My Weblog

Online Classes

Sometimes I think about the impact of computers on our lives. Wow. Twenty-something years ago when working in corporate America, in a 75 story building, in the heart of a major city, our floor of maybe 50-60 people received "ONE" PC to share!!!

And one night I was in that building way past midnight ripping my hair out trying to load in data [to a flawed program] for a meeting the next day. For a client. Because my boss said so. We were going to wow them with our advanced technological abilities....NOT. Do you know how creepy it is to be in a skyscraper, in the middle of the night, in a huge city? Really creepy...especially for this scaredy cat!

If you had told me way back then that someday I would ENJOY being on the computer and even taking online classes...

 
 
...i probably would have laughed...and not believed you!

 
Fast forward to today: now I'd believe you. While my first attempts are fairly simple compared to how elaborate you can go, I am thoroughly loving stitching away in the evening hours on these two little pieces.

 
 

Specifics: Jude Hill's Cloth to Cloth: The Basics of Quilt Weaving online class.

First read about it here.

Of course, back then I never thought I'd spend time wiring vintage buttons together either. But I do that too...

 
Maybe the lessons I can learn from those seasons of frustration,

or when things aren't going right at all,

is that

 
And one of those POSSIBILITIES that I am anxiously awaiting is this:

 
Christy Tomlinson's She-Art class...the second round which will launch on April 11th. Thank you Cherie for sharing about this class so beautifully in your own creations! Check out her recent posts and be wowed! 

And very soon I will be sharing with you the YUMMY package that came my way from Cherie. Oh my. Lucky little me! 

Last but not least, another class that is in the works is another journaling class by Mary Ann Moss. I am so taking that class!  Meanwhile I am in love with her posts from Paris...it is a city that I so long to return to for a visit. One of my most favorite trips ever...

So wherever life finds you today...and esp. if you're in the heat of one of life's battle...just remember, tomorrow is full of NEW possibilities.

Xo, Sue

Where Bloggers Create Party

Don't ya just git giddy when something you've wished for, waited on, dreamed of, but mostly

WORKED HARD FOR, !!!finally!!! happens?

For most of my "creative life" which now spans decades, my creative space and supplies were scattered throughout our home in closets, bins, tucked under beds, and so forth. The dining room often became command central. And upon walking by such headquarters one would immediately receive the distinct impression that command central had been heavily bombed! Chaos reigned supreme.....
 

 But when I read that Karen, at My Desert Cottage was hosting her second annual WHERE BLOGGERS CREATE PARTY I knew this was the motivational spark I needed to get busy.

I inherited the bonus room above our garage several years ago, but as life goes, for a number of out-of-my-control-bumpy-mountains-in-the-road-of-life reasons, the room never got put together.

Until now....still have a little ways to go, but the hardest parts are behind me. NOTHIN' like company coming to set a body in motion, is there?!

I worked like a mad woman. Or perhaps madder than normal would be more appropriate...what is normal anyway, does anybody know? Stay on task Sue...

Jewels got sorted...

...dolls got hats...

...and with each little accomplishment I could feel the cobwebs that had taken my creative spirit hostage begin to release their sticky grip...speak nothing of the physical cobwebs in the actual room...

My rusty imagination began to awaken...it was all I could do not to stop what I was doing to follow the latest inspirational muse...but untrue to my given nature, I kept plowing through box after box, bin after bin, sorting, tossing, organizing...

Why, even fresh flowers were lovingly gathered from my garden and scattered throughout the room...they are such happy little creatures, aren't they? Not to mention that nothing, save a warm hug, says welcome friends more than fresh flowers.

Despite the fact that I am beyond blessed to have such a wonderful place to now work on a variety of creative pursuits, one major flaw in this room is the lighting. Although there are five windows, each is housed in an alcove which can be a real issue...especially at night. One thing I have invested in to counteract this challenge are Ott lamps. JoAnn's, Michael's, Wal-Mart, among others carry this brand and routinely put them on sale at 40% off.

The majority of my furnishings are hand-me-downs that were used previously in our homes through the years. Several pieces came from thrift stores and one piece was stolen. Yep. You heard it right. Theft. That would be the bin housing my stash of vintage wallpaper. It's original purpose was to house goober pairs of golf and other sporting shoes in our garage. The idea being that my family members would dutifully and joyfully place their shoes in the tidy little cubbies......NOT.

 

A year or so ago this vintage dress form came up for auction on Ebay. It is about three times the size of my other dress form I'll show in the next photo. She has been the perfect 3-D inspirational board, if you will, and I continue to pin new items to her daily.  And BTW, I was the only bidder and shipping cost me more than the dress form. Felt badly for the seller, but happy for me!

I've taken way too many pictures of my newly organized space...excitement about my new room and working with crummy lighting conditions most likely influenced my excessive photo snapping...

 

Here's an oversized spice rack I picked up at Goodwill for maybe $5 or so. I love making, giving, and receiving mail {handwritten letters....ahhhhhh....love 'em}. I used to be so much better at sending these personal greetings. Hence, I am hoping that having this little rack hanging on my studio wall will be a visual reminder to improve upon sending more snail mail to brighten someone's day.

 

Not withstanding the fact that I've rambled long enough, Typepad or my computer has chosen this point in time to go into total rebellion. Consequently, on both accounts, I'll bid my farewell and continue this tour in another post {or two+!} in the coming days.

Thank you for your visit and I'm anxious to head out to see all the other creative work spaces. But before I go, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Karen for what has had to be a monumental undertaking to keep an event of this size so well organized.

Warm wishes to all,

xo, Sue

New Finds Second Time Around...

Part of the fun of trying to organize my creative workspace is finding stuff that's been packed away and rediscovering them all over again. Aren't these old cigarette giveaways awesome? They are filled with creative potential as well as being something you could create using your own stash of old photos.

 I believe I read somewhere that these date back to the late 1800's. These particular ones are about the size of a nickel.

There is no such concept as having too many buttons...just thought I would try to affirm all you button collectors of your deepest beliefs when it comes to buttons...

Same holds true for this nearly 30 inch long vintage French fish poacher. Wish I did have a collection of these...I'm always on the lookout for more but the prices are often ridiculously high. I only paid $5 for mine {which I know was a steal}...

Do you see the "RANCE" that should be FRANCE stamped on the bottom? Wonder if I should send this to Mr. Magpie and have him fix it?

 Or maybe I would do better wondering about WHY I'm on the computer when I need to be packing to head to the mountains to catch up with the crew that's already up there. Youngest child had a tournament and I stayed behind to escort him and a friend up later this afternoon.

But before I go, this technologically-challenged blogger [after I won't tell you how many attempts!] finally added the buttons on my sidebar to two upcoming events. Check them out as it's not too late to join in the fun!

I don't know what it is like where you live, but stepping outside in my neck of the woods is like getting hit with a blast of furnace air saturated with intense humidity. Nasty. Some cooler mountain air will be a welcome relief...

Blessings to all...

xo, Sue

Vintage buttons...or discovered treasure?

Have you seen the TV show Accidental Fortune? We watched it last evening...a first for us.  Last night's episode featured a brooch purchased for $12 at an antique store, but worth nearly a half a million dollars. Also showcased were stories on a Norman Rockwell painting, a rare cello worth 3.5 million {a curbside trash find}, and a bat signed by Babe Ruth. They did a great job in developing the stories and giving pertinent background information to make the show interesting & informative as well as entertaining. I'd definitely tune in again.

But it got me to thinking about those buttons I purchased recently...

 
They were on Ebay and I believe I paid around $11 for the lot of them. They definitely made no mention in the listing of being famous buttons....  {update: oops! me bad. there was mention of the writing. how does "one" miss something like that? answer: "one" only looked at the photos that were a bit out of focus and didn't read the written description of the item.}

...so imagine my surprise when they arrived to read the writing on this card.

{source}   Franklin Delano Roosevelt w/mother, Sara Roosevelt-1887

Is it true? Do  I now own some of Sara's buttons? If so, why didn't Eleanor keep these pretty buttons? I answered that question myself with a little google reading on Sara Roosevelt. And I quote:

 After Sara died on September 7, 1941, ER wrote in her column that Sara's "strongest trait was loyalty to her family. . . . She was not just sweetness and light, for there was a streak of jealously and possessiveness in her when her own were concerned."⁽¹⁾  ER recognized Sara's fierce strength, but she could not love her. "It is dreadful," she wrote a friend, "to have lived so close to someone for 36 years & feel no deep affection or sense of loss. It is hard on Franklin however."⁽²⁾ {source}

Ouch. Very sad actually...if one can believe everything they read {and no, one can't!} Sara might have had some rough edges to her personality. But her buttons are pretty, aren't they?

Assuming of course {and never assume nothing!} that these actually were her buttons someone once tried to sell for $96. The fact that they spelled her name wrong {she doesn't have an "h" at the end} makes one a bit suspicious.

But even if I could prove they were Sara's buttons {which I can't} these wouldn't meet the criteria for TLC's new show, Accidental Fortune. I believe the value of an item needs to be at least $15,000. That being said, I have no desire to be on television. None. Ever! But hubby claims if I add one more item to my craft room I might qualify for the show that came on right before Accidental Fortune. It was called: Buried Alive. It's about people who have problems with hoarding.

I resemble that comment.

Stay tuned. A giveaway is soon to appear.....