Today’s Blooms 7-14-17

“If one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better.”
– Jane Austen
About Jane Austen
Jane Austen (1775-1817), the British writer whose sparkling, socially incisive novels remain extremely popular two centuries after her death, is best known for Pride and Prejudice, which she called her “own darling child.” She started writing solely for her own family, and her novels, including Sense and Sensibility and Emma, were initially published anonymously (or “By a Lady”). Nevertheless, she won fame later in life, and she earned the high honor of burial in Winchester Cathedral after her death in 1817 at age 41.

birdbaths & today’s quote

As spring approaches I have been back in the workshop. I am currently making some fun bird baths & bottle trees. Yesterday I was hoping to work on bottle trees but realized I was out of rebar so instead I got these two started.

I touched up the paint on the green tractor seat and the blue seat still needs to be welded to the base and touched up.

The paint on my wall was done byan 8 year old visitor.

“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else’s.”
– Billy Wilder
About Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder, the Austrian-American film director who gave us classic films like the farcical Some Like It Hot and the sardonic Sunset Boulevard, was a true rags-to-riches success story. Born on June 22, 1906 in the Austria-Hungarian empire, he fled the Nazi regime in 1934, arriving in Los Angeles with $11 and speaking almost no English. By the 1950’s, he had become one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, directing more than 60 films. He won six Oscars and the National Medal of Honor. He died on March 27, 2002.

ghost in a borrowed dress

Discover the past was the Issaquah History Museums fundraiser. I had an idea to create a dress for the event. With the help of Brad Isley and shelly Vollstedt, my vision came to life. Created entirely out of trash this was a rewarding and fun piece to create.

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Photos by Tracee J Fullum

Dressing up

I was invited to attend a historical fundraiser and I decided to make a piece of fun art to fit the theme. Lucky for me, the man I rent my shop from has lots of trash and scraps for me to use. Below are a few photos of the work in progress.

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Today’s Quote
“Let me listen to me and not to them.”
– Gertrude Stein
About Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein, the expatriate American author known for her clever wordplay, was an ardent collector of Cubist art and tried in her stream-of-consciousness prose to capture that immediacy and sense of play. She was born on February 3, 1874 near Pittsburgh and moved to Paris in 1903. She and her partner, Alice B. Toklas, volunteered for hospitals during World War I. In the 1920’s, her salon attracted many great writers and painters; she coined the term Lost Generation for the post-World War I expatriates. She died on July 27, 1946.

fun with horseshoes & today’s quote

The benefit of being laid off from my day job is that I have been spending more time in my shop. I have a half dozen or so unfinished projects that I am working my way back too. While working on large projects I often work on a small project so that I can enjoy the feeling of completing something!

Crosses range in price from $200-$80 depending on size and design. Small crosses are approximately 25 x 21 inches and larger crosses are approximately 30 x 21 these are fine for indoor or outdoor art.

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Stay tuned for more of my fun with horseshoe series!

Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else’s.”
– Billy Wilder
About Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder, the Austrian-American film director who gave us classic films like the farcical Some Like It Hot and the sardonic Sunset Boulevard, was a true rags-to-riches success story. Born on June 22, 1906 in the Austria-Hungarian empire, he fled the Nazi regime in 1934, arriving in Los Angeles with $11 and speaking almost no English. By the 1950’s, he had become one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, directing more than 60 films. He won six Oscars and the National Medal of Honor. He died on March 27, 2002.

Garden of Chaos

It was a lovely day to be at the workshop today. Since the weather was so nice instead of working inside the shop I pulled a few things outside to work. I think that this is my new favorite piece of work in this series. 4-5-16 1594-5-16 152
I can hardly wait to get the lights inside! Only $850

Today’s Quote
“Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality.”
– Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens
About Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens
Cardinal Leon Joseph Suenens played a major leadership role during the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s; his reforms include reciting the liturgy in modern languages, expanding the role of laypersons, and opening a dialogue with other religions. He was born in 1904 in Brussels. Wealthy relatives wanted him to study economics and manage their fortune, but instead he entered the priesthood. He was witty and charming, with an enthusiasm for soccer. He died in May 1996.

“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.”
– Miles Davis
About Miles Davis
Miles Davis, the innovative American jazz trumpeter famous for his languid, melodic style, was influential in the development of many forms of jazz. He was born in 1926 in Illinois. His mother wanted him to learn the violin, but he picked up the trumpet instead. He dropped out of Julliard to track down Charlie Parker and joined his quintet. He later nurtured many jazz greats in his own band. The album Kind of Blue is considered his masterpiece. He died in September 1991.

It was a cold wet and rainy Easter Sunday so instead of working in the yard I went to the shop and started a new bird. This will be Great Blue Heron and I am considering calling her Dignity. In this photo I was having a bit of trouble with my wire feed.
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Count Down!

“We’re all just walking each other home.”
― Ram DassToday 0696

As I was sitting at my desk today I felt as if I had an elephant standing on my chest, the air was thick as no one really knows what to say to us! Friday a few of us were given notice that our jobs have been eliminated. This is business so I am not taking it personal. What is odd is that we are expected to go into the office each day even though other co workers are taking over our jobs so their is little or not much for us to do. Some are taking it harder than others. Some are feeling betrayed by friends that knew this was coming and did not send out clues.
The sadness in the office makes it hard to focus and their has been no direction on what we can do to help make the process go smoothly. I am trying to think of something nice I can do in the office every day that I am there. Wish me luck!

Tears of Joy & a Quote

“There are three things we cry for in life: things that are lost, things that are found, and things that are magnificent.”
― Douglas Coupland

The last few days have been a bit of a roller coaster ride emotionally. A few really awesome days with friends and participating in amazing fundraisers, and then Friday I found out that myself and a few other co workers were being laid off. The timing could not have been much worse for my phone to die all weekend I felt a bit lonely and isolated. Today I got my old flip phone out and was able to listen to my voice mails. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that one of my pieces of work at Columbia Winery will be getting a new home on Friday!

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