Fursdon House Studio Update!!

Hi Everyone!  I've been working very hard getting my studio organized and I wanted to show you my "before and after" photos!  The first picture shows how it was before I started carrying things over from the house.

Wow!  So nice and clean and uncluttered!!

And LOTS of empty shelves!! Surely that's plenty of space!!

Hmmmmmm...................what happened here? 

And where are all my empty shelves?

  Did you notice the purple dress? It was Isabel's but it doesn't fit her anymore. Its so beautiful I've decided to keep it. The top is dark purple velvet and the skirt is a paler purple silk, with silk ribbons hanging down, to which silk pansies are attached! It's what I call a Fairy Tale Princess Dress!

I'm very excited to have found a use for this white cabinet!  My grandfather made it himself, as a jelly cabinet for my Mom.  And since Mom doesn't have room for it, she gave it to me!!  It's going to hold ALL of my ribbons, which are considerable, so I'll probably put more shelves in to keep the colors separated.

Okay, so I have a few things.  Big deal!!

Okay, maybe more than just a "few" things.

 

Okay, okay! Maybe a LOT more than a "few things"!

But I'm getting things organized - slowly - so I know where everything is and I'm still inspired by it all.  I'm beginning to think I might just fit everything in!  See the top two shelves?  Everything is sorted out and lined up!  Oh how I LOVE to organize things!  And many items have already been placed up above, in the loft area. However, I still have some things inside the house, but there wasn't any more room left to bring them out! Still............ I think I can do it!

I think I can! I think I can!

Love, Hugs and Blessings! Jan

Isabel's Latest Artwork!

Hi Everyone!  Just wanted to share some of Isabel's latest artwork!  One of these days, my "plan" is to compile a "scrapbook" of all her drawings I've saved.  I should also do one for the girls too, as I still have their art saved!  It would be great to have it all easily available, as opposed to stuck in a box somewhere in the attic!!  Or perhaps I'll do a quilt with the art transferred to the fabric!  Hmmmmm........never enough hours in a day for all our ideas, are there?

 A skirt made from a heart! Now why didn't I think of that? Isabel told me that the individual on the left, who is only partially there, is "an imaginary friend".

This is Isabel's Valentine Box for school!  Isn't it cute? They were only to use things already around the house (nothing new).  Nana (my Mom) helped draw the cat shape and Isabel cut it out and colored in the details. All I ever had was a brown paper sack that, if I was lucky, I remembered to paste a Valentine Card to the front, or maybe write my name on it!  Not very creative back then, was I?  How many of you remember the small tubs of white paste used in the 1960's?  Am I the only one who ever ate that stuff?  I know! I know!  I'm weird, and I didn't each much, just a bit now and then, but I LOVED it! Which is probably why they don't make it anymore. Oh well.....I digress!!

The colors didn't come out real bright on this picture, but it's Isabel's rendition of The Princess and the Pea!  She drew it for Mommy, so hope you enjoy it Laura!  The stripey thing on the floor is a rug by the way.

Well, that's it for this post! Enjoy and have a blessed evening! Jan

Isabel's Beautiful Valentine Card!!

Nigel and I received the sweethest Valentine card from Isabel, which she made herself at school.  Isn't it lovely?

Some of the sweethest moments we enjoy are when Isabel surprises us with her beautiful artwork and special surprises she makes us!  It's truly wonderful being grandparents!  Thank you Isabel!  Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart!  We love you! Gummy and Grandpa

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Okay, so I'm a day early, but Monday evenings aren't exactly conducive for blogging or anything else for that matter.  I usually just come home and crash!  So I'm getting a head start by wishing everyone a lovely day tonight! 

I took some photos of Isabel earlier. I know that's hard to believe, but its true! She brought home some art completed at school and I thought it was so cute! Penguins!! What do you think! I love some of the ideas they come up with.  The penguin on the left is primarily two rolls of black paper, one on top of the other!

And of course, while the camera was out, we had to take more photos for Mommy cause she's in Afghanistan right now! Happy Valentine's Day Mommy!!  We love you!  Isabel

Notice she's wearing her apron that she designed and stitched mostly herself!   But she took it off later cause she didn't want to get food on it!  Go figure!!

Here we are - being just a little bit silly!!  That's because Isabel couldn't stop giving me very "cheesy" smiles, so I told her to act silly instead!  That's a LOT more fun, don't you think??!!  At least she looks like she's having a lot more fun!!

Surely you didn't think I'd forgotten the Valentine's Day Tree, did you?  Of course not!  Actually, this is one I had up for Christmas, but then turned into a Valentine's Day tree when I was putting all the others away.  I've had these hearts for years, but never had a tree for them.  So 2011 is the year of trees!  Yes, Easter is next and yes, I do have an Easter tree, and it's BIG too! 

This was actually a Christmas decoration I found several years ago at an after Christmas sale. I fell in love with her, as I do most lovely things, and I decided she'd make a lovely Valentine's Day Angel.

I found her sister the next year, at yet another after Christmas sale.  Wasn't that sweet of her to show up just for me?  She was the only one left, so it was meant to be!!

Believe it or not, I've actually asked Nigel NOT to get me any Valentine chocolates this year!  Come to think of it, I probably tell him that every year, right after Christmas when I have way too much in the house.  Then by the time Valentine's Day gets here, it's usually gone.  Oink! Oink!  But this year I really do NOT want any.  I'm getting HUGE.  Besides, I still have some left over from Christmas that I put in the freezer !!  I'm the absolute worst Chocoholic I know!

I hope everyone has a lovely day tomorrow!  Happy Valentine's Day and May God Bless, Jan  

Valentine's Day - Sweet Surprises!!

Hi Everyone!  I've been out of the blogosphere for awhile, but today's fantastic surprises in the mail told me I simply had to get back!  I joined a Valentine's Day Swap, hosted by Laurie at her beautiful blog site, http://www.buttonsnlace.blogspot.com/.  I'm simply amazed at all the beautiful blogs out there, not to mention the fantastic talent !  Check out my surprises!

If the box looks this good, you can just imagine what the surprise inside is going to look like!

Isn't she ADORABLE!!??  This is Little Maggie, from Jean and Maggie at http://www.inthegardenwithmissjean.blogspot.com/  Well, you'll never guess what I thought when I looked in the box!  Well, if you know me, you probably do know what I thought!  I'm a little bit slow sometimes and when I peeked inside and saw the lovely Scottish Terrier, I thought "Wow! Look what someone's sent me! And I don't even know them!  Why would they send me something so sweet?"  I wracked my little brain, trying to figure out why I was the recipient of such a lovely and thoughtful gift!  I checked my e-mail groups, but nothing was there from anyone named "Jean".  What in the world!!??  I checked my various correspondence and wondered if perhaps I'd won something in a giveaway?  No, not that!  Stranger and stranger!  All this despite the card enclosed from Jean that read, "Sending a little Scottie Valentine" and of course the box it came in that was literally covered in hearts!  Finally it dawned on me!  This is from the VALENTINE SWAP!! DUH!!!  I kept thinking I'd get a Valentine Card!  But sure enough, the instructions were plain as day - "any medium" could be used!  So Jean - this has broadened my idea of what is considered a Valentine and I so appreciate all the love you and Miss Maggie put into it!  It's truly lovely!  Now if I can just convince my Granddaughter that it's MINE!! Not hers!! 

 

Here's my offering!  A shabby chic Valentine Card with it's own little Pocket.  It looks smaller than it actually is; it's about 4" x 6" and I used paper this time, rather than fabric, for my crazy quilting!  If you've never sewn paper, try it! You're in for a treat because its much easier to work with.  And it works up much faster than cloth!  For some reason, I never realized a sewing machine could go through paper until I saw an example about a year ago!  That's all it took! I was thoroughly hooked!

Here's the reveres side!  Hope the recipient enjoys it as much as I do!  I really should make one for me!!

Here's a close-up of the card I created for inside the pocket!  I had actually made something completely different, but when I finished it, I just didn't care for it at all!!  So....."Back.....I say back to the ole drawing board!!"  I'm MUCH happier with this! The message is on the reverse!  What do you think? 

I also joined another swap, this time a Heart Swap!  It was hosted by Debbie at http://www.mosaicmagpie.blogspot.com/. 

Before I go further, please keep Debbie's husband in your prayers! He's been in critical condition due to a sudden onset of infection in his stomach.  We've got him on prayer lists from as far away as Denmark! 

 

Here's the fabulous heart I received, from Dorthe at http://www.denlillelade.blogspot.com/!  Isn't it amazing?  I saw a photo of it on Debbie's blog earlier; she was posting all the hearts she'd received and I thought to myself how much I'd LOVE to receive this particular heart.  But I told myself I couldn't possibly be that fortunate so I wouldn't even let myself think about it!  And here it is!  Dorthe - it's so beautiful!  And now I have a new friend - in Denmark no less!!

And here's the beautiful heart Debbie created as a gift to all the swap partners!  We kept telling her not to worry about anything because we knew she needed to spend time taking care of her husband in the hospital.  And we certainly didn't want to stress her out any further.  But sweet and wonderful lady that she is, she said she actually needed this to keep her mind and hands busy during this difficult time!  What a truly wonderful and sweet spirited lady!  You and your husband remain in all our prayers Debbie!

Here the hearts are together! I keep looking over at them and thinking how fortunate I am to know such wonderful women!  Wouldn't they look lovely framed?  Hmmmmmm......not a bad idea at all!!

Hope this finds everyone happy and well, if a bit frozen! We had our third significant snow fall for Alabama night before last!!  About 3 inches or so.  We usually see snow maybe once every 10 years here!  So we're definitely getting our fill of it!  I just keep thinking about all those nasty little bug eggs freezing in the ground!!  At least that's what I'm hoping is happening! 

May God Bless and Happy Valentine's Day to All,  Jan