MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! May God Bless each and every one of you!

GOT a NEW SPACE. My honey bunny had these extra cabinets and countertops that I asked him to save for me. Now that we had enough pieces - they have a new home. (great having a husband who owns the company and gets this stuff for FREEEEEEeeeee-wrong color for a kitchen and the counter top was too short - well NOT FOR ME). I am thinking metal home, but it might turn out to be something totally different. When I feel a little better I will organize. It only took him 30 minutes to put them in - of course he does it everyday for a living. SPEAK to me cabinets and countertop - what would you like to be? A new metal home? A paint home? hmmmmmmmmmm.....I'm waiting......

It's BACKGROUND time. These are so much fun. I am loving some creative time - FINALLY. I am trying to figure out my job and home and family. Trying to juggle all the balls in the air is so hard for a working mom...wife...sister....daughter....aunt....granddaughter....baby photographer....unit secretary/pca....friend. I am trying to SAVE my SANITY.

Lisa ENGELBRECHT CAME TO KENTUCKY to TEACH!!!!

Someone asked me at the workshop if I had quit blogging. I said no laughingly because I just haven't been able to find the time. Well here are some photos of the workshop with Lisa. She is such a sweet and generous teacher. It was lovely to have her here. Leslie McCarthy was such a wonderful host for us and graciously gave us the space and housed Lisa to help keep our costs down. Leslie OWNS Making Ends Meet in Shelbyville - an absolutely wonderful fabric store and her new little store across the street called Making Ends Meet Again has some great finds. Leslie you rock girl!!! I can't wait to have to some time to finish my piece. Also, thank the lord for Connie Newbanks who tutored me a little in calligraphy in the class. You rock too girl!!!

I made these name tags for each of us - they are sewn and were fun to make. I think everyone enjoyed them.

Mom's Birthday

It was my mom's birthday.  So I thought I would take her picture that she painted and scan it in - print it out on fabric and make her a bag and a handmade birthday card.  I think she really liked it.  She is hard to judge.   

My MOMMA painted this "spirit horse" as she calls it.  I just love it.  I think she did a fabulous job.  

I have some really terrific friends.   Below are the great pieces I got for my birthday.  Needless to say it was an awesome birthday.   I am so thankful for my friends.   GAYE made this goddess for me.  Her imagination just makes me a believer in yard sales.  She was first a wooden amish woman (not Gaye but the base of this piece)  and now she is a true flying goddess.  She even painted the face.  You go girl.  It was an absolutely PERFECT day for me.   Thank you FRIENDS for making my birthday extra extra special this year.  Everybody wants to feel special.  Gaye even BAKED me a cake.

Jennifer made me this totally FAB bracelet AND the beautiful pouch that you see here too.  So talented.  It is great to have ARTSY friends.

Pat Pleacher made this really sweet book for me.   Thanks Pat - I love it!!!!

So it's my birthday - it's my birthday!!!! Whooohoo

Everyone should have a sister like mine!!!!!   She gave me a COACH purse for my birthday.  OH WOW.  I was so shocked and of course I cried.   That was just the start of the wonderful surprises.  

Why Not a Pencil Case

It is just so much fun to be able to put in a zipper.  Now I want to make different shapes.  Here is a pencil case.  I was also thinking it could be an eyeglass case - but it is a little thin for that.  Now I want a little square one.  Then maybe one with a rounded top.  Ummmm........

Look what SHE did!!!!

I went to my great friend Gaye Medbury's house today and taught her how to make a purse.  Well put in the zipper I should say.   This is the front and back of her "Mosaic Art Purse."  (I just thought up that name - now I need a nap.) LOL   Isn't it the coolest!!!!  Now I have to do a numbers one "Just Like Gaye" and then a total WORD one.  I hope I don't have to work Saturday - my supposedly day off - then I can make some MORE MORE MORE.    I'm so glad SHE got a manicure.  Beautiful.  

Yes I am addicted to these mosaics

These are so much fun.  Tonight I finished 2 of them.  I cut out too many pieces last night laying in bed watching TV.  So I figured I could hammer out 2.  I was going to make another purse - but now I am exhausted.  I have to go to work tomorrow so I am going to watch SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - my favorite show right now and go to bed.  Tomorrow after work though I am going to Gaye's to show her how to put in a zipper.  Pass on the knowledge.  She does it for me.  Share share share.  Then we all become better!!!!  

I JUST HAD TO DO IT!!!!

I just had to do it.  I had to make a little bag out of the mosaic.  So I printed onto the Jacquard Cotton Fabric Sheet.  I did heat set it - don't know if I have to do that but I thought - it can't hurt.  Then I made this little bag with a zipper.  I am still learning.  I think after 8 bags I FINALLY got the zipper installation down.   I JUST LOVE HER!!!!!!   I think I need a manicure.  LOL.

Mondays are G R E A T !!!!!!

Today my great friend Gaye and I made a mosaic sheet.  I was trying to think what is should be named and I think Mosaic sheet is correct.  Anyway - it was a lot of fun and now I want to make more more more!!!!  Maybe I won't sleep tonight! LOL.   

Chirp Chirp little Birdies

The Belle Armoire Magazine had these great little birds featured.  So as a fun project Gaye and I made them today.   I learned how to hammer a rivet with my cool new hammer.  I need practice.  Of course Gaye's is perfect.   We put them together using tiny eyelets and washers from Coffee Break Design.  Mike and Chris have the coolest stuff.   Mine is the blue one.   Oh and Gaye found this cool copper garland at a yard sale and gave me some today.  We thought the birds needed to be on some kind of backing.  Serendipity the garland was perfect for it.  The copper birdhouse behind the birds is one we cut off the garland.  I'll tell you what though  - Gaye sure knows how to look at things in a different light.   I am learning from her.  It isn't a garland it is a birdhouse for our birds.  Love her!!!!  She is the yard sale QUEEN.  

I love putting the wirework on my soldered pieces!

Fabric Beads

What fun we had.  Last night at our guild meeting we made fabric beads.  These beads have been around for a long time.  I had to put sparklies on mine.  Just can't help myself.  Did I mention how much fun there were.  I hope to make more this weekend when I don't have to work.

FAMOUS Again!!!!

My GREAT friend Gaye Medbury has now been published twice this year.  I think she is on a roll.  You have to check out Cloth, Paper, Scissors STUDIO - her studio is the best one in there.   I know Tim might have more stuff - but hers is just down right the "COOLEST".   I have spent a lot of time in that studio and I love every minute of it being surrounded by the most wonderful creations.    The other publication is a book that is also just wonderful.   

PRESENTS!!!!

My sister should be getting her box today and I am so excited and waiting for her to call me.   I thought I would give you guys a look at what I made for her.   She had said she would love to have a bird fairy after seeing the ones I had made.   I bought two from Paula Best and then decided I could make some more on my own so I could have a collection on my wall.   I made this one for Lark - of course - Nurse themed.   The necklace circle '09 Grad I made from PMC3 clay.  I bought the charm.  I wish I was that talented to make the charm.    CALLL ME LARKIE POO!!!!!  I can't wait for you to open it!!!!!!!  

They are growing so FAST!!!

All three of the baby birds can't fit in the nest.    See - that's what happens when you eat when you are bored.  LOL.   

Fly away butterflies!

My daughter and I made these cupcakes for her teachers.   Teacher appreciation!!!  My sister sent me this wonderful book called "Hello Cupcake."   The cupcakes in there are so fantastic.  I wish I had the energy to make every one of them.  Next time you go to a bookstore - find it and look through it.   The author encourages you to use the icing in the can at the grocery store.  Love that.  No guilt of not making it from scratch.  

Springtime!!!

We have a crazy Robin that doesn't know where to build a nest.  Every year she puts it somewhere in a low tree or on my deck and either the cats get the nest or a mean BlueJay.   Well she insisted on putting her nest in a small spruce tree beside my house.  It is only 4 feet off the ground and there is a white cat that we keep running off and we have even let the dog out to chase the cat away.   But I did take a picture of the baby birds - I couldn't resist.  It just proves that spring is really here.   I think I have been in denial about it being the end of May because my baby - who is 11 is going to graduate 5th grade and go into middle school.  That really has me a mess.  I don't want her to grow up so fast.   Like the baby birds - they are growing so fast in that nest and in a week they will be too big to be in there - they will have to leave home.    They just sit the whole time with their mouths open - hungry all the time.  Or maybe they are just bored.  I can hear them saying as I listen very closely "Am I eating because I'm hungry or because I'm bored.  This nest is so boring and my brother and sister are taking up all the room."  

SHE DID IT!!!!

My little sister Lark (short black hair in picture above) who is also my best friend - PASSED her Nursing Finals yesterday.  Lark lives in Cape Cod, MA.  She is such a caring and giving woman that she will be a GREAT nurse.  I am so proud of her I could just burst.  I want to run through the streets, have a plane with a huge banner flying being hit through the air and tell everyone that MY SISTER PASSED HER FINALS - she did IT!!!!  (Although I knew she would.)  She was a nervous wreck over the final and now she feels like 3,000 pounds have been lifted off her shoulders (and mine too cause I feel everything she goes through because we are so close).  YOU GO GIRL, baby sister Lark.  I am so PROUD OF YOU!!!!   It breaks my heart that I can't be with her on graduation day, but I will be there in spirit screaming and whoooohoooing for her.    

Collage

I made this collage for demo night at Artiscape.  It is of one of my GREAT friends Gaye Medbury.  Ain't she cute.   All the things that make up Gaye - except her big heart.  I should have added that to it.    This is actually her when she was a little girl.  Love it - and her!!!

On ETSY

"Red" is on Etsy as a pendant.  She is titled "Peace" on there.   So appropriate for what is going on in our world today.  I am still learning how to get my link connected to her.  Hard being a newbie to blogging.   But if you click on the Etsy link to the right - then type in paulahardesty as all one word and you have to change the left to Sellers - then she will come up.    I am working on more pieces today to get up on Etsy.  check back soon!

RED

Meet "Red" - she was so much fun to paint.   DJ Pettitt came to Kentucky last year and taught our group how to paint faces.   We had so much fun.  So I ventured out on my own - drew my own face and body - created the background using mostly Golden's Fluid Acrylic paints.