ggsimplyme

I am back again.........

My day job takes me away from here much too long........alas, I went to the Anacortes Art & Craft Festival today with  Sue (http://www.earthtonestudios.typepad.com) and her husband Bill, we had a great time even in the pouring rain!  Wonderful artisans with some incredible creations.  My very favorite was Riki Schumacher of Riki Jewelry.  Really nice gal wilh a very creative spirit, and a fabulous display of her goods.  See her other pieces at www.rikijewelry.com

We were so wet it was no different than being in a shower with your clothes on. Then there was the Fidalgo cookie from Gere-A-Deli's ......oh my!!

Back

Ok, so I have been gone awhile, busy with that "day" job and life in general.  Went home for a couple of weeks in October to visit family and friends and attend my graduating HS class 45th reunion.  Fun time all in all.

We are 63 years old and feel like 17. oh vey!  So good to see everyone!!

lip stuff

Yep :) that is was it is called and what it is.  My formulated lip balm I have been selling for about a year. The base is extra virgin olive oil infused with 4 healing herbs and a bit of beeswax (only 6 ingredients and you can pronounce them all).  All organic,  no scents. $4 per tube.  Soon to be on my etsy shop.  Contact me if you'd like to order some. It is great stuff!  Sooths, promotes healing, stays on.  Use alone or as a lip gloss.  It is for men, women and the kids.

Next up

Working right now but leaving for LV  mid Oct. to attend graduating HS  WHS 45th reunion and spend time with family and friends, so needed!!! 
I have some scheduled art journal & ribbonwork teaching classes for the balance of 2009 NV and 2010 - FL & ID so fun!

Cancer

OK, so, so much has happened over this summer.  Yes, the big bad breast cancer, oh vey! Done, over, all gone, that's all I have to say. But I do hate the color pink! Sorry I have a soap box about breast cancer.

LP 45th reunion

Aug. 12-18, 09. Oh what a week!! So fun reconnecting with old classmates from 8th,9th,& 10th grade. What a special time in our lives it was and how profound the bounds of friendship had become. I hadn't seen these folks for 35/45 yrs years and it was like yesterday when we met anew.  Lewiston is a pristine little village very well preserved by the locals.   Memories flowed from every direction.
Niagara Falls is still an incredible wonder to me and Lake Ontario's still beauty off the lawn of Old Fort Niagara was wonderful to behold.  The high school has changed but still there. Even the home my family lived in was still there.  Ruth & David live on Grand Island in the same house of 38yrs. What precious people they are and it was so fun to stay  in their home.  Ann & Merrill were up from NC and stayed there too. So good to be able to spend this special time with them.  The evening get togethers were great figuring out who was who after all this time.  Many had changed but the little sparkle in eyes or familiar expressions made it possible to know who they were.  Good food and drinks abound.  Kathy M, and her husband Jim D (the pole dancer) were a hoot.  Sharon & Dave F from Lewiston, Cindy F up from FL, Marcia R from Atlanta, & Pam L & her "sex life" ,man. Cindy P, Sue H, Ronnie N, Stevie, Diane & Maurie from Denver and oh so many more.  What a time we had!! Dancing at the Waterfront Saturday night was great, Merrill & I thought Annie would launch at any time (she was really hot).  Then a slow dance with Doug W......... hello!
Brunch at Ruth & David's on Sunday was delicious in every way with catered food by neighbor John and everyone coming and going as their schedules to leave NY allowed them.  The muggy weather sent some of us into the pool to refresh several times.  Many have returned to Lewiston to retire and I believe many more are considering the possibility of such a move.  Dave F and Ruth are already planning the 50th! Wowsers!! Can you say Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons!!

Oh My!!

I visited an absolutely fabulous store this week called Maxine's Floral & Gifts on Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle.  What a wonderfully talented lady, the shelves were full of some of the greatest eye candy I've seen one place.  I went back twice the same day.  This is a must see place!




Don't miss it!

Ribbons

I have been digging through my 30 year collection of vintage & new ribbon, trims, beads & embellishments to prepare for the Idaho Falls workshop.  What fun! I haven't looked at most of these things in years.  I prepared a display board for Tonia which I need to get in the mail today so she can use it for class sign-ups.
The display is about 12x14 so I could easily mail it in a flat priority mail box. It is one of those things you need to see and touch.  A photo just doesn't do Victorian ribbon-work justice. It has been great revisiting this old love of mine and preparing for the new workshop.  The 3 classes will involve dying ribbon, making flowers. leaves, stamen and beading leaves and other embellishments.

Good friend

You must visit my good friend Melissa Sabin's new blog, http://redtape.typepad.com/red-tape/, great eye candy, ideas and thoughts.

Spring again

I guess it is time to update, only been a year :).  Spring is here or at least the daffodils think so, even if it is cold and rainy.
My flowerbeds are full of them.  Rhubarb and peonies also coming up and all the fruit trees are budding.

I am hoping to be heading to Idaho Falls, ID in May to the Stillwater Mansion Tea Room to teach a week of workshops in altered books and Victorian ribbonwork (my ultimate corsage class). My dear  friend Tonia Burgess (the proprietress of the mansion) whom I hadn't heard from in years called me out of the blue to see if I was still teaching. She had taken the ribbonwork classes from me some twenty years ago.  So very glad to hear from her.  I am so looking forward to these workshops, time away, change of scenery and a wonderful visit with my friend.