new mushroom!

I decided to branch out a bit and try some new mushroom shapes. This little guy appeared.
And I found this little heart shaped item on my beach walk the other day...I think it is some kind of seaweed...very small...only about an inch tall...

Home as a work of art....

As you may know by now, I love poking around my friends homes and seeing all the fun art they have collected over the years. My friend Diana, has created a home that is itself a work of art.
She and her husband, Tom designed and helped build their adobe home in the hills behind Santa Barbara a with a view of the ocean. Every inviting nook is filled with some kind of wonderful folk art collected on their travels....textiles, ceramics, tiles, paintings, sculptures....and more.
Diana carved and painted the wooden beams and doors and is still designing tiles for one of the bathrooms. Each time I visit I can't wait to see what they have done....and it is almost finished, but not quite.
We had a fun potluck dinner and get together on Friday. Four of us girls have known each other from our days growing up in South Pasadena and three more from Santa Barbara for 30 years ago or more! We had fun laughing and visiting and dining on all the fresh delicious dishes that everyone brought. Enjoy the art.....
Fun painting in the living room
Wonderful textile art clothing.....
Mexican folk art from a recent trip
another large ceramic piece from Mexico
Love these colorful doggies...
A mermaid feast....I've never seen so many mermaids in one piece before!
This looks like an Adam and Eve mermaid couple, complete with octopi!
A fun painting from a local friend...sorry about the flash...
A cozy nook in the dining area near the kitchen...
And Diana's kitchen...she did the tile above the stove herself.
Here we are...the South Pas. girls...Diana, Marsha, Debbie and me.
Here's my quiche...can you see the little heart shaped red peppers that were supposed to stay on the top? It went well with Welmoet's enchiladas and the salads too.
A fun evening...I didn't leave until 11pm!

Flowerbox and Mr. Pumpkin...

I keep working away on the Flowerbox rug. I have one more house to hook and lots of dark background. I will need to keep this rug...it has taken many hours just to get this far! And I think it will look great on our white walls somewhere.

And last night I got started on one of the pumpkins.

This morning I managed to make two fresh corn, green chili, cheese and onion quiches for a pot luck tonight, a get together with friends from So. Pasadena and here in Santa Barbara. This has been a very social summer so far! (and I love it!)
And yesterday I got in a beach day by myself...even caught a few waves. We have record breaking heat here right now, so the beach is the best place to be!

Drawing pumpkins

Got these two little "house charms" finished up. I hooked these two out of yarn a while back and just now put them on a felt backing and added a little wool loop on top for hanging.
And drew up some pumpkins to hook for "Muse".....


and here is Henry asleep...having cat dreams....

Bird for Annie

This party bird will fly off to Annie soon. I'm working on some more mushrooms, drawing patterns for rug hooking and getting ready for the first week of school....I am going to miss sleeping in....

A few trip photos....

Our first stop on our trip north was for lunch in Berkeley-Fourth Street- where one of the most magical shops in the world also exists- "Castle in the Air". Right next door is Bette's Oceanview Diner with delicious specials that pleased everyone in the family. We did have to wait 30 minutes t0 get in, but that just gave me more time inside the "Castle"...and who was there but Ulla and Shari, two wonderful artists and teachers and one of those magical moments that makes you feel like all is right with the universe! Had to take a few shots inside so you can see why I LOVE this place. They have workshops every weekend- and if you are ever in the area-this is a "must" visit. Also down the street is a shop featuring fabric from Japan and also a store with handmade Japanese paper and a Paper Source store, Anthropologie and more....shopper's paradise!
A whole shelf of the really good kind of crepe paper-lots of colors....on their website too.

Lots of mushrooms!
Samples for classes...
amazing minatures...gnomes, forests, tiny houses...



Me, Ulla and Shari, who I met at Artfiberfest with her friend, Caron, a wonderful needle felter.
On Fourth St.- Bette's diner- good food! there are lots of other good places to eat, too, but I knew my boys would like this one.
Rolls of Japanese fabric-hard to find......

On to Portland, where we had two wedding celebrations, one casual and one at the Hotel Monaco with cocktails and cupcakes, lots of fun. We took a quick visit to Powell's bookstore after the party and browsed and bought a few books and journals.
In Portland, we had to visit VooDoo doughnuts! It was Friday night and very busy with a line out the door! Our parking cost more than the doughnuts....but glad I finally got to try some of their famous treats.

On the way back home we stopped in Sutherlin, Oregon for ice blended mochas at the Dutch Bros. drive-thru. Had to take a shot of the freshly painted mushrooms at the gift shop. I think this one by the mailbox is new....

this one is for Pam! Couldn't resist taking some photos of this shop in Williams, CA. I even went inside this time and they had some fun vintage items and antiques. The owner's name is Pam Garrison- Yep! just like our friend, Pam in So. Calif! And there was a great antique quilt in the front window and cute tea kettles in another window. We had our breakfast across the street at Granzella's, a great place to stop on the I-5 route.




And at the end of our trip we made a quick stop in Calistoga for a little soak in the hot springs and dinner at Checkers.
I made a special visit to the wonderful shop in St. Helena, called "Muse" where the sweet owner, Michelle picked out some mushrooms and hooked birds, a cat, an owl and a pumpkin for her shop, plus an order for more things for Fall. So fun to be in her beautiful shop in the Napa Valley. I'll have to take pictures on my next trip up.



This was a cool stained glass weather vane atop a church building in Calistoga.

We got in a short but fun visit with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin in San Mateo which is always heart warming and my cousin, Laurie let me borrow the doll house that our grandfather made for her when she was a little girl.

Now, back to getting things together for the start of school on Monday....and finishing up some birds to send out( Hi Annie!) and lots of other catching up to do.