Birthday Booty

I know that you all are just dying to know about all of the goodies that were bestowed upon me during my most recent birthday celebration. Here are just a few:

This lovely creature is part of a virtual b'day card from my cyber friend, Nellie.

Nellie's card read:

"Dahling Judy, If you really and truly must have another birthday, please do so with fun and panache...and a little wine. I do believe you've had a good start by dyeing your fingers blue. Happy Birthday,

Nellie"

Isn't that cute?!!!!! I love it!!! Thanks Nellie!!!!

That arrived Monday morning while I was checking my emails at the condo. When we arrived "home" that afternoon, this was waiting for me in the mail:

It's a wonderful piece of Rayna Gillman's artwork from my good friend, Diane. She and I go waaaay back and she actually introduced me to Rayna and her work a few years back. It is only because of Diane that I took the great class from Rayna last October at John C. Campbell Folk School. Diane and Rayna, I love this piece and it will hang in my future "Wall of Fame"!!! Thank you so very much!!!!!

In today's mail arrived the long-awaited package from Sweden!!! YAY!!! My cousin Eva sends the most precious and thoughtful gifts!!!! Here are all of the things I got:

Actually, the package was chock full of gifts for Kristin and for C...her birthday in April, and his to come in July. As you may be able to see here, there are Capuccino scented votives, and huge IKEA shopping bag (which will come in handy at the condo!), two packages of Swedish style cocktail napkins (I love them when I am entertaining guests) and two wrapped "mystery gifts". I will reveal their contents to you when I next post!! Thank you Eva!!! and Bertil too!! I hope your package has finally arrived!!

"Poppy Reflections" is finally finished!! I need to thank Gerrie for her help with the stretcher bar mounting technique. It worked very well for this piece. I had painted this piece (well, with gutta and dyes) a couple of years ago and didn't know what to do with it. It sort of haunted me. Because of its orientation, I couldn't hang it as a quilted wallhanging (I don't think), and so it needed some help. After reading a lot on the QA list, I decided that mounting it on stretcher bars was the answer. However, Gerrie cautioned me that my silk might be too fragile for stretching....good point! Gerrie suggested duck fabric, which I found easily, and so I stretched it over the bars and then mounted the quilted silk piece onto the duck:

Here are a couple of closeups:

I'm really pleased with the way it came out. I've cut off the corners in most of these shots, but you get the idea.

And last but not least, here's Big Blue..........come to say hello this afternoon:

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew, I love my new camera!!!

PEACE !!!