Visit with Everett

Our newest little grandson, seven weeks old now all dressed for Christmas!

He loves to stretch his legs! And does have some of the Boyd curls.

We catch him smiling and trying to coo and talk!

Rabbits Foot Fern

I brought back this unusual fern from my sister's in N. Carolina at Thanksgiving. She had said how hardy it seemed so hopefully it will do well for me too.

Bird in my front yard

I kept hearing a chirp chirp out front and when I looked out there was a wren! It wasnt the usual tiny one I see in the summer. He hopped up on a branch right up close in the front and then flew down lower below the front bay window and then he appeared right on the ledge of the window. Didn't stay long but I was able to realize he was a wren.

I looked in my bird book and it says the Carolina wren can be in this area too. I've seen them many times in N. Carolina. He did have that little white strip across by his eye! What a surprise to see him!

Thanksgiving at Betsy's

Had a nice time with Betsy and her family and my Mom at Thanksgiving. The weather was fabulous and even the drive went well.

Thanksgiving with Family

We will spend Thanksgiving at my sister's again this year- these were a couple photos from last year. We'll pick up my Mom on the way. My favorite photo - my sis, her granddaughter and Mom.
I'm making my Sour Cream Almond Coffee Cake which is easy to bring and some cookies. Maybe we'll play "Gestures" again which was a blast.

Everett Flynn Boyd

Everett Flynn Boyd born 11/5/2011 in Grand Rapids, Mich. We spent a short weekend right after his birth.

Mom and Dad are doing well! Can't wait to see him again! The curly hair- well maybe a little. It's too soon to tell yet!

Mysterious Lights

Some of my photos had an interesting hazy light which might have been a result of the time of day, but the last one was really spooky!
There were ghost tours going on in Charleston when we were there for the House Tours and it made us think something else was in the photos!

Trip to Charleston

Took a trip to Charleston, S. Carolina with my sis to go on the House & Garden tour. First we had a carriage tour and saw the battery where my Mother lived in her first apt. after college. She and my Dad who was in the Coast Guard met at the church she worked in. He sang in the choir and she had a little mirror to view the balcony where the choir was.


The next photo is the first house we toured. The weather was just perfect.

Colorful Charleston

Grand Rapids Art Prize

On the walk towards more of the artwork, this was the first one we saw. A few of the sights followt the vintage building and the Childrens Art Museum.

Art Prize in Grand Rapids Michigan

This was the winner! It was very large, maybe 20 feet high or more and had some golden pieces that shone in the sunlight. The shadows were from the front windows of the building.

Some were outside as this huge praying mantis

Real leaves!

The Power of Women

This one has a special meaning for me after experiencing breast cancer first with my Mom, twice when after 20 years and at age 89 she had her second mastectomy. And I will have my last procdure for reconstruction soon, and had my second bout after seven years. But we both had good Drs. and were caught early and in stage 0. When the lumpectomy came back with "not clean margins", then the mastectomy was the result. It's just so amazing how many women there are who have this experience or other cancers. And that's what I felt with this piece-which fills a huge wall of a building!

Collage coming together

These two photos were taken at dif. times so I see the second one isn't in the best of light. I started with tissue papers only because I had not picked out any other papers to go with my color scheme and needed to "just do it" and start. The second one shows the beginnings of other papers I found to go with them. Still have to get to the striped papers we made that I really like.

Collage Class- papers

Our first collage class of the season-we used tissue paper and splashed on acrylic paints after spritzing the papers with water and let them set until dry. I used more colors than I usually do and like the outcome!

Quilt Squares

I love the Log Cabin pattern and made one years ago but the squares all matched. I found an inspirational quilt that had various patterns and colors and the squares were all done with different fabrics.

I love the Log Cabin because you don't have to cut all the pieces. You can just use strips of fabric and cut as you go!

Paper Making

I just love my papers we made at the Lagrange Gallery in a workshop! They have holes, but they will be wonderful in collages!

Long Lost Paintings found!

These two paintings are from college days in Storm Lake, Iowa! I thought they were gone forever and my hubby found them in a search for something else-in the crawl space. They aren't in top notch shape but they bring me back to the days when it was almost spring, the ice was still on the lake, and I'd go down and sit in the sun and decided to make a sketch for painting class. In the first one, the planks are piled up waiting to be put in soon for the dock. It's my first and favorite. I wasn't as happy with the sky in the second one. They are done in acrylic paints but watered down to get the washy effect I wanted.

Collage Cards

The cards are from April's collage workshop with a watercolor background and added papers etc. and stamps with an added little piece of paper that has some gold.

Hummingbird in the hostas

I was going to cut down these five foot hosta flowers but good thing i didn't with the hummingbirds coming frequently to them! He's in the first photo if you can see him!

New Completed Deck

This top photo shows the decks newer part that will add more space maybe for the table. The steps lead down to a lower deck where the grill is.

The back yard drops down whereas the front is ground level. The weather cooperated with some rain but the work was finished by the time we wanted to get home on Sunday.

All finished and the guys are admiring their work!