Indulge Your Shelf

I fell in love with Viola's mixed media art when I found her blog through One World, One Heart this past January. (She has a second blog, too: Shabby Chic Inspired , for mixed media home furnishings, which I love equally as much.) Several weeks ago Viola posted this beautiful piece on her blog, and I decided to buy it for myself: my own graduation gift to me . The quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "The years teach much which the days never knew." I found the quote so inspiring because of my upcoming graduation. Going to college as a mature adult was, for me, as much about discovering what I already knew as it was about what I was newly learning. The wall hanging is about 9" x 6" and has been created with layer upon layer of gorgeous antique fabrics, trims, buttons, paper, and of course the antique photo and the quote on fabric. It's all sewn down and stitched intricately, to perfection. I am just in awe of her talent! Viola doesn't have a shop, bu...

I just know I'm going to get flak from folks over choosing Rod Stewart as my inspirational Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for the Pop Culture Craft Challenge ! But, I'm used to it. When I was a tween and teen my father would groan out loud at the mere mention of Rod's name. If Rod came onto the television in his presence, my dad would cringe and cuss and fuss! It was all that stick-up hair and the eye makeup - not to mention the tight pants. (My father could have been the inspiration for the song, " Money for Nothing " by Dire Straits...but that's another story.) I was a fan not of his pop music, but of Rod's oldies -- songs from the time he spent with the Faces and Jeff Beck, and from his early days with Ron Wood (who I always thought looked like a negative image of Rod - same face, but dark hair.) I had all of his old albums. I loved him for songs like this: Other favorites of his ballads are "Reason to Believe" and ...