OMG!

I find it amazing that time flies by like it does.  I have been so busy and gone so much since my last post I wasn't really aware how fast it has flown by.

I have been busy crafting and doing fun things.  I took and online class with Stephanie Barnes from The Stamps of Life the beginning of the month called Under the Sea.  WOW! Lots of fun and I could do it at my own pace.  I have yet to finish my cards because of some video issues but should be getting them done soon.

I also attended a class with Dyan Reavely of Dylusions and Ranger Ink at the scrapbook store called Paper Arts in Edmond, Oklahoma July 21 and 22. I learned so much and had so much fun learning different techniques that I was so juiced up to start doing all sorts of art journaling but...  Life intervened and it was put on the back burner!

This group of women were a lot of fun to take a class with but Dyan was awesome.

 I love her honesty about her mental issues and her life.  I hate thinking I am the only one with issues!

I left on July 24 and flew to Phoenix AZ for the Origami Owl conference! What an awesome event!  I had so much fun interacting with other designers from around the states that I am already making plans on going back!

SO much fun!  Everyone was up dancing in the aisles while these people walked across stage for an award.  Heather, my daughter got a couple awards.  I really surprised her cause she got #1 in the whole USA!

Heather got to get up on stage to receive her award with all the company founders and executives.  

 Don't I look like and angel in this photo?  The Swarovski crystal people had a photo booth where they had these wings that were covered with all sizes of crystals and talk about AWESOME!  They were!

I love this picture of Heather and I even if it is a little dark!

On the 29th July Heather and I flew out of Phoenix to Pittsburgh, PA for Pennsic Wars...good thing too cause I was really starting to feel the heat.  Most days it was 112-116 degrees and figuring in the concrete and tall buildings it was miserable there!

I didn't take a lot of photos of Pennsic this year.  We got there a few days late and got settled in the tent when Heather got sick and we ended up going to a hotel for the next 3 days and Heather ended up in Urgent care for a particularly virulent case of sinuses.  

What a horrible Mom I am taking a photo of her at the Urgent care.   Thought I would share a few photos of friends from the war that I hadn't seen in a couple years!

Bethany and a faithful friend who picked us up at the airport and took us to site.  Bethany's husband was just recently transferred from the OKC, OK area to Italy!  I am really going to miss her being around!

The ladies of the Lanai!  Our last night in camp!

Getting ready for the bardic and chocolate fest!  Every year our camp hosts a campfire bardic get together with hot chocolate and boxes and boxes of chocolates from around the world!

The tent with the light on and flaps open behind Elaine is our tent.

Friend chatting with Heather.  She has had a lot of medical problems and couldn't come to Pennsic except this one day!

Heather and I sharing fried rice for lunch!  That thing was a huge serving!

I made it back home around the 12th August.  Heather drove me home then drove herself from here to San Jose!  Michael had so many meetings that he couldn't drive with her all the way but caught a plane out of St. Louis to home.

I think this is enough for now.  I will post again soon some of the cards, tags, and stuff I have made soon.

WOYWW #271 and More Pennsic War Pictures

Woot! it is Wednesday and I am home from the wars...Pennsic War that is. What a fun place and I had a most awesome time! Heather and Michael met at Pennsic War 33 in 2004 and were married 2 years later. They have been after me since 2006 to go to war with them but I wasn't really into a lot medieval but WOW have things changed! I am anxiously awaiting next years war! I have a few more pictures to share but will do that later in the post first... Welcome to my What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)! Each week on Wednesday we get together to show off the state of our desks and projects we are up to. If you are interested in joining it (trust me it is a lot of fun!) go check out Stamping Ground and Julia has a button you click to read the details of WOYWW! Okay first off a picture of my desk! 

My desk this week.  I started the project in the center on Monday night at the Monday Night Arting at Heathers house but I am not sure where I am going with it.  I think this is just the background in reds and blacks and I will turn it into a steampunk something!  New Stampin' Up! catalog on the left...omg I will be broke the rest of the year!  lots of stuff to look at!

I started knitting again at Pennsic and finished 2 washcloths and started a third on the way home.  I used to knit all the time but somehow got out of the habit as life and work interfered with fun time.  I am starting to get used to being retired and having time to do all sorts of things I used to love doing long ago!

I posted some pictures last week on the blog about the war and was surprised at the number of folks that knew or were interested in medieval reenactment.  I always thought that it was like the medieval fair they have at the university here each year but it is nothing like it.  For 2 weeks each year folks from all over the world get together and immerse themselves in education, reenactment of various war/battle techniques, and relax and enjoy a fun time camping.  There were hundreds of classes offered this year on history, armor, cooking, weaving, knitting, garment making, working with wool for spinning and wet felting etc.  I took a class on book binding, listened in on a mustard making class, a wet felting class and got handouts for making cheese, tying sari's, and Roman dress.  Amazing what was offered.  Next year I am planning on taking at least 2 classes a day...planning you understand doesn't mean I will succeed but there is so much to learn!!

Now a few pictures of people and things....

My daughter Heather and her husband Michael

Nathan playing in the hammock...next to the youngest kiddo in camp at 3 years of age! I was worried that I would be one of the oldest campers but there were a lot my age or older.  My next photo is of Weezie who just celebrated her 56th wedding anniversary at Pennsic.  (Sorry no picture of her husband.) 

Weezie!

The Ladies of the Lanai...a belly dancing troupe that camps with the McGuire's Marauders each year.  This year was the first time for the 2nd and last (from the l)  The troupe is actually 8-10 women from New Jersey.  I thoroughly enjoyed camping with these ladies!

Ki-lin kept us all on the straight and narrow and was most generous in sharing her provisions and information.  A fountain of knowledge about a plethora of subjects but then she is a librarian/info tech person in mundane life.

John  McGuire, Jenn, and Devon sharing the hammock in the great tent!  This hammock was never empty and was enjoyed by all!  John is the dressmaker and outfitter of all that drop by for a fitting or with a need!  I don't know how many outfits he made or finished during the 2 weeks.

 The Kingdom of Ansteorra, the kingdom we are part of, hosts a Chili supper each war for all who show up for a bowl.  Now the whole war had about 10,400 people in attendance and about 750 showed up to partake.  The chili is a huge affair and besides meat chili a pot of bean chili for vegetarians is produces.  There is a wide assortment of condiments, peppers, cheese, tomatoes, onions, Frito chips etc to doctor it up! 

Heather cooking hamburger!  a total of 160+/- pounds of beef was cooked

Michael cooking hamburger! Isabella the head cook is bent over the chest in the background!  Isabella was kept busy for two days making and serving up chili!

The flag of the Stellar Kingdom of Ansteorra

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The great tent where supper was served!  Talk about lines of people just 30 minutes later...oh my!!

These three photos are of the camp that was across the road from our tent on the backside of our encampment.  I loved the artistic work put into their walls and fences.  It was awesome!  The little blackbird with a tabard that had a blackbird on it was just one of the details that set it apart in my mind!

Their device tree telling who all was in the camp!

another camp displayed their devices with a way to track people!

A fun thing was the maze artist that drew period mazes for people to wander through.  Lots of fun for kids or adults alike!

A few last picture's...breaking camp and a view of the arch in St. Louis MO on the way home!

I had such a great time hanging around camp and visiting with these people Heather and Michael signed me up as a registered member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)

A last picture I promise...me in my purple chiton!!!  Love this outfit! Yards of fabric! 

Well that's it for my WOYWW 271!  I have already gone over limit for what Dame Julia says is a good sized post.  Hope you enjoyed seeing my pictures!