Thought for the day

 I have a friend who shares a text or a bit of art each Monday.  I so look forward to hearing from her. What a good habit!

Verdigris. my "collection"

 My collection is actually a digital collection.  These lovelies are from a trip to Copenhagen:

Verdigris

 ver·di·gris

/ˈvərdəˌɡrēs,ˈvərdəˌɡrē/

Learn to pronounce

noun

1. a bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate.

I've been fascinated by verdigris patina for years.  I'm careful creating my own, as it is considered toxic.  My plan was to use it as a pigment when making my own paint.  This hasn't happened yet, but it's on my list!

Free motion play

 The current #earthdressseries quilt I am working on is #climatechangedress aka "Death of the Coral Reef". I had come across a technique using dissolvable interfacing and free motion stitch to create underwater plants.   My first try is not too bad:

I should have used a hoop for stitching.  It drew up a lot and became very difficult to move about and stitch.  I used rayon thread that I had on hand, but feel like a heavier thread would fill faster and not draw up so much.

My drawing.  I placed the interfacing over it and traced the lines using a regular pen, since I couldn't find my disappearing pen. It appears that it really didn't matter. After soaking the piece in cold water, the interfacing left as well as the pen marks!  I believe I am happy with the results.

Book: 1000 Places To See Before You Die

 I was supposed to be flying home from an adventure today, but the politics of Peru got in my way. 😞 Oh well, I'll get there eventually.  It has made me think about other trips that I have been fortunate enough to go on over the years. My first out of the country trip (besides Canada and Mexico) was in 2005.  My mother and I traveled to St. Croix for a week of island life and sunshine shortly before Christmas.  That trip was amazing!  I enjoyed chickens in the streets, delicious fruits and vegetables, watching the sun go down each evening (we stayed on the west end of the island),  driving on the left side of the road, and visiting old plantation ruins.  This trip did a good job of making me want to keep traveling.

And travel I have done!  A few years ago I started making "travel badges" to record the different countries I have been to:

This has been a fun way to document and remember.  I'm not one to purchase souvenirs, so this works well for me.  That being said, I can be tempted by fabric if I find a quaint shop.

Go to book: Make Ink by Jason Logan

This is a must have book for all of us who make dyes and our own inks for creating art.  It encourages me to look further than plants when looking for things to boil for creating.  I currently have a pot of rusty nails soaking until I am ready to begin some serious play.  My jar of madder roots are on my to do list for my next project once my dye pot of pomegranate skins are depleted of colour.  Not ready to make the leap into creating?  Follow his IG account for a visual treat! 

Book: Diamond Willow

 My sister suggested this quick read by Helen Frost.  Not necessarily for the story, but for the formatting.  I enjoyed both.  

Currently reading: The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly

 Author Margareta Magnusson delighted me with "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning".   I am now recommending "The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly".

The third chapter, Don't Leave Empty-Handed is in my head constantly.  Every time I leave a room, I now look to see if there is something I can take with to put in it's rightful place.  It seems like a pretty logical way to keep up with the clutter!

I enjoy her humor and being taught a bit about Swedish customs and words.  Pancakes and Pea Soup on Thursday? Really?  I believe I should start doing this too.

This is a very quick read, and perfect for a book club.  

Marc Chagall: Jerusalem Windows

 Unfortunately, when I was in Israel this past spring, I was not able to see the windows.  I did however, see drawings and paintings for the windows when I was at the museum in Nice.  The next best thing was to order in Chagall's Jerusalem Windows from the library.  Each window represents one of the first Twelve Tribes of Israel.  If I am ever in Jerusalem again, the synagogue at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center will be my first stop!

Marc Chagall / Ft Wayne

 My daughter lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The last time I visited, we explored the art museum.  I was happy to find a bit of Marc Chagall. Unfortunately, not a very good photo - it can be difficult to find an angle to shoot without a lot of glare on the protective glass.  

Marc Chagall: White Cruicifixion

 The White Crucifixion was painted in 1938 and is in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. I feel like I've been on a Chagall scavenger hunt each time I visit an art museum!