Oh today I am celebrating Erin Elizabeth!

I got up early today to head for Erin,s in home business "Three kids and A Kitchen" so I could help/play with the kids while she was videotaped and interviewed by our local ABC channel to be presented in the near future.  She has picked up another caramel client at Lynd's Fruit Farm plus another coffee shop.  She has worked very hard to organize, set up her own assembly line, packaging and Brand label identification as well as packaging and shipping procedure.  The little ones were just great ...Morgan and Lyndon played on their ipads and we watched the educational channel for the times were in between puzzles and word games.  Michelle brought over a quick lunch from McDonald's and after a couple hours we took the little ones upstairs to be photographed for their official jobs...taste testers!!!

I stopped by my eye doctors office with my pair of chewed eyeglasses and this time Roxie scratched the lenses this time.  i love my puppy ...but oh well I do need to see Dr. Henry soon for a consultation.  Changes are becoming more evident and I think the cataract is growing faster than I had hoped. 

 Uniform molds to create uniform sizes equals easy wrap and presentation for her marketing!

 planning the layout for her production...measure and use a thermometer...for continued quality control...

 special ingredients nuts, chocolates, sea salts...all to a distinctive flavor for each selected caramel...

 measurements precise and consistent ingredients... quality control...the best sugars, vanillas, pure butter, and so on...

 Now this is an attractive way to store your brown sugar and know exactly when re-ordering is near necessity....

 Erin's at home office....

 neat....organized...attractive  and ready to fill her orders at a moment's notice...

 Her work computer...and files ...

 metal racks to show supplies and essential wraps and packaging materials....

 this is her brochure for handouts and lists of her delicious flavors

 promotional posters to take to different samplings and coffee shops...

 Morgan and Lyndon amuse themselves while final preparations are completed...such good children!

 the toys had been put away...but this is a real home where children play...

 The queen of handmade caramels ....Erin Elizabeth Spalding ...the mother of "Three kids and a Kitchen",,,,she is ready for her close up...

 Ashley graduated from Northwestern in Chicago and is a dynamo all by herself... she is covering several local businesses and artists to the community for Channel 6 in Columbus, Ohio!

 Preparing for the interview...

 Morgan and Lyndon are not quite sure about this HUGE camera... in their kitchen

 Daddy's home!  He is a resident at the hospital and just finished an all night shift....time to go to sleep but first the wife and the little ones

 Now I do know there is a big smile in there....

 Emily was there for moral support and her mother Michelle brought us lunch...

 Michelle giving Emily her taste test spoon to enjoy....

A lot of movement when Dad comes home...and there is till interviewing happening... this is such a wonderful opportunity for Erin and her dream!!!

 Now there are some tiny smiles peaking through the apprehension...

 The moral support cheering the little ones on for the big camera....

 I think we have it!!!

 Now can we play Mom????

 Heading out to the Farmer's market that carries her caramels in Reynoldsburg....

 This is Emily's favorite flavor...there is one for everyone....

 I think these two really enjoyed their play date ...







Morgan is working a puzzle on her brother's Ipad...these new tools are amazing today for young students!!!!

We had dinner with some dear dear friends...all artists and art supporters!  Delicious foods, conversations, laughter and plans to get together real soon.  You can never discount the importance of being with trusted and caring friends who can offer input to your processes without critical bones.  I am tired tonight and Ken is already in bed...where do the days go?   I am going to try to hand quilt for about an hour or so...I hope you all get to go out and see the Blue Full Moon...tomorrow is the official fullness night.  But tonight the sky was miraculous with golden light...it felt very romantic and peaceful.  Peace be with you,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Tuesday morning ...wrapped in a soft blanket of velvet fog...

The trees are beginning to show their crimson colors....
The whole valley is wrapped in a velvet blanket of fog...
The humidity is high as I exit my home to the back hilll...
I am not alone.
Walking my dogs...I almost walked into a completed work of art...
a neighbor...an industrious spider had spun a  large web of intrigue...
The moist air allowed me to capture this spun silver with my very old  Cord camera.
Quietly I crept a bit closer...
I did not want to disturb this wonderful queen...
majestic weaver of the night's dream stories...
I have always been fascinated by such marvels as a web woven silently in the dark of the night,
Yes the full moon is quickly approaching but I am sure I would have totally missed the web design if I was out under the cover of night's cloak of subtle darkness.
Small miracles ...right under our noses...completing their circle of Life. 
Lisa came into the studio...she is a wonderful friend who is taking classes in photography.
I can hardly wait her new photos...she jumped into the abyss and bought a wonderful camera  and is embarking on her own business very soon.  Her son Myles has just completed his brown belt and he is only 9!  I can only imagine where he will be going in his lifetime...he is my hero!!!

I worked on the wooden table...I am designing a card for next Wednesday's Craft night at the Grill Deli.  I am getting excited to see my young buddies!!!

I just love Lisa's bubbling personality and great smile....

 Working on collage techniques for the new Fall cards...  bits of colors and hand made papers...just quick easy fun!

 I was not alone this morning in the woods by my cabin in the woods...

 This web's span is a good six feet wide....silken silver threads woven over night ....

 I crept closer...the spider was still at work...waiting for her breakfast to arrive....

 I am not sure what to do with these images but they are so intriguing...maybe a fiber print and silver hand quilting...

 The humidity began to make dew drops ...I can almost hear the tinkling of piano keys ....

The leaves are a golden orange and dusty yellow...a preview to what is arriving soon...

 Look my "dry" work table is sort of cleared ...well half way there!








The baskets are getting orderly and organized...little baby steps...

Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Today was a perfect Sunday!!!!!

This has been a crazy week and yesterday my body said NO more...I spent the day listening to my body and rested and slept.  This is not always the most productive way to spend an absolutely beautiful day but I had to stop and reconsider the alternative if I fail to listen to my body.  I did feel better by the end of the day and spent some time continuing my quilting ...I work so darn slow and to be honest I do not know if I will make my deadline.  I do find myself unwinding and feeling peaceful when I am hand quilting and this piece is coming along fine ....haste makes waste.

Today we had a slow morning and went to see a delightful movie..."Hope Springs".  Anyone who has been married for awhile will find this movie to be entertaining.  Merly Streep is awesome but she has always been one of my favorite actresses!  Tommy Lee Jones plays a grumpy angry husband that how he is living is just FINE.  Steve Carrell does a great job as the $4000 a week in depth counseling session facilitator!  Maine is beautiful and even though there are rough edges and a few realities in this movie...I highly recommend seeing this movie.  The music sound track is a walk down memory lane.  I looked around the theater and realized this is a real MOVIE for couples of a certain age.  Thank you Ken!

Then we went to see some golden old friends at Elder Beerman...I worked there part time for 8 years and I do love these people!!  Ken found two great ties for the new school year and I found packable skirt for my trip to Tucson next month..great people and great buys!!!

 I began replenishing my card supplies...tomorrow I want to make a special wedding card and a few sympathy cards...probably with water colors and layers.

 These two cards are going to be a free flowing...open ended correspondence approach...

 OOOOH the Halloween cards are coming out...I love the Raven stamp...Nevermore!!!  The second one has every Fall word for the happy change of the seasons. How do you like my new glasses????  FUN!

 More design elements ...spooky yes but FUN!!!

 David Williams oil painting from the closing of the exhibit.

 Winter is in this artist 's future...cool images for a hot afternoon!

 David Williams cool trees ...his brushstrokes are so poignant and yet serene.

 Brave, wide brush strokes...another reflection of the beauty of the trees...perfect for Dawes!

 A hot red evening sky at the close of the day...I think this is another one of David's visions.

 Fields resting at the end of the summer....

 My ancestor's spirit whisper in the hot bright sun...a reliquary vision of a tree's life returning to the earth's soil....

 shimmers still in the trees...

 The children's butterflies out on the lawn in the All Season's Garden....

 A beautiful hand painted butterfly on the remains of a tree resting in the garden....

 Welcome to my sacred space...there are three weddings on 9/8/12 at Dawes.  Some friends children are marrying in the All Seasons Garden ..excited to be surrounded by the whispers created by the children....

Even AARP is celebrating Hope Springs..... Meryl is so elegant and beautiful!!!









Now the time to have a cup of hot tea or coffee sitting in the porch swing...for porch swing meditations!!

Last we stopped and got a Mocha Frappe and Carmel Latte and headed down to Dawes Arboretum for a relaxing walk under the whisper panels.  Now you can see we did not spend a lot of money but ...what a wonderful day~!  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart