Sweater Monster Book--the cat was waundering by as I snapped the picture.
One kind of sweater monster is more conventionally shaped: 4 legs, face, ears, tail.
I loved this book. The black area is magnetized and there are, wrapped in red paper, more words to pick from in the half-round pocket/shelf. I picked these to be on the front when we wrapped the book.
I love the subtile embossing on this small book--a gold SOUL MATE and a green frog.
Somehow, Lauren actually sewed the wool thread onto the cover of this book.
This is my favorite sweater monster--I love the wings.
This was a complete surprise: grapes and a leaf, echoed by the cloth cover.
I think that the monster on the left is Brent Sweat.
Little Red Riding Hood in the forest. Very cool.

These are some of the creations that Lauren sent us when we asked her to make Christmas presents for the people that work with Brent. There were hand-bound books, sweater monsters and shadow boxes for us to give away. I had a hard time wrapping them up for others to have. One of the other managing attorneys was going to be on vacation this week, so Brent brought his presents on Friday. He has two children--11 and 14-ish--and the younger (son) really loved his monster. He decided to name it Brent Sweat (for Brent Sweater Monster). Brent said that he felt honoured--kind of. The Brent part was OK, but the Sweat part was kind of gross.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. A toast to hope that 2010 is as wonderful for you as 2009 was for me.

Some Art Photos from Minnesota and Peter Missing Me in Florida

Looking up at the sky from the base of the tree in Minnesota--August 2009.

I love this small toad. It was the only bit of wildlife besides insects I was able to photograph.


Here is Peter. While I was gone, the rabbits quit using their potty boxes. I felt sorry for Nathan, who was home taking care of them for me--but I was a little glad that they noticed I was gone and missed me.

The side of Susan's home--beautiful and peaceful. Stairs lead upstairs to her apartment and the front porch at the left of the photo runs the length of the main house.

Good art shot of Fever, the horse I road most of the time while I was there.

I love the texture of these yellow cone flowers. I've never seen anything like them.

Beautiful butterfly on the purple pom-pom wild flowers we found while riding one afternoon.

An incredible shot of a Monarch butterfly

on a purple cone flower.

These are a few of the photographs that I took (except the one of Peter) while in Minnesota. It was a wonderful week spent with Susan and Martha. I rode and read and walked and thought and rode again and shopped a little and visited with some of Susan's children. It was cooler than Florida (duh!) and there was a fine dust of brown soil that covered the area. Like the ubiquitous sand in Florida and the bunny and cat dust-buns in the corners of my house, it was everywhere. I didn't mind, though, it was just part of the magic of the place. I walked the property most of the evenings and afternoons when she went out to check each of the horses on the property. I know that every horse there is taken care of and loved very well. I can hardly wait to visit again.