Sketchy Card Swap

I've just finished a Sketchy Card Swap for  In This House and Garden,  a yahoo group hosted by Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn.  Here is Angela's artful blog and Sarah's is here. 

Each person in the swap sketched a design for a playing card, which we copied 54 times, so that each one will have a full set of cards.   Mine, of course, is the King of Diamonds.

Swappers can attach each design to a card in the deck or use them in some other original way.  The photos of the sketches so far are very whimsical and fun and I'm looking forward to receiving mine.

This is a great yahoo group, so take a look and see if you're interested.  There are lots of creative swaps, although this is the first that I've participated in. 

I hope you do something artful and fun today!

Clotted Cream Recipe

It was a treat, once again, to have tea at M D Anderson, Orlando, last week.  I don't mean that being there for a chemo treatment was great, but the tea sure made it better!  I'm posting the recipe for the Clotted Cream they serve and I think it's wonderful.  I can never resist posting my gorgeous tea cup--just looking at it gives me pleasure.  The M&Ms in the cute little Minnie cup didn't hurt either. Thank you to the folks who serve and make a difficult day easier to deal with. 

Love, Deb

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Beautiful Russian teacup

On Thursdays, in Orlando, M D Anderson Cancer Center has a lovely tea for
chemotherapy patients.  They serve real clotted cream and delicious goodies.  Each patient gets to select a gorgeous cup and saucer to use from their collection, which have all been donated by kind hearts.  I couldn't resist this Russian cup and saucer and really didn't want to give it back.  Maybe I'll get to use the same one next month...

Deb


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I just had to share my beautiful camellias with you.  They are some of my favorite flowers and remind me of my precious Aunt Leita, in Mobile, who has camellia trees you would die for.  Enjoy...
By the way, my Aunt Leita will be 99 years old in August, and she still crochets beautiful things.  Way to go, girl.

Susie's Necklace

Life has a way of turning us upside down and bouncing us on our heads, doesn't it?  That's where I've been since last post, and very happy to be right side up again.
This is a necklace that I made for my friend, Susie.  It went off in the mail today and I hope she likes it.  The beads, some vintage, and chain are things that I had, along with the key.  The ribbon is some lovely green and purple silk that I got at Sam Flax recently.  It looked really nice with my green t-shirt, but the camera doesn't like it!  Thank you for looking.

Sending out my first Mail Art!

I'm sending my first ever piece of mail art into the world!  It was lots of fun.  Of course I'm not smart enough to think of scanning it before addressing and sealing, which would have been much easier...
I would be a bit intimidated to send it to Her Royal Highness, Queen of Mail Art, except that she is an exquisitely kindhearted person.  And after much questioning of what to put in, I decided that it didn't matter!  What is SO FUN is getting the mail. 
Please take a look at Roben-Marie's mail art, which was featured in March/April 2010 Somerset Studio. 

Looking to Spring...

 

This little bird in my backyard birdbath is looking to spring, just like I am.  I hope you have some beautiful things that you're looking forward to: birdsong, walks in the woods, making art; whatever makes your heart feel joyous.  Don't wait--do it!  Post it and leave me  a comment linked to your blog.  I would love to see what lightens your spirit. 

Here's a lighten-your-spirit suggestion: my friend, Trudy, is starting an online group for Artistic Mothers with little time for their art-making.  She's using Shona Cole's new book, the Artistic Mother.  If you are an artist/mom with little challenges running around, I'll bet you would enjoy teaming up with Trudy.