Picture Book, don't read, just skip to the pictures.

Working on so many things at once makes me feel scattered and incomplete.
I have to stop and set things in order.
Clean the house. Do laundry.
When collaging, I can't let everything be chaos or my mind reels and Fred's stomach turns. Sadie just watches,  quietly.<>
Yesterday I ended up giving in to her big brown eyes and taking her to the beach.
Well to the bay area across from Bird Key, where Lucille Ball used to live.
It is rocky and rough so I keep my trusty Columbia sandals on.
They are really for hiking with the Velcro and the tire tread bottoms but are also great at the beach.
Sadie loves to swim out and get the fabric floating Frisbee and does the funky dog paddle back to shore. She is fierce in her determination.
It's really something to see! Carol made the Market Bag that Sadie is modeling. Check out her Etsy site called The Rick Rack Queen- she has the sweetest vintage embroidered tote bags. I borrowed a picture of her newest one: the Meat Market. How funny is that? Her embroidery is exquisite and I love, love, love my bag! I traded her the Calamity Kim book cover for it!  I read over at Carol's WIP Blog where the Furminator was her #1 Best thing, so I went and got one per her recommendation.  $39.99 worth of shed proofing.
It pulled out a ton of her hair.
I keep thinking that one time I will rake it across her fur and it will be empty but it hasn't happened yet!
Shedding is a big problemo here at Casa de Calamity.
The Golden Retriever that I love so well leaves enough fluff laying around to make several  small Chihuahua's.
If I were that kind of girl I'd be making some felt or something with it.
But we all know I have enough to do without starting any of that Crazy!!!
So.
Speaking of what's been keeping me busy I will show you a few things.
Cause I know you only come visit for the pictures.
Just breeze on by and never a how-do-ya-do?
That's all OK. It's the Summertime.
I am surprised anyone is indoors reading this anyway!
Unless you've just stalled the mower, like me, and are waiting for it to decide to respond to the pulling of the cord thing.
So if you mosey on over to Casa de Pollo you'll see sweet Natalie and her beautiful daughter Maria modeling some Calamity Kim reversible apron love. How happy are those faces?

That's why I enjoy swapping/giving! It's in the sparkle of the eyes.

I fell in love with her blog and her family through her beautiful pictures and her great little shares about her life in California. Her dreams. Her Joys. She is like another long lost Sister.

My Dad sure got around!

I can't believe she has been blogging for 5 years and is so consistent and cheerful about it!

I get snarfy and disgruntled and over it fairly often these days.
I am beginning to think that those summer vacationers were right!
Maybe that's what I need too.
A break.
I am seeing more and more Autumn decorations in the stores.  I miss the mountains. I miss Troy. I miss the grand babies. I miss my Mom and Dad. I will be visitng them all next month, so not much longer.

I went to Michael's Arts N Crafts and sure enough, the haunted village was in full swing!
I was so happy to stop by a new scrap-booking store today too!
It's called Made for Memories and she had all kinds of cool stuff I hadn't seen before.
I got some glorious new paper and some Calamity Jane acrylic stamps and some distress inks and some chalk-pads and some of that new Adirondack Alcohol Ink and Alcohol Blending Soultion.
I got some gelly roll glaze pens and some resist ink pads.

I am going to get started in the morning making some paper doll party hats and then I am going to let my swap partner choose hers and then put the rest in my Etsy shop.  I need to get something to melt my beeswax in.
I just fell in love with this chicks ( Jenifer Conway) work and can't wait to get my new bird in the mail! She makes the coolest birds and coats them in beeswax. I want to try it with some paper dolls. I love the old haze it gives objects. So, now it's dark and I'll have to finish mowing tomorrow. Is that going to be before I work on the paper doll hat or after I finish the doll quilt and the one last thing to the smoochie apron and monkey mania apron? Not enough hours in my days.