My secret

I have been absent, but not idle. I have a new job as a translator for a junior high student in the district where I teach, and it should keep me employed for quite a while. I am learning how to adjust to a daily work schedule and juggling shopping and chores. And I am enthralled with my student. She hails from South America and is a joy! I can't tell you more, since this would compromise privacy. It is a dream job, the time flies by, and there aren't enough hours in the day to tutor her. I am learning so much from her, and she tolerates my Spanish. Every day is so fun and I learn more, and so does my student. So I do not have as much time to create. I will be making very unique and one of a kind work. I am so missing my flowers. Soon they shall return, and until then I leave you with these images from gardens I have tended.

Wee chick in a Blue Basket

This little handful comes in a vintage nut cup basket, decorated with a lavendar tatted blossom, and some pink braid. She sits in some brown grass. SOLD taking orders, email me to purchase. Chick is just under 2 inches, and height of basket is 2 &3/4 inches.

Owlet in a Bejeweled Cage

This little fellow is available for $45 plus travel cost. Email me to purchase.

New Bejeweled Bird Cages

2 new cages are available! The turquoise cage has many pretty antique buttons, and a very old and rare Peking glass finial. The red cage has a mix of beads and vintage buttons, and of course a fat little red mohair chick, hand dyed by me. Each is $45 plus travel fare, EMAIL ME to order. SOLD OUT thank you, more on the way, a little owlet cage is coming!!

Bejeweled Bird Cages!

New tonight at midnight, I think, my tiny NEW hand made bejeweled bird cages will be making their debut on I painstakingly drilled each base and hand wired the cages, adding antique beads of the rarest and best quality. I hand dyed the mohair for the chicks too. You will be delighted by them! Visit PFATT Marketplace to see them! SOLD OUT Thank you! More are on the way! I have an owl in deep gold, a green cage, and a crystal clear one. I'll post them here so watch this space!

Today was an exciting Day!

Leah has added more hardware to her spelling trophies. She placed 2nd at the Macon County Spelling Bee, there were 35 competitors. I was proud of her sportsmanship. She congratulated kids seated close to her as they successfully spelled a word. She was poised and confident. I hoped she would win, but 2nd place gets her to the Regional Bee at Millikin University, where she is a member of the Children's Prep Choir. She said she hopes she sees someone she knows at that bee. So funny. I think if she studied more she would have won, but she doesn't study, she just reads and reads. She reads as many as 6-7 books a day when she has time. Today she read Wendal, His Cat, and the Progress of Man by v. campudoni. IF Leah were to win the regional bee, she would win an all expense paid trip to Nationals!! I am still down with the flu, day 6, but I couldn't miss it. I had to get a cough drop from another parent. I had to run out to keep from interrupting by coughing, but I made it. It was so fun to see the diverse group of kids, there was a brother and sister, they are Muslim. Their father came and congratulated us. Since his children also placed in the top 9, they too go to the regional in March. I loved seeing the children's mannerisms, dress and appearance. It was so fascinating and entertaining!
I was so nervous. She ended up in another spell off at the end, and I thought she would win, but she misspelled words! There were a lot of younger spellers. OK I am rambling on, thank you for all your good wishes!

New Patterns in Create and Decorate

http://www.createanddecorate.com/issues/2009/april/stitch.shtml

I have a new set of primitive projects in the current April issue of Create and Decorate magazine. If you are the kind of person to pick up a needle, these projects are relatively easy.

Winter ways

I caught a bad cold, just in time for the weekend, but Pride and Prejudice came in the mail. So in my horrid state I slumped in the sofa and watched it twice. There are so many versions of this put to film. I loved the scenery and costumes, and music. The interiors were breathtaking. The views of the English countryside were wonderful. The girls so giddy, you wanted to contain them. I loved looking at the carriages and horses. All were so well groomed. I have read many criticisms of the casting, but nothing is perfect, I just enjoyed it for what it was. And it was very engrossing, I did watch it twice!
I edited the content of this post to move on from it!