Mellow Yellow Monday

This is a photo of a mosaic piece I did this month. Leslie and I just love to do workshops. Check out the how to's in my Creative Moments Blog.

What a fab day...

I didn't post on Sunday, it was far too exciting. I did another bookbinding class. Full metal jacket, yes another one. The other day when I did the photo challege with clocks I suddenly realize the book I planned on journalling in was designated for my thoughts about my son S. Vincent. So I needed a new one.
My sisters and I often have a chuckle at the things my mother use to say, we just hated it when she was right. So I was off to make another one, book that is. I had brought a portion of her old sewing patterns home with no idea what to do with them but, I had a skathingly brilliant idea on Sunday morning and then it just happened.
You simply start with a hunk of suede or leather, and some steel plates from Home Depot. Of course Carolyn does all the prep.







Then after some alchohol ink stamping, and japanese screw punching and eyelet attachment, your spine is ready to add signatures.













I decided to use some scrapbooking paper with communication themes, like telegraphs, letters etc. as well as some of the old sewing pattern envelopes(Only McCalls or Simplicity, my mother hated using Vogue or Butterick patterns) for the covers to each of the eight signatures, thus giving me some chapters to my stories.















I even added beads to the spine and fed the thread back through for a dangley book mark.










It had to have a mauve/lilac spine, I most certainly will know it's my mother's words that I have recorded, it's her favorite color. You can see how little it takes to excite me. I do take pleasure in the little things.

On my bucket list ...

At this time of the year my kids are always asking what I want as a gift. Yesterday, my son and I missed our bus by seconds, so we HAD to wait at Chapters. While looking around, I said to him "you can buy me anything in this aisle of books. Now that's really easy, I think. There was a Ikebana book that caught my eye. I had taken a number of classes at the Japanese Cultural Center before I was a mom and in order to complete my certificate I would have had to do a few months in Japan. Well then I had Daniel and I got slightly distracted, pleasantly so, but distracted nonetheless. With all this on my mind, I got to thinking about The Paper Place.Check out the fabulous contest on at present. What could we do with all that paper. I can imagine... Who needs to go to Japan, when we could just enjoy all that lovely paper without leaving the comfort of our studios. Enjoy the web site and don't bother entering the contest I plan on winning.

Look what I got ....

Well the Holly Jolly Christmas Show was great! I couldn't decide what to buy. The photo insert is a creation by Sharon Ginsberg. It's a lovely little box/bag for a journal. Remember how I said I was going to leave little surprises for people packing up my house when I no longer live here, well this one is for someone special I'm sure it will be obvious who should read the journal inside. I wish I could figure out how to upload the opposite side of the box so you could see the fabulous fish swimming by. Sharon did a great many little surprises in this creation, the picture does not do it justice. I'll be posting the other goodies other days this week. You see you go to shop for gifts and then can't part with your purchases. But that's how it is. And it seems I've even won something, how exciting.

Just in case you have not finished Christmas Shopping...

Just in case you have not finished your Christmas Shopping, I thought I would pass on a little inspiration: not only is the One of a Kind still happening, some of our more local artist are having a great little show the Holly Jolly Show. And if that's not possible, remember to shop locally, the artist will appreciate it, and you'll have a great gift to share.

Eurika!

O.k. Now we've done it! You know how Leslie and I have been looking for these small hangers. WELL Eurika. We've found them. Yet another project to do! It will be great when we get to it. We've now decided that we need to get back to our Thursday doing things day. We've sort of got side tracked with life and neglected all these things we love to do. After a lovely trip to the ONE of a Kind show yesterday our inspirational juices are exploding all over the place. Carmi's booth was fabulous. These hangers were found in the most unlikely place. No antique store, just a scrapping wharehouse sale we had not planned on going to. We have a fierce loyalty to Bizzy B's so we thought we should at least check it out. Well thank you Bizzy B's. We'll be back. Can't say that without thinking of Arnold.

A briliant find...

Last week, which was book binding Sunday, Leslie dropped off some needlework magazines for me to scrutinize, vintage magazines. She knows I like to use some of these images in my altered books. I thought when she brought them I'm just taking them directly to the recycling bin, I just don't have enough space to keep anything else. Well, this morning with my coffee, I had to be quiet because the Rooster was fast asleep, so I thought "Oh I'll just flip through to see that everything is not what I want anymore. I've been decorating my home for a great many years never seemingly done. I don't know how to go to a furniture store and just pick out a room setting where everything matches. Consequently, I've made our headboard over the years. Well we've either grown, or just got less cuddly over the years and we've managed to change from a double bed in the first years of our marriage to a king and so my upholstered headboard no longer fit and I have not found a replacement. Well look at my photo. Just kinky enough for me. Of course all those circles are embroidery hoops, can't find those anymore so I'll be welding a few together. I'm sure I'll have to make some modifications but then again that would be me, wouldn't it. Thank You Leslie. By the way only about 3 books found their way into the bag for a knitting friend, no books were recycled, they all found a home in my must do something from this book pile. Have a blessed day, I did.

photo of headboard from a book I own.

The Third Sunday of the Month is bookbinding...

The Third Sunday of the Month has just become bookbinding Sunday. And Yesterday was no exception. Carolyn Disher once again patiently instructed us in our "Little Fat Book". I wish I had a digital camera to show you mine. I had decided to keep a gift journal. Since my memory is sometimes not at it's peek, I've decided to write down what I buy for whom. I hate missing a birthday, so this is the way I will have to remember. The little fat book has twelve signatures. One for every month. I can not only record birthdays, but check off what I bought as a gift or if I only send a card, to the celebrant I can check that off. The little fat book can stand on my nightstand so I can check what's happening tomorrow. It also has a woven spine with fibres and coloured ribbon and beads. It's not only decorative and functional but was a fun project for seven very nice ladies. Sometimes you can do a class with just the right kind of participants, you sometimes get to know people and are introduced to some great careers and the discussion goes into many territories. Yesterdays was Coronation Street. Apparently, according to Juliette (one of the participants) not everyone in that British town lives that way. We talked about pets, and health and much more whilst creating. Looking forward to the next time ladies. By then Santa will have brought me a digital camera and I'll post a photo of my creation.

Adventures with Nancy

The last year or two or three have been sort of a blurr with my artwork. I've decided on my 55th New Year to do something about that, and even though I start out great saying O.K. Wednesday is painting, and Thursday is scrapping, and Friday is something new. I just don't get to it. Other very heavy responsibilities have gotten in the way. Well yesterday I didn't let that happen. Leslie and I drove out to Nancy Donaldson's. Nancy was a very enthusiastic, talented and organized instructor. What a pleasure it was to be in her class. I would love to steal a little of her energy. So what great therapy it was to hammer this "fence wire" into my beaded heart. I shall keep my promise to myself every once in awhile. Check out Nancy's etsy buys.

Well the weekend ended as well as it began. Jane Wynn's class was indeed worth the drive from Baltimore. While I didn't finish my projects, I almost did and I certainly fired everything up. It was a great weekend workshop, but then of course I would not have expected anything less from Carmi. Check out Martha's blog to see what kind of stuff we did. I lost the use of a digital camera when Daniel moved out, so I couldn't take any pictures(must do something about that). Any way check out Martha's blog and you'll see. My bezel have some dried roses from my mother's garden. I'll need a few more pipes to finish the garden.

It's the end of the day...

Don't you love that song by REM, it's the end of the world as we know it... and I hum after that. Well it's only the end of the day it's the end of the week. It's been one heck of a week. Today however was quite good. I've taken a class with Jane Wynn, I learned to do things I would have been afraid to do with fire. Somehow when everyone else is doing it it's o.k. I may just be ready to do some welding on that car in the garage. Wouldn't that shock the sh... out of my men. And I officially don't have to beg my husband to solder rings on my lightbulbs for my Santa's anymore. (One more thing I don't need him for.) Tomorrow is the second half and an opportunity to complete something I had wanted to do for some time. I hope it all works. It's kind of hard to explain, but we are doing bezels. The title for tomorrows class is pipe dreams, plumbers beware. I'll be checking garages for anvils. And purchasing a drill press. Today also gave me an opportunity to spend some time with my friend Leslie. We haven't been together for a few months now and I really missed her. It's going to be a better week ahead. All the trees are saying it's fall and the stores are definitely into Halloween. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the evening in my pajamas, watching nonsense on T.V. I get the remote tonight. Have a good one.

Cutting edge ...

I've been painting again. Well this last spring I convinced our painting ladies to paint a saw. This particular design is and ESA. I've needed to adapt it. Every time I look at it I feel like it should be the orient express (on my list to do). I've had some difficulty doing research on how it actually looks. So I'll be using my imagination. Watch out for your saws, I'm on a roll. Did you know I had great difficulty finding a saw like tho old fashioned ones you see here. It seems people use other kinds, or maybe they just don't cut anything.

A labour of love

A few weeks ago my niece celebrated her 30th birthday. I've been working hard on a piece of art that I hope she will enjoy. She's a tea drinker. I thought and thought and thought some more of something wonderful that I could give her that will let her know that I love her every time she looks at it. I don't really care if she doesn't have it on display in her home, because quite possibly it will not match her decor. I know that perhaps she would have liked it to be a bit more contemporary but then it would not have my style or signature reflected. So here is a work in progress. I hope it looks great when I'm finished and I hope that I'll be able to put some sentiment on the inside that will give her a smile when she reads it. It's not ready to gift yet, but soon.

So why am I posting so prematurely. Well I need some help in choosing teas to put into it, and of course I'd like a "tea" sentiment to print on the inside. Any ideas?

Look at that summer fly by

I always say "It's been a very long day". Why is it not a very long summer. Here we are at the end of July and I still have planting to do. I always think "oh on summer vacation I'll have more time." What a load of Cr..p that is. I actually did get to do some furniture refinishing while I can open windows. And I'm ready to take inventory in my basement. I sure have enough wood to build an ark, and paint it beautifully as well. I'm as usual multitasking. I have a great looking chair started, I just can not have a painted chair at my entry, (I'll post the finished project later) I have a great gift almost finished for one of my wonderful nieces, and I have even decided on another project for my other other niece. And then I'll be ready for Christmas. Well maybe not, Halloween for sure though. I'm doing a self portrait on the side . Post that one later too. And it's almost time for back to school. O.K. I'm off, must hug my boys a little more, I hardly see them anymore. Hate that part of them growing up and me getting old.

I'm getting old, I think...

I think I might be getting old. Some of you may or may not know I've been and artisty type for most of my life. I find my sisters and brother all have different tastes than me. I like old and weird. In the last few years I've discovered paper arts. Beyond the friendship and atmosphere of doing paper arts I truly love to see the development of what I thought was new art. I must be old and out of it, but apparently these things have been going on for years. I am always in awe of the creativity of these young women, and it's mostly women who partake in these extravagant adventures. (Other than Philip) Since I've began blogging I keep getting lost in the blog world of artists. Bird in the hand, Carmi, Susan Williamson and more. I know these names are not household, other than in the world of paper artists. I am so amazed that a good many of these ladies are career artist, with family and husbands and homes and most of them work from a studio at home. I wish I had that kind of control over my time. I always seem to get distracted. For example, I have been trying to sort photos for our Christmas in July crop, only to discover that most of my Christmas photos are at my sisters home. Well that means a road trip. So I thought o.k. I'll get reorganized with my school days books. I didn't apply the 3 second rule*. I relived elementary school. And the day is gone, time to make supper, and what about that ironing I was suppose to do. So indeed I must salute the ladies who make a living as artists and have homes, and husbands and kids and some of you teach, a huge BRAVO!

So to conclude why I think I might be getting old, I'm finding some of the arts a little too weird for me. Is this the new wave? Will I be able to catch it? Should old people be doing the wave?

*the 3 second rule, is you limit yourself to looking at a single photo for 3 seconds and then get on with sorting.

I was so impressed with one of my friends at painting taking pictures of everything she had painted and then being able to part with it. I have decided to do that also,(and clean house) even though I don't have much of my work left. Getting ready to catch the wave. The photo is of two of my projects, the star book, I did a million years ago with Marisa, and an altered book dedicated to women the through ages.
( a work in progress). My studio and home are in such a state that I had a hard time finding an appropriate location to take this photo, so it's on a chair that I will be upholstering in Sept. yet another adventure. the leather is reserved for full metal jacket books.

Cancel my class will you.

Today I was to take a class with Carolyn Disher. Carolyn is the lady that instructs us in bookbinding. I'm so hooked. I've now done several different designs and incorporated these into my collection of recipes. Unfortunately the class was canceled. I guess July is not a month people want to make a small woven book. I thought o.k. that's another recipe book on the shelf. So I guess I will have to iron. For our 25th Wedding Anniversary, my sisters bought me a wonderful iron. I've been ironing uniform shirts for 25 years before, of course my husband retired. No shirts to iron you think. No such luck. Now I iron more than uniforms, with three men in the house, and everyone wanting to wear 100% cotton, I have more ironing than I would like. So instead of having a creative moment I'll do my duty and iron. Or maybe I'll do an inservice and teach them to iron their own shirts. But then they would need to learn to use a hanger, wouldn't that be an achievement.

Perhaps I'll get distracted.

I think I must have walked around the world at least once...

I think I must have walked around the world at least once, or so I thought. I signed out a pedometer from our local library on Canada Day and decided to record my steps just to see if it is possible. Well I'm so tired at the end of what I thought was a long walk, and it's only a couple of thousand steps. I read that you should do a min. of 10,ooo steps to make any difference in your health. Well I've been doing it for years and I don't seem to lose any weight, all I get for my trouble is tired. I'm seriously thinking of stopping and being a non- walker. I just don't have the commitment necessary to join a gym or go on a diet, and I refuse to pay for getting tired. So what to do with this hangover.*

I like to refinish and paint chairs, they are usually old wooden chairs with unusual designs. I have noticed that the seat portion of the chairs was generally much smaller than the chairs we have today. So we are all getting bigger, not just me.

Getting back to painted chairs, I think I like to do this because I always feel tired and the prospects of sitting and resting is so appealing. So if you have chairs of a variety of ages check them out re: size. Maybe I'll just buy bigger chairs and not worry about losing my hangover.

The chair in the photo is my winter version, it usually sits at the front door enabling us to put our boots on with ease. Huh! but you have to bend over, but that's another blog. What prompted me to talk about chairs. I have my eye on a chair in my husband's aunt's basement. I can see a lovely watermelon design on it. Do I dare ask?

*a hangover is the part of your butt that does not fit onto the chair, thus you hangover.

Weekly Challenges

Over the past several months I have become aware of many of the sites I visit having weekly artistic challenges. I have not had the guts to take one of these challenges on. I wish I was that creative. My biggest challenge is actually acting on some of the ideas I have. I try really hard to be creative in my gifts to my family and friends. For example my niece just graduated I'd love to create something so special that she'll want to keep it forever. My other niece is turning 30, again I'd love to create something unique to match her personality. My enemy is time. It use to be money and then I sent my husband out to get another job. But here I sit thinking of what to do, my body is exhausted, my mind is flat and my house full of ideas I didn't get to. So how will I say congratulations grad , or happy birthday. I keep thinking and thinking and just when I get a scathingly brilliant idea I am reluctant to act on it, just in case the recipient does not like it. I know, I know I should be creating instead of blogging, but that's all I have the energy to do. Thank God for laptops. How do you feel when you receive a hand crafted gift. I like to think I'm a little more professional and achieved as an artist to say it's a piece of art, not crafts. I'm not talking macaroni art. I always say "if you don't like it you don't have to keep it" but I somehow think they do and just hide it someplace in a drawer and eventually it goes to that special place all unwanted gifts go. Help! Express yourself, do you like getting these kinds of gifts.

I've had to edit this post, on Tues. as I think I will not get any comments from my family. They are terrified they'll get stuff as gifts and not store bought items.

Get Sorted

I've been reading all these tips on organizing your home, and office and craft room. Well I've been trying to do all that this last month. It's not happening. I've run out of house and garbage bags, and recycling containers and I'm still full. I loved Leslie's baggie suggestion, and Linda's magnetic board suggestion, and have incorporated both those. Then of course I have tupperware( which has expired for food use) and rubbermaid and all those Creative Memories sorting containers and now what. Everything is labeled and in appropriate locations and they have outgrown my facilities. I've gotten more ideas for projects than I know I will live long enough to complete. I've now decided that I must schedule completion of all these things. I've been very good at keeping notes for my book. I've kept notes for my garden. I've organized the data entry for my cookbook. I think I shall have to make a schedule like we had in high school. Then I could just rotate. Part of the creative process I think is handling all these supplies. If my sisters remember, whenever my mother had a break in sewing she would fold and re fold her fabric. The creative juices would flow. Well I'd love to see Carmi's or Sue Williamson's studio just to see if they work the way I do. Or do they have a more organized chaos. Both these ladies create wonderful works. And Leslie, well she is very creative, and organized, but as soon as we put things away, projects don't get completed. HELP!

Washi Summit

What is a Washi Summit you ask, well if you have read Leslie's blog you would know. Anyway, you know Leslie and I cannot stand it if we do not know how to do something. Sooooo we took a class with a lovely lady Barbara from Sweden who came to do some teaching and exhibiting of her work in Washi. While we were in this class there were three of us, (who spoke out loud) with aging/ailing parents. I know a dear friend of mine suggested strongly I read the book "The 36 hour Day". I bought it, and I believe I donated it to the book fair last year. I could not bring myself to read a book that I and my siblings are living through. I know probably all of you have gotten one of those emails telling of the elderly parent eating in the corner in a rugged bowl away from the family dining room table, and then the son/daughter of that parent wonders what his small child is doing, when he responds "I'm carving a bowl so you can eat with your hands in the corner when you are old daddy." It breaks our hearts when we read it, it breaks our hearts when we live it, but what to do. It sounds as though this family is still caring for their aged parent with in the circle of their own home. Some cultures have rules that they go by as to who gets the elderly parent. A more common way is to look to outside agencies to help us with this very demanding task. I can tell you that I see myself in my mothers situation all too soon. And the thing is we talk about it with our friends and co-Washi workshop participants and the story is the same all around. I don't think my siblings and I are selfish, I think we do the best we can. But what is too much. If anyone comes up with the answer please, please tell me. I do think that if it were not for Washi Summits and Memoranza's and Creative Needlework Conventions, one could go mad, thinking always that you were the only one going through these all too difficult decisions. But what decision to make? The agencies presently designated to assist families like mine with the aged parent are grossly underfunded and understaffed with individuals who lack the training or ability to deal with all that is placed before them. So are institutions the only solution? They too are not so readily accommodating. I personally hope I don't live long enough to have to put my children through these rings. It is quite a circus. I'll bet our elderly never knew the meaning of "The Golden Year". Some Golden Years. Let's hurry and find the fountain of youth, or at least another Washi Summit.