TEXAS

I'm finally to the Texas part of our vacation in my 'chronological" posts. 

We had two wonderful weeks in Florida and then headed to our son's house in Texas. 

Yeeeeeeeeeeee-Hawwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

He was just stationed at Fort Hood last month...so they'd only been there for 3 weeks before we arrived.

Bear and Winge came to pick us up and when we left the Austin airport - stopped to eat delicious BBQ - at my request - at this little restaurant before we even left the city. YUM!

Their house is awesome and they had a guest bedroom set up for the first time in their marriage - in honor of our coming. OMGoodness...they're all grown up!!!

We got treated to dinner at this funky cajun restaurant later in the week.

We loved every second of being there with him and his wonderful wife. 

My hubby makes alligators out of metal and I must write a blog post on his art because they're incredible. He had this one 

This one's named Taxi because he was made from a taxi door - purchased here in Barranquilla from a donkey cart. He doesn't have his feet or wheels on in this pix.

in the suitcase (tail tucked and feet bent under) for a month before we left in anticipation of bringing it to the kids. :) Winge got a kick out of walking him in the back yard. 

Bear had a couple of days off before he had to report for duty so we went puppy-dog shopping. 

This sweet two year old - 

later named Tazzie - 

because she's an Australian Cattle Dog - 

was in the pound and after bringing her home and to the Vet...

That's yard sale stuff over there behind Tazzie.

we realized she was sick. 

Thankfully, Bear's heart is bigger than Texas and he rescued her in more ways than one. The latest report is that she's gaining weight and thriving.

Since this is their first house, they were ready for pets

and one night while Winge was working (at her temporary job)...

Bear went to fetch a kitten advertised on Craigslist. :)

So we had a house full of love.

I have to admit, 

I totally got into having the critters around and they took to us humans and eventually to each other just like they (we) belonged together.

They named the kitty Cooper and after he taught that girly dog who was the boss...

they're best of friends.

We did a lot of shopping - mostly at yard sales - and lots of eating while there 

Actually...we didn't eat here and it's in Austin...but close enough.

and managed to only gain a couple pounds. YAY! The kids eat good, sensible food so we did too for the most part. I did a little work on my art journal every day...

and we just had a wonderful, relaxed time...basking in the pure joy of being with the kids.

We celebrated Jerry's 65th Birthday while there and Winge baked him a German Chocolate cake to die for - from scratch and hung balloons and made over Dad like he should be made over.

Bear will possibly (probably) be deployed again late this year to Afghanistan. 

That makes his third deployment in just over five years in the Army. 

I believe he will thrive as he has been doing 

and that Winge will stay strong while keeping the home fires burning.

I'm so proud, We're so proud of both of them...

we just don't know how we can say it enough.

All too soon our two weeks had flown by and Cooper helped us pack our bags.

Bear and Winge drove us back to Austin 

where we spent a beautiful day walking around South Congress Ave.

Artsy Fartsy. Right up my alley!

Create your life ya'all...

annie!

ART JOURNAL WORKSHOPS

Last month, I had the distinct privilege and honor to be invited to the studio of Marlene Glickman to teach a workshop on making art journals  out of what most people throw away.

Again, I must say that Jennibellie got me started on these and I just LOVE making (and teaching) them!!! 

I taught the same workshop on two different days and met some awesome new ladies and got to see several dear friends.

The next few pictures shown were taken during the workshops and are of students work. 

Unfortunately, I didn't even take my camera out on the second day. :( If any of you girls have pictures...please send them my way.

It was such a great experience and just makes me that much more excited to be going back in October to teach again - with the subject being fabric books.

As you've probably heard from many teachers...I learn SO much from the people who attend 

and come away with fresh ideas, enthusiasm and motivation up (and down) the yin yang.   

For my journal, I used ONLY materials that I collected after leaving for the airport and didn't buy anything new except for glue.  

this is MY pile of stuff - later at my son's house in Texas

Marlene is the most generous person I know and as such, receives all kinds of stuff from everyone that knows her...which she then turns around and shares with the world and I did pick out a couple items from her stash.

A lot of my stuff came from yard sales. I mean...my trips are always planned around weekends so that I can get out and find treasure. 

But by far, The best treasure I found while in Florida - was the camaraderie and love between the women gathered. Thank you all for very lovely, lively, lesson-filled days!

Create your life...

annie!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

Margie, Vivian, Carmen, Bertha and Momy

My Colombian quilt group is a wonderful group of six women (including me) that I meet with every week on Wednesday. 


Each of these ladies add so much to the group and it's been awesome to get to know them. Vivian speaks perfect English. 

Margie and Momy do very well; 

Bertha understands and speaks some English

and then Carmen, who initially invited me, speaks and understands very little.

But together, we manage to have a beautiful time. I love them dearly.

They are excellent traditional quilters 

This is a quilt that we're working on together.

but still accept me not only for who I am but also the weird things I bring to work on and show at our meetings. :)

pages from my fabric Boat Book

a page from my Happy For No Reason Book

The cool thing is that because they speak Spanish when we meet, I'm learning the language from them.

a spread from my ongoing Evolution altered book project

Slowly...but surely. 

some of my bohemiannie! hootchie mamas

As you may have gathered, I don't usually like to use or follow a pattern when I make art, but one of these ladies asked if I would make a block for her - for her birthday - 

using the above picture from an old PieceMakers calendar (which I had given her & thankfully did have the pattern pieces for).

 - and after wrestling my thoughts of "EEEEEK!!! I am not a perfectionist and it's gonna be too much of a challenge for me"...I got busy and made the block. 

Actually, I made three because I like to do assembly line sewing 

and figured she could pick her favorite out of them. 

It turns out that 2 more birthdays came before I had them all done...

so each of them are receiving one of these bird house quilt blocks - which I will deliver later today. :) 

Nope, they're not perfect...and I didn't get them finished in time to deliver them before we left to go to the States, but belated birthday presents are fun too!

Speaking of which, I made lots of bookmarks to give to the ladies that attended my workshops in Florida (more on those next post) and to friends that I crossed paths with - and have several left over.

If you'd like an early or belated birthday present, email your address to me and I'll send you one when I come to the States again next September / October.

Happy Birthday!     

*You ARE having a birthday this year...right?!?

And thanks so much for all the beautiful wishes I received!!!

annie!