Harvest of Life, Art and the Season

Happy Fall & Happpy Halloween.

It is a beautiful Autumn day.  Here is a couple of pictures up at my brother's Estill county farm. 

I have so much to tell you all.  My friends and I have had a busy season,  Had a great time helping and crafting at the Craft Camp in beautiful Jabez KY.  It is was cool and rainy but my friends made it a warm and fun time.  Here is a couple of the pictures of the project that I got to help my friend Pam taught (the Ghost gourd on the table) and my Homemakers group (Rowdy Golden Girls) having a great time on the porch.  

There are 2 reasons that I enjoy participating in

workshops. 

1.  The artist sharing their skills see a craft from different perspective and get you an opportunity to

use products prior to the investment and to see first hand results.  And 2.  It is a great way to be with current friends and make new friends that have the same interests as yourself.  
It was a wonderful weekend with the girls. 

Here are a few gourds that I have transformed

in the last few weeks. 

Did the jeweled gourd at the craft camp. 
 Angie Kilby (in the top) was the instructor
of this craft.  It gave me a chance to try a couple
of different alcohol inks and see how they differed.  
Angie had 2 types of alcohol inks available. 
One was "GourdMaster" available thru
http://www.wellborngourdfarm.com/ and
the other was "Adirondack" from Michael's. 
 I actually liked the more translucent
one on the gourd so that you can still see the
design of the gourd skin. This was the

"Adirondack"    I also used the alcohol

inks in this leaf bowl from a giant box gourd. 

 

My sunflower girl was quite a learning experience.
 I saw a painted  canvas doll made similar to it and
decided to try to make one using all gourds.   Her face is molded, and I used some Qwik wood to reinforce the petals, but I managed to keep of her
all gourd.  I am pretty proud of her.  I am trying to learn to sculpt faces to fit my gourds but so far they don't look too good. 

I am not too sure if any have read many blogs in the past few weeks.  I really haven't paid much attention this summer.  I am sure that my reading will pickup as the weather get cooler.   I have booked marked a few so that I can go to them when I have the time. 

One new blog site that I have found very interesting is kentuckynativeplantandwildlife.blogspot.com.  I have been trying to creat a native plant garden for several years.  But my gardening skills suck.  I do not have a green thumb unless  I dip it in green paint.   But I keep on trying.  I am very good a growing native weeds. Which are just plants in the wrong location.   My gardent looks great at this moment as it is mostly covered with the autumn leaves. 

  I finished the floor cloth for my son's room.  I could have put more color on it, but I decided to keep it simple with the two tones of gray and a few highlights.    

I am still working on the bar,  completed the new wall on the back of the cabinets to provide additional support to old the old reclaimed wood that will be the bar.  I never new that using a belt sander was so good

for building up biceps.  My arms and shoulders got so tired ;-)  Belt sanding old rough cut wood is alot more time consuming that I expected.    Even though my husband warning me.  I has been rumored that I am alittle hard headed. 

The days are getting shorter and I always need more time.  We have Christmas holidays to being to prepare for.  I am in the process and doing so and hope that everyone will give their friends and loved one something created with their hearts and hands.  These are the best gifts, filled with love.    Keep this in mind as we pass thru the next few weeks.