last Tuesday I had the chance to spend time with art friends at Dot’s lovely home in the country …
the focus of our gathering was buttons…
something I am always drawn to…
here is a sampling of the inspiring pieces Dot had already created…
she sent me home with a blank elastic cuff to play with…
hers clingled so nicely…
I was sipping delicious Raspberry Green Tea
around her table covered in a gorgeous quilt that she had rescued…
she patiently instructed us in how to weave our buttons and generously shared some of her special button collection too…
here is just one of the gorgeous things she has made…
Dot does so many things and SO very well too…
a true creative genius…
the frosting on the cake for me was a trip to her hen houses…
the girls as she calls them (and a few guys too) got very excited as she led me down a beautiful woodland path…
when I got home we enjoyed the freshest egg omelet ever as some of the eggs she collected were still warm…
our son said he could taste flavors he had never noticed in eggs before…
Dot is not only talented but has a really generous heart too…
she made me a beautiful portfolio out of lovely chicken fabric that someone had sent her from The Netherlands …
her reputation for being the egg lady has spread far and wide…
she knows how tickled I get around hens…
for me it is a chance to step into a world I normally would not get to witness…
as you can tell it was a very special visit and I have only shared some of the highlights…
time spent with art friends…
tea and treats…
so much eye candy and sharing …
I was really happy to be able to join Dot, Janet and Leslie for this gathering…
all such talented and nice people…
for more fun places to visit pop on over to Kimmie’s Art in Red Wagons
* * *
a little update on my Magpie’s Nest TOO giveaway blog…
my first winner was the lovely and talented Gio in Italy…
last chance to sign up today for three giveaways …
those winners will be announced on 28 September …
items are being added all the time
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
sounds like a wonderful retreat – I bet you´ve had fun!
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Patty! What a magical day you spent with Dot! Oh my! The buttons, her art is gorgeous, Everything just sounds awesome in a very beautiful setting. A day with a special friend – nothing like it! And; your portfolio she made you is amazing! I’m so happy you had this time and so very nice of you to share with us! xxoo
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Dot’s home must be soooooooo lovely….. I need instruction on the button weaving. Is that your needlekeeper with the scissors on top (black with a pumpkin)? I love it!!! I was zooming in on all these pics today, Patty!!!
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Thank you all.
Yes Linda Dot’s place is extra special … sunny and bright…the rolling green lawn photo was taken from her kitchen window.
It took some concentration to get the button weaving down…not hard…but well you know how that can go sometimes 😉
I did make that needlekeep…designed it some years ago…there is a little black crow clay button sitting on the pumpkin that is hard to see on the eggplant colored wool background…Happy Tuesday! oxo
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Patty, how blessed you are to have art friends that live close enough for you to spend the day with and it sounds like such a nice day! Happy Tuesday!
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Love this post! What pretty stuff Dot makes! And the chickens and eggs… I want chickens! Collecting fresh eggs brings back so many childhood memories for me! And that flower! It is gorgeous! Happy Tea!!!!
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wow what a great tea time with good friends! And hens and fresh eggs, oh lucky you, I am dreaming of a hen house…
all this and a blog just to give stuff away… you are the best dear one!! xox
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Your posts have the power to bring us in an another very special world…
Ehm I could kill for that black buttoned cuff 😉
Ps: thanks for the link..and for the prize!
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Hi Patty, I loved reading the story of your day and the idea of ‘clingling’. Thank you so much for visiting and your kind, supportive comments. I always love to see you there. pen x
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Another journey through your post to bring me to the most glorious of places. Love those hens and eggs, beautiful buttons and loveliest of flowers!! What a special time that you’ve shared with us!! xo
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I was enamored by the countryside and of course, Dot’s wonderful gifts. I hope you will show your cuff when it’s finished.
It was good that you got time in the hen house, and yes, fresh eggs really ARE the best. I used to get them from a dear friend, but her hens were all killed one night a few years ago.
I also enjoyed all the chicken art, most of which I noticed was fabric, something I have grown to love. You have the “bestest” friends.
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How wonderful to have friends to share your interest with. Sounds like a lovely way to spend a day. I could get used to having days like that once a week. Cannot wait to see what you do with your cuff! I love those purple flowers!!
Kate
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My husband calls our laying hens his ‘girls’. I always call them ‘ladies’ 🙂 I’m totally jealous of your buttony goodness.
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I love the chicken quilt Dot created such talent ;0) and you sound like you all had the most wonderful day together. I wonder if we’ll be seeing a button cuff soon ;0) Love Dawn xx
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Patty,
What a great group of art friends. I must admit that chickens scare me a bit
but there is nothing quite as wonderful as fresh eggs! They taste totally different than the ones on the ones in the grocery store. We had a series of exchange teachers and student from South America and they were sure something was wrong with our eggs…no flavor. The quilt and portfolio are just beautiful. I, too, would love to learn to weave buttons. Maybe we could get out a map and find the place in the middle of where we live and have an art retreat (like Hawaii!… Just realize we all live far apart!)
Hugs and happiness,
Suz
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What a fun day! I love that she calls her hens “the girls”…so cute. Fresh eggs truly are the best! My last trip to the farm I got white, brown and teal green eggs. My kids said “no way mom…only the white ones”. More for me. 🙂
Have a great day!
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tea and friends, can it be any better? And weaving buttons at your friends gorgeous place with fresh eggs as a bonus. My sister has hens and hers are called ‘dames’ (ladies) 🙂
Love this post Patty!
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i ENVY you… i wish i could have been there…
and there IS a thing about hens, i also love them so much. can´t find a reason really, but somehow… maybe it is a childhood thing…
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Looks like a wonderful day was had by all. I LOVE ‘chooks’ (that’s an Australian expression for those who don’t know) and those are gorgeous.
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How wonderful Patty, your button work is gorgeous and I’m with Linda on the needlekeeper, fab! Mx
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What a beautiful post Patty…your day spent with friends sounds perfect. You obviously don’t take the”small things” for granted and can really appreciate them….a friends home, chickens, a wonderful open garden, tea, crafting and chatting with kindred spirits, fresh eggs, gifts made and given with a generous and sincere heart……..life is so good sometimes. xx
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What a fun day! What a beautiful place ….out in the country….lovely.
that quilt is fabulous and I love her chickens,,,the live ones too…
Those button creations look interesting too.
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I love Dot’s art already!!! the quilt is beautiful and yes nothing beats fresh food…
a great day indeed!!!! the button creations are lovely Patty!!!
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Sounds like a perfect day Patty.. love the buttons and all the gorgeous eye candy… wonderful :)))
Jenny x
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Everything is very beautiful here, and magical! I love your photographs of your visit to the country, the chickens especially, and your other posts of your amazing journal pages and your stacks!!! Your art is all amazing, piles and piles of it, do you have an etsy shop? And love the rolled stacks of papers as well. Happy fall to you. I have been gone for too long!! roxanne
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o how wonderful! i would love to have fresh eggs like that…yum! i have a bracelet made with a button for the clasp that i was going to share later this week, maybe you have all the goodies to make one! i love the colors of the buttons too, beautiful and soft…and those purple flowers…wow!! what a day! thanks for sharing…happy T day, dear patty
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Sweet Patty…I love your impression of Bleak Hill…such thoughtful comments. You are so sensitive to Nature and its inhabitants…thank you for being my friend.
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OOO, I am jealous – and I LIVE in the country!!! Love the chicken quilt, and her live chickens!!!! Someday………..
Can’t beat fresh eggs, I never buy from the supermarker now.
Also love your little pumpkin needlecase – and of course buttons, who doesn’t love them!!!
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What a wonderful time you had! Dot has a lovely and welcoming home – how sweet of her to entertain you with a fun craft – I do hope you show us sometime how to “weave” buttons 🙂
I’m sorry I didn’t make it around to say hello yesterday – Just laid around feeling crumy and sorry for myself 🙂 – today is a much better day though! Happy Wednesday! xoxo, Kimmie
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Dot IS a creative genius — and a generous one, too. Her chicken quilt is simply spectacular, but then so too is the journal. It sounds like a fabulous day, Patty. I’m so very glad you had time to spend with friends!
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what a beautiful day you spent with dot…love her creativity..Conrats to Gio too…
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Now that is what I call a lawn! Very glad I don’t have to mow it 🙂 There’s a lady in the office who keeps hens, you can’t beat freshly laid eggs.
Glad to hear you had a glorious day.
x
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Art, friends and fresh eggs (there should be a rubber stamp that says that!)
What a lovely day! Thanks for taking us along.
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