I finally finished 'Aunt Fadeelah's Fancy Quilt'. It's from fabric in my stash that I wasn't going to use. I had started it some time ago but it got put onto the UFP pile. Then I had a talk with my aunt and decided to go ahead and finish. It's big enough to go over her lap and knees, 24" x 38".
I feel so good now that it's done. I was having a bit of a problem getting back to finishing things. I didn't know what it was until I looked at my art table. It was a disaster. Hurricane Hugo and a 8.0 magnitude earthquake played tag there. I cringed. I really did. I didn't want to go near it and that's where my block was coming from.

So I took 30 minutes to clear it off. I only have 3 projects on my table after a whopping 9 unfinished projects. They were all vying for my time to get done and I didn't know what was there or what to work on. Now, I only have 3 in varying stages. I can actually see my table. I do feel a bit better now, but my bedroom is a mess. I only sleep there. Now I have room to finish things.

Oswin

This is Oswin. He's my 5th needle felt creation but my first needle felt art doll. I made him in at a Paige Cox workshop and had a blast. She didn't think I would learn anything from her, me being a doll maker for over 20 years but I knew better. One can always pick up different techniques in any class.
I wasn't too fond of the idea of wet felting but she showed me a different way to do it and I'm just about ready to go. I need to pick up a few more things at the end of the week and Oswin will have company.
My friend Kellie fell in love with him, so she'll get one for her office. I'll make a female version for my mom for Christmas. She'll get a kick out of it.

Weekend Vacation

My friend Kellie came to visit me this weekend from Michigan. She comes once a year about this time and we catch up on everything from when we were in school, to families, work, creative endeavors and the future.

Of course we had a blast. We ate out and drove around. I took her to Historic Bethania and to the Hampton House Gallery. We saw some awesome homes and told of how we would decorate and landscape them. Went shopping and talked and laughed 'til we couldn't do it anymore. No towns were painted red or purple and no buildings burned. :D

Now it's back to being creative and get back on track with NaNo. I miss her already but will see her in the summer.

It's November!

OMG!
Two more months and it's all over. Time truly waits for no one. You either do it or you don't. I've started NaNo and have 4851 words. I have my aunt's lap quilt layered up and will machine quilt it this week. Binding next week and then in the mail to her. I'm feeling really good about that quilt. The last time I spoke to her, she said how much she liked quilts, and new of the work that went into them. That if I had time, could I make her a small one to put on her lap. I thought, wow, that's really cool. So her lap quilt is almost done and she will be tickled to get it.

Still working on dolls for the film. It's all good because I feel good about them. I've picked up a new technique and will make a couple using that. Debating on whether to decorate for X-Mas. I could go Steampunk. :)

Working to get more pics up. Have a great day and November.

NaNoWrMo

I have signed up to do NaNoWriMo 2009. National Novel Writing Month. Where one is to write a 50,000 word novel from November 1 to November 30. The idea is to just write and get the novel written then go back, edit and clean it up for possible publication.

I did it last year in 2008 and won with 52,000+ words on my zombie story. It needs to be edited. This year, pirates are on the menu and I'm very excited about my story that I will get going next month.

Unlike last year where I just winged it with nothing more than a main character, her name and what the story was about, this year I have a synopsis of my story and scene ideas. I also have a cast of named characters and I know what they do. I have a good idea about what is going to happen and I'm ready to start writing Nov. 1 at midnight.

I will keep you posted.

Special Event

On Monday of last week I got a call from someone I didn't know. She said that she was the friend of a friend. Her name was Jan, a friend of Susie who had taken a doll making class from me. Susie wanted her to ask me to a lecture and intimate dinner with a few other ladies and the guest speaker. Then she mentioned who the speaker was, and I just about fainted.

Yes fainted. First off, that this person was Faith Ringgold and second, that my friend Susie thought enough about me and my work and that I would get a kick out of meeting this person. I did cry because I felt so blessed for having such a friend and I was so happy because I was going to get a chance to meet one of my heroes.



Faith Ringgold's lecture was fun. She is an amazing author, artist, quilter, doll maker, composer, performance artist and educator. Such a wonderful zest for life and a great sense of humor. What I really liked was when she said, that when people told her she couldn't do anything, she just did it anyway. Her way. And that's how she's always lived her life.

I was truly inspired. If she can do it, I know I can. I also had the opportunity to show her some of my dolls and she loved them. I even gave a mini demo to the ladies on how some of them were made. I had so much fun and was totally in my element. This was what I was suppose to be doing.

I haven't come off the cloud yet. I think I'll stay up there a little longer.

Time Off

For some people, time off is a luxury. For me it was a period to challenge myself to see if I could stick to a creative work schedule in order to be on my own. Yes, an entrepreneur. I found out that I can't have too structured of a day. It's just not normal to have every single minute of the day mapped out to within an inch of its life. You need to leave room for when plans and life decide to throw you something you hadn't planned.

The first two days I was sick. Unplanned. Then my whole outing schedule was overhauled because of a special event. Now I could've just broken down because it wasn't on the schedule, this event. But I moved things around and called friends to change dates and times. I can be flexible. It was liberating. Go with the flow and enjoy.

I found out that I write better in the morning but not early in the morning. I did well getting started at 9 on the am. I felt at ease working well into the night because I was doing what I wanted to do. I was able to get a lot done, not all of what I had wanted but more than expected and I'm still going. I am a work in progress. That makes me feel good and proud of myself.

My time off is almost over. I'm trying not to dread going back to what is waiting for me. But I know I can do it now. Preparation is the key. I'm getting ready for that day.

More Bodies

This is part of the first round of dolls for the film. The five all-in-one dolls are going to be simply dressed. The three bigger dolls will be dressed in prairie outfits.

They will be joining the aliens and headless dolls and shrunken heads are coming.

There is a wide mix of dolls for the film. From very nice rag dolls, to elaborate stump dolls, to nice fairies and sprites and some not so nice. You'll have to come back and check them out.

Aliens

These are some alien parts that will be used to set the doll house for the film. They will be stuffed and dressed, so completed pics next week. I'm waiting for an order of stuffing to arrive because now I just have a lot of body parts, waiting.

Black & White Quilt

I've always wanted to make a black & white quilt. So when I signed up for a block-of-the-month session, I was very happy to see that I had that as a color option. The other options were blue & white and red & white. The first block is 24"x24" and will be the center piece.







There are 4 blocks that will finish 12"x12" and 4 blocks that will finish 8"x8". In the last class we will think about different ways to finish the quilt top.

Kennedy

This is Kennedy's Doll. I rarely do commissioned pieces but this is for a good friend's niece. Her bedroom is decorated with butterflies and they are all over her skirt and vest. Also her shoes.

The bodice trim is also her headband. Her sleeves have been stuffed so that they stand up better.
I think she's got a sweet little face.
Another one off the list.

UFP - Pincushion

I have many U.F.P.'s Unfinished projects. I am so guilty but what's a crafter/artist to do? Try and get them done. Yes, I'm laughing at myself. I tried to finish a project before going to the next but that is so boring. Where's the thrill? The challenge?

Any hoo, I was looking for something else when I stumbled upon this appliqued pincushion. It had 3 pins in it, keeping the stuffing in and all that was needed was the final whip stitch to close the seam. I realized that that's where my straight pins are. In unfinished projects. I thought they were being stolen by apt sprites.

So I took a couple of minutes to close up the seam and now I have another pincushion because you can never have too many. I also crossed it off my list.

Happy October!

I love this time of year. Clean air, and later the smell of fallen leaves and pine trees. I finally pulled out an extra blanket and I feel so cozy under everything in the morning. The bird song is way different now and I don't hear as many crickets or cicadas.

The bodies of the fortune tellers have been cut out and will be sewn either today or tomorrow. Gotta go to the job tonight. I want to have their body parts stuffed by Sun. I'm also practicing needle felting and hope to get a pic up of that with the fortune tellers.

I'll also being editing a page of my sci-fi short story so I can send it off at some point. Busy, busy, busy. But it's fall!

Fortune Teller

Here's the body pattern for the Fortune Teller for the film I am working on. Her fingers will be wired so that I can pose them around a crystal ornament (ball). Her feet will have some individual toes, so that she can sport a toe ring or 2.
Here is the pattern with the already stuffed head to make sure the scale is right. At least right for me. She will be a doll that will always be in a seated position. Stuffing her is going to take forever.

Here's some work!

Okay, I'm a day late and a couple of quarters short. Life happens but I'm getting back on track. Today was a good day and I finally finished some work. Still have lots in various stages. But I'll get to those. This is my Genie trio. I'm still working on taking pics. I think it really helps if the batteries are charged.
This is Loris. Her close up is not ready for Mr. DeMille. I will get better. I will.

This is Anther. Why Anther? I don't know, I needed a name. She's got a silk and ribbon headdress and sash. Lots of beads around her neck and for earrings.

This is Celesse (pronounced Celessa) because she sort of looks celestial in her blue. She has beadwork around her neck and for earrings too. There is gold ribbon around their ankles.
I have to work on my close ups but I wanted to get pics posted before they go into the shop. Thanks for looking.

Okey Smokey!

Alrighty then. I have a follower who is going to put me to task. I'm hoping she'll become a new friend. Jody is going to keep the fire under my rear end. I guess sometimes we need a kick in the pants. LOL Now I really have someone I can show off to.

I can also practice getting some decent shots with my camera. I do so dislike reading instructions. I might as well learn Chinese. Okay, I do want to learn Chinese. :)

Thanks Jody, look for new pics on Sunday, Sept. 27.

In Progress

Here are 2 very large heads that will turn into fortune teller dolls for the film. The heads are about 6" high each. They will be seated figures, having shaped bent legs. Their arms will also be bent and will support jointed fingers. I'll put on rings and possible fake finger nails. I will make ears to attach to the heads so they can have many earrings. I will design the body on Sunday so that I can figure out how they will sit. The feet will have toes for toe rings and sandals.
Here is the start of 2 needle felt heads. One is still an egg and the other has a nose and brow started. The dark brown is because he will have an open mouth. This is from an online class. I don't know if I like this process or not but I will keep going. I may use part of this with what I've already done on my own.
Here they are up close and woolly. More pics coming.

I'm Back.

I wrote this post on Monday and I'm just now posting it. So some things have changed. I'm still working on the one post a week, at least. Now that things are getting interesting, I have to be more consistent with posting. A challenge to myself.

Last week, I was busy getting things ready for a craft show. I didn't sell anything, not many vendors did, but I had a great time. The weather was awesome, sunny with a great breeze. The people were friendly, I laughed and networked. Once I got back home, I met a neighbor who happens to be a lawyer. Isn't that cool? You never know when one may come in handy.

Sunday was spent reorganizing my show boxes. Then I also straightened all work areas. I designed 3 dolls for the film and started 2 new doll heads. I was feeling pretty good. I had 3 things on my list: straighten up for messing up again, design one doll for the movie, start needle felting. I did all those things and that felt great.

Monday morning I didn't go for my walk with my neighbor. He injured himself. Having stayed up late the previous night, I slept in a bit. Got up and went grocery shopping. I'm working on eating better again. No more cookies or chips. No more candy 'til Halloween. More salads and I've got to look at my casserole recipes.

I got what was on my list. I stuck to the program. The only thing I got that wasn't on my list was juice. I have stuff for breakfast, lunch at the job and dinner for 2 weeks. I'm set. I groaned at the bill. It's so expensive to be healthy. I also had to get some cleaning supplies and toilet paper. Can't eat any of those. Civilizations have fallen because of no toilet paper.

Even though grocery shopping isn't my favorite thing to do, I felt pretty good. I asked myself why? Because I had Sat. off. I didn't have that stress or worry about a job. I was able to enjoy being outside on a beautiful day and be around like minded people. I think I will have to take off one Sat. a month, just to aid my mental capacities. I felt quite content. I like this feeling.

Now, as for dolls in progress. I did take pics and will post them tonight. Promise, or you can give me 50 lashes with a wet noodle. :D

Prioritizing

I was starting to get stressed a little, or at least was. Thing shad been moving along swimmingly until I hit a bump. The reality of what I had to do, needed to do, whacked me on the head and a little fear crept in. What the heck was I doing? I must be nuts. Instead of falling apart, I became still and thought about it.

What needed to be done right away? Items for the Art & Faith Festival. Fair enough. Items for the movie can wait until this is over. Filming won't necessarily start with what I'm working on, so I've got a bit more time. Faith Festival is in less than a week and I may make a little money. In this economic clime, any little bit will help. The world will not end because of my decision and my nerves will feel better. It's great when I can figure things out.

Life is good. Onward.

Getting Back To Writing

My creative writing has been quite sporadic as of late. Several stories in the works and no progress. That's not very good at all. So I asked myself, "Why no progress?" Was it because of time? Was it because of lack of interest in the story? Was it fear? Some of the above or all of the above?

I looked at my schedule. Time didn't seem to be a factor. Was I losing interest in what I had started? No, I really liked the stories I had written. The characters I've created are interesting, charming, inquisitive and grow throughout the story. So it's got to be fear.

The stories are done, now it's time for the hard part. The that will make or break my story. the part that will determine if I'm a real writer or not, whether I can become a good, published writer.

Editing
Someone said, "Writing is easy, editing is hard." Editing, where you go through your story (not just for the basic punctuation and spelling) but does it make sense? Does every word mean something? do you have too many of the same word on a page, in a paragraph, a sentence? Every word, sentence, paragraph, page, chapter has to count. Each chapter should be its own mini story, that makes up the big story.

Editing is where it counts. Where you separate the wheat from the chafe, the women from the chicks- where warriors, goddesses and Amazons are made. Editing makes you cry. It makes your brain hurt, it makes you want to hurt someone, especially if they don't understand what you're going through. Editing is painful and lonely. You can lose weight doing it. Anyone who says that writing is easy hasn't edited.

Questions are always asked. How can I make this better? Am I making this better? When read aloud, does it flow? Or do I trip up the lips and tongue? What am I trying to say and is it coming through?

Yes editing. That is the fear. The real challenge, writing, anyone can write. Editing, that's the true test because not everyone can self edit to the point that their work is readable and ready for publication. I shall wrestle with that fear. I've just to many stories to tell.

In Progress

I finally have enough pieces in progress to post. I have pieces for the indie film and pieces for the art festival and upcoming holiday season. The latest new designs are my genies. I have my staple of angel ornaments (above) and new angel designs (below) which may turn out to be folk angels. Haven't decided.
I have also started a very large doll, her head is 6". She's going to be a fortune teller and I even plan on making ears for lots of earrings. She'll have individual fingers for lots of rings too. Two will be made. There will also be witches, fairies, sprites coming soon. I also put on my list, mermaids. The next couple of months should be exciting.
Will have to work on photos too. Everything is a work in progress.

Fabric, fabric everywhere!

After waiting on budget money for a month to buy fabric for the dolls, I finally got it. Paperwork, banks, lawyers. Blah, blah, blah. Nathan was a wee bit upset that his main designer, me, was behind schedule. The main component, dolls, of the movie was not getting made. I refused to get upset. What was the point? The money for me was finally there, now I just had to be able to access it.

I got access and my dear friend Maya, went shopping with me. She's very good to take along fabric shopping. She watched as I pulled different colors and textures, amazed at the process and taking joy in the gleam in my eyes. She was also great at hauling a lot of the bolts for me too. Love you!

It was a good feeling to be able to buy whatever I wanted. The fancy fabrics I normally don't buy to make art. The colors, textures and patterns not usually used. This was my chance to show off. Every time I pulled a different bolt of fabric, Maya would say how she couldn't wait to see what I would do with it. I can't wait either.
Some Asian prints.
Fancy silks and some stretchy, tied dyed, shimmery stuff.
More satins and stretchy stuff. I have dolls in mind just for that. Ethereal beings, faeries, mermaids, gods and goddesses.
Couldn't pass up some upholstery pieces either. The shopping spree was fun and exhausting. Now I've got to get busy.

The Film

Ever since I can remember, I've been fascinated by movies. Movies with stop motion animation, my favorite being 'Jason and the Argonauts'. The sci-fi movies of the 1950s, I would sit there and figure out how they did the special effects. Whatever book on sci-fi and fantasy films I could get, I did. Like so many others, I told myself that one day, I was going to make movies and animated films.

I was told that I would have to go to Hollywood or New York. I attempted Hollywood several times. The first when I was accepted to UCLA for film. I wanted to be a matte artist. Loved the work of C. Bonesteel. Couldn't afford to go. The second time, the same reason. The third time, 911 happened and I lost my job, along with my savings. Disappointed? You bet, but I filed that dream away. I refused to let it go altogether. That was my dream.

Fast forward some years and I'm in a new place emotionally, a new part of the country, a new state and a new town. I joined a writer's group and was introduced to a fantastic and dynamic person, Nathan Ross Freeman. Please check him out. www.nathanrossfreeman.com
www.mrbonesfilm.com www.authorityaction.com

The first time we met, he was the guest speaker for the group. The second time we met it was at the writer's group member appreciation party. He remembered me and asked me if I was still writing and I said no. After receiving a dirty look, he asked, "Why not?" Not having seen this man in months, my left eyebrow raised, not really knowing which direction to take my answer. So I cut him some slack and quelled the mini 'Wrath of Wendy'. I mean, who did he think he was? I smiled and told him that I was busy making dolls.

His eyes widened, a light had gone off over his head and lit his face.
"You make dolls?"
My eyebrow goes up again. The bad, mischievous Wendy is fighting to be a smart ass as I recalled having just told him that I was making dolls. Me being a better looking Santa. The good Wendy prevailed.
"Yes, I make dolls."

He put a finger up and said, "Wait a minute."
Cogs in his head began to grind.
"For sale?"
"Yes, I sell some of them."
Before I could say anything else.
"Wait!"
He closed his eyes and placed index fingers on his temples. I could actually see the wheels of creativity turning in his head. Really, it was amazing. I wasn't expecting the next question.
"How would you like to be in a movie? Have your dolls in a movie?"

Not one to pass up on too many creative opportunities, I said, "Sure."
Now on the inside, I was jumping up and down saying, "Hell yeah. You don't have to ask me twice."
We set a date for our first meeting and the rest.... well it's becoming history. Herstory. My story. My side of this creative endeavor with a bunch of other creative folks.

There were a few glitches at first. Funding being one but this is Nathan's baby. One of those life projects that just won't go away until it's done. It has baked a little and changed a lot. Things were regrouped and money raised. Which is ongoing but that's cool. An LLC was formed with Nathan at the helm, Jarrett Tolman, LaMyra Kinzer (actress extraordinaire) and me, Wendy Luane Barber. Artist. Is this sweet or what?

I'm going to use my blog to document my journey into filmdom. I can't give details about the movie but I can give details of my part, my creative process in the making of it. I am making dolls for a character who makes, wait for it, dolls. She's got this whole house of dolls.

So please join me on my journey. Check back every now and again. All of my entries will be marked as film. Am I excited? You bet. And I'm not even in California.

Good to Go

July just blew by me. I totally don't know what happened but it's gone and now I'm into August. Was July a mid-year lull? It was truly a blur. Was it a belch? What? The beginning of the year was a mad dash. Many projects got done, goals accomplished. Had a great time for my birthday and now back to reality. Was July a break from the first part of the year?

Well now, the blink is over. It's time to get revved up for the last part of the year. Halloween, Christmas and the independent film I'm working on are all on the docket. All are doll/figure related. New designs. Designs to challenge me as an artist. Designs to help me get to what I really want to make.

I have a couple of friends who like Steampunk. Researching this genre, it seems as if I've always liked it but never knew it was called Steampunk. The one series that comes to mid that I really liked was 'The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.'. It took place in the old west but they had so many things that weren't invented at the time, made up and in a way to make it look like those things were from that era. Western Steampunk. The 'Wild Wild West' is like that too.

My sci-fi short story is being edited and I have ideas for a few more. Steampunk like. Why not? I have ideas for Steampunk dolls. Finish editing my kid manuscript and I'll be good to go.

What to Do First?

Sometimes I have way too many irons in the fire, pots on the stove and I don't know what to work on next. I have a list of what I have to do, what I want to do, what needs to be done now, what can wait a little while. But that's when I get stuck. What do I do first?

The decision to choose something to do became overwhelming. So much so that I spent a lot of time agonizing over what to do first. From that agony came frustration because I knew I needed to get busy. After spending an inordinate amount of time agonizing, wringing hands, tears and an eventual headache, nothing gets done. An hour spent over what to do could've been spent on doing something. A creative hour lost, one I'll never get back. I don't have time to waste time.

So I thought about it and looked for a container of considerable size. I found an empty mixed nut jar that I was keeping for something else. I needed a prompt or a catalyst if I ever got into the hole of "What do I do next?" again. I cut up paper I was recycling into strips and from my list, wrote a project on each slip. I folded them up one by one and dropped them into the jar.

Now I'm ready. If I feel stuck and don't know which project to tackle next, I'll shake up the contents of the jar and pick one slip of paper. That will be what I work on. Problem solved. No excuses. No procrastination. Once a project is done or a goal reached, I can cross it off my list and take the slip out of the jar.

Yay me!

Painting

I read about a man who was painting an angel a day for 100 days right up to the new millennium. I thought that was quite impressive. They were of varying sizes, most being small and I believe he succeeded.

I love to paint. I miss painting. I got my training in watercolor but as I don't have time to do what I'd like to do with that medium right now, I have tried acryllic paints. Which you can use like watercolor. This is another way to stay out of my box. A friend gave me several 9x11 primed canvases and they are calling me. The canvases are large enough for a nice painting yet small enough that the paintings don't have to take a lot of time. Plus, living in an apartment, space is at a premium. So working small for me is great, it's also a bit more intimate.

So I thought to myself that I could get a painting done in a month. The least I could do. My goal is to have 50 done by my 50th birthday. I think I'll give it a shot. Why not? A race against myself. A very nice life goal.

Early Morning

I've found that I can get up earlier in the morning to work on projects. As long as I can get in bed by 10 on the pm. It's really nice early in the morning before goofy neighbors and even the birds wake up . Get some coffee going and get started. One morning last week, I worked on a new doll head design. The pieces were already cut out and I was procrastinating (trying to regain my Princess of Procrastination status). So I finally sewed the pieces together and stuffed it. It was a failure. I wanted a round head and what I got was a watermelon with a nose. I got frustrated and pouted but my inner voice told me to stop it, look at the head to see where I went wrong. So I did. The forehead was too short which meant the back also needed to be lengthened. I liked the gusset at the back of the head and kept that in the new pattern.

A new pattern, I then cut out more pieces, and laid them a different way on the fabric. I had found that the stretch was going the wrong way. Back to the sewing machine. I looked at the thing and it looked like it would work. I stuffed it, packing it pretty hard. The stretch was going in the right direction this time.

The nose was the right size for the face. The head was round like I wanted, nice cheeks and forehead. Just right to work with. And it took less than an hour. I felt pretty good on my way to the job, knowing that when I get home, I can redraw the pattern on cardboard (to be ready for cutting out the next head) and get started on a body.

Oh no! A body.

6 Months

Okay, the beginning part of the year has gone quite well. There are areas for improvement (I'm blessed to be able to acknowledge that) and I will work on those areas. I have the time to work on all projects and still have time to baby myself. There is a constant battle with the 'Fear Demons'/ I with they would just go away but I guess they're part of the push to keep me going.

The push to keep producing work. Completing work; manuscripts, screenplays, figurative art, paintings and applique. Okay, that's a lot and some things are more important than others. The things that aren't that important are needed to keep me balanced. They also help with creative blocks.

I've rewritten my list of projects and goals. I know that everything doesn't have to be finished at the same time but having a date when they should be finished is a good thing. I still have to prioritize what's first to be completed and that's okay because I have....

a plan. Plans are great. Even thought sometimes they don't work out. You'll never know unless you try. So far my plans for this year are working out and most haven't been changed. I believe that shows growth on my part. Preparing the plan, getting all supplies if needed, initiating and implementing the plan, then seeing it through. It feels good when a plan works out and a project is completed, a goal realized. Yay me and a pat on the back.

The next six months are a continuation of some plans and new plans will be implemented. Deadlines will be made. This is still my year.

Rewards for Hardwork

Taking time out for myself a few weeks ago has been a wonderful experience. After working very hard on numerous projects, it was time to relax and celebrate. I can't remember the last time I did that. Or even took time out for me. But I did it and I learned that it's okay. I deserve being nice to me. Celebrating my achievements. Recharging the batteries of my creative soul to get ready for the next group of projects.

I can think clearer now. I can say that I know how to not think about anything on a vacation but enjoying myself. I am well rested. My phone was on but I didn't really notice it ring. Didn't even use it. How many people can say that they actually know how to relax and not be tied to anything technical while on vacation? To be able to enjoy where they are and the company they're with.

I will not be a part of that crowd. A vacation or holiday is to be enjoyed, not to continue to be tethered to everyday. I will also make my reward list for when I'm ready to relax and take care of me, once again.

Emerald Isle

After dinner in Beaufort, Maya and I headed to Emerald Isle to look for a spot to see the sunset on my birthday. This was the entrance to the beach. The sand was very fine and still warm.
The sky was beautiful as the day was ending.
The sun begins to set on what was a very exciting day.
I just love the surf. The sound of it, how peaceful it is. I also stuck my feet in again. Couldn't be there without that happening. We watched the tide come in. How wonderful and amazing an event.
The sun finally says goodbye. I enjoyed my trip to the coast. I'm hoping the first of many more.