Ole' MacDonald Had A Farm

Eeeii Eeeii Ohhhh!  Can you guess what I did this weekend???  Well, no, I didn't go to a farm, but I did go to 3 farmer's markets in Tucson!

I haven't been to a farm in quite awhile and there's really no excuse because we have MANY.  We are surrounded by farming country and  Southern Arizonans have a strong yearning for things organic.

So, on Saturday I experienced the farmer's market downtown at the train station...

Cute little market, not a lot of vendors as the 100 degree heat factors into it.

Got to see Amtrak on a morning run...

And a couple of freighters...

Bought some herbed goat cheese which was made from Wednesday's goat milk ~ yummy!

Also picked up a new basil plant and peppermint plant...

Next stop was the farmer's market at Plaza Palomino...

Sadly, there were few vendors compared to their normal draw as the center is undergoing renovation.
I managed to snag a loaf of ciabatta from Barrio Bread ~ addicting!!

By now, the day was heating up and I had two little herb plants to replant so I headed for home.

On Sunday, Kiki joined me and we traveled up the Avenue to St. Phillip's Plaza for their Sunday market.

By far, this was the best ~ HUGE with everything from organic eggs to organic meats and everything in between...soaps, lotions, potions, beans, lentils, breads, cheeses, veggies, gluten, vegan, you name it!

We had a lovely morning and while I had purchased my goat cheese yesterday, I found a few things I just couldn't resist ~

organic delights ~ heirloom tomatoes, japanese eggplant, and avocado

lentil blend soup and a kalamata olive loaf for my sweet man

hydroponic oak leaf lettuce

Wilcox galas

Somehow, the lentils ~ rustic bread ~ apples ~ have me anticipating Fall with pure glee! Thirty four years in Arizona have taught me there's still another 1-2 months of pretty warm weather.  That's okay because Fall will arrive!

I want to share one more thing with you, dear friends....my sweet, dear heart Debbie celebrated her birthday on August 21st.  Since I was still coming around from the vertigo, we celebrated her special day last Friday.

A very special luncheon at....

located in the historic Hotel Congress, downtown Tucson....

one of the original pencil drawings in the dining room

the original hotel bar

Happy Birthday, dear one...you still have 5 days left of celebrating your Birthday Month!

And I'm wishing all of you a most lovely end-of-the-month week, as well.  I'll be thinking of you and sending you blessings!
xoxo
Karen

Back In The Saddle Again!

Yesssirreee, I'm back in the saddle again and almost dizzy-free!  Long story short, the ENT doc diagnosed Benign Positional Vertigo which is an upset to the microscopic crystals located in the inner ear.  The good news is it's curable with a commitment to simple exercises, 3x/day.  So, I've been a good patient and it's paying off.  This is also a condition that's age-related, so if you're over 50 be sure not to make any sudden moves with your head!

Time to catch up...earlier this month I had the awesome privilege to attend the premier showing for Glam'tiqued.

A fabulous home decor business created by those darling friends of mine, Karey-Ann and Claire.

They are sharing a space at Real Deals Tucson and have absolutely charmed their spot with all this original hand crafted decor!

The girls and I just couldn't resist while we were there, and here's our purchases....

If you're in town, be sure to stop by Real Deals and check out Glam'tiqued.

Lucky for me, this vertigo allowed me to sit quietly and work on jewelry.  The Trunk Show is less than a month away and E-vites will be sent out this week, so be sure to check your email.  Here's a peek at what I've been up to....

Some soldered charms for the holidays, waiting to be finished...

A bracelet

and some necklaces...

Still more to do before the big day and that's my focus this week!

It's so good to be back blogging and I'm SO glad you stopped by for a visit.  That means so much to me.  I hope your week is a beautiful one and filled with blessings!
xoxo
Karen

Short & Sweet

Wednesday swept me off my feet with a case of VERTIGO, an ailment unbeknownst to me!

Yuck, yuck, yuck!!  I think it's a sign that I need to slow down because that's what I've been doing.  I'm disappointed as I wanted to share a special event with you, but I'm not up to typing and I really have to lay down.

My PC said it's Labyrinthine Vertigo.  He's referred me to an ENT this week as I'm not coming around as quickly as I should.

I hope to be back and "Musing" with you by next Monday.  Please hang in there with me,
dear, dear friends...
xoxo
Karen

Always Begin With A Tea Party!

That's my advice this week....always begin the week with a tea party!

And be sure to include a sweet little Peanut (aka Gianna)....

Peanut and her mama Kelly,  and my dear Kiki, who helped make it all possible...

 And if you remember to include a little Peanut, then you can make PB & J tea sandwiches without guilt!

ham salad and tuna salad tea sandwiches as well

Sweet Kelly treated us with the most delicious lox and cream cheese spread tea sandwiches....

What's a tea party without some cucumber dainties??

We had a most delicious selection of teas ~ and everyone had their own teapot!

Of course, tea is even more delicious when accompanied by some tasty petit fours and brownie bites ~

This was the most wonderful and delicious way to start the week.  I'm told that recently Gianna asked when could she "play with Amanda's mommy again?"!!  So, I'll take that to mean our tea party was a great success!

Along with a fabulous start to my week, the week ended with a fabulous art class,  lead by a most fabulous instructor!

On Friday I traveled to Phoenix so that I could participate in Art Unraveled's retreat.

swag bag

swag in the bag

My class was titled "Framed" and it was taught by dear friend and artist and author and teacher,
Diane Cook.

You might remember that I recently took Diane's "Heart Strings" and "Etched and Layered" classes online, through Artful Gathering 2012.

We worked with a vintage image, vintage mother of pearl buckle, and enameling to create a most beautiful pendant.

The image I chose is one of my mom, age 6, and my aunt, age 10 taken at Bear Mountain State Park, NY in 1921.

The real excitement for me was enameling that beautiful back piece of copper metal...

Anne preps her piece

Diane helps with the firing

 Here's my first attempt ~ a little light in the center as you can see the copper peaking through ~ but that was perfectly fine as the top layers covered it.

 the color I used is Aquamarine

Finished pendant!!

I'm SO excited to turn this beautiful pendant into an heirloom necklace.

This was one of the most exciting classes I've ever taken ~ probably right up there with etching my own metal!


Speaking of finished work, I'll share a quick picture with you of another piece I recently finished, a brass etched and layered cuff, titled Pearls of Wisdom.  It references my rich and rewarding career as an elementary school teacher.

Today I will begin preparing for some great up and coming events:

• My Trunk Show on Sunday, September 16th from 2-6pm
• Unique Boutique, October 13th and 14th
• Corpus Christi Fall Arts Boutique, October 27th and 28th

I'm taking another online class this week that involves broken china and soldering ~ so be sure to check back with me in the next week or two to see what I'm up to. It's all good!

I wish you cool breezes, icy sweet drinks, a shady spot to relax and all the blessings of the week ahead.
Thank you for taking the time to spend a moment with me!
xoxo
Karen