The Creative Summer's blog

facebook and fall commissions

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Kat in her new dress

I tried out Facebook when it was first lunched at colleges in 2004 when I worked as a career conselor at Hamline University. I couldn’t quite get into it even though I had been invited by a colleague in the English department and several of the students who worked in our office.  Flash ahead to 2008 and after declining numerous invitations to rejoin Facebook, I just couldn’t say no to my BFF Lisa.  Reluctantly I joined and now I among many others of all ages, can not be stopped with our status writing and checking every day.  I love reconnecting with old friends and especially schoolmates like Rita, who happens to be the author and illustrator of this wonderful children’s book. Recently I have found that posting my Pearl Girl projects on Facebook is a great way to get more orders. I was delighted to make this dress for Rita’s darling daughter Kat who is the main character in The Many Colors of Friendship.  

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Thanks Rita!!!

Likewise, I reconnected with a former colleague at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where I worked as a career counselor also.  Terry was kind enough to commission three dresses for his two beautiful granddaughters Gracie and Greta. 

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Here they are pictured with their mother, his daughter Molly and with him in Disney World where Gracie showed off her new Winnie-the-Pooh dress to the Bear and Tigger in person! Thanks Terry!!!

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soccer player baby?

Today, I'm pretty darn sure I felt baby moving. It was those little flutters that feel like water moving, butterflies inside.  Happened several times while in the car.  Awfully early to be feeling movement me thinks.  Maybe baby is a little older than I thought or there's twins or the next David Beckham is on his way into the world.

thump thump, thump thump

Today I heard baby's heart beating at the doctor's office.  Sounded like someone was waving a big sheet of metal. It was absolute music to my ears!  The doctor said it sounded great and she could tell the little baby was moving around a lot.

time travel and treasure hunting at thrift stores

doors slide slowly open

without hesitation

i board the vehicle that will

bring me to places i've been

before

 

the smell of dust overwhelms

here i am again on my quest

to find

 

i'm looking for something

i'm not sure what

through the old books

someone else paged

clothing someone else wore

 

each object long ago rejected

perhaps multiple times

by multiple owners

just like me

 

a child's blanket with a pattern

of stars and children playing

so intensely familiar

i just lost 30 years in three seconds

 

the little red toy barn

my brother used to play with

the white robot head

radio clock with the bright blue lights

brings back, brings me back

 

delight and joy fill me

when my glance brings me

to a book i've struggled

to name for years

the illustrations forever burned into my brain

 

the memories i didn't know i had

rush back in waves

as my time machine bobs in this ocean

of recollection

 

bright florescent lights

startle me awake

a dream in the daylight

the ride starts to quiver

as we make our way back

to the here and now

 

i didn’t come here to review my past

but to find treasure in the present

the memories mostly modest

nostalgia brings comfort

it’s easier to reminisce in the past

than to consider the unknown future

 

now I’m on to new ventures

and my hunt continues

finding someone else’s bargain-rate memories

to make them my own

i love this woman

Martina McBride

Last night we saw Martina McBride live last night at Treasure Island and it was so incredibly awesome.  She even sang this song which should be hitting the radio in a couple of weeks.  That's the video someone took last night at the concert. 

She sang most of my favorites - Anyway, Independence Day, Love's the Only House, This One's for the Girls, My Baby Loves Me, For These Times, and If I Had Your Name. There were a few songs I didn't know and she sang Lean on Me, Summer of '69, and Don't Stop Believing.  Her band was incredible.  We didn't catch She's a Butterfly which is one of my favorites. We were a little bit late for the concert so I'm not sure if she sang it or not.  The one that made me cry the most was Concrete Angel.  Mostly because they played parts of her video as she sang.  She has such an amazing voice and I felt so honored to be in her presence and the presence of those who love her voice also.

nature photography retreat

Monica, Sr. Nancy, and Gayle

On Saturday, I attended a wonderful nature photography retreat program hosted by The Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.  Sr. Nancy was the facilitator (and the Prioress) and has a long history of experience in photo journalism. Our first assignment was to find a spot in the woods and stay there for 90 minutes taking photograhs staying within only a six foot radius.  After lunch, our afternoon assignment was to find one object to photograph from as many angles and perspectives as possible for 90 minutes.  I chose a big rock with several fallen trees laying over it. After that I hiked out to Lake Sarah and then headed back deep into the woods to find one of the possible Lakota rock circles Sr. Nancy told us about.

  When we all met back at the lodge, we viewed each other's pictures and contemplated choosing five pictures from each student to display in the BAC and possibly sell to benefit the Spirituality Center.  Would you help me choose five from this bunch?  These are my favorites and I'm having a hard time widdling it down by three. 

save the date! art in the garden tour

Karen & Me - July 2008

Last week, I brought Maddy, Lisa, and Hannah over to meet my friend and mentor Karen. Karen is an amazing gardener and artist.  We toured her beautiful garden and checked out her latest art work in her studio.  In 2001 and 2006 Karen had Art in the Garden events. In 1996, I begged Karen to be my gardening mentor. I did a horrible job, but Karen was kind enough to let me weed. I'm getting better now and I'm still inspired by her passion and skill as a gardener and artist.  Karen and her garden have been featured in several magazines.

ART & GARDEN TOUR: You are all invited to her garden on September 1, 2, 3, and 4 from 1 to 7 PM to tour and view Karen's garden and hopfully purchase some of her beautiful artwork. I will have a table at the event (thanks Karen!) in hopes of selling some items including custom-made gifts of jewelry, photography, sewing projects, and of course Meal Magnets!  Please send me an email or leave a comment and I'll send you directions. This event will benefit Children's HeartLink, an organization I worked for from 1995 - 1999. Karen was a medical volunteer for the charity and also created wonderful dried floral arrangements for silent auctions.  That's how we met.

the queen of serene

Gotta love Zooey

I'm so in love with Zooey Deschanel.  I loved her in Bridge to Tarabia and Elf.  I didn't realize that she was in Almost Famous and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

She's so pretty, calm, sarcastic, and serene.  Al and I attended the She & Him concert at First Ave Thursday night with his co-worker from Brazil and I snagged a really great view (with a chair) from the balcony on the side and saw everything really well.  This concert beats my last experience there when I swore I'd never go back. We were at the Soul Assylum concert in December when I was slammed into a table by accidentally getting in the middle of a fist fight by the bar.

I'm glad I braved it and saw her in person.  I love their song Why Don't You Let Me Stay Here.  I'm pretty sure Amazon Groceries is using part of their song for their commerical. I hate the video for it though. It's too weird for even me so I won't link it.

meal magnets now at bibelot

I just dropped off 40 Meal Magnet packages at Bibelot today. This is my first big order and I'm so excited to share this news with everyone. The buyer requested the Paris, smiley face, apple, ladybug, and grey cat designs. As you can see, I've added a few new aspects to this product including recipe cards, a pad of shopping lists, and a little matching glass marble magnet.

music memories

Last week I painted the living room and had the biographies of John Cougar Melloncamp, Bon Jovi, and Guns -n- Roses on the TV in the background. It reminded me of this little project I started back in April. Using this website, I pulled the top 100 songs I either liked or remembered hearing on the radio a lot, oh and of course I included the songs you all voted on. Mike, you're going to have to help me out with some of the song titles though for Metallica, Junkyard, and Iron Maiden, either that or I'll have to call my brother and ask him. Let me know what I'm missing, you'll have to tell me which one to pull though because the playlist only has room for 100.

Doesn't the music just bring you back? All of a sudden I'm remembering things I haven't thought of for years, like those little table jukeboxes at the Country Kitchen in Rogers, the smell of smoke everywhere, my sister throwing up mac n cheese and chocolate cupcakes with "Rock Me Amadeus" in the background. Ahh, those were the days.