Boats near the Block Island Ferry Slip

Just took some wonderful photos of boats in the harbor.  We took the Block Island Ferry over for the weekend, recently.  I think these are gritty yet beautiful.

Playing with Encaustic

We've been recovering from Hurricane Irene.  We were without electricity for about 3 days, but suffered no real damage.  What a blessing!
 Before the storm I had been reading a "how to" book, The Encaustic Workshop, by Patricia B. Seggebruch.  This is a wonderful book about a method I have been so intrigued by.  I began by reading it cover to cover.  Patricia makes the process seem so easy.  It really isn't complicated, but I am finding the wax clumping a bit.  Perhaps I don't have it hot enough... I am using a crock pot, and I didn't splurge on the bee's wax.  I will go ahead and take her advice and get a hot griddle to set the temperature correctly, and purchase some bee's wax (much more expensive than the alternative).  Love the ability to lay in layers floating between wax.  You can lay in paper, writing, and all kinds of goodies.... I found my muse!  If only I could find a bit of time to play!!!!!

ARRG!

Is anyone else out there in Blogsville having trouble with their site?  I cannot seem to comment on anything without being put into a circle of being put back to the Google sign in menu.  I sign in and it takes me back to what I was doing, ask me to type in the "secret word" and then blam! I am back to the Google sign in menu...AGAIN!  Round and round I go..... And when I am signed in on my site, the top always says "sign in", as if i am signed off. ?????
My comments are also listed with an anonymous name rather than my name... and my reading list has my comments but none of my post's pictures are shown.  Harumph!
Can anyone help?

Time with my friend, Phyllis

I just got back home in CT from my old home in NY!   One of my friends, Phyllis, is quite the crafting woman!  She knits, sews, gardens, makes baskets, preserves fruits...well, she does it all!  And she, unlike me, doesn't have 1,000's of unfinished projects hidden all over the house in closets and drawers.  She starts and finishes her projects and finishes them like a pro!  Impressive to a procrastinator like me!
ANYWAY....  she showed me this really neat blog with an ongoing project she is working on.  What a wonderful thing it is to sit and talk "craft" with another woman who "gets your passion"  This blog project is pretty cute.  I thought I'd share it with you!

http://theraspberryrabbits.blogspot.com/2011/07/12-of-hearts-bom-giveaway-and-to-sash.html

This blogger is creating little embroidered hearts, one for each month of the year to put together in Dec as a quilt...or what ever, I guess... Great idea! Here is a picture of this months heart; Isn't that pretty? You all have GOT to know that mine will not look that neat.  Phyllis's was picture perfect!


Love you, Phyllis! Thanks for the inspiration!
D

Blue Flowers

I know, I know, but I think he's so cute!

Sunflowers in my Garden

Sleeping like a baby

...Wish I was....

I"ve Been Busy...Oh so Busy!

This is my newest little

boy, Boone.  He is

a very GOOD DOG! 

Spring Violets

Just a small sample of the beautiful violets blooming all over.

Spring Buds Blossom

The tree branches are now blooming.  The pear opened first with such pretty little white blossoms.  The apple tree is getting ready to open, and the blooms appear pink!  I am so happy I decided to try this.  The trees I took the cuttings from are not at all this far along in their progress.  The apple has no buds at all on it.  The pear has very tiny buds, closed tightly.

Spring Buds Forced in a Glass Jar

I am just eager for spring.  I cut some branches from our apple and pear trees.  I placed them into a glass jar with warm water and voila!  BUDS.  They look so pretty.

Finished Spring Quilt

                                                                    Here is the finished painted quilt. 

 I think I may print out the blank again

 and re paint it in different colors.

Spring Fever Quilt

You know, it snowed again today...only two inches, but honestly I'm getting a bit "over" the snow.  I have some serious spring fever and decided why not make a "quilt" filled with birds, flowers, butterflies and other lovely springy things?
I decided to paint one.  But now that I have it all drawn in I am not sure how to paint it...

Illustration Friday.... Layer

As i said on my other blog...it's been so cold, and snowy, this was the first thing I thought of!  Hope you are all nice and warm and getting ready for Spring.

Little Dragonfly

I was messing around with some watercolor, photographed it and printed it.  Then I just didn't know where to go from there... I used to paint a lot of dragonfly art for friends, but haven't for a long time.... so here is a little dragon fly, hovering around in the night sky.
We have enormous dragonflies here in Connecticut.  My cat Lucy loves to lie low in the grass and wait for them to buzz by her.  They seem to see her and come hover in for an inspection and then she jumps and catches them in her paws.  I run up and make her release them, and they fly away a bit bent but otherwise alive!  Too funny!

What a bird!

I love seeing this Northern Flicker at the berry tree. I didn't alter this photo, I think he is perfect as is!

Darling little Chickadee

I have to say, these little birds are quite adept at getting what they want even from the bigger birds at my feeder.  I just think they are the most beautiful bird.

Brown bird

This little boy has been busy at my window.  I have no idea what he is.  I have to look him up.  I love the way his feathers blow around in the wind.  He isn't afraid of me when I come near to photograph him like the Chickadee's are.

A little watercolored altered art

Painted a watercolor, then photographed it. Took it all apart, altered each piece and then put it back together again like a little collage.  It is actually 8x10. 

Female Cardinal Trio

I think she is as magnificent as the male, even though she lacks some of his extraordinary coloring. She gave me so many wonderful shots I made a little collage in her honor.

Blue Jay with seed

This big boy was totally aware I was photographing him. He kept looking at the window I was in , hopping around looking in from different angles. He is totally in charge of the berry tree outside my window and all the little bird give way to him. Not surprising for his size. However, when my cat went out this morning, he was the only bird to fly away immediately. It was hilarious!

Sweet Little Bird

What a darling little...sparrow I think? I have to look him up in a birding book. My friend, Susan, gave me one so I could identify all the bird that visit our home in CT. Although, the little rascals move too fast for me to identify normally. Maybe now that I am photographing them, I will be able to identify some. Anyway, this one was a cute little guy.

Today is Martin Luther King Day. My pastor read a large portion of a letter he wrote to other pastors while in prison. He was defending himself for his use of civil disobedience. He mentioned others who used this tactic to move authorities to change laws that were in some way unfair towards large portions of a particular population... I just marveled at this man's inner strength to fight against the authorities who were obviously wrong, and also to, at the same time, defend his actions to his own "friends." I think the later takes more courage sometimes.

A Black Bird in My Yard

Birds in my back yard....I altered this photo, because I can't leave well enough alone. I am loving it in Connecticut, but no real time to play. Miss viewing all your wonderful Blogs.