Best Laid Plans

Well, I was full of optimism today just like yesterday.  Now that the day is over, I have to admit I was a little disappointed.  The plan was to walk, do a few errands, complete two hours of packing up the dining room, and then have time to sew.

We walked, did our errands, and came home for lunch.  What?  Lunch time already?  Oh yes.  Darn, darn, and mumble, mumble.  We ate quickly, D went out to clean up the front yard, and I hurried into the dining room to empty the Chinoiserie*.  Here is a photo of the cabinet closed:

Actually, I added that photo simply so you'd understand why we use the name we do for it.  Due to the lighting, it looks brownish (almost a burnt sienna), but it's closer to a dark red.  Anyway, I worked until I had this:

Completely empty, hooray!

Oh, you noticed the red and white linens on the ladder (there are two ladders full of linens)?  I thought I'd get those packed up, too, but I was tired out and over my time limit.

Guess who didn't get any sewing done today!

*from Dictionary.com

noun, plural chinoiseries 

 [sheen-wah-zuh-reez, -wah-zuh-reez; French shee-nwazuh-ree] (Show IPA), for 2. (sometimes initial capital letter)

1.

a style of ornamentation current chiefly in the18th century in Europe, 

characterized by intricate patterns and an extensive use of motifs identified as Chinese.

2.

an object decorated in this style or an example ofthis style:

Spring's Optimistic Affect

A rainy day turned sunny! The forsythia is definitely covered with yellow buds just waiting to burst into bloom.  It's one of those spring days that make me really glad to live where I do.  It's so much easier to appreciate spring when you have to go through the tunnel of winter to get there!  Oh well, it's D's birthday so everything looks lovely.

No photographs today because I had an appointment that took all morning, grocery shopping to pick up the leg of lamb and asparagus for D's dinner, and the rest of the afternoon packing the second china cabinet in the dining.  This cabinet holds the china and crystal we really use, but I still found a few "smalls" that can probably be put with the antique china I'm getting rid of.

So there's another point.  Here I am blithely and confidently saying that I am going to "get rid" of china and other highly collectible items.  Now, I have to confess that I know full well that most people now turn up their noses at the very notion of anything antique.  Just who am I thinking will want to purchase my "treasures"?  I am deluding myself, but I will try to find a dealer who understands that fashion is fickle and is young enough to be willing to wait until tastes change again.

Of course, that may take far longer than I have, but with the forsythia so cheerful, how can I not be?

Painting and Clearing Out

Painting was up and down for me today.  Sharon had to re-size my drawings for me as somehow (okay, it was a math thing) the ones I did were much too small.  After she did that I traced the drawings but decided not to transfer them onto the painting.  Instead, I thought my time would be better used if I indicated the tree canopy.  Doing that would insure I would have room for both the fountain's space and its sprays of water.  Again the branches were done with a very light wash.  I hope to be able to have painting time later this week, but I'm not sure that will happen.  

It's another. "I'll have to wait and see."

When I got home, I remembered that I had promised myself I would spend two hours working in the dining room to prepare it for painting.  Two hours is not enough, and I know that.  My theory is that two hours a day will make the process easier to tolerate.  I hope.  Here's what I did today.

One of the two cabinets, the linen press, is now empty.  The contents are in two bins in the garden room.  Since I had cleaned both the living and dining rooms from ceiling to floor after the kitchen renovation, everything was neat in the linen press.  The surprise was my reaction to many of the items.  I don't want most of them anymore!  There are beautiful pieces of antique china, some glass, and other odds and ends for setting an elegant table.  We haven't used them in at least twenty years, and our daughter has no interest in them.   It's the type of downsizing I can do. The other cabinet houses the china and crystal we do use, and that I will keep. 

Naturally packing all that up took more than two hours so I had no time to sew before dinner.  That's not good for my sewing plans!

Weekends Are Not for Laundry!

Today was to be "Fountain Day" as well as laundry day, but as so often happens, the fountain decided that it would rather wait.  But all was not lost - the laundry did get done!

And that led me to another curious curlicue of thought.  Laundry day. Why had I chosen Monday as the day for that chore?  When I was working, housework chores were always done on the weekends; weekdays were for helping with homework, or if it was math homework, just making sure it was done.  Then I had my own "homework" to do: correcting papers, writing lesson plans, reading, researching, etc.  Weekends were for grocery shopping, minimal housework, doing whatever our daughter needed done, family fun, and yes, laundry.

That line of thought led me to an understanding of why I was determined not to do chores on the weekends.  One of the gifts hidden in retirement is that you can do whatever you need to do whenever you want!  That's why I don't shop, do housework, or do the laundry on the weekend.

Did I say housework?  Sorry, my fault.

I don't do housework on any day.

Re-figured Figures

The sketch of D has been re-drawn, and I think it is much better than the first one.  Today I re-sized the drawings from the relatively large size of the drawings to fit in the painting.  Since each person was drawn with no regard to the other two the resizing was different for each person.  It took time, but I was able to get it correct.  What you see below are the drawings before they were re-sized:

I cut out the original sketch of D as I didn't want to use up toner on that disaster!  The figure of B should be slimmed down a bit, but I think I can do that when I transfer the drawing.  G's arms need to be check to be sure they are as they should be.  It's probably harder to see them because of the markings I made for joints before I drew the body (working from the inside out - which is also why you see the curve of her spine).  D is far better (that is a shadow on the right I forgot to erase not a slice in his side!).

Next is the fountain itself.  While part of me liked the idea of it being larger (therefore not in proportion) than it is in reality, I now think that won't do.  My paintings tend to be on the realistic side and a super large fountain would merely look out of place.  Working on that will be a challenge as the smaller it is the more difficult to get necessary detail recognizable.

Drawing for the Savannah Painting

It was a busy day made busier when I went to a meeting that I didn't need to go to - this week, anyway.  "It's next Friday," said my friend KR when I called her from the parking lot.  Sigh.  Maybe I should have written about "one of those weeks" instead of "one of those days"!

However, it was indeed a good day because I did get a little drawing done.  Remember those figures in the Savannah painting?  Today I found enough time to quickly re-draw all three (ignore the differences in size among the three) :

D, who is the figure in the upper right, was first one I drew today, and that's clearly evident.  His legs show movement, but the upper body is static.  He's also not quite right proportionally.  

Next is our friend, B, the figure to the left of D.  This one I think is almost there; to me it looks as though he is walking with his whole body. There needs to be a bit more definition in the left leg as to the wrinkles or shadows in the pants which will help balance the figure.

Finally is the female, G, also a traveling companion, in the lower left.  The body is much better than my first attempt, and as with B, she appears to be active: strolling, enjoying the day, and looking around.  I was working on getting the perspective correct in her left arm when I was called away by a visitor.  It needs further study and re-drawing.  And her right foot is way too large!

Not bad for a second try.  One more day to work, and I may have it.

One of Those Days

Do you ever have one?  One of those days, I mean.  Today was one of them for me.  

It started out okay even though we had to get up earlier than we usually do and found that it was as gray and dismal as expected.  But we rallied and tore out of the house so D could rent a car (it's the weekend of the big bonsai show so he needs his own wheels), and after dropping him off, I could go get blood drawn.  Now that's not a horrible event to me but having to do anything without coffee or at least having coffee near-to-hand seems completely unnecessary.  Minor issue but still an issue.

After stopping at Starbucks (yes, I'm one of those coffee people), I returned home in order to help D get everything ready and in the rental car.  When he had departed, I found the address for the local SAS (San Antonio Shoes) store and scurried off to buy two pairs of shoes - one dressy, one everyday but both black (why make it too complicated? colors can come later) for our next trip.  The store is in Latham which I rarely visit, but nonetheless I was able to find it.  As an aside, here's why I went there.  SAS is a company that not only makes all its shoes here in the U.S.; it also purchases ALL its shoe leather from - wait for it - GLOVERSVILLE!!! I kid you not!  It doesn't guarantee you'll find what you want, but it certainly makes me try hard to find what I want.  Fortunately, comfort is more important to me than style (not their strong point), and I bought a pair of everyday shoes that are pure bliss. There's no other word.  They are the most comfortable things that I've ever had on my feet.  The only downside was that they didn't have a dress shoe for me.  Bummer.

Went to Fresh Market (a new experience), bought too much, and came home in time for the rain.  Just when I had to go next door to take care of the mail and cat for a neighbor who is away.  Naturally.  Then home for lunch when daughter called.  

She's having an Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, so I had to spend quite a bit of time listening and helping (as much as I could which wasn't much).  We were interrupted I swear 17 times which meant that 16 times either she or I had to call back.  You can imagine how much I got done by the time all was "said and done".  Right.

Still pouring.  Didn't feel like sewing so I thought I'd go up and do some drawing of the figures for the Savannah painting.  It was 4:45.  P.M.  Could I have done it no matter what time it was?  Of course.  But my "oomph" had flattened out entirely.

So I sat down and read Dissolution by C.J. Sansom.  It's the first of the Shardlake series which if this one is any indicator is a good series of mysteries set in Tudor England.  

Basically, it was one of those days.

Butterfly Wall Hanging

Here's a photo of a new wall-hanging-to-be which I forgot about when writing my last entry (actually, I am sure there are dozens of to-be's that weren't mentioned!).  The blocks that you see aren't all sewn together, and they were laid out on the kitchen table to determine the eventual order of the blocks.  D and I think this is it.

The two butterflies that have bodies have been sewn, but none of the others are.  

There is one other flying creature pictured in this photo; see if you can find what it is!

THe Old Carrot Trick

There is a quilt underway (one I started several months ago) that I have managed to ignore for a while as well as one that I have worked on but not enough to finish it. Of course, each one has an "issue" that needs to be resolved which is why they are merely sitting quietly on my cutting board.  The first one I mentioned is a pain to cut out, and I suspect that one or two of the first blocks may have to be unstitched and re-sewn.  The second one is non-traditional and has been fun until it wasn't.  It turns out that the dark background can be seen through some lighter pieces in the foreground.  Naturally the foreground pieces are very fussy and time consuming to cut.

So I have decided that while trying to talk myself into taking care of business by completing the above two, I will cut out at least two more quilts that I am really eager to begin.  My thinking is that by doing this, I am coddling myself but also preparing enticements that I can't do until the less pleasant "chores" are done.

It the carrot before the horse trick.

Hope it works!  I'll let you know.

Back to Blogging!

My last blog was written on the day there was a death in my family at which time I wrote that my entries would be erratic but that I would write again.

Today is the day.  So I will start with the painting I'm now working on.  In 2015, we traveled to Savannah, a beautiful city.  I took loads of photos (unfortunately all on my phone), but for whatever reason, I never felt the time was right to paint.  A little over two weeks ago, I decided to face my fear and start with the subject I really wanted to do but was intimidated by.  

Forsyth Park is among the most beautiful park I've ever seen.  That's part of it.  But the real kicker is that it is the subject of many, many, many paintings.  Okay.  So what, right?  Mine will be just one more, but it will be pictured as I saw it.

Here it is after the second day of work.  

On the first day without sketching anything, I applied the first wash of color, and I was happy about it.  The focal point (the fountain) would not be in the center!  So on the second day, I figured that I'd sketch the focal point and the walkers.  If you are familiar with the park or have ever seen photos of this park, you know that the fountain is too large.  And "that's the way I like it, uh huh, uh huh"!

Now, the figures?  No.  At first I thought I was doing all right with them; all right, that is, until Sharon came along.  When she discussed the problem - they were too blocky, too static - I didn't get it . . . until she had me draw them her way on scrap paper, and then I saw what she meant.  

Her way of teaching me was to show me what she meant in a book entitled How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.  It's a seriously good book that goes a step beyond the usual human anatomy text.  I purchased one right away, I can tell you!

  

Once I have the people sketched to my satisfaction, I will work on lifting (I mean erasing using a gum eraser) the figures on the watercolor paper and trace the newer, better ones.

I hope!

Finished Quilt

Times have been difficult of late.  My postings will continue to be erratic for the time being,but when I can, I will.

Today I was able to finish the modern baby quilt by attaching the binding.  Definitely not my favorite part of quilting, but it's done.

While you've seen this before, today you can sort of see the binding if you enlarge the photo by tapping the image.  I made the binding using strips of the various blues using withing the quilt.  I think if provides a better border than the white would which I think would be the only possible alternative.  A solid blue also would not have been as effective as this variegated version.  It mimics the random placement of color within the quilt providing a border that complements without taking attention away from the main design.

A Special Coleection

My studio is the place where you will find me nearly every day.  Usually I am engaged in either sewing/quilting activities or in painting/drawing.  Today I spent time cutting fabric for a quilt I started in late fall and for which I have made only eight blocks.  To me that cutting was a huge step towards getting more blocks made in this complex, labor intensive pattern.  I also cut out fabric I had purchased specifically for pillowcase because that's a really good sewing project for spare moments if  the fabrics are ready.  I still need to do the second cuts on the fabrics for the complex pattern and pin the pillowcase fabrics, but what I did is move ahead with things that had simply been piled up.

Then I turned my attention to ironing some cloth napkins used at Christmas time.  Once those were done, I thought of other - what my mother would call "flat work" that also awaited ironing.  So out came my piles of unironed hankies.  This is an easy task that I - if I have the time - truly enjoy.  It's a soothing, mindless task, and my collection of vintage hankies is large.  I have hankies for specific holidays and specific seasons.  I have genre hankies: art, hobbies, travel, dietary and etiquette reminders, souvenirs, etc. There are some that have special handwork: crocheted, tatted, and hemstitched edges, embroidered and appliqued surfaces.  And you know I have left some out.

Many of my hankies I bought myself, a few came from my mother, and many more have been gifts - especially from my SiLs N and A.

Here's a photo of a few of my hankies. You will see different piles because I was sorting them into groups by color, season, holiday, etc.  The little white pieces of paper tells me the category and the number in that category - so far.

The photo shows only a very small number of the hankies; some were so wrinkled by being pushed around in the drawer as I searched for a particular one that I decided to put them in the laundry and start fresh with them.

There are days when taking time for this sort of activity, the kind of task that brings with it memories both happy and sad, is well worth both the time and the energy.

Snow

Was I surprised when I looked outside at one point today and saw that snow was coming heavily. "Wait a minute," I thought,"this is supposed to over!"  But I realized that it was truly beautiful so I grabbed my phone (think about that!) and headed outside on the run.  In my slippers.

Rather amazing snow in our backyard, don't you think?

This one is a close up of the above scene complete with our red bird house from Rochester (a real favorite as our grandson had seen it on his bus home from school, told our daughter, and made sure we were taken to see the birdhouses.  Of course, we had to buy one, and this one shows up so nicely during winter.

It was so pretty it was (almost) worth my cold feet (remember my slippers?)!

Sunrise not Sunset

While in class today, I realized that my painting depicts a sunrise not a sunset.  That decision was reached after another student came over to see what I was doing (she has been away for a few weeks), and excitedly said, "Oh, I have similar photos that I want to paint, but mine are sunsets."  She showed me a few and the lightbulb in my memory room went on.  There is a difference between the two in the colors in the sky, and her photos reminded me of those similar sunset pictures I had taken.

Today was only the second day on this particular version of the "study", but I think I am not only close to finishing it but also close to calling it a finished work rather than study.  Having said that I may have thoroughly jinxed myself, but only time will tell.

The colors were accented in the sky and water during class after Sharon reminded me that I should put in my darks now so I could work on balance before I went too far one way or another.  Also, the clump of mangrove in the water, the bit of land that juts out from the right, and the glimmerings of more foliage on the left were added today.  

It's closer to finished.

In the Deep Mid-Winter

We are truly experiencing winter as it was when some of us were small.  At least there is snow on the ground, and it's been there for a couple of days.  Today we did not have the snow that had been forecast; instead we had a day of glorious sunshine.

By the time I had finished playing with some laundry, the sun had already rid the trees of a bit of their snow mantles. Even so, the back yard looked lovely, and if you look closely enough, you'll be able to see a splash of red in the shrub between the birdhouse in the middle and the arbor on the left.  That red is one of at least three cardinal couples who live in our yard.

The next one shows off both the amount of snow and our collection of watering cans - all lying on their sides.  We really shouldn't keep them outside all the time; we've already lost a couple to rust and old age.  But I don't really have a place for them inside, and I like to see them in all weather conditions.

And in case that's simply too much sun and shadow and snow, here's a sign of spring (even though it is indoors right now):

This is our third grafted miniature pussy-willow tree, and it is by far the healthiest one we've had.  Look at the number of catkins!  They are covered with the yellow pollen right now, and it's the best time to prune the "tree" before the leaves are out.  D plans to do that soon and start to shape this tree.  He'll have some fun, and we'll both try to keep this one going - water, water, water - that's the key.  Another good reason for having it on our kitchen table!

Monk's Face

Why I had such difficulty last time seeing the Tibetan Monk's face as I was painting became a wee bit more understandable today when I decided to measure the face in question.  Of course, I decided to measure it after I had done some work on it so I couldn't put the ruler directly on his head.  Even so, the closest I could figure is the face is 7/16th of an inch.  

Anyway, it finally occurred to me to use a magnifying glass in order to improve the previous work.  I think it's better, but you can judge for yourself.  Below is last week's work:

And here he is again after his face lift:

Blown up this much makes it possible to see that it may not be an improvement.  Now he has mumps on one side of his face and a skin graft on the other!

Here is the everything-in-perspective view:

 At least I was sort-of able to see!

What a Day!

First of all - the snow!  By the end of the day, we had 16.3 inches, and I feel personally acquainted with each and every inch.  I went out twice to shovel the plough's pile of snow in front of the mailbox and the various walkways; thank Heavens it was light, fluffy snow!  Because it was easy snow, I was able to enjoy the beauty while working.  And hallelujah for the benefit the snow gives our gardens and trees.

Then I was able to spend some time in my studio working on the oil painting of the Tibetan monk.  Excitement was in the air because I had purchased not only new but also a new kind of oil brushes and today was the first day I used them.  So far, I like them much better than my old bristle brushes, but that really isn't saying much as I really dislike those.  These are synthetic (which makes clean up ever so much easier) but still quite stiff.  I did think they'd be a bit softer and was a trifle disappointed. However, this was the first day I used them so I'll withhold judgment for a while.

Today I worked a bit on finishing touches on the chickens, a lot on the monk, as well as the roof.  My phone was not feeling well (had to turn it off and then on again to make it feel better) so the photos are "off" a bit:

Here's a closer look at the lower half.  I really like the way the corn/grain is dropping down from his hand, and I've scattered a bit on the sidewalk near the chickens to make it look as though he started feeding them in one place and then just kept walking.

I had a hard time with his face.  It was partly the brush and partly not being able to see what I was doing; it's a very small area for very fine detail.  It isn't finished but -

So he has no eyes yet, poor man, the application of paint is blotchy in a bad way as it makes no sense in relation to the contours of the face.  

And oh, those eyebrows!!!

Play Day

Today I had a "play date"with ME.  We had arranged to go to the movies if she didn't have to work, and fortunately, she didn't.  We met at Barnes and Noble so we could have a coffee (ME) and a latte (moi) and spend some time looking at books and magazines.  I figured that since I am now more than halfway through the alphabet (letter "M" was Henry and Clara a historical novel about the two non-Lincolns in the box at Ford's theater the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, we had no "N's" left after the book purge, and the next book is the Quincunx, a "Dickensian novel" by Charles Palliser), I could allow myself a couple of quick-reads in paperback which I will then pass on to my friends.  We thumbed our way - very gently - through several magazines, bought only a few to share, and left in time to get to the theater but not until our coffees were finished!

We went to see LaLa Land.   The opening chorus and dance was thoroughly delightful, but after that for a while I found both story and song and dance numbers only moderately entertaining.  The dance  sequences were nothing flashy but were adequate and were still able to make me wish I could dance.  On the other hand, the singing was not strong.

However, I found Emma Stone really good in her role of aspiring actress.  Each time she tried to get a part, her auditions were, to me, fabulous, but she didn't get the nod until . . .  I won't give anything away.  

It became more engaging as time went on, and I left the theater feeling I had been entertained but not blown away.  And that's okay!  

But honestly, the sound level was the loudest I think I have ever had to sit through; it was downright painful!  

If you go, take earplugs!

Florida Keys Studies - Comparison of . . .

Today I had to come to terms with an odd kick in my gallop.  Again.  Although the title of this entry may make you think I'm going to compare the studies I've done so far,  I'm not.  Keep reading and you'll see what the issue is.

First a reminder of the second (first was the pencil sketch with notes at the bottom of the paper) study done while blind (forgot my glasses).  I commented on the fact that I was using the back of the paper which really makes a difference and not a good one.

Since it was a busy week followed by being away over the weekend, there were no painting days until today.  So here is study #3 which was started in class today.  This one is hard to see so I will describe what is going on.  I will say that it is one the correct side of the paper and the paint flowed much better than on the back, but . . .   Do you see all the dark places that look like shadows or smudges? Those are places that are warped from water.  First, what medium am I using? watercolor.  What paper was a painting on? watercolor paper.  So why is it buckling?  It isn't very good paper.  

Sharon finally said that I absolutely have to do my studies on good paper.  The point is that in addition to practice, a study is supposed to inform the final paper.  It's awfully hard if one is constantly distracted by lumps and bumps and by paper that even on the good side doesn't allow the paint to glide through the water.  Of course, if I had taped the paper to the surface the water wouldn't have caused such bad buckles.  Still humps and bumps but not as bad.

So I took out my bound pad (all edges are glued down) and started over.

By the time I started on this one, I didn't have a great deal of time.  But given that and the practice, I was able to get the first washes down quickly.  No grainy-ness, no buckling, and the painting flowed like a dream.  Now I'm really looking forward to going on with this one.

If one, i.e., read Noël, is going to get the best results, that one needs to use the best materials that she can afford.  I have to stop trying to penny-pinch with things that will affect my work.  I bought really good artist quality paints and sable brushes for the studies so it doesn't make any sense to save the best paper until the end.

After all, I need all the help I can get!

Baby Quilt Finished

It's been a busy seven or more days, but it's been busy in a successful way.  For example, the little baby quilt I've been working on was finished.  Last year American Quilter's Society's society had a kit for a pillow featuring Star Wars fabrics complete with a decent photo of the finished pillow.  I liked the pattern and figured it would be easy enough to figure the pattern out.  It is, as you can see, mostly half-square triangle blocks and solid blocks of white.  

The bedroom for the baby this quilt is going to is painted blue hence the color scheme (very pale blue to very dark navy blue) I chose.  The difficult part was making sure my color choices would make the zigzag pattern.  

After putting this where I could easily photograph it, I left it there for a while which meant I walked by it several times.  That one triangle of blue half way up the right hand side stuck out like a sore thumb.  I tried to ignore it, but that never really works.  I tried to rationalize the fact that the quilt is for a baby not an art critic.  That worked even less.  Then I told myself the quilt was finished so why mess with it (I could destroy it, I thought).  Really???  Pathetic!  Finally I snatched up the quilt and cut out the offending block.

Much better, and now it's really ready for the quilter!

A Special Thank-You

Many different, positive activities today, but I'm going to tell you about a very young, very gifted young relative of mine.  For the past several year, David and I have sent brother DJ's grandchildren (my great-nieces and great-nephew) pop-up books for Christmas.  I tend to select the work of Robert Sabuda, a great paper engineer but have at times chosen the works of other artists due to the accompanying stories.  Anyway, I admit I love really fine pop-up books because they frequently combine excellent stories and amazing "illustrations".

So, we spent time with these same young relatives this past September during our family reunion in Florida.  Our great-nephew (henceforth known as "GN" because I'm too lazy ((make that too poor a typist)) to keep on calling him by that awkward word combo) celebrated his birthday while we were there and had asked for art supplies.  BINGO!  I could hardly have had more fun than I did with that request; GN received the kind of art supply kit I would have loved having as a child.

Then for Christmas I sent GN a pop-up book on Hokusai's Wave* - a double whammy - art and paper engineering.

                            

And I have to admit as the years have gone on, I have wondered if any of the Greats would wind up trying to engineer their own pop-up art.

Today that question was answered.

Here is the thank you letter we received from GN:

Don't you just love the way children take in information and then turn it around and filter it through their own minds and talents.  Our young, seven-year-old GN is a in a gifted program in school so I find the way he uses information fascinating.

*The photograph of the book was found on:
http://www.daedalusbooks.com/Products/Detail.asp?Media=Book&ProductID=128787&SubCategoryID=2108

Sewing Woe

A day of errand running followed by a less than productive time sewing.  The baby blanket on which I am working was finally ready to sew together.  Or so I thought. The quilt blocks are simple half-square triangle which form a zig-zag line when assembled.  But in order to make the zig-zag as sharp as sharp as they should be, the color values have to be really right.  Several blocks weren't as accurate I wanted so they had to be re-done.  

After I did that and laid the whole quilt out again, I was excited to be at the sewing point.  The end, I thought, is near (read that out loud with lots verve and enthusiasm!).  So I sewed the first row together.  Hmm, the points of two triangles didn't match as well as I like, but they weren't too bad.  On to the second row.  Sew one block, second block, third, fourth . . . . what?, keep going and sew the fifth . . . . uh-oh.  Light bulb goes on.  "Drat," I muttered to myself.  "I forgot to square up the blocks!!!"  

My brain didn't want to hear that.  "Go on," it whispered in my ear, "you know you can fudge it when you have to sew it all together.  No one will notice."  Smirk.

I listened to my satanic-side and sewed the rest of the blocks in that row. Then I took both of them to the ironing board, ironed the seams in both rows, then went to the cutting board where I laid them out with edges touching.

No way.  I have to correct it.

So guess what I'll be doing tomorrow!

Another Painting Day

An enjoyable day at painting even though several of our convivial group were missing leaving us with the original duo. 

Before I post any photos of today's work, I have to enter a caveat:  I didn't have my glasses, and the spare pair I had in my painting bag were somewhere else but not with me!!!  Well, I said to myself, I may finally be able to paint in a truly impressionistic style.  Certainly I won't be able to spend too much time on itty-bitty details.

Anyway, this first photo is a pencil study I did at home complete with some possible paint colors written in.  It's a good thing I did that sketch before class because while I couldn't really see it, I did remember it.  Could I see the color notes?  well, some of them, but the list of possible paint combinations? no, not at all.  Anyway, on to the work:

From that - admittedly hard to see - beginning, here's what I did today with paints.  I have to say that now - with my glasses on - it looks very different.  Now I see quite clearly the effect of painting on the wrong side of watercolor paper. (when doing the first studies I the backs of other studies).  The paint doesn't flow properly, and it looks grainy (look at the sky).  Then there's the problem of the lack keen vision evident in the misplaced reflection of the sun. 

And just in case you were wondering how I could do this without my specs, I was lucky.  The first and second study were done on one sheet of paper so I didn't have to look back and forth from page to page.  Also, if I had difficulty figuring out something, all I had to do was glance down to the sketch to remember what I had done.

Ah well, my glasses were safe at home and whether that will give me an advantage or not remains to be seen.  

A Long Story Ending in a Promise

When I had to take everything off the bookshelves in our family room, at first I thought, "Drat!  Where am I going to put all those books and collectibles?"  Then, the light went on, and I realized, "Wow, now I can put the books in order and sort through the treasures."

So, I did the latter and wound up thrilled with the neat and organized shelves.  While I did that work, I culled through the books and donated ones that had been read at least once and no longer felt any need for another reading.  Then I pulled books I no longer had any desire to read.  The results of those two cullings were donated and the rest put back on the shelves.  As I did all of this I made the decision to read from our own library as well as reading books borrowed from the library or current books recently purchased.  The idea is to read one book from each letter of the alphabet - A to Z - and then start over.

I've probably written about this in an earlier entry, but enter it again as background for my current reading dilemma.  That is too strong a word, but honestly, it is an issue.  I was brought in a family of readers, was read to every day, and learned how to read with no problems (yes, I was one of the lucky ones).  A day doesn't go by without reading.  In addition to that, I have always had a good memory (are you already getting the gist of this entry?) for book titles, authors, and plots.

I've had to admit that the plots of books are no longer crystal clear and that authors names no longer spring to my lips as they used to.  But when I got to the "K's" in the alphabet, I chose to read Barbara Kingsolver's Bean Trees even though I was sure I had read it when it was first published in paperback (in the late 1980's).  Since rereading a good book has always been a pleasure, I didn't worry about that.

What bothered me was that after reading 25 - 50 pages, I knew for sure that I had never read that book before.  No problem, I was enjoying this realistic fiction novel, and read on until the end.  Minor blip on the screen of irritation.  

So then I went on to the "L's", chose a fantasy, and began reading.  Hm, now this one seemed very familiar, but familiar as though I was looking through a series of mirrors at distorted images.  Finally, after some searching, I discovered that the novel I'm reading is the first in a series of which I read the third several years ago for the YA course I used to take every year.

No big deal, right?  But when you add that to the Kingsolver "issue" last week?  What's the one fear all of us of a certain age have?  That failing memory nightmare.

Well, I am here to tell you that I've gotten over that concern.  Sure I may wind up with mashed peas for brains, but I've got to - we all have to - stop worrying about something over which we have very little control.

All this long entry is a reminder that we need to simply enjoy life every single day for as long as we can!  I promise to keep on working on that; will you?

A Re-Start on a Quilt

It was such a pleasure seeing the snow still on the ground today as we walked.  So far this winter, we haven't had much in the way of lasting snow so this is good news for gardeners.  Yes, we've had rain, too, so maybe the drought won't be as bad this season.

My morning was spent doing the usual household chores which included tidying my desk.  It's amazing how quickly little piles of notes, mail, lists pile up into larger, messy, falling over piles.  Naturally enough, the tidying turned into actually taking care of whatever note I had left myself and remembering something I had intended to write down but didn't, filing papers and finding more that had to be read, and finally, turning to the computer to see what needed to be done there.  

So it wasn't until after lunch that I went up to the studio to re-cut pieces for a baby quilt I must make.  The re-cutting was because I changed my mind about the size of the blocks.  While I will keep the blocks I had already made, it was sad to realize there wasn't enough of some of the fabrics to cut for new blocks of any size, but that happens from time to time.

Tomorrow I will start sewing this quilt again!  

Glue instead of Stitches

My art quilt group met today (or at least two of us were able to meet), and thanks to the active gray cells of one member we were able to meet at our favorite quilt shop.  Not only is it slightly more centrally located, it provides a safe place for one woman who has real difficulties with chemical residues (of the kind that are present in homes that have been recently renovated - mine and K's).  Naturally, it is also good to be somewhere where one (i.e., me) can purchase an essential item for one's work.  

When I arrived at the shop and was setting up my machine, I discovered that for the first time in my quilting career I had left both the power cord and the foot pedal for my machine at home.  No machine sewing for me!  It could have been a disaster (although I may have been able to borrow a machine from the shop), but I was able to turn it into an advantage.  My plan had been to start quilting a wall hanging which I had duly pinned to death.  As I looked at it this morning, I realized that all that pinning would not only make sewing very difficult it would also not keep the multitude of pieces flat (which is why basting is what smart people usually do).  Since we were in a shop, I was able to purchase glue that is designed for basting.   It took me about three - four hours to glue down all the pieces so I was very glad things had fallen out as they did.  Lucky me!

Mistakes can turn out to be advantages.

Tibetan Monk Painting

Even though the dicey roads meant I was not able to go to painting today, painting was accomplished.  I did not take out the watercolor paints even though I recently spent time thinking about the next painting in that medium.  Instead, because I am at home where none of the oil paints or all the solvents bother any one's allergies, I pulled out the Tibetan monk canvas and worked on it.

You may remember this painting, and if you do, you will wonder what on earth I did today.

I can't blame you because much of my time was spent revisiting areas already painted.  I lightened the sky which had been all the same value on the top right.  That also meant the corrugated roof (still a work in progress) on the right also needed to be paler and darker on the left.  The tree had been blank canvas and I began working on that.  The monk's robes had the color altered to a slightly more purpley red (maroon) to intensify the difference with the shawl across his body.  Since I was working in a maroon which was also the color of the narrow strip of roof within the courtyard, I painted that as well which was a mistake.  Once it's dry I will tone that down as it is far too dominant now.  

The monk's skin and the chickens need to be attended to as do the red panels in the outer as wall straight they are not!  Indeed, all of the so-called straight lines need attention.  Then after everything is taken care of, the painting has to be evaluated to be sure it works as a whole.

Right now I'm just glad I got back to it!

One Thing Worked!

You know how it is when you are all set to do something, but somehow even with the "will" part down pat, the "way" part isn't always on board?  Yes, you're right, it happened - again - today.  It started out fine with a walk and then the laundry (it is Monday after all).  After breakfast I sat down to work on quilt show registrations which always take more time than I plan.  I did get the one to VQF almost finished complete with photos, but I don't have stamps.  Admittedly, the local guild registration is barely started.  After lunch I had to work with our daughter via phone on some editing (still the English teacher), and then the laundry needed more attention . . . Are you beginning to see circles?  I was!

All that kept me from even thinking about doing anything creative today.  So tomorrow I may be at painting class with blank sheets of paper that should have studies on them.  Darn.  

Sometimes plans just don't go as one hoped.

But I can show you one thing that was accomplished!

A jigsaw puzzle!

A New Approach to Painting

It's been a good weekend even though the weather has not been as lovely as one would like.  We were able to walk in the mornings, and after some weeks of not getting out, it felt good (even if a hip is protesting a little).  

My latest sewing project is very close to completion so I took a break from it today.  My plan was to get back to at least one of my oil paintings, but it turns out the UCONN women's basketball team (of which we are near rabid fans) had a televised game at 1:00 p.m..  So, instead of painting after lunch, I decided to get ready for the next watercolor painting.  

First of all, my color choices will not be the same as they were for the dramatic sky painting so I knew I had to clean my palette of all the mixed colors I had saved.  It wasn't a lengthy process as I wanted to keep the paints themselves.  All I had to do was clean the mixing areas which was done by soaking that part of the palette, and then, once the mixed paints had loosened, I removed them and the water using paper towels.

Second, I thought it might be time to be more deliberate in planning the next painting which for the first time I will not be using my own photograph.  D said he'd like a painting from Key West, and the only photos of mine that I really would enjoy tackling are more suitable for oil.  I had a picture very similar to some of mine that looks like the sunsets we loved watching most days we were there.  The only difference is in the vegetation in the photo which was not part of our view.   

Anyway, I had already done a quick sketch so I decided, having cleaned my palette, to think about the colors I would need to use and what I might mix together to achieve a Key West sky.   One of the things I want to do is choose more transparent paints where possible so I went to a source on-line that would help me with that information (and a whole lot more).  It will take me quite a while to learn and retain everything, but I am content to settle for being able to find the on-line site again!

One I had tackled that, I also made a list of possible ways to achieve the specific colors I want to use.  Which color should be added to which color in order to achieve the color of the sunset near the horizon?  I wrote down several possibilities for several sections of the proposed painting.  

Third, is there a specific emotion I'd like a viewer to feel when looking at the finished painting?  If so, are my proposed colors going to elicit that emotion?  Is there an idea or message I want to convey?  If so, how can I get that across?  Composition? specific items or figures in the painting? what about the time of day?

Whew!  I wonder how many people care about all that, and whether or not I should.  Certainly some of the above is worth considering, but since I am not a professional artist who is going to try to sell my work, will it matter?  I believe my answer has to be to pay attention to what matters to me and to the few people who will see my work on a painting by painting basis.

Anyway, I did enjoy this intellectual approach!

Memory like a Fading Photograph

Tonight while watching PBS news about a new movie called "Patterson", I had a great idea for a quilt.  It was inspired by a phrase used during this segment about a movie, poetry, and William Carlos Williams (a favorite poet of mine who wrote a famous poem called "Patterson").  I was so enthralled by the possibility beginning in my brain and also fascinated by the new movie that I didn't write anything down.  Not the phrase, not the image on the TV screen, not the glimmerings in my mind, not one single thing.

What am I left with?  Not what the TV was beginning to inspire but a new idea for a quilt based on the loss of the other.  The work may bear the title of this entry and may be another Improvisation in White.

I didn't write down what was going through my mind when watching that TV show so that idea is gone.  It was too new and too fragile to leave even an echo of itself so I have to accept it's gone for good.  

But something else has come in its place as I searched for the first idea, and I used this platform to write it down.  It's the writing things down that is important for me to do.  However, it is also important for me to realize that even though one "gem of an idea" has left the station, another one is coming in.  My memory, being easily distracted, doesn't hold onto things as well as it used to, but like an aging, dim photograph, it may leave an almost-there image from which a new interpretation of the picture can emerge.

Of course, I could learn the lesson and write immediately!

Quiet Day

A bit of this and a bit of that is what my day was made of, and I delighted in the modest accomplishments that I am able to mark off my list.

First for breakfast we had Gingerbread Pancakes.  I had seen the recipe in a December issue of the Times Union and thought it sounded possible.  Last night I mixed up the recipe and put the batter in the refrigerator overnight (something I've learned really helps make fluffy pancakes). Today the batter looked nice and bubbly, cooked up easily, and looked appealing.  Taste is of course the final and most important thing in evaluating any recipe.  I was on the fence about that - not because of the so-called gingerbread spices and ingredients (pumpkin pie spice, ginger, molasses are all favorites) but the whole wheat flour.  The recipe calls for white whole wheat flour but I couldn't find any in the one store I was in when preparing for these pancakes so I purchased the regular whole wheat.  I really thought it would produce a heavy, dense pancake.  WRoNG!  Breakfast consisted of healthy, tasty, light and fluffy pancakes which both of really liked and would have again.

Score one for today.

Next I decided to take care of some left-over laundry that I missed on Monday.  Not exciting, but it's done.

Wrote a "social" note that took a bit of time and a rough draft to make sure that what I wrote would convey our thoughts and feelings accurately.

The only disappointing thing was deciding that I had to start a new project in order to meet a deadline rather than work on a project started in class Sunday. 

An exciting time?  No, not at all.  But that was the point.  I had allowed my life to get too hectic, and I need to slow that down as I no longer deal well with frenzy (not sure I ever did).  Today was just what I needed.

"Louring Sky"

Today the painting was finished!  I did need to tweak a few things - some of which I was aware and some at Sharon's suggestion (with which I agreed - she never pushes us to take her advice if we aren't in full agreement).  The final painting makes me happy even though it isn't perfect.

Before it was time to leave, I took out my pen and wrote the title, date, and signed my name.  Its called "Louring Sky" (lour is pronounced to rhyme with hour and means "threatening") because I felt the archaic/old-fashioned/rarely used word suited the entire subject best.  The building is from another era and not in tip top shape. The landscape (scruffy trees springing up willy-nilly and weedy, overgrown surroundings) hasn't had any attention in a long time.  The site is threatened by time, and now, in the moment of this painting, by weather.

But . . . oops . . . I forgot to take a photo of the final work.  Being excited that after so many failed studies, there was actually a completed painting, I went directly from class to the art store where I get things framed. It should be ready in two - three weeks at which time I will try to get a decent photo to show.

If not, when you come to visit, you'll be sure to see it in some room or other.

Back Again and Painting Progress

That was the longest vacation from my blog that I have taken yet!  Today I was musing about why I seemed to have lost interest in recording my artistic and/or daily doings.  The only reasons that appear to have some basis in fact and therefore are possibly valid are:

1. Holidays - but we have them every year and they have until this year not blocked my writing
2. Family members with critical or possibly critical medical issues - that was probably the most valid reason
3. Over-extension (again!) - and that is also very real.  For the first time I was aware of bone-deep weariness and the sense of being over-whelmed.  Those symptoms I ascribe to a combination of all three which became a cycle.  

The good news is that the holidays are over and everything except the Santa wall hanging (has to remain until I figure out what I want in its place) and the holly (that will stay until its no longer attractive - it's a symbol of winter to me).  One family member is getting stronger and will be returning home, one turned out not to be critically ill or even ill at all, and while a third has fallen prey to critical illness, he is younger and I hope will weather his trials also.  The third how-many-times-have-I-mentioned-this? issue is still a matter yet to be resolved.  It is clearly something I do to myself, but at least for the next three weeks, I have severely limited my commitments.

Tomorrow I take the watercolor I have been working on since October (so many studies and too many days of not getting to the paints) is almost finished.  I say almost because I know Sharon will have suggestions to make it better that I hope I can complete during class.  But here is what I think I posted on December 13, 2016:

And here is the same painting after several weeks worth of work (much of it thinking):

I had to invent the first floor, right hand side of the building because I had chosen such a large sheet of paper and because I felt the actual continuation of the structure (a red, add on convenience store complete with gas station) had no redeeming quality for this subject (the ominous sky behind vs the brilliant light in the foreground).