little family

Doesn't she look like a red panda?

Poor baby kissed so much!

Look at her big black eyes!

Greg looking handsome and charming at the freshly opened Green Sage Cafe located downtown Asheville. Its located where Beanstreets used to be, which I missed terribly, but I have to say this newly renovated organic/green business is really lovely. It doesn't have the eclectic bad art on the walls or mismatched furniture or dirty hippie vibe, so basically I'm pleased as punch. Not that there's anything wrong with dirty hippies. I do live in Asheville, the ultimate land of drum circles and dreadlocks. We had a pleasant day, starting with lunch with our fine friends Tony and Lisa Blackwell, then back home to smooch our puppy, then to our lovely downtown, visiting Malaprops bookstore, the Chocolate Fetish (of course) then to the new cafe.

At thebookstore, I picked up another art instruction book, this one on Felting. I love felting- now that its warm and I begin to put away my cold weather stuff, I can start planning for next winter. I'm excited, there are detailed instructions for making vests, which I'm convinced is one of the most useful pieces of clothes. I have one my sis gave me that I wear constantly(although its a quilted cotton knit), now I have the info to make loads in felt. Hopefully they are just as useful and not one of those things you can only wear to a Renaissance Fair.

Our family has grown! I know it sounds like we are too busy for younglings, but I'm a mama deep down! I like caring for my little family, its one of life's simple pleasures. I'm fortunate to love what I do, so making art isn't a burden and it hasn't lost any of the magic for me. I enjoy being surrounded by life, plants and animals and people. I think its one of the keys to happiness. I've lived alone, with no distractions from my work, no animals to take care of, complete freedom...and was bored. Or, like a rosebush without enough sun, I did not thrive. I got all weird and loopy. Fortunately, I quit my day job and made beads full time, then all manner of good things came my way. Okay, so maybe the key is to be happy with what you do everyday so don't get wacky and miserable. Anyway, I'm basking in the love of my babies, smiling like a fool, happy to be happy.