kt40

worn wallpaper

i chose this photo to post today

it did not make it into my shop but i do care about this old worn out wallpaper

this space has been quiet i have been working on my etsy shop, i had a long conversation with my mom last night about my shop who was helping me come up with descriptions and pricing, making sure i was going to be charging enough for my work, she knows me, i would give it all away for free if i could afford too, and according to her i practically was when i told her some of my prices. this of course can be hard to wade through, she is after-all my mom..... but i know my mom and she knows me, i want things to be fair and just....i want to have items i could afford to purchase....but i do also want to honor the work i put into each thing i made and cover the cost of the materials .....getting ready to open shop is really helping me grow as an artist, a crafter, a person. putting a value on what i have been creating, this is extremely hard for me but it's about time.

p.s. thanks suz and tray for your help too, it is soooo appreciated!

truly

this last weekend my friends Bridget and Anna came and visited us. It was so nice having friends for the weekend. We have been here for one year now and the thing I miss the most is my good friends and family. I have gotten use to the area which I love, truly love......but it is the laughter and conversations that flow easliy when sitting around with my friends and family that I miss, truly miss.  

p.s. don't mind me in the photo, jasmine was getting frustrated because I kept closing my eyes. 

bridget, anna and me

the call

 

Yesterday the air was cool and crisp. Like a true day in the fall, the light disappeared and jet black took over. Jason had gone on a late afternoon bike ride and when I first noticed the blackness outside my thoughts went to him...did he bring his bike lights?

Right then, the phone rang, it was him, could I come find him? 

He did not have his lights and he couldn't see a thing on the long windy country roads that surround our home.

I called Wyatt down from his room "You are in charge, I need to go find your dad, can you finish making the rice for me?"

"Sure" he replied

"Wyatt, you are in charge now." I heard Iris say to him, spoken like a ten year old in awe of a fifteen year old.

"Wyatt, you are really in charge." she repeated again.

"What is it like being in charge?" she asked

"Enough, Iris." spoken like a fifteen year old, getting slightly annoyed by a ten year old.

Jasmine was upstairs listening to her music and fixing her room if I left quickly she would never know that her brother had been given the full reign not her, and no she wasn't getting second in command either that could easily turn into a "situation".

So off I went with my face up close to the windshield, squinting my eyes, trying to get through the dark, along a thin, windy country road and after a while there he was standing with his bike, I couldn't help but smile, it was as if time had gone backwards and I was that same teenager he had asked to meet him at his locker before lunch. I pulled up and he said "Thanks for coming to get me" and too embarrassed, because I couldn't lose the huge goofy smile that had taken over my whole face, I looked down like I was looking for something and replied "Sure, no problem."

riding home

The clouds in front of her were beginning to look ominous....then she turned her head back and saw that they were a deep black behind her. I must pedal faster she thought as the wind was beginning to bite through her thin jacket. Then she felt the first raindrop on her face. She awkwardly pulled over, because she wasn't the most swift of bike riders, and took off her coat so she could wrap her camera up and place it safely in her basket. Then back on her bike she pedaled faster and faster and soon the young girl who used to ride home with fierce determination to beat the storms had joined her middle-aged self and together they beat the oncoming storm once again.

gelato by the lake

If you turned your back to this view you might have spied a middle-aged married couple, choosing to sit side by side at a small wooden table so that they could both enjoy the view.

You might have overheard him asking her, if her gelato was good and in response she would ask him if he wanted to try it. He would say "no"  he just wanted to know if she liked it, she would say "yes" and look at him while thinking and grinning, after what is almost thirty years now he still wonders if she enjoys small pleasures and noticing her grin he would ask her what was so funny.

art room is calling

my art room is calling, see my two inner children on the phone my yin and yang 

 

start working on those visions of yours

  

  

your supplies are calling, your cup is 3/4 of the way full, great daydreaming view, they are lined up waiting for you.

 

time to turn up the heat.

a slow return

my dad and stepmom left yesterday. i have loads of photos to go through and will share soon. this morning i was catching up on blogs.....wow only one week off.....need i say more my prolific friends.

my parents watched the kids for us, jason and i, and looking at the photos of our weekend trip, just the two of us, makes me sigh, the kind where your shoulders go up and down.....yes it was that nice.

 i am making a slow return to this blog this week, new monthly banner to construct, maybe even switch it up a bit, some new ideas are slowing starting to flow through me. 

and last but least feeling thankful and letting it show.

this mornings bike ride

 i had to bike to the town next to us today to  buy iris's lunch tickets. luckily

 i brought the camera with so i could share this

and this

(these men thought it was funny that i wanted to take their photo)

i was double lucky and scored some roadside sunflowers i just put them on the back of the bike

and took them home

i will be off until next week my dad and stepmother are visiting us have a good week. kt

thursday's afternoon painting

today has been off, i have been off.... you know one of those days when you have ideas planned and they aren't turning out as planned. i had wanted to do much needed yard work but woke up to pouring rain, wanted to make a roast for dinner only to realize i had forgotten to defrost the roast. i want to....i  want to.....road block, that is how this day was going.  i kept passing by my art room insisting i didn't have the time or energy today to create even though nothing else was working out for me. i brewed a cup of tea and sat down in my art room and thought it is all here, sneak an hour or so and maybe making something will take you out of this funk you are slowly sinking into. i would be lying if i said "Yeah everything is 100% hunky- dorry now!"  but i wouldn't be lying if i told you it did made me feel better...and with my kids gathering around and coming and going as i painting leaving me sweet comments to absorb, that was a bonus.

 

the air

yesterday i watched iris as she skipped back to me in the supermarket's parking lot. she had just put the grocery cart back and there she was skipping with her long curly locks blowing freely.... please always keep her safe i whispered in my head, to whom i'm not sure, could have been to god or maybe spirits that wander around, it is even possible it was to the air that surrounds us everyday.....to anything and everything that maybe listens to moms like me. wyatt takes long bike rides alone now, he is 15 after all, but i can't help but worry as soon as he leaves until he returns.....hoping he watches for traffic and traffic watches for him. jazz has been sick this last week and as she sat there on the table as we waited for the doctor to come into the room.... i wished for her to always be safe and healthy. i don't know if this will always be answered but i would cast this wish on every penny i throw into a fountain or every birthday candle i get. i am a mom after all. 

this photo was taken by jasmine for me because she knows how much i love taking photos of hanging laundry. it is hard for me to say how much this means to me.

. 

 

back to school

Wyatt and Jazz start school tomorrow, Iris in a couple of weeks.  Wyatt went to a sleepover with his three best friends last night and i will pick him up soon so he can actually sleep today. Jazz is in bed not feeling well she didn't want to be sick before school started and i think has manage to stress enough about it that unfortunately she is indeed sick today. Iris is watching "I love lucy" and chuckling. Jason is on a bike ride. I am going to paint today. It is a Sunday morning here one that could blend well with any of our other Sundays. Hope you have a good day.

end of the week

today is wyatt's birthday.  i  have the presents wrapped and his sisters are making handmade cards for him. summer is always special for me, each one of my children was born in one of the months of summer and being able to have the time off to spend with them is something i truly love. speaking of which i am going off the computer this week school is around the corner and i want to squeeze every little bit of time in with my family. so if i don't leave a comment on your blog (this is to all my blog friends) or respond to an email (family and friends) it is because i am ignoring the computer this week. have a great week. i leave you with my two favorite snapshots this week.

my morning man

The sun has been filtering through the yard this morning. I am up early because our washer, dryer and refrigerator are not working and I am waiting for a maintenance person to come and take a look. While waiting I have finished my morning papers(from judy cameron's book the artist's way),thanks to sperlygirl's recommendation. I started rereading the chapter I am working on , thinking "how did i miss all this?" only to realize I had skipped ahead and was reading a completely different chapter, like I said....it is early. So the sun was slowly making it's way across the garden and I went out to captured my morning man statue, the sun always seems to be floating around him.

 

  This garden is magical I feel so lucky to be it's caretaker. Did someone hand me a pocketful of stars when i wasn't looking......i am looking now. 

little views

little views today, glimpses of what i pass by and sigh a little,  happy sighs.

first week into august

a few photos to show what has been going on around here. 

p.s. tomorrow is the necklace drawing:)

 

getting inspired

i went to the market today and couldn't help but get inspired from the painted walls downtown, they made me want to go home and paint, sew and jot down ideas. 

what is inspiring you these days?

figuring it all out (trying at least)

this might be a long post (just giving a heads up) i have been trying to set-up an etsy store.....researching pay pal....and frankly wondering what i am doing. not sure when i look into having an on-line shop if etsy is for me. really i just want to have something small something that seems like my own......a place......my place, that excepts checks or money orders(do they still have those?) layaway options.....the types of services i would like a shop to offer.  so i am working on it folks this is going to take longer than i first predicted...besides i still have to make things for the shop, right:)

 If any of you have any insight on any of this i would love the advice.

so i am doing a little giveaway  a beach bag since i made this to be enjoyed in the summertime and i do not see my shop opening this summer i wanted someone to put it to good use.

one side of the bag is a beach fence surrounded by waves...they didn't have fences on the beaches I grew up around but I can remember seeing one on a postcard and I thought it was so romantic. I saw my first real beach fence in Corsica a couple of years ago. I was with Jason and we were hiking along the coastline when I stopped to look at a crooked beach fence. Jason looked back at me asking if I was tired. "No, I'm fine." I replied when really I felt like shouting "I am in love with you and this incredibly romantic, crooked, beach fence!"

the back of this bag is beach glass colors with a little bit of beach sand colors throw-in all woven together because that is how it is after all.

The photo's below are close-ups of the bag.  This bag is surprisingly light but can hold a lot and be roughly set down on the beach. It can be put in the wash and dryer but it does have some silk that can not be ironed on high.

(*not that I make a habit of ironing bags but thought I should add this note) 

It is made well overall but there are some parts, for instance, the blue little pieces of Indian cloth on the end of the straps, that are sewn on with the intent to wear away some day or at least become a little tattered...you may ask "Why?" and I would have to answer that 

"It just felt like the right thing to do at the time." That is how I sew.

The green straps have the fabric's name neatly tucked in them you would never know this because of how I sewed them shut. The fabric is called children's storybook fabric and the beach to me has the magic of a children's storybook it always has and always will, so there it is tucked and stitched secretly into this little beach bag.

It is up for grabs folks just send an email or leave a comment I will pick a winner this Sunday. katy

p.s. the drawing is just for the beach bag the contents inside the bag are just to show what it can hold. i don't think anyone would like my groovy swimsuit

busy with summer fun

this week we have had jasmine's best-friend andrea visiting so it has been a busy fun filled week.... yesterday was a drive to the Adriatic sea with friends, where the water was calm and i collected seashells and the kids played and ate ice cream. tonight a party to celebrate an early 4th of july...i have overheard the girls planning out their hair and outfits which made me smile of course when jason asked "Why are they doing that?" doesn't he get it by now. 

a small vacation

we had so much fun visiting friends and the town where we use to live. we celebrated Jasmine's birthday the big 13, ate near the beach at night, laughed and swam like fish.......what more could you ask for.

p.s. wyatt took most of these photos

p.p.s. thanks for meeting up Anna, i loved seeing you.

summer colors 6

Well I am bringing my summer colors to an end. It has been a fun challenge for the week. My beach bag below was inspired by Beth over at more doors who left this comment when I had finished my market bag

 "ohhh I love the colors and the design....really perfect for the market or the library or the beach when picking up drift wood and sea glass...."

I am using beach glass colors thanks to Beth on this bag.... I will post it when it is finished.

You can find the book I am using to teach myself decoupage here.

We are heading out to visit friends this weekend so I won't be blogging for a bit. Have a great weekend. kt

my sewing room

i am feeling the summer love in my sewing room, jasmine made me a pink rose to hang up in my room, iris made me a bright red card to put up on my board and wyatt peeks in through one of my windows when he is taking a break from shooting hoops and will ask "How it is going?"

I finished my first market bag. i added some special Italian ribbon on the straps. the straps when pulled taunt can be long enough to go over your shoulders but I reccomend that you just carry it in your hands and strengthen those biceps, i mean let's be honest, as women don't we already carry enough on our shoulders:) okay... men too.

p.s. i must add that the straps on this bag was an idea i had taken from a little change purse from Nepal that i had received as a gift when i was eight or nine. i loved how the person that made it had put these little triangles on the end of the straps and i was fascinated with how you could simply pull them and the purse would close shut and i said to myself "one day i will make a purse like this." it is 33 years later and here it is (i like keeping my word:))

happy mother's day!

first off a photo for the behind the the scenes work, the everyday tasks that sometimes go unnoticed...we all know what they are..... this is just one of the many.

a photo of a daughter walking with her mother, i was walking with my daughters as i took this photo, hoping someday this picture will be taken of me...jasmine once said to me "I don't ever want you to die mom." I said "well....(long pause)......everyone does end up dying at some point but i do want to live as long as i can so i can see what you will do in life and just be around you when i can, that would make me very happy." that was a good enough answer for her. 

a photo for those moms out there that record the family moments that mean something to them, keep taking the photos because they do speak.

There is an old grand villa nearby and the owners have two peacocks who call out to each other in their longing voices. The villa is surrounded by a huge wild garden sprinkled with statues and you can only catch glimpses of it through the brambles.  I am intrigued.

market finds

Lovely peach roses or are they light orange. It doesn't matter they are so pretty. 

I didn't have the seven euro, I had already spent it on wax flowers and carnations at a different flower stall. But the man at this stall was kind enough to let me take photo after photo.