This is AWESOME!!!

If you don't know who Traci Bunkers is, you must check her out. You should especially look at her latest blog post, because I LOVE it! She just finished writing a book, so she dressed in a special outfit and took a self-portrait. I only hope to have such a great outfit when I finish writing my first book! Look for yourself right here!

SUPER Saturday

Steve Tomashek at the fair.

(Not sure why, but this picture didn't get placed in the correct spot in this post. Please read on to see more info and photos below).

Art Fair at St. Kate's

love these colorful banners

isn't this button idea clever? all jewelry and belts, etc. were made out of buttons!

I loved this display at Steve Tomashek's booth. I bought a little yellow bird.

I chatted with Steve briefly and he was really nice. When I asked him if he was inspired by folk art, he said that he'd been carving since he was a little kid. He thought about becoming a cartoonist when he was younger, but also was interested in folk art when he learned about it in school. He has now sort of combined the two. His work was witty, colorful, and fun! Check out his website.

Steve's booth at the fair.

I went to the fair just for this woman's work.

Gena Ollendieck in her booth at the fair.

Gena makes leather bound journals, photo albums, and mixed media assemblages.

Love the ORANGE heart!

Gena uses all kinds of metal scraps, elements of nature, and old photos in her work.

I think the old silverware looks so cool!

cicada n: a stout-bodied insect related to the aphids that has a wide blunt head and large transparent wings

dragonfly n: any of a group of large harmless 4-winged insects

I thought the dragonfly flew on my head, but it did not.

The kitty has the cicada!

My Fun Friday

Incredible yellow flower

Me by the turtle fountain

I love the green grass and blue sky days

I loved the lines these plants created mixed with the circle shapes of the flower tops and leaves

Purple and orange are really a great combination

Can you spy the bumblebee?

Can't you just touch this one? Soooo fuzzy!

This texture was amazing. I'm so glad I am able to show you.

So beautiful. Again, loved the lines and circles!

Orange and blue

The fountain at the rose gardens

Red roses and shadow

Red roses and sky

Flower garden goodness

Where is that bug's head?

Beware of the monster of the lake!!!!

As I was leaving work, I saw a red fox. Sooo amazing to see one so close up!

The red fox is itchy.

Mixture of self-portraits and kitty pics

As recommended by Misty Mawn, I am posting some self-portraits today!

I love the orange colors in this wood!

Outside at sunset before the rain.

Fast, happy kitty outside tonight.

She climbed her first real tree!

We love each other!

State Park goodness. Love sunset skies.

Recent Altered Book Page

This recent book for the altered round robin really cracked me up. It was retitled by the artist "Through the Keyhole: Travels Within". (MaryAnne Bloom was the clever artist who thought of this theme for her round robin book). Anyway, there were a couple of pages in the real book about taboos in the American culture. One is the "nakedness taboo". There was info on nudist camps. The book explains how the people who attend them are really not that unusual; they've just become comfortable breaking the "nakedness taboo" of the culture. All other taboos are in place, such as inappropriate touching and display of the body. Any behavior such as this would result in expulsion from the nudist camp.

I thought it was amusing when the book said that newcomers are not impacted by the nudity around them; they notice more their lack of pockets!

New Etsy Item!!!!

Toad Photo Block

Beautiful and Bright

textured back

CARPENTER TACKS!!!! Don't you just love how they look on things?

To see more info, click on my orangespiral etsy shop on my blog sidebar (to the right of these pictures).

Fun with Reflection Photos

Kitty Totem

Kitty in the Tree

Yelling Kitty

Reach Out and Touch Someone

Me and Yellow Moth

Yellow Moth