A Day In My Life

Craft Fair

So, I did the Airport Mall craft Fair yesterday...and as you cane see the above pictures are my display.  How did it go?  Well...not great...I made the price of my space/table plus 2.50...sigh.  BUT I am not going to quit:)  I have decided to do another one in two weekends...I have to call about it and I hope there is still space.  Basically I now have everything I need...I borrowed the coat rack from a friend, and I do believe I will have to purchase one cuz it worked out really well!  Now I have 100's of ideas spinning around in my head (maybe that is why I feel so dizzy today).  I am going to have to map out a plan for the next few days.

I kept forgetting to show you the rusty wire pumpkins I had made...so here they are:


and my PAWSitively PURRfect jingle balls for cats:

and ofcourse...I can't go without showing a picture or two of some of my favorite new fairies:

A lamp!  YUP...that's right folks a lamp!  I love it and can't wait to make some more:)

And these are new...loved the shape of the jars:

and I can't leave with out a picture of Nate's football game last Monday:

So you might ask..."Which one is Nate?"  Let me show you a closeup:

  
There he is...the one with the gold helmet getting ready to take down the big green guy:)

and ofcourse the two TEENS...what ARE they doing?

My day is coming to a quick close...I am so exhausted AND I have not felt well all day...I feel dizzy and icky.

Have a great rest of your weekend...I hope you enjoy all the pictures:)

Dancingly, Denise   
EDIT:  OOOO I forgot to thanks some people...MY Bobo showed up at lunchtime and then again at closing time...so I was able to get a sandwich...pee...and she helped me pack up!  Pee break and laughter goes to Connie and Judy!  Company, choc chip cookies and a pee break goes to Lauren.  A nice visit from Aunt D and Stanley.  And to Mom and Ralph...who helped me "make my table:)"  Hope your pal liked her fairy!

Craft Shows...

So...for the next few days, I may be slightly missing in action as I prepare for the first craft show that I have done in years.  I am planning on doing two this season...before the Nutcracker performances start.  The first one is next weekend (saturday).  So far I have all my knit/felted purses that I will be taking.  BUT I need to finish up 5 that need some needle felting, etc. I finished knitting these two today...and now that need some decorations, ect:

 I have 32 fairies that need new homes before the craft show on saturday:

I tried my hand today at making mittens from recycled, felted wool sweaters...I am loving the look of it, BUT I need to line with fleece I have decided for added warmth.  As much as I would like to show you a picture of them, my computer won't cooperate in pulling that particaulr picture up?  Weird...

I decided that I shouldn't leave the kitties out, since they were fairly patient and left my wool alone today (for a change:)...so I made them a felted ball with a bell in it to play with...they love it...

I am going to pick up some catnip...make tea from it and soak the ball in it...then they will really love it:)

On top of all this...I need to finish some bracelets (maybe), the wire pumpkins, and so much more.  BREATH!

Oh yeah...and I still need to be a mom...choreographer...dish cleaner, supper maker...etc.

Wish me luck!

Night all

Denise 

Monday...Monday...

If you are looking for the post on my studio and what it looks like click this link:  A Day In My Life: Where Woman Create...BLOG PARTY!

"Every other day,  Every other day,  Every other day,  Of the week is fine, yeah.  But whenever Monday comes,  But whenever Monday comes,  You can find me crying,  All of the time." -The Momma's and The Poppa's

I really don't cry on Monday's...but that song has been going through my head today, so I thought I would send it through yours too:)

I posted another purse on Etsy today...I think this is awfully CUTE:

 

It is very little so I call it a "get up and go" purse.  You can throw your cell phone, some lipstick and your keys in it and "get up and go":)  It would also be adorable for a favorite little girl...especially if she has a sweet ladybug outfit (Lauren did when she was little:)

I had forgotten that when we ordered Lauren's SeaMonkeys I also order to felting books.  They came today and I can't wait for some time to sit down and check them out:

Anyone out there needlefelt?  And if you do I would love some ideas on books that have great patterns in them?

Well, it's getting late and I have some boxes of Goodwill stuff to take pictures of and get out of the house.  I hope you all have a great evening and that Monday didn't find you CRYIN'...oh Monday, Monday.

Good Night...

Denise

 

 

 

Where Woman Create...BLOG PARTY!

Today is the day!  I am excited to show you my ARTstudio and to see all the talented people who are sharing theres!  Now I will again preface this by saying this is NOT what my studio looks right this minute.  I am in the process of thinking through a redo and I hope I will be inspired by seeing everyone elses.  Now the difference betwen these pictures and todays look is that I have alot of bins of "stuff" on my floor..otherwise it is still set up the same way.  What I am looking at is redesigning it to fit in with my new vision...I talked about in THIS POST: A Day In My Life: Contemplating...

Okay so first my studio and then a little bit about myself:

over a year ago I opened up my den doors and said THIS is going to be my ARTstudio...at that point it was truly "The BLACK HOLE"...this is a few before pictures:

Slightly scary?  This is how the set up is AFTER:

My iris carts...these hold color draws, rubberstamps by themes, rubberstamp tools...and since this picture, almost all the drawers have been labled with a label maker:) Theres even a place for the kitties to sleep in the sun!  the white drawers all the way to the right hand side (barely in the picture) house all of my DISNEY stuff:

This next picture is the left wall as you walk in these are built in shelves, and I would love to paint them and I think I will:

Here are a couple more views of this wall...I have all my big tools on the first set of shelves and then idea binders and such on the other side.  The brown suitcases hold finished layouts...I NEED to buy some more albums. The bins are UFO's (UnFinished Objects) They have since been pared down to two bins:):

The next wall is made up of wire cubes.  Card Stock is to the far left bottom and is in ROYGBIV format.  The green and blue canvas bins have different things... 2 of them hold ribbon, 1 has Heidi Swapp stuff, 1 has silk flowers, 1 has alterable items...etc.  the green and blue photo boxes up top are pictures!  And not near all that I have... The Mrs. Fields tins...I collect...cuz I am Mrs. Fields (Denise Fields that is)

This next photo is one of my favorite parts of the room.  My paper put in themes such as Baton/Dance, sports, different holidays, one for each season...etc.  And clear envelopes with embelishments in the same themes as the paper:

The other wall is the iris cart drawers that I showed in one of the first pictures.

I like my little studio...it's approximately 12x14.  However I want to change it so that I can fit my knitting/felting supplies in it and my sewing supplies.  In order to do this I will have to pare things down...I have already decided that although I LOVE to do altered art, I really want only supplies that could be used for both scrapbooking/rubberstamping and altered arts...so if it can serve a dual purpose I will keep it, if not I will need to say goodbye.

The art that I like to create now tends to be scrapbooking...both big pages and mini albums.  here are a couple of my more recent pages:

My 365+1 day book from last year.

I also started knitting in January of this year...I have taught myself to knit and felt purses.  AND I just figured out how to needle felt...here are two of my favorite purses right now...I sell them on etsy at www.dancinglydenise.etsy.com:

A little about me...I live in RAINY Maine:)  I have my entire life except for going to college in Virginia.  I owned a dance studio for 15 years, and although I don't teach dance on a regular basis any more I can be found choreographing musicals at least once or twice a year.  I have two teenagers  Lauren 17 and Nate 14 and Jamie baby angel in Heaven.  We also have two Pomeranians and three cats.  I owned a scrapbook store for many years and although I loved it I am glad I can work on my own Art now:)  I have great friends, a husband who works hard so I don't have to, and wonderful family.

That is my journey through my ARTstudio.  I so look forward to seeing everybody elses and getting some new and fresh ideas.  IF you have any questions or thoughts about mine PLEASE feel free to ask...and don't forget to comment so I know you stopped by!

Don't forget to check out mydesertcottage.blogspot.com  she has the entire list on the right of her blog of what blogs are showing off their studios today!

Dancingly, Denise

Girl State

Lauren spent last week at Girl State...she discovered that she really isn't that "politically motivated" and didn't have a great understanding of government etc.  On top of the fact that it rained constantly and they had to walk all over campus.  Needless to say she was happy to get home Friday night.  I do think she learned quite a bit and she is thankful for the opportunity.  I definitely feel that any experience like this is good for the kids and I am grateful to the Rod and Gun club here in Bucksport for sponsoring her.

She had a great roomate (that is always a concern when you have to spend a week with someone you don't know).  They made fast friends and seemed well suited for each other:

 

AND both their moms are avid SCRAPBOOKERS:)

Their "town" was named LIBERTY.  The graduation...though very muggy and sort of long...was very patriotic.  I always feel so "Strong" after a patriotic show...I feel good to be an American.  I think they said there were 248 girls that attended this year.  Lauren's town made this very cool banner:

The theme for the entire week was:

A very cool concept for 17 year old girls...who will be the leaders of our future.

I worked at Silkweeds today www.shopsilkweeds.com and Lisa left a note asking me to redo the front display.  I put MY purses in the new display (after checking with her first)...I think it came out pretty darn good:

 

Yesterday it rained AGAIN...so I walked in the morning and then spent the afternoon finishing a couple of purses.  Scott and I had a night out to supper after dropping our two fourteen year old boys off with Lisa:) And then I crashed so early...  Anywho here are the two purses I finished:

 

 

Tonight?  I am pooped...on my feel all day.  Two new Law and  Order shows on so I am going to go watch them.

Goodnight all...

Denise

Kangaroo? or Cat?

Bobo's cat Sunny sits like this...when he wants her to pick him up...is he part kangaroo?  It's like a toddler reaching to be picked up:)

 

Actually this next one looks like a Kangaroo or a gopher sitting...

 

Nate and I took some dry sneakers and treats up to Lauren and then went and had supper with Bobo.  I had seen Sunny do this before and so i took my camera to make sure I could get it in a picture.  He and Nate really like messing with each other so Nate had him doing it to get a stuffed animal too...BUT that is normal for a cat...it's when he sits there reaching like that until Bobo picks him up that is so fuuny.

 

I didn't get much accomplished today...I did finish and post another purse up on Etsy:

 

I am off to watch some tv and during commercials get some dishes done.  My house is starting to smell damp with all this rain...I sure hope the sun shows up SOON!

Denise

On cleaning your 14 year old sons room...

It just didn't happen today and I was pretty irritated by it at first, but I have a plan.  nate and I started cleaning his room, but it was apparent we could not agree on how it should be done...and less than half an hour into it I got pretty ticked off.  So...we gave up...sigh.  BUT my new plan is to just do it while he is out at camp with Cody sometime.  That way I will get rid of everything I want to...he should have done it my way to begin with!  His thinking seemed to be he would sit down while I did the work.  IF I am going to do all the work I figure I will do it my way...

Since I had time on my hands today due to not cleaning Nate's room I finished some purses and put them up on my Etsy shoppe at www.dancinglydenise.etsy.com.  This is what I finished today:

 

 

and my favorite one...I tried my hand at hand needle felting and put daisies on it free-handed...I love it...

 

Yesterday was Father's Day...a tough day indeed...for many I am guessing.  Nate and I stopped to visit Bobo after we dropped Lauren off at Girl State.  Bobo had had some VCR's transferred to CD's and we played one.  It was of Dad video taping the new kitchen and the electrical work in it.  Dad talked all the way through it...though you couldn't see him.  I felt like for 11 minutes he was there with us.  He said typical, silly things in his maine accent like "This is where we will keep the GRUB"...and "This is where she will make the pies".  It made me laugh...and it made me sad.  I was grateful Bobo had it for us to listen too.

Here is a picture of Lauren when we left her at Girl State:

 

Going to watch the Jonand Kate Plus Eight special...what will their future hold?

Goodnight

Denise

Maine PURSEnalities

I sold a purse today!!!  I am so happy...I hope it is a sign of more sales to come!

Visit my Purses locally at Silkweeds or online at www.dancinglydenise.etsy.com

New ones are going up by the beginning of the week!

Goodnight all

Denise

Integrity

"Integrity may be seen as the qualityof having a senseof honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions."

 

I dreamed about Dad last night...there are things weighing on my mind right now and it helped.  He used the word integrity twice while he "talked" to me...now I am not sure that is a word I ever heard dad use...but it helped.  He said to me, "the choices you are making, and the things you are doing, are being made with integrity and that is what counts".  I wanted him to say more, but he never was very "chatty".  he said "this too shall pass"...which is what I told him the FIRST time he got terribly sick from the chemo...

I am frustrated by others in my life...I am sadto learn that there are people I know who are more motivated by money, than by compassion.  I am not surprised, as that is the choice many people make in life...it's just not my choice...LUCKY for me cuz we have NO MONEY:)  But I also know, that I need to not judge others because of choices like that, as I make choices that others do not agree with.  PLUS, I hate wasting my precious energy and time on how other people choose to live...so I am going to do my best to LET IT GO!

This weekend is going to be a tough, rather emotional weekend.  Mother's Day weekend always is for me, no matter how hard I try to fend it off, even after 15 years, the loss of our baby, on Mother's Day weekend always hits me hard.  Sometimes it sneaks up on me...sometimes it just hits.  As well as that, we will be honoring Dad tomorrow evening at the Legion as they do a POST EVERLASTING for him.  We are all going to have dinner at the church first (thanks to Vicki and Richard) and then attend the ceremony.  AND then, on Tuesday...our Bobo will be moving and though I know this is good for her, it make me sad...

Now, I will tell you that I am blessed.  I have THREE moms to celebratethis weekend... MOM, Bobo and Ruth.  I am thankful for that.

On to less heavy subjects...Lauren got her braces off today...here she is before:

 

and after:

 

not a great picture of her teeth (she isn't very cooperative), but she is very happy with the results...

I reclaimed my dining room today (pictures to come soon JUDY)...and I have three bags and four boxes of stuff to take to Lauren's classes yardsale this weekend.

Look what I made...

I knit these roses...and the green strip and then felted them...cut the green into leaves and voila:

 

That, by the way LISA, is the purse that I originally messed up on...it is really quite cute now!

Scott has one more week left of this lay-off and then HOPEFULLY he will be back at work.  I love Scott dearly...but work is good for him:)

I am going to get ready to snuggle down for the night.  Michael J Foxx is on at 10:00 and I want to watch him.  I am reading his book right now...a person to really admire for his strength and integrity.

Goodnight

Denise

Rainy days...

"Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down..."

 

It's just one of those days...tried to have a talk with myself earlier, but I wasn't listening...sigh.  I was tired today, my fibromyalgia is acting up...my ankles and knees hurt from walking...waaaa, waaa, waaa...

Hey I made a dress for the fourth of July...wanna see it?:

 

Naw...it's gonna be a purse, but right now...Holy Cow...it's huge!  I can't wait to see after it's felted.

Nate and I enjoyed fruit salad for supper tonight...with plain yogurt...YUMMY!:

 

I am going to get back on track I PROMISE...I need to get my goals finished for this part of the year so I can move on...I can do this...

Denise