UP IN SMOKE

On the evening of Jan. 20th, everything I owned was lost in a fire that took down all the units in both buildings of my condo complex, putting over 100 people out on the street. The fire started from a short in a bathroom ceiling fan in a unit in a seperate building from mine.

I was insured, and but for that would probably be totally at odds and not knowing my next step.  My insurance company stood by me...put me in the Marriott Residents Inn and cut a check so I could meet my immediate needs of food and clothing.

My Son and Daughter and Daughter in law were and have been of enourmous help to me and I've had my sisters for long distance support as well.

I've discovered that I'm a very fortunate person.  My former workplace collected quite a bit of money for me (I've been retired for 3 years now)...and I've received wonderful cards and packages from my post card groups.  A few nights ago my local art group held a "shower" where I received so much fabric and notions that it took me 3 trips with my car (which came to no harm in the fire)to get it all to my efficiency suite.  It's now filling a coat closet!...bags on bags of stash builders.  

I regret the loss of all my photos and some special gifts given to me by family and friends....but the rest, I've discovered is replaceable and rather fun to shop for.

I can't waste my time feeling all sorry for myself...it won't change the situation or bring things back.  As soon as I saw my condo unit on fire, with the windows blown out from the heat, I had to resign myself to the fact that things would be different for a while.

I've never been one for antiques or precious jewels and furs....

anyway, as you can see, I've already replaced my computer and am back up and running.

I'll move into an apartment while waiting to hear if the condos will be re-built and once settled, will be fine and dandy.

So...take a lesson from me. Be insured!..it's the only thing that's gotten me through the financial end of rebuilding a life.

A work in progress

I'm working on a piece of embellished wall art. It's hard to see the wrapped

pipe cleaners and Tyvek heat tortured pieces, so I'm showing this from a kind of side angle.

It's not complete so may still change. The fabric is from Kaufman's "the fire within" series which I love, love, love.

I used yarn to couch in a faux piping on the border.

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YOU CAN'T BEAT MOTHER NATURE

This was taken 2 nights ago from my 3d floor balcony of my condo. The smaller tree is a Ginko that I occasionally will pluck leaves from for my next sun dying experiment. Who could ever mix their paints more beautifully than this?
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An art doll

A UFO finished. That always feel good.
Several months ago I took a beginning art doll class with Beth Ann Williams and at the end of the class I took home a doll body on a wooden skewer.
She didn't tell me who she wanted to be so I put her with the rest of my UFO's and once in a while I'd run across her and still ....... nothing.
I spent 3 years living in Libya (before Kadaffi) and was evacuated out of there during the 6 day war in the 60's. We ended up going back there after 3 months in which my Sister Jean and her husband and family opened their already busy home to me and my 3 children. All of a sudden, while looking at an old newspaper picture of me and the kids arriving at the air port in New York, it dawned on me that Fatima was calling me from my UFO bin.
Starting at puberty the typical Libyan woman put on her baracan, allowing only one eye to be exposed whenever they were out of the home. They generally held it in their teeth, leaving their hands free to take care of their children or gather bundles of fire wood to carry on their heads or on the back of a donkey. Once in a while I'd catch a glimpse of them and what was under the baracan, especially when they would be on their way to a family wedding or other important event and I'd see a flash of their pretty clothes and jewelry or henna markings on their forheads when they passed. I used to give them aspirin for their occasional tooth aches and so they considered me a friend.
They would look around to make sure I was the only one who would see them and then release the baracan so that it opened and they would smile and wave and show off just a bit.
Such pretty, hard working women and girls that wore everything valuable to them under that simple covering.
So......meet Fatima. My art doll who finally spoke to me.

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Fun art pins

I love making these little cuties. They are a fun art pin that I've seen here and there in magazines/books....and just had to make some ----plus, I gave them a house to live in. Getting into that first house can be very difficult.

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Tyvek beads

I made these beads from Tyvek paper that had been colored using Shiva oil stiks....yes, stiks is how Shiva spells it.
Fun and easy to make for such a dramatic result. I'll be using them for future embellishments.

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My clothesline purse

I just completed a purse made by using cotton clothesline that I wrapped in 1" strips of cotton batik. I've also made some small bowls and coasters using the same thing. Guess it's kinda the "hot" thing and I wasn't going to be happy till I tried making the purse and lining it. What, after all, is a purse without a lining and several pockets to put our "things" in.

So, here's the result. I included a picture of the start of it for those who don't know what the heck I'm talking about.