# What we do besides dogs!



## Lalla

Here's a new thread for anyone to tell us about what they do in other bits of their lives besides being Havanese owners!! It's to stop people like me hijacking posts with taking off on related, but not related enough (!) topics and because some kind people have asked to see more or my work.

Rather than directing someone to a website, sometimes it might be nice to have an ongoing 'conversation' in thread-form instead?

Here, anyway, is a link to an open dropbox file of stuff from an exhibition I did last year at the National Theatre in London. The subject is animal camouflage, and the exhibition was called "Vanishing Act"; I'll see what I can do in the way of downloading some other stuff, too.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cc2w6jwaerfprl1/JfXby6ksZp?n=6296798


----------



## Lalla

These are from an exhibition that combined embroidery/quilting (table runners, wall hangings etc) with ceramics. The exhibition (also at the National) was called "Migration"; many are migrating animals, and are migrating, anyway, from one medium to another. Some are just patterns taken from the fabric, through the ceramic (in the glaze) and out the other side. I'll have to post two or three to download a few of them - hope I don't get into trouble with too many photographs!!


----------



## Lalla

oops, didn't download the photos, take two!


----------



## Lalla

Here are a few more; for some, as you'll see, I've imagined the little ceramic dish to be an x-ray, so you can see the bones of the seal's flipper, and the strawberry poison frog's leg and a bit of the snake:


----------



## Lalla

Here's another one of the stripy bowl, close up and a couple of the 'how I do it' work-in-progress moths, and a sort of miniature mock-up we did in one of the display cases of my chaotic workroom!


----------



## whimsy

wow ..what a talent you are. Very different and imaginative !! I can't even pick the one I like best...I am partial to your butterfly/moth art.


----------



## Lalla

whimsy said:


> wow ..what a talent you are. Very different and imaginative !! I can't even pick the one I like best...I am partial to your butterfly/moth art.


Thank you SO much, Whimsy - it's a bit scary downloading such stuff in this company!! I look forward to others sharing their work, whatever it may be, it's so nice to know more about people one has got to know through our shared love of our precious dogs.


----------



## AnnaM

Wow, you are so talented! I didn't even know there were art forms like these.... I am in exalted company!


----------



## sandypaws

Incredible, absolutely incredible, work, Lalla. I am totally in awe. What a creative mind you have, not to mention the outstanding talent. I love it all, but especially the Migration exhibit. The concept is amazing. Love, love, love the idea of using the x-ray feature. I couldn't begin to select my favorite, as they are all so beautiful. WOW!!! I don't think I can find any more adjectives for your work. Thank you so much for sharing.

Can't wait to see what other talent lies beyond this forum. I know there must be lots of it with such a diverse group of people. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to share.


----------



## Lalla

AnnaM said:


> Wow, you are so talented! I didn't even know there were art forms like these.... I am in exalted company!


There is company far more exalted than I, AnnaM!!! I wish I could come anywhere near the skills in training and everything else to do with Havanese - I'm ok with a sewing machine and some glaze, but never cease to learn all sorts of things from people on this forum! But thank you SO much for the kind words.


----------



## Lalla

sandypaws said:


> Incredible, absolutely incredible, work, Lalla. I am totally in awe. What a creative mind you have, not to mention the outstanding talent. I love it all, but especially the Migration exhibit. The concept is amazing. Love, love, love the idea of using the x-ray feature. I couldn't begin to select my favorite, as they are all so beautiful. WOW!!! I don't think I can find any more adjectives for your work. Thank you so much for sharing.
> 
> Can't wait to see what other talent lies beyond this forum. I know there must be lots of it with such a diverse group of people. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to share.


Just replied to AnnaM re the talents of so many people on this forum, Mary - I am in awe of your abilities to give your dogs the most wonderful, long lives; fiddling around with a sewing machine doesn't really seem much of an achievement by comparison, and I am SO proud to have you think that my work is ok.
As for your not having anything to share!!!! EXCUSE ME!!!! You share SO much about Tyler, and that's what we are really on this forum for!!!


----------



## AnnaM

I wish I had some talent I could share... But I am glad I am on this forum, I am learning something new every day...


----------



## sandypaws

Lalla said:


> Just replied to AnnaM re the talents of so many people on this forum, Mary - I am in awe of your abilities to give your dogs the most wonderful, long lives; fiddling around with a sewing machine doesn't really seem much of an achievement by comparison, and I am SO proud to have you think that my work is ok.
> As for your not having anything to share!!!! EXCUSE ME!!!! You share SO much about Tyler, and that's what we are really on this forum for!!!


Thank you for the kind words, Lalla. I have been very fortunate to have my dogs live such long and, I hope, happy lives. It's been a pleasure having them in my life and I enjoy every minute of it, well almost every minute of it. lol. I, too, have learned a lot from this forum, as things have changed a bit since my puppy rearing days.

Actually, I did purchase a new sewing machine a couple of weeks ago and am waiting to have a lesson on it, as machines have changed so much since my sewing days back in the 70s and 80s. Yup, that's how long it's been since I've done any sewing. I used to make clothes for my four kids when they were toddlers from patterns, nothing creative, but have done nothing since. I want to try some rag quilts, dog accessories and perhaps eventually learn quilting, as it has always fascinated me. We'll see how it goes!


----------



## Lalla

sandypaws said:


> Thank you for the kind words, Lalla. I have been very fortunate to have my dogs live such long and, I hope, happy lives. It's been a pleasure having them in my life and I enjoy every minute of it, well almost every minute of it. lol. I, too, have learned a lot from this forum, as things have changed a bit since my puppy rearing days.
> 
> Actually, I did purchase a new sewing machine a couple of weeks ago and am waiting to have a lesson on it, as machines have changed so much since my sewing days back in the 70s and 80s. Yup, that's how long it's been since I've done any sewing. I used to make clothes for my four kids when they were toddlers from patterns, nothing creative, but have done nothing since. I want to try some rag quilts, dog accessories and perhaps eventually learn quilting, as it has always fascinated me. We'll see how it goes!


i have always been hopeless at sewing, I couldn't begin to make clothes, Mary, I am so envious!! I got my first ever sewing machine in 2009 because I read somewhere that you could draw with a needle; I draw. I illustrate books sometimes, and draw in various media, so I thought I'd better try. Then I found myself really enjoying it, despite terrible battles with that first machine. Then I rather rashly agreed to do an exhibition for a charity, to raise money to save the Floreana Mockingbird, an endangered Galapagos bird. I'd been to Galapagos, so I did 40 pictures in a ludicrously short time, for a London gallery exhibition, and raised £25,000, which was pretty good!!! Quilting is really fun, and not difficult. Drawing with a sewing machine, when you don't really know how to do anything else with it, is probably easier than if you DO know how to do proper things. For my exhibitions I always put together a fairly long 'how I do it' document. I'll PM it to you tomorrow if I can - not sure if you can add a Word attachment to a PM?? Or I could email it to you, if you didn't mind sharing an email address? I'd be very careful with it. Anyway, it's night time here, and I'm typing on my iPad in bed so can't find things on my downstairs laptop! You might find some bits and pieces in the document that could be useful? I'm a total amateur, really - I've taught myself from books and the occasional YouTube tutorial - YouTube is a totally wonderful resource for learning just about anything - if you get stuck on anything, go there!!! I do so hope you can get hooked on it, it is so much fun to do. I wish I could come and show you stuff, but there's a bit of an Atlantic Ocean in the way!!!


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> oops, didn't download the photos, take two!


I am in AWE!!! These are FANTASTIC!!!


----------



## krandall

whimsy said:


> wow ..what a talent you are. Very different and imaginative !! I can't even pick the one I like best...I am partial to your butterfly/moth art.


Interesting!!! That's JUST what I told her when we spoke about it in PM before we talked her into posting here!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> I am in AWE!!! These are FANTASTIC!!!


Thank you so very much, Karen - I so wanted you to like them. And thanks for all the tank info on the other thread - DO post some more photos, they look amazing! Must go to sleep, it's late here and I've got a v early start tomorrow!


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> For my exhibitions I always put together a fairly long 'how I do it' document. I'll PM it to you tomorrow if I can - not sure if you can add a Word attachment to a PM?? Or I could email it to you, if you didn't mind sharing an email address? I'd be very careful with it. Anyway, it's night time here, and I'm typing on my iPad in bed so can't find things on my downstairs laptop! You might find some bits and pieces in the document that could be useful? I'm a total amateur, really - I've taught myself from books and the occasional YouTube tutorial - YouTube is a totally wonderful resource for learning just about anything - if you get stuck on anything, go there!!! I do so hope you can get hooked on it, it is so much fun to do. I wish I could come and show you stuff, but there's a bit of an Atlantic Ocean in the way!!!


Oh, could you send me that file too?!?!? I'd LOVE to know more about how you do it!!! I'll send you my e-mail address!


----------



## izzy's mom

Love your work! How creative and talented you are! I especially love the x-ray pieces.


----------



## Pipersmom

Wow Laila! Beautiful work, thank you so much for sharing.

I just got my first sewing machine for Christmas and am getting ready to try my first project-fleece dog coats. I don't think Piper and Riley will mind if they don't come out perfectly 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Sheri

Lalla, what a creative artist you are! Those works are amazing and beautiful, and so very unique! Thank you for sharing.


----------



## DeeDee

I haven't been on the forum in a few days and never bother with the coffee shop. So glad another thread directed me here or I'd have missed such interesting and creative work. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## jabojenny

Ooooo I love your stuff! Your textures and integration of the two materials is so interesting. My oldest daughter is graduating high school and just got accepted to The School at the Art Institute of Chicago hoping to major in Illustration. I am her major art critic since she says her high school classes don't give her constructive criticism. We have a snow day today so I'm going to show her your stuff later, I'll let you know what she thinks! I graduated with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design so I love being able to have "creative" discussions with my daughter about her work. I really miss a creative community now that I'm out of my field raising the girls. I always joke with my husband that I need to find out what I want to be when I grow up, I'm getting closer to retiring from child rearing, yikes!


----------



## Atticus

WOW so glad you posted this, beautiful work very impressive!
I did a lot of weaving (spinning ,natural dyes etc) and made 3 dimensional sculpture with wrapping, shells, driftwood,mirrors etc. This was all back in the 70's. I had a shop and actually sold it, (along with a multitude of woven guitar straps) Ahhh the 7o's!. Very sad that my portfolio got ruined in a flooded basement. Now I'm thinking of taking a rug hooking class in the spring,as I haven't done any hand crafts in years!
Anyway your work is truly wonderful! AND Mary (Tyler's Mom) one look at your beautiful house and all you have done there, shows your incredible talent too!


----------



## dianaplo

I really enjoyed the glimpse into your workshop and your beautiful work. Thank you for sharing!


----------



## krandall

OK, I have a number of different things I do besides dogs. Lalla wanted to see some different shots of my tanks, so here are a few of those. Please forgive some of the photos… some are scans of old slides.:


----------



## krandall

I also ride. I used to train professionally, and show, but RA has kind of curtailed that… which lead to me getting Kodi!


----------



## krandall

I am a passionate photographer:


----------



## dianaplo

Beautiful, Karen!


----------



## krandall

…And I play around with a number of different art forms. Zendalas are my new "unwind therapy" in the evenings! :


----------



## Lalla

I am so pleased I dared to start this thread, and so overwhelmed by the lovely things you have all said, thank you SO much - greatly needed morale booster!! I'm dithering around with trying to get back on track for a next exhibition; somehow, guess what, a Havanese puppy is SUCH a distraction!!! But having all your incredibly generous comments is so good for feeling that I CAN do it. Jabojenny, I'd love to hear what your daughter thinks (good or bad!) - well done her for getting into the School of Art at the Institute of Chicago, I've heard it's brilliant. I love Chicago, probably the city I know best in the States. Wish her a very happy time there from me - I have these somewhat, only mildly regretful thoughts that I wish I'd gone to art school instead of side-tracking and going to drama school instead, though wouldn't have missed that, or my 25 years or so of acting. Life takes funny turns, but I do envy her the things she will learn there, and the life she'll have.

Karen, would it be a pain to email me those AMAZING photos of your glorious aquariums? Then I could show them more easily to my Denville Hall people (my old actors' home). They say we have fish (they are Lake Malawi cyclids) that only tolerate a couple of different plants??? If so, I'm wondering why they suggested Lake Malawi cyclids...????, since part of the remit was to create a beautiful screen between the two bits of the house. Hmmm. But if I can show them what is possible, maybe we can have another go??


----------



## dianaplo

I'm not familiar with Zendolas. What is that? You are giving me a complex loll.


----------



## whimsy

beautiful Karen.


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> I am so pleased I dared to start this thread, and so overwhelmed by the lovely things you have all said, thank you SO much - greatly needed morale booster!! I'm dithering around with trying to get back on track for a next exhibition; somehow, guess what, a Havanese puppy is SUCH a distraction!!! But having all your incredibly generous comments is so good for feeling that I CAN do it. Jabojenny, I'd love to hear what your daughter thinks (good or bad!) - well done her for getting into the School of Art at the Institute of Chicago, I've heard it's brilliant. I love Chicago, probably the city I know best in the States. Wish her a very happy time there from me - I have these somewhat, only mildly regretful thoughts that I wish I'd gone to art school instead of side-tracking and going to drama school instead, though wouldn't have missed that, or my 25 years or so of acting. Life takes funny turns, but I do envy her the things she will learn there, and the life she'll have.
> 
> Karen, would it be a pain to email me those AMAZING photos of your glorious aquariums? Then I could show them more easily to my Denville Hall people (my old actors' home). They say we have fish (they are Lake Malawi cyclids) that only tolerate a couple of different plants??? If so, I'm wondering why they suggested Lake Malawi cyclids...????, since part of the remit was to create a beautiful screen between the two bits of the house. Hmmm. But if I can show them what is possible, maybe we can have another go??


I'd be happy to e-mail them to you, Lalla! They are right, you would really have to totally re-do the tank to have it as a planted tank. You would need a completely different substrate, plus some different equipment. (better lighting, CO2&#8230 Many commercial installation/maintenance companies like using Rift Lake cichlids (primarily Malawi) because they are colorful, move around a lot, and they don't have to worry about decor other than a bunch of rocks. It's an easy formula! 

They COULD probably add some Anubias and Java ferns to a Malawi tank, but that would be about it. Most Malawi cichlids are BIG plant eaters&#8230; Like letting a goat go in your flower garden!


----------



## krandall

dianaplo said:


> I'm not familiar with Zendolas. What is that? You are giving me a complex loll.


Zendalas are mandalas done using Zentangle pen and ink work. It's fun and relaxing! Anyone who can hold a pen can do them!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> I'd be happy to e-mail them to you, Lalla! They are right, you would really have to totally re-do the tank to have it as a planted tank. You would need a completely different substrate, plus some different equipment. (better lighting, CO2&#8230 Many commercial installation/maintenance companies like using Rift Lake cichlids (primarily Malawi) because they are colorful, move around a lot, and they don't have to worry about decor other than a bunch of rocks. It's an easy formula!
> 
> They COULD probably add some Anubias and Java ferns to a Malawi tank, but that would be about it. Most Malawi cichlids are BIG plant eaters&#8230; Like letting a goat go in your flower garden!


It's v late and I'm done in so shall reply properly tomorrow, Karen, but thanks so much for the advice, and I love the goat in the garden analogy!!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> &#8230;And I play around with a number of different art forms. Zendalas are my new "unwind therapy" in the evenings! :


Karen, all your achievements are inspiring! Amazing photography, and art work; I've been out all day and now it's horribly late and I'm too tired to do justice to proper replies, just wanted so say thank you SO much for sharing all your diverse talents with us.


----------



## sandypaws

Wow, Karen, you are a girl of many talents. I love everything that you have shared with us here. I know your tanks are gorgeous, as I have seen them in person. Are the big cat and the fish paintings that you have done? They are not Zentangles, are they? I remember the Zentangle of the Havanese that you did for the auction and became very interested in it. You actually gave me a site to download and print out some designs which I did but never followed through by doing anything with them. I think Tyler's accident happened shortly after that and then my spare time flew out the window. My artist daughter happened to be visiting this summer, saw the patterns I had printed out and, guess what, she gave me a Zentangle kit for Christmas complete with instructions, a DVD, pens, etc. I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't done anything with it, but then again, I'm still involved with rehab.
Thanks for sharing all of your talent with us. You truly are amazing and seem to excel in whatever you attempt to do.


----------



## sandypaws

Atticus said:


> WOW so glad you posted this, beautiful work very impressive!
> I did a lot of weaving (spinning ,natural dyes etc) and made 3 dimensional sculpture with wrapping, shells, driftwood,mirrors etc. This was all back in the 70's. I had a shop and actually sold it, (along with a multitude of woven guitar straps) Ahhh the 7o's!. Very sad that my portfolio got ruined in a flooded basement. Now I'm thinking of taking a rug hooking class in the spring,as I haven't done any hand crafts in years!
> Anyway your work is truly wonderful! AND Mary (Tyler's Mom) one look at your beautiful house and all you have done there, shows your incredible talent too!


Thank you, Jody, for the compliment. I don't consider it talent, just something that was fun to do.

Too bad you aren't into guitar straps anymore, as Bud just replaced one of his old guitars this weekend with a new solid body. He could have used a new strap to go with it. lol


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> Karen, all your achievements are inspiring! Amazing photography, and art work; I've been out all day and now it's horribly late and I'm too tired to do justice to proper replies, just wanted so say thank you SO much for sharing all your diverse talents with us.


Thanks Lalla! I think we have a LOT of talented people around here! (Including YOU!!!)


----------



## krandall

sandypaws said:


> Wow, Karen, you are a girl of many talents. I love everything that you have shared with us here. I know your tanks are gorgeous, as I have seen them in person. Are the big cat and the fish paintings that you have done? They are not Zentangles, are they? I remember the Zentangle of the Havanese that you did for the auction and became very interested in it. You actually gave me a site to download and print out some designs which I did but never followed through by doing anything with them. I think Tyler's accident happened shortly after that and then my spare time flew out the window. My artist daughter happened to be visiting this summer, saw the patterns I had printed out and, guess what, she gave me a Zentangle kit for Christmas complete with instructions, a DVD, pens, etc. I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't done anything with it, but then again, I'm still involved with rehab.
> Thanks for sharing all of your talent with us. You truly are amazing and seem to excel in whatever you attempt to do.


The fish and Puma started as hand done drawings, scanned in, then "painted" using Photoshop and Wacom Intuous tablet and pen. The mandalas are Zentangle.

Don't be ashamed that you've been too busy with your cute boy's rehab! But do try a little Zentangle!!! Remember that when you are working in the cards, they are LITTLE!!! It doesn't have to take long... And even with a few simple tangles, you will surprise yourself at how pretty they turn out!


----------



## krandall

sandypaws said:


> Thank you, Jody, for the compliment. I don't consider it talent, just something that was fun to do.
> 
> Too bad you aren't into guitar straps anymore, as Bud just replaced one of his old guitars this weekend with a new solid body. He could have used a new strap to go with it. lol


Jody is right, Mary! i took real vision for you and Bud to build and decorate your lovely home! It is BEAUTIFUL!!!


----------



## sandypaws

krandall said:


> Jody is right, Mary! i took real vision for you and Bud to build and decorate your lovely home! It is BEAUTIFUL!!!


Thank you. I'm flattered. It was a fun project and we enjoyed every minute of it.


----------



## Atticus

Karen, Got a phone call and just got back to the forum.WOW Spectacular horse shots! Beautiful Photos, but that horse is really magnificent! And it takes great talent to ride like that! Never seen such beautiful tanks! Loved the ART too!
Does teaching parents to sign with their Deaf babies count as talent??? HAHA


----------



## krandall

Atticus said:


> Karen, Got a phone call and just got back to the forum.WOW Spectacular horse shots! Beautiful Photos, but that horse is really magnificent! And it takes great talent to ride like that! Never seen such beautiful tanks! Loved the ART too!
> Does teaching parents to sign with their Deaf babies count as talent??? HAHA


ABSOLUTELY that counts. To those families, that is WAY more important than someone's silly photos or pen and ink drawings! :thumb:


----------



## Suzi

This is a fun trend!
Lalla I love your work and think you should join the Havanese quilting group. You don't have to be a expert sewer to make a cute block for Havanese rescue.I really like all the different mediums you use and you even show. 
I was a ceramic major in collage. I went to a private art school in Portland Oregon called the Museume Art School. I've moved so much I don't really have many of my pieces anymore. I would love to get back on the wheel someday. I saved my very first clay sculpture I was about 8 years old. So I took a picture of my first ceramic piece and my favorite pot. I also included a large plate I did while in business trying to make a living selling my pottery. That was many years ago.
Today I'm painting on photo's Its fun and I've been selling them for $30 and up.
Karen I have known about some of your Art work but didn't know about your tanks. Those are really pretty. I love all the plants.


----------



## krandall

Thanks, Suzi! i LOVE your pottery, beautiful!!!


----------



## Lalla

Atticus said:


> Karen, Got a phone call and just got back to the forum.WOW Spectacular horse shots! Beautiful Photos, but that horse is really magnificent! And it takes great talent to ride like that! Never seen such beautiful tanks! Loved the ART too!
> Does teaching parents to sign with their Deaf babies count as talent??? HAHA


Are you kidding? It takes major talent to sign with deaf babies, and teach their parents to do so, and I think it's a wonderful thing to be doing. I learned to do a sort of canine version with Pamba, my Coton, when illness made her totally deaf. It is a wonderful thing to learn. I know people here (UK) who learn to sign with NON-deaf babies as a means of pre-language communication, do you see that ever, Atticus?


----------



## Lalla

Suzi said:


> This is a fun trend!
> Lalla I love your work and think you should join the Havanese quilting group. You don't have to be a expert sewer to make a cute block for Havanese rescue.I really like all the different mediums you use and you even show.
> I was a ceramic major in collage. I went to a private art school in Portland Oregon called the Museume Art School. I've moved so much I don't really have many of my pieces anymore. I would love to get back on the wheel someday. I saved my very first clay sculpture I was about 8 years old. So I took a picture of my first ceramic piece and my favorite pot. I also included a large plate I did while in business trying to make a living selling my pottery. That was many years ago.
> Today I'm painting on photo's Its fun and I've been selling them for $30 and up.
> Karen I have known about some of your Art work but didn't know about your tanks. Those are really pretty. I love all the plants.


It IS a good thread, I am SO pleased to be seeing so much lovely work; I did learn how to throw, years ago, but was really not all that good at it, and found that my real love was the glaze and second firing; so when I learned you could buy bisque fired blanks I took to it, got my own kiln, and did a lot. Lately it's rather taken second place, or sometimes placed-alongside, to my sewing machine, but I've got a ton of ceramic stuff,too&#8230;.maybe I'll post a few of those, I'd love to know what you think, Suzi; your work is lovely. Re the quilting group, I did PM Julie to and fro and stumbled at the hurdle that I can't cope with Facebook; but Karen has almost (!) persuaded me that it could be managed and my prejudice and misgivings could be laid to rest, so I might have a bit of a rethink!!


----------



## Lalla

I haven't yet worked out how to post a succession of "quotes" with answers in between, so forgive the series of separate answers! Mary, everyone is talking about your home and the wonders you have achieved and please, pretty please, might you PM me a photo or two? Or post them here? I'd LOVE to see what you've done!!


----------



## Lalla

Here are some of my ceramics - the dog one was for a trainer friend's birthday (you can spot my two Cotons, Pamba and Tycho, on the left, if you look carefully!!), and the Galapagos one as a thank you for someone who unbelievably kindly took us there as guests; the scissors 'tray' belongs to my mother in law who once, aged 90-something, tried to get on an airplane with about nine pairs of scissors in her pockets and couldn't quite understand why it caused a major fuss!!!


----------



## krandall

I love them all, Lalla, but I think my favorite is the "cave painting" looking one!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> I love them all, Lalla, but I think my favorite is the "cave painting" looking one!


Thanks so much, Karen - I think that is my favourite, too. It's got a rather lovely matt top glaze that I like a lot but that is rather temperamental to work with, and that time it came out really well.


----------



## Suzi

Lalla those are fantastic! I understand the draw back of having to add FB just to join a group but I hope you do! What is hard for me with the quilting group is their are restrictions as to how the blocks are made. I can see your drawing on fabric being so fun on a block.


----------



## DawnH

Beautiful work! I wish I had the talent and patience to do something like that.


----------



## Lalla

[quote Lalla those are fantastic! I understand the draw back of having to add FB just to join a group but I hope you do! What is hard for me with the quilting group is their are restrictions as to how the blocks are made. I can see your drawing on fabric being so fun on a block.]



DawnH said:


> Beautiful work! I wish I had the talent and patience to do something like that.


Thank you so much, Suzi and DawnH, goodness I'm cheered up by all the nice things you are saying! Suzi, the restrictions are to do with size and colour scheme, aren't they? I guess I could make myself conform enough!! IF I can face Facebook!! Dawn, I'm not sure talent matters much, just doing something is fun, and as for patience, it's more to do with IMpatience, really - I don't find I need patience, I'm just so keen to see how it turns out. With ceramics the turning out can be quite different from the original intention, firing being an inexact thing, but sometimes the surprises are exciting (sometimes they are disaster, but not too often if one's careful!). Anyway, thank you both for being so enthusiastic, it restores my faith in myself, which can sometimes get a bit frail!


----------



## sandypaws

Suzi said:


> This is a fun trend!
> Lalla I love your work and think you should join the Havanese quilting group. You don't have to be a expert sewer to make a cute block for Havanese rescue.I really like all the different mediums you use and you even show.
> I was a ceramic major in collage. I went to a private art school in Portland Oregon called the Museume Art School. I've moved so much I don't really have many of my pieces anymore. I would love to get back on the wheel someday. I saved my very first clay sculpture I was about 8 years old. So I took a picture of my first ceramic piece and my favorite pot. I also included a large plate I did while in business trying to make a living selling my pottery. That was many years ago.
> Today I'm painting on photo's Its fun and I've been selling them for $30 and up.
> Karen I have known about some of your Art work but didn't know about your tanks. Those are really pretty. I love all the plants.


Suzi, I love your work. It's really beautiful. Tell me about the painting on photos, as I think those paintings are awesome. Do you actually take a photograph and paint over it? Love to hear about it.


----------



## sandypaws

Lalla said:


> I haven't yet worked out how to post a succession of "quotes" with answers in between, so forgive the series of separate answers! Mary, everyone is talking about your home and the wonders you have achieved and please, pretty please, might you PM me a photo or two? Or post them here? I'd LOVE to see what you've done!!


First let me say, again, how gorgeous your work is. Those ceramics are exquisite. I love the story of your mother-in-law and the fact that she got her very own scissor tray. It really gave me a laugh. Also the dogs in black on the white dish really stand out and, yes, I see Pamba and Tycho on the left.

As far as photos of my home, I will send some to you via your email along with the photo of Bailey that you wanted me to send. I hacen't forgotten but got myself into a mess again this year by volunteering to organize a wine tasting/silent auction event for a local dog organization of which I am on the board, as well as fundraising chair and it's taking up most of the time I have between Tyler's rehab and grooming now that I am letting him grow out. The event is early in February and this weekend my committee is coming over for the "wrapping" party to get everything ready. It's a lot of work and I think after doing it for three years, someone else needs to step up next year. Thankfully, my husband does a lot of the paperwork for us. Be patient, as I won't forget you, Lalla. I promise.


----------



## Lalla

sandypaws said:


> First let me say, again, how gorgeous your work is. Those ceramics are exquisite. I love the story of your mother-in-law and the fact that she got her very own scissor tray. It really gave me a laugh. Also the dogs in black on the white dish really stand out and, yes, I see Pamba and Tycho on the left.
> 
> As far as photos of my home, I will send some to you via your email along with the photo of Bailey that you wanted me to send. I hacen't forgotten but got myself into a mess again this year by volunteering to organize a wine tasting/silent auction event for a local dog organization of which I am on the board, as well as fundraising chair and it's taking up most of the time I have between Tyler's rehab and grooming now that I am letting him grow out. The event is early in February and this weekend my committee is coming over for the "wrapping" party to get everything ready. It's a lot of work and I think after doing it for three years, someone else needs to step up next year. Thankfully, my husband does a lot of the paperwork for us. Be patient, as I won't forget you, Lalla. I promise.


I'm so glad you liked the ceramics, Mary, and of course, ENTIRELY understood re time constraints - absolutely no hurry, whenever you have easy time. I chair the trustees of a residential/nursing/dementia home for old actors, and know all about how totally time consumingly exhausting it can be - it's why I haven't been able to get around to even thinking about my next exhibition, I am just so busy and spread too thin trying to do a million things at once. So I entirely sympathise!! I hope you'll tell us how the event goes, once the dust settles and you can relax a little! Hope it goes really well.


----------



## Den&Barb

Lalla, your artwork is quite fascinating. Did you come up with the idea of the ceramics being a part of the whole? 
Barb is a watercolorist and I write and play music and do photography. I will try to post some of our "artwork"


----------



## Lalla

Den&Barb said:


> Lalla, your artwork is quite fascinating. Did you come up with the idea of the ceramics being a part of the whole?
> Barb is a watercolorist and I write and play music and do photography. I will try to post some of our "artwork"


Thank you SO much! And I'd LOVE to see what you both do - this is a thread for everyone - it's so interesting, getting to know people through our dogs, and then to discover the other things they do in life!

Yes, I thought 'why on earth don't we ever combine the pattern on the table runner, for example, with the pattern on the ceramic'; I hunted around to see if other people were doing that and couldn't find anything - not that it would much have mattered, there's not much new under the sun! It seemed to be very popular. Then I had the idea of imagining the ceramic to be a microscope, or an x-ray machine, and used that idea to highlight bits of animals. Drawing animals in one way or another is what I've always done - this was just a sort of thinking outside the kennel, I guess. Then I did the same with wood, and took the genius of animal mimicry and created the moths and lizards and things that lie around on wooden platters in my "Vanishing Act" exhibition.


----------



## Den&Barb

Here's one song of the 80+ I have at that site. I play all the instruments, (Flute, Harmonica, Bass, Organ and Synth Guitar) except the drums.

,http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=6610602&q=hi&newref=1


----------



## Den&Barb

A couple of Barb's watercolors


----------



## pjewel

Karen, I've long admired your incredible talent behind a lens and the fun, artistic things you've done with digital art. Those Zendalas, which I'd never heard of before, are calling out to me. Just what I need, one more obsession.

Lalla, you've compiled a wonderful collection of inspired art pieces. I'm always amazed by the way visually motivated people see the world just a little bit different. Splendid work.

There are wonderfully talented people among this group, in so many different arenas.


----------



## krandall

Den&Barb said:


> Here's one song of the 80+ I have at that site. I play all the instruments, (Flute, Harmonica, Bass, Organ and Synth Guitar) except the drums.
> 
> ,http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=6610602&q=hi&newref=1


I would have been impressed jury to hear that you wrote it&#8230; or played ONE instrument in it&#8230;. But to have written it AND played all the parts - Simply amazing!!! Loved it!!!


----------



## krandall

Den&Barb said:


> A couple of Barb's watercolors


LOVE them. Especially the almost-tryptic!


----------



## krandall

pjewel said:


> Karen, I've long admired your incredible talent behind a lens and the fun, artistic things you've done with digital art. Those Zendalas, which I'd never heard of before, are calling out to me. Just what I need, one more obsession.
> 
> Lalla, you've compiled a wonderful collection of inspired art pieces. I'm always amazed by the way visually motivated people see the world just a little bit different. Splendid work.
> 
> There are wonderfully talented people among this group, in so many different arenas.


Thanks, Geri! Zentangle can be a bit addictive. But it wasn't until I found this lady's blog and her wonderful mandala templates that I became truly obsessed. It looks hard, but you can start with just a few simple tangles (that take no more than a few minutes to learn!) and it's amazing how it turns out when you put it all together.

There is a lady in our town who owns a craft supply shop, and teaches Zentangle. She has told me that when she has a class and shows people just a few, easy, "starter" tangles, that she is always amazed at how different every single person's end product is&#8230; and they are all pretty. It's really hard to do it wrong!


----------



## pjewel

Barb's watercolors are gorgeous! Wonderful detail and saturation of color.


----------



## sandypaws

Den and Barb, love learning about your talents. The water colors are beautiful, Barb, and the music is awesome, Den. Love the jazz!


----------



## Lalla

I love all the things being posted here, and learning more about you all! Such a lovely thing to share; Den&Barb, Barb's work is just great, ditto your music, Den - I am so in awe of the musically talented! I'm a talented listener (at least to me!) but can't play anything. I can sort of sing when I have to, but have only done so in a few professional jobs when I used to act. But sadly, one horrible piano teacher at my school, who used to rap us over the knuckles with a rule if we got our scales wrong, put me of learning an instrument for life!!
Thank you, pjewel, for your kind words! Much appreciated!


----------



## Den&Barb

Some Photos


----------



## krandall

Lovely photos!!!


----------



## Lalla

Beautiful photos!


----------



## Dalston

Wow so many interesting professions and wonderfully creative people here!
I am a makeup artist myself, working freelance and have my own business.
I write a bit for magazines about beauty/health related topics.
My website/portfolio: http://makeup.livlundelius.com/
We also have a personal blog, where we share our adventures with our friends and family who live all over the world:
http://livplusdaveequals.blogspot.com.au/

David is a product designer! So I guess we are a little creative over here as well!
Thanks for starting this thread it's really interesting!


----------



## krandall

Dalston said:


> Wow so many interesting professions and wonderfully creative people here!
> I am a makeup artist myself, working freelance and have my own business.
> I write a bit for magazines about beauty/health related topics.
> My website/portfolio: http://makeup.livlundelius.com/
> We also have a personal blog, where we share our adventures with our friends and family who live all over the world:
> http://livplusdaveequals.blogspot.com.au/
> 
> David is a product designer! So I guess we are a little creative over here as well!
> Thanks for starting this thread it's really interesting!


LOVE your web site!!! That's so neat!!!


----------



## sandypaws

Dalston said:


> Wow so many interesting professions and wonderfully creative people here!
> I am a makeup artist myself, working freelance and have my own business.
> I write a bit for magazines about beauty/health related topics.
> My website/portfolio: http://makeup.livlundelius.com/
> We also have a personal blog, where we share our adventures with our friends and family who live all over the world:
> http://livplusdaveequals.blogspot.com.au/
> 
> David is a product designer! So I guess we are a little creative over here as well!
> Thanks for starting this thread it's really interesting!


Great website with beautiful subjects and beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Creativity is certainly worldwide. Love it all.


----------



## Lalla

Dalston said:


> Wow so many interesting professions and wonderfully creative people here!
> I am a makeup artist myself, working freelance and have my own business.
> I write a bit for magazines about beauty/health related topics.
> My website/portfolio: http://makeup.livlundelius.com/
> We also have a personal blog, where we share our adventures with our friends and family who live all over the world:
> http://livplusdaveequals.blogspot.com.au/
> 
> David is a product designer! So I guess we are a little creative over here as well!
> Thanks for starting this thread it's really interesting!


How interesting that you are a make-up artist - very important people!! I was an actor for 25 years so have been reliant on the artistry of people like you!! I'm exhausted after a hellishly long day so haven't had time to do justice to your website, but greatly look forward to checking it out when the dust settles!


----------



## Lalla

Just found this link (how DO these things find their way onto the internet???!!!) to an exhibition I did to raise money for saving the Floreana mockingbird in Galapagos (we saved it!!!); thought someone might be interested...

http://flickrhivemind.net/User/Lalla Ward/Interesting


----------



## krandall

Gorgeous, Lalla!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Gorgeous, Lalla!


THANK you, Karen!! Isn't it weird (a bit unnerving) what you can turn up on the internet with a cursory search? I have NO idea how all those photographs ended up on Flickr&#8230;.I'm quite glad they are there, but HOW did it happen??!!


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> THANK you, Karen!! Isn't it weird (a bit unnerving) what you can turn up on the internet with a cursory search? I have NO idea how all those photographs ended up on Flickr&#8230;.I'm quite glad they are there, but HOW did it happen??!!


Are they your photos? Or someone else's? Some PERSON (who has a Flickr account) had to have put them up there...


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Are they your photos? Or someone else's? Some PERSON (who has a Flickr account) had to have put them up there...


They are not my photos; there were some done for a sort of catalogue, I guess that's where they are from. I'm not too bothered by it, just intrigued that bits of one's life become so accessible - probably a good thing, just disconcerting somehow. This is why I steer clear of Facebook - I know it's antique of me but hey, I don't want everyone knowing my every move!! My Wiki entry is completely inaccurate but honestly, I don't much care. If it's someone I want to know about me then they can ask and I can put them right; for the rest, I'm not all that bothered about most of it. One day I should, I daresay, get around to trying to find out how to edit out the mistakes, but there's so much else to do!!


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> They are not my photos; there were some done for a sort of catalogue, I guess that's where they are from. I'm not too bothered by it, just intrigued that bits of one's life become so accessible - probably a good thing, just disconcerting somehow. This is why I steer clear of Facebook - I know it's antique of me but hey, I don't want everyone knowing my every move!! My Wiki entry is completely inaccurate but honestly, I don't much care. If it's someone I want to know about me then they can ask and I can put them right; for the rest, I'm not all that bothered about most of it. One day I should, I daresay, get around to trying to find out how to edit out the mistakes, but there's so much else to do!!


Yeah, if someone else took the photos, even if they are of your work, they can put them up on Flickr.

Actually, FB is more secure than this forum is. You can do a search on Google and come up with all sorts of threads on this forum. You can't post or see photos from there, but you can find any text you want.

With FB, YOU control exactly how much (if anything) you show to the public, and what you share only with friends. You can even have different lists of friends and share differently with them. For instance, I have a "dog friend" list, a "horse friend" list and an "aquarium friend" list. When I post something, I can post it to just one of the lists, more than one, or all. Likewise, I have some friends who are on more than one list. It's very customizable. The people who have trouble with FB are those that are stupid about how they use it.

Also, we have "closed" groups on FB, like our group for performance Havanese. No one who is not a member of that group can see ANYTHING on it. &#8230;And nobody gets to be a member unless I or one other administrator let them in. 

What I DON'T like about FB is that good conversations aren't "threaded", nor can you "search" for them. So once they scroll down a way, they are VERY hard to find again. Forums like this are MUCH better from that perspective.


----------



## sandypaws

Your work is absolutely amazing, Lalla. Glad someone put those up and you shared them with us. You are beyond talented in my book. Great stuff!


----------



## miller123

I also ride! Got a new computer so I just have pictures from one day right now. Was a bit of a lazy day so halter and bareback it is. This is Macy btw.


----------



## miller123

Also photography, here are some of the more recent ones I have taken.


----------



## miller123

Some more


----------



## Lalla

Brilliant photos, Miller 123, thanks so much for adding them; I love knowing what people are doing besides our shared canine obsession!

Karen, yes, I know you are right about FB, and I'm definitely in the 'stupid' camp when it comes to getting to grips with it, I don't know why I am so averse; one day I'll get over it, probably just about when everyone else has moved on to some alternative!!

Mary, thanks so much for liking my stuff, you are v kind!!


----------



## miller123

Haha I just realized that nobody knows my name, Its Brittany.


----------



## sandypaws

Very nice photographs Brittany. Love the actions you've caught.


----------



## krandall

Macy looks like a lovely girl, Brittany! Although my current horse is a gelding, I've had two mares who were probably the best horses I've ever owned. 

Love your photography too!


----------



## miller123

krandall said:


> Macy looks like a lovely girl, Brittany! Although my current horse is a gelding, I've had two mares who were probably the best horses I've ever owned.
> 
> Love your photography too!


She is! I am doing a couple of hack classes on her Sunday so if get pictures I will post them on here for sure! Its weird I have always preferred geldings but she is not moody at all! What kind of horse do you have and what do you do?


----------



## krandall

miller123 said:


> She is! I am doing a couple of hack classes on her Sunday so if get pictures I will post them on here for sure! Its weird I have always preferred geldings but she is not moody at all! What kind of horse do you have and what do you do?


Good luck this weekend! _I_ am retired from the show ring now, and my horse is leased out to a little girl who will show him in equitation and hunters. I used to show in in dressage, hunter, jumpers and occasionally evented him. He's half Arab and half Saddlebred.


----------



## miller123

krandall said:


> He's half Arab and half Saddlebred.


Macy is half gelderlander, one quarter arab and one quarter standardbred


----------



## krandall

miller123 said:


> Macy is half gelderlander, one quarter arab and one quarter standardbred


Nice combination! She has a very kind eye. Good luck to you two this weekend!


----------



## Dalston

Wow Lalla, 

your work is amazing! Just checked out that link!


----------



## Lalla

Dalston said:


> Wow Lalla,
> 
> your work is amazing! Just checked out that link!


Thank you so much, Dalston! It means a lot to me that people here think my work is ok, it really does. I've really enjoyed looking at your website, too. Great work amongst us all!!


----------



## Lalla

Here's a little fabric-y portrait of Cuba I've just done...


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> Here's a little fabric-y portrait of Cuba I've just done...


Oh, I *LOVE* it!!!!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Oh, I *LOVE* it!!!!


THANK you, Karen!! She was perched on the back of a sofa, looking out of the window, and I grabbed a pencil and a bit of paper and drew her before she moved, and then turned it into fabric....it's actually captured her character pretty well!! I'm so glad you like it!


----------



## misstray

Reading this thread makes me feel like an uncreative, untalented, unartistic lump of boringness!

My "creative" outlet in my spare time is playing video games!


----------



## Lalla

misstray said:


> Reading this thread makes me feel like an uncreative, untalented, unartistic lump of boringness!
> 
> My "creative" outlet in my spare time is playing video games!


O, Misstray, that is SO not true!!! You've got a Havanese! That takes creative thinking in the first place and all sorts of creativity thereafter to engage with, train, enjoy, play with and generally create a life for another being. I think a lot of my creativity, if I have some, is from not having children; a) there's time (!!!) and b) there are great untapped wells of some kind of giving that needs to find an outlet. I simply don't believe in "uncreative, untalented, unartistic" never mind 'lump of boringness'. I'll bet you have all sorts of things that interest you and that make you interesting. This thread was never, EVER intended EVER to make anyone feel bad about themselves!!! Just to amuse us all with other things that interest us. I'm seriously hopeless at all sorts of stuff, I'm just lucky enough to be able to draw. The rest is simply crafty technique that anyone can learn, and that anyone can be creative with, and that actually I'm really not that good at - there are people on this forum with far greater skill than I have, and quilters and thread-painters out there who are FAR more adept than I am. MAJOR PEP TALK HERE!!!! I couldn't ride a horse for toffee (well, actually, I learned to ride side saddle long ago, for a tv job!! But others on this forum like Karen would weep with laughter if she could see me doing my best not to fall off!!!); I'm a hopeless photographer. The things I can't do would fill a book, which is probably why I show off with the bits and pieces that I hope someone will find ok. Tell us what you like and enjoy! You've posted really interesting things on this forum - that is NOT boring!!!! Please don't ever let people like me showing off the few things we CAN do make anyone feel that the things THEY can do are any less important!!!!!


----------



## Lalla

PS I'm hopeless at video games, too!!! I can just about manage Solitaire, if you REALLY want to talk about boring!!!


----------



## sandypaws

Wow, Lalla, Karen stole the words right out of my mouth. When I saw your post and before looking further at the replies, I was going to just say, I LOVE it, and then I went further and saw Karen's post. She beat me to it, but it bears repeating.......I LOVE it too! Great piece.


----------



## MarinaGirl

What are my talents....nothing artistic to my dismay, so I really appreciate those of you who are so gifted! I'm a Math/CS geek, which I utilize at a high tech company but away from the office I enjoy outdoor activities, participating in a number of sports, and traveling. I've been fortunate to be able to visit ~30 countries (thus far) and I even lived and worked in Paris in the '90's, which was très bien.  

-Jeanne-


----------



## Lalla

MarinaGirl said:


> What are my talents....nothing artistic to my dismay, so I really appreciate those of you who are so gifted! I'm a Math/CS geek, which I utilize at a high tech company but away from the office I enjoy outdoor activities, participating in a number of sports, and traveling. I've been fortunate to be able to visit ~30 countries (thus far) and I even lived and worked in Paris in the '90's, which was très bien.
> 
> -Jeanne-


I so wish (why do we always wish for things we aren't or can't?) I'd ever been good at Math, or had the remotest geekiness in my DNA. And I'm hopeless at anything sporty, though I have done a certain amount of traveling. Living in Paris must have been wonderful. I know the South of France well, but can't say I know Paris though have visited a few times.


----------



## Lalla

sandypaws said:


> Wow, Lalla, Karen stole the words right out of my mouth. When I saw your post and before looking further at the replies, I was going to just say, I LOVE it, and then I went further and saw Karen's post. She beat me to it, but it bears repeating.......I LOVE it too! Great piece.


Kind Mary! Thank you so much. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, maybe do lots more and turn them into a quilt, or just do them as pictures, probably. She's such a good subject! I'm finding it so hard to get on with any of my own work at the moment; I chair the trustees of a charity that runs a wonderful residential/nursing/dementia home for elderly members of the theatrical profession, and am so completely inundated with work there that I've had to put off doing another exhibition for the time being. But I like at least keeping my hand in with the occasional foray back to my sewing machine. Otherwise you forget it all - it's scary how quickly I can manage to forget enough for it to become a struggle. So I try and keep going off and on, in between the endless other stuff.


----------



## krandall

Tracy, you DO have (at LEAST) one talent... To tell us stories about Brody and make us laugh with you! And Jeanne, you said yourself that you're a math whiz... Everyone has their own talents!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Tracy, you DO have (at LEAST) one talent... To tell us stories about Brody and make us laugh with you! And Jeanne, you said yourself that you're a math whiz... Everyone has their own talents!


EXACTLY!!!


----------



## Lalla

I'm on a quilty Cuba roll! This one isn't finished, but I'm off to catch a plane to NYC in a moment, so rush rush rush!


----------



## sandypaws

Another beauty, Lalla. I hope you do make a quilt. It'll be awesome. Happy travels.


----------



## jabojenny

Lalla said:


> I'm on a quilty Cuba roll! This one isn't finished, but I'm off to catch a plane to NYC in a moment, so rush rush rush!


Laila, I love your work and your Havanese captures are beautiful. I zoomed in on the last one and the textures are amazing, the similarity in colors really brings the texture out. Do you sew on each layer? If so, hand or machine work?

Safe travels, hope you like the snow! I'm not sure if NYC got much though.


----------



## krandall

Love it!!!

You're going to be so close! How long are you here for?


----------



## DeeDee

Cuba and the quilts are gorgeous!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Love it!!!
> 
> You're going to be so close! How long are you here for?


Phooey!! I'm home again, it was such a short trip, but maybe another time I could come for longer and make a detour? It would be SO fun to meet you and Kodi!!! I had a brilliant time, I love New York; I think there was snow the morning I arrived but it had gone by the time I landed - it was much colder than the UK but mostly sunny, which was really nice. And I went to a totally wonderful rock concert on Wednesday night - last few performances of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks playing with the Allman Brothers Band before they leave it to do their own things; and at the Beacon Theatre, which is just the most amazingly over-the-top theatre. Heaven!!

Jen - re the pictures: I cut out each little different bit of hair and layer them onto a sort of rough outline, using a tacky backing that sort of keeps the various bits in place so I can move them around till I get it as right as I can; then I machine sew all the bits down with an invisible thread, usually. There are some really good invisible threads to be found now, not the horrible stiff sort of fishing line that used to be the only sort! Sometimes I edge things all neatly in zigzag stitch, but usually I just do free-motion straight stitch and wander about where I want to. I used to draw everything out much more carefully but now I tend to draw out just an overall shape and build it up freehand with fabric and scissors, working out shapes as I go along. It's much easier than it sounds - if it goes wrong you've only wasted a tiny amount of fabric for each 'strand' of hair and you can chuck it out and start again. If you stick the tacky backing on before you cut out the shape (I use Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite) then nothing frays, and you can put things where you want them without too much movement; then you iron it all so that it's fixed permanently, and then sew; or not. But sewing makes it properly secure - I'm not a fan of glue except as a way of temporarily fixing all those fiddly little bits so they don't all fall off or get shifted by mistake.


----------



## krandall

Yes, Lalla, if you come again, think about a few extra days up in the Boston area. It's only a few hours (4 I think) away by train, and there are lots of fun historical things to see, you could meet my SIL who is also a fantastic fabric artist. And Kodi says you are WELCOME to the spare bedroom. He will personally kick the cat out for you!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Yes, Lalla, if you come again, think about a few extra days up in the Boston area. It's only a few hours (4 I think) away by train, and there are lots of fun historical things to see, you could meet my SIL who is also a fantastic fabric artist. And Kodi says you are WELCOME to the spare bedroom. He will personally kick the cat out for you!


How kind you are!! Tell the cat to watch out!! We have friends in the Boston area, and in Boston itself, so I've been there a few times and loved it; one friend is in North Andover...anyway, no doubt one day I'll be back so you never know - how fun it would be to meet you.


----------



## Lillysmom

Lalla, so you are an Allman Bros. fan? I have loved the Allmans since I was 12 (a long time ago!). Isn't Warren Haynes amazing? I love his solo stuff. Sorry for being off topic...


----------



## Lalla

I don't think it's off topic, it's what we do besides our dogs, after all!! Yes, I'm just a rock and roll chick at heart, Lillysmom!! Sad, isn't it?! Warren Haynes is amazing, so's Derek Trucks, but I'm not a huge fan of Susan Tedeschi, so it was brilliant to see him in his old guise; I got v lucky, too, because after the concert that I saw, poor Gregg Allman was taken ill with bronchitis and missed the next few performances, apparently. They are great. End of an era! Great to be there.

Do you know/like Joe Bonamassa? He's my current total favourite blues/rock virtuoso guitarist. Stunning.


----------



## Lillysmom

Lalla,
Yes, love Joe Bonamassa! I actually met him years ago before he became as well known as he is today. He was playing in a club in Pittsburgh's Southside. Amazing guitarist and nice guy! That was great that you got to see Gregg Allman. He is a national treasure. There is no one else that sings like him! I'm an old rock and roll chick too eace:


----------



## Lalla

Lillysmom said:


> Lalla,
> Yes, love Joe Bonamassa! I actually met him years ago before he became as well known as he is today. He was playing in a club in Pittsburgh's Southside. Amazing guitarist and nice guy! That was great that you got to see Gregg Allman. He is a national treasure. There is no one else that sings like him! I'm an old rock and roll chick too eace:


Lucky you!!! I've seen him three times in the UK, but at huge gigs like the Royal Albert Hall. Brilliant!


----------



## Tom King

What I do for a living can be seen on my website. I built new houses on the lake here for 33 years, but I built my last spec house in 2006, and started redoing old houses. To me, it looked like all the other builders had gotten a lot smarter than me, so I stopped building new houses.

Of course, weeks like this one, with two new litters, I don't do anything but help Pam with the dogs and puppies.

www.HistoricHousePreservation.com There are hundreds of pictures on the different pages. I haven't had time to make it all look good. I've just put the pictures up, and made some comments.


----------



## Lalla

Tom King said:


> What I do for a living can be seen on my website. I built new houses on the lake here for 33 years, but I built my last spec house in 2006, and started redoing old houses. To me, it looked like all the other builders had gotten a lot smarter than me, so I stopped building new houses.
> 
> Of course, weeks like this one, with two new litters, I don't do anything but help Pam with the dogs and puppies.
> 
> www.HistoricHousePreservation.com There are hundreds of pictures on the different pages. I haven't had time to make it all look good. I've just put the pictures up, and made some comments.


I can't even begin to imagine how you achieve all that you do, Tom!!! SO impressive. Can't wait to see the new litters, too, hope they are doing brilliantly, what a joy it must be, amidst the hard work. I think your puppy playroom is a thing of wonder, so imaginative and clever. Lucky puppies! Lucky owners, to get a puppy with that start in life. And now, lucky house owners, too, with all the other things you do.


----------



## krandall

Lalla said:


> How kind you are!! Tell the cat to watch out!! We have friends in the Boston area, and in Boston itself, so I've been there a few times and loved it; one friend is in North Andover...anyway, no doubt one day I'll be back so you never know - how fun it would be to meet you.


Kodi and I will be waiting!!!


----------



## krandall

I've had the privilege and honor of seeing a couple of Tom's "projects" in person. They are incredible works of craftsmanship. I'd love to have a house that Tom built (or restored) but I bet I couldn't afford it!


----------



## Suzi

Lalla said:


> Here's a little fabric-y portrait of Cuba I've just done...


 I lost this trend and am catching up. My computer is being a jerk and I cant open your picture of what you did.  If you have a second to email me maybe I can see it . [email protected]. Thanks. Its weird I can have photo's just show up like a small box. And others are fine. ????


----------



## Lillysmom

Tom, love what you do with those houses! I am an HGTV fanatic. I have been fixing my little old house up for the past five years - nothing on the scale of what you do Tom - and have learned a lot in the process! I would love to have the knowledge and resources to tackle a project on the scale you do! I think it is amazing to see the potential in an old broken down house and bring it back to its former glory! And especially be true to all of the details the way you do and not just put in any old modern windows, drywall, etc. Really cool!


----------



## Lalla

I'm organising a Dr Who event, called "Dr Who Cares", to raise money for my charity whose trustees I chair, and I thought I'd make one of my fabric thread-drawing/pictures for the auction; so I thought I'd do Cuba meeting K9....and anyway, here it is....! Not a very good photo, just done on my iPhone, but it gives some idea...


----------



## Lalla

Here's a bit more detail...


----------



## sandypaws

Very clever, Lalla. I hope it brings in lots of money for your charity. It's a great piece,


----------



## Lalla

Thank you SO much, Mary, I wasn't sure if it was rubbish, but thought that at least half of the duo would appeal to the Havanese Forum!!!


----------



## krandall

Adorable, Lalla! iI'm stuck in the St. Louis airport, and feeling grumpy, so this brought a smile to my face!


----------



## Lalla

krandall said:


> Adorable, Lalla! iI'm stuck in the St. Louis airport, and feeling grumpy, so this brought a smile to my face!


Well then, it doesn't have to achieve anything more, Karen!! If it's made you smile then I'm happy! Hope you are going to, or coming from, somewhere nice. It is POURING with rain here, and both dogs have been rather good about a lot of thunder... and then barked their heads off when someone had the temerity to walk down our street....


----------



## Celesthav

Lalla,
You are amazing! Very creative and Cuba is so adorable. I'm glad I popped in for some mental relief. Maggie was spayed a week ago, has been having a difficult time and now we're seeing blood in her pee. So back to Dr. tomorrow. 
It has been so good to see you work. You have such talent! I'm very traditional and have a difficult time thinking outside the box. But I'm getting better as I age! 
Love seeing your work,
Jeanne & Sweet Maggie


----------



## Lalla

I'm so sorry Maggie is having a bad time, Jeanne, it's horrible when they suffer; I do hope you have good news at the Dr tomorrow, let us know? As for the box, and thinking outside it - sometimes I wish I could get back IN the box; being outside it has never been my problem!! And I think I'm probably getting worse as I age!! Thank you so much for your v-up-cheering comments.
Lalla


----------



## Celesthav

Lalla,

You're use of mixed media is outstanding. Maybe you can bring me out of my box. I started reading and looking at the eye candy on the first few pages, Incredible! 
I've been with Maggie 24/7 for a week. She'll rest about 2 hrs and then back to being in pain. Just talking over the phone, Dr thinks it UTI. Pam, my breeder, said to get some probiotics. I love my breeder. She has really been a huge help during all the medical issues. 
I will get back to checking out more works of art when Maggie is better.

Jeanne & Sweet Maggie


----------



## Lalla

Celesthav said:


> Lalla,
> 
> You're use of mixed media is outstanding. Maybe you can bring me out of my box. I started reading and looking at the eye candy on the first few pages, Incredible!
> I've been with Maggie 24/7 for a week. She'll rest about 2 hrs and then back to being in pain. Just talking over the phone, Dr thinks it UTI. Pam, my breeder, said to get some probiotics. I love my breeder. She has really been a huge help during all the medical issues.
> I will get back to checking out more works of art when Maggie is better.
> 
> Jeanne & Sweet Maggie


At least a UTI is manageable, Jeanne; you'll get there. Poor Maggie! Poor baby. Cuba sends Havhugs. Re the sewing stuff, PM me if ever you want my 'how I do it' doc - it's full of references to UK suppliers that won't be relevant, but you've got far more in the States who'll have all the same things and it does at least say more or less how I break the rules! I had it for my exhibitions, and emailed it to a lot of people, it might rattle the box a bit and give you inspiration - I am totally self-taught and honestly I'm hopeless at sewing normally, I just love drawing with a sewing machine. So if I can do it anyone can and I think a friend can always help one think outside of boxes....


----------



## Celesthav

Lalla said:


> At least a UTI is manageable, Jeanne; you'll get there. Poor Maggie! Poor baby. Cuba sends Havhugs. Re the sewing stuff, PM me if ever you want my 'how I do it' doc - it's full of references to UK suppliers that won't be relevant, but you've got far more in the States who'll have all the same things and it does at least say more or less how I break the rules! I had it for my exhibitions, and emailed it to a lot of people, it might rattle the box a bit and give you inspiration - I am totally self-taught and honestly I'm hopeless at sewing normally, I just love drawing with a sewing machine. So if I can do it anyone can and I think a friend can always help one think outside of boxes....


Thank you for the positive thoughts and Havhugs. Maggie must be listening. She has perked up this evening. It's the first time we've seen her little tail wag since last Monday. Little signs that mean so much.
I'll PM you about the 'how to' docs when we return tomorrow evening from vet. 
It might just stir some creativeness.  Looking through the pages on the forum, there's a lot of creative Hav owners! 
I will definitely need to try drawing with my machine. I saw the hoop, ruler markings and bright light in one of your pictures and realized the machine is your Juki. Same set up as my Brother 1500s and you were drawing with thread not an embroidery machine stitch out! Amazing you can do the drawing on your machine so well. 
Chat later,
Jeanne & Sweet Maggie


----------

