The Murray Girls on the road......

My mom, sister and I had a wonderful trip to Washington.  We did some antique-ing, some sightseeing, and some family visiting. We went to Farm Chicks Antique Show, tons of fun and treasures. We even won tickets to be a part of the visiting Antiques Road Show.

I love these little crepe paper party favors, i found at a Spokane antique store. I can't believe how carefully they must have been cared for to keep them in pristine condition. .45 was the original price. 

We saw this at rest stop ~smile~  They really had 6 doggies, one being too tiny to jump up on the dashboard.

Bloomsday - a running sculpture in honor of the annual Spokane Bloomsday Run

Childhood Express - a 27 ft wagon with a handle as a slide

Farm Chicks Antique Show

The Antiques Road Show

We took small items to have appraised.  I brought two small boxes, both were determined to be small souvenirs of someone's European travels.  Not very valuable, but I still like them.

My mom was pleasantly surprised by the appraisal of a vintage ring she wears.

Flashback Friday - Scholastic Book Orders

I was in grade school in the 60's. School was always a struggle due to some learning differences (I'm learning to rename and reclaim the term "learning disabilities").

A HUGE saving grace for me was reading/libraries.  Books were a safe place for me. So Scholastic Book Orders still stands as a wonderful memory. The excitement over the little newspaper like flyers still fills my mind. 

I found this example of a Scholastic order form online. It was found as a bookmark inside a paperback book. Oh the memories.....  

This is a scan of one of the Scholastic book order books I have collected over the years. Of course, my copies went the way of garage sales during the past years. But sometime I see a book at the thrift store and the memory floods back....."Oh, I had that book". 

I am typing this with one finger, on my left hand (I'm right handed)..........when I signed up for the Bead Hop, I didn't know I had rotator cuff surgery in my future.

I had surgery two days ago and still have a nerve block pump attached.  The first days were really tough, as far as pain goes.  Today was a bit better. I have a long road of recovery and therapy ahead.

My bead partner is, Eleanor Thomas of http://woolywireetc.blogspot.com 

She sent me some amazingly beautiful beads and more.  I am so very disappointed to have failed in this swap.

Please be sure to visit Eleanor and check out her Wooly Wire.  It is so clever and unusual. Don't you just love the little green acorn?  The hand made glass beads...WOW! All these beautiful handmade elements. 

I will be creating something with all this treasure, but it will have to be revealed. Sorry, all you Bead Hoppers :)

Surprise!

Here is a photo of the beads and stuff I am sending to my partner, Eleanor Thomas of http://woolywireetc.blogspot.com 

I turned it to sepia to mask the colors and then used the app Waterlouge to turn into a watercolor. Looks great and doesn't give away to much info. 

I just got my Bead Peeps Swap N Hop 2015 partner assigned...........
Eleanor Thomas of http://woolywireetc.blogspot.com 

Please contact me so we can connect.  I am looking forward to "meeting" you.  This will be fun!!

Bead Peeps Swap 2015

Yea!  I'm in......

I just signed up to be a part of the Bead Peeps Swap 2015.  300 artists from all over the world participate. 

We are paired up and then exchange beads, 

at least one focal and one unusual clasp.  

We all create with our new beads and then post on our blogs on May 2, 2015.  

Then the fun really begins, we hop all over blog-land to see the work of all the participants.

This is a piece I did a few years ago in this swap.

Fine Arts Club Art Exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum

I  have been back at the local community college for 4 years.  Earned an AA in Art.  

Developed a new creative process, that being collage and assemblage art.  

I was very honored to have an art piece accepted into the juried student show this last Fall.  It was to be shown at the very well known Crocker Art Museum in my home town.  Just being in the show was amazing, as there were about 200 entries and only 36 chosen. 

At the closing reception in the beginning of January, 

my piece was chosen as the best 3D piece. 

I am so pleased and appreciative.  

Here are a few photos of my piece.  It is titled "Disappearing Ink"

It is in honor of the written word, that is slowly disappearing to new technology.  As a child, I have very fond memories of reading our World Book Encyclopedia  It transported me to distant lands and taught me so much.  I used the end pages of an old World Book Encyclopedia as the center focal piece.

There is quite a few hidden gems......a little window into a book, another book having a doorknob.  The top surface is an old window and has library card catalog cards collaged all over.  I drilled holes in all the books and threaded them on a threaded rod.  The large book that serves as the base is a heavy piece of wood, a cardboard cover and the leather spine is made from a thrifted leather jacket.