Dragonfly Dreamer Designs

blog your heart

2011-10-28T19:47:00.000-04:00

After too long away from the beautiful blogs that inspire, encourage and touch my heart, I found myself looking through the list here on blogger a couple of days ago. The first one I read really spoke to me and reminded me there is no such thing as coincidence. Jenni of Hufford House had blogged her heart and reminded me that there are other women who share very similar experiences and feelings. Jenni's post made me feel hopeful and reminded me how much I missed blogging and reading authentic blogs. The link about blog your heart lead me to a blog written by Stephanie of Just Me and My Soldier and Our Four Little Chicks who has a monthly challenge blog your heart. After reading her blog and the wonderful comments, I realized this would be a wonderful way for me to recommit to my blog as a fresh start.

Here's my heart this month.

1. I have always loved the holidays. When my sons were growing up, I went all out for the holidays and they made it even more magical than when I was a little girl. My sons are adults now and many times they have other plans. I always imagined I would be a grandmother, but life doesn't always turn out as we had hoped. This year I am planning to go all out anyway. I am going to focus on bringing joy to those who need it most.

2. My depression swallowed me up and I believed that I didn't have the strength to fight it anymore. Living in a small rural town without family or friends made it easier to give in to it and I did for way too long. I have been fighting to crawl out of it one day at a time and my youngest son's beautiful girlfriend came over and offered her hand and heart to me. We had a day of attacking some things that had piled up and I have been so motivated every day since that day.

3. I've been on Facebook since my son set up a profile for me five years ago. Lately the negativity of "friends" and family had begun to distress me so last week I deactivated my account and two benefits have become clear; less anxiety and the lost hours and days I spent on Facebook are now mine to be productive or creative.

4. Before my husband became disabled and we had to leave Baltimore and move back to Amherst, I worked as a Medical Coordinator for a non-profit agency that provided supervised homes in the community for 70 developmentally disabled adults. I loved being an advocate for people who weren't able to advocate for themselves. I miss working, but more than that I miss doing work that is meaningful and adds to the quality of life for others. There aren't any jobs available in this area, but I need to brush up on my skills with the hope that Mark will do good enough in physical therapy post surgery so that we can move back near the civilized world and I can go back to work.

I am grateful for being inspired to read some blogs and finding blog your heart through Jenni's post.

xo Susi xo

How I Spent My Summer...

2011-08-22T19:04:00.000-04:00

I definitely picked the right one little word for 2011*Action* and it has been a year of change for sure. Since I haven't been blogging regularly I have so much that I want to share. First, I would like to share my new obsession which is freebies and coupons. I am a beginner, but I've definitely got the hang of freebies. The photo above is of as many of the freebies I could gather that I haven't used or given away. Instead of dreading the mailbox full of bills I am now excited to see what prize may be waiting for me. I guess I started about a month ago and I have received full sized products as well as samples. It started on Facebook and I am composing a post listing the best blogs for finding great freebies and coupons.

A young woman I love dearly just gave birth to her first child, a beautiful little boy. I am so excited about meeting him and I have been making a mini baby memory book for him. My boys are all grown up and I am thinking about some of the most important memories and keepsakes I wish I had all together in one book. So many memories have been flooding over me. Motherhood has been the greatest gift I have or will ever receive. I am so happy and hopeful for this beautiful little family.

What is the greatest gift for a new mother?

xo Susi xo

My Summer 2011 Bucket List

2011-06-22T17:02:00.000-04:00

Complete Big Picture Classes online class Yesterday & Today taught by Ali Edwards
Gather supplies for my first Project Life Album
Downsize and let go of excess (Yard Sale, Craig's List, Donate)
Crab feast with family
Sightseeing in Washington, D.C.
Beach trip
Enjoy local produce from Farmer's Market
Capture my life through photography
Do something creative every day

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken in our apartment in Livorno, Italy, about 24 years ago. Our oldest son was not yet two years old and he was definitely Daddy's boy. I remember women always telling me how "lucky" I was to have a husband who was such a great Father to our two sons. My reply was always that luck didn't have anything to do with it. I chose him for all of the qualities that made him such a great Dad. My cousin later told me that she believed it was so much easier to find a compatible mate than it was to find one who would be a great Father to her unborn children. Mark and I have now been married almost 28 years and our two sons are now adults. We have been through so much together and I am sure without a doubt that choosing him was the best decision I've ever made. Any man who could put up with me for so long definitely deserves a medal! I am so grateful to have such a devoted and loving co-parent for the past 26 years of parenthood. Happy Father's Day Mark!

xoxo,

Susi

in the holiday spirit

2010-12-07T12:36:00.000-05:00

Mark and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for our sons Beau & Steve and Beau's girlfriend, Chelsea. It was the first time we've cooked the big traditional meal in a few years. It took all day, but we exchanged favorite memories of our childhood holidays and enjoyed recreating my grandmother's recipes once again for our family. The meal turned out really good and I felt extremely thankful for all of my blessings. On Friday we traveled to Alexandria to visit my family and see my beautiful neice Raven for the first time in many years. Saturday night we drove to Baltimore to visit Mark's family. Upon returning home, a nagging cough turned into pneumonia and I am still recovering today. Instead of cleaning, decorating, crafting, and working through my To Do list, I've been snuggled under the covers watching Christmas movies on The Hallmark Channel and TCM.

A few things I'm loving right now are:
Shabby Old St. Nick ribbon from Prarie Bird Boutique on Etsy
Baker's Twine in Red and White from Shabby Pea Designs on Etsy
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Santa Baby
Ranger Stickles in Icicle
Ali Edwards December Daily Album
Holiday Affair on TCM starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh (This is a good Christmas movie that is never mentioned in any of the lists, but I recommend you add it to your list of family holiday movies.

Hope you are having a great week,

xo Susi xo

Under Construction and a Recipe

2010-10-26T17:44:00.000-04:00

Please pardon the remodeling, we are working on getting gussied up for the holiday season. I need a new banner and my very talented son is going to squeeze me in between making a logo, building a website and composing music. I am catching up on a very long to do list. Everyone loves soup suppers as the Autumn chill settles in and the leaves begin to fall off of the trees. Here is our favorite recipe for minestrone soup:

Minestrone Soup
1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1cup)
1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped or shredded (3cups)
2 small zucchini, chopped (2cups)
2 medium carrots, sliced (1cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped(1cup)
1 can (28oz) whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can of navy beans, rinsed and drained
1-10oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups V8 juice
1 cup dry red wine (optional)
1 Tbls dry basil leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry oregano leaves
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Heat oil in 8-quart dutch oven over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in oil for about 2 minutes; stirring occasionally until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese, breaking up tomatoes and removing hard core. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Serve with cheese and warm crusty bread.

Enjoy,

xo Susi xo

Friday Favorites

2010-10-22T20:02:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for a happy holiday season and making extra items for my etsy shop. My large gingerbread man is cute for scrapbook pages, tags for gifts from your kitchen, or handmade cards. I will be adding new items to my etsy shop on Monday. Since I have been making plans and lists for the upcoming holiday season, that is what is inspiring me right now.

Martha Stewart's Advent in a Box for kids. This version by Ali Edwards is adorable and she tacked them onto her son's wall. You can put little candies, toys or slips of paper with a fun activity inside each box.
Saucy's blog inspires me with every post. This woman is multi-talented and generous. These Turkey Cupcakes are so amazing and she is kind enough to give step by step photos and instructions. She is OOAK and cutting edge.
I'm participating in Etsy Holiday Boot Camp and need to take better photographs of the items already in my shop and the new items I am listing for the upcoming holiday season. This DIY Macro Light Tent is such a great help and tutorial.
This Pottery Barn Inspiration...
Most of all people reaching out to each other is needed more these days of division and hard times than ever before.

10 Things

2010-10-15T17:17:00.000-04:00

Ali Edwards has begun sharing the design for her December Daily 2010! I have followed along every year without making one because my sons are adults and I do not have any grandchildren. This year I have begun gathering supplies to make a December Daily 2010 Album and have decided to make the holidays as joyful as we did when our sons were young.
I am really excited about becoming a Stylist for RENDI. My family and friends do not share my obsession with photography, scrapbooking, Photoshop, etc... RENDI offers gift and home decor items designed by great artists i.e. Annie Danielson, Melody Ross, Liz Tamanaha, that you personalize and make one of a kind. Visit my RENDI website http://www.susan.rendistyle.com/ to see the beautiful designs. If you are interested in hosting a book party, online party or becoming a RENDI Stylist, send me an email and I would be delighted to help you.
This Blog has quickly been added to my list of favorites. Marta and Summer Harm's collaboration of The Penpal Project is wonderful. I love these yummy Autumn postcards.
I have been working on my life list and came across this Mighty Life List. I really enjoy reading the things other women put on their life lists and I really admire Maggie's offering the opportunity to sponsor one of her goals.
Pink Cherry Mama's Blog is my newest favorite. She is very creative and talented.
Brave Girls Camp is at the top of my Mighty Life List. Melody Ross is such a Brave and amazing woman. My friend Bonnie Rose just returned and just reading her blog posts makes me want to go even more!
Speaking of Bonnie Rose, she is a very positive, creative, very Brave woman; be sure to check out her blog.
I am looking forward to Halloween this year because my sister, Kendra, has three adorable grandchildren and I invited myself to go trick-or-treating with them.
Mark and I are in the midst of many life changes and it looks like we are going to lose our home, but rather than feeling terrified I trust that God always provides other choices and maybe this isn't where we are supposed to be.
Facebook has brought back some family I had lost contact with into my life. I am feeling very grateful for my many blessings these days.

Have a great weekend,

xo Susi xo

Halloween Paper Bag Scrapbook for Etsy

2010-10-02T14:18:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pages of my newest Halloween themed paper bag scrapbook. I listed it in my etsy shop last night. I really enjoy making them and spend alot of time designing them and handmaking most of the embellishments. I only make and sell crafts that I would be proud to give or receive as a gift. This gorgeous Fall weekend I will be crafting and taking photos of the gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am also collaborating with my son to redesign my blog for the upcoming holiday season.

Enjoy the beautiful weekend!

Fall is in the air

2010-09-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

Fall is my favorite season and I have been busy making cards, tags and paperbag scrapbooks for my etsy shop. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains where the view from every angle becomes gorgeous as the leaves change color. This weekend I hope to go to Starbucks to try a Salted Caramel Mocha and take an inspiration field trip.

Enjoy your Saturday,
xo Susi xo

September 11, 2001

2010-09-12T00:27:00.000-04:00

Ground Zero, Spring 2002

On September 11, 2001, I was living and working in Baltimore, Maryland. I was the Medical Coordinator for a non-profit program providing community living to developmentally disabled adults. As the attacks of terrorism unfolded that morning, it was the mission of my co-workers and myself to make contact with our house managers and get them to the homes in time to be there when the day program busses arrive to deliver our clients. The day programs were closing and transporting everyone to their homes as soon as they could. My husband was leaving work and would be home when our sons arrived early from school. He wanted me to leave right away and come home. Looking back, I realize that the events of that day did not feel real to me. I did not feel panic. I realized that I was completely powerless over the terrorist attacks. At home that evening, we felt a strong urge to get out of the house and be with others. We got in the car without knowing where we were going and ended up at the Inner Harbor where others had begun to gather. We huddled together with candles, talking and praying for all of the victims, survivors, their families and the first responders. We ended up holding hands in a circle singing and praying and the thing that has stuck in my mind since that day is that the group was composed of people of different races, religions, age, political affiliations, and many of the other labels that divide us, yet at that moment it was all stripped away. I saw a homeless man holding hands with a very well dressed businessman without judgement and revulsion and there were no words for what we were all feeling. If only we could truly remember the lessons learned during such tragic times and know that so much was accomplished as people worked together doing whatever they could to be of help for the common good. So many acts of heroism, bravery and kindness that happened without hesitation. In my lifetime I saw the most evil that man can do and the most selfless man can do on the same day. I wish it didn't take a tragedy of that magnitude to bring us all together in such a strong sense of community.

Where Women Create Fabulous Friday Winner!

2010-09-02T01:41:00.000-04:00

Have you checked out Where Women Create blog? A couple weeks ago I was lost in the blogosphere clicking myself from one awesome blog to another until I found myself reading a post titled Where Women Create Fabulous Friday with Lisa Tutman-Oglesby. I love Lisa's blog Celebrate Creativity in all its forms so I was really happy to read the feature about her man talents. At the end of the post there was an awesome giveaway so I left a comment and forgot all about it. I was so thrilled when I received an email from WWC telling me I was the winner. I received a box yesterday and I was over the moon when I opened it. Lisa sent the prize package in an elegant bag she embroidered with a gorgeous pink butterfly and my name.

Isn't it beautiful? She really went over and above and even sent two handmade beautiful bars of soap elegantly wrapped and packaged along with the soap making kit. It had everything I would need to make beautiful bars of soap and even sweet packaging items if I want to give them as gifts. If you aren't already a fan of Lisa's blog, please stop by and check out all of her handmade projects. It is one of my go to blogs for inspiration.

Thank you to all of the brave women who follow their dreams, write blogs, generously share recipes, inspiration, encouragement, experience, kindness and knowledge.

I have so much to share, but for now I am busy creating, researching, learning, experimenting, juggling and being open to change.

xo Susi xo

what would be included in your perfect holday planner?

2010-08-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

After the holidays I purchased two Hallmark Holiday Planners a couple of years ago. I've decided to alter them and attempt to create my vision of a perfect planner. I have been gathering supplies, embellishments and ideas and plan on working on them this weekend. I'd love some feedback in my comment box from you. What would you love to have in your perfect holiday planner?

current favorites

2010-08-06T01:19:00.000-04:00

~ Dark Chocolate Fudge bundt cake "just because"

~ Bubble Baths with Origins Ginger Float Cream Bubble Bath

~ Calligraphy and Hand Lettering

~ Anticipating the new season of Bones

~ All of the amazingly generous and kind women bloggers in the blogosphere

~ Letting go of old dreams and learning to embrace new dreams

~ Photography

~ Etsy handmade shops

~ Pixiwoo YouTube make-up video tutorials (These ladies are fabulous!)

~ My oldest son making Funfetti cupcakes at 1 a.m. because I have a sweet tooth

~ Art journals, paperbag scrapbooks, stamping and handmade cards

~ Party and celebration planning

I am working on some happy new projects and look forward to sharing them soon!

xo Susi xo

Homemade Guacamole

2010-07-31T20:16:00.001-04:00

IMG_5164, originally uploaded by dragonflydreamer.

I love guacamole and have always wanted to find a good recipe and make it from scratch, but my family doesn't share my love so it has always seemed like too much work just for me. Recently our little garden has been producing so many roma tomatoes that I decided to give it a try. Oh My Goodness! I ate the whole bowl of guacamole with my favorite tortilla chips.

Guacamole

1 ripe Haas Avocado
finely chopped onion
diced tomatoes
fresh squeezed lime juice
chopped, fresh cilantro
minced, jalapeno
finely minced, garlic
salt to taste

Coarsely mash avocado with fork in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix with a fork just until blended. I determined measurement of ingredients by "eye" and taste.

The Hits Just Keep Coming...

2010-06-23T23:53:00.003-04:00

Emo
November 2006 - June 2010

Our beloved Emo died suddenly last week. We are heartbroken and in shock. Every morning we wake up and have to remember that he's gone. Coming home after being away is the worst because he won't be here howling and letting us know how happy he is that we have returned home.

xo Susi xo

Feeling Under the Weather

2010-06-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

My Dad once told me if I didn't learn the lesson, the teacher would keep coming back. I believe I finally understand what he was trying to tell me. I've been feeling like I've been drowning in a rip tide as I struggle against it. I have been struggling with my health and recently the pain and nausea became unbearable and I realized that not having health insurance was not a good reason to treat myself and hope it will go away. My friend just buried her husband and a week or so later fell down the stairs and was hospitalized and treated because her brain was bleeding. I was too sick to go stay with her and felt so guilty that I went to my doctor and went for some radiology tests yesterday. Hopefully I will know something by Tuesday. My life has once again ground almost a stop and ignoring health symptoms has severely impacted the quality of my life and relationships. I attended a beautiful wedding weekend in Pittsburgh over Memorial weekend and hope to post the photos and share some of the wonderful experiences as soon as I am feeling better.

xo Susi xo

Family Love and Friendship

2010-05-13T23:19:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my sweet baby boy turned twenty-two years old. I know it is so cliche', but it really has all gone by in a blink. Luckily we were all able to go out for an early celebration dinner before he had to go to work. He lives in fear of his parents (mostly me) embarassing him in public so I'm not allowed to take photos in a restaurant as we are celebrating. Sitting at the table looking at my two handsome sons who are truly good men as well as best friends, my heart becomes filled with so much love and gratitude for being blessed to be their Mom.

Back Into the World

Life has reminded me the hard way how fragile and precious each moment really is over the past few years. I allowed all of my grief to crush me and every area of my life has suffered. A dear friend of mine urged her husband to go to the emergency room a couple of weeks ago because he had been losing weight and complaining of stomach pains. What they believed was a routine trip to the emercency room turned to a terminal diagnosis of cancer and a prognosis of possibly a month. Only weeks before we had lost a friend of ours in her mid-thirties. I have been shocked out of my self-imposed cocoon of grief because I want to be there for my friend and her kids in whatever way I am able. She has been a full-time Mother and Homemaker and they had been living paycheck to paycheck after he was injured on the job falling and breaking his back, splitting his liver and damaging other internal organs. How will she keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table? She is a beautiful woman with a strong faith in God. Seven years ago their fourteen year old daughter hung herself and although they were devastated, they put their faith in God and surrounded their kids with support and love rather than allowing the grief and pain to destroy them. It is always so easy to tell someone to let you know if they need something, but I feel that I need to just show up and do what I can to free her and the kids up to be with their Dad. I am very sad that it has taken something so sad to get me outside of myself and back into the world helping other people.

xo Susi xo

2010-04-28T12:58:00.004-04:00

This sweet face seems to always greet me when I am feeling blue. His name is emo. He was a gift from Santa to our oldest son a few years ago. I highly recommend Pugs. He has a great temperment and is not a high maintenance dog like our Jack Russell.

I miss blogging and keeping in contact with all of the wonderful and inspiring blogs I love. I have been trying to work on my long list of things I really need to accomplish the sooner the better. The past few years have been very difficult for my family and I have lost so many people I love. Grief became the only thing I really felt and each day I withdrew from life a little more. It felt as if I were slowly drowning. I kept treading water and reaching out and slowly I have begun to feel hopeful again. I now realize that although I knew intellectually that some day my sons would become adults, I never thought past that and it left me feeling lost. So many loving people have encouraged me to dream new dreams and explore old and new interests. I have begun to do that due to so many artistic and creative blogs. I will be posting regularly beginning next week. I will be sharing some of my favorite blogs, etsy shops, tutorials and photos of projects I am working on currently.

Have a happy hump day,

xo Susi xo

Grandma's Jewel T Bowls

2010-04-12T19:31:00.003-04:00

Growning up I spent weekends, vacations, holidays and summers with my maternal grandmother. At age 12, my little brother and I went to live with her. She died four years ago and I have almost grieved myself to death, but Mark and the boys have been gently luring me back to the living. Luckily my grandmother gave me some keepsakes when I got married so she'd know I had them. She told me about how her family acted when her Mother died and she knew that I was the only one who was as sentimental as she was and I would keep them in the family. She had an old bowl that she always told me when she used it that it was from a set of four that her mother used. She would refer to them as Jewel T mixing bowls. She inheirited two more when two of her sisters passed away. The fourth one was promised to her, but was sold instead. I feel a connection to my grandmother and her mother when I use them. My great-grandmother would have purchased them from a traveling salesman. It's time for me to scrapbook the memories and stories handed down to me so they don't die with me. My sons are grown and I don't know if I will ever have grandchildren. I had hoped to pass my treasures to a daughter or grandaughter. It makes me sad when I think about family histories and traditions that become lost and I don't want my grandmother to be forgotten.

xo Susi xo

2010-03-03T12:49:00.006-05:00

This was the view from my wrap around porch after the first snow. Living in the Blue Ridge mountains during the Winter months mean snow brings everything to a hault and you may be snowed in and/or without power for a week or more.

Being snowed in a couple of times gave me an excuse to spend entire days reading my favorite blogs and finding new blogs. One of the first projects that I wanted to tackle with my new sewing machine was Donna Downey's Inspiration Journal. Of course the one I had been obsessing on was made with a gorgeous fabric from Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut collection and everywhere I found it, that specific pattern was sold out. I finally found it on eleanor peace bailey cloth dolls' website and when it arrived, it was even more beautiful than I expected. Last night I went back and ordered a complimentary pattern for contrast. Oh yeah, I feel a new addiction coming on.

This is the first pattern I fell in love with on Donna Downey's blog:

When I ordered the first pattern, I found this one and decided to order it before it sold out.

This is the pattern Donna used to make the button for the Inspiration Journal. It was sold out in her shop, but luckily I found it at Fabric Chicks.

If anyone reading my blog crochets, I really need clarification on how/where to join a completed row and begin the new row. I've made this hat and taken it apart five times. I really want to make two of these hats for my great-nieces for next Winter.

There has been a great deal of change around here. My oldest son just had surgery to cut and adjust the muscles of both eyes on Monday at University of Virginia hospital. They took awesome care of my son and he is on the mend, hopefully the double vision has been corrected. My youngest son is staying with us for serveral months and going to college while his wife is attending another military intelligence school. I had just moved everything into his old bedroom for my "craft room" and as I have been sorting through it, I realize that I really have way too much craft supplies, scrapbook paper, etc... I am going to sell 50% of it or donate it to someone who wants to begin scrapbooking, but can't afford to buy any of the supplies. Meanwhile I am going to be very busy with my list of Creative Projects to do list. I am even going to attempt to make my twin great-nieces pettiskirts for this Summer.

xo Susi xo

Crocheting

2010-01-26T15:59:00.006-05:00

I bought this lovely pattern last summer on Etsy from a shop named Warm & Fuzzy Baby. It has since closed so the owner could devote more time to her family. I tried to locate the Bernat Organic Cotton in Hemp and Prarie Rose at local stores with no luck. It was put on the back burner and I located an online seller who had enough for one set as it has been discontinued. It arrived today and I just started on the hat. It's been close to 19 years since I crochet a blanket for my neice Raven when she was a baby. I've never attempted to crochet anything other than afghans. I am really looking forward to learning how to crochet this hat and scarf. I'd love to make a set for my neice's twin girls for next year. This is one of my Project Happiness goals.

I began the hat today, but I find the directions a bit confusing. A video tutorial would be so awesome to get me started. I found a couple for a generic hat, but this pattern is different so they weren't helpful with figuring out this hat. My great-grandmother would have made this set in one day. I miss her so much. She helped raise me and passed away when I was about twelve. No one could take her place. A dark cold Winter day would be brightened by the smell of her homemade soup cooking, watching her crochet while she watched her "stories." One of my favorite articles of clothing during the 60s was a multi colored pancho she made me.

Recently I was visiting my sister and her family and she had just lost her favorite uncle and was very sad. He had taken care of her grandparents and the house was filled with memories. We talked about our grandmothers and memories of growing up. My project happiness is about remembering and connecting with the love, comfort and joys of life.

xo Susi xo

Homekeeping and Family Traditions

2010-01-25T15:33:00.004-05:00

About 15 years ago my mother-in-law gave me her old singer sewing machine. I wanted to learn how to sew. First I took it to a sewing machine store and had it reconditioned and I signed up for a beginner sewing class they taught. Teaching is a gift that not everyone posesses. It was a disaster and I gave up thinking that I could learn to sew. Recently I have seen some of my favorite life artists adding sewing as another crafting technique. When I was a little girl, my great-grandmother lived in the next building and I spent everyday with her. She was so talented that she could sew anything and it didn't look "homemade." She crocheted everyday with a fine hook and delicate cotton and it looked like lace. She taught me to crochet, but unfortunately I never learned to sew. My Mother sewed her own clothes at fourteen, but I didn't know that about her until after I was grown because she must have stopped before I was born. My generation didn't separate the girls for a year of home economics and boys for shop. We all took a quarter of home ec, a quarter of shop, a quarter of art and something I can't remember. At the time sewing and home ec were thought of as old fashioned. I really wish I had learned from my great-grandmother and taken home ec in high school. One of my goals this year is to learn to sew. I bought myself a Brother PC-420 computerized sewing machine. I hope to find a good beginner sewing class, but for now I have found some video tutorials online to get me started.

Crocheting is a skill I would develope. I have made beautiful afghans. I want to learn more complicated stitches so I can make baby sets and heirloom dresses. My great aunt was so kind that she shared some of my great-grandmother's old crochet pattern books. I am waiting on a delivery of Bernat Organic Cotton in hemp and prarie rose. I bought a beautiful pattern on Etsy that I want to get started on right away.

The renaissance of sewing, needle arts, vegetable gardens, and homekeeping as an art is a good thing. One of my cousins posted a photo of herself as a little girl on Facebook. I noticed the beautifully crochet dress she was wearing in the photo and commented on it. It was a family tradition for my great-grandmother to make one for the granddaughters and great-grandaughters. One by one each of my cousins commented on having one just like it. That doesn't happen so much anymore. My Mother apologized to me that she was so young that she didn't keep mine for me when I grew up. This year I am going to reconnect with my roots by learning many of the skills that my ancestors used to increase the quality of life for themselves and their family. My grandmother was considered a modern woman because she had a career and raised her children after divorce. She always canned tomatoes, pickles, green beans, salsa, relish, etc... during the summer when her sisters would give her bushels of home grown vegetables from their gardens. My sons loved her hot garlic pickles. She was famous for her "butter gravy" and biscuits for breakfast. Everyone tried to learn how to make it and my Mother is the only one who has even come close. I don't want these things to die forever since my grandmother died a few years ago.

Now to track down the recipe for her famous pickles. A family member secretly took the recipe card. It would only be a guide anyway since she adjusted things over the years of trial and error.

If you have any memories of family recipes or traditions that you would like to preserve for your kids and grandkids, share them with me. I love to hear about things that have been passed down in families.

xo Susi xo

Holidays In Hand by Jessica Sprague

2009-12-02T03:23:00.005-05:00

Jessica Sprague offered this class for free and I am so happy that I signed up for it. She is very talented and her tutorials make learning digital design so easy to understand. My sons are now adults and I really want to create layouts and mini books about the years of their births up to the present. I would really like to take Jessica's online classes in order. I would like to share some of the layouts I've completed for this class. Many of the ladies taking this class are combining it with Ali's December Daily. Tomorrow I hope to complete a few layouts and share them here tomorrow.

Peace

Dreaming of Christmas in Texas

2009-11-30T13:29:00.005-05:00

Ali Edwards' December Daily scrapbook is a project I have wanted to create for two years. Money is too tight for me to spend money buying scrapbook albums or supplies right now. I have this Hallmark holiday planner and I have begun creating the pages and embellishments for my holiday scrapbook. We are stepping out of our usual holiday traditions this year. My younger son and his wife live in Killeen, Texas because his wife is stationed at Ft. Hood. Mark, Beau and I are taking a road trip to Texas to spend Christmas together. That is the best Christmas gift for us. Having this holiday art jounal ready to go is going to ensure that I can record the highlights of Christmas 2009!

The following recipe is from my Mother-in-law and is one of our favorites. The only problem is once you have a bowl, you just can't stop. We've all made ourselves sick eating most of it at least once. It is so easy to make and tastes so decadent. If you try it, let me know if you enjoyed it.

Barbara's Chocolate Dessert

2 Entenman's pound cake (cut into small cubes)

2 Lg. pakages of Chocolate instant pudding

6 Skor candy bars

2 Lg. containers of Cool Whip

Make the chocolate pudding according to directions. Mix it with the Cool Whip. Crush Skor candy bars. Begin layering cake cubes, then sprinkle some crushed candy over the cake, then cover that layer with the pudding coolwhip mixture. Continue layering until done. Refridgerate. My family likes it better if it is refridgerated overnight.

Peace on Earth

Gourmet Caramel Apples and My First Etsy Sale

2009-10-22T00:36:00.006-04:00

(Country Living)

I came across this photo on one of my favorite blogs and it looks so delicious and reminded me of when my sons were growing up and I would see something and try to reproduce it for our family or my son's classroom celebrations. I am now in that place between the empty nest and figuring out how to find a new purpose and meaning for my life. I still haven't been able to find a job because we live in such a rural area that even before the economy took a downturn, jobs are scarce. I am going to make some of these yummy caramel apples this weekend.

My etsy shop Dragonfly Dreamer Designs made it's first sale...yaaaaay! I have been gathering all of my craft materials and tools and sorting them into things I cannot part with as well as destash that I can sell in my shop. I have also been creating items that I will be listing soon in time for the holiday season. I truly love etsy. If you haven't browsed through the gift guides and some of the shops, you really should check it out. I am so amazed at the beautiful, amazing and unique items that began as an idea and brought to life by the artisans who sell their handmade items on etsy.

What a great time to go to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin, drink apple cider, and count our blessings.

Wishing you good health and love,

xo Susi xo

Fall Pleasures

2009-10-17T16:04:00.006-04:00

Fall has always been my favorite season. Growing up it meant a new school year, sweaters and boots, leaves changing colors, caramel apples, apple crisp, and the J. C. Penney Christmas catalog to help us write our letters to Santa. I loved it even more after I became a mother. Fall has also been a time that our families came together to spend quality time together. Now that my sons are grown, I look forward to spending time with my sister and her beautiful family.

I have been working on a Halloween paper bag scrapbook.

I've cut out the background papers, photo mats, pockets, and pull out cards to fit in the three pockets.

My perfectionism rears it's ugly head and my son reminds me that handmade should not be perfect as though it was manufactured by a machine. I will share it once it is finished.

I am adding a few items to my etsy shop. Stop by if you have a minute. I will be adding new seasonal holiday items regularly over the next couple of months.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

Feeling Autumn in the Air

2009-09-03T18:41:00.003-04:00

"Autumn...asks that we prepare for the future--
that we be wise in the ways of garnering and keeping.
But it also asks that we learn to let go -- to acknowledge
the beauty of sparseness." -B.W. Overstreet (1947)

I have loved the season of Autumn as long as I remember. The crisp, cool days as the leaves change from green to yellow, orange and red before the fall from the trees bring back memories of raking leaves into piles and jumping into them before filling big garbage backs with them until her yard was an immaculate carpet again on my weekends with my Grandmother and teenage uncle. Impromptu football games in the street in front of her house or at the park at the end of the street, caramel apples, apple butter, apple crisp and Fresh Apple Nut Cake from the apples she brought back from visits to her sister's apple orchard, and a new school year always felt like a new beginning and anything was possible. I loved the rituals of buying back to school clothing, new school supplies and wondering which friends from last year would be in my new class. As the mother of two little boys, I tried to share as many of the good things I remembered with them as well create new traditions for our family. Now my sons are grown. One is married and lives in Texas and the other has been going through so much medically and still has some serious medical procedures and surgeries ahead, but we have many blessings to celebrate. I have begun making cards for the Fall season and looking for inspiration for the upcoming holiday season and ideas for handmade gifts.

The upcoming holiday season brings a new opportunity to make memories with family and friends and to let the people we love know how much they mean to us. Our family has suffered many losses and we will come together even stronger knowing that life is precious and fragile and each time we come together may be the last time.

Domestic Chicky Giving Away HP Photosmart Premium with Touch Smart Web Printer

2009-08-30T14:07:00.003-04:00

Domestic Chicky is giving away a HP Photosmart Premium with Touch Smart Web Printer!
HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web is the world’s first Web connected home printer. Powered by touch and empowered by the Web, this sleek device provides quick, simple touchscreen access to important, useful and personal online content.With the largest LCD touchscreen of any all-in-one inkjet printer (4.33-inches), the HP TouchSmart Web control panel conveniently connects users to the Web via pre-loaded HP apps. Part of an entirely new Web-based printing platform, these apps enable easy printing of maps, coupons, movie tickets, recipes and more from partners including Google, DreamWorks Animation, Fandango and Coupons.com, among others.

Be sure to click here and check out her awesome blog and enter the giveaway while you are visiting.

xo Susi xo

Cards for Troops

2009-08-15T14:42:00.003-04:00

borrowed from the Northmedia Cards Blog

Northridge Media is the company that publishes Scrapbook Trends magazine, Cards magazine,Bead Trends magazine and Simply Handmade magazine. I love their magazines. Recently I found the blog for the Cards magazine and a great article about their Cards for Troops program. My daughter-in-law has been deployed to Iraq for six months now and I think it's an awesome idea. They are collecting handmade or store bought cards with envelopes and distributing them to military men and women stationed overseas. The can be for any occasion including:
Happy Birthday, Thinking of You, Miss You, I Love You, Anniversary, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Congratulations, New Year, Just Because

Guidelines:

Cards are ALWAYS welcome, anytime.
Cards should be blank inside.
Include an envelope for the card to be mailed back in.

Send your cards to our offices:
Attn: Cards for Troops
563 East 770 North
Orem, Utah 84057

To see the article go to their blog by clicking here.

Learning to Create a Life I Love Even When My Heart is Breaking

2009-08-03T13:41:00.003-04:00

My son's health issues have broken my heart and twisted me up so much that it has been hard for me to feel joy about anything. Last week I went with him on a six hour vision appointment because he has had double vision for a few years and the eye doctors put him in glasses. The head of opthamology at University of Virginia Hospital ran tests and took digital photographs behind his eyes and in summary, he needs surgery on both eyes and most likely he will need multiple surgeries to correct his double vision. What we thought was a lazy eye, is his brain shutting down the signals from that eye in an attempt to stop the double vision. It never ends. I have been feeling very angry, guilty, sad, and helpless. Before my husband became disabled, we always had good health insurance and we were very proactive about our sons' health care, dental care, education, cultural and spiritural nourishment and now I'm told he received negligent and lazy health care in the seven years since we've been without health insurance. We live in a rural area and there is only one medical center that takes patients on a sliding scale. I have to let go of the rage I feel and keep praying for God to give me the strength to see my son through this really scary time in his life. He has found peace and strength and I strive daily to do the same. He composes music and has been producing some beautiful beats and instrumentals and has encouraged me to express my feelings through writing, art and photography. I am very blessed with two beautiful souls who call me Mom. I owe it to them to keep doing the next right thing and sincerely feel happy about my life as it is right now.

I've been working on a few projects and hope to have photos to add to my next post. I've also started re-working some of the exercises in The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. It is very empowering and inspiring.

What's Inspiring Me Now:

House of Three (Heidi Swapp, Janet Hopkins and Rhonna Ferrar)

Tara Whitney's photography and blog

Ali Edward's blog

mini scrapbooks

Melissa Frances products

Compendium's inspirational books

Radical decluttering

etsy (for all things handmade)

Random Acts of Kindness

Handmade cards, gifts, and home decor

cooking favorite family recipes and comfort food

Stepping away from the computer and learning to enjoy life despite really hard times.

Sister-friends like Bonnie Rose and The Spanish Dahlia who I met through blogging so be sure to check out their blogs.

Making ammends to people I have hurt and move forward living more consciously and in the moment as often as I am able.

Photoshop Clipping Masks Revealed

2009-07-11T00:38:00.006-04:00

Jessica Sprague is not only generous by offering free online classes from time to time, but she breaks down Photoshop mysteries in her video tutorials like clipping masks so clearly that even I can follow it. The photo above is my first try at using a clipping mask after day 4 of Jessica Sprague's Photo Editing: Frame-ups and Special Effects online class. I am totally convinced that by taking all of the courses she offers from beginner to advanced, I will be able to do most of the things I really want to do with the Photoshop software for quite awhile.

As my son's health has declined, I have struggled with so many mixed emotions and have allowed my world to contract around me until it is very small. Both of my sons need me to keep getting stronger rather than the two steps forward, three steps back pattern I've been living. Nobody really has it easy and I know that I have many blessings and I truly am grateful. I am also very afraid for my son. So I've decided to hop off of the Internet for awhile and begin doing some of the things on my 100 Things to Do Before I Die List. I've been living in my cocoon for far too long and it's time to go out into the world and learn how to just BE again.

I will still be around and I'll post from time to time and always answer email messages.

Wishing you all a Summer filled with all of the joys Summer has to offer,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

New Designs for My Etsy Shop

2009-07-05T02:53:00.003-04:00

An Etsy shop has been one of my dreams for a couple of years. I registered my shop name back then to make sure nobody used dragonflydreamer. That name makes me so happy. Years ago my husband and I dreamed about opening up a little shop that sold coffee, tea and a few really special gift items since I love calligraphy, inspirational books, and beautiful items that make every day and special occasions more precisous. I love dragonflies and and fireflies and I've always been a dreamer. My son's illness seemed to have killed my ability to dream or express myself creatively. Recently, as much as he is suffering, he strongly encouraged me to take away all expectations and express whatever I was feeling creatively. He helped me open my Etsy shop with some supplies as a baby step. He took the photos to give me the incentive. This weekend I've been playing with my supplies and working on some projects that I've been daydreaming about for a long time. It is my intention to have some handmade cards and embellishments in the shop by next weekend. My oldest son is gravely ill so some days are better than others. He is an amazing musician, composer, producer, poet, writer, artist, and web designer. We will also be collaborating on creating designs for etsy banners, and blog couture to sell in my shop. I will be sharing more about all of this soon.

Thank you to everyone who stops by my blogs and leaves me comments. I cannot express to you how uplifting they are and how much they mean to me.

Enjoy all of the pleasures Summer brings,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

2009-06-27T21:27:00.011-04:00

Welcome, please sit down and have a glass of lemonade. Sliding down that rabbit hole, trying to take in all of the curious objects as I free fall always makes me so thirsty. This is fresh squeezed lemonade...so good.

I do hope you will try one of the fairy cakes. The King of Hearts made the cakes and a few woodland fairies came in and iced them with stardust and sprinkles. I could hear them singing a rousing chorus of "A Very Happy Un-Birthday to You!" as they scurried around the kitchen gathering all of the ingredients and whipping up the cakes and icing. They are so moist they melt in your mouth. Which one would you like? We have rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies and nuts.

Of course it wouldn't be a Mad Tea Party without tea. We love tea here and have so many varieties from which you may choose. I personally prefer the English Breakfast tea with my fairy cake. Cream? Sugar? I'm so glad you could stop by and help us celebrate. The King of Hearts, the Prince and I have been having a grand time. So many lovely guests have stopped by for tea and cake. The White Rabbit, Alice (who couldn't stop talking about her cat), The Cheshire Cat and even The Mad Hatter (who is quite Mad, indeed) honored us with a visit. Thank goodness The Queen hasn't arrived yet as we haven't finished painting the white rose bush red and she has cried out, "Off with their heads" for far less than that.

Goodness, it's gotten so late. We hardly realized it since we began catching fireflies and putting them in jars to light the garden deck. I suppose it's time to release them and get some sleep so we can wake bright and early tomorrow morning to continue our visits to all of the Mad Tea Parties in Wonderland.

I do hope you'll come back and visit us. You are most welcome, any time.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

I Finally Found The Key!

2009-06-27T15:50:00.004-04:00

After frantically searching for the key, I finally found it. It was misplaced while the Prince was so sick. I was so broken hearted that I would be letting all of my guests down...but The King of Hearts and the Prince helped me find it and it's going to be a wonderful adventure. The fairy cakes are ready as well as some other comfits and libations we prepared especially for all of our guests. It's so hot that I fear the stardust icing will melt right off of the fairy cakes, so if it's not to much of an imposition, we've decided to begin the festivities in a few hours when the sun isn't beating down on the garden deck. I hope you will come back and visit after you've partied with some of the other hostesses on the list here at A Fanciful Twist. That is if you aren't too partied out by then. Don't fret if you find yourself all partied out by then because we will still be partying tomorrow and you more than welcome to join us then. I will be joining the other parties while I'm waiting for the scorching sun to go down a bit here on my side of Wonderland.

First I will go out to the woods to ask some of the guest who have just arrived if they want to go party hopping with me. They seem excitedly ready for many adventures or perhaps even a misadventure or two...

I hope to see you at one of the parties, maybe, if I'm lucky, we can share a dance with the fairies...or...dare I dream...the Mad Hatter himself!

Alice just handed me a potion labeled "drink this" so off I go,

dragonflydreamer

I'm Late...For A Very Important Date!!!!

2009-06-27T11:20:00.003-04:00

Due to technical difficulties, my Mad Tea Party is going to be a bit later today. I'm sorry for the incovenience, but I do hope you will come back by later. We are going to have so much fun. My son has been very sick so the preparations were interrupted, but he is feeling better and we will be celebrating happily. Until I can get my party underway, I will be visiting our most wonderful hostess over at A Fanciful Twist and all of the other parties in Wonderland.

If, like Alice, you've stumbled onto the party quite by accident, you are in for such a treat!

Happy Mad Party Day to All!

dragonflydreamer

I Won Blog Candy!

2009-06-18T00:52:00.010-04:00

I love blog candy! How many of you are familiar with Regina Easter's Hand to Paper site? If you aren't familiar with it and you enjoy paper crafting, then do yourself a favor and check it out. On June 1st, Bitten By The Bug were having a Blog Hop sharing their creations for a challenge to use the mushroom die from the Cricut Tinkerbell cartridge. I have a classic Cricut that I've only used a couple of times and was looking for inspiration after Mark unpacked it. The blog hop was awesome and I was truly inspired, enough to buy a new cartridge since I only had the George cartridge that came with the Cricut when I purchased it. Everyone was offering blog candy and I won a lovely black T-shirt with a flower applique made by Carole Beathe of Paper Arts. It's very pretty and if you look closely at the photo my son took above, you will notice their is a sweet matching swarovski crystal on one of the flower petals and on one of the leaves. It gives it the look of two tiny dew drops on the flower. Thank you Carole, I will cherish it.

I have been in quite a quandry lately, unable to complete many of my projects or get started on new ideas because I crammed my little laptop with so much that it's little memory wouldn't allow not one more teeny tiny little thing. My DH was such a sweetie and turned an old computer into my new old computer and I am so happy...thrilled even! I have been transferring files and getting my new old computer ready. I had forgotten what it felt like to work on a computer that didn't take ten minutes to load a page...paradise.

Now that I will be able to add new photos to my computer and play with Photoshop, I will be back with new goodies to share.

Have a great weekend!

muah,

dragonflydreamer

Creating a Life I Love

2009-06-16T03:42:00.003-04:00

Photo Credit: House of 3 Website

House of 3 is one of my favorite websites. Heidi Swapp, Rhonna Farrer and Janet Hopkins have collaborated and come up with some beautiful, fun and affordable digital designs and wall decor. They have video turtorials, inspirational projects and fun giveaways. I won a prize during their housewarming back in March that included a $15 gift certificate toward any purchase in their store and a package of Epson 12x12 Photo paper. I recently ordered this adorable lamp and their ornate frames. I will be ordering the chandaliers soon. Of course I am dying to use my new prizes, but since I'm in the middle of cleaning, purging and redecorating, I'm going to waiting until I have painted the room I am going to decorate with them. I will post photos when it's finished.

Mark built me a desktop computer since I've completely filled this laptop with digital images to the point where there isn't even enough memory to delete anything to make room for something else. I haven't been able to upload photos or work in Photoshop for some time and that's given me the blues. Now I am busy transferring things to my new computer and setting it up properly which I didn't know enough to do when I got this laptop. I am also being careful to make back up files on the external hard drive to ensure I don't lose anything that I can't do without.

I'll be back soon with new photos, projects, and design work and I'm very excited. I hope everyone is having a great week!

Create or beautify something everyday,

dragonflydreamer

Summer Pleasures and Blogging Treasures

2009-05-30T14:58:00.003-04:00

The Summer has brought new things of beauty for me to photograph. My son borrowed my camera for three weeks to take on his trip to visit his brother and now I want to photograph everything I see. I realized how much I really enjoy photography in my daily life.

This weekend I am working on finishing quite a few projects that I had started before I became so ill and had surgery. I am surrounded by a beautiful mess. I had a few bags of treasures that I'd puchased and forgotten about. I will happily post photos when they are finished.

This weekend I am enjoying and being inspired by:

A tall glass of Cherry Limeade over crushed ice
etsy
A Fanciful Twist
My new shipment of books; breaking dawn, crocheting on the edge, The Joy of Scrapbooking and Making Yourself at Home.
Prima Fancystix Flowers from the Nursery Tales collection.
K&CoMPANY Adhesive Gems from the Que Sera Sera collection
K&CoMPANY Rub Ons & Gems from the Que Sera Sera collection
K&CoMPANY Designer Mat Pad-Brenda Walton Madeline Mat Pad
Hallmark Channel movies
My family

Have an awesome weekend!

xo dragonflydreamer xo

A Mad Tea Party Invitation!

2009-05-26T12:38:00.009-04:00

Have you ever seen a gypsy garden? I hadn't until one of my strolls through the blogosphere lead me to A Fanciful Twist. It's perfect for dreaming, entertaining, relaxing or just being. I've been dreaming of creating one of my own since Vanessa shared the beautiful photos of hers. It's so beautiful...magical...ethereal...my description could not begin to do it justice so I highly recommend that you visit her awesome space on the blogosphere when you leave. You will be so glad that you did. During my visit, I found out that she is hosting her 2nd Annual Mad Tea Party and we're all invited! I've never hosted or attended a tea party before, but I've always wanted to so very much. As I began dreaming about preparing for my Mad Tea Party, I took a trip into the past to visit last year's festivities and am now even more excited about being able to participate this year. I have a pretty antique tea pot, creamer and sugar bowl that I received as a gift a couple of years ago that will be perfect so I'll be on a mission to find some pretty tea cups, saucers and cake plates at a local yard sale, flea market or second hand shop perhaps. I've begun making the decorations and banner. My camera comes home tomorrow so I will share my progress as I go along. I've put links in this post in case you'd like to explore for yourself. I hope you will stop back by for a visit so I can share my pre-party preparations. Her most recent post showed a sweet recuerdo she recieved from her sister's graduation dinner and it gave me an idea for a party giveaway. I'll be posting more soon since tomorrow I will be reunited with my camera. It's been so long since I've had a party that I give myself permission to go all out. It's a perfect excuse to make miniature cakes in my mini bundt cake pan and my favorite big red ripe strawberries filled with almond cream cheese...yummy!

It's a costume party and I have no idea what to wear. Doe's anyone have any suggestions for what to wear to a Mad Hat Tea party?

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Stardust and Other Things That Inspire Me Today

2009-05-19T12:05:00.004-04:00

I love Stardust, Party Ice, and pretty glitter. The first two I found at one of my favorite stores, Papyrus, about five years ago and have just been hoarding it. I wanted to find more for giving my sister a special birthday party and at first I couldn't find it. Recently I found it and it's just the thing for a Mid-Summer's Eve party on the deck with twinkle lights everywhere. Last evening and today I have been cleaning and organizing after being sick for longer than I care to even think about anymore. My son, Beau, has my camera in Texas on a visit with his brother so I won't be able to take any photos for three more weeks. I found this photo on my computer with some I took of my goodies from my four hour shopping trip to Michael's the day I met with the surgeon. I also have two packs of the prettiest white irridescent birthday candles that I bought from Papyrus when I found the Stardust and Party Ice. Pentagon City mall was always my favorite place to shop at home. My sister and I have been known to get up early while visiting Mom and spend the entire day shopping there. Nobody goes shopping with us! It's been a few years, but when I get well it's on my list of things to do. Window shopping while broke doesn't depress me at all. Eye candy is free and that place is filled with it. A huge red ripe strawberry dipped in milk chocolate from Godiva is my favorite guilty pleasure on the way out after a long day there.

I came across these Heidi Swapp playing cards from Big Picture Scrapbooking's A Year To Remember class I took in 2007. I loved that class even though I wasn't able to keep up. I made a binder of the entire class and I have put a few of the projects on my list of things to do this Summer. Some of my classmates used them to make banners and quite a lot of them participated in making altered quote cards with them. Heidi has some beautiful examples of both in the Project Portfolio and Inspiration Guide to Creative Escape 2007. I love that book. It is filled with beautiful projects and ideas and inspires me to dream of some day being able to attend Creative Escape in Phoenix, Arizona. Heidi's A Year to Remember class and the above mentioned book took me from someone who was curious about scrapbooking to a full blown craft addict!

I have found some lovely blogs during my illness that I am going to share with you later today. For now I am off to make a mess playing with my craft supplies and enjoy feeling better. I hope you have a creatively beautiful day.

Live, Love, Play,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

P.S. I'm experimenting with the layout on this blog as I never really paid attention to it with my other blog.

Thanks for Prayers and Well Wishes!

2009-05-08T11:22:00.002-04:00

So this surgery and recovery has not turned out to be "a piece of cake." Last evening I felt worse than just after surgery. Today I am at least feeling well enough to browse a few blogs and read more of eclipse. Hopefully there aren't any complications which would cause the surgeon to have to open me back up and go it, but after all of the suffering...whatever it takes. I was so excited about going to be with my younger son in Texas for his 21st birthday on Tuesday, but now even that had to be cancelled. My heart feels broken about that. He's in a new state and his wife is serving in Iraq and we had planned a week long visit. The thought of it helped me get through all of the suffering and fear of surgery. Hopefully once I am fully recovered I will be able to make the trip.

Wishing you a day of sunshine in your heart,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

My Heart is Full and I Feel More Inspired Than I Ever Dreamed!

2009-05-02T12:49:00.006-04:00

First, I want to thank Joy Jones of Cupid's Charm for allowing me to participate in her wonderful Beautiful Blogging party to celebrate blogging and her feature article in the current issue of Somerset Studio's Artful Blogging magazine. I am still working my way through the list, but can I just say WOW! I have been happily thrilled by each and every blog that I have visited. I would also like to thank everyone who stopped by my blog and those who left such lovely messages. I cherish each message and feel uplifted by the thought that someone stopped to take the time to leave me a message of kindness and encouragement. The ones about my son, Beau, made me cry. He is physically disabled and had to leave college in Orlando, Florida, (where he was pursuing a degree in Recording Arts at Full Sail) to come home and is now being assessed and treated at UVA Hospital. He and his younger brother Steve, who is married to a soldier currently deployed in Iraq and living in Texas, are my greatest joy in life. I was born a dreamer and a free spirit who, due to the circumstances I was born into, became very serious, practical, jaded, hyper vigilant and a parent to my Mom and two younger brothers. By the time I was a young woman, the dreamer had been pushed so deep down inside of me that I didn't know she was still there. During some of my darkest days of adulthood through the support, encouragement and inspiration of this awesome community of creative and loving people, she has reemerged and I feel whole for the first time in my life. I have new dreams to replace the shattered dreams, the long forgotten dreams and the dreams that no longer fit the person I am becoming. Now I must return to the party even though I am late.

Have a great weekend creating, exploring, learning, pondering, strolling, gardening...

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Why I love Blogging

2009-05-01T12:32:00.003-04:00

Blogging has changed me and the way I live my life. About five years ago many life changing events were all happening in my life at the same time. We had to move away from my career, family, friends and the area where I grew up and move to a small rural community in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I found myself in an empty nest, far from home, without even the remote possibility of finding a job and not one friend close by. One night I was surfing the internet and came across an ad for a year long scrap booking class taught online by Heidi Swapp through BPS. I felt I couldn't justify the cost since I was unemployed. The theme was "creating a life I love" which kept drawing me back to the advertisement. My husband gave me that class as a gift for Christmas that year and it is a gift that has opened up a whole new world for me. I have gone from lurking outside with my nose pressed against the glass to being invited in and welcomed by a community of extremely creative, supportive, encouraging, generous women I could ever have dreamed of meeting. How extraordinary that rather than keeping a great recipe, artistic technique or ability to one's self, especially in this economy, everyone is more than happy to help each other. Blogging has reignited long ago passions of writing,scrapbooking, photography, cake decorating, making handmade cards, calligraphy, crocheting as well as using my creativity to make my corner of the world a more beautiful place. I look forward to some day meeting the lovely women who take time out of their lives to stop by my blog leaving comments of praise and encouragement.

ETA: This is a new blog and my very talented and loving son, Beau, stayed up last night until 4 a.m. to whip out this beautiful new banner and background for me after coming home late to find me sad that my little blog didn't have anything pretty to wear for the party. Not only was this a beautiful gift for me, but the opportunity to watch him create after showing him a piece of patterned paper and to show him the "feel" I wanted was priceless. We laughed so hard remembering the times he came to me on a Sunday night after the stores had closed to tell me that he had a big project due the next day and needed poster board and such. I fell asleep writing my post and woke up to find that I was late to the party. Please forgive my breach ofetiquette. Thank you Beau for such a last minute labor of love. If you could do this from scratch in less than two hours, imagine what you can do. I love you to the moon and back!

Please leave me a comment of some feedback on what I can do to improve my blog since it is new and I am so excited about this new adventure.

Enjoy the party!

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Cupid's Charm is Having a Blogging Party Tomorrow and You're All Invited

2009-04-30T20:46:00.006-04:00

I am so excited. This morning I was visiting Greetings from Geralyn to catch up on all of the wonderful things she has been creating and participating in this month. I found out that Joy of Cupid's Charm is having a blogging party tomorrow to celebrate being featured in Artful Blogging magazine published by Stampinton & Co. which will be hitting the newsstands tomorrow. I've never been to a blog party and I don't have anything nice to wear. I will have to work on that later. Stop by her blog and read all about hit by clicking the link in this post or the button on my side bar. She was very gracious as to let me attend at the last minute. I just love parties, don't you? I hope you can make it, I really look forward to seeing you and meeting some new people. Well, I better go now as I have so much to do before the party.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Gypsy Mermaid Life is Having a Studio Sale - Be Sure to Check it Out!

2009-04-30T12:14:00.007-04:00

Please stop by Gypsy Mermaid Life for all of the details about her studio sale on May 4th starting at 9 a.m. She is raising funds to replace the furniture lost in the flood. So many yummy supplies and all for a great cause. I will be going into surgery that morning so maybe Mark will be able to get online with my laptop and buy me a prize while he's in the waiting area (; ) wink!) I found her lovely blog while leaving a comment for Geralyn. I just love creative women, blogging and how the internet has bridged the distances and made the world a smaller place in which to meet kindred spirits. I've found the blogsphere to be filled with such generous and loving creative women, so be sure to show her some love.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

In The Waiting Place

2009-04-28T21:51:00.007-04:00

This is my newest card. I started designing it before I became so ill and it's not quite finished. I'm loving Stampin' Up's Crystal Effects on the flower and leaves. It's the first time I have used it. I also love the color combination of tangerine and moss. It's still missing something, but I'm not sure what just yet. This one is the first in a set I have envisioned inspired by exotic Eastern influence of vibrant colors (such as tangerine, saffron, red, brown, deep pink) and patterns showing up in fashion, home decor and graphic design this spring.

On Monday after I left my appointment at the pre-surgery center, I was feeling better than I have in since the intermitant nausea and pain moved in permanently and has left me pretty much in bed on phenergan and pain medication waiting for surgery. The risk factors for the surgery were making me feel anxious so instead of going home, I decided to take a coupon I had in my purse and head to Michael's. After wandering around overwhelmed by my ADD and all of the creative projects I've been to sick to begin for probably 3 hours (no exaggeration), I ended up making a purchase of all clearance and sale items with a coupon for 20% off my total. I'm really happy with my little bag of goodies and look forward to feeling well enough to begin creating pretty tags, cards, gifts and a couple of home decor items. For now, I am in the waiting place...living in the moment. I feel very connected to life, nature and all of humanity.

A new card design for my heart collection. Another unfinished project, but who's counting? So many projects to complete and others to begin after my surgery. I'm in the process of locating supplies to crochet a vintage pattern belonging to My great-grandmother. The company who made the pattern book and sold the supplies back in 1940 is no longer in business and I sent an email to Coates & Clark inquiring if any of their crochet cotton could be used as a substitute for Royal Society Royal Perle' No. 8. I haven't received a reply yet. If you happen to know the answer, I'd be very grateful as this Sunday Best dress was a family heirloom that hasn't been created since my great-grandmother passed away approximately 31 years ago.

Happily returning to a kinder more gentle time of Sunday dinners, Family reunions, Handmade family heirlooms, and the womanly arts that my grandmothers cherished.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Family Heirlooms

2009-04-21T12:10:00.006-04:00

My maternal great-grandmother was an amazing woman. She died when I was about twelve, but even then I realized how special which is why I was such a pest. We lived in a garden apartment complex managed by the Realty company owned by my grandfather and his brother. My great-grandmother's name was Bertha Helene Coffey and she was married to my great-grandfather, Noel Boyd Coffey for 60+ years when he passed away. At the time of his death they lived in an apartment two buildings down. I spent so much time with her after his death that sometimes I had to be chased home. Even in her eighties she was very strong and sharp-minded. I wasn't afraid of much when I was very young, but I was afraid of having to go pick a switch when I was sassy (who knew the stung more than the fat ones?) and I loved her fiercely. Most days she sat in her chair watching her "stories" and crocheting with me at her feet. She'd give me a ball of yarn, a crochet hook and have me practice making a chain stitch for hours to keep me from bouncing off of the walls. I didn't want to use yarn, I wanted to use the "string" she used and I would grow impatient making long chain stitches for her to inspect, pull out and start me all over again. The other stitches followed after she broke me of my habit of making the stitches too tight to fit the needle back into for the next row. She made the most beautiful beadspreads, baby clothing and doiles by heart or so it seemed to me. My great-aunt shared some of Grandma Coffey's patterns with me recently and I am so grateful to her for such an awesome gift. The package arrived this week and when I saw a well-work booklet with the dress she made for the baby girls born into the family, I cried. I am putting in an order for some crochet hooks and balls of mercerized crochet cotton. I look forward to carrying on the tradition.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Gracious Living Tips

2009-04-08T04:56:00.009-04:00

Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard changed my life and the way I view all of the everyday details that add to the quality of your life in a big way. I found it in a country gift basket store in the next town about 17 years ago. I was a young mother with one son in preschool and the other in the first grade. We had just moved to the country and hadn't even bought our first home. This book taught me that I didn't have to wait until we had a lot of money to buy everything I dreamed we needed to make our home beautiful and cozy. It gave me a million small details to make anyplace we lived our home and begin appreciating the small details that in her words "add elegance, order, beauty and joy to every day of your life." Some of my favorite back then were:

Make your own quotation book. I now have notebooks filled with my favorite quotes.

Creating an inspirational file with magazine clippings of visual beauty and ideas that inspire me (home decor, gardening, fashion, colors, fabric, furniture, craft projects and such).

Keeping a daily journal.

Keeping a small dictionary beside my bed with my books to stop and look up any words I come across right then.

Eating fruits and vegetables when they were in season rather than buying those mushy flavorless tomatoes at the grocery store in the winter.

We will be traveling to Alexandria, Virginia where I grew up and Baltimore, Maryland where my husband grew up over this Easter weekend. I am trying to get things ready so I can leave some time tomorrow because I NEED to visit Paper Source and a few other places for supplies. Beau is bringing the camera so we can take some photos.

Today I am working on a few projects around the house and making a few things for the shop. I decided to try a one month free trial with Stamps.com. The free offer came with $5 free postage and a free scale. The medications I received at the emergency room for the pain and nausea from my gallbladder make me too sleepy to really do much of anything so I've been trying to tough it out when I am able so I can finally put som items in the shop. Hopefully when I see the surgeon on the 22nd of this month he will schedule my surgery immediately.

Hopefully it is sunny and warmer where you are today,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

In Progress

2009-04-02T03:51:00.013-04:00

Today I played all day trying to organize all of my supplies and making cards and tags. I am inspired by fashion, websites, magazines, catalogs, fabric, advertisements, calligraphy, stamps, things in my every day life. I've found that I have a surplus of supplies that I would like to sell through my etsy shop if I can ever get it open. I am trying to get things ready for my surgery so that when I come home I will finally be able to have my Grand Opening. I am so excited.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Getting Ready for Spring Opening

2009-03-31T13:08:00.010-04:00

I have been taking photos of the supplies I will have for sale. Hopefully the photos will show well and I will get better at taking the photos with practice. I don't know why, but the shipping costs are confusing me. I'm going to the post office today for some help figuring it all out as it applies to my items.

I am putting the finishing touches on my cards and notecards today and taking the photos while I still have some natural light. I am very excited to finally be listing my first items. I signed up so long ago and never thought it would take me this long to be able to actually open my shop. I love etsy and the handmade life. I have always enjoyed receiving a gift that was handmade and handmade cards are works of art that I can't bear to put away. I have inspirational bulletin boards and special boxes that hold cards and letters tied with a ribbon.

I made my teenage neice a sweet 6x6 mini album and now I am working on a baby girl album as my neice had twin daughters so I know she would love to have a handmade album for their Spring photos.

Thanks for stopping by my new blog and as soon as I have finished listing the items this evening, I will add a link to my new etsy store.

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Bandboxes and Handmade Gifts

2009-03-28T22:32:00.011-04:00

I am very sentimental about this handmade box. Mark and I moved our family from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains when Beau was halfway through the first grade and Steve was in pre-school. That was approximately 18 years ago. When we first arrived here we were financially challenged and I never thought that I would some day look back on those days fondly, but I do. We rented the upstairs of an old Victorian house and didn't have a telephone. Buying a magazine was a huge splurge yet my husband bought me Victoria magazine every month because he knew that magazine made me happy and inspired me to be creative. I remember reading an article about a woman who loved the old bandboxes that women had once used to store their hats and treasures. She began buying chipboard boxes and covering them with vintage wallpaper she aquired in the mid-west that had been found in attics and even barn lofts. I thought they were so pretty and my sister bought me a pretty one from a gift shop and I stored my touchstones in it. We had a large extended family and friends to buy for during the holidays so I decided to buy some boxes, pretty wallpaper in the discount bin and adhesive and make my own. Mark helped me with the paper engineering because I was a perfectionist and I was putting my heart into them. He began helping me make them and I decided to add satin ribbon to each one to tie the lid on and for decorative purposes. We didn't own a camera then so I didn't take photos of them. My best friend had this one sitting on a shelf in her office and I borrowed it so I could take a photo and remember how we made them.

I also made some that I painted in rich jewel tones and embellished with a stencil and gold stencil paint creme. I chose boxes of all sizes that were round, oval and a few heart shaped too. This one I have kept treasures in for 18 years and whenever I'm feeling blue, I open it up and stroll through my memories. If anyone knows where I might find the plain boxes for a good price, I would really appreciate a tip. I bought these at Michael's Craft store, but the one near us doesn't sell these plain boxes anymore.

I've been playing with my art supplies and experimenting with different techniques for cards and tags and having fun. Sometimes I forget that is the point. I allow myself to get overwhelmed by my goals and some setbacks due to health issues. My son Beau has been working on his art and music and inspired me to get in the middle of it all and put my feelings into creating things that make me happy. My son Steve told me that it wasn't too late to make my dreams come true before he left home to make his own dreams come true. I have really been inspired lately by many of the very talented artists, writers, poets and photographers I've found through my favorite blogs. I am compiling a list so I can add them to this blog to share with you.

Happy crafting,

xo dragonflydreamer xo

Ten Truths to Transform Your Life

2009-03-21T01:19:00.005-04:00

Gratitude is the most transformative force in the cosmos, because gratitude is love. Sarah says, "When our hearts are broken, we don't think we have much to be thankful for. We don't have to be smiling when we say "Thank You."
Your happiness increases the happiness of everyone who knows you. "We have so much. All we have is all we need. All we need is the awareness of how blessed we really are."
Whether we live passionately or not is a choice we make. When writers write, the most important emotion is conveyed between the lines. "I want to live in between the lines, where the depth is."
Those who live passionately teach us how to love. Those who live passionately teach us how to live.
Big changes come with small choices. "Little changes [and] little choices add up to be revolutionary changes in your life."
The more risks you take, the luckier you become.
Nothing hurts you more than your expectaions. "If you trust life and learn to embrace it and try not to control everything, then life can be more wondrous than you thought it would be."
Our relationships with others are only as emotionally healthy, happy, holy and content as our relationships with ourselves.
The only wound your soul never recovers from is regret. "What I know for sure is that we don't have the luxury of regret any more. The past only asks to be remembered."
Cherish each morning and give thanks for each evening. "I think the greatest gift September 11th can give us would be that we learn to cherish our imperfect lives."

This is something I printed and taped into my journal. I know that it is by Sarah Ban Breathnach, but I don't know where I found it. Maybe on Oprah's website. I will try to find out to give proper credit.

Artfully Yours,

dragonflydreamer

Under Construction, Please Pardon My Mess

2009-03-17T18:06:00.007-04:00

This blog is under construction, please check back soon. Thank you.

Artfully Yours,

dragonflydreamer