JUST FINISHED MY 600th MASK AND AM STARTING TO FEEL BURN OUT

 

SEWING FOR NATIVE NATIONS

Just packaged up 20 masks that I will be donating to South Dakota Sioux, 20 to Missing Flowers MMIW, and 20 to Fort Apache Reservation. Will be mailing them on Monday.

I have donated a total of 122 masks to family, friends, and cashiers at local establishments. I have donated a total of 220 to several tribes including Navajo, Sioux, Apache, and Missing Flowers MMIW Native Women. Grand total of 342. I currently have 221 extra masks made and preparing for the winter. I have a feeling it is going to be a rough one.

I had the flu last winter and it was the worst I have ever had. Thought I was going to die. The only place I had been was grocery shopping at Walmart. I had gotten my yearly flu shot. Well, you can bet I'll be wearing a mask from now on when out and about. I may not make it through the next virus.

THRIFT STORE FINDS FOR MASKS

Spent some time in Goodwill today looking for unique material designs for my masks.  Found some really pretty material in skirts, a Holiday vest, dresses, table cloths, curtains, scarfs and sheets.  I was able to cut out 40 mask patterns out of one twin bed sheet.  I'll use them for linings and filter pockets in my masks.  The table cloth is like a brocade and is huge.  I'll get a lot of masks out of it.  The black and gold skirt is also large and kinda of silky.  This haul will keep me busy for a long, long time. I did keep 2 blouses for me but if I don't like the fit they will also become masks.

My $31.00 haul.

40 cut out patterns from a twin sheet.

I got 6 masks out of this Holiday vest.

This is such a cute skirt and I just love the shrimp boats.

A brocade skirt and table cloth.

A beautiful white lace party dress.

Black and gold skirt.

MAKING CLOTH FACE MASKS

Back in the studio.  Took out the sewing machine and started making cloth face masks last month.  Found a pattern on Youtube  and donated my first 45 to Terrebonne General Hospital.  Gave some to family and friends as well. 

Making my donation at the hospital.

Now I'm making masks in preparation for the coming winter flu season 6 months away.  This last February I had a really bad experience with the flu.  Even though I get the annual flu shot I get the flu every year.  This winter I plan on wearing a face mask every time I go out which is usually just to the grocery store.   

I continue to wear a mask during this pandemic and hope that others will be considerate and wear one as well.  I enjoy sewing the masks and just completed my 100th mask.

I was able to make masks using elastic for the first batch but eventually ran out and now very hard to find.   

My cute little Brother sewing machine.

Making the nose piece out of aluminium cut from a pie pan.

Making t-shirt yarn to use as ties.

I package 2 masks in each zip lock bag.

I'M BACK IN THE STUDIO

I haven't painted anything in over a year.  Just got burned out.  Then recently, our community started a "Terrebonne Parish Rocks" Facebook page.  It's an activity where we paint slogans and inspirational sayings on rocks and place them for others to find.  Then photos are taken and placed on the Facebook page.  It's really a lot of fun.

Here are some of the rocks I have painted.  Just completed my first batch of 36 rocks.  Will start putting some of them out in a few days.  I'll be saving some to take with me on my camping trip to Texas in November.  I like to place one at each campsite I stay at.

I'm keeping this one.

I'm keeping this one, too.

HOW BEST TO DISPLAY MY DRAGONFLY YARD ART

At my recent sale, I was asked several times about how to properly display my yard art.   Some folks wanted to just stick them in the ground in their garden.  Well, I wouldn't recommend that.  They are much too pretty to set in the mud and out in the rain and sun.  Others wanted to put them in a child's bedroom.  Good idea.  They will last a very long time indoors.

Here are some suggestions for hanging the dragonflies.

This one is hanging on my front courtyard fence under my carport in the shade. 

Another place in my front courtyard.

My front door gets shade from my top deck.

My backyard palm tree which provides shade.

These 2 white ground stakes are perfect for placement of the art and prevents it from touching the ground.

All of these places are in the shade which will preserve the wood for a long time.  However, if you do place it in the ground, please coat it first with lacquer to help prevent rot.  

Then sit back and enjoy your colorful dragonfly.

JUST FINISHED ANOTHER LARGE CANVAS PAINTING OF JEAN LAFITTE

Extra, Extra Large 3 1/2 feet X 4 1/2 feet

Lafitte's Buried Treasure - done on a stretched linen canvas

Number:  140

PRICE:  $1000.00

Mardi Gras Garden Totem

$10.00

Painted Oyster Shells with Designer Soaps

$5.00 each