Hello!

Just a quick pop in to share a cute little surprise I got while shooting under the Tulip Poplar the other day.
I was in a bit of a hurry as weather was heading our way (as usual) and the branches were swaying to and fro. I did not anticipate one photo turning out in the lot.
When uploading these, I found this little gut peeking over the top of the petal! He must be tiny, because the flowers on the tree, while not small, are of modest size; yet our little visitor makes it look massive!
Perception is everything, is it not?

On a totally unrelated note, I am welcoming new blog followers, which I should have done ages ago. Mea culpa. Life has vaulted from calm and collected to absolutely crazy. I am hoping you understand!
So officially, welcome to El Milagro and hope you enjoy the content within. It changes.....what can I say? Short attention span? Too many interests?
Maybe.
But we usually have one constant here, and that is FUN!

Now I am off to face the day and do ONE (note that O-N-E) errand and I am back to the sewing table.
Have a great day!


Pax....

300th Post, A Most Lovely Award, Welcomes....Oh Yes, and a Blog Give-Away!!!

A few days off from the blog and what happens? Wonderful things! First, a most heartfelt thank you to Ces for the above honor. Please click the image and go read the post behind the creation of the award. It is a marvelous history of how this came about and needs to be read and savoured. To say I was speechless and stunned is mild. I had even debated, before receiving this, about not posting yet because I felt at 300 posts, you should have something of importance to say. And I was not feeling particularly important word-wise, or even remotely intelligent. I wanted something really soulfully good for my readers.

Maybe I have done a bit of that already.......I hope so.

I truly DO.

Another delightful duty on the blog is when I welcome another follower here, and a hearty WELCOME goes out to Sophia, who has joined our little band of mirthful mixed media miscreants! (just kidding...we encompass a LOT of different types besides mixed media and miscreants; even normal people are most welcome here! LOL!!!) Join in when you feel like it......

And now to what I hope will make me worthy of the above award. I had debated doing a give-away of a piece of art, wanted to do it before Halloween, which I knew wasn't going to happen and then it struck me...why not share some of the items I make art from, and see what happens? Why not put together a mixed media goodie box and let another artist do their thing, or share the contents with one of their friends, or just have fun pilfering the contents?

I believe artists have a responsibility to pass things to other artists; knowledge, joy, support, advice, information, love, care, and in this staggeringly tight economy, if you can do it....supplies. Now, when I buy things, I....ummmmmm....usually get a little TOO MUCH. So sharing eases my wallet's guilt pangs and makes my soul a bit lighter knowing that ALL ARTISTS are like little kids when it comes to supplies......it's Christmas morning and we're ripping into the packages at warp speed!

Therefore, I present to you:

"El Milagro's Milagro-Box-Mixed-Media-Supply-Give-Away!!!"

I know....it's a long title, so you can whack it down to fit your side bar. There are papers and fancy napkins and paint and oddities; canvas and pearls, bottle caps, things that may not be in the photo too, because I want to have a good, healthy box to ship! Oh yes, if you look close, there are 5 real milagros! (that's like parting with blood for me......)
So here's the rules to play:

1. Leave a comment and it's one entry. Same goes if you are on Facebook and don't blog, but see this. Leave a comment there, I'll count you in.
2. If you leave a comment and then have a link and pic on your blog, that's two entries.
3. If you leave a comment, link and pic on your blog, and become a new follower, THREE chances to win this.
4. The winner will be chosen by my fancy schmancy Random Number Generator (thank you Random.org!) so it is all legit.

Naturally, I won't be replying to the entry comments as I normally do others......I will be keeping count on everything fair and square, and I may be off blog as far as new posts for a bit to get some work caught up. I've not abandoned nor forgotten y'all! And I will try and visit your blogs to leave comments..... ;-)
I want everyone to have fun, and I especially want to make sure the contents go to an artist who works with mixed media, or to someone who might know another artist who would like to try it but just can't come up with all the supplies from the staggering lists of things we use.
We've all been there; one item shy for a project, and an artist friend comes by and says, oh, use some of mine. Encourage people to enter!
So please my dear blog sisters and brothers, let's get this give away info around and find the box a good home, and let the creativity begin!!!
I will draw the winning number on November 1st, All Saints Day.....because I have had the privilege of meeting so many good people in this blogosphere we call home.
Until we chat here again, which no doubt won't be long.....I bid you, most humbly.....

Pax.

Fun With The On Line Studio Tour And Another Welcome!

Good morning everyone!
I was going to go without a photo today (posted last evening from DHs computer) but decided to share another of the sunrise pics...in fact, the sun is not even up here yet!
I had to mention how much fun the on line Open Studio Tour was, how I could have spent much, much more time at each blog or website and how I have noticed that it has connected more of us! I have a WELCOME this morning for another new follower, Janet Happy Girl! Like my header says, sometimes a miracle happens Janet, and I actually get to post some ART! LOL!!! Or I post pictures of my parakeets, and that's when I am desperate for blog fodder! (though I noticed you are a *birdy person* too!)
It has been fun seeing more of us connect, more people have their blogs visited, just more GOOD out there.
I wish I could say I had a favorite from the studio tour, but I liked different things for different reasons...I guess the one thing that was so encouraging was seeing how many artists are recycling furniture and other items to meet their creative needs, and putting their real efforts (and cash!) into their arts. I was struck by the good and inventive use of articles that normally would go into a landfill to serve as holders, storage, etc. I think, even if a lot of the country hasn't caught on, Artsy people know the value of reuse. We are, officially (because I say so!) trendsetters! We knew that, of course. ;-)
I had to give myself some down time yesterday and am still knitting the Noro socks, but they are soooooo close to done. That has been like knitting a rainbow. Plus it's feet up, off the hip, snooze on the couch, and it's a win-win situation though it gauls me that I'm not going at my usual 100 MPH pace.......grrrrrrrrr........oh well, sometimes one has to give in.
Anyway, congrats to all of you who put studios up on your blog and welcomed us in, and thanks to those of you who came to visit us; it really means a lot!
Now I'm off to see what mischief I can find for the day. Hope you all have a productive time and enjoy the new friends you have found!
I bid you.....

Pax.

Day out for lunch........

"Oh my! This is sooooooo tasty!"

A quick PEEP from me before I have to go get *beautiful* (quit laughing.......) for a lunch out with a friend.
And WELCOME to another follower, though she's been a lurker I love her anyway! heehee!
Spent most of the day yesterday in the studio actually getting some work done on the Advent banners, but it's nothing I can photograph at this point. Still just pattern making, readjusting sizes, adhering fusible to fabrics, ironing (lots of that)....I mean, this is the not-at-all exciting part as far as photos go, but it IS exciting for me because this is when I start firming up in my mind's eye how they will look. Rooting through my massive stash of fabrics for a few shimmery pieces to highlight the silks......it's beginning to get a little interesting.
Plus I was able to find some fringe to complement the BOLT of fringe I bought already that I was not satisfied with.
My profit margin on this project????? I'm thinking zero. Just as long as I don't go in the hole......and they'll look good, and that's all that matters. Grace UMC's sanctuary will be beautiful for Christmas!
So little Ms. Socialite is outta here to start fixing her feathers and do the complete make over thing before stepping out into public. I don't want to be arrested for indecent exposure; i.e. face sans make-up!!!!
Have a good day, and yes, that's my sweet little Joey in the pic, not the blue-demon-fireball Johnny who tries to take a slab out of me every time I clean his cage.
Sigh.
Children.
With or without feathers.......... ;-)

Pax.

Welcomes! And the beauty of water......

First off, a happy WELCOME to some new followers; hope you hang with me while I work on a large sewing project. That's when photos fill the gaps! ;-)
We have had drought here, and when rain finally arrives, there is something exceptionally beautiful about the droplets on the plants. Suddenly everything is green and alive again and it is too good not to record with the camera.
My tiger lily, above, with delicate reflections in the little water globes......

......puddles on the broad leaves of a plume poppy, sitting all proper and upright! These plants go back to the original settlers and are amazing structurally. They spread......so not a favorite of some gardeners. They are in the same family as blood root, a tiny cousin.

The remaining bell shaped blossoms of one of my hosta varieties, a bit droopy but still delightfully delicate and elegant with their rain bonnets on.
Hopefully you all will have a good week, some relief from the heat and some rain if you area needs it. I do find shooting the pics in the morning rather interesting, as I end up as wet as the plants........
Have a creative week; look for the beauty out there!

Pax.

No, this is not the same........

.......I had work to complete on the white stole and thankfully, yesterday, I managed to get it all done. The last linen collar/fabric protector I made I swore I would never do another. That tiny edge is all thread crochet---nothing fancy but it is proof that I am too old to be using things I can neither see nor feel! Yet, the collar calls for it, so I respond. The beads are tiny, the pearls a nuisance to match but it does look good. :-) The whole time I work with white fabric I live in absolute fear of dropping something on it or pricking my finger and getting blood in the fibers...ay yi yi.
I am hoping to deliver this today, get to the Post Office, get the oil changed in the poor Flame-Mobile, do a bit of grocery shopping and then come home and pile up in a heap. I have a few books I have been reading and would like to either finish them, or start another. And then there is still the mess in the studio that is out of control, and some ideas I'd like to tinker with in the wet studio.
And ironing. Yes, I still do lots of that.
So pick one dear readers---that's what I will be spending my day doing!
And by the way, has anyone had any issues with not being able to click on the photos of followers? I've had that for several days and am not sure if I need to further tinker with computer settings or if it is a Blogger issue. I have a new follower I would like to Welcome!
Normally I will do a link to their blog, but Bunny, I can't till I get this issue resolved! So enjoy, or put your blog title in a comment.
Now off for a busy day---wishing you a productive and inspiring Friday, with lots of good things and creativity!
Pax.