Bunnies

Made from a damaged quilt found at a local salvage store. They're multiplying. The little pocket in front will hold a small handmade journal soon. Hopefully.

Peg Bag

Made from old linens and hung from an antique wooden hanger. Cross stitch was already there. I know somone who will really appreciate this.

Vegetable Bags

I received a huge box of old linens from a friend who was on her way to Goodwill with them. Hand towels, napkins, tablecloths. I shared some with friends and then started using some to make bags like this. I sewed one of those green plastic bags inside, but then realized the limitations of that so next time no bag. Green bag can go inside pretty cotton bag, then the outside bag can be washed if needed. I also noticed Soulemama has made some cotton bags to store her homemade bread in. Today, another project and hopefully tomorrow, pictures.

Okay, Deborah. your turn.

Morning Weather Report

With 'suggested' overnight snow, this seemed appropriate.

Trouble Focusing

It's a rainy, dreary day here in Maine, the kind of day you hunker inside and keep the fire going. And take stock of all the projects one has going on. For instance, I have 4 new books that when I ordered them I VOWED to myself that I was going to go through them and DO THE EXERCISES. Have I? I've looked at them. The end.


So then, I find an old book of embroidery stitches at the library and think I'm going to make a sampler and LEARN these stitches once and for all....this is it so far.



So then, after not seeing the results I want, I have moved on to papier mache. Papier mache??? I have a lot to learn, but probably won't because I don't have the patience these days.

(I think it will be a pumpkin.)

So on to knitting. This has been very rewarding. I can sit and knit and watch an episode of Lost and before you know it I have a finished mitten. OR sock. Maybe I should just stick with that.

Short attention span. Wonder what it is I'm trying to avoid??? Need to think about this.

I'm back for a one night stand. I have something I want to share because it has come out great and I'm excited about it. This:


Despite the fact that I haven't been blogging,I HAVE been reading others and catching up on books and magazines. I find myself looking for blogs that are similar to Sara Lechter's and Jude Hill's, ones that reuse old and thrifted fabrics in a way that gives a rich new life to them. Not as new garments but little pieces here and there for arts sake. And the handwork element. The quilting stitch done by hand, sometimes with thread, sometimes with floss. The results are magical.

To me anyway. So this little bird for October is done with some curtains and old linens I had hanging around as well as a perfect nubby pair of drapes I found at Goodwill (all that of white in the background). THe pumpkin and table are bits and pieces of commercial and found stuff and the bird is all commercial fabric.

I found the frame at goodwill for $3. It framed some sort of heavy cardboard poster which I covered with gesso, glued the fabric around the edges, then glued the bird to the center after all the handwork was completed.

Bruce and I have been watching the first season of LOST for the past few weeks. We're a little behind the rest of the world it seems since season 6 is coming up in January. Anyway, for all you LOST fans out there, I'm calling this, 'John Locke' and hopefully you'll see the humor and remember HOW HARD he tried to get into that hatch.

Off to Freeport today to pick up my purse I left hanging on the back of my chair in the restaurant the other night...I hate it when that happens.

Leaving for a Bit

In case anyone has noticed, my attempts at blogging a bit more have failed, so I'm thinking I need to take a break for a little while and lessen the guilt of so much time between posts. I will be back, though. Sometime.

Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days

I've been lazy this summer, not posting very regularly. But the weather has turned nice for a change and I just go through the day doing this and that and before you know it, it's time for bed. I know I haven't blogged in a while when I have to put my user name and password in. We've done a lot of family stuff, and I' ve NOT done a lot concerning anything creative. Except for this day:


when frayed edges spent the day at Sarah's dyeing fabric. This is one of my pieces which I have no idea what I'll do with. But it's pretty and gauzy so it will work well in something. Sometime.

Happy Birthday, Bruce

There's a birthday in our house today. Next year he'll be able to sing the real words to "When I'm 64". Yikes, we're old! But isn't this the best mug? Chalk talk. Just write your message, erase and write another depending on your mood. Hmmmm, you may see a lot of this. Thanks, Trish.

End of Vaca

Our vacation at Bayside is over for another year. We had a blast and made the most of all the family time together. We Tie-dyed T-shirts.

played wild and crazy games with our cousins,


attended a dance class,


decorated and flew the BEST gliders, a dollar store deal which provided HOURS of fun,

someone got engaged under the stars sparkling on the ocean, and we had a:

TOP CHEF COMPETITION!
(secret ingredient: blueberries)

Borrowing the idea from my friend Deborah, I planned one of our many dinners to be a friendly competition. A couple of weeks ahead, I told all 8 couples what course they were responsible for and what the secret ingredient would be. I was not disappointed with the wide range of entries. For appetizers we had Stilton Blueberry Cheese and Crackers, and fruit kebobs with blueberries (of course). We had two delicious green salads with blueberries and different dressings. For bread we had mini biscuits and blueberry butter, along with blueberry and ginger muffins. We had three entrees: pork with a blueberry sauce, black and blue sliders (delicious!) and chicken crepes topped with a blueberry sauce. Dessert was either a chocolate chip cookie topped with fruit and blueberries, a blueberry tart, or the most amazing blueberry cheesecake thing. Oh yeah, the special cocktail of the evening was pomegranate-blueberry martinis. Gone in a flash!
During the cocktail hour I had made up different games to entertain the kids. We had three 'write the answer' games: Identify the cooking implement, identify the pastas, (Deborah's idea) and a taste test consisting of 5 different potato chip flavors.

(guessing the chips)

The last and best game I called, "Play with Your Food", a take-off on the original game. Each kid got a base of a rice krispie treat, some toothpicks, and a bevy of building blocks. Marshmallows, gum drops and candy corn.

And prizes were awarded in a number of categories:

most delicious

stickiest

tallest, without falling over

most toothpicks

another stickiest

widest

most celestial

We also had prizes for the least toothpicks, best first eaten, and best hairdo on a structure. Silly games but lots of laughs and memories.

This is a very small part of the lovely village of Bayside on Penobscot Bay. My family rents several cottages during the same week and we have kids, bikes and meals from one end to the other. It's the sort of place where you can still let the kids go and just BE KIDS. Our cottage is the white one behind the far left porch. This is the first time in this cottage and it will definitely be the last. We have a very grumpy neighbor. He and his wife either don't like kids, are very territorial or maybe just don't like us. We're quiet and respectful, but everything is just so close together, it's hard to not be seen or heard using even regular voices. His porch is right above ours so it feels like he's right there. I think he exudes hostility just so we won't sit out on ours. He's the exception to all the other friendly, smiling, welcoming people we chat with on our walks. Bruce says not to give him the power to ruin our time here, and of course he's right, but why do people need to be nasty when it takes so little effort to be nice? It might also help my mood if the sun would just stay out and warm things up for more than one day....I left my down jacket home. And it's nearly August.

It's Done!

Grand Manan Herring Gulls, hand dyed and hand painted fabric using fabric paints and oil sticks. Thread painted. Machine and hand quilted. A little bit of everything. DONE!!!

Budding Artist

I have a very artistic grandson. It isn't even his first choice of a thing to do when he's bored. That would be something technically oriented, or maybe something to do with a sword. But while his dad was unpacking a new machine, Carey was snagging the cardboard pieces and, unbeknownst to the grownups, was using the shapes of the pieces to dictate what to draw. I painted the backgrounds for him but he's promised to paint in the figures for me. For a fee.

Cape Breton is as beautiful as everyone said it would be. Sweeping vistas,




lighthouses,


wildlife,

new shoes.

Rain here too. But the days we hiked and paddled were hot and sunny.

This is in Margaree Harbor, on the west side and just as you start to travel up the Cabot Trail. Wish you could smell the wild roses that covered this banking just ahead of my kayak. And we found a nesting area of gulls. I've lived off the coast of Maine all my life and I've never seen baby gulls this small. Who would have thought those noisy, raucous things could be so downy cute.

It's raining. Again.

Gifts

Three special gifts for three special people.  Birthday, anniversary and graduation.  The gifts themselves aren't that spectacular, but the wrapping is wonderful. There's pleasure in the details.  At least for me.

They're getting bigger

How do they all fit? And could they be any cuter. This was the last picture before they flew the coop.

Traveling

This is my box. I never travel without my box...( Amahl). Anyway, silliness aside, vacation is coming up and I'll carry this with me in case the mood strikes and I see something I want to record. In this box is everything I need to create a little piece, by hand, on the spot. I am imagining myself sitting in a field or on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean all the way to Ireland. It all fits into a flat wooden cigar box that fits on my lap. In it are needles, thread, floss, scissors, beads, buttons, fabric scraps. Draped over the top are the precut base fabric and batting.


I'll also have my journals, pens, paper,and paints in another bag. Hopefully, there'll be room for the necessities, like clothes. And wine.

Look what I found!

In the corner of our house is a little nest, chock full of baby birds. The mother graciously stepped aside (not too far, mind you) so I could get a baby picture. There are at least 3 and maybe even 4.

Bright spots

Do you remember when you were 10? I do. I remember struggling to think of something to say in letters to my two grandmothers who lived in the same town. It was so much work that I would write one and copy the same words in the other, usually starting out with, "Hi- How are you?-I'm fine. " Little did I know they would talk and chuckle together over the sameness of their notes from me. In hindsight I'm happy I could at least provide a little enjoyment for them. So, now I'm enjoying my own little chuckle from my 10 year old niece who is thanking me for going to her grandparents day at school:

Thanks for coming to grandpersons day I couldn't find any one else. Mom work Dad
working Papa wouldn't like it very much. Other grandparents Florida Aunts and uncles working exept you! Love Ella J

Oh, the innocence of youth searching for words.

I'm still here!!

I have so many loose ends in my life right now, things seem a bit overwhelming. Nothing bad, but just thins I can't come to closure with, you know? And I NEED that. Tie up loose ends. Cross it off my list. So, consequently, I feel stuck. It's all my own doing, you know, in my HEAD, thinkin too much. And because of it, and because I'm here now, I'm goin to move forward, my new mantra will be "DON'T THINK SO MUCH".

It doesn't help that my 'g' key is stuck. A metaphor, perhaps?

On another more upbeat note, we just spent the weekend in Bar Harbor. We had a little bit of every kind of weather, rain, sun, warm, cold. And we were there for one and a half days only. The highlight might have been the Azalea Gardens at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor. IF you ever come to Maine check it out. It's stunning any time of year, but especially now when the flowers are blooming.

I've put toether a little travel kit of supplies that I take with me in case I get the urge to do some spontaneous handwork. (see the little birds I made a few posts ago). I'm finding it challenging to create these pieces from nothing, except what I have in my box. Recreating what I see by looking at a scene and without drawing anything, just cutting fabric scraps and sewing it all by hand. And trying to do it within the time I sit there. I mention this because in the new Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studio magazine is an article titled,"You can take it with you", travel kits. As soon as I tidy mine up a bit, I'll snap a picture and post it tomorrow. How's that for selfmotivation to post sooner rather than later?

May 13, 09

Birthday Bug

Longed for Spring is HERE

I've done two creative things in the past couple of days, neither has anything to do with fabric, but both make me happy in that artsy sort of way. First, this:

a collection of beautiful mosses placed on a long dish and used as a centerpiece on my long island. The tall plants are lily of the valley which I hope will bloom. I added some hens and chicks and a pile of little rocks (for Deborah). It looks very pretty in real life, though I don't know how it comes off in this photo.

The other thing I did was this:

My daffodils have gone by and since you're not supposed to cut the leaves but let all the nutrients head back into the bulb, isn't this a great way to hide the unsightly dying vegetation? It looks very artsy in a patch, like soldiers marching across the garden! You simply fold them over and tie them up with one of the leaves. I saw this at Anna Jane's house and was smitten with the simplicity and look of this. It takes a bit of time, but remember when I said I'd found the time that always escaped me when my kids were young? Ah, retirement.It IS all it's cracked up to be. Or, it is what you make it. Enjoy this beautiful spring.

Cinco de Mayo

I've just returned from a weekend with family, celebrating nephew Charlie's First Communion in one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen (St. Mary's Catholic Church in Northampton , Mass). It's one of those big, old cathedral looking churches with columns and naves and a long center aisle leading to an altar which was a deep robins egg blue with gold trim; white columns. Magnificient. I find being in church is a very emotional experience for me. Brings up lots of stuff I guess, lapsed catholic that I have become. Probably need to spend some time thinking about that. But what I AM spending my time thinking about is yardwork. A little bit every day. Yesterday I spent an hour or so dividing my lily bulbs. Hope they survive. I read online they were pretty hardy and could withstand some abuse, so I went at it. I also drove to the coast and the site of our new home and planted the 3 crabapples, the lilac and the 'something' redbud my sister gave me. By the time we start building, we'll have some nice trees waiting for us.

This weekend in Northampton was the Gay Pride Parade. We missed the parade but saw a few of the floats and participants milling around before it began. No one can say that that community is boring. Of course I forgot my camera. We also went to TWIST-a huge art/craft extravanganza. I was impressed with how many of the vendors used recycled materials and had Etsy shops. As a matter of fact recycled-UPCYCLED they called it, was HUGE. Flip tops made into bracelets, purses. Plastic bags made into purses, jewelry. Lots of collage with everything you can imagine.

I treated myself to a new cookbook. My sister had the new Cooks Illustrated tome, a huge heavy book that even taught you how to scrub potatoes, (not that there's anything wrong with that).

But I chose Ina Garten.
To me she's like the Mr. Rogers of the cooking shows. I just feel myself relax when I tune in to watch her. And her recipes are straightforward and easy to prepare. This one is Back to Basics. Just what I need, new basic ideas.

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I'm teaching the last rag rug class at the library. Then I'm going to sort some books for our huge, gigantic (we'll see) book sale, then come home and do the laundry. No coffee by the lake this morning, too windy and cold. Showers for the rest of the week. And not one thought about doing something in my studio...hmmm.

Spring Happenings

Yes, I've been lax in postings. I've been doing yard work after a very long winter. Doing it and enjoying it. A little here and a little there adds up to ALL of it done painlessly. I've also been doing housework, trying to keep things neat, so if there happens to be a showing scheduled I can be ready with a couple hours notice. And last, when I usually tend to post (early morning) I've been taking my coffee lakeside. So, so nice. Peaceful. Lovely.

And speaking of lovely, yesterday was a Frayed Edges Day (without Hannah and Deborah :(). I had planned a project, nothing special, just something to DO. We made blocks similar to the ones on the cover of Lesley Riley's new book, Fabulous Fabric Art with Lutradur.


This is Kate's work in progress and mine is the finished example I made earlier. It was fun to have something to work on during our meeting. And interesting how we went from non stop talking and sharing, to hands on quiet artist mode, all working side by side. And as Kate pointed out, with very little direction.

Before Deborah moved to Texas she would always take a picture of lunch table so this is in her honor...fresh spinach salad with red onion, mandarin oranges and toasted almonds along with sliced tomatoes, avocados and ranch dressing piled on a toasted english muffin (delish!).

We finished with homemade chocolate cake by Sarah, seen here wearing her repurposed vest from her son's castoffs.


I have very clever and talented friends. Kate's top, by the way? She found it at her local Recycling Barn. At the transfer station. The dump. We've all been very envious of her Recycling Barn at one time or another.

Little Birds

Going through a rough patch, but these birds do make me happy. I started out with a piece of napkin, that new heavy stuff that's sort of like soft lutrador but isn't, and slapped some paint on in the shape of a bird as it turns out. Then I just added things with no forethought. I put some scraps together in a cigar box, along with thread and floss and took it on vacation. It was relaxing handwork.

The background is an old organza curtain with the white leaf pattern already on it. Embroidery stitches, textured fabrics, paint and buttons.


I went to an artist lecture this weekend. The artist, Brian White, a very unassuming young man who does sculpture with found objects and fresco. He said a lot of things but the one thing I remember was his answer to the question someone posed about being called an artist. He said,"I used to be very uncomfortable about being called an artist until my art started to 'say something'. Before that, it was just pretty pictures." There have been so many conversations about this very subject and as many viewpoints, but this seemed to ring true and simple for me. Something to ponder.

We're home from a week in warm sun and warmer breezes. Florida is truly beautiful this time of year, though it may be my northern eyes in cold April that make it so. It was a TREAT I tell you, a TREAT to leave jackets, mittens, and hats home and to walk in the early morning in nothing but a tank top and shorts. It will be that way here, SOON.
One day we went kayaking in the gulf off of Boca Grande and found a little island to have lunch.
Just a taste of what's to come in Maine. And speaking of taste, this picture is one reason why my pants are a bit on the tight side these days, (the other would be cocktail hour every night). Fresh scones and LOTS of great food and drink for a whole week. Lovely.

It's been a while since I posted last and I can't tell you what I've been doing, exactly, except to say that since I've stopped working I've found time. You know, that thing you always say, "I can't seem to find the time", to do that, get there, finish this. You get the picture. I love it, all this time and I do count myself as one very lucky girl. So, I finally 'found the time' to reupholster the chair with the fabric I bought 6 months ago. It's not the best job I've ever done, but it'll work since the chair itself is a bit on the broken side (I think it must have fallen off a truck at some point in it's life and broke a leg, not to mention an arm so that amputation was necessary). Not bad for $5 at a yard sale.

We're off to Florida for a week of warm sunshine and fresh fruit. And when we return, we'll be that much closer to spring and sun in Maine.

Spring in Maine!

Finally. The sun has just come up and it's promising to be a beautiful day, one for cleaning up the detritus of winter and not freezing your butt off. Amazing, the power of the sun. It makes these buds come to life as well as the human kind. And my felted vase is just perfect for them. Nice. Happiness.