Friday, February 29, 2008

WAITING

I grabbed my camera early this morning to go outside
quickly with no coat, to get some sort of photo to
that might suggest Spring is around the corner.
What I found half way down the hallway,
was some of my umbrellas catching some cool
shadows, which don't show in this close up photo.
I decided to post the cheerful colors and the
promise of April showers that will bring
May flowers.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Blue Babbette

I thought my painting of many titles,
(one being "Babette" as she looked to
be from Toulouse Latreuc's era) fit
my feelings over ze weathers we are
having. I have blued her to give the
message that I am going bonkers
waiting for the sun to come back in
all its glory!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Rabbit Gifts

Not feeling so hot today, just wondering
when I saw this photo I took in Vermont, if
anyone sits right down and eats a bunch of radishes.
I might manage two right from the garden and
later a couple more in a salad but that's it---they
will sit around for several days and then
get tossed off the porch like
missiles, to hit imagined targets in the big
spruce and I think how the wild rabbits
will be pretty darned thrilled.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Sing it Maurice !

Tuesday Feb 26th 2008
The day is has turned dark out and
the house is quiet. An old Seinfeld
show is on with the audience laughing.
I feel I must put something on my
Blog each day for some reason or
other to do with sticking to things.
I love this photo from the recent
art show in the old town hall---what is
up above the big meeting room
is a mystery to me but I can almost
hear the French accent, and words,
"I'll build a stairway to paradise...
with a new step every day...I'm gonna
get there at any price---step aside
I'm on my way---" and then the
music fades ........

Monday, February 25, 2008

Spider Conch by Tide Edge

above see actural tide edge on York Beach
in Maine
(clicking on any of these photos makes them larger)

Monday Feb 25 2008
I am done with the sumptuous surface sewing----I have never done so much texture on a surface before and felt being a widow, with no meals to prepare, helped me obsess on working on this piece so much the past few days. Now I will go through the process of making it a postcard to learn how that goes with the helpful sites Sharon mentioned. I'm thinking I could make a pillow usuing an exsisting one (that sounds like a plan to me) that I will collage things on---one being the postcard--and then other sea themed items I round up will make it worth a king's ransom!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

WORRYSTONE ERASER

Sunday Feb 24 2008

This eraser caught my eye in a store
yesterday----an eraser I didn't own.
Looking pristine, with the cool
triangle shape to get in those small
places that really need a touch of cleaning.
And made by General, one of the old
stand bys in the pencil eraser drawing
world. When I got it home and removed
from the package I was able to heft
it's weight, feel it's smooth and look
forward to using it soon. What small
things there are out there
for many walks of life, that
can make the heart dance and
wash away life strains.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Crow in Shirt Sleeves

Saturday Feb 23 2008
The email that was sent around with the eagle
attacking the fox and winning the match, had
some birds for an audience by the bony carcass
they were squabbling over. Didn't look like
much was left to eat for the Eagle when he was
finished with the fox, that I bet he wished he never
decided to check out what those birds were
hunched over---well, the above photo is the
only shot I got of a Magpie in Listowel Ireland
flying off from the bushes as I probably scared him.
You can't see his white shirt in the front and the
window I was behind was decorated with the
family dog's nose rubbings. I sure have not
ever seen one in New England--they are wicked
striking....

Friday, February 22, 2008

Special Snowman

Friday Feb 22 2008
This was made down the road
last winter, and is one of the best
snowman I've seen for it's simple
beauty. She did not return this year
and may have never known how
wonderful she was.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

SPIDER CONCH DESIGN START

Thurs. Feb 21 2008

Here's my main Spider Conch shell motif---it's one from my living room that I have often admired the unusual shape. I think this angle lends itself to a postcard size design which may end up on a pillow to plop down in just the right spot to catch some light on just the right places. I fretted and finally went ahead with this subject even if it reminds me of Sharon's Crab design---and in almost the same colors, too. That almost stopped me from going for the shell, but it's so right for where it will live and feel comfortable. Since the walls and ceiling are both painted a flowerpot clay color and the rug is in that family----I am planning on using more blues in various shades and weights---then accent with the coppery colors. Drats, still seems like the crab design---I did allot of photos and drawings and then backstitched the outline in a variegated darkish blue (love that Stef Francis stuff from Joggles)--never had done this stitch right and got pretty good at it by the time I was finished. You can see how I added strips of an extra material to the edges of the linen, so I would get more linen backgrounds for other projects I have in mind with a turtle and frog. The added strips help me tighten the block good for ease of stitching and doesn't fray much. Also here's a photo of the back of the Spider Conch which is just beautiful, too. Can't wait to add some spider stitch roundy things! I'll no doubt put up the finished "card" one of these days.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

First Sunrise over a Town on the East Coast

Wed Feb 20th 2008
I have to wait till next
October to sit at this
table in Eastport Maine,
drinking coffee while
watching the sunrise
over Campobello Island..

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

By Bunratty Castle

To be in Ireland's Durty Nelly's Pub,
sittin' there, drinking a Hot Whiskey
would do my aching back
a world t' good!!!!! That and a
friend to share stories with.
I may have my pubs names mixed up---
not hard to do......


Monday, February 18, 2008

Chewy Cookies

Monday Feb 18 2008
I made these Beatrix Potter
chewy Gingerbread cookies
to bring to a party. The recipe was
in the above book, and are they
ever flavorful. I must keep
my head and leave them alone!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

SELECTED STASH

Sunday Feb 17 2008
Above, see "stash" (some things
have been around for long time)
that may be used in a piece to
compliment my living room colors I
posted a few days ago.
I have orderded some deeper
blues and the right background material
and now I have to like the design
very much and I don't yet----
I keep thinking of different
things that have good outline
shapes---maybe today
I will come up with just the ticket.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

JUST KNOCK THREE TIMES

Saturday Feb 16th 2008


Searching for shadows just after noon is sometimes

rewarding---I really liked the look here and

wonder how many Staffordites will recognize

the exact location.

Friday, February 15, 2008

HOW TO MAKE A COMPOSITE

Friday Feb 15 2008
This is a composite of things in my living room
that I want to keep in mind for a colored
project next for my online Sumptuous Surfaces class.
I took the photos I took to PSP7, printed them
on one sheet with all sides touching, then scanned the
photo, cropped it to size I wanted and stored it for future use.




Thursday, February 14, 2008

Greetings !

Thursday Feb 14 2008

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Wednesday Feb 13 2008

Lorraine Satkowski's good friend Sandy

sent some photos today of a recent

coastal trip near San Francisco/Carmel
-----I liked this one of the "Gathered Gulls"----
right now seems like a good time to be
out there seeing that part of the
country with no coats,
just jeans, shirt and sunglasses.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Package of Collage goodies

Still Tuesday Feb 12th
A fun package of what the sender called

"junk" was a delight to open and see all the

things from many colors of seed beads, jewerly

discards for various reasons, gold chains,

watch straps other sundry items---

Thank You very much to

Marilyn in Taunton, Mass!

Sumptuous Surface


Tuesday Feb 12 200This is the first post card size Sumptuous Surface

I finished while taking an online class with

Sharon Boggor from Australia. We were

to have a silhouette of whatever

we wanted as the theme. I picked a

white finger star shell.

The top background stitches represent

under sea flora and

doing it in 3 layers in differnt subtle

colors gives the texture

this assignment is all about.

We were to not use much color

and stay monotone

as much as posssible to see,

in the final result how

texture done in various ways,

is used in fabric art.

On the bottom are are varied stitches, such as

wagon wheels, Colonial and French knots,

satin stitch, phuff and others---plus embellishments

including some great white turquoise,

abalone, tiny shells, buttons and beads. If I

had started using a white background

I would not have filled the

sea star, but it's slender shape became

lost till I outlined it in the darkest shade I dare

use and then filled it with

glass beads to represent how the sea is so often

shimmering This concept is so different

then doing a painted design to me, that

it does stretch my outlook and also

being involved helps bring more understanding

and appreciation of the fiber arts.






Monday, February 11, 2008

A "guess where" photo

Monday Feb 11 2008
This is a "guess where" photo, mostly for the one
person that checks my Blog daily----
I'm almost positive she'll know so
she and only she, must name the month, too.
Good Luck!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Think He'll Get The Job?

Sunday Feb 10 2008
This a diagonally across the street and taken Feb 3rd...
I loved the shadows spilling off the lawn into the drive..
Since this photo was taken, a sign has been added near the drivway
end---which says, "Ron Paul for President".....only place I've seen
one of those.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Silver Wedding

Feb 9 2008




Tonight we celebrate Kevin and Linsley's
25 Silver Wedding Anniversary.
They were married on Valentines's Day,
the same as Francis and I.
A ballet was performed, choreographed
especially for them after the ceremony


Friday, February 8, 2008

SCARY SCARECROW

Friday Feb 8 2008

I see the day is slipping by and I have not blogged yet.
While looking at Maine photos I came across this
scarecrow in Durham Maine and it became
my pick. It is interesting to note that Steven King
lived in Durham in his teen years and used to hitch
to Auburn/Lewiston area, where I lived, to see the
latest horror flick playing. If you ever drive
the road to Durham from Auburn you will feel the
darkness thicken as you pass cemeteries and dense
piney woods with their beckoning boughs.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Preserved Gift


Thursday Feb 07 2008



Here's a fun way to preserve a gift of flowers or anything you want. All natural things from your yard can be a beginning. You must have a scanner and lay the items down till you like the way they looked when viewed on your computer screen. This can happen quickly or take time. One scan may lead to another totally different design etc. Maybe I should do a class in this way to be creative with your scanner. The results are so large they must be resized to email and the clarity of the result much sharper than with the camera.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

TWO FOR THE SHOW

Tuesday Feb 5 th 2008
above, the exhibit that watched
the lookers


above filming and interviews being done
***************
and so tommorrow will have just one last exhibit photo.
Started using a new 320 GB External hard drive
today to store my photos etc.





Monday, February 4, 2008

THREE TO PACK UP

Monday Feb 4 2008
"Light's Canvas"

Soft Focus on a Presence

Near closing time, the shadows on the walls

were exhibiting their own works


The Portraits of Stafford Art show is over and it is said that is was the most succesful show they have had. The photos I am showing were taken at the end of the show which was so expertly taken down in one tenth time it took to put it up.





Sunday, February 3, 2008

Thank you !

Sunday Feb 3rd 2008

At the art exhibit yesterday I was surprised
with some very cheerful flowers from
Gail and John Kapinos-----I took photos
this am and then couldn't resist
playing around and liked this magical look.
Flowers really are welcome this
time of year when they are beneath
the fallen snow in many places---
I'm not a gardener but appreciate
them and bet some are pouring
through the seed catalogs now
---with dreams and plans for this Spring.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Beaterice Potter

Saturday Feb 2nd 2008

Here's Beartrice in a painting done by a D. Banner,
at my age---I'm thinking, you put
that hat, coat and shawl on me
there's a resemblance...
she was such a hard working woman
on her 4,000 acre farm
in the high fells country.




Friday, February 1, 2008

Hardwicke Rawnsley

Friday Feb 1 2008


I think you'll appreciate Hardwicke Rawnsley's words written for the opening of Amitte Library in 1912---he was the Vicar of Crosthwiate Church near the Lake district where Beatrice Potter first summered and then lived and worked---he also was a poet and journalist and B Potter donated much of her work to his Library---his death was life changing to her-----

I think of shells and people I admire when I read this:

As in some inland solitude a shell
Still gently whispers of its home,
the deep,
So from the world of being
beyond all sleep
Where those two happy sister spirits dwell,
This book-lined room, this simple student's cell
Shall, in the silence, pure memorial keep
Of those who sowed that others might reap
Their wisdom was from wood and lake and fell.
And as we gather up their gentle lore,
Made rich by jewels from their treasury,
The whispers grow, "Behold! these souls had power
Because with patient heart and loving eye
They learned that man and beast and flower
Were in God's purpose friends for evermore."