A Storm Came Through

© Jenny Baio, personal photo

We have been waiting and waiting for the temperatures to drop.

Thursday evening a rainstorm came through!

On Friday, it was impossible to keep my eyes off the sky.  CLOUDS!

I made sure my camera was with me at all times.

© Jenny Baio, personal photo

Alas, today the storm has traveled on, taking all the clouds with it.  There is nothing left...except a warm, very low sun excellent for taking a shadow picture.

Brussels Sprouts

personal photograph © jbaio

It amuses me to no end: the way brussels sprouts grow.

Scary Santa

I'm always up for a good, scary Santa face.
These photos were taken Wednesday evening at Goodwill.
But, I left these three "jolly" guys there!

Meet The Gang

Meet the gang!  This is how I played this past weekend.

I found PaperClay.  It has been difficult to find in stores.
But my local, mom-n-pop paper craft store carries it!  Yahoo!
PaperClay is light and easy to use, and it air dries.

Happy December!

I enjoyed an afternoon of paper chain making.

"Smiling's my favorite."

I just like to smile.  Smiling's my favorite.  -Buddy, the Elf

Joy and Sorrow Are Friends

I have always tried to separate joy and sorrow, as if you can only feel one as soon as the other has ushered out.  And don't even think of feeling the other way again until you have cleaned up and swept out every emotional crumb of the current emotion.

Exhausting.

I have decided to let them hold hands.
It's a bit heavy at the moment, but it is much more peaceful.

*My sunrise photo from a week ago.

Love...

...love.

Yellow Rain Coat

let us have no regrets, my friend
we are here again
that is good

Birthday!

Today is my birthday!

I had a wonderful morning with my husband.  I took these photos on our outing.
I have new yarn, too!
It's a good day.

Swim

she loved a good swim every now and again

Long Time Sun

More Sunshine...With A Heavy Brow

This sun is looking a bit more eyebrow-ish.
I can't explain why but I suddenly can't draw my faces the way I have for many, many years.
So rather than resist it, I am trying to find my way.
And for some other unexplained reason, I can't stop cross-hatching.
Again...I will just go with it.

Sunshine Day

CHIRP!

Unsure

he was a wee bit unsure if plaid was the best choice...

Saturday Night

Saturday night.  Home with husband. Creating. Heaven!

I constructed this with an empty Cheez-it box, a used dryer sheet and art supplies.
Fun FUN!

New Friend

he decided they would be friends

Shelf Of Little Things

Growing up, my mom always had a shelf of little things.
Using a type set drawer hung on the wall, my mom would fill the compartments with various treasures and trinkets.

As a young adult, I bought my own drawer and followed suit.
Originally, my drawer was natural wood.  In my mid 20's, I painted it orange.  In my 30's, it was chocolate brown.  Now in my 40's it finally occurred to me it didn't have to be a solid color.

Using only the paints I had (which was a mix of $.99 craft paint to lovely Golden liquid acrylic) I went for it.  I love it so much, I shan't be filling it back up with little things...for now.

Just in case you aren't familiar with a type set draw, they were used back in the olden days before computers, before typewriters.  The thin, flat drawers held all the type set used in printing.
Or check this ETSY listing.

Jumping For Joy

Today I begin an e-course presented by Kelly Rae Roberts.
I WON one of 16 generously donated spots to the e-course.

I won!
I won!

JOY!!!

But where...

...would they live?

Forgotten

I found this little watercolor journal I had forgotten about. So happy to find it.

Have a good day!

Monsoon Season

The plus side of monsoon season: amazing clouds!
I took this right outside my front door.

Prayers

Please pray for THIS LITTLE GUY.

New Lampshade

It was time for a lampshade redo!

The idea came from Joann Fabric, from their Free Idea cards.
Their sample was in neutrals.  But I knew it was open for doing it "my way." :)

I did buy two new packages of bias tape.  Other than that, I used what I had.
Egads!  I even USED some of my vintage bias tape.  No more saving!

The directions called for adding buttons.  I'm not opposed to the idea, but I love wool flowers!  It wasn't hard to decide to use the ones I had made last summer.

Oh, and yes...I even knit a green cozy for the post of the lamp.

Flowers

If you haven't tried Ribbet.com for photo editing, you must!

I created this with photos courtesy of my co-worker's husband.
© Joe Farhety

For Viv

For Viv...or anyone who has lost a child/grandchild.

A woman at my church just lost her 11 year old grandson on Friday.  He was hit by a car.

We grieve with...

With You

I follow this blog: Viv On A Whim.

Viv is struggling with the very recent death of her grandson, Jacob: only 15 days old.

It makes my heart break.
I, and many other followers, left our messages of love and sorrow, prayers and condolences.

But one...one comment caught my attention.
"I am sad with you right now."
With you...

I find this painfully beautiful!

It gives me a sense of closeness, support and community.

Jacob's death makes me very sad.
But I only had thought of how it makes me sad...or I am sad for Viv and her family...or I am sad because of...

I feel compassion and sadness, but I hold it separate.  How could I truly be included in Viv's pain unless I too know what it's like to lose a baby? It is almost as if I feel my pain but I would never try to hold it up to someone who has greater pain.  My pain isn't worthy.

I am sad with you.
That makes all the difference!
It is valid.  It is held...deeply...together...

Sad.
Happy.
Joyous.
Heartbroken.
Anger.
I can be all of these things WITH you.
I don't have to be them alone.
And neither do you.

Purse Makeover

A few months ago I bought a purse on clearance: $11.
Monday night I decided it needed something different.
Voila: painted and embellished with a simple circular weaving!
And...the best part...I used what I had!  No money invested!

Another Reminder

breathe
slow down

Moving Sanity

the tiny ache

the tiny pain

sometimes 

somehow

becomes 

the tiny joy

Working on this drawing during my recent move kept my sanity.

Not Original, But FUN

Remember my trash can?  (CLICK HERE.)
It was created out of the desire to use what I had, and NOT run to the store to buy...buy...buy!!

Just last night I was ready to go buy a small wall mirror that I need for the bathroom.
I was on my way when a craft fairy came and smacked me on the forehead.

Gluing buttons on something is not a revolutionary idea. But I was able to use a hand mirror I already had and encrust it with vintage buttons I was 'saving' in a drawer.

I played again!

Sing It With Me!

this little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine...  (repeat 2 more times)

let it shine

let it shine

let it shine

Ready For The Day

He knew he was ready for a grand day on the high seas!

The Heart Wants Love

"But my heart does not want the answer.

What my heart wants is LOVE..."  -Karly Randolph Pitman

I love these words.
They come from the author, Karly Randolph Pitman from First Ourselves.