Runs in the family?

Recently I spent some time visiting my Step Mom- Milli in Arizona.  She had recently downsized from her big house into the duplex (on their same property) to be able to care for my grandmother easier.  I thought I had posted these photos already but obviously have not. 

 

I didn't come to know my step mom until I was about 16.  I spent a summer at their home in Dublin, CA.  I remember seeing her out there in my dad's garage painting  his business logo's on the side of his trucks using her stunning calligraphy.  Many years later I learned the craft myself and it was a direct result of seeing her doing it!  She is a fabulous oil painter.  Later she turned her multi talented hands to stained glass.  In their home in Dublin there were many windows that were replaced with her stunning windows!   I count myself very lucky to have one hanging in my kitchen she made just for me one year for Christmas.  She has since gotten rid of all her glass stuff as her hands are not very cooperative any longer for the arduous task of cutting glass and that made me really sad but I totally get it.   I tried this medium once when I was 19 and I can tell you it is a brutal craft! 

(her hand painted fabric )

 

Not surprisingly she moved into sewing as well.  She had hand quilted two baby blankets for Ellen was she was born.  I have them safely tucked away.  (I know right? I hear the groans out there and myself get annoyed when I hear that quilts I've made have been stowed but I do understand). 

mom's purse

My step mom is truly elebinty billion ways artistic.  She taught me how to strip and refinish furniture.  I skipped the class  recovering furniture as it involved sewing and back then I totally sucked at it.   She did stamping, stenciling, glass etching, painting; glass work, quilting, ceramics, you name it!  AND the woman even digs out her own ponds and mote on their acreage.

I'm so proud of her!  Here she was trying out free motion quilting, she'd never done it before!

YAY Mom!

 

I love the scrappy feel of this quilt.  The sideboard was her great grandmother's I believe.   

I love the colors in this.  I would like to make one of these.

When she's not doing 10 thousand other things; she maintains the chickens, roosters, pigs, Emu's and various other animals that people like to chuck over their fence!

really, a face only a mother could love. 

Emu's gettin antsy for grub! 

young pullets goin after a broken egg.  Cannibals!

 

Such a beauty!

 Currently, at 70+ she's tiling her old bedroom floor in the big house!  By herself!  With a tile cutter and everything! And did I mention they live in Arizona where it's like 100 by 8am?   I can't say enough about this amazingly talented artist that is my Step mom Milli.  (BTW I always refer to her as 'mom' but here I feel it's important to remove any confusion between her & my bio mom for readers).
Her Tile setting helper; this feral male kitty who loves her very much!

Here's some shots I took while I was there.  I love you mom! 
One of the indoor furbaby's  Miss Jazmine

 

I think the rug came that way but she wanted her couch to match

 

Did I mention rug making?

 

ya; rag rug making too.  :)

 

This Woman could kick my butt any day in terms of sheer grit and determination.  I admire her immensely!

 

xoxo

Happy Sewing!