Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Art before breakfast


The only way I get art done is to "schedule" time just for art.  Prepping and machine stitching in the evening leads to stitching with my first cup of tea in the morning.  I don't feel like talking first thing in the morning, but can easily stitch and bead.  No thinking required....

I like the teal / grey combination of the background stencil.  This past year, much of my art was done in mustard, plum and grey.  Maybe I am breaking out of my rut!

Monday, February 27, 2017

Now it's a series



Each fabric "exercise" will become a wren bag to hang outside this spring.  The goal is to use up some of the stash that is bursting my art studio.  I just can't bring myself to just pitch.  Especially when the colours are yummy and spring perfect.  

Today I signed up for a all day sewing event on the first of April.  For the small fee of $35.00 I get a table, 3 meals, snacks, prizes, and FRIENDS!  As I see it, if I can stay productive each day and make at least one of these wren bag fronts for a month.... I will be able to put together 30 wren bags on the 1st of April, and that's no joke!  

It sounds doable.  I like setting daily goals for achievement. I like rewards even more!  What is a good reward for making 30 wren bags by April 2nd?    I'll have to think on that.  Having a clean closet may have to be enough.  

Sunday, February 26, 2017

2 makes a series, or at least a start

How many pieces of "like" art work does it take to make a series?  I imagine that it is at least 3.  This "series" of exercises will likely be turned into wren bags.  After Mrs. Wren built her nest in my tool bag in the greenhouse last year, I knew I had to make a better home for her.  Time is running out, as spring will be here very soon!  I read yesterday that having a wren build her home in the eaves of your house is good luck.  I want to make hundreds of bags....  we need a better year!



Saturday, February 25, 2017

Fabric from Theresa

I am a very lucky woman.  Friends know that I can't say no to a bag of fabric....  Clean your stash and give it to Cheryl - she'll find a use for it!  Sometimes it's a curse and sometimes it's a delight.

A few weeks ago I was given a grocery bag full of yummy old, rusty, ready for the trash, I can't believe she kept them, they are not even good enough for rags pieces of fabric.  After two trips thru the washing machine, I found gold!  Old fabric just has more character.  

Today I am home with the flu, but not sick enough to stay out of my studio.  I had a wonderful morning playing with one of the grocery bag treasures.  A bit of stenciling, lace, and stitch and I am feeling better already.  Thank you Theresa!


Friday, February 24, 2017

Flu, bed rest, and grey skies...

This morning I realized that it is easier to be sick when it is grey and gloomy outside.  Is mother earth also feeling poorly?

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

reduce by half

After taking a serious look at my studio:


... I concluded that some serious work needs to be done!  What a mess.  I haven't been putting things away and have allowed the clutter to pile up.  I'm sure I'm the only person on this earth with this problem!!!

A few hours later after simply closing the door to my "problem", I was in the kitchen (very neat and tidy - really!), making dinner.  The recipe I was kind of using had you crisp tofu in some olive oil and make a honey/soy mixture glaze to add after 10 minutes of browning.  The next step was very important:  after adding the glaze, let simmering and REDUCE BY HALF.  That wasn't really in big letters and so horribly important, but it obviously caught my attention.  My doctor told me to lose weight, my family thinks I try to do too much, I have too much on my plate, my art studio is crammed full of mess....  See where this is going? 

I think I have found my new mantra:  Reduce by Half.



Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Just begin

Last year, after 10 years of blogging, I deleted all of my posts.  Today, I kick myself for that action. How many times have I done something in a fit of anger or depression, only to find myself wishing for that magic wand to turn back time?  This time it was an overwhelming sense of sinking with too many monkeys clinging to my back and horrible loss.  My loving father died in my arms while on a snorkeling adventure at Grand Cayman.  For me, 2016 goes down in history as the worst year a girl could go thru.  Was it not enough that Papa Bear died? My dear uncle died in the fall.  Just as the year was ending, and I was feeling like the past was the past, I found that I had been blessed with breast cancer.  Really?  By this time my faith was starting to leave me.  Ok, so one more blow - I had an abnormal stress test before breast surgery was ok'd by my cardiologist.  Guess what!  I now have 3 new heart stents.

So - you probably think by this time that I am ready to just throw in the towel.  Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful husband, family, friends, and support group.  I keep thinking that the good Lord has kept me here on earth for some very special secret mission.

I have decided that I must once again get out the "pen and paper" and share my life with anyone who will listen.

I have decided that I must narrow my interests but continue to grow and accept change each and every wonderful day that I have been blessed with.

Not sure where this is leading me, but I have big plans for 2017.  Places to go, art to make, gardens to grow, a husband to pamper, and a bajillion other things on my wish list.  Today is the beginning.  I will just take it one day at a time.