Harvest Time and Family Gatherings...

I have been a little lax in posting these last two weeks, so here is my chance to catch up.

  We traveled in our RV to our annual family reunion over Labor Day weekend, an event we haven't missed now for 20 years. Our numbers are a little bit down, we are at that in between stage where all the cousins that were small children together are all graduated and building lives for themselves. Now it is mostly all us empty-nesters and the grand parents. This is a natural ebb and flow, soon these young adults will find their mates and start families of their own, ( not too soon, I hope), and the campground will begin to fill up again.

  I did bring my art kit along on the camp out, but I didn't once crack it open. I just spent my time talking around the camp fire, yard-saling and exploring the farmers market. As you can imagine after 20 years, there are a lot of traditions that have developed and so many stories to tell  and retell of gatherings past...

  I think the thing that amazes me the most is how, even though we don't see some of these people more than this one time a year, there is really no awkwardness in our connections. We just pick up where we left off, with more fodder for our storytelling. I have teased Mr. How2, telling him that becoming part of his amazing and huge family was the best reason I had for marrying him. Don't worry, his ego can take the hit!

One of the traditions is to go yard-saling in and around the town of Twisp. Because I am still determined to eradicate all the extra clutter from my life, I only picked up a couple things, a spice wrack to hold my small bottles of paint, and this little Chinese Calligraphy kit for $1.00. I am intrigued by this art form, and am looking forward to giving it a try. The Twisp Farmers Market is another place we go, and on Labor Day weekend they always host the library book sale. I scored a couple novels for Mr. How2, and a small book written entirely in Chinese, which i plan to use in my art. I had so much fun with the book of German poetry and the a copy of Romeo and Juliet in Russian that I bought at the book sale last year, I just couldn't resist it.

   I finished my "harvest" ATCs this week, about the only art I was able to get to, and will be sending them off tomorrow. Here is a look at them...

I made five this time, our exchange is usually send three, get three back, and most of us make and extra for the hostess to keep. This month, the granddaughter of one of or members asked if she could participate, so one is for her. We again decided to include an inchie, and here is mine...

Lets hear it for an autumn filled with beauty, bounty and warm family gatherings! Until next time...enjoy!
 

 

  

Gadabout Artist: Playing in the Sunshine...

Well, we are firmly ensconced in sunny Yuma, AZ, and enjoying days of 70+ degree weather. I have no real complaints, we are hooked up to power and water, so no more batteries or sponge baths, very nice after dry camping in the desert for so long. There are many wonderful snow-birds to meet and I spent a lovely evening playing bingo with 253 of them! No beginners luck for me, though...too bad, it would have helped pay for all the extra beads and art supplies I bought in Quartzsite!

There are not a lot of art supplies available there, but a store appropriately named,  "Addicted To Deals" seems to be a clearing house for just about anything under the sun, and they had a wonderful assortment of scrapbooking supplies. The large rubber stamps were only 3 for $5 and the sets were under $2. I think they will be great for my ATCs and the art I am working on for Art-o-mat. Speaking of which, one of our new neighbors here is a wood worker, I am going to ask him later today if he might be willing to cut out the little blocks of MDF that I need for my first shipment to Art-o-mat. I have been working on the art, and had planned to affix them to the blocks once we returned home, but this would allow me to ship much earlier. There is a lot of trading of skills back and forth down here, and I thought I might join in...

Here are just a few of the beads I bought, there are hundreds of tents and stores selling them in Quartzsite, and you can find everything imaginable for jewelry making. I haven't been in the jewelry business for a very long time, but I just could not resist, old habits die hard. So when I finally get around to opening that Etsy shop, you will likely find a collection of jewelry as well as art. My sweet daughter has recently started making jewelry, so she will receive some as well. She likes the more ethnic/hippy style, so these pendants and wood and coral beads were purchased for her. Until next time, enjoy...