Altered Valentine Candy Box

Well I just got "You need to be posting more you know!!!!" from my dear friend Lesley. My main excuse is "Well I can get my memory stick from my new camera to upload on my computer and without showing the photos of my crafts, what else can I do?" And I have so many new projects I want to show you!!!!! So until then, I will show you an old craft project that I did for Valentine's Day.

This was made from a candy box that the little heart candies come in, you know the ones with the little messages on them. You see I can't throw anything away, I've always had that issue! However in some ways it has paid off, because I've found a way to use my treasures in my art. It's call altered art. I've had that plastic heart with the love banner across it for years and it was perfect for this piece!!! So when little Hannah said that " Miss Donna has thousands of things in her craft cottage", she was right. And even if Billy (my dear husband) did roll his eyes up when Hannah said that, I will find some use for each item, eventually. A course I keep adding to my collection, with the help of garage sales and friends who clean out their junk jewelry, their children's toy boxes, etc... Well anyway with all that said, I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day this year!!!!

Altered Altoid Tins

These are few of the Altered Altoid Tins I made in 2009. The hardest part for me is getting the Altoid Tins, because I really don't care for Altoids. I have few friends who save them for me if they remember! So if anyone reads this and wants to let me have their empty tins just let me know. But I really didn't post this to get tins. I just thought some of you would like to see them!!!

The Knots In My Life

The other day when I was at my embroidery class. My friend made a comment, that her sister would not approve of her embroidery piece. She went on the say that the back was not pretty and neat.
It got me thinking, my life is like that embroidery piece in many ways. Knotted, frayed ends, threads that start from one point going to what seems to be a random direction, crossing other threads. Some places it resembles a pattern, there are even beautiful colors worked into it. I may try to make it neat and pretty. No matter how hard I try, it still looks messy.
Then I asked myself, is it my handiwork or is it God's? When I look up at it I see a mess, but when God looks down at it He sees a beautiful picture! Without all those messy knots that handiwork would fall apart. So I thank God for the knots in my life, no matter how bad they may look. Others may not always see me as a beautiful piece, but God does. Maybe we need to look pass the messy knots and the frayed ends in ourselves and in others to see what God sees. A beautiful work of art!!!

San Angelo Sheep

Here are few more of the sheep in San Angelo. I took these in the Summer of 2008. My sister's friend and I dragged my sister out one very hot afternoon to take these pictures. I have more that I will post next time. I understand that they have added more sheep, so I'll need to go and look for them on another trip to San Angelo.

San Angelo Texas

Well since I can't my new camera's memory stick to load up on the computer. I decided to post some older photos. This last summer I went to San Angelo, TX to visit my sister. It just won't be the same if I didn't go to the local quilt shop. Every Friday morning they have a free work day. Women bring what ever projects they are working on and bring it to the shop. They work on their project and visit. This is where I got the idea to have a Craft Day in my Craft Cottage. Outside the shop is one of San Angelo's Art Sheep. They have them all over San Angelo. I've got pictures of quite a few of them. I don't believe I have pictures of all them. Which I may be posting, just so I can keep up with my blog.

Mini Scrapbook For Pam

At the first part of the Summer of 2009 I visited my friend Pam. She and her husband have a farm where they grow organic vegetables and herbs. While I was there I took lots of photos of her adorable farm and her little grandson Matt. When I got home I made her a little Scrapbook, I didn't want to put it on my blog until I got a chance to surprise her with it. Last Friday my son and I visited her. She loved the scrapbook. I took more photos, which I plan to put on my blog at a later date.

Here are some of the pages in my mini scrapbook, this Matt, Pam's grandson

You Did It Nathan

It's official my youngest is graduating this Saturday!!!! He passed all his exams and is heading out the high school door. It's kind of sad in some ways. Remembering his first day of school when he was a little fellow. I must say it hasn't always been easy trying to keep this creative boy of mine focused. But I know it will all be worth it. I know God has great things for him!!

So for all of you who are graduating or for you who have a student graduating, let me say "Congratulations".