FINITO!!!

Popping in for a moment to say I have the green stole DONE, and I think all my pressure gauges are back into the normal range.....whatever that might be for me. LOL!
Probably somewhere between the high end of a pressure canner and the boilers that run steam plants.
I noticed my little Studio Assistant had posted for me in my absence and how sweet of the bird! In fact, I may put her to work on blog posting and let me have a break for a month, or until Blogger is behaving again. (oh yeah, that's like, ummmm, NEVER!)
I have, since Sunday, been fighting a migraine that has left me away from the computer for the most part, the blog has been ignored and per normal, I am running behind. I remember I had a teacher once who said, "You can't make up lost time, so quit trying".
There is great wisdom in the statement.
It has been an odd week thru the migraine haze; work still happened, I got to reconnect with one of my previous ministers and had a delightful time, was able to get a little research done but definitely not enough REST.
So over the weekend I will be doing some photos of the stole in ALL IT'S GLORY (and I am not being smug as it is glorious....) and HOPEFULLY have a good post on it by Monday.
Even with everything going berserk this week, it has been overall good with a lot of thinking, rethinking and doing. Odd how life throws you a curve ball now and then just to get you out of your comfort zone. Mine, of course, being where there is coffee and sweet rolls....*sigh*......
I also discovered I am getting very close to my 700th post. 
Good Lord. Am I wordy or WHAT???? Rhetorical question~~no need to comment on that part.
I'll have to look around the studio and see if there can't be a little something for a *700th Give-Away*. With the dearth of posting I've been doing, it could be next month.
In the meantime, I thank all of you that have written and I try and reply to all who have e-mail addy's attached to their comments when I don't get to the blog. You all keep me going, and semi-sane.
I don't want to be all the way there; I cannot imagine total sanity as any fun what so ever.
Till I have photos of my latest creation, I bid you....


Pax....

Sweet Surprises!

Yep! That says it all!!! Been a GOOD WEEK!!!

I have people to thank this week, and I need to first say I am sorry I was away from the blog and blog-land so much. I sort of feel like I lost a week~~it flew by, dragging me through the dirt with it. My plans (and I use that word loosely) all got turned upside down so I just had to wing it. I'm sure y'all have been there...
A LONG OVERDUE (bad bad me!!!) thanks first for this:

I got this from M.A. at Magpie's Mumblings longer ago than I even care to discuss. I am soooo sorry!!!  This is a sweet award for small blogs under 300 followers. At the time I received it, I think I was still in the 180-something range, then OWOH happened, then our Michael de Meng   class happened, and then, and then......well, you know how things just go crazy all at once. M.A.~~I am not even going to pretend I remember what I was supposed to list with this but to my blogging friends who have a blog with UNDER 300 FOLLOWERS, please feel free to grab this and know you are getting a dose of Blog-L♥ve from El Milagro!!!
Second sweet surprise, Laura at Shine The Divine: Creativity IS a Spiritual Practice gifted me with this: 

Sending out a big thanks to you Laura, and thank you to the folks who came by and visited! I much appreciate it! Both of these ladies have blogs that you should take time to go to and peruse at length. Totally different, both completely enjoyable!!!
Third surprise; my friend Audrey at The Magic, Miracles And Joy of an Artist completely shocked me when she made the post that the above link connects to~~you see, there was a colorwash competition in MDM's class, and *clueless* here was out in the ozone (as usual) and did not know I had won with my baby, *Crypt Corrosion*. I had won an original piece of his work, and Audrey was kind enough to write about it and wake me up to the fact!!! That is a GOOD FRIEND.....  ;-)
Soooooo, I am off again to try and dig out the studio. I have been reading a great art book I want to share with you some time next week and working on a little hand made journal, which is a post in itself...omg.......LOL! I am not cut out for bookmaking, but it is a funny story.
In the meantime,

....Here's looking at YOU kiddies!!!! Have a great weekend!

Pax....

Delightful Goodies!

Yesterday was a great surprise as it was a *good mail day*, and I have to admit, with my *surprises* of late, a nice one was welcomed! The items below are strictly in the order I opened them!

First, a box from the Delightful Deb......and I wondered what on earth could it be? Had Milo escaped??? (that was a fear....)
But no, it was the very charming and personable Perriquin Pumpkin. Pam's little Skellie girl took an immediate liking to him, and Frida is keeping a motherly eye on things.......but I don't think there will be mischief!  ;-)

Thank you Deb!!! He makes me smile each time I look over at him, as he is right beside the computer desk!

Then the second package I opened was from Jan at Laughing Dog Arts and I was careful opening it as it was wrapped in brown paper stamped with all sorts of interesting designs....yes it will be saved for collage!

A beautiful hand beaded Sacred Heart Pin, with a milagro in the center, and gold beads in the flame that I could not get to show in the photo......trust me......it glows!

Wrapped around it, to keep it safe in the mail, was the following tea towel, which says it ALL!!!! (yes, Jan knows me far too well! LOL!!!!)

I am not sure after that quote there is any more I can say!
Yes, there is......THANK YOU GIRLS! Your timing couldn't have been any better for lifting my spirits and making me smile and feel the outreach of love from miles and miles away.
Sometimes, living in the middle of nowhere, being cloistered with work in the studio and not getting out, life gets far to quiet and lonely and yes, unfortunately, I have to do that to finish large projects.
And then there are beams of sunlight that come in on the wing and remind me I am not alone and there are wonderful people on the *other* side of my blog page~~~reading, laughing, commenting, and gauging how close I am to being sent off to the local mental facility...LOL! (joking...just joking....don't give anyone ideas....)
Seriously, thanks. Many, many times over.
Smiles are priceless.

Pax....

Another Long Overdue THANKS!!! ♥♥♥

Once again I am begging forgiveness at my inherent slothdom at getting thank you's out and properly posted to the blog. I have no good excuse---life has gone completely crazy and my personal drive down that road was a short one!

A while back on one of the She Who Blogs site, the daytrippers were having a cool contest to pick a favorite New York City photo and also think of a new tagline for the blog.

Well, I had not checked back in and sure enough....guess who won this cool sterling necklace but moi.

All packaged lovely and brightly, and a Amazon gift card too....I was delighted! And then storms, life and Blogger issues seemed to send me spinning, so FINALLY I have a proper post for this!

Made especially for the contest by JulieTheFish Designs over at Etsy, I am delighted with it! It is a lovely shiney bauble that will grace my neck quite soon.....and I thank Julie, Frances and Lissa for bearing with me in my gross delay of recognition! (I'd like to blame it on Summer, but I think it is more age related...)
For some fab photos of the City, check out the daytrippers......cool site, one of my favorite places to see through a viewfinder!
Millie Grazie Ladies!!!

Pax....

My Shining Lights......

First off, I am so grossly overdue on new WELCOMES to the blog, I am quite mortified! Normally I have that up after one or two new faces join......and I do apologize with all my heart. It has been extremely hectic here, and yes, Blogger still is throwing me curveballs whenever it is most inconvenient!!! Please make yourselves at home....we sometimes lose our marbles, but eventually they are found through a lot of laughter!

As I have been too lax of late with my blog and visiting others, this post is dedicated to my blog friends. The ones who, without any cajoling, visit and comment even when I am in a blur of too much to do. The hearty souls who have been with me since day one and still continue on this wondrous and delightful ride called BLOGGING! The people who may wonder if I will ever post art again, but come back anyway for the brain dribblings in between. Those who know my taciturn moments and send me a silly e-mail to make me laugh until my sides split. Those who really know me, deeper than the words on this blog page because they can see past the words on the blog page. Those who respect my silence and know that there is something going on either in real life or in my studio that demands my full attention (which, by the way, seems to be getting shorter as I age!). Those who have respect for me as I have for them; that indeed, it is a two way street. Those who hold me up when I need it most, even if I don't really know I need it!

Friends are treasures more valuable than any precious metal, warmer than the crackle of a winter fireplace, more delightful than a summer's night with the moon illuminating the landscape and fireflies dancing in the velvet darkness.

Friends are my compass, my plumb line, my sounding board.

And above all, they are the bright lights in my life.

I am blessed.

And perhaps I do not say *thank you* enough, because everything else gets in the way......which is no excuse.

So for you all, thank you for being my true, honest friends here at El Milagro. And in e-mail. And on the phone. And through art we share. And letters. And Facebook. And just being there!

You are blessings.

Mille Grazie!

Pax....

AND THE WINNERS ARE!!!!!

You've all dressed in your finest.....

...Waited patiently while names were accumulating and being tabulated...

...In fact, some of you have gone to , ummmmm, almost extremes to bribe the blogmistress and prove yourselves worth on the prizes (and it HAS been entertaining!)....

And eventhough every one of you are winners in my eyes, (and you should know that!)

"Love Letters"

goes toooo......

Studio Lolo!!!

And "With Love From Mardi Gras"

goes toooo.....

Sophia @ Blue Chair Diaries!!!

Now, I had over 150 people enter this giveaway, so I printed out 8 greeting cards of the "Love Letters" image and pulled eight more names.....

You know me; I'm a softie, but there were SO MANY, and I would loved to have sent something to EVERY SINGLE PERSON!!!

So the winners on the greeting cards are:

1. Emma

2. Wickedly Devine Creations

3. Sandy

4. Gloria

5. Lori Saul

6. Magpie's Mumblings

7. Marie Segal

8. KJ

So if all of you will go to my profile page and send me your info in an e-mail, I will start packaging tomorrow and get things in the post hopefully Friday. (I have DH home starting Thursday....this could delay my best laid plans, ya know...)

Again, THANK YOU to all who participated and signed on as new followers and big CONGRATULATIONS to our grand prize winners!

Now I need to go take a break and rub my eyes from all the counting and color changes.....

By the way, "Love Letters" will soon be available as a print, the same size as the original. I will let you know cost when I know how many people are interested. Just pop me an e-mail and we will go from there.

Have a great day, all of you!!!!

Pax..

Thanks All, and A Preview of Monday's Give Away!

I can't say thanks enough for the followers who have supported me and this blog through the year and a half I have had it. It is still pretty amazing, and over the Memorial Day weekend, the follower counter hit the 100 mark, so I had to make some art, since the general concensus was a piece of original art as a prize!

I am giving you a peek here at what will be up for grabs.....and Monday will be the official post to get signed up!

These were delayed a bit due to real life events, and wanting to get a piece of artwork out to a dear blogging friend...and that took precedence. I hope it arrived safely and with love! ♥

So these are just teasers ......to hopefully draw you back at the beginning of the week and maybe a few of your friends too! :-)

Of late, it has been an up and down time and strange in the strangest ways, and when I give away art, I feel like a tiny bit of happiness is being put forth into the world. So that is my real motivation behind the handmade tidbits I send to people.

I am still in the beginning stages of a large commission of the sewing variety (the leaves from the other day) and I will be in and out as I can to post. Most of today was pick up and put away and all the mundane things that are required to live. Which is fine.....there is a comfort to the sameness of them.

If I have not been to your blogs or replied to a comment, I beg your pardon; I am just a little overwhelmed at the moment. Also, having to take an afternoon to rebuild the jazz in my player did not help matters.....over half the links dies and I kept looking for good tunes for you.

So until Monday........with love.....♥

Pax....

P.S. I still seem to be having some issues with some of the comments not posting and I am utterly clueless as to why one pops up and the other does not. But I read every one, so please do not feel slighted. As much trouble as I have had getting pics in the right place lately, I guess I should not be surprised.....

Much Gratitude.....

.....for all the kind comments and urging on of friends during the long project and my fits of pique. I deliver the banners Monday morning, weather permitting so Tuesday---hopefully!!---I will have photos to post of this major accomplishment! I am excited and in fear; they go hand in hand on a delivery.
Today, this simple morning, seems quite odd, sitting here enjoying coffee and I am not sure what I am doing today! I seriously am considering dragging out the needle felting machine (I've had it well over a year and used it once to make sure it worked...), a pattern for slippers I have owned for two years at least and a lovely sweater I felted that Linda at Marbled Musings sent me a while back. An old collegiate sweater, in the days of well constructed wool knits, it felted down nicely and that would be something different and fun. I have a basket of fibers, wools and novelties, some left from knitting, some from fiber art, and I am thinking there could be the makings of something interesting, gaudy and warm! Who me? Gaudy? LOL!!!! Oh yeah.......
Of course, there are the ATC blanks I purchased that I could drag into the house to work on....they couldn't be too messy......and I would have to print some of my photos for that.
If it's sunny today, and believe me, right now there is no way of telling, I saw an area as I was driving home from the errand run that looked like it would yield some good photos---that's a possibility. Remnants of an old building and lots of bushes laden with red berries...the leaves gone on some. Quite the thing for a holiday pic.
It just is ODD to go from full throttle to an almost dead stop. At least for me.
Of course, there is that BOX of yarn tucked in the laundry room calling my name.......now that the *almost stockings* made it to real stockings and are off the needles, I could start the lovely Fair Isle scarf that I would like to wear this winter......
Or I could decend to the wet studio and not surface until it was time to deliver the banners on Monday. Hmmmmm.... 
Decisions, decisions.......
I can't complain because it is enjoyable to have a little down time to try and pick what, out of many projects, to start next! ;-)
Whatever you do today, have fun. Enjoy the day and don't let it pass---there is too much to see and do and just not enough time! Make use of every moment!

Pax.