Thursday, February 14, 2013

Quietfire Design Queen of Hearts Challenge


Happy Valentine's Day! This is my card for Jim this year. It is simple but I've been into chevrons, flags and washi tape so I went with this approach. I hope he likes it and it is my entry in the Quietfire Design Challenge. I usually use some of Suzanne's stamps- she has a lot of good one but this just took a different turn. Next year.Hope you check out the other items posted in the challenge and the designs from the Blog Hop as well. Lots of interesting art using Suzanne's stamps!



Oh, and just for fun- these were Valentines I made for my young relatives and the kids at church. There were balls bouncing everywhere after Children's church and worship. Yikes!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Valentine's Day-Love one another!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Happy Birthday E

I couldn't love a boy more than I love this sweet one who is 8 years old today.  I can't even imagine where the 8 years have gone even though we have lots of fun memories. He is smart, kind, a fabulous brother, a loving son and grandson, a good friend and a light of love in my world. He loves play with a  bowling set (plastic) in my house, beats me at just about any game we play, opens my mail slot to say hello when he comes over and I kneel down to see him peeking through it. I hope he does that as long as I live here. My life is so much richer with him in it. May his life be long and and his cares be few.



Just a few of my favorite photos.
And a surprise on the door next time he comes over.
Love you, Ez

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Seattle, part 2

I  can pack a lot into a week! Since my last post I've been doing plenty! 
I had some time to poke around Capital Hill area Saturday and went to Elliott Bay Book Company. Sure did make me long for Hawley Cooke, my old favorite independent bookseller in Louisville- long since gone. It had a little cafe, much smaller than this but reminded me of it.


 I miss little note reviews from folks who work there.
There were hundreds of notes all over the place.

A section of zines


I also liked their book club recommendation section.


 I also photographed this for reference at another bookstore on Bainbridge


Cupcake Royale
Salted Caramel Chocolate cupcake
Can you have too many photos of cupcakes???

Loved this pillow!
HAHAHAHA




Vintage store-oddly enough named "Vintage"

Two creepy dolls that were for sale
Saturday night was a stay-at-home night, wasn't feeling my best but was better by Sunday for a trip to Cafe Besalu with Amy.
Cafe Besalu with Amy


Yummy yum yum- think I photograph food so I don't have to indulge as much?!

We stopped at Venue, my favorite handmade art store, before heading to the market.

World's smallest dollar store!  HAHA
Don't you love it?
What's in there??

On to the market- still impressive in winter months

Ballard Market Sunday

Did you lose your marbles?
Then we headed to Clover to kid shop- I want to be a kid again and have these cool toys to play with!

How about these sweet handmade instruments for kids that are lesson quality?


Who wouldn't want to play with these bright puzzles?

And cool clothes, too, I wanna make a cape for O! Sweet.

These fun guys would love to live with me :)

I want a little doll just to justify buying this great furniture for. The bed is about 6-7 inches?

Okay back to food- some delicious crusty bread anyone??

Took a picture of these skirts to make O one with the fabric below that I got at Esther's
Isn't it the sweetest fabric?


Just thought she was fun!

Sunday night was facials with the free sample we got at the art hop Friday night!



Scary, huh!? But we looked beautiful after!!


Monday I was on my own again and headed back downtown and over to Bainbridge Island.
A trip on a Seattle bus is always an adventure.


I just made the ferry.

Love this art in the sidewalk

Quaint church

How about this fun unicyclist?

And his friends!

Can you stand some more bakery photos?


The table as which I sat- LOVE

I stop in here because I want to think of myself knitting wonderful, luxurious, cozy things. And because I went here with my mother in 2006 and she love it.


Yummy soft

Then on to Esther's fabrics!  I love, love this place and want to spend $$$ when I'm here.
I have in my head that I will make quilts for my beloveds.

So this was a free pattern quilt and I got the pattern! A big portion is one fabric.
Dont' you love the mustaches ?
These are my fabrics for a quilt for Ezra- I can do it!! I made my fabric choices and took them to the counter and asked the woman if I'd made any serious mistakes in choices and she said no, she liked them all- a good mix of patterns, light and dark. She said I had a "good eye"- built my confidence that I can do this! And I think it is one that he would take into his adult home, too.
This already quilt looking fabric will become a baby quilt for some lucky little one with the green straight pin edging.




I want this quilt on my bed Valentine's Day.


And don't you want to fill this little mushroom house with straight pins??


When I was done with all my shopping, I looked at the ferry schedule and had 10 minutes to get from town to it. I ran, literally, all the way and they saw me coming and I was the last one on. Thanks, ferry operators!
The sun came out on the way back to Seattle so the paparazzi in me came out again.




Ferries fascinate me!

Pioneer Square
 I did a lot, lot of walking this day so we headed out for delicious Indian food at a new Seattle spot, Shanik, where all the food was good but this was my favorite dish- the deviled eggs on the appetizer menu.


Curried deviled eggs and tomato chutney with quinoa and sprout salad 
 The kitchen was all female and was an open kitchen. They took great interest in what was going on in the seating area.
We took the scenic way home and I caught this rainy view of the Space Needle.


And this nice view through a sculpture in Kerry Park

Nighttime Seattle

Amy and Rach were showing solidarity for a friend who's having a serious eye problem with this message for her.

I did a little last minute window shopping in Uvillage before take off Tuesday morning.


This was a reality check which made me happy to live in a more reasonable cost of living area.


Had a fabulous trip and great visit with my favorite Seattlites. Now home and transitioning to reality.