A Short Break...

Hey there! :) I'm going to be taking a very brief hiatus from my torch for the next 2-3 weeks due to a minor surgical procedure I'll be having on Monday August 4th. I'll be back in action as soon as I can tho...so come back and visit me! ;)

Happy Connections...

Sometimes I have to marvel at the way life works! I was so very lucky to have joined an online group for Indiana based Etsy artists called the INcrowd...because it was this group that connected me to a wonderful artist friend named Linda from Seymour. Linda is a fiber and mosaic artist...she works with wonderful fabrics and makes the most incredible rust-dyed pieces that are just works of art in and of themselves. If you're a person who loves to work with fabrics, please check out her rust-dyed pieces for sale on Etsy at http://www.rustyturtle.etsy.com/ I've seen them firsthand and they are absolutely gorgeous! Check out her fabulous mosaics too...she can get so much incredible detail in such a small space: http://www.texturedturtle.etsy.com/

She and I are currently working on a collaborative fiber art/beaded project and I am having so much fun and just thoroughly enjoying her creative spark and warm personality. I'll post pictures of our project as it takes shape...but for now, I want to share with you the wonderful gifts she just surprised me with the other day. She made me a journal to use while I'm down for the count and recuperating for my surgery...and she also made me a wonderful fiber art flower for one of my many hats...lol (I have an obsession with hats). Aren't they just beautiful???

Weekend Fun in the Summer Sun!

Well, it was for sure an eventful weekend and a fabulous birthday! :) Friday was full of wonderful emails and e-cards from friends I've made online...which was so nice...thank you all! Friday night I had the opportunity to see Dave Matthews in concert for the first time and that was just awesome. I had a great time (big thanks to my cousin) and really enjoyed the show! But the fun didn't end there...on Saturday my hubby and kids gave me my "real" birthday present...a Nintendo Wii! I was so excited because I really want the Wii fit program. So, it's on order and I can't wait to give it a try!

On Saturday we headed to Ohio to see our newborn niece, Allison, for the first time. She is absolutely beautiful with her head full of dark spiky hair and I have to admit, I was pretty ungenerous and didn't share her much with my hubby! lol Saturday night we went to dinner with Allison and her mommy and daddy...and after that...headed back to their house, set up the Wii and bowled, golfed and laughed alot. It was tons of fun! But guess what? You got it, the fun didn't stop there...lol.

Sunday my close friend Teri and I went to see Mama Mia! which was probably one of the best "chick flicks" I've seen in a very long time. We laughed, cried...the whole thing. It was really wonderful and one of the few movies I've seen lately that I would spend the money to go see again. Afterward we went back to her house and met up with our men and our kids and had a wonderful grilled out supper and swam in the neighbors pool. It was a very special birthday and fantastic to spend the weekend with so many people that are special to me!

Now while I was doing all this celebrating...I didn't forget my promise to let one of my newsletter customers in on the fun too! I pulled a random name from my newsletter subscribers on Friday and Judy B won this beautiful contemporary birthday surprise!

Be sure to look for new listings this week on Etsy...and cross your fingers with me that I'll have enough time to finish up the few things I have left to do on my website so I can finally launch it! If I do, I'll be sure to post the link here!