…but there’s something about a Mom that cozies up a home. This piece of mixed media art plays off the current week’s prompt (old- fashioned) over at Illustration Friday.

Along with using vintage trim, lace and buttons, I copied my Mom’s recipes onto transparency film. Then I adhered the film to the canvas with a thin coat of matte medium. I added paint and inks to further incorporate the recipes into the piece. One of my very favorite ingredients to instantly age any piece is Jim Holtz Distress Ink in vintage photo. And speaking of old-fashioned life, our dishwasher is finally all better and thus my appreciation for modern conveniences even greater. I can cook and bake once again.

For the past few weeks, my three-year-old helper had not been acting like herself. She was leaving spots, traces of food and not drying things completely. Finally she just quit…refusing to do anything. I called for help immediately. Yesterday, the repairman delivered the news in a harsh way, like a doctor lacking people skills. He gruffly stated, “Her heater is out. I need to order a new one. It won’t be in for at least a week.” I replied in a shocked voice, “Are you kidding me? A week??!” I figured his diagnosis had to be an attempt at some sort of sick humor. Surely he had a part out on his truck that could replace the broken one within the hour. He looked me squarely in the eye and scowled, “No joke maam. I’ll be back in a week.” Then off he went with his toolbox leaving me with her and a sink full of dishes. I heard myself gasp.

At least the day I brought her home, I was feeling protective and opted to purchase the extended warranty plan. Dishwasher health insurance makes bad news slightly more tolerable. I wonder how many times we’ll order pizza this week?

“This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow’s happiness grow.”  —Margaret Lindsey

Illustration Friday’s weekly challenge (word=”proverb”) planted these seeds of artistic inspiration featuring ric-rac, fibers, lace and buttons—notions that initially had to be flower inspired.

Don’t forget to keep watering those seeds you plant today…in the proverbial sense like “follow up” and the literal like “Water already!” (the former a note to my garden neglecting self : )

This past weekend, I actually cleaned out and organized my studio. The art, craft, sewing, etc. supplies were getting way out of control. Here’s evidence. I admit I have never knitted, crocheted, spun or weaved or done anything with yarn in the past five ten twenty years. So why does one have mountains of yarn? I think it’s the colors and the textures that get me. I fantasy about knitting mittens…surely some day I will be a mitten knitter. Until then, I forced myself to condense my stash to what could fit in this metal bin. Notice it’s squeezed in pretty tight. That self is one tricky gal. You can only imagine how the rest of the studio clean out went. I will say things are looking better than before. And if you happen to spot me in Michaels or some other craft or sewing store, please order me to drop the basket and go home immediately.