MelangeByLisette

A solemn day.

2011-09-11T23:20:00.001-07:00

I wrote two haiku to mark this sad day, 10 years ago in New York, 6 months ago in Japan.

     the moon softly shines
     white chrysanthemums are laid
     upon the altar

     after ten long years
     towers of light climb high

september again

Time to start blogging again:)

2011-09-10T23:35:00.001-07:00

Hello from beautiful (and dry) O'Brien Oregon! We have another wildfire nearby, about 4 miles away, and I do hope they have it out tomorrow. We had a fire about 2 weeks ago about a mile from here, and it was really scary, and it was windy too. It has been a long time since we had rain, I hope we get some soon. We aren't in a drought like the south in Texas and Louisiana, or in floods like so many others, so I feel blessed. I have been hauling buckets of water in my wagon to water the garden as the springs have slowed way down, but it is worth the effort because I have a large garden and I do not want anything to go to waste! Great exercise too,lol! I have been incredibly busy with several large projects, and I have been working to expand my knowledge online so I can follow my dreams:) I have found so many new interests and friends online, it is quite staggering really! I am going to take some tutorials on the Printroom site, a wonderful online place to sell your photographs and other related items, thank you Laura (my sister) for steering me in the right direction! She has been my teacher and my rock with all things computer, and she is truly a gifted teacher:) I have begun my next (third) large beading project, which is becoming clear now in my mind. It will be an Amazon Rainforest piece, with an Azure Poison Dart Frog focal piece. My Facebook friend Christy Beale is a spectacular photographer who has graciously allowed me the use of her photos for my work, Thank You again Christy! I have finished one, no two large pieces with the knowledge shared by some very wonderful bead artists books, Jamie Cloud Eakin has a book called Beading with Cabachons with wonderful detailed directions on so many techniques, and Sherry Serifini has an amazing book out called Sensational Bead Embroidery which has filled in the gaps in structural knowledge. Both of them have new books coming out any minute, I can barely wait! I have discovered Heidi Kummli's beadwork too, and she feels like someone I already know, one of those strange Deja Vu feelings, her work touches my soul:) I am going to be very busy for a long long time, I can tell you that, lol! I need to capture the end of summer's dragonflies with my camera, they have been such an inspiration for my beadwork, and I just love everything about them:) I am posting completed beadwork and a dragon or two for your pleasure, goodnight from lovely Southern Oregon, Lisette

Dragonflies

2010-07-15T23:48:00.001-07:00

I caught this little beauty sitting on top of my car antenna! Just glorious colors!

July update from beautiful O'Brien Oregon.

2010-07-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

What a overnight change from what I consider to be spring temps, to full blown summer! We are lucky enough to live in a restored 100 year old wood log cabin home, so we can do without (so far) air conditioning by capturing the cool nighttime air and using a fan to circulate the cool air during the day. Our place is a beautiful open bowl of medow and fruit trees surrounded by a variety of trees. Tall trees of conifers and madrona and oak surround the houses, (there are two houses, one our landlord lives in, and ours), and the woods are full of ferns and scrub, and Lots of Poison Oak, the only downside so far! I have been trying to capture as many different wildflowers and critters as I can on my digital camera. Now I dream of piles of ink cartridges and paper so I can print them out! For the first time we have hummingbird feeders and we have been able to really watch the antics, and it is a real pleasure. Today I watched a pair of swallowtail butterflies courting! They were so lovely and so graceful, I was mesmerized and forgot all about my camera! ( I gave it a fleeting thought, but the moment was so entrancing I could not leave to grab it :) I have seen the most amazing dragonfly for the last few days, completely red, fiery red, and it is spectacular! I will do my darndest to photograph it tomorrow. My sister Laura told me you have to be careful to acclimate your camera when you are dealing with extreme temps, or it can damage them, so I will take my camera with me and leave it in the shade until I need it. Right down the road, ( 7 miles ), Cave Junction was 98 degrees today, and I think we were around 94 or so. I really love cooler weather but the plants sure seem to love the sunshine! I found a discarded arrowhead several days ago. It is made of chert, and was about 3/4 of the way done, but then there is a flaw in the rock, so it was tossed away before it was finished. I will take a picture of it and show it to you:) Tonight we are having Afghan Snowshoe Naan Flatbread, with pulled chicken barbeque style chicken thighs loaded with onions, mmm,mmm! I also have sourdough bread rising, from my 8 year old starter. It will taste like tart cheddar cheese when it is finished, really sour and yummy! I am posting pictures of my last flatbread as soon as I download it from my camera:) Good Evening from Indian Hill Ranch, O'Brien Oregon, Lisette

Poem

2010-06-07T16:58:00.001-07:00

I hope this makes it readable.

New work and flower pics...

2010-05-28T00:10:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe it is the 27th of May! The locals and old timers here say they have never ever seen it so cold and wet. They say it is like winter here, which is actually encouraging for me because Washington state winters are brutal! I love all the beautiful ferns and wildflowers blooming here, and beautiful songbirds and hummers are showing up. I put up a hummingbird feeder for the first time and there are at least 2 hummers who might have a real hard time without help. I am trying my best to capture them with my camera, but I fear I need a much better camera to catch their fleeting beauty! My husband is totally entranced by them, (he was a fighter pilot and has a keen appreciation for the complexities of flight) and he is really connecting with them! I adore them and I am trying to get them used to having me outside so I can eventually photograph them without frightening them:) I've started really exploring the forest here, and it reminds me quite a lot of Cape Yakataga Alaska. It also reminds me of the mountain passes of the Cascade range in Washington state. The trees here are just amazing, so numerous and varied. However, there are a lot of ticks, so you have to watch for the little stinkers. (Actually, I feel them if they crawl on my skin, and I can't get them off quick enough!!!) Every garden of eden has its serpents I suppose:) Fortunately for them, I love snakes too! I am entranced by the creatures of our world, and I find beauty in almost all of them. There are a few which spook me though (like ticks) but is is simply fascinating to think of a creature which can expand its body so quickly. There must be some useful information about that, perhaps growing skin very very quickly or something like that. Now that the snow is melting in the high country, we will be going on more and more mining expeditions. We are going to be working in an area where there is a LOT of jade and serpentine, another green related mineral. I do believe we will be able to set up our lapidary shop in the near future, and that will be great fun! Well, it is time for a midnight snack, so I will close for now. ( My cat Mr. Hyde is howling, so I know it's nearly bedtime:) I do hope we hear good news soon about the attempts to stop the oil in the Gulf, most of my family lives there, and their sorrow is my sorrow too. We simply MUST start growing our alternative fuels, especially the most environmentally friendly ones. I also think we need to use our train systems MUCH MORE. Trains are super efficient users of fuel, and the newest ones are truly amazing. If I had money to invest with, I would invest in trains, and soybeans. Goodnight for now from Indian Hill Ranch, O'Brien Oregon, Lisette

Upcycled Yellow Eyes Quilled Round Box

2010-05-25T22:50:00.001-07:00

For more info on my Upcycled Yellow Eyes Quilled Round Box, visit me at ETSY!

Wildflowers

2010-05-07T23:37:00.001-07:00

Just a quick hello from O'Brien:) I took some pictures today of a lovely field of wildflowers and just had to share one:) They smelled heavenly too...

One month today!

2010-05-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe we have been here in O'Brien for a month. Time is a fluid, I am thinking, with rapids, eddies, whirlpools and the like. It must be, just close your eyes, and count to three. Viola', you are a different person than you were three seconds ago! Some moments seem so very fleeting, and others so very long. We went to a gem and mineral show today, in Medford Oregon. It is so very strange to realize the time involved in the creation of gemstones and minerals, and what brief snatches of time we humans live in. To hold a gem or fossil in your hand, to actually observe such a thing, really puts into perspective the thing we call time. I am so very glad that this is my time! And your time, as well! I am sharing a picture I took, on the banks of the Illinois River, on the 20th of April. I believe it is a type of lily, and it was so beautiful it took my breath away! My husband ordered me a very nice tripod, made of repositional polymer, so you can imagine my delight! I need to get more inks and paper, before it gets here! This is such a strange and beautiful place. The trees around us are over a hundred feet tall, a lot of them, and just a few miles down the road are the giant redwoods. If you have not seen them in person, I truly hope someday you can. They are magical, and some of them are so very old, I felt such great patience and peacefulness from them, and it made me wish that I could speak "tree":) Maybe some day... Goodnight from Indian Hill Ranch, just down the road from O'Brien, and up the road from Happy Camp...:)

They've Arrived!

2010-04-02T08:27:00.001-07:00

Lisette, Merle, 1 horse, 1 wolf, 1 big mutt, two chihuahuas (princesses of the universe), 12 kitties, 11 rabbits, 4 fish, and one chicken, Pagan, have safely arrived in O'Brien, where Lisette is already in love with her new house and surroundings...

Although her computer is up, she won't have time for a day or two to get online and do updates, but when she does, I'm sure she'll have wonderful, exciting news. Although the trip was very hard for all involved, it was well worth the effort and exhaustion.

I personally can't wait for her first Beach Visit report!

Love to my sister, and all who follow the blog are in for a treat as Lisette and Merle begin their new lives!

Laura

Hi Lisa!

2010-03-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

Hi Lisa! You know it s funny, all my childhood my nickname was Lisa! Have a lovely evening, Lisette

Moving on!

2010-03-18T19:18:00.001-07:00

It has been quite a while since I last updated my blogspot, I plead insanity due to getting ready for a big step forward, from Omak Washington to O'Brien Oregon! I can't believe we have so many belongings! It seems impossible, but there you go! My husband and myself are stepping back into the world of gold mining, and also beach combing( one of my favorite pasttimes!). We have missed the Pacific Ocean so much, and are really looking forward to our move:) Considering the size of our animal family, it took quite a while to find just the right place! We have very good friends who are going to help us on our one day journey, and we are very grateful for their help! We have 1 horse, 1 wolf, 1 big mutt, two chihuahuas (princesses of the universe), 12 kitties, 11 rabbits(we just had a litter of 9 baby bunnies), 4 fish, and my chicken, Pagan, I do believe that is everyone! Oh, and my husband and myself! I will be taking pictures of the caravan for future family photo albumns so our grandchildren will believe us! My husband and I decided together that we needed one more big adventure, and we are very excited and happy:) Even though the logistics are complicated, they are simpler than all our previous mining expeditions! This will be the first time we can drive to a claim rather than flying in to be dropped off in the bush of Alaska! Time is such a strange thing, it seems to lurch forward the moment you close your eyes:) So I plan to do as little sleeping as possible!!! Actually, the type of mining we do is green, and done with our own hands and backs, not bulldozers and dynamite. I LOVE finding things, and fortunately when you are doing our hands on type of mining you get a close look at the rocks and minerals which are part of the process, and then you have the bonus of the gold itself. It seems strange to me that civilization runs on gold, but there you are, it indeed does. I also believe that seeds are worth their weight in gold, and I grow a large garden each year. I am taking lots of starts with me too, especially my raspberries, currants, and catnip, and various flowers and herbs. Here irrigation is mandatory, but where we are going mother nature will be helping me out quite a bit! Good thing, because I don't think I will have a lot of free time this year:) I also have been devoting a lot of time to my various art forms, especially lampworking, and silk ribbon and thread crazy quilting, and sculpting, which I adore. I have my own mad science to help me, I experiment all the time with unusual materials and methods, especially using recycled and reused materials. I understand that the community we will be a part of is an artistic one, which excites me very much! My husband is also getting back to lapidary work which we both love. It is hard to find inspiration when you work for corporations, but surprisingly easy when you work for yourself:) Wish us luck, I will update the blogspot after our big move( the 31st of this month,yay!) Goodnight and goodbye from up the Chiliwist, Lisette ( I am posting an inspirational photo collage of past work)

How time flies!

2010-02-04T11:49:00.001-08:00

So much has happened since my last posting, it is hard to believe! I think we are experiencing an early spring, only a tiny bit of snow is on the ground right now. We have has the least snow I have ever seen this winter, and I really think this will be a drought year here in Eastern Washington. I have been very busy with my arts and crafts. I have resumed my glass lampwork and am developing some cute new designs, which I am considering naming "grabbys and boos" fun and a little spooky too! I have been teaching myself to dye silk ribbons and it is so much fun! It is so satisfying to use those ribbons in my silk ribbon embroidery and crazy quilting! I am posting 2 glass lampworked beads and a nearly finished crazy quilt, just for fun:) I am going to be a grandmother again! I'm very happy about that! I have also had a request for two twin size log cabin quilts, and so I am adding quilting to my busy schedule, I just wish I didn't have to take the time to sleep, darn it all! It is a love hate relationship! I am going to add silk threads to my stash, and I am really looking forward to embroidering with them. Every type of thread has different properties and I just know silks will be wonderful! Well, time to eat lunch and get ready for the rest of the day, goodbye from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Seasons Greetings and Beautiful Artwork!

2009-12-23T21:47:00.001-08:00

It is nearly Christmas and I am so happy we are through the tunnel! Today was a diamond in the snow day for a few hours this morning, and tonight it is supposed to freeze hard, so I know tomorrow will be another diamond day. I love trying to capture the lovely rainbow prisms with my camera. I have WAY too many pictures in my files, but photography is an addiction! I bought a little present for my sweetie, two beautiful ACEO pictures of chihuahuas, painted by a wonderful artist, Ron Krajewski, of dogsartstudio on ETSY. I am going to buy several for my father too! Another big talent on ETSY, what a great place to look for serious art! Well, now we know what a horse who has twisted his back acts like,poor baby! Our horse Shadow slipped on the ice while bucking around for fun. He enjoys bucking at the snow or rain, but it will be a while for that. He is getting better(thankfully) but he does not like his medicine! It is scary when these things happen, and give me a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach! One of my chihuahuas (Angelina) choked tonight while barking with food in her mouth, and it was a close thing! I pounded her back, did a firm but restrained shaking, and stuck my finger down and sideways when she could not get air. I think it forced her to swallow the food and it is possible a little went down the windpipe. I gave her a dose of baby benadryl, and we will watch her closely. Thank goodness one of those things worked. Hairy children I tell you! I have lots of hairy children! Well, Merry Christmas everyone! I am going to post a few pictures, of diamond snow, and newborn beans, just for fun! Goodnight from Up The Chilowist, Lisette

Catching up!

2009-12-05T10:41:00.001-08:00

Well, here we are just 2 weeks and a few days from winter solstice! Almost through the tunnel! It's a bit chilly here tonight, but the next few days will be brutal. Even the coast will be really cold. We have no snow on the ground, which is worrysome when thinking about the plants and the pipes, and of course all my outdoor animal family. This afternoon I took a big pile of saved craft paper, and put it in the bunnies hutch, they were very pleased and started shredding it right up. I take hot water several times a day to the critters when it is cold like this. The horse has been getting an extra measure of grain in the evening, the kitties get people tuna fish mixed with their food, just a few bites alongside their dry food each day. I don't give them fish in the summer though, because the bees go after it so much. The bees also go after the dry food, and also to the water, that means I must check the water even more in the summer! Brian Williams just came on, so I'm going to watch the news, but Ill be back! Saturday morning has been warmer than predicted, but it is still pretty chilly. A nice big cup of tea, and I am good to go! On todays agenda is creating some aluminum wire worked clasps, and starting a new crazy quilt large panel, which I may sell for an aspiring crazy quilter to embellish, a plug and play sort of thing:) I recieved my newest order from my favorite fancy fabric supplier yesterday, and I really enjoyed adding it in to my stash! It is like eyeball candy playing with my fancy fabrics! Well, my new shop on ETSY is open for buisness, and had its first showcase on the Storque Main showcase. I have another showcase on Storque Main Monday December 7th for my MelangeByLisette shop and another Storque Main showcase for LowTek on the 11th of December. ETSY is growing by leaps and bounds, and I am studying as hard and often as I can to learn how to promote my work. I really need my own studio, and I hope this year is the year for that dream to come true. My beautiful model Lucy is living in the corner of my bedroom, but she really needs to be suspended from above. That is how I designed her. I can't recall if I have posted a picture of Lucy and Lillith, so I am going to do that right now:) Have a great weekend everyone! Good day from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

The end of November

2009-11-28T14:00:00.001-08:00

If I wasn't so busy in the house, I could have been busy in the garden! I have never felt it so mild here at the end of november! I have been very busy working on items for my shops. I have been studying diligently all of the interviews and success tips that etsy has to offer. The suggestions have been invaluable, and motivating too! There are so many truly talented people who sell on etsy. I have 4 showcases lined up on etsy, the first one (melangebylisette) is booked for Nov. 30, on the Wedding Showcase, and then a (lowtek) showcase on the Storque Main Showcase Friday, Dec. 4th. I then have another (melangebylisette) showcase Monday December 7th on the Storque Main Showcase, and finally another (lowTek) showcase on the Storque Main Showcase on the 11th of December. We'll see what happens:) Today is my husband's birthday, and he's getting Shake and Bake oven fried chicken and potatoes, a small salad, and then cherry chip cake with buttercream frosting! He's working out on the gym, and I've started having a little coffee in the afternoon, which helps me perk up for nightfall. It won't be long though, and we'll be through the tunnel, and headed for the light again! Only a little over three weeks until Winter Solstice. My bunnies are showing me their personalities, they are quite different, both precious! Well, I'm posting a few pictures here tonight, wedding items for melange. Even though I take lots of pictures, it isn't easy to show detail on etsy pictures, some of the full size versions can been seen here on my blogspot. Have a great friday night, goodnight from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

New Work

2009-11-27T18:30:00.001-08:00

A quick post of my newest veil, and a picture of my four rose silk bouquet.

Bunnies

2009-11-18T19:30:00.001-08:00

Time sure seems to be whizzing by quickly, just look how big the bunnies are already! I truly hope that they are the same sex so I can focus all my love on them:) I am trying to tame them so they come to me, but it is slow going, they really are timid by nature, but, they don't bite me when I catch them, and they have big teeth! They do have big hind feet with very sharp claws, and it they are scared they scratch really hard, just to get away. They are so soft! Yangs' fur is a little coarser than Yins', but both have lovely fur. I love to just sit and watch them eat and groom each other, it's soothing. They don't smell bad up close, and they don't have stinky poo, but boy, they sure make a lot of it! Altogether delightful creatures. I believe time, food and patience will be my best tactics to tame them, (just like husbands!) lol! In my personal experience, feral felines are the hardest to tame, even though you know they love you, it is difficult for them to trust us humans. Heck,I don't trust those humans either! I know my own behavior resembles that of the wolves I adore, and a bit of the cat also. Today the wind blew like mad for an hour or two, and it really got cold a few moments before sunset. It has been above normal for several days, so I still feel lucky! It is supposed to drop some very wet and slushy snow for the next 4 or 5 days, I actually think that would be good for my plants, since the land is still so dry. I am considering planting a few seeds if the snow doesn't stick. Maybe some onion, chive, and lettuce and greens. Well, the baked talapia is almost finished, so I need to make some tartar sauce! That was good, I used pork flavored generic shake and bake, and baked the fillets for 14 minutes, at 375 degrees, on a baking sheet with parchment paper. The fillets were fairly thin, it was just perfect. I need to go feed Mr. Hyde, he loves fish! It is time to settle the inside family down, and I hope to finish my newest miniature vignette, of irises and forget-me-nots, silk ribbon and traditional embroidery, on a background of white velvet. It's movie time, End of Days is coming on! Goodnight from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Rose Bouquet

2009-11-14T11:37:00.001-08:00

I finished this hand sculpted bouquet last night after three days of working on it, and it was time well spent! This is my first pure silk ribbon bouquet and I learned a lot making it. Silk has a life of its own, you cannot force it into shape, it must be gently encouraged into shape. It was like working with butterfly wings!

Veteran's Day, Bunny Rabbits and Bouquets

2009-11-11T23:08:00.001-08:00

Happy and thoughtful Veteran's Day to all, and thank you to all our Veterans! I finally had a few quiet moments to post my latest work, bouquets and a veil. They were fun to make, even though they take a while to create! The hardest part is guarding my work from my muse DaVinci, he Adores Helping Mommy Very Much! I took several pictures of him helping me, I will post one soon, and you will see! Well, I have probably tempted fate because I named my bunnies "Yin and Yang", but it felt right! I am trying to tame them, they are so adorable, but still pretty shy, however I give them treats several times a day, and also, they have not bitten me, even though they could if they wanted too! Did you know, rabbits like to eat alfalfa hay? And they love salt, carrots and chicken scratch, and they love to chew the desert wood, it helps grind down their teeth. They really have sweet and funny personalities, and I am already captivated by their antics! Next time I post a blog, I will post pictures of them. Well, time for a midnight snack, goodnight to all, from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Termination dust

2009-11-01T18:14:00.001-08:00

Well, we've had our first snow! It melted off over the past few days, and I think we'll have a nice week to come. Last thursday I went and saw Cathy and her animals with Mel, my neighbor, and my camera. We had a nice visit and I took pictures of two amazing horses, Curlys son ( Hot Havana Nights ) he looks a lot like his father. Curly was an arabian stallion, one of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. And I took pictures of Deisel, the son of Opportunity Knocks, another on of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen. I could not find the words to express my sorrow for her loss of Opie, but I gave her a cd of my pictures of her critters, and both stallions were the stars. I came home with a puppy, so totally out of character for me! I named her Grace, and she is a blue heeler mix, just precious. And the next day, I realized she's a special girl, and she needed more than I could give her, she is going to be a career girl, a cow herder! Well, I called Marv, our friend and real life cowboy, and our hay grower too. I thought he'd let me know who might want a real cowdog. I left a message on his cell phone, and it was a very short time later, he called and wanted to "see that pup" and he snatched her up faster than a duck on a june bug! She has a good strong herding instinct and will be a valuable team player, and like he said, she's cuter than all get out! Best of all, she has a true friend,(besides Marv) and his name is "Buddy" and he is a fancy type of poodle, medium sized and he gets to live in the house with Marv, and Grace does too! They adore each other already, and they play with passion, and the pot belly goat watches and rams them now and then if they play too close to her! She is such a cute goat, they don't call them pot bellied for nothing! She is hilarious, and next visit I'll take a picture of her and post it. Well, Marv gave me 2 baby rabbits,( not tiny but not big yet either), so I guess my universe is balanced now. They are truly beautiful, one is bigger than the other, and their fur is a bit different, but they are so soft and sweet! I am going to try really hard to make friends, spoil them, and handle them too! I am also going to take pictures of them and post them soon, and you can see for yourselves! I brought them home today:) My sweetie put up winter clear plastic on all the kitty pens, so they will be snug for winter. My chicken and the rabbits will share the outdoor pen during the day, and the rabbits will stay there through the nights. Now, I have to name them! I think I'll sleep on it, and in the morning, I'll know their names. Courage the cowardly dog is on, and my white wine is calling me too! I am going to try to post a few pictures, wish me luck! Actually, I am going to post this first, then crop a few pictures to post. Goodnight all, from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Michelle

2009-10-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

She was born to be Queen of the Wolfpack Born to run wild and free Instead she chose to spend her short life with me As a cub she showed her true nature in her glowing wild gold eyes She allowed no one to claim her with me she would stay 'till she died Many were the miles we did travel together a family pack Looking for gold and independance in the wild alaskan outback. From Yakataga to Nome we did ramble and roam working and living our dreams But life is a play with the end veiled in mystery I saw us together forever no other view would my mind's eye see Even now I can't change I still see you wild and free While you're chasing those caribou in heaven I know you are wild and free Born to be Queen of the Wolfpack born to run wild and free lisette

Love and loss...

2009-10-24T10:40:00.001-07:00

Just 2 more days of deer hunting season, I'll be very happy when it is over so my wild friends can visit without fear. We lost our beloved red wolf Kenya last saturday, he died of a heart attack. Thank God we heard him cry, so we were able to give him tranquillizers to ease his passage to the next world. He was and is an angel, and he never gave us a moment of trouble in his whole life. He was 9 years old, it seems so unfair. Maya is our only wolf now, and Kalahari thinks she is a wolf, but she is actually a bernese mountain dog. They miss Kenya so much, and it is very sad not to hear his howl. I've been lucky enough to have wolves in my life since 1980. I am going to share a poem with you, about my friend and beloved wolf Michelle, long gone to the big hunting grounds in the sky. I still miss her, and all of our wolves so very much. I am blessed to have had them in my life for so long.

More horse pictures.

2009-10-14T12:35:00.001-07:00

Opie and Curly

Farewell to Opie, he joined Curly in that green green pasture in heaven.

2009-10-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

It wasn't until later in my life that I got to really know and love horses. I love my Shadow boy so very much, I feel sick thinking about losing him someday. Through my friend and neighbor Melanie, I met Kathy and her horses. They took my breath away with their beauty! I was privileged to photograph her horses over the last few years. When she lost Curly, her beautiful arabian stallion, I just could not believe a creature so fine was gone. He was magnificient. I still cry for the lost beauty. Well, Cathy lost another of her herd, his name was Opportunity Knocks, but his everyday name was Opie, and he was the most beautiful horse I have ever seen in person. Life is so very delicate and precious, every breath is a gift. The world is a sadder place for their loss. Farewell Curly and Opie, you will always be missed.

Trying my blogger dashboard so my sis will be proud of me!

2009-10-04T19:14:00.001-07:00

Well, I cooked down about 20 pounds of mixed squash today, 9 pressure cooked quarts and each batch was a little different, and all were just delicious! I am freezing them as soup base, as well as simply heating up the puree. I fried up a large pan of bacon for seasoning the squash and bean dishes as well. I added a few spoonfuls of bacon and drippings, a dash of canola oil, seasonings and a cup of water to each batch of squash, and cooked them at several times, with the same measured amounts of water (1 cup per batch) and 10 cups or so of cubed squash. 11 minutes was a smooth puree with just stirring with a spoon. 10 minutes was a chunky puree, and 9 was soft chunks. Delicious all! I made a big old batch of sourdough bread last week, and it is time to make more. I think I'll make some flatbread with my bedouin spice blend too! I have my Moroccan style salt preserved lemons for sale on my second ETSY site, LowTek. This batch of lemons was truly extraordinarily fragrant and delicious! I need to buy some fresh fennel seeds, then I can offer my own fennel lemon blend, it is so good! All the critters are happy just smelling the kitchen in action, they know they will have some of whatever I cook, and it makes me feel so happy when they give me loving looks and kisses at dinnertime! I have nearly completed my latest hummingbird beading project, and I just realized I have not downloaded it from my camera yet. ( This explains why I could not find the pictures anywhere in my files! ) I finished cleaning and drying feathers my sister sent me from her parrots, and they are simply incredible, each one is a treasure! When time slows down a bit, a week or two from now, I am going to use a particularly lovely color group on a gourd designed with those colors. Perhaps several Christmas ornaments created from my tiny gourds! Very fun because ornaments are labours of love, and great canvases for new designs because they are tiny and quick to make! Well, goodnight from up the Chiliwist, it is time to make dinner, angel hair pasta I do believe, with a red sauce... Goodnight everyone, from up the Chiliwist, Lisette. p.s., I am posting a picture of one of my gourds, the poison dart frog I think!

First Autumn frost...

2009-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Autumn cometh up the Chiliwist, and the wild turkeys are foraging early this year. The amazing hoards of grasshoppers are all gone now, and a lot of local and migrating birds ate their fill of yummy grasshopper protein! Yesterday I awoke to wilted tomato and squash and potato vines, and so the tomato and squash harvest was on. It was a very light frost, and so I only lost a handful of tomatoes, and now there are about 25 pounds of green tomatoes ripening in my living room! I just heard the most amazing thing on tv, it said 2 large ships are sunk each week here on planet Earth, I had no idea! That is shocking to me!

Is it really Friday already?

2009-09-25T10:51:00.001-07:00

It's been another whirlwind week ! It was the week of "the squash who invaded my kitchen!" We, (the wolves, doggies, horse and myself) have eaten pounds of squash this week! A mountain of squash, no an Avalanche of squash!!! I had so many patty pans that I had to come up with a new way to peel them! In case you aren't familiar with patty pans, they are just beautiful, but a very unusual shape. I like my squash peeled and that was a real challenge. I had the idea to use my cheese slicer, ( the kind that looks like a spatula with a slit in it) and it worked like magic! I was very proud of myself! My pressure cooker/canner just arrived from fed-ex! The animals are still fussing about it. I am thrilled because I have a bunch of tomatoes which need canned, and so now I will learn how to pressure can things, scary, but I can do it! Somehow, I managed to create a beaded butterfly this week, and it came out so well! I added a three dimensional body which I crafted with a pipe cleaner, and I also added wire antennae, and it really brought it to life. I sold the goldstone cabachon hummingbird at the bead store, and I stocked up on blue tricut beads this week. I want to do a blue piece, a bird, I'm not sure what kind yet, but something exotic. I have two beaded hummingbird kits for sale, but I realized I need to bead the design myself again first because I sold the first one and I forgot to photograph it first. So, I will bead another one, then take a picture of it so the buyer can have a reference picture. That will take me a few days, and then I will post the kits on ETSY and my blogspot. Well, my sister Laura is going back to work, so I am going to have to work very hard to absorb more knowledge so I lessen my dependence on her! I can hardly believe her son will be a whole year old on October 6, this year has whizzed by! I have a feeling this is going to be an exceptionally busy winter... Have a lovely weekend everyone, farewell from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

flowers

2009-09-17T19:40:00.001-07:00

My cosmos are blooming!

Birthday present!

2009-09-17T19:36:00.001-07:00

I love my new cookware! I always read the recommendations that come with things, and I read that you should never use high heat with these pans,( after I was heating water on high heat! ) Thank goodness my smooth top range is smarter than me, and my pan is just fine. I made my own dill pickles, and I can't believe how easy and fun they were to make! I always thought that it took a while to make pickles, and perhaps some do take a lot of time, but I used a pickle mix, (Mrs. Wages) and after 24 hours, I opened a jar, and they were crispy and wonderful! I can't wait to make more. The next batch will be bread and butter pickles, and I also found canning mixes for katsup, and chili base, what fun! You can actually use canned tomatoes for your home canned chili base, that caught my eye! I have looked high and low, and there are not as many recipes as you would imagine for pickled veggies, but I am going to try carrot pickles, and pickled green beans, and whatever else I can think of... I went horseback riding with my friend and neighbor today. It was really nice, slow and peaceful, with a little trotting thrown in. It is scary dry around here right now. I have never seen the ground this dry before around here. I water my garden, and some of the grass in the front yard gets water as a result, but right in the middle of the yard, it is nothing but sand and rocks. The same is true everywhere around here without irrigation. Oh, but the apples this year are amazing! Absolutely amazing. Sweet, crisp, and so fragrant! The golden delicious are the sweetest I have ever tasted this year, and I am hoping to get some local red delicious apples.Did you know, apples are in the rose family? Apples are just big old rose hips! Well, my poor sister and my 11 month old nephew have the swine flu. They live in extreme southern Alabama, and for whatever reason, the flu is there right now. The good news is so far, they are getting through the illness. My nephew is on antibiotics, but my sister doesn't need them(thank goodness), and now they will start building more antibodies to fight future flu viruses. Did you know, it is actually good for you to catch a cold now and then? It stirs up our antibodies and we need them to fight viruses and bacteria. I have started harvesting my carrots and freezing as well as drying them, and I am exploring ways to can them as well. Pickles for sure, but I adore canned carrots, so I am going to try canning my own:) When my sister and nephew are better, we will focus on starting up LowTek on ETSY. Goodnight to all from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

The Chilliwist

2009-09-10T22:34:00.001-07:00

As an aside, I wanted to let you know, there are, interestingly enough, three correct ways to spell our area. Up the Chiliwist, Chillowist, and Chilowist. It actually means " Little trickle of water over big rock". Goodnight all!

Showcase tomorrow!

2009-09-10T21:20:00.001-07:00

Well, on a spur of the moment, I decided tomorrow was a good day to have a Needlework Showcase on ETSY! I invite you to drop by if you are in theETSY neighborhood. It sure has been a busy week, lots of small steps forward, lots of projects finished, and new ones started. (I love starting projects as much as finishing them!) Speaking of starting things, this coming monday I hope to launch my sister site, LowTek on ETSY! Goodnight from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Autumn is here early this year...

2009-09-04T15:18:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been an exceptionally busy week for me! I have also made my first you tube video! Actually, I made the video last winter, and my sister Laura suggested I put it on you tube, so we did! My you tube name is Chiliwist Silver, so check it out if you are a bird lover! I have been trying to work my behind off in the garden, but the darn thing just won't fall off! I should be skinny by now, but it is extremely hard for me to decrease my gravitational pull (my weight)! I finished another beading project, and started a new one yesterday. We had a big rain day before yesterday and that gave me a much needed break from watering the garden, so I pulled out all of my old sweet pea plants and planted more greens and lettuce. I'm going to plant a small test area with peas, and see if they can mature before the first freeze. I love experimenting when I can! Yesterday at Wal-Mart I found a new pressure canner/cooker which can be used on my glass top range, for about 70 dollars. That is great because I can't use aluminium on my range, and my old pressure cooker was aluminium, so I gave it to my neighbor. I am very happy to find one I can use! I called the factory when I bought my glass top range, and asked them what I could safely use on it, and I discovered I can't use my black iron skillets on there either, so I bake with them . I have four black iron pieces, one large skillet with browning ridges, two large skillets and a large black iron pot big enough to bake a chicken in. It has a handle so you can hang it over a fire, and I do believe it is quite old, and they all do a wonderful job. I just had my birthday, and I am 600 full moons old! In celebration my husband bought me a ten piece set of Cusinart cookware, and I can't wait to get it in the mail! I could cook for a small army soon! I love life tools, and I do hope to pass them down to my girls eventually. My only real problem now is that I have to completely rearrange my kitchen, and that's going to be a big job, very soon. I am going to go ahead and paint the kitchen so it is truly a fresh start. I am almost ready to launch my new sister site on ETSY, and it is named LowTek. I will offer simple things such as my pine needle baskets, gourdworks, spice blends, and so forth. Things with an intimate connection to Earth herself. Well, I need to go stake up some of my sunflowers and tomatoes, and then I have a lot of food to blanch and dry, so, I am off. I hope everyone has a meaningful and happy week to come! And remember, porcupines need hugs too! We'll talk about porcupines another time...Good evening from up the Chilowist, Lisette and pack

more photos

2009-08-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

The design, and the squash...

Close calls...

2009-08-26T10:07:00.001-07:00

Well, this last few days have been a little hectic around here! We had a nearby fire which made the national news, right here in Okanogan county. One of my photographs made the local tv station news! It was really scary, we were at level 2 evacuation alert, and a local sheriff came by, and the fire fighters came and inspected, but my husband keeps a large zone around our place brushed out very well, and I keep a green zone around the buildings with plants. The only really dangerous thing around here is our two giant pine trees, but the firefighters said they have foam they can spray on the trees. I am very glad it didn't come to that!

We have neighbors who live on the coast, and they just spend holidays here, and their places are not brushed out very well, so that was an extra worry we didn't need! We live in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, near the bottom of a large foothill, and I even have my own baby mountain, which will have wind turbines and vineyards someday. The soil is laden with volcanic dust, and a little water and mulch and you can grow many things here. I have been drying piles of veggies from my garden. I have lots of squash this years, some of which are my own hybrid plants. I remove the seedy pulp, cut in strips or rounds, blanch for three minutes, and dry in my dehydrator. This year the dried squash is sweet, like apples! Like I tell my husband, squash is like the tofu of the veggie world, and you can add it to most anything. This past week or so, the nighttime temps have been in the 40's and 50's, and the heater has kicked on every night. Kind of strange...We are going to get lots of firewood this year, just to be safe. I have been working on a new hummingbird design, (beaded) and it is coming along well. I have started my new venture of selling beading kits here locally, and I will also be selling them in my ETSY store very soon. My problem with selling on ETSY is the locals here buy all my designs! That is a problem I can live with, but it is one of the reasons I am starting to sell kits too! I'm going to post several pictures today, starting with the fire shots. Thanks for visiting, and stay safe out there! Goodbye from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

The wolf days of summer..

2009-08-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it feels like a furnace outside today! Ironically, this is when we must use heat to preserve our food for winter. I am spraying water around all my critters to help cool the air. We are lucky today because there is a breeze, and that helps evaporative cooling. Evening will be here soon, and as soon as the sun hits the ridge, it starts cooling , it's magical, and one of the reasons we live in the mountains. I saw a large flock of turkeys this morning, headed for the alfalfa field I think. A few days ago they came here through the yard and ate a huge pile of grasshoppers. We have enough grasshoppers to share with the birds...I probably won't eat any grasshoppers myself. I would have to be VERY hungry to do so! One of the biggest negatives of eating bugs are the parasites they carry, and grasshoppers carry tapeworms, as well as other bad things. I used to adore crabs, but when I read years ago that they are basically big old water spiders, well, I lost my taste for them. I love spiders, but not to eat.(EVER!!!) Life really is a food chain, and I am glad we get to be on the top of the pyramid! I ended up with 20 half pint jars of jelly, it came out very well. I also made 3 half pint jars of Morrocan Style Salt Preserved Lemons, and they are exquisite! I have three jars for sale, $20. each. These salt preserved lemons are incredibly versatile, and I add additional zest and thin peels as well as the lemons themselves, which I cut into fairly small pieces. One little chunk will flavor an entire chicken, rubbed on the bird. Just the smell when you open the jar makes my mouth water! It would be outrageous rubbed around the rim of a marguerita glass, or a glass of tomato juice, mmm,mmm! I tried it for the first time in a pot of blackeyed peas, and it was amazing. I also adore split pea soup, and it adds a brilliance and polished flavor to the peas. Just a little dab will do. I am still working on a quart jar from two years ago, so when I decided to sell them I chose much smaller jars. I will be buying some tiny jars this week, just the right size for gift giving! I like to keep mine in the fridge, ready to grab. The jelly was extrordinarily clear this year, pretty as a ruby. I finished a bridal bouquet this morning, and it sure is pretty. The blended tea roses are very time consuming to make, because they are created one petal at a time. It takes several days to sculpt the petals, and my hands have to be totally clean because the ribbons are very pristine white for bridal bouquets. My hope is that they will be treasured for generations to come. Well, it's time to go and check on my critters again, I brought in my chicken, Pagan, to her living room pen. I get concerned when she starts panting from the heat! Everyone, please take care, and check on the elderly, the young, and the animals as often as you can. Good evening from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

A lovely summer day, slow food, and a rose...

2009-08-09T19:41:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful day up the Chiliwist! Our heat spell has broken, and I can finally tend to my garden! During the hot times I simply water and harvest daily, but when it is lovely like today, I can weed and break new ground. I was very pleased to see how well the beets and potatoes are doing, and I have four or five kinds of squash going, and they are so good! I had so much squash day before yesterday that I cooked up some bacon, and cooked 4 kinds of squash together, it was so good! I had so much left over, I offered it to my wolves and dogs and they inhaled it! So what I can't dry or freeze I can share with my critters. My husband loves veggies raw, but he's pretty picky when it comes to cooked ones, but, I love them both ways. Last night I oven roasted fresh veggies with sea salt and a touch of canola oil, and they were very good. It was a mix of baby potatoes, beets, carrots, and squash, and also chicken drumettes, which is my husbands favorite. I also made a simple and yet gourmet dessert. I took fillo shells but a dab of my berry jelly, and a few freshly thawed raspberries and currants, and topped it off with a spoon of cool whip. It was very light but rich as well, and I will make more of those very soon! They were actually low calorie pastries, but with a depth of berry flavor . My husband had to go to the coast today to visit his parents, his father is having open heart surgery on tuesday, so a visit was called for. He said it went well, and that made me happy. Speaking of happy, last night we got a skype call from our daughter Silver, who is stationed in Cuba, and my darling little grandchildren sang songs for us! They sang "I'm a little teapot", and "Ittsy bittsy spider", and it was just adorable! They also sang a few songs which were a mystery but we loved them too! Skype is simply magical, and I can't believe how connected you can feel with your loved ones far away! It is a very strange time in the world right now, we have tools which can heal, and tools that can annihilate civilization. I want our world and our civilization to survive without killing each other. Why does it have to be so hard? Oh well, that is a subject for another day... Good evening to all from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

beauty

2009-08-04T10:37:00.001-07:00

A few more pictures from my yard...

Busy as a bee( now that's busy!)

2009-08-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

My first batch of ring pillows are finished! I used pure white velvet, lace, and pure white silk ribbon, from China. It is such a pleasure to work with fine materials, like candy for your eyes... It is still hot here today, and the air is lightly smokey today (the smoke was really heavy yesterday), and the heat wave is beginning to break. I decided to save the jelly making for a few days, I don't want to heat the house up too much. I chose to blanch and dry a pile of zucchini, about five pounds of squash is condensed to one mason jar. I use an Excaliber dehydrator,( set up outside) mine is over 20 years old, my daughter Silver bought it at a yard sale about ten years ago, for 20 dollars. What a bargain! When this one dies, I will buy a new one, for sure. Yesterday, one of my nieces, Nicole gave birth to a baby boy! He was 8 lbs 11 ounces, and it was a C section birth, due to his large size. New life, beautiful and welcome. I am awaiting another order of beautiful colored ribbons, from my favorite shop, http://taylorscutaways.com , which is also where I buy a lot of my velvets and satins. I will begin a new project in the next few days, my first "Crazy for You" panel, a prepared panel ready to embellish, will be for sale. I work on my own actual crazy quilting when I have slow time. I'm going to post a few pictures today, a mix of subjects for your pleasure... Goodbye from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

Busy times!

2009-07-31T13:25:00.001-07:00

Greetings from eastern Washington state! It sure has been amazingly hot, and will be for a few more days. We have had some breaks from the heat with thunderstorms, but then you have fires to deal with! My animals and the garden need constant attention right now, and the garden is producing so well, my freezer is loaded. I'm going to make jelly tomorrow, and that will free up some freezer space. I think I have about 25 pounds of raspberries and currants, I'm curious to see how many jars of jelly that will be! I'm sending lots of it to family this year, at Christmas time. I bought the supplies to make dill and bread and butter pickles, something I have never done before, but I want to try my hand at pickled baby vegetables! The butterfly and flower photography has been truly spectacular these last few days, I have loads of awesome pictures to work with! I am going to be offering beading kits, which I will put together myself, for sale, and there will be lots of pretty kits to pick from! I am also going to be offering crazy quilted panels, ready for you to embellish, probably pillow size at first. Crazy quilting is very rewarding, but it can be very daunting learning the construction techniques, so I will do the hard work, so you can get right to the embellishing... I will be calling these "Crazy For You" panels, and they will be available through my ETSY store, and my blogspot also. Have a lovely weekend everyone, we'll talk again soon! Goodbye, from up the Chiliwist, Lisette

We all need a drink of water,even the bears...

2009-07-28T15:02:00.001-07:00

It's a very hot day here in the Pacific Northwest, all time heat records are being broken, even on the coastal areas. Just a little while ago, a little black bear was loping through the back yard, I think he needed a drink of water so much, he took a chance of being spotted by us humans! He was too quick for me to get a photo of him, but I'll keep my eyes open to spot him again. We have very few above ground sources of water around here, there is a small pond a few hundred yards from here, but we have a huge irrigated hay field across the road, and he may have been getting a drink from the sprinklers. It is so hot today, even the bees are scarce, and preoccupied with getting water. I float greenery in my animals water buckets so the bees can drink without drowning, and it lessens the chance of my animals getting stung. We have had a lot of cannibal bees show up this last week, but I came up (by accident) with a way to lure them away from the animals, without hurting the bees. I set out some left over cooked chicken for my puppies, but the bees went straight for it, so I moved the dish away from the dogs, and those bees devoured that chicken! It really kept them busy and away from my animals. I am a little surprised because I haven't seen many snakes during this heat wave, maybe it is too hot for them too! Well, I got a phone call from my dad today, and he got his birthday present I mailed to him last week. He was so happy, it really made me happy! He is a big bird lover, (I got it from him) so I gave him a piece of art I made called "bluebird in summer", it is a mixed media wall hanging with a lot of freemotion sewing involved. It came out well, and I used a lot of different techniques to make it, such as the discharge dying technique I used on the mountains. I used silk, bleach, and vinegar,( the vinegar neutralizes the bleach at the end of the process). My white silk ribbons arrived yesterday! I'm already starting another wedding bouquet, and I have a few ideas in mind... So I better go get busy! Goodbye from up the Chilwist, Lisette

Eventide

2009-07-25T22:20:00.001-07:00

Today was a slower day, but still very busy! It rained pretty well yesterday, which gave me a few extra hours to devote to sorting and organizing my sewing area ( I stole the bedroom, well, most of it anyway!) I've been transfering all of my crazy quilting and other ribbonwork supplies into clear totes, satins in one, velvet in another, ect., I roll my fabrics like a cigar to keep them from creasing, as much as I can, and stack them like cordwood in a tote. I buy a lot of my fancy fabric scraps from taylorscutaways, such as satin and velvet. The colors and textures add so much to a crazy quilt or other design, I really love them. I was surprised and pleased to have a sample of my crazy quilting on their customer page, it was nice! The conditions for unusually brilliant photographs, inspirations for my artwork, have been amazing the last few days. About three pounds of red currants (which needed cleaning) went into the freezer for future jelly, wore me out this afternoon! They will be worth the trouble this winter when we eat lots of homemade breads and such! I have two sourdoughs, 8 years old, which live and work in my fridge. When I have slow time, I make sourdough breads and goodies, but in the busy times, I just add some starter to whatever I am making, and the taste is amazing! I have to limit my goodies in the summer, but in winter I work my rear off, so I can eat more! Darn those calories! Right now, I walk around outside when I am hungry, and raspberries, currants, sweet peas and greens are a great snack, plus you are getting such fresh vitamins and minerals. It is possible, however, to eat too many raspberries at one time! Tomorrow is our dads' birthday, Happy Birthday Dad! He's going to be an even older pld geezer, I think 72!!!! You know what though? 72 is the new 52! Goodnight from the Pacific Northwest, Lisette

Time

2009-07-22T21:45:00.001-07:00

Time, totally subjective,always fluid,yet meaningful, truly meaningful, only on a personal level. My view of an hour compared to that of the spider living in my bathrooms' view of an hour. Totally different, totally real. Awesome! I think every now and then, we catch a glimpse of the eternal, mostly by serendipity. Last year this blossom called to me with a glow of its own, a hollyhock incredibly alive! ( beacon to the heart of the universe, portal 1 , 7/13/08, open at 6:52 pm). Yesterday this other beacon, a morning glory, showed another portal to the heart of the universe,( beacon to the heart of the universe, portal 2 , 7/21/09 , open at 7:28 am). Yesterday was very interesting due to the solar eclipse and the giant crash spot on Jupiter, a very electric day! It was hot here today, about 100 degrees, but we had a steady breeze witch helps a lot. I hang shade clothes up for the critters in summer, and I wet them often, this really helps a lot to keep them comfortable. The garden is whipping my butt! Hot weather speeds everything up in the plant world, so you must watch carefully so their needs are met. Time seems to drag to us mammals, and we all need lots of tending through the hot times too. Please everyone, be careful in these hot days and look out for the vulnerable souls in your life. I just had an idea. A low tech idea for times there is no power, such as a brown out. Use the pump up sprayers used to apply insecticide as emergency misters. Misters can lower the air tempurature over 20 degrees instantly( at least in a dry or semi dry climate). Perhaps it could use a larger pump up system run by say, a bicycle. Sounds good right now! Please, send positive thoughts to all people suffering from the heat, and all the creatures too. Goodnight from up the Chilowist, Lisette

butterflies:) and art supplies

2009-07-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day today, I've been working in the garden planting a second crop of peas, and more greens and radishes. So many of my flowers are attracting lots of wildlife, insects and birds,deer and the occasional snake. Every day is a chance to find and photograph something new or beautiful in the garden! I love to use these pictures to help me in my embroidery or beadwork and jewelry designs. I love crazy quilts, and enjoy crazy quilting myself also. I got my box of silks and velvets! I adore the anticipation of arrival of any box, as long as it's mine! These fabrics add a richness to any design, but when combined in crazy quilting they create magic. Next are silk ribbons for my flower sculpting and silk ribbon embroidery designs. The only problem is there are just not enough hours in the day! Goodnight from up the Chilowist, Lisette

A nice day up the Chilowist

2009-07-19T22:28:00.001-07:00

It's been another busy day today, lots of things to do in the garden, picking beets, greens and lots of raspberries too, as well as all the lettuce you can eat! To make up for all that healthy produce I made oven fried chicken with split oven roasted potatoes and a light and fluffy cornbread. I could tell my husband was hopeful when I pulled out the black iron skillets, he calls them "pans of pleasure", and they usually signal something good! After we ate our fill, I took the leftover cornbread and potatoes out and shared them with the rest of our critter family. ( I saved the rest of the chicken for tomorrow!) The flowers are blooming lots of pinks, reds and yellows right now, and the insects and birds are everywhere. This summer is the first time I have seen these lovely bronze butterflies, so striking! I will use them in many of my designs. I am hoping to recieve my newest order of satins and velvets tomorrow, I always love opening boxes, especially when they are full of art supplies! Time for rest, goodnight from Washington State, Lisette

Beauty of the day

2009-07-18T19:04:00.001-07:00

Today had so much going on, I have two beauties of the day to share! This spectacular little butterfly was newly hatched and so very brilliant! I have a special silk shirt I wear when the butterflies are feeding. It is cream with jagged little tiger stripes of brown, and I think I look like just so much background to a butterfly, or bee, and if I am lucky I can sneak up on them and get some very close pictures of them, perfect for a new beaded butterfly barrette! Black and white polka dots don't seem to bother them either. The deer were in the front yard after sampling a nibble or two from my garden ( they are actually very polite, and only take a nibble or two ). I saw one nibble on my radish plants which are going to seed, and so I thought hey, is it edible? The seed pods were swollen but not hard , I tasted it and it was quite delecious, much more tender than the actual radish, with a delicate crunch. I bet those would make amazing little radish pod pickles! It is overly warm here right now, but it sure does make the plants grow like crazy! My neighbor and I traded fresh produce today, so I have cherries, apricots, beans and chard from her and she got fresh cilantro, parsley and dill, and a jar of dried pea pods. The dried chinese snow peas are just amazing! A totally healthy yummy guiltfree snack, and true concentrated survival food too. I'm hungry now after tasting those cherries! Goodnight from up the Chilowist, Lisette

A Beaded Hummer and Butterfly for you to enjoy...

2009-07-04T14:44:00.001-07:00

Sabrina's custom veil

2009-06-17T10:35:00.001-07:00

Hi there everyone! Sabrina I hope you can see these pictures of your veil. It was a pleasure to work on it, and I truly hope you like it! Lisette

Spring is humming along in Washington State!

2009-05-08T22:14:00.001-07:00

What a busy time, from home improvement projects to planting flowers to lure in the insects and birds to photograph for inspiration! Let this little charmer wing its way into your heart. This piece is larger than life, 7 inches wide and 5 inches tall, it is hand beaded on pellon and backed with green flocked velvet. It is heavy, supple, and lush... It could be mounted as a barrette, but could also be lovely sewn onto a jacket or special bag. It is an original one of a kind piece, and can be viewed or purchased on my ETSY site, Melangebylisette. And now, I offer you a haiku... Emerald and Gold Dance Across the Forest Floor Sweet Ballet of Spring ...

Spring is in the air...

2009-04-20T21:50:00.001-07:00

Spring feels really close today as I work on a beaded hummingbird barrette... I will post a photo here when my hummingbird is ready to fly.

In the meantime, here is a picture of a completed butterfly barrette.