You have NOT been Forgotten!!

It has been a whirlwind of a week full of classes, grocery shopping ,cleaning, GRADUATIONS and wonderful surprises!!!
The biggest and most important event has to be Matthew's Graduation from Mountain View High School here in Stafford Va.

This also accounts for the blur of cleaning and grocery shopping!!!

The graduation was held outside on the football field and mercifully took place a t 8:30 am on the 19th of June. We were very lucky with the weather as although it was very hot it could have been alot hotter and MUCH more humid. We, including Matthew's Grandma Joy, were sitting in the stands facing East and we did manage to catch whatever breezes came along.

Now, if you will permit me just a tiny bit of Proud Mama Crowing, Matthew graduated with an Advanced Studies Diploma and a GPA of 4.34. HE will be attending the Honors College At George Mason university in the fall and studying Global Issues and Conflict Resolution and Arabic. Along with all of that he is one terrific young man and a very nice person!!!

The poor Graduates were all parked on chairs in the middle of the field in their maroon caps and gowns. The event was over by 10:15 and we collected our melting son to take lots of family pictures!!! HE was so excited about the prospects- Not so much!!! However a mother wins in such circumstances , so we got everyone in the shade and amanaged to get some great shots!!

MAtthew is wearing the white HONORS Stole to signify his achievements and his High GPA.

A happy Grandma and Graduate and a very silly and PROUD Dad doing his Best Stephen Colbert imitation!!

We are all very proud of our wonderful Son and Brother.!!!!

But by the time the obligatory shots were done and sister was trying to hug him, Matthew had enough and went into extreme melt mode!!! It was 95 degrees afterall and he was fully roasted!!

All in all it was a very proud and happy time for all of us!

Earlier in the week I was lucky enought to attned an Image Transfer workshop with Fiber Artist Liz Kettle. The workshops have been ongoing at Artistic Artifacts Annex all week, but I was only able to squeeze in the transfers experience. She also ahd a day of bead embroidery basics and a three day session of thread painting and manipulations that I would some day love to attend. Liz is from Colorado Springs and has become a Facebook friend of mine. She is a very good friend of Judy Gula, the owner of Artistic Artifacts and therefore we were lucky enough to have Judy bring Liz to her shop to hold classes.

THe day before class I was able to give these three lovely ladies (Judy, Liz, and Judy's mom Pat) a tour of Liberty Town in Fredericksburg and to celebrate both Pat's and Liz' Birthdays at a lucheon at True Love's Restaurant. We are all Gemini's- I knew that there was a great reason that I get on so well with all of these wonderful people!!!

Liz has a wonderful new book out that she has written with three other fiber artists and you can find it here. I have added it to my fiber arts library and I consider it a MUST HAVE!!!!!! If ever you have the opportunity to take a class with Liz, GRAB IT!!! She is also holding a Fiber arts Retreat this fall out in Colorado called Textile Evolution, and you can see what that is all about by clicking here!

I am still working on finishing up the sampler book of Transfer Techniques that Liz shared with us and as soon as it is done I will be sure to share it with you!! She showed us a brand new technique that she has just developed using water soluble paper as the image carrier- very cool!!!

When I arrived home from my day with Liz and Image Transfers, (after playing in south bound traffic for two hours EEEECK!!!!!) I found a small pillow package waiting for me from my dear friend and AWESOME needlework talent, Pat Winter!

Pat does amazing Crazy Quilting and silk ribbon Embroidery and her art blog is a Must Follow!!! If you would like to see more of her wondrous creations go here!

Pat has just recently reached the mileston of having 300 followers- you see her blog really is THAT wonderful, and she wanted to host a giveaway in honor of the occasion. Well she put all of her followers thru a random number generator and my number was picked from here collection of Long Followers (I refuse to call us Older followers!!!)
Pat created this wonderful little Ocean Themed neck pouch for me !!! FOR ME!!!!! Oh I was Exclaiming with joy and anticipation even before I ahd the envelope unsealed. Anything from Pat is always an occasion for great celebration. Isn't this little pouch simple wonderful??? She tailored the subject to my loves as we both share a love for the sea and it's treasures. I am so touched and delighted Pat!!! I will wear it often and with great prideand I know that I will get lots of comments and compliments!!!

Her is a tigher shot so you can see the adorable little girl in the vintage swimwear and take in some of Pats wonderful details!!!!

I must thank you all for hanging in there to get all the way thru this long post
!! It means alot to me to share my gardens my family and most importantly my art with all of you. Hopefully I will ahve a relatively quiet week as I have several art deadlines looming and lots of new projects to plan!!!