Thursday, November 15, 2012

A time for friends

I've been spending a lot of time lately with friends.

It's pretty obvious because you can see I'm out and about.  See here for the post where I made these and 16 more signs, as well as a storage holder.


Here's a better look at this sign when I scanned it.


I was out and about with my friend Kathy, who was kicking up her heels after her back surgery.  Actually, she was showing off her very glitzy moccasins. She's a true shop-a-holic and picked them up the day before she visited me.


I had to laugh at the sign above our booth.


We always touch the stone outside the restaurant we ate at for good luck.  I was going to need luck if I wanted to keep up with Kathy.  She LOVES to shop!!


So it was off to Old Town, a renovated area downtown.


Then Kathy and I were off to shop till we dropped.


Kathy was hurrying, so she would have more time to shop.  Our destination was a local scrapbook/altered art shop.  It features names like Graphic 45 paper, Tim Holtz idea-ology items, and artwork supplies like pan pastels.


I couldn't believe it.  This is the first time someone hasn't had to look down on me (after all, I'm only 4'11'' tall).


I took NO photos of us shopping, but here is the one thing I purchased. 



Those of you familiar with my blog, know the macro focus (the little tulip) doesn't work on this very old camera, so I'm not sure you can see what I paid for this sheet of 12 X 12 scrapbook paper.  The price is $1.50 US dollars.  It is the one impulse buy that was not on sale, and the first thing I've purchased that I didn't absolutely need (unless it was on clearance or from a thrift store) this year.  And yet, I don't see a lot of my supplies being depleted.  In fact, I seem to be getting more and more goodies, as I will show next.

But first, I want to explain why I felt I got such a great deal with this purchase.  When Kathy showed it to me, I immediately thought of stencils.  Always looking for an inexpensive alternative to the higher priced piece, I knew I could afford this stencil.  The owner of the store, Joanie was teaching a class that day, and the gal who waited on me must have worked on commission.  She asked what I was going to do with it, and I told her honestly that I was going to use it as a stencil.  That was when she tried to steer me to the "real" stencils, the cheapest of which was a 6" X 6" and was marked $8.95.  The largest size they had, 8.5" X 11", was $14.95.  Let's see, $15 dollars versus less than $2 dollars?  Which do you think this gal was going to choose?  That's when she stopped following me around and found a real sucker in Kathy!!


That takes us to last Friday when I visited my friend Scott.  It was a glorious day, albeit very, very windy.  One of his displays, initially set up for Halloween and recently turned into a Thanksgiving display fell over from the wind as we sat on his front porch and watched.  It was like living in slow motion. 


Scott and I were both out of our seats as soon as the structure hit the ground.  I had contemplated taking a photo of the piece just prior to it falling.  Scott found his drill, while I took out my camera.  It's not often I get photos of Scott in a still position, but the only thing moving in these photos was the drill.


Scott gets in the weirdest positions when he works, and


he was on a mission to get this structure away from the parachute.  You can tell how windy it was from his hair.


It was about that time I offered to help.  I thought he might need it.


Next, he and I removed the laces holding the parachute to the structure.  When all of the forms had been moved, he and I packed the parachute.  He showed me how to do it, or I would never have known.

After several hours of conversation and me rummaging through his trashed wood bin, I finally came home, late that evening.


What a treat I had, too.  First, I had the awesome wood Scott gave me from his scrap pile, much of which I left in his scrap bin for another day, then I checked my mail and found


this incredibly thoughtful gift from BJ (whose blog I still can't leave comments on) .  She sent these lovely gifts to thank me for teaching the AB class.  How thoughtful of her.  Since I'm of British descent and was named for her Queen, I fell in love with all the British pieces she sent.  I only wish you could see the bows, ribbon, pin, and buttons that are British.  Of course that would mean having a camera that actually worked right.  And yes, I love all that ribbon you barely see sticking inside the plastic bag in the lower right.


Of course the THANK YOU gift was all about the Rocking Horses.  As I told BJ, I have rocking horse ribbon, rocking horse lace, rocking horse paper, but have never seen rocking horse buttons before.  I'm not just in awe, I'm in LOVE.  Thank you beyond belief, BJ.


This is day 16 of AEDM.  What have you done lately with friends?  Or did that friendship come in the form of snail mail?

10 thoughtful remarks:

BJ said...

My pleasure Elizabeth. Never thought you were named after our queen but of course you were! I couldn't believe it when I found the rocking horse buttons in my stash either, and just had to send them to you. Enjoy BJ

Darla said...

Rocking horse buttons? How cool is that? Looks like you had a good day out and the piece you bought to use as a stencil is great.

Darla

Carolyn Dube said...

You have been busy! Friends, arting, and shopping- what could be better!

Anonymous said...

Great find in that scrapbook paper stencil. I am sure we will be seeing it pop up soon. Nice jaunt woth your friend, love those sparkly shoes, like Dorothy and the Wizard...xox

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

Fabulous adventures and yummy stash. :D

Craftymoose Crafts said...

That is an awesome stencil! Of course they would try to sell you something more expensive. A true artist (like you) sees the possibilities in everything! Have a nice weekend my friend!

~*~Patty S said...

Fun post Elizabeth...it is always fun to gadabout with friends isn't it
AND
receiving art mail is a great treat too!

I feel lucky to have so many special local art friends and lots in blogland too... it is a beautiful thing!

Great eye for using that paper as a stencil...I actually thought it WAS a stencil when I first looked at your photo
oxo

Dandelion and Daisy said...

Hey, looks like you've been having a good time. Those rocking horse buttons are too cute, I can't wait to see what you do with them. Enjoy your weekend.

Monica said...

Sounds like a great time together.

Rita said...

Oh, what fun! What fun! I think that was an awesome deal on a new "stencil"! I look for things like that, too.

I still am not sure what that display was, but you really had a time with it.

Lovely RAK from BJ. How sweet!

Mine has come via snail mail and regular mail. All my friends live so far away. :)