Friday, February 25, 2011

I came home Sunday night and have experienced "jet lag" all week. It takes me forever to unpack and just get back to the realities of life, but finally.... We had a lovely time in New Orleans. The temperatures were in the high seventies and it was such a nice change. Of course we are cool, not really cold, but rainy and yucky here in Memphis. My daffodils are blooming so spring must be coming. I am ready already.


I had a sweet three block walk from my hotel to Jackson Square.


I shopped in the Paris Boutique and bought a wonderful spring hat and vintage pin.


Me getting ready to leave for a tour of the French Quarter.


My grandfather drank Jax beer. The brewery has been converted to shopping.


No beignets for me as I was unwilling to wait for over an hour to be seated.



I saw many beautiful homes, including Brad and Angelie's, Sean Penn's and Johnny Depp's.

My DH played golf all day Friday and all day Saturday, so I was on my own. Seriously it was great. I found a super knitting store and sat and talked for hours. I enjoyed the park and leisure breakfasts. I went to two museums and the cathedral. When DH came in we were off to wonderful restaurants and had dinner at K Paul's, the Redfish Grill, G W Finns and the Court of Two Sisters.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011



This is what happens when you don't close your pocket knife and sever two tendons and a nerve.

I am a few days late posting about my visit with my son. I drove to Canton, Mississippi on Saturday to attend a meeting of the Magnolia Wool Dust Society and drop my friend off for the rest of her ride home all the way to the gulf coast. I then went to visit my son at Mississippi State. I did great navigating my way there with the assistance of my faithful gps unit. I got lost on campus almost immediately, but thanks to Elliot actually watching me drive around he helped me find him at Hull Hall. I spent the night at a small guest house immediately next door to his dorm. We went to dinner and then on to see Sanctum at the theater. The next morning we sat outside of the cafeteria before going in for a lovely breakfast. His hand looks very uncomfortable. He is bandaged up with strings tied to keep him from moving his last two fingers.

I am beginning to feel more at peace than I have for a while. I am getting excited about going to New Orleans with my DH on Wednesday. I have a new wardrobe for the trip with two new LBD's and several new slacks and tops to wear during the day. It felt so great to get new clothes. I have not had a real shopping trip for clothes in a long time.

Today Nancy and I went fabric shopping and before we left each other to go our separate ways we tucked into Anthropologie. I could not resist taking out my camera to take some pictures of some intriguing displays.


This bed just made me want to jump right in. I loved the strips of fabric hanging like an exotic canopy.


Intriquing spools of ribbons displayed like cogs in a fabulous machine.


Owls are so in fashion now. I have been interested in them for many years. This owl was beaded and framed and looks amazing.


This set looked just like a sweet little porch I would love to sit in.


You cannot really tell, but these are old mirrors.

I feel like even though it is February and we had a big snow storm just last week that spring is here. I am so ready.

Friday, February 11, 2011

A satisfying Day

Today was nice. It is always nice to get things that need to be done done. More importantly I got the dirt washed off of my car. By the end of the day I felt very successful. I didn't work on a purse, or hook on a rug or applique or punch needle, but I did get my duffle bag finished. Sue Spargo designed this bag and I loved making it. The outer pockets are log cabin blocks. It is quite roomy at 27 inches tall. I am pleased to say that my friend and her husband set the eyelets for me, but other than that I did everything else on this bag. I will be breaking it in when I take it as my overnight bag to visit my son tomorrow. Ahhhh!


Thursday, February 10, 2011

It is cold outside

It was one of those winter days that we don't have many of and Memphis shut down. The temperature hovered at around 24 degrees and the ice on the secondary roads is still there. We are supposed to warm up tomorrow and I will be grateful to have my car washed. My car has dirt from Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. It is a wonderful sky blue when it isn't covered with ice, sand and salt mixture.

I have been using this purse for an entire week. It is so far my favorite I have made this year. The base is an  old army blanket that a friend gave me and the wool pennies are from my scrap bin that runneth over. I love the shape of it. I put a cell phone pocket on the inside or I would never find my phone. I used an old belt of my son's for the strap and it is the perfect length. Even though it is not Friday, my purse clean out day I had to clean it out to take its picture. My rule is all change and folding money not in my wallet go into my change jar which is almost full. Darn I meant to put that $23 in my wallet, but this rule is for my own benefit so into the jar it went.

Since it was so cold and I was inside I used some of the Jill Schwartz Making Memories charms to create a sweet little Valentines necklace. It wasn't hard to make and it came out quite nice.




My sweet dog has been under my feet or by my side all day. I tried to take his picture and he ran away. My DH fussed at me for making him shake like a leaf. He is a very pretty dog, but like me he does not like to have his picture taken. LOL.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

I have been home, but not. My brain has been racing with worries about my family. My son had an accident with a pocket knife (not his first) and cut his little finger on his right hand pretty good. He only needed two stitches, but there was a lot of panic and his room mate called 911 and he made the trip to the ER in an ambulance. I can't wait to see the bill for that. But in the process he severed two tendons and one nerve. He had micro surgery in a small town in Mississippi without his parents. If you are horrified by this imagine being me. He is very independent and 19 years old and did not need/want us there. His room mate and neighbor have been driving him everywhere. His right arm is in a cast all the way to his elbow. Finally three weeks later I am being allowed to visit him.

My mom turned 75 last week and I drove down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana (six and a half hours) to bring her a cadilac of a walker. This will probably be my last trip for a long time. My mom is mentally ill and also has dementia. She is unfortunately very difficult to be around. I have a live in companion with her for the past year and she is excellent with her, better than I can be. Seeing her is so hurtful that i shut down for weeks before and after the briefest visit. The best thing about this visit was I took the time to drive to the gulf coast area and pick up a friend for a brief visit. We have had two snow events while she has been here and I believe she is enjoying herself.





I am already one purse behind on my purse a week quest and going out of town again next week. I finished up a purse I had started three or four years ago at a Sue Spargo workshop in Houston. I also designed and made a small tote to carry my lunch for brown bag lunch days. The owl large amulet bag is made to fit my cell phone. I hammered and soldered the chain that holds it. It was inspired by my love of owls and by my friend Karen Khale's owl designs. I have another purse made but will save that for another post and I have to finish this weeks bag and will post a recently made bag (December) for my bag next week.