I think I need to have one of those 'Blogging without Obligation' buttons on my blog! ~wink~I am overdue on making this post but have been busy with different beading/art projects, fluffing up around here and preparing outside for the fall season that's upon us.
First and foremost...some lovely mail arrived that I wanted to share with you that just made my day! These beautiful watercolor paintings were sent to me by Cathie's talented daughter Sabrina! Aren't they SWEET!!! They are so bright and cheerful...I just adore them! I am going to get these framed and hang them in my art room. You are just a sweetheart and so thoughtful! You didn't have to do a thing, but I am thrilled that you did! Thank you again Sabrina...you know how much they just melted my heart!!! Like I said to you before...keep pursuing art...life and dreams girl!!!
This picture is for Cathie!!! See, we can grow sunflowers in Oregon! I didn't grow any giants this year but I think I will next year for the birds! ;-) These sunflowers I cut and bring in the house for great long-lasting bouquets!!!
Speaking of bright and cheerful...this darling Amelia arrived from Australia from my new and very talented friend Dot! Isn't she DARLING! Dot mentioned on her blog, "that with her bright and cheerful fabric she is hardly likely to be a shy retiring wallflower!" Well, she just had my name written all over her!!! I am thrilled to have a piece of Dot's heart art and my very own Zali (special) Amelia!!! She is made with such love and Dot's handwork is beautiful!!! I decided to share two shots of her because I loved the one with her sitting in the pansies but I realized that I had cropped her head and you couldn't see the bell or bird! The shot of her in the chair is a little dark but at least you can see all of her. I forgot to change some of the settings on my camera from the last time I used it and obviously wasn't thinking...I think it's been a little too long since I've been taking any pictures!!! I apologize that my pictures just aren't the best this time! Thank you Dot for sharing all your wonderful and delightful art! She will always remind me of you, our friendship, and her whispering words will remind me not to be the wallflower that I can sometimes be!!! ;-)
I finished and mailed three pins to Carol for the 2008 Beaded Face Pin Swap. This is the fourth year she has hosted this fun swap and I have watched for two. I told myself that I knew I shouldn't be doing one more thing than was already on my plate, but I couldn't help it...I wanted to join in on the fun! I made these three faces out of polymer clay with gold and copper leaf. I barely had any faces left that I really like and realize that I am going to have to make plans to have a clay play day again and also seek out more other art faces that I like. I used 8/0 and 11/0 seed beads, gold charlottes, Swarovski crystal beads and pendants, and gold metal leaves. I've never made a pin before but they are fun to make. I actually made four but my husband wanted to keep the bone face pin with two moons!?!, so I decided to hold the fourth one back. I/we...lol!...don't actually wear pins but I do love faces! So I am going to find a frame and put some ultrasuede or velvet over batting/pellon and pin them to that so I can enjoy them that way! I really enjoyed making these and I was thrilled to be included. I will definitely jump on the bandwagon a little sooner next year if Carol hosts the swap again! 
I also mailed off two sets of scissors and two crystal/sterling scissor fobs for the 2008 Harvest of Hope's silent auction/dinner which will be held in October. It is a charity event that is raising funds for Candlelighters for Children with Cancer. Grace let me know about this charity and I was thrilled to be able to help. Since it is in Portland, Oregon, my stomping grounds, I'm sure I will contribute again to this worthy cause.
I am almost done with my September bead journal page and I will share it with you next week. I still am beading one special art doll and am working on one special art quilt too! Just a few WIP's that I have going on but I am having a great time!!! By the way, did you see that Monica posted that the Pink Artist Project has hit $2,000.00 and there is still a few more weeks to go!!! Talk about EXCITING!!! ;-)
