I’ll be back on Monday. Maybe I’ll stop by with a picture or two before then. We’ll see how it goes.

I was a busy sewer today.  Didn’t get everything done that I wanted, but I am happy. First I made a very simple scarf like this one. I used some homespun fabric that I bought last year. I love the colors–very autumn.

I also made a new bag for me (and a little something special for my sister). I love my new bag. The dimensions didn’t quite turn out how I had planned, but it works. The front side has a nice big pocket where my art journal will go, plus more little pockets inside. I even have a zipper pocket in there, my first ever. Sorry, the zipper photo didn’t turn out. I still have to add a closure button and the strap isn’t actually sewn on yet.

I’ll be leaving for my trip tomorrow around lunch time, so hopefully I’ll have everything ready. I have the hardest time packing. Not the clothes stuff, it’s the creative stuff that is hard for me. I always want to bring a lot more than I’ll ever need. Knowing me and my sister, we will be yacking echothers ears off- or eating the whole time (I’m sure she has some yummy food planned).  Then there’s Ruby. I’ll be playing a lot with her too. It’s the plane and airport part that I want to be prepared for. Should I read, draw, listen to This American Life. I’ll have to narrow it down nicely, so I don’t have to carry too much.

A quick black & white shot after work today for Maya’s b&w challenge. Can you see how dry my hands are? Ick! Well, I guess they don’t look as bad in the picture as they do in real life.  They are cracked and dry and they hurt. I am hoping that the little bit of moisture in the Oregon air will help them to feel better.  The bead is from a friend at work.  She knows how much I love Day of the Dead stuff and got it for me. Such a nice and thoughtful little gift. I thought this picture would be timely since I didn’t get a chance to post on All Saints or All Souls day.

Here is wood block no. 1 for Art Every Day (AED). I really enjoyed working with this small 5.5″ x 5.5″ size. It’s  fun, fun, fun!  I used pieces of paper, stamps, acrylic paint, artist paintstiks, colored pencils and a teeny bit of iridescent paint for the wings. I had made a list of ideas for these small mixed-media pieces but now I can’t find it.  I hope I can remember.

I probably won’t make another piece of art for another week.  I have the next couple of days to get ready for my trip to Oregon, in which I will be working and hopefully finishing up some sewing projects. Nothing like last minute sewing projects. Then I will be in Oregon Thursday through Sunday. Yippee!!  So maybe Monday or Tuesday I will be able to paint again.

I made a pear cake today too. I needed to use up some very ripe pears and found this yummy recipe with vegan options. How nice.  It is very yummy, but the boys won’t eat it!!  More for me I guess.

After making those little art tags and small ATC size panels, I decided that I really enjoy working small and thought I’d try doing small on something more substantial like wood.

Now, it will be hard to make something on the days I work, 12 hour shifts will make that difficult, but maybe a simple photo will work on those days.  So, I may participate in Maya’s great Black & White photo challenge on work days. I haven’t done much B&W in a long time so it would be fun to revisit the art. I also will be in Oregon in a few days, I think I will be able to squeeze in a million photos of my niece Ruby and of Oregon. If I can’t do something everyday, no worries. The point isn’t to get overwhelmed by the challenge, but instead to enjoy the pure creativeness of it.

Just a little recap of our Halloween day and night.  I spent the day making everything (rush, rush, rush) and we were out on the town by 6pm–phew!  We had a great time, the kids LOVED their costumes and now we are all very tired.  I am pretty sure we had the only homemade costumes, of what we saw, and there was not one other Bionicle around. Super E is pretty proud of that.  Hope you had a wonderful night too.

~ Cat and Bird masks were made from instructions in the Oct ‘09 issue of MS Living Magazine
~ Bionicle costumes made from fun foam and staples.  Swords (or whatever they are called) made from cardboard.
~ Pumpkins & decor belong to our neighbors.

butternut squash potage ~ recipe found HERE

I have felt on the verge of getting sick for the last several days.  Mostly I’m tired with a bit of sneezing. No flu symptoms, thank goodness.   I’ve been working really hard to take good care of myself with lots of veggies, soup, tea and rest.  I absolutely cannot get sick.  I am going to Eugene, Oregon next week to see my sister and her family.  Just me with no hubby and no kids.  I haven’t gone anywhere by myself in ages.  It will be strange, but I am super excited.

So, to keep me happy and well for my visit I’ve been reading my new magazines, eating some yummy soup and drinking lots of tea. Plus lots of positive thinking, rest and use of my neti pot for good measure.  Oh, don’t forget lots of hand washing- especially when I am at work. Body+Soul Magazine has a great immunity tea recipe along with a great list of healthy food, herbs & tips.  The Stitch Magazine, in all its sewing awesomeness, is just creative food for the soul.

Here are some great links to things that have been helping me make good conscious choices about my health. I believe completely in the connection of mind-body-spirit and think that actively participating in all aspects of your own personal health is key to truly being healthy.

* Maya*made has a nice list of healthy child reference books.
* Kitchen Cures  on MS (video)
* Sustainable Food Choices with Micheal Pollan on MS (video)
* Botany of Desire on PBS (video) a fascinating look at apples, potatoes, tulips and marijuana.
* Dr. Weil’s Cough & Cold Kit for Children(pdf)

I’d love to read Michael Pollan’s new book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What you Eat. I have a tendency to worry about everything I put in the kid’s mouth, lungs and on their skin too. Fortunately, Super E’s school is on the same track with helping the kids understand healthy food choices and safe hygeine.   Hopefully it will all payoff through out the cold season.

I am truly lucky to have met such lovely fellow bloggers who have now become friends and who are just so sweet to send goodies my way. Michelle over at Greetingarts is one of the very first friends that I made in the beginning of my blogging adventure. She has the kindest heart and most generous spirit. Her girls are quite lucky to have a mama who makes beautiful skirts and lovely crocheted/knitted items.  She sent the sweetest package recently with some wonderful things inside for me and my boys. The boys already grabbed their stuff and ran, so this is only a snippet of her kindness.  I LOVE the Eco-art stuff and can’t wait to play more with them. I have broke open the brushes and oil pastels already.  She also tucked in two egg molds that we have used for rice. The kids LOVE it. Now we can’t have rice any other way.

Ahrisha over at Joyously Living Life was so sweet to send my some of her yarn scraps for my art tags. They were packaged up so pretty in little cupcake papers.

I love the selection she sent me so much, that I had to find a way to display them. Not only to admire, but as a reminder of all the kindness in this crafty community of ours.  Thank you!

This is it for the Halloween decor. I just finished up the mantle of our fireplace with some random objects (mirrors, bookends, etc) that I had stored.  I also did some quick ink sketches on kraft paper to put in the two middle frames. Have you seen THIS!!! I really love it!

And here are my ATCs for this year. It’s a really bad picture, but you get the idea.  Very Coraline inspired.  I am almost embarrassed to say that there is more glitter on these too! I am obsessed.

I have still not made Halloween costumes for the boys. They want to be Bionicles!  Ugh!!  I’ve tried talking them into other things but my bargaining chips are no good any more.  I knew this time would eventually come.  So, I am thinking I’ll do something like THIS.  I hope it works. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl, but I just don’t like/get the whole Bionicle thing.  Super-E’s teacher has assured me that it’s is fine and nothing to worry about. After all, they only play with the toys a make really crazy and creative creatures from all the parts. Nothing wrong with that, I guess. I just have to chill out and go with the flow.

I bought all these frames at the thrift store for only five bucks!!

I had a can of black paint and… presto!!!….new black frames.

I drew a couple of pictures on fancy scrap book paper…

and then found some images in old books.

The bottom frame of course has more glittered bugs.

The glitter thing might becoming a problem. There is glitter everywhere. And, people have commented several times, that I have glitter on my face.