Cafe'...Art

Swapland ME info

Let's Get to Know Each Other And Play 20 Questions!



1. What is your favorite Summer Drink(s)? Iced chocoalte mint tea, I make my own

2. What is your favorite Summer Activity? Gardening!

3. If you could spend a lazy afternoon reading, what would be in your hands? Decorating magazines/Country Living, Victoria, Home Companion...

4. What is your favorite type of craft/art medium?Painting, oils, acrylic, watercolors, knitting

5. What is one art/craft supply you absolutely have been dying to have or try?stained glass window making

6. What are your favorite colors in our 'rainbow sherbet' theme? Pink, lime green, yellow, orange, aqua (or blue) Lime green, pink, lavender
7. What is your favorite sweet treat?chocolate with lavender in it

8. Are there any craft or art supplies you would NOT be interested in receiving????????

9. What is your favorite song today?Staying alive...ah ah ah ah Staying aliveeeeeee....just kidding!

10. How do you 'pamper' yourself during the hot summer days?lots of showers, body masks, face masks, cool drinks.....AC

11. Do you have any kidlets or pets? kids all married, soon 6 grandchildren, 1 Humphrey, a pug

12. What is your best potluck dish for summer get togethers?Taco dip and lime tastados

13. If you could take a summer vacation anywhere, where would it be?PARIS!!!!!

14. Describe your decorating style. Does that say anything about your personality?cottage, garden, whimiscal, artsi.....

15. What are your initials?CAG

16. Why do you like to join swaps?gooooood question.....I love to give fun surprises....and hey I love to receive tooo....just being honest!  It's just plain fun!  But I do love getting to know new people and what they are like and where they live.  I really think that's the very best part!!!

17. You have 25 dollars to spend just on you for a little treat. What do you buy? ((you can list more than one thing) A tall iced soy latte with whip cream!  A book, I love to read travel essays of Paris or Italy!

18. What's one craft supply or art supply you absolutely can not live without?Beads, and it's components, I have time and time again had to come up with a gift and wha-la made either earrings or necklaces.....

19. Who's the last person you hugged?My children, daughter inlaw, grandchildren....family...We just had a baby shower with like everyone there....it was a hug fest!!!

20. What's your favorite number and why?2 for unknown reasons...whenever I am shopping I seem to like to buy things that way!  Go figure!

Just to let you know....that would be my family....I was made to do this.....hog tied......gagged....only fingers were used here......

A Quick Note!

I will try again to post!   Typepads updating is a slow process, with many bumps, and I for one am not happy with them....I know that I just need have patience though!!   I have been very busy,  getting both my decks stained.  They now look very rich and nice.   The garden is mostly in, and even growing.   Soon I will be having some lovely lettuces, and my wheat grass for juicing again!!!  Very excited about that!   I am still painting, and finishing up things,  knitting, a baby quilt, etc, for an up and  coming baby shower for my son and daughter in-law.  SHE, will be coming end of August.  Very exciting, as the coming birth of all my grandchildren has been!  I will post more pictures has Typepad enables me, still is slow, and scary has things freeze up and DISAPPEAR!  Which is frustrating having to type out the "blah blah" for the 100th time!!!!! Till then, keep breathing, keep creating!.....

Paintings and Shower prizes!

I have been busy painting on canvas, I am using acrylic, instead of oil, which I have always used in the past and enjoyed.  I also apply texture, and do alot of layering.  The other addition is words, or the word!  I am going where I feel led with these.  It is great fun, and a release in myself as I am doing it!

These will have to be framed yet.

I love the colors, how they blend into depth, and texture!

This one I really love and feel moved when I look at it.  Angel wings, as He covers you, hides you, protects you, gathers you.....

There is some scripture peaking out of his wing.

I have also finished my prizes for a baby shower for my daughter  in-law!  I hope they will like!

I made 4 necklaces and the knitted Chip Bag from Stitch Poet!  I also want to make the Hobo Bag!

The inside has lots of pockets...one wants cool, but needs practical!

I know the right person will get it at the shower!

Mothers Day!

Mothers day was very special this year.  My daughters had me meet them at the Olive Garden to eat!  We had a great time, and enjoyed the meal much, laughed, and relaxed.  I'm sure it was a gift for them as well!  I received cards from all my children and daughter in-law!  Grandchildren as well.  Found myself very "full" of being loved indeed!  Thank you all for your special part in my day!

After I got home, I just spent the time finishing up a few touches for Sunday,  I was having my Mother, sisters and family come for lunch.

I lit my newfound candle holder, enjoyed my picked before the rains came, tulips, and was thankful in my heart for the showers of goodness of my Lord and savior Jesus! 

May all Mothers be strengthened, blessed, and know their worth and place that is upon them as we nurture, give and do everyday many times with no thanks, or no one to cheer them on!

Paris Swap! Birthday Party and Painting!

Sweet Goodness Swaps had another good swap, I just had to be a part of!  Paris in the Springtime!  My partner was Julie, from California!  A very sweet gal, mother, wife.  Very creative and special!  Her blog spot and shop is here.  Joy's Hope!  This is what she sent me...I just loved it all!  A box, chock full of Joy's goodness!  Paris themed sign, stickers, chocolate! Milk glass vase, yarn, cards, a beaded ornament of my last name initial!  Wonderful...thank you again Julie!

I had the pleasure of meeting some new women has we celebrated a mutual friend of ours...Marsha!  She is also my kineseologist!  My "health doctor".   God has really used her in my life and in many lives as well!  May she continue to be blessed with all that she needs in every way!

We all had a great afternoon of sharing in her day!  Love you Marsha!

On another note!  I have felt that...being led, again, to paint!  So I am, different than before.

Love it!

Very layered, textured, with a message that is only known in the interpretation of the viewer!  I have to say the photo's don't do it justice.  I will try to take some more!

Be Blessed!

Raw Cooking

I find I have some time today to catch up on my blog.  It has been a busy 2 weeks.  Alot of spring cleaning has been accomplished!  It is a good feeling!  I also got the "dreaded" cleaning of the pond done....bad this year from the heater malfunctioning over winter and  killing all my fish.  I was not a happy camper!

Washed all the curtains, cleaned windows, and wiped down sills and walls!  The sheers were just "special", billowing in the warm breeze coming thru the now opened windows. aaah, long awaited for!

Raw cooking, here are a few of my trys at this.  Spiced squash...yum!  I will make this again.

Just cut up onion, yellow summer squash, and zucchini.  Then add oregano, dill, sage, basil, fresh ground black pepper,  olive oil, and sun-dried tomato's.  The ones already packed in good oil, or soak the actual dried ones.  This recipe  comes from the book by Carol Alt, the RAW 50.  Lots of good stuff in there!

Cucumber, avocado soup...oh, a summer must! You know what I will be planting in my garden!

Add to your blender, cucumbers, avocado, dill, fresh squeezed lemon juice, celery stalk . 

Just a bit of water at the end, but only after you see the desired thickness.

I then topped it with some paprika, a bit of turmeric.

Really good, and I can see this will really be good and cooling in the summer months.

This is one version of many I have seen, a raw apple pie. EASY ! Almonds and some dates are first put in the food processor.

You process that till it looks like this....  It will start to "clump" a bit.

Then just press all of that into a nonstick dish.

Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of it PRESSED!  But you get the idea!

This is your "crust".

The filling is dates, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg!  Process till it is carmel like.

This is the finished product.  It is to die for. So flavorful !  Keep in the fridge, enjoy!

Another sweet treat! A vanilla pudding!  Made with avocado, vanilla, and raw agave nectar.  Whir that up in the blender. Top with fresh fruit, I had strawberries...yes it did taste and texture out like actual vanilla pudding!

I also do alot of green smoothies. They are really good and just lift you up energy and I even think brain-wise.  There are days I need that!

Those usually consist of frozen fuit, say raspberries, banana, some water, lots of spinach, agave nectar, cuts the too green taste, bee pollen, flax, and chi seeds.  Whatever hits me to add. whir in blender. and it's a meal!  I will continue, I am learning, it IS worth the "rethinking" one must do.  I atleast feel I am finding some recipes that I like and am adding to my daily  foodings!   I have done some sprouting and using the dehydrator.  That is something I need to work on still.   

Cleaning out the garden, the yard,

Saturday, was such a beautiful day, I raked and burned, took down the "winter". The wreathes, the winter flag.  Cleaned out all my pots of evergreen.  Ready now for planting!

I gave my garden gloves a good workout!  It amazes me that I do all the clean-up work, in the fall, raking, cutting back, cleaning off the garden.  And come spring there is still so much to do!  My friend Helene, had a very clever idea, use the weed trimmer. to cut back, or to clear out areas.   Boy, am I gonna do that, even now she said. I have some Veronica vine, or is it periwinkle...hmmm,

anyway am gonna weed wak it down to the dirt to thin it out!

I also broke down and put away my winter purse and dug out my spring/summer one.  It was a find at TJ Max  LOVE IT!!

Then today came, Monday, cold, wind, wet....YUK!  sigh, Spring will come, it has too!

And stay too!

Moving Along, I think...

Finally got my first socks knitted and done.  They are a bit looser than I would like.  I love the color way, the browns, some greens.

It's a wool blend.

Lost the wrapper so can't give specifics.  They were  hand dyed.

Then I washed them, a little to long in the washer...not good...

They came out alittle felted, which was good as far as the stitches, being a bit too loose and open.  But now, they are really short, they still fit. sigh, I will continue on this sock knitting venue...they...are not the boss of me...hmph!

Over the weekend I started working on a project for a certain someone who is my partner in a swap.

Love the way it turned out.  I also  did some creative machine embroidery.  Very fun.

I could not resist joining the Paris in the Springtime swap.

I am working on more designs to use in my bags, pictures, pillows, etc,  Hoping soon, to be opening my own Etsey shop!

I find this work, flowing for me, and "working" creatively onto the direction I think I am too go!

Ponderings...

April.   Spring.   New.  Dreams.  A Vision.  Hope.   Waiting.  Questions.   Pondering.

I am sewing, have always sewed.  Literally,  what now, tote bags. Useful, fun, good gifts, ??

Knitting, always knitting, now, can't seem to knit a short sock row without becoming ill, and I mean nauseous.      

Eating,   trying,    totally raw,   feel great when I am on it totally,  I am learning how, new recipes, ways of fixing food, and  food shopping.  I do, now have some favorites, that even a non-raw foodists would I think, love. 

Wanting to weave, just throw myself into it,  do it!  Experience and enlarge that venue! 

Painting, oils, watercolors,   also a huge desire in me.

   I have learned with my knitting, having not grown up doing it, dabbled in it when I was a young mother, threw it down, and put it away, I am left handed, and there was nobody to show you, and no directions that were for you. 

But then when the kids were gone, I picked it up, I knitted scarf after scarf. Then hand warmers, a start to a sweater or tank, many times over...then just over a year ago, I made a promise to myself to knit, everyday, even if it was just a row.   To try new things,  it worked, I knitted socks, lace, sweaters.  Learned cables, short rows, better at the basics, and the shaping.  Still growing into new things with it...it is a love.

But then there is sewing, quilting.   Fitting in all the things that I do love to do, and want to do.  There are still things out there that interest me so much it hurts... You live with that when you are a creative person, when you allow yourself to be an  ARTIST!  I use to hate  the word, it was not a good word, people only associated "crafty" with it...I hated that word.  I saw crocheted kleenex boxes, and plastic needlework objects, barbie doll clothes...

Now, in society, and I think because of the internet, you can be an artist, and have respect for whatever you medium is.  That, after all these years, is nice, not that having that recognition makes it more so.  You, (I), were an artist, first, no matter if it was accepted or not, we were.

So now, pondering what all these pieces that I do, and are a part, not a whole of my life, my creating in each day, means. How do, will they fit together, where are they leading me too.  Trusting in God, as He unfolds His plan in my life, in my work, will I pray tell soon.  We must enjoy the process, even when we don't understand it, or know where it is leading us.  It will make sense, for His ways are higher than ours. He leads us on a path, we don't know, so that we will trust Him, His love for us.  His using the "things" in our life to teach us, grow us. Bless us!  Whether you believe it or not, He is not religion, He is the person, of God, sent to die for our sins.  So we could have abundant life, yes to KNOW where you are going in the after life.  But NOW, where you are, with what you are living, going through.    All of it.  Waiting for you to come to Him, for He is a gentleman and will not push or impose Himself onto anyone. Waiting for you to give Him what is hard, hurting,  bad, wrong.  He will turn it around, into something good, for you, for me, He will make sense of it all, by His spirit, as you allow Him into your heart.  Healing you, touching you, wiping away the tears, the sorrow.  Turning you mourning into dancing!   So I will hope, and wait on my Lord, for He knows the way I must take, and I TRUST Him!  Fully!

He knows the very number of hairs upon our head...why do you worry, does He not feed the sparrows and care for them, how much more will He care for you....

Kaeyla's 11th Birthday!

We had a nice lunch, and soon after is was time for opening birthday presents!

The many faces of Kaeyla!

She got shoes, books, a new blue purse, swimsuit, a cross necklace, clothes, etc.

Something for the po-ol...la la la!

Carsen was hard to catch for a picture, keeping his busy self...well...BUSY!

Carlee was a tired girl and went down for her nap soon after this picture.

Hannah was Kaeyla's helper, making sure she had her presents, and you know seeing everything front and center too.

Happy Birthday Kaeyla, it was a fun day!