Friday, March 31, 2017

Paint by Numbers


Last weekend I did a little shopping with my sister and mom.  We went to a quilt shop in Lockport, Illinois.  This fabric spoke to me!  I love florals and this one is arty too.  Not sure what I am going to do with it, but for now I'll just admire it...

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Downsize my interests

I've had a little scrap of paper on my computer desk for sometime, just waiting for some pondering.  "Downsize my Interests".  What can I get rid of?  Surely not sewing.  My thread collection alone is overwhelming, but I cannot part with any of it.  I could part with some of the empty spools!  I did make the decision a long time ago to keep only the wood spools.  Plastic goes into the recycle bin (unless it has an unusual bottom that can be used for stamping...)  Part of the minimalist approach is to get rid of things rather than organize them.  Not today...  I shall go right now and organize my threads.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Rainy Monday

My hope was to do a ton of art this week...  Unfortunately the grey and dreary day changed my plans. I am not motivated to be creative.  I shall clean and organize instead.  If I am lucky, I will find my A to Z list of ideas for April!  Yes, the list has disappeared and I don't want to recreate this list.  Where is it?!?

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Wren Bag Fronts


Still plugging away on fronts for my wren bags.  Now that the weather is changing, the birds will be here looking for places to build their nests.  I am going to the Wildwood Church art day on the 1st of April.  My plan is to finish bags that day and hang them on the 2nd.  Key word... plan.  Maybe it would be good to take tape along to put across my mouth.  Would that keep me from too much socializing?

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Only as happy....

Yesterday at cardio rehab, one of the therapists was talking to a patient about his children.  Seems that one of the patient's sons is giving him a lot of grief.  The therapist said, "you are only as happy as your saddest child."  It really stuck with me as my thought of the day.  I thought about it in many different ways, like:  Your house is only as clean as the messiest room.  There is so much to do in this too big house, but I can take it one room at a time.  Take care of my saddest child and then move on...

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Ready for a party

Today we celebrate Arrianne's 18th birthday.  She has invited friends to join our family for dinner.  I was so pleased yesterday when I got home from my sewing group at church to find that she had been cleaning house most of the morning.  I got busy with food prep.  Our house is clean and we are ready for a great day.  Mom is coming to join us for a mother/daughter banquet for lunch.  The rest of the afternoon will be spent setting the tables, decorating and just enjoying each other's company.  To top off this wonderful day - the sun is shining!

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

good intentions

I can start a plan with the best of intentions and then quickly find myself behind.  You too?  For example:  "I'm going to blog everyday".  Ha ha.  Obviously that didn't happen.

I have been good about doing a little art everyday.  This week has been easy for this goal as it is Art Week at the library.  I planned a morning and afternoon session every day.  Sue has done a great job with having lunch for the group.  Yesterday morning we painted maps:



I will use mine for a fold up travel journal, or maybe lovely hand painted wrapping paper.  Who wouldn't like to receive a gift wrapped in this paper?

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Back to work

My "real" job is:  Librarian

I haven't been here much in the past two weeks.  Illness has gotten the better of me.

Now that I am back, there are a million things that I need to do.  Instead, I keep finding myself thinking about home, my husband, art, travel, and my son.  This tells me that being a librarian isn't really my "real" job.  This job pays the bills.  It also keeps routine as a part of my daily schedule.  I wonder if routine is one of the things that makes life seem to go by so quickly.  How often do I hear that as we age, time goes by faster and faster?  Maybe it is just that we are stuck in a rut and do the same things at the same time everyday.

Get up between 4:30 and 5:00 am. Husband has tea ready at dining room table.  Drink tea and pet dog.  Run upstairs and do 15-20 minutes of art.  Treadmill for 30 minutes.  Shower. Dress. Breakfast.  Pack lunch.  Go to work....

My life is very boring sounding on paper.

This all changes next week when I start cardio rehab and radiation treatments.  Will a change in my routine make my days longer?  I will have to let you know....

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Could spring be here?



















Usually by this time of the morning I am at work.  Today I have an appointment with my radiologist at 10:30 this morning which rather breaks up my day, so I decided to just take the whole day off.  I have so many vacation days to burn this year that taking a day here and there (like almost every week), is the only way to get them used up before the end of December.  It is almost like I knew that the cancer/heart issue was going to happen....  So, even though I'd rather be jet setting to some exotic place, the days off are welcome.  I need to put my health first.
Any way....  like I said I'm usually gone and miss alot of the beauty around our house.  I was surprised to see a few buds opening on the pussy willow bush.  It is grey, cold, windy, and rainy out but I managed to slip out and take a quick pic just to remind me to keep my eye open to the beauty that surrounds us.