Pencils, a Sharpener and Imagination

Check out these amazing sculptures by Jennifer Maestre. A South African artist who sharpens pencils and turns them into beads and then sews them into these spectacular creations.....Wow, I think I have some new crafting ideas. WooHoo!!!

Mary & Sean Wedding - 1 of 4

Mary and Sean were married a few weeks ago on one of the most gorgeous days ever. Rain threatened all week and in the end it passed us by leaving the most spectacular golden light to ever bounce off the back walls of The Villa at Laguna Gloria. The wedding took place at the Museum and the reception was held across the street at Westwood Country Club. Flowers by Mieko. Dress by Jenny Packham.
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Mary & Sean Wedding - 2 of 4

Mary & Sean - 3 of 4

Mary & Sean - 4 of 4

Crafty Advent Calendars

Yep! My commitment to making every Christmas present this year is blissfully expressed in these first 2 items. I love crafting when I have the time to let my seamstress juices flow....ew, that sounds gross. How about: When I put on my sewing cap.....less gross but it still sounds like I sit up straight, don't swear and am always polite. Definitely not me. A.ny.way. When I rock out my pile of fabric scraps, this is what I love to do. These two are going to my dear niece and nephew who lost their Mama this fall. A lot of the 'ornaments' are jewelry from her collection. I LOVE the idea of creating an heirloom and using all those random jewels that are willing to volunteer themselves to a lifetime of marking the end of the year in a sweet homemade version of an old ritual.

For an actual class in making these charming things...visit my pals Kathie Sever and Bernadette Noll over at http://futurecraftcollective.com/blog.

Friday flowers - plus one gorgeous girl

Mary & Sean got married a couple of weeks ago.  Because they live in NYC,  we ended up shooting the bridal very close to the wedding day.  Their ceremony took place on the front lawn at Laguna Gloria and the reception was at Westwood Country Club.  I always find it interesting to see what kind of dress the bride chooses for her big day and Mary's wonderful dress was designed by Jenny Packham.  It was perfect for her fantastically in shape bod. Here are a few of the pictures she elected to frame for display at the wedding.  P.S. Flowers by Mieko the bouquet actually incorporated a small bible with a needlepoint cover made by Mary's grandmother.

Friday Flowers - Neighborhood Glories

As a little girl I learned to love gardening from my Dad.  My brother and I would spend Saturdays helping him realize his spectacular vision of what the gardens on our property would become at our home off the Appalacian Trail on Braddock Mountain in Maryland.  We weeded, hauled wood chips, planted Daffodil bulbs, Rhododrendrons and Dogwoods.  I miss those beauties every spring.  Sigh...

As we drove through the countryside he would name every plant we passed and occasionally warn me about three that I remember.  Obviously the first and every hiker's foe, was Poison Ivy   The second, Kudzu was apparently brought over from Japan or China.  It grows at such an incredible rate that it has been nicknamed, 'the vine that ate the south' covering a whole house in a matter of days.  It is capable of spreading from the roots by sprouting runners, via nodes that form rhizomes as well as the old standby, seeds.  Yeesh.   The third beast to fear was 'Morning Glories'.  Dad seemed to think that they were equally as invasive as the Kudzu and they probably were in Zone 6.  Now that I am all big and grown up and living in Zone 9, Morning Glories are a little less fearsome.  Last fall I found these lovely annual blooms (probably planted by seed) in my neighborhood. It seems that they are less ambitious down here in Texas where the summer heat does its level best to knock out anything that is not a cacti or its cousin.  

The greatest gal in.......

I'd like to solicit your opinion. I am entering my friend, Liz Scanlon, in a contest for 'Greatest Gal in the World'.  The following 9 shots are from a portrait session we did recently.  This greatest gal candidate also happens to be the author of the very recently released children's book entitled, 'All the World.'

How appropriate, huh?

Now, if you would be so kind as to vote on your favorites.  Maybe Best 'Author's Portrait' and Best 'Greatest Gal In The World' shots, that would be really helpful!

Now that you have voted, why not buy a few copies of the book and stash them on your gift shelf.  Then you will always have the perfect thing for kids 3-7 written by the Greatest Gal in All The World.