Class tomorrow!

Getting ready for my class tomorrow, my collage is ready for transfers.  Birds.  The theme that I gave to class this time is "the power of words" and everyone was to choose a quote or a verse from a poem that inspires them.  I chose a poem by Longfellow and now I will continue on.....

party!

Today is "birthday cake" day for a special little one, new to our family.  Two years old!  A busy time for all, so I am in charge of baking the cupcakes.  You know, I love to bake cupcakes!

Some chocolate.  My Mom's best chocolate cupcake recipe.

And a new recipe for vanilla cupcakes.  "The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake".  Hope it's good!

Oh, and speaking of recipes...hubby bought a "bargain" at Bed, Bath & Beyond called "SliceOMatic" in a "bargain bin" for $9.99.  It's one of those "seen on TV" items.  Sometimes he is my prep chef and always is afraid of cutting himself on the mandoline.  I thought, "oh boy - another gadget".  Along with it comes a nice little cookbook and so thought I'd try one last night.  Took him a few minutes to figure out the machine but he got it and hey! it works pretty good.  It has a handle that you press down to slice or julienne and a container that catches it, so your fingers are not near the blade.  The recipe I made is "Roasted Stuffed Sweet Onions" and it was rich but oh so delicious!  Large sweet onions, Baby Bella mushrooms, garlic cloves, zucchini, walnuts, fresh parsley (from a pot on my deck), fresh thyme (from a pot on my deck), Mascarpone cheese, and Marsala wine. Oh my gosh.....

A homecoming

My friend, Sue, bought me a surprise gift; a real treasure.  A beautiful caterpillar... oh sorry, millipede (he didn't want to introduce himself that way until they got to know him) and he fits right in with my critter collection.  They were so happy to welcome him!

Frog and Turtle...

Grasshopper and Bee...

Lady Bug and Rabbit...

Miss Caterpillar and Duck...

Let's begin the party!

Let's play!

Every day Henri knows when it's time for Mark to be coming home from work, he hears his car coming into the garage, and he has his "game" all ready at the back door...

"Come on Mark...let's play!"

lettering combined

Yesterday was Calligraphy Class and I wanted to surprise Marge and get some homework done to bring in.  My very thoughtful neighbor gave me a beautiful poetry book by Mary Oliver called "Red Bird".  In it is this poem that I love called "Invitation" .  It's one that is also inspiring me for a collage.  So...I lettered a portion of the poem.  I also have this photograph that I took in Door County that I felt would be a nice companion to the poem.  I lightened my photograph when I printed it and then scanned my lettering on it.  Maybe i will do some of my own poetry this way and make a little chap book.

Invitation

Oh do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy

and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air

as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude -
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing

just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in this broken world.
I beg of you,

do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life.

                                    Mary Oliver

Little Landscapes

Created some little landscapes on little cards; tree trunks in the woods with leaves peeking out here and there...

Visions of twigs and woods...

and little bigger cards with little landscapes; houses built near the water.

and in the valleys...

Where did the week go?  Evaporates like a breeze...  Tomorrow is my class again and all the other classes at The Center began this week too.  And soon...it's a Halloween Tea!  Woo-hoo!

Back to class

After doing some paper staining and time was running short, I gave everyone a fun little exercise to end the day and get everyone warmed up for collage.  I asked them to go through a couple of magazines and look for colors, words, and imagery that catches their eye; things that relate to one another.  Then they were to make two little 3x5 collages on card stock.

The room was soon quiet and everyone was busy searching and thinking.

Meanwhile, their stained papers were drying and would be ready to go home.

It was a fun exercise!

and here are some of the results...

Summer's end

When summer's end is nighing
And skies at evening cloud,
I muse on change and fortune
And all the feats I vowed
When I was young and proud.

From hill and cloud and heaven
The hues of evening died;
Night welled through lane and hollow
And I hushed the countryside,
But I had youth and pride.

The year might age, and cloudy
The lessening day might close,
But air of other summers
Breathed from beyond the snows,
And I had hope of those.

So here's an end of roaming
On eves when autumn nighs;
The ear too fondly listens 
For summer's parting sighs,
And then the heart replies.

from "When Summer's End is Nighing" ... A. E. Housman

A wedding!

Yesterday was our nephew's daughter's wedding (first of four daughters and one son to be married).  A beautiful wedding, black & white, and this is the wedding card that I made for them.

Holy Family Church in Chicago; an absolutely beautiful old church.

The happy bride and groom coming back down the aisle.

The release of the balloons.

Walking down the block a little, we passed their lovely rose garden.  Reminded me of Europe.

Waiting to go into the reception, here is Rob and Julie...

Angel and Dan...

and us.

I love this picture that Julie took of Bob (our nephew and father-of-the-bride) and Rich.  Rich's brother is gone now... and I love the look of sentimental chit-chat that I see here.

And the father-daughter dance.