wow! what a crowd!

Okay i know it has been a while again...but hey! entertaining 19 people for Thanksgiving is a chore and a half...i am happy to report that I did survive! My dad and Stepmom Carol arrived last Friday and are here until tomorrow....Last week added to the mix tuesday and Weds 3 am was my mom, Russ(her boyfriends...and i got the hugest kick out of the fact that Jon kept calling him hustle instead of Russell..kids are so cute)..also Michael, Dominique my new SIl that i got to meet for the first time, baby Kai my 4 month old nephew and Dominques 2 older children Sasha and Sophia. then Weds My oldest brother Stephan, my big kids and their 2 roommates..a total of 19. Thanks giving dinner was a huge hit...after 4 hours of cooking with help from a few I was able to feed the masses! Seems like every one enjoyed themselves and complimented the chef. during preparations we enjoyed beautiful violin music played by Russ...what a perfect touch to the day!

dinner being consumed

all of the family! i like the top view better..but this is cute too!~
so not much art has happened, I am behind on a few things including my book for our dark RR...i tried working on that but no time..until today..but i had to get something else out of my system...keep going it is at the bottom of this post...but I managed to get a few things done..like putting my holiday charms from my swap that i got out right before the family arrived...I added them to an existing necklace i had madeand I was able to consildate all of my charms to one necklace and a bracelet...just hope i don't topple when i wear them

Carol and I made a trip to my favorite antique store...i scored big time...i found tons and tons and tons of vintage lace for dirt cheapand a load of hand crocheted doiliesvintage buttons and sewing notions
these really cool butterfly pins and vintage hats...here is one out of the 8 that i bought...I actually went back and bought them a couple of days later.....i couldn't stop thinking about them...they inspired my therapy project!

My family started to leave, Stephan friday morning, Michael et al Saturday morning, mom and Russ visited his sister for the day Saturday...and Carol and I came up to play in my studio for the day yesterday and today!! I found that Carol makes the most incredible studio mate...she had so much fun making her own things....oh i have to go sneak some pics before she claims her projects...but inspired by the vintage hats I bought, i created a paper top hat...collaged papers with all sorts of fun embellishments including an onion bag for the netting, telephone wire, antique lace and wired ribbon! I had to add some humorous words..after I realized that the technique worked, but i messed up royally....so I went with it..and added more collage images....I had sewn the houses upside down..ha ha..so i just addded some right side up ones on top!

the school images was added as a symbolic image representing the fact that this was a learning project...and some sayings about humor and attitude to indicate the humor in the whole project..what fun it was!
so in closing..I hope that everyone that reads my blog enjoyed their holiday...and hope that i did not bore you to tears..and off to go visit a bit more with Dad and Carol

xoxox