Season to Season -- Fall

This is the block I worked on for this swap. It belongs to Marlene. The first picture is the block half worked by her. I loved the colors and the texture of her fabrics.

The second picture is my work on her block.

It doesn't show up very well but that is my first button trail. I think it turned out really good.

This is a tree with fall colored leaves and a swing. It turned out better than I expected. If you look closely at the right hand side you can see that I actually put a swing on the lowest branch. The picture is a little too dark for it to show up very well.

I used fall colored beads to spell out fall.


I really enjoyed working on Marlene's block. I hope she likes it as much as I do.

After a month and a half, I return to the blogging world with a lighter, freer spirit and soul. The past month I have dealt with an injury to my right hand and wrist, a sinus infection that makes my teeth hurt, depression, a week of vacation that included Tommy flying to Virginia and then 3 days with my in laws (and we took Raf with us for those days), and an over all serious lack of motivation to get out of bed, at any time during the day. I did complete several projects, I am happy to say, and I am rather pleased with the results.

First, though, my lighter, freer spirit and soul…..Monday, November 12, 2007, at 4:30 in the morning, in the bathroom of my home, I realized that for the first time in my lifetime, I was at peace with my dad. He always belittled me and everything in my life. I was told I was fat, ugly, and no man would ever want me. When you hear this from your father from the time you are a young teenager til you are over 30, you tend to believe it is true. I know I did. My dad died February 22, 1997. The last time I talked to him, we had an argument, which was pretty typical. All this time I have not been able to let go of the anger I felt for him and the way he treated me; the way I saw myself and truly believed the world saw me. Even after I got married to a man who loves and adores me, I wasn’t able to let it go. I couldn’t understand why someone like Tommy would love and want someone like me. For so long, every thought about myself has been colored by the way one person saw me. Then, suddenly, Monday morning I realized that his birthday is the 14th of November. And for the first time in years, there was no anger, no feeling of self worthlessness……..there was just …………..peace….overwhelming peace. Granted my sinuses and tooth were still painful but I felt better than I had felt in longer than I can remember. I had to wake Tommy up to tell him cause I couldn’t call my mom and wake her up. I called her at 7:30 and told her. Made her cry at work, shame on me. She told me her prayer for me had finally been answered. This feeling is wonderful, so freeing, so……peaceful.

I know this is probably not the place to talk about it, but this is like a catharsis for me. For so long, whenever I talked about my dad, there was so much anger and hurt……and now there’s not. I do feel overwhelming grief. Grief that he will never the fine young man his son turned into; grief that he will never know that his prediction for me becoming a teacher came true; and especially grief for him never having the opportunity to meet the man that loves me just as I am, for who and what I am, no excuses asked or given, just me. And to be totally and brutally honest, my creative ability came from him. The man could draw so beautifully. He also had the gift of being able to look at a piece of wood and see what was hiding inside, and then bringing to fruition. He loved when my brother’s friends would come over and see the huge big mouth bass mounted on the wall over the roll top desk and ask where he caught it. He would just smile and tell them to look closer, and when they did, they would discover it was carved wood. He was so talented like that. He had patience when he was working on a piece that he rarely showed to any of his family.

Anyway, this feeling is still so very new and so very wonderful.

I do have pictures to share but will do them in separate postings. Why?? Cause I want to…..lol.

Raf turns 38---again

Tommy, Christian, Sabrina (headless), and Anne
Sabrina, Gustave, Shane, and Anne

Tommy, Christian, and Sabrina
Louis
Anne and Zoe

Tommy, Zoe, Christian, Raf (white shirt on floor), Gustave, Sabrina, Louis, Shane, and Anne

Happy Birthday Rafal!!!!!!!

Mama!!! I'm seepin'!!!!!

MY DOLLS FOR PAT WINTER'S COMFORT DOLL PROJECT

These are my very first dolls.

I hope everyone's Labor Day weekend was as wonderful as mine. My mom and brother came into town Friday night and left this afternoon. They stayed at Le Pavillon Hotel( http://www.lepavillon.com/ ) whereTommy works.
My mom loved every minute of it. I spent Friday and Saturday nights with her as Jeremy, my brother, was in Abita Springs with his best friend. Tommy was working both nights so we also got to spend time with him. It was fun sitting on the roof, after it closed, and watch my mom's reaction to the city's skyline.

She was also able to see my work in person, rather than just online. She fell in love with one of the dolls I made, so of course she went home with her new mom. I was actually kinda surprised she liked this particular one, with the wild mess of blue hair. But she did. She also got a couple of smaller pouches I made a while back. She is definitely one of my biggest supporters. I love her dearly.




This is my brother Jeremy. He is 22 years old.
He is such a wonderful young man. I am very proud to call him my brother. My mom is going to send me some pictures of his tats and I have his permission to share them with ya'll. He designed most of them himself.

Today is the 2nd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Several people have asked how New Orleans is different today than it was when we moved here four weeks after the storm. Or even how it is different from before the storm. In a lot of ways, it is different but in some it's still the same.

Before the storm, people walked the French Quarter, especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights til all hours. They do that now.

You can still walk down the street with an open beer/drink in your hand (in the FQ).

The calliope music from the Steamship Natchez can still be heard.

The streetcars are still running. Different schedule now, not as often, but still running.

People still sit on the stoop and say hi to passersby.

Traffic is still bad, especially when most people don't know where in the blue blazes they want to go.

The sweet smell of fresh pralines still wafts out the doors of Southern Candy.

Street performers still entertain in front of Cafe Du Monde.

Cafe Du Monde is no longer open 24 hours a day.

Four weeks after the storm, armed national guards and state troopers could be found on every street corner and walking down the streets from 4 pm til 8 am.

Now you find armed thugs and murderers at all the street corners and walking the streets along with the streetwalkers.

Common courtesy and politeness is rare where it used to flourish.

Mine Mine Mine is heard more often than there's plenty for everyone.

English, Cajun, and French are minority languages compared to Spanish and oriental.

Schools are begging for the teachers that they fired immediately after the storm to come back and teach.

It's really kinda funny. Except when we go out of town or to the dr. or to the major grocery store, my world consists of the French Quarter. If you look just at "my world", it is the same friendly, neighborly, helpful place as ever. The people say hi and wave (locals). Parking sucks, but thats beside the point. It's once you step outside the Quarter that rudeness sets in.

What I've Been Working On Lately

Our Fall Swap block is due to Gerry by early September. I posted a picture of the one I made for the swap. Unfortunately, as I was embellishing my half, I forgot to stop.....ooops.....and completed the entire block. I rather like it.


















Of course my 2007 is a little crooked, but what the hey, it's my block. Anyway, I had to make another block for the swap. Tommy kept telling me, "Stop!!! Don't finish it!!". I told him I atleast had to do a couple of the seams. This time, I used the leaves from my dear friend Judyth in the center of the block. I used the fall colors to bead the tips of each leaf point and the center vein. This should help hold the leaves more securely. Tomorrow they are off in the mail to Gerry.


















I have also been making some ATC's. These are my first ones but I have ideas for several more. I still have to finish the backs of them, but am saving that til I have several to do.





















I have also made 3 dolls for Pat Winter's Comfort Doll collection; a doll for the Spirit of Friendship Christmas doll swap on CQI; one for myself; and a wallhanging that swam around in my head before I got up the nerve to try it. It will take a while to finish, but that's ok, I'm enjoying the creative proccess of making it. Once I get new batteries for my digital camera I will share pics.

I am going to try to get several more ATC's made today, tomorrow, and Friday. My mom and brother are coming down Saturday and will be here til Monday. They both have a three day weekend for Labor Day. Tommy got them awesome rates at Le Pavillon. That will be fun. I can go spend time there with my family, and my husband while he is working. Of course most of their time will be spent here at our apartment. Jeremy, my brother, is going to spend some time with his best friend, Thomas, who lives in Abita Springs, on the north shore. It's only about 30 minutes from us.

I'm really looking forward to it. I don't get to see my family that much, even though they only live 5 hours from here. We see my inlaws, 6 hours, from here more because we can actually stay with them. At my mom's house, Zoe is on the snack menu for Lady, Mom's german shepard, and Flip, Jeremy's pit bull. So we have to stay in a hotel when we visit them. Lately, we haven't been able to afford that, so I am glad they are coming here.

Sunday is the parade for Southern Decadence, and it lines up right in front of our house. What is Southern Decadence? Gay Mardi Gras.

I got this a while back and have been very remiss about putting it on my blog and sending a very big and sincere thank you to my good friend, JO. She sent me this back on August 8th. We were going through alot here at home and I just never got around to putting it up. I do apologize, Jo.

Seeing as how EVERYONE else has been awarded this one, I will say if you haven't gotten it, consider yourself nominated.

My Season To Season Swap Fall Block

For some reason I could not get my picture uploaded to the group so I put it on here for all to see. The colors are brighter in person than in the pic. The leaves are more copper in color.

It seems like most of my posts lately have been family related. Sooooo, I decided to show you what I'm working on. I actually have several projects, small ones, going right now.

I "made" a treasure box, what I call it, for my swap sister, Daphne, in England. I started out with a cigar box that the gentleman who lives downstairs from us gave me.

I took off all the paper and hardware. Then I wrapped it in quilt batting and covered it with a purple moleskin. Did I mention purple is Daphne's favorite color??? Well, it is. I added a motif to the front and fringe around the lid.

I wanted to add a cq'd block to the top. I had a purple one from earlier this year.

I embellished it with roses, a beaded ribbon, and a D for her name. I also used a gold fairy and two purple handmade buttons that Daphne had sent me.

Unfortunately, when I was finished I discovered that the block was not long enough to go on the lid. It was wide enough but not long enough. Very disappointing but I learned to check these things before I begin and make adjustments. So....I had to do something with the top. I decided to keep it simple with a lace bow and a button that Tommy had picked out for me. It has a victorian styled woman's head on it. Quite different from what I wanted but I think she will like it. I'm going to fill it with goodies for her. I am going to use the block for the cover of a needlecase for her that is due in October.

So that is now finished. I am just waiting on a shipment from Judyth to finish my package and put it in the mail.

I have also been working on comfort dolls for Pat Winter's project for abused women. Of course I forgot to take pictures of them. When I actually get them finished I will post some. I also have one made for the Crazy Quilting International's group Spirit of Christmas doll swap. I'm planning a couple for more for that also.

I have also started my Victorian Christmas stocking for the CQforNewbies group swap this fall. I am trying to get a head start so I don't stress out. I really like the way it is coming and have a sneaking suspicion I may keep it and make another one.

I am actually staying fairly busy with all this. I need to unearth my sewing machine so I can finish my dolls and get them in the mail.

Beadaholism Runs in the Family

It is 5:24 am on Friday, July 13th. Why am I up this early? Tommy had to cover the night shift of a guy on vacation. This is so going to throw off my sleep, yet again, as Tommy usually works the 7a to 3p shift on Thursdays and then the 11p to 7a shift on Friday. For those of you up nights like me, have you ever realized there is nothing but junk on the tv? Must be my cue to turn it off or put in a movie.

Well, I have been gone for a while and have lots to share. First off, on June 12, Tommy became a grandpa. Jaylee was born to his oldest Chelsa. She is beautiful. We got to see her when she was 2 weeks old. Tommy is still disturbed that Chelsa is only 16, but that is something he took up with her mother. With us while we were visiting mother and baby, was Erin. She is Tommy's youngest at 8 yrs.

Ok, I've decided to start at the beginning because I was beginning to confuse myself, much less you guys. We left New Orleans at 4:30am Sunday, June 17th. At 8:30pm, we picked up Erin, Tommy's youngest, in Perry, Oklahoma (about 85 mi W. of Tulsa). From there we drove to Pratt, Kansas (40 mi E. of where Greensburg, KS used to be) and Tommy's dad. We got there about 10pm Sunday night.

Three generations of Lears: Tom, Tommy, Erin.

We spent Sunday night with Tom in his apartment. He lives in what was the original Pratt hospital and has now been converted to apartments. This was the first time since '99 that Tommy had seen his dad. First time Tom had met his granddaughter Erin. As uptight about it as Tommy was, it was a wonderful visit. The two men may not see eye to eye on everything, what father and son does, but the love is obvious. As for Miss Erin, I don't think that girl has ever met anyone she didn't take to almost immediately (except me the first time).

Monday morning, the 18th (my mom's 65th birthday) was spent looking at pictures and listening to family history. We left just after noon. We were not going to be able to see Chelsa and the baby til after 2pm the next day due to a pediatrician's appointment, so we spent the night in Broken Arrow, just east of Tulsa. Erin got her wish and got to go swimming in the pool....just her and her daddy.

Tuesday we slept in a little and had a leisurely breakfast there at the hotel. Then we set off for Horatio, Arkansas. I will swear til the day I die I heard banjos. It took Tommy a little while to find Chelsa's house but we eventually did.

Grandpa Tommy, Chelsa, and baby Jaylee

Grandpa getting his first real look at Jaylee.

Sisters: Chelsa (16) and Erin (8).

Another 3 generations of Lears (and don't grandpa look thrilled about that!!!)

Aren't they a beautiful family? I think of the two girls, Chelsa looks just like her daddy.

In case you are wondering about the big gap between the two girls ages, there is a third child. His name is Patrick and he is 15. He and his mother were out of town for the time we had Erin, so they didn't get to see each other.

We took Erin back to Perry, actually to Stillwater where her mom was working, on the 1st of July. Other than a few bumpy moments, it was a wonderful two weeks.

When we took Erin back, I got to meet her mother. I have now met all of Tommy's ex's with the exception of the first, who is deceased. Of the three, Erin's mom is the only one who wants Tommy back. She latched onto him like.....like.....ok, I'll be nice....an anaconda with fresh meat. Her mother looked at me abashed and I think she thought I was going to out of the car and hurt her daughter. I just smiled.

Tommy laughed when I brushed him off before I'd let him kiss me....he thought I was a little disturbed by the hug. I thought he was disturbed for having married her in the first place. They have nothing in common. But it's all over til next time. I must make a mental note to remember the bleach next time too....hehehehe

I know, I know, it's been too long since I have posted anything. My friends are starting to worry. I'm sorry. Life got all tangled up and time slipped away from me. I do have a lot to catch you up on though. Later....for now, I want to ask a question that has been buzzing around my little brain. As I read blogs and posts for the groups I am in, it seems that there are several people who are in the process of, getting ready to start, or finishing the process of moving. My question is this: What is your ideal living environment? I don't just mean your home and studio, I mean the entire environment.

I have several things that would make my ideal environment. What are they? Well, let's see:

1. Not living in what is now known as the most dangerous city in the U.S.
2. Not hearing sirens at all hours of the day and night.
3. Not having people walking past my house at all hours of the night, loud and drunk.
4. Not having to worry about my husband walking home from work late at night because there are no parking spaces by our house.
5. Not listening to the nightly news and having the first 15 minutes taken up by who got shot/stabbed/killed and no one was caught.
6. Not listening to our politicians make excuses for why they did the stupid crap they did.
7. Not living in a state where we re-elect the stupid politicians who do stupid crap.
8. Not living in a parish (we have parishes and not counties) where when the schools were first began reopening after Hurricane Katrina all the teachers were fired and the new school officials brought in their own teachers AND are now BEGGING for teachers to return to the classroom because there aren't enough and there are too many kids STILL not back in school, two years later.
9. Not living in an area where it is politically incorrect to arrest someone for the murder of an innocent because the bad guys are simply killing each other off. (that is the latest excuse for no arrests/convictions of anyone who has killed someone this year, this includes the police officers who are being killed.)

Of course there are some funny things about living in Louisiana. We are the only state in union (that I know of anyway) that had a run off election for governor between a convicted felon and a grand wizard of the KKK.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox for now and change the television channel to something that doesn't deal with real life on the streets of New Orleans.