One World One Heart

I'm joining the One World One Heart giveaway again this year. It's always fun to see how many of the blogs I can visit in a couple of weeks and I like giving my work away occasionally.
This year I'm giving away two of my house pin/pendants....the winners will be chosen from those who comment on this post between now and February 15th. If you have the time to visit some of the other blogs, I think you'll find it worthwhile and inspiring!

Added Feb.5: I've been visiting all the blogs of the folks who have left comments and I'm about half way through (50 so far) and my! what a talented group we have participating this year! I have not been leaving comments though, as I do not want to win anything but I'll be visiting again after OWOH is finished and commenting then. What a wonderful way to meet fellow artists!

Photo Friday

While waiting for february to begin....I've been enjoying putting a photo up for Photo Friday each week...I seem to do better with a bit of a deadline.
This is a photo I took yesterday on our walk along the bay...I didn't want to get too close and frighten him away.
If you click on the photo, it will enlarge.

Yesterday

It was a lovely sunny day and I was glad to see it...drove up to a local park in the van and finished my first beaded fiber valentine pin/pendant and got started on a second one as well as taking a few photos.
Here's the van and the view and the pin...hope you got some sunshine in your life yesterday too!

Sitka

A couple of weeks ago we drove up to the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology for their open house...unfortunately the artist we had come to see wasn't able to be there, but we did listen to some writings by current artists in residence and the elk herd was right on the front field, so I got some nice photos.

Fini

All done and getting ready to start on a couple of heart pin/pendants for my etsy shop....plus I've got the fabric hands all cut out for the february bjp, but won't start it until next month.
The weather has been off and on rain showers but yesterday when we went for our walk we saw some pussywillows beginning to bloom and we have a tiny daffodil already blooming on the sun porch...it may not quite be spring yet, but I'm catching a glimpse of it in the distance!

Mostly Finito

I just have to mat and frame it...but all the stitching is done...

I've been getting more interested in steam punk so I added a few tiny watch gears to this piece and put sequins under them so they would stand out a bit...kind of to remind me once again that everything old is new again and each generation adds their own special twist to the older bits.

Onward

A bit further along...I'm taking it slowly, trying to find a set time to bead again. It's too cold to sit out on the porch and the light, even with my little ott light, isn't the best in the living room so I'm ending up beading at my big desk in the studio. I've been having breakfast and then beading while watching an instant play movie on netflix on my computer.
Also thought I'd post a pic of my mom and son from christmas...they adore each other and get along very well, which I'm so grateful for, as I know that's not always the case in families!
There are so many worthy organizations trying to help the quake survivors in haiti, it's hard to know where to start, but I think I'll contribute to the red cross when I get paid for my last class. There is also a wonderful blog (with links to their shop) of haitian artisans started by rebecca sower...they've sold all the work rebecca had brought back from haiti before the earthquake, but when things get up and running again, it will be a good place to visit and buy if you want to help out in the longer run.

Small Bits

I haven't gotten too far along yet, but it's beginning to pull together for me....I've got to add enough to balance the weight of the wall of 6's on the bottom....I think I'm making sure that luck doesn't escape...and the meandering path of bugles certainly represents the twists and turns life takes, whether we wish it or not...

Improv Hearts

These are just a few of the amazing pieces my students did last night...aren't they wonderful, especially for anyone who hasn't ever beaded or embroidered before (although I think a couple of them must have had some needlework background long ago)!
They were a delightful group to work with which didn't surprise me at all because 99% of the folks I've run into at our local hospital have been just fantastic-hard working, dedicated professionals in a very demanding profession indeed!
And they all rose to the challenge of their improvisational hearts, don't you think?

BJP Progress

Haven't gotten very far, but this afternoon is the felt heart class which I've been making kits for all week, so I'll be able to focus on the bjp from tomorrow on.
I believe the chinese character on the bottom is "Fu" which means Luck and I've put it upside down since I understand that's what is done with it for the chinese new year....coming up is the year of the Tiger.

Heart Class

Our local hospital has a wonderful support group for breast cancer survivors and their families and one of the things they've been able to do is offer art classes for the patients and their families. Well this year they've also been able to find the funds to offer some classes for the hospital staff and I'll be one of the instructors. I've taught a form of dotee doll in previous sessions but this year decided I'd like to teach an improvisational felt heart that can be worn as a pin/pendant or just hung from a ribbon as an ornament or small wall hanging. I've only made a couple of examples, because I want each heart to be special to each student. Improvisation is probably one of the hardest things to teach but one of the most rewarding to the students so I'm really looking forward to the class.
Here are the two samples...I tried to make them quite different to give them some idea of the range of possibilities in improv! Also, the class is only two hours, so I couldn't get too carried away.

Happy New Year

Hope you're all starting the new year with peace and love in your hearts and friends and family in your thoughts.
I'm feeling very thankful to still be here and I hope I remember now and then to let you all know how much I appreciate your comments and the time you take to visit here in my little corner (feels pretty cosy these days) of the web...
I'll also have to thank blogger for making it so amazingly easy to change the look of the blog from month to month...it's sure fun!

I've been thinking about what I'd like to focus on this year and I think it's going to be about slowing down a bit more and not being so judgmental about myself if I'm not as productive as I think I "should" be....I'll be watching my cats a lot since they seem to have perfected the art of relaxation, although I am not planning on spending 18 hours of the day napping, lol!