Friday Favorite Things

These are a few of my favorite things this week
I again participated in a primative swap held by Amy of Bumble Bee Lane.  My partner this time was the very talented Allison from Sew Many Girls .  Look at all the wonderful Autumn things that she made for me.

Heavenly scented sunflowers--see the crow on that large flower, Mulberry potpourri, Scarecrows, pumpkins on a towel, a hot pad and stuffed with a rustic star, and  a scary little black cat

A close up of the embroidered picture

And a close-up of the fragrant crow and large sunflower.

Each week, Hilary at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If she uses them, she will add you as co-host to the hop! 

1. when I was little I was called _by my given name--never Marti__
2. _Reese's Peanut Butter Cups__are my favorite candy
3. If I could have one magical power it would be__to grant wisdom____
4. If I could go back to school it would be to become a __doctor_______

Ditty Swap

It is amazing how much talent there is out in blogger land.  I participate in a prim swap hosted by Amy at Bumble Bee Lane.  This time my partner was Ellie from Ellie's Country Accent .  The requirement was that one item had to be a ditty bag.  I absolutely love mine.  It is an aged bag with a crow applique. Also included was a candle mat, two lavender sachets, and the sweetest sheep soap.  Thank you so much, Ellie for the wonderful gifts, hope you are feeling better.  And thanks to Amy for hosting such a fun swap.  

Bee Happy Swap

My favorite swap is sponsored by Amy at Bumble Bee Lane.  It is a prim swap.  This time the theme was Bee Happy--all about Bees, Birds, and Flowers.  I was fortunate to have  Kim from BlackBerry Crows Prims as my partner.  She is a talented lady from Tennessee. 
Saturday in the mail I received a package from her.  First let me say--isn't that prim crow paper the best!  

You can see the dish towel with the cheery sunflowers, and the trim star and black wooden spoon.  But what are the crows hiding.  Very carefully I cut the tape, saving the paper for future projects and unwrapped the treasures waiting for me inside.

Check out that beeskep with a big black crow.  It has a hanger so not only can it go on a shelf, but also hang on your wall.  That little mache pail has a yellow egg.  The last crow package was hiding this prim doll.  Thank you Kim for all the wonderful things.

Be sure and check out her site.  She also has an Etsy shop.

Sunshine Award

I am honoured to be awarded the Sunshine Award,
by my fellow blogger McGuffy Ann.  Thank you so much.  I appreciate this honor, and I do hope that I bring a ray of sunshine into your lives.  I do so enjoy working on my blog.

The rules of accepting this award involve the following questions, & my answers:
1. Favourite color..
2. Favourite animal...
3. Favourite number...
4. Favourite non-alcoholic drink...
5. Facebook or Twitter...Facebook.
6. My passion..
7. Giving presents or getting presents...
8. Favourite pattern..
9. Favourite day of the week...
10. Favourite flower...

 1. My favorite color is apricot.  It is warmer than yellow, and softer than peach or orange.

 2.  Favorite animal has to be my old dog Betsy.  She is such a loving companion--always nearby.

 3.  Favorite number --

Nine is a symbol of wisdom and good leadership. Nine is the number of heaven.

For the Hebrews nine is a symbol of truth.

When multiplied 9 always reproduces itself.

2 x 9 = 18  1+8 = 9	3 x 9 = 27  2+7 = 9	4 x 9 =36  3+6 = 9	5 x 9 = 45  4+5 = 9
6 x 9 = 54  5+4 = 9	7 x 9 = 63  6 +3 = 9	8 x 9 =72  7 +2 = 9	and so on forever

4.  Favorite non-alcoholic beverage  has to be a non-fat latte--hot in winter, iced in summer.

5.  Facebook or Twitter... I am on Facebook, I use it for general posts, or when I am traveling to give updates on what I'm doing.  But my favorite on-line messaging is blogging.  It is so much more personal.

6.  My passion  is two fold.  First of all, trying to live the way that God expects me to, and then my creative expression.  As of this moment is sewing clothes for my grands, but it could be painting, making memory books, building something, or making ATC's or cards.

7. Giving presents or getting presents...Of course I am delighted to receive a present and so appreciate the thought and love behind it, but I love to give.  I try and make each gift represent my feelings for that person.

 8. Favorite pattern..  I love the crazy quilt pattern.  It is random, yet connected.  It blends seemingly unrelated designs and textures into a work of beauty.  It is much like life--all the individual unrelated parts making a wonderful whole. 

 9. Favorite day of the week is Sunday.  Beside a time that I worship with others, it is the day that I have set aside to do what I enjoy--no chores, just fun.

10. Favorite flower is the pansy.  I love the funny little monkey faces lifted up to the sun.  American pioneers thought that “a handful of pansies taken into the farmhouse in the spring ensured prosperity, and to neglect this ceremony brought harm to baby chicks and ducklings.

Pioneer children also made pansy dolls by lining up the pansy flower “faces”, pasting on leaf skirts and twig arms to complete the figures.

Now...I pass this award to the
following people...

Joani at My Southwest Rambling

Sandie at Chatty Crone

Judy at Cranberry Morning

Sweet Liberty Swap

What fun I had doing the Sweet Liberty Swap sponsored by Amy at Bumble Bee Lane.  We had to have at least four items, two stitched, with an Americana theme.  My swap partner was Marilyn from  marilyn bohn.com/blog.  What a talented, busy lady.  She is the guru of organization, but still finds time to quilt, hook, and enjoy the prim side of life.


I was thrilled when I received my swap from her.  It was a potpourri of all things country, prim and Americana.

The stylish bunny with ears in a twist  is pointing to the left to introduce a chicken wall hanging made by Marilyn, then she wants you to enjoy the hooked country sheep with a ride along crow also made by Marilyn.  At Miss bunny's feet is a sweet little Quaker doll, three very patriotic candles, and a quilt block featuring the good ol' red white and blue.
Here is a closer peak at the chicken and sheep pieces.

I want to thank Marilyn for every wonderful item.  You were a great swap partner!

ABC Award

I am honored that Cheryl at The Farmers Daughter gave me this award.  To accept this ABC Award--Awesome Blog Content Award, you are to list 26 things about yourself in alphabetical order.   So here I go:

A  Artist

B  Business manager,  Believer in God

C  Creative

D  Dog lover, durable, dependable 

E  Efficient

F  Forgiving

G  Grateful, grandma to six, great-grandma to four

H  Happy

I    Inquisitive, intelligent

J  Just

K  Kind

L  Loving

M  Mama to four, grandma to more

N  Nurturer

O  Opinionated

P  Patient, Persistant

Q  Quiet

R  Retired, Reader

S  Stoic, Sewer

T  Treasure seeker, Time waster

U  Understanding

V  Visionary

W  Wonder filled, writer

X  Xanthous--that is blonde and fair skinned

Y  Young at heart

Z  Zest for living

Now that was fun!  Thanks again Cheryl for this award.  Be sure and visit her blog.  It is filled with all things country--wonderful pictures and thoughts.

Now I am supposed to nominate 10 people, but as is my custom, I will let you chose to be included in this award.  I know many of your blogs are truly awesome, so if you think that this fits you, consider yourself nominated.

Versatile Blogger

Note for non-blogger friends, you can follow me using Linky Followers or Networked Blogs. Buttons are on the right side of blog.  I don't want to lose you, so please join via these sites.

Several people have graciously awarded me the



You are supposed to pass it along but I've decided that if you want to do a post as a get to know you just grab the award and list 7 Random things we might not know about you...

1.  I was the oldest of seven children. There was two years between each child, and the sequence was girl, boy, girl, boy, girl--then a six year break-girl, boy.  I enjoyed being the oldest, the privileges and responsibilities made me feel grown up.

Top left--Me,Junior in high school, then siblings by age clockwise.
Parents in center.

2.  I was married in France to an Air Force sergeant that I had met in Denver. Following the laws of France, we had to be married by a French official in a civil ceremony and then by the Air Force chaplain in the base chapel. 

3.  I drove a school bus for eleven years.  I loved working with the children, even the high schoolers. I called it quits when things got too political.  The last straw was when I took a knife away from a kindergarten child, called the school on my radio, they notified the parent, who threatened me for taking something away from his child, and the school didn't back me up--afraid of racial profiling.


4. I am now retired, but had a mosaic work history starting with being a nanny when I was thirteen, then sold jewelry, Avon, then got my nursing degree, and a degree in Medial Business Management.  Finally, I retired after working as the practice manager for a neurology clinic.  I always enjoyed working, enjoying the challenge of making a business a success.


5. I am a multi-media artist.  I love to paint, make collages, alter books, make memory books, build scale miniatures, sew, make cards, and Artist Trading Cards (ATC).

"Dance of the Spiders"
Hand stamped textile with fibers and cast medallion

Miniature quilt 15" x 22"

"Change"
Collage--Acrylic with stamping

Scale miniature houses--Scale 1"=144'
Made of wood, working windows, wallpapered

6. I am curious, inquisitive, imaginative, and a dreamer.  I love to explore.  I can find beauty in most anything.


7.  I love to take pictures with my little point and shoot camera. And I love to write.  I am currently working on a book about my early life.  Excerpts are regularly posted on my blog. 

Blogging Awards

I received a fabulous surprise in my comments. I was notified that I won two blog awards from Tere

First of all, I would like to thank Tere so much for thinking of my blog. Now that I have thanked the wonderful person who chose me, I have to pass these awards on to  more bloggers. Check out the list below and see if you were chosen for these two wonderful awards.

Kreative Blogger Award Rules:

1. Link back to the one who gave you this award
2. Share 10 random facts about yourself if you would like to
3. Pass the award on to 6 other people if you would like to
4. Follow the persons blog who sent you it

10 Random facts about me
 1. I grew up in the Wyoming mountain wilderness.
 2. I lived in France for 3 years.
 3. I now live on the edge of the barrio in Phoenix.
 4. I am a retired Practice manager of a neurology clinic.
 5. I am raising my grandson who is now 20 years old.
 6. I am an artist, poet, dreamer and God lover.
 7. Peach is my favorite color.
 8. I love to make cookies.
 9. I love to take photographs, write and make memory books.
10.For fun I travel (even if it is a only 100 miles), explore Arizona, visit museums.
Now I nominate these outstanding bloggers:
Carrie @ http://queenbullock.blogspot.com/
Veronica and Daniel @ http://adventuresofdandv.blogspot.com/
Happy One @ http://lifeisgood-smile.blogspot.com/
Cheryl @ http://thefarmersdaughter2.blogspot.com/
Kim @ http://fieldofmydreams.blogspot.com/
Joyce @ http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/
When you visit them you will find a variety of styles, wonderful pictures, recipes, and insights. I know that you will enjoy them as I have.

Dawn tagged me on a post on her blog.  This is a fun way to get acquainted, so play along.
1. Post these rules. 
2. You must post 11 random things yourself.
3. Answer the ques­tions the tag­ger set for you in their post.
4. Cre­ate 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tag­ging sec­tion about ‘you are tagged if you are read­ing this.’ Blah blah blah, you legit­i­mately have to tag 11 peeps!
And the questions for my 11 tag-ees:

  1. If money and know-how aren't obstacles, what is your dream occupation?--World wide nature photographer.
  2. Valentines' Day is the next "big" holiday. Tell us about your best or worst or funniest Valentines' Day. Never have had anything special happen.
  3. Do you have a mentor and if so, what have they mentored you in? I have no mentor
  4.If you could be doing anything under the sun right now, what would you be doing? Sitting on a tropical beach
  5. Music can evoke powerful emotions and memories. Is there a song that can instantly take you somewhere? Silver Bells--It was playing in the streets of Denver, as I was shopping for my wedding dress, before leaving for France to be married.
  6. What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Trust your instincts.
  7. Have you ever met anyone famous? If you did, what was your impression? Were they what you expected them to be? I have met a lot of famous people. The ones in movies were generally stuck-up, the ones in the media--interesting, the ones of religious fame--humble. These are generalities, there was always the exception.
  8. What one book (other than the Bible...'cause everyone's going to say that) do you think no one should go through life without reading? "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature.The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and many unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period. A great picture of that era.
  9. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done? Lived in France
10. Has your life turned out to be anything like what you'd imagined when you were growing up? Not even close. I had dreamed of living in the mountains, with the man of my dreams, sitting in our rocking chairs on the front porch. Reality--I live in the 5th largest city in America on the edge of the barrio, with a dog and constant pressure to make ends meet.
11. Have you set any goals or made resolutions for 2012? Share one I set goals--One is to finish an art project a month.

Now my randomness--

1.  I am a mixed media artist

2.  I have lived in Phoenix for 43 years.

3.  I drive a 1995 Ford Contour

4.  I love to bake

5.  I hate housework

6.  I went to the movies last night with my daughter, saw "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  Don't waste your money on it.

7.  I am working on a gift for my secret blogging sister for Valentines day.

8.  I hate to go barefoot.

9.  I have three great-grandchildren, and six grandchildren.

10.I love nature

11 I have an old black lab/queensland heeler named Betsy.  She is so kind and gentle.

Now that wasn't hard.  It's your turn now.

1.  Where do you like to vacation

2.  Do you have pets

3.  What is your favorite color

4.  How many are in your family

5.  What is your least favorite thing to do

6.  What is your most favorite thing to do

7.  If money were no object what would you like to do when you retire

8.  What is your favorite season

9.  What book are you currently reading

10.What time do you go to bed, get up in the morning

11.How long have you been blogging.

I tagged these lucky people.

Amy     Bobbi      Brigitta     Diana     

Far Side of Forty     Gail    Gumbo Lily      Joani     Kathy    Mary      Zoanna