquet because of their short stems.

This one has Columbine, "Cecile Brunner" tea-roses and Daisies. These Daisies bloom really early. They appear to be just a common, Shasta Daisy...but, I have other Daisies that look exactly like these, that won't bloom for another few weeks.

The Cecile Brunner (I've always heard it pronounced with a long "u") is a heritage rose....dates back to the 1880's. My house was built in the 1880's, so it seems that it belongs here. I planted it about three years ago, I believe, and it has already covered up the corner of my picket fence (which was my plan!) and beyond! I'm pretty sure that not all the Cecile Brunner's have a scent... but, mine has a lovely scent! If the little bouquet is entirely roses, you'll smell it when you walk into the bathroom. And, when I'm watering, weeding, mowing, whatever... out near it, while it's blooming, I can smell it from ten feet away! These roses will grow and grow.... I have to keep cutting mine back, because I'm training it to stay on the fence.

I thought this was a perfect specimen of a Shasta Daisy! Look at that center! And, all the petals are perfect. Beautiful.

For some beautiful roses, have a look at Heirloom Roses. If you can go there, even better! I'm lucky enough to live only about thirty minutes from them, so, when I was planning my wedding, over twenty-two years ago, I called them to ask if I could get some miniature/tea roses from them for my wedding cake. They said I could; to stop by. I went over, the day before the "big day". A woman went around with her Felcos (the best cutting tool around!!), and clipped off a ton of these little beauties for me. She'd say, "These?" "How do these look?" Snip, snip...... When we were done and I had a box full, I asked her how much money I owed. I can't remember exactly what she said, but basically it was, "Oh, nothing." They didn't charge me for them! And, they were so beautiful, cascading down and around our wedding cake!

Here's to beautiful flowers and generosity!

Enjoy the day!

~ Teri

The winning sci-fi film!

OK... I got the "go-ahead" from Angela. So, here's the link
to Maklar, Anyone? Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z2hinfcPac

As you were,

~ Teri

The Aliens have landed!!!

Now........





For.
Something.
Completely.
Different!!

Like, out-of-this-world different!!

The 12th annual UFO Festival, also known as "Alien Daze", happened this weekend! I believe it's the largest event of its kind in the country.

In 1950, a Sheridan, Oregon, couple saw this thing flying near their home. They were able to take a few pictures of it. It's the only UFO photo that the experts haven't been able to debunk. Now, jump ahead.....years later. McMenamin's - the McMenamin brothers who buy old - usually - buildings and renovate them into hotels, pubs, theaters, etc....(usually all of these amenities are on the same premises) buy a building that was known as Hotel Oregon in the '30's.

http://www.mcmenamins.com/441-hotel-oregon-home

It had a restaurant downstairs and hotel up. They renovated it so they'd have a pub downstairs, a "cellar bar" below....two stories worth of hotel rooms above, which also includes a room for concerts, benefits, etc.....and then, the top level is the crowning jewel! The "Rooftop" bar! A few tables of indoor seating, but outside is the place you want to be on a beautiful, warm, sunny evening! Especially if it's a full moon! You have a wonderful view up there! If you are traveling through, you definitely should stay at one of their hotels!! One of their first places is called The Edgefield.... it was the old "poor house"..... it's beautiful out there, especially in June/July when the gardens are in bloom! It's in Troutdale... just a bit east of Portland. They do a summer concert series there and it's a great place to see a music act!!

Anyway, I digress. McMenamin's (fondly called "The McMillionaires" in these parts) got wind of this story of the Trent's and their photo and they brilliantly came up with the Alien Festival! (Which, by the way, includes lots of live music, a McMenamin's "beer garden" - they're known for their micro-brews, guest UFOologists/speakers, and this year they had the first-ever UFO film festival! Amateur film-makers.....although the winning film in the adult division, called Maklar, Anyone? didn't look so amateurish. (It was made by Angela and Phillip Guzzo, friends of mine!) If Angela gives me the "go ahead", I'll post the link to the movie later. :)

That first picture, of the button? That's one of my daughter's and her friend's hand-made buttons. They draw them, watercolor or color-pencil them in, then make prints of them and turn them into buttons. They dress up and put them all over their fronts and sell them as they walk around.

To see the photo that started it all, go here:

http://www.ufocasebook.com/trentphotos.html

The McMenamins' own marching band played, as they do at most of their big events....they are so good! There was also a band called The Garcia Birthday Band..... they said they're on Facebook...check them out! See them when you can!

Well, look who showed up?!

Alrighty...... signing off now, but just wanted to share these pictures with you... and let you know about this fun festival! You should check it out if you're ever in the neighborhood....it's always the second weekend in May!!

Enjoy the rest of your day!

~ Teri

Hmm.... I don't know how I didn't get this on here before. This is a candle-mat that I made for a friend, for Christmas, last year. It's wool-felt. Now I see I should've taken some close-up pictures of the embroidery, but that's not really anything special. Everything is outlined with a blanket-type-stitch....I say "blanket-type" because it doesn't have the running stitch (so to speak) along the edge; only the stitches that come in from the edge.

Anyway, these are super easy and fun to do! It's a pattern by Bareroots.

They have various designs, for various seasons and holidays. You can have a look at some of their patterns here:

http://www.prairiepointjunction.com/woolfeltpatterns.html#bareroots

All for now.....

Happy creating!

~ Teri