New Additions

There are seven new additions to our menagerie, 5 Americauna and 2 Barred Rock chicks. I have been wanting some new chicks for a while. Many years ago, when my children were young, we had 29 chickens. That was a bit too many. My DH got burnt out on eggs for a while. He will just now eat them again.

I took them out for a little sunshine and put them in the outdoor run of their future home. Maggie was fascinated with them...unfortunately. She found a small hole in the chicken wire and made it bigger and almost got to them. Thankfully, I found it in time and rounded them up and took them back inside. At least I found the weakness in the wire and know how to make it secure now.

See the mischief in her eyes?

There is a bit more to do to prepare their home, but they still have a week or so to grow, so I will not be rushed.


I'm so excited that it is spring! All I want to do is be outside and garden and enjoy the GREEN!
Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing! My creativity this time of year is directed out of the studio and outside. What a blessing to experience spring in Tennessee!

Love Is In The Air

What a beautiful day! I went for an afternoon walk around the pond with my sweetheart and had to take a few photos to share. The air resonates with the love songs of hundreds of frogs and toads. They got a little shy when I went around to photograph them, but I managed to find one who wanted to pose.
They have decorated the edges of the pond with thousands of eggs. The beautiful strings are like necklaces adorning the grass and weeds in the water.
If all of these manage to make it to adulthood, we will have a plague of Biblical proportions. Fortunately, (or unfortunately if you are a tadpole) not all of them will make it, but some years we have hundreds of tiny toads migrating from the pond to the forest.
I had to stop and feed the neighbor's horses some apples that I had saved for them. They seemed to appreciate the attention.



These are little Ipod holders made from recycled, felted wool sweaters and transferred photos and vintage buttons. They will be at this month's Silo Studio Sale.

Spring Forward

Yaaaawwwwnnn! Don't you just love time changes? It will take a little getting used to, but I really love having daylight later in the evening. It makes it easier to work in natural light rather than artificial.

I found these little paper mache houses and got inspired. They have lights inside so that the windows and doors glow when they are lit. Flowers and colorful moths and butterflies cover the sides.

They will show up at Silo Studio on March 31 at our sale there.

Studio Time and Nature Walk

After two long afternoons in the studio, I finally finished this Sedona scene that I had been working on at the request of someone special. (If you can guess, shhhh! I don't want them to see it yet.)

It's been a very rainy day, but the clouds parted for a few minutes and the balmy temperatures drew me out for a walk with the dogs. There are a few tiny signs that spring is on its way.
It's a little scary to see buds and blooms this early after the devastating late freeze that we had a couple of years ago when the leaves were already on the trees. There was no fruit at all locally and it took a long time for the leaves to return. It was a sad spring followed by a tough drought. I hope that we ease gently into spring without too much cold. It's a little to optimistic to think that we won't have a bit more though.

The dogs enjoyed the excuse to explore. Maggie was in constant motion so my first attempts at a picture of her were just a blur. She finally paused for a drink and a dip in the pond.

Milo found a tiny pond of water captured in a root and refreshed himself.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~Anne Bradstreet

Aaaaaa....Spring!

My favorite time of year is here! The green is so wonderfully bright that it keeps stealing my attention from other less interesting things. Lunch on the deck is an event to look forward to, even if my cat does want to share it with me. The studio is calling though, and I do manage to put in some time there. Opening the windows and letting in the fresh air helps to bring a little of the season into my workplace.

Time Flies, Be Happy

Dyed Jasper and Copper

Also...Silo Studio's Studio Thursday is back for an encore this month since so many people were on spring break. Shawn and I are restocking so there will also be some new stuff, just in case you didn't get enough of it last week.

Spring Growth

After the drought of 2007, I don't think I'll ever complain about rain. This has been a rainy spring and I love it! Our pond is full and everything is getting green.

Small harvests feed the soul.
Unexpected things sprout from gardens and flower pots.Despite the beautiful warm weather luring me outside, I have managed to do some creating. I wanted to do something other than jewelry. I had some scans of collages that I have done, that I printed onto iron-on paper and transferred onto muslin. Then I sewed them onto some canvas along with some paint and trim and made purses.

Stop Worrying and Start Living

Time Flies Be Happy

No Pouting

Aaaaaaah Spring!

My Picasso Bird

I have been soaking it all in....amazing spring. I love every part of it...lightning bugs, whippoorwills, red winged blackbirds, tadpoles, gardening, and of course, the amazing green that saturates everything. It makes it a little hard to focus on working. When I need to be in the studio, it's so tempting when my DH says, "Why don't you go out on the boat and fish with me a while." Of course I say yes.

I have been managing to make some jewelry though. Making time to post it is a different matter. Here is some of it, though I forgot to take pictures of some before I sent it on its way.

Leaf charms are from Julie

Must get focused now....