I am Thankful

for great friends who travel all the way here to spend a weekend cooking, eating, talking, taking walks...

We had a lovely Thanksgiving; delicious food prepared together (including probably the best pumpkin pie ever), a warm cozy house, cards, champagne, and This American Life on Netflix.


Despite temperatures in the 50s today, its starting to feel like actual Winter. Something in the wind, maybe?

One of those Days...

I had one yesterday. One of those days where you wake up knowing you shouldn't get out of bed, but some ulterior sense of duty forces the situation and you, or in this case, I, found myself at work, after nearly causing a multi-car collision at the post office. I proceeded to destroy our company website, then botch a mass mailing, and then left early before the computers started to actually explode. Gah.

Today, nearly everything was easily corrected, though I am still uncertain how many of the 2,000 mailing list recipients actually heard our important announcement. Norton Anti-Virus self-updating system, I shake my fist at you!

In local news, I have a new paperdoll in the works, something a little different. I'll introduce her here first, so stay tuned!

There's Nothing Like a Little Light Plumbing in the Evening...

Funny the things that get a person to write. For instance, this evening as I was fishing about with a clothes hanger in our disgusting basement utility sink, searching for the ancient drain - or more specifically, whatever nasty bit of muck was keeping laundry water from draining through said drain - as I was doing this, I was inspired to jot down some recent happenings here. I really can't say where that connection formed, but here I am (C went for the drain cleaner).

I have been living the glamorous Arts Festival life for the past two weeks - early mornings, cold fingers, running noses, lots of coffee and disgruntled artists... and then the ones that are so happy to be there, the ones that actually enjoy what they do and have beautiful work that they are inspired to share with the world!


And then there are the customers; they grumble about the weather and make the same jokes over and over and over and over and over (you get the picture?) and they ask the same questions and complain mainly the same complaints (there is always someone who comes out with a new way to complain, that can be counted upon) but then they go through the show and they have a glass of wine and taste the chocolate and fruit crepes, they walk through the tents and talk to the artists, and maybe have a nibble of chocolate or taste the maple candy, and when they come out they are exclaiming what a fabulous day it was, how they should plan their Vermont holiday around this festival next year and maybe the year after that, they take me aside to compliment the management on the gorgeous bathrooms, and, my personal favorite, they comment to no one in particular - perhaps even just to themselves - how very much fun they had. And they don't want to leave (the wives, that is. The husbands, weighed down with purchases, have no problem getting themselves through the exit).


So, over all, its not a bad way to spend a few weeks. Tomorrow we head out to another, our last of the fall season and what looks like it might be the chilliest yet. I can't say I am particularly looking forward to spending the weekend in a cold and most likely wet fairgrounds in central New Jersey, but at the same time I really do enjoy knowing that what we do makes possible what a lot of other people do, and what they love to do, and gives so many other people the opportunity to become inspired by this handcrafted creativity in such a real way.


And those are my evening plumbing thoughts. I will be back for another installment when the sink clogs up or the toilet overflows... or hopefully not.

Its June!

June is lovely, its hard to believe its here right now, but its lovely.


I spent most of this week being sicker than I have been in quite some time, which was not fun. But now I am feeling much much better and today was just so lovely, so things are looking up!

This evening I planted three tomato plants and 7 rows of carrots in my little garden, adding to the already planted broccoli, cucumbers, melons, radishes, lettuce, basil, sweet corn, parsley and flowers. That looks almost impressive listed out like that! Lots of things have already sprouted, and a few were transplants from my little peat pot starters. Now all thats left is planting pole beans in a pot to climb the back porch, and figuring out what to do with the herbs. And maybe some more flowers?

This is the first picture my grandparents ever made together, taken in 1937. On the back my grandma wrote "Just buddies!" - but I have seen her highschool text books where she practiced writing "Mrs. Harold Wright" and "Meryle Wright" over and over.


My grandfather was a wild youth in the back hills of Kentucky. Mommaw got her hands on him and straightened him out, a job she never gave up on for the rest of her life though he turned into the sweetest, most God-fearing man you could hope to find. They were such a pair, after 65 years of marriage I think they really felt they were a part of each other. The year and a half after Poppaw passed away, Mommaw seemed to have lost her will to live. I think all the difficult health problems she had dealt with for years had been tolerable when they were together, and then when she was caring for him, but without him there she gave in. We all knew that she was ready to go when she died peacefully in her sleep this past March.


I think I am lucky that the last few years my grandparents were alive I was old enough to know them for a little while as people, rather than as only my grandparents. Now I am able to look back and admire my grandmother's courage in living alone with her young daughter while her new husband was off in WWII. I am able to understand the hard work my grandfather put in to move his family from Kentucky farmlands to a comfortable suburban life in Cincinnati. When I remember them now, I remember my grandmother telling me of the latest historical novel she had been reading; I remember my grandfather staying up late at night to read his Bible; I remember my grandmother's beautifully elegant hands and my grandfather's hands skilled at carving and other wood crafts. As I grow older I understand the little bits of them that have passed down to me, and I am hopeful of continuing their tradition of strength in adversity, of hard work and perseverance and the basic - and to me admirable - realization of the American dream. My grandparents thought this country the best in the World, my grandfather fought for these ideals. I am much more cynical, but when I think of what they were able to accomplish, and the life they were able to build here, I am hopeful as well.

May Day!

I don't mean to gloat, but what a fantastic day!

I woke up late because the wild winds last night knocked the power out sometime in the wee hours of the morning leaving the alarm clock blinking 12:00, but it worked out fine because I had a full days work to do from home. Completed said project apparently to everyone's satisfaction - a whole festival's worth of ads designed and ready to go!

Cam took me for breakfast at our favorite diner and since it was a weekday there was no wait at all. Then I bought some bright yellow flowers to celebrate May!

While I worked, Cam cleaned the kitchen and then dug out our garden bed so all those little peat pots will have a new home in the near future, where they won't have to worry about the forgetful nature of the bright pink plastic water god (although how much more dependable the outdoor for real water god is it debatable, really).

Then I went to the gym, didn't run out of gas on the way even though I kept forgetting to stop at the gas station, and got an energetic workout with the perfect music.

Home again to dig in the dirt a bit - kept finding pieces of bone which is somewhat oddly disturbing - and Cam cooked our recent favorite dinner (polenta and mushrooms) which we then enjoyed while watching 30 Rock (hilarious).

Next a stroll down to the park in the beautiful spring dusk - the kind that reminds us why we live in the north and brave all that rotten-ness - with a happy dog. Crazy clouds left over from last nights storms and most likely harbingers of more crazy weather (but not tomorrow, please!) made a dramatic display over the Adirondacks and the lake. Forsythia and tulips are blooming all down the street and the leaves are at that wonderful stage after the newly opened early spring green but before the full blown summer intensity; things seem to glow!

Now I will finish a website I've been working on and then watch JFK.

I don't know if its the extra couple hours of sleep this morning, the sun and clear air, or what! But I'm just feeling good. I hope you are too!

Happy Birthday

...to my Dad! The best one I know of and the only one I would want!

The Last Two Weeks

In list form. More for my own memory than anything else... And in no particular order, because I'm feeling a bit lazy.

Easter = lots of cooking and sleeping

I love quiche and plan to make more in the near future

I need a rolling board for making things like sticky buns and quiche shells

Crocuses blooming along the road

Around half the bulbs planted last fall have shown their shiny heads

Front porch is somewhat painted

Barnboard bench* is close to done

New website projects are up and coming

Winter jacket has been all but banished (I refuse to wear it during the day, early morning walks are the only exception)

Little peat potted plants in the windows are growing bravely despite a certain curious dog

I volunteered at the public library on Saturday and only really messed up once, so hopefully they will let me come again

30 Rock is hilarious

I've been seriously slacking on my gym attendance: this must be rectified

A Brownie 8mm movie camera is on its way to my door...

Waking up is hard to do

There is no excuse for baby presents to be a whole month late - I had 9 + months of preparation time!

I am trying to learn Flash, what a techie!

Tetris has been consuming way too much of my time and eye power lately

I am searching for the perfect cotton knit dress, comfortable and simple and solid colored

Also the perfect pants, but those are too hard to describe, I will recognize them when I see them...

Picture:



*exciting project, more to come when I have completed sanding, burning, varnishing and bolting

Dreaming of Somewhere Warm...

Stumbling into the New Year

Does anyone know a good way of making good with the Universe?

Here's the deal: I traveled home on the red-eye from Arizona, arriving at my door around noon on New Years Eve. I am also a wuss, and so refused to go out that night, opting to laze (and sleep) on my own couch. Lame, I know. I did get champagne, however, and I read this post and was intrigued with the idea of jumping into the New Year.

So, I woke with a start when the countdown was at 26 seconds. Groggy and slightly tipsy, I remembered the jumping idea at about two seconds. I leapt to my feet on the couch and made an extravagantly uncoordinated flying stumble to the floor into 2009. And I think I really offended the powers that be. Things have just been slightly strange ever since. I'm doing whatever I can think of to sort it out, but if you have any suggestions...

(New Years Eve on Lake Champlain)

Five Signs You Have Been Watching Too Much HGTV

#5: Your house is a complete disaster because you are waiting for Carter Oosterhouse or Kim Myles to knock at the door with their teams of designers and builders.

#4: You can't walk down the street without evaluating the curb appeal of each house you pass.

#3: The only subjects on which you are able to converse are the cost of kitchen remodels, techniques to add interest to your dining area, and the relative price of a three-bedroom home in Missouri versus Maine.

#2: You have a deep desire to own a nail gun.

#1: You narrate every home project you do, taking care to leave a dramatic pause before the final reveal.

Happy Thanksgiving!


I am spending the Holiday - my favorite one, really - with my parents, aunt + uncle, and grandma in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are resting, eating, playing games, sorting through old family photographs, and thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

I hope your week, whether celebrating the festivities or not, is full of love and light.

Back on Maple Ridge

When I went to Wisconsin, I stayed with my very dear friend Kathryn. Kathryn happens to have just moved into the house where I lived as a young child, from age 3-6; a grand old farmhouse on the top of a windy ridge in the middle of nowhere and yet the center of so much south-western Wisconsin. Pulling up in the yard after my 20+ hours of first-time-solo driving across the country, I was overwhelmed with a strange feeling of coming home and yet being entirely unaccustomed to the place.


That house holds so many vague memories of my early childhood, half remembered, more images than anything else. It is something like my version of Plato's ideal chair - when I hear "stairs" I see the dark wood staircase with the landing that we sat on with out stockings on Christmas morning. "Porch" brings to mind the wrap around porch where the dog had her puppies.


Have you ever had the experience of sleeping in the room you slept in as a 5 year old? I never thought I would, but there I was! The wall paper my mother put up for me was there still, the hole in the closet that peeked into my sister's closet was still open. The large mural of apples my mother painted on the dining room wall was unfortunately gone. I think Kathryn would have liked those.

Home to Stay (for a while, at least!)

Around 42 hours of driving, give or take a few minutes. That is how long it took to get all the way to and from LaFarge, Wisconsin, my final destination on this latest jaunt.

10 hours got me to Cleveland, Ohio where I had the pleasure of joining in the work of the Lakeshore office of the Barack Obama Campaign for Change. I was there for two days - a bit of canvassing, calling some phone lists, and handing out free Jay-Z tickets were just a few of the goings on in which I was able to participate. I find it very interesting that every one of the main core of volunteers I met at the office was from out of state - New York, Chicago, California, Washington, Texas, and Washington DC were all represented and each of these terrific people amazed me with their long, dedicated volunteer work. It really is amazing how inspired people are by Obama, and the people I met were all just the friendliest, hardworking, fun, and generous group.


It was hard to leave them to travel on, but I am so very glad I did because staying with Kathryn and Keith in their big farmhouse was fabulous (if slightly chilly!). And seeing Kathryn's terrific shop and spending some time sitting together and working, just like the old days of the costume business, were so wonderful.

I was able to finish C.'s hat (finally) with Kathryn's assistance, and am inspired to try a couple new knitting projects. I am also feeling the urge to break out the felting needles again, and then there are the projects I have been slowly chipping away at for the past couple months. I feel that this time at home will be well filled. How nice it is to look forward to...

Artwork v. Housework and an Important Cause

Unfortunately, in this match I am afraid housework won out. Not so bad, however, as things are now so much more comfortable 'round these parts. Not perfect, but a great improvement.

Now that I've spent one whole day at home, I am planning to head out again to visit some dear dear friends all the way in Wisconsin. I am intending to drive, which I realize is completely insane, but so are airline prices. And this gives me a chance to stop off in Ohio and do a bit for a cause in which I believe so very heartily:



Wish me luck!

oh yeah, Stowe!

I never posted any pictures from the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, mainly because I never got around to uploading said pictures off my camera. We are currently winding up the Adirondack Arts and Crafts Fair, and I finally took a moment to empty the camera. So here's Stowe:






The weekend was simply gorgeous. The foliage was in full effect, the weather cooperated fabulously, and many people came and saw and enjoyed. All adding up to my idea of a successful show! It was definitely a busy weekend, however, and coming on top of the previous show meant we were all a little tired. Just a little.

I'll tell you a bit about the Adirondack show soon. I have very much enjoyed my first Festival season, but I do have to admit that I am glad to have the end in sight. Seeing C and the dog, sleeping in, doing some art/craft work of my own, and tackling some major cleaning are going to be so good!

(last photo taken by one of our fantastic UVM gate workers - thanks!)

Fall Festivals

I started writing this a few days ago, when I got home from the first fall Arts Festival. And then I probably fell asleep, since that is pretty much all I was good for the last few evenings. I am currently back in Stowe, getting set up for our second festival! The good times never end! But here is a bit about the first one...


We are right in the middle of the Fall Arts Festivals. The first was this past weekend, the Hildene Fall Arts Festival in Manchester, Vt. - the same place where the Southern Vermont festival was held in August.


I got a rough start on Thursday - setup day -, becoming ridiculously lost on my way to pick up cheese for the new Vermont Cheese, Beer, and Sausage Tent. After 45 minutes of back and forth and all around (in my defense, the construction worker I asked for directions sent in the completely wrong direction), I found the cheese and then had a lovely 2 hour drive to the festival grounds. Turns out the cheese selection was Bonne Bouche and Chevre. Stinky! It was a gorgeous trip, however, through the flaming red and gold Green Mountains.


By the time I got there, the rain and wind had also arrived and the temperature was cold cold cold! This general nastiness continued through Friday, but a surprising number of people braved the weather and came to the show. The die-hard Art Festival Patrons! We applaud you!



Saturday the wind was still around and the cold hadn't given up either, but we had loads of people! I worked the front gate, and man was it busy! When I finally took a break, I could hardly walk through the tents because there were so many people. It makes me so very happy that so many will come to an Arts Festival. And they come from a long ways away too - 2 or 3 hours often!



Sunday was quieter, but still busy. We ran out of show programs in the afternoon and some customers were annoyed, but what could we do? We printed several thousand copies! I guess that's just a sign of a successful show!



I headed out Sunday evening pretty much as soon as the gates closed. A benefit of being festival administration is I don't have to hang around for the cleanup. Instead I get to go to work in the office early the next morning, to get ready for the next show!


This festival certainly tired me out, but I also feel more on top of things than at the summer shows. I know how we work now - I have some experience - and when I answer questions they can actually be helpful answers instead of only pointing out someone else to ask.



The closing moments of the festival were graced with a fabulous rainbow that truly and honestly ended right in our parking lot. I was too tired to go collect the pot of gold.

New Studio

Here are a few photos of my new studio/office. Its small, and somewhat cramped (especially right now because there are still more art supplied to find proper put-away places for), but it makes me so happy! I have a window that opens to the back yard and our neighbors' terrific sunflower garden, I have a closet, and best of all, the room has a proper ceiling* and is right off the dining room. It feels real.

It is a bit small, and it does double as a guest room, but I have put that to my advantage, using a stack of twin mattresses for a table. I think its a rather ingenious solution, thank you! They can be spread out for a makeshift guest bed (takes up the whole entire room!), and when they are stacked they are the perfect height!


And the walls still need that coat of white paint. That will feel good.


My cds are in here because they are too embarrassing to have out in public (mid 90's alt-rock hits anyone? Remember the Calling?)


And yes, I already need to tidy! That's what having a studio is all about though: it's totally being used. So much in the works already.


*I have read that ceiling height has been linked with creativity, with higher ceilings being more inspirational. At my old house, my studio was spread out over the upstairs, and I really do think the low, slanted, dormer ceilings were somewhat a stifling. So a proper, square ceiling has been my dream for quite some time. And it came true! How lucky am I?!

I am still here!

Crawling slowly out from the piles of boxes and desks (I had so many desks - who knew?) and more boxes...

Started putting my studio together this evening. Very exciting. Only I realized that I have a bit of a catch22 - had to get the stuff put away so painting the walls can happen, but now everything is so neatly put away on the shelves and I'll have to move it all again to paint. Hmm.

In other exciting news, we finally cooked dinner. The first actual home-cooked meal I have had in... wow, I can't even remember! Between the festivals and the moving cooking really got lost. I never really knew how much I would miss it.

I shall post pictures soon of my progress, if only to document it for myself so when I look back I can see how far we have actually come. Because there is certainly a long way to go.

Wishing you a very happy weekend!

Painting, Packing, Moving!

The title says it all. A few days back from the Southern Vermont Arts Festival and I am going insane with the, um, joys! of moving house!

I won't trouble you with pictures of my packing. Its really not a pretty sight, I can assure you.

Instead, here is the dining room transformation in the new house - I really love it, can't wait to finish!



This is kind of before.


This is the poor pup who doesn't understand the need to spend such a long time indoors not playing.




And nice blue walls!

Now I just have to get the other house packed up.

New Taste of Stowe - Part II

I made it to the field about 10am on Thursday, in time for the exhibitor check in. It was really great to finally meet in person and put faces to all those names I have been seeing over the past several months at this job. Not so great were the heavy rainclouds that hung persistently about and periodically dropped buckets of rain on our heads and on the festival field and all the gravel (subsequently mud) roads throughout. It was a fairly dismal day, made exciting by events but with an ever-present fear that this might just be the weekend's forecast.




Imagine our feelings of relief when 6am the following morning brought bright blue skys and mountains glistening from the overnight thunderstorm. Friday was a gorgeous day. We finished the set up and the public began to arrive as soon as the gates were open. It was not a mad crowd, that would have been an unusual - although certainly acceptable - turn of events for a Friday morning. But it was satisfactory. This was our first festival of the season, but some of the exhibitors reported that at other festivals, attendance has been down by some 20-50%. We had significantly better results than those, but the current economic situation was apparent. Interesting how that works.


I spent most of Friday touring the tents, meeting and chatting with exhibitors. There are some really wonderful people who attend this show - I am looking forward to seeing several of them again in Manchester, VT next weekend!



Saturday, I had to make a trip to Syracuse, New York to visit another festival - it was a big weekend!

New Taste of Stowe Arts Festival!

This weekend all the work of the last seven months starts to pay off - our first Art Festival of the Season! If you are local, please do come by, there are some really amazing artists and artisans selling their work, and the food is going to be simply incredible. The show is in Stowe, Vermont, a top-quality resort town for those unfamiliar with the area, and several of said resorts will be attending the show, offering spa treatments and gourmet menu samples. If you are in the area, you can visit craftproducers.com for details.

We are so hoping for these crazy thunderstorms to pass on by!

Summer Wealth

Tuesday afternoon I made a stop at the Charlotte Berry Farm, a truly wonderful place. This was my first visit, my first berry farm experience ever actually. I will go back.


I felt so rich coming home with my boxes of fruit, so glistening and ripe and such amazing colors.


All that was not eaten up that evening went into the freezer for smoothy making and waffle toppings. I'm not going to say they will last until this winter, because most likely they will not. We tested the frozen fruit smoothies this evening, and I must say, they were amazing.


What do you put in your smoothies? I used a random mixture of the strawberries, blackraspberries and blueberries, some plain yoghurt and a bit of orange juice. They were so creamy and a particularly incredible shade of red-purple.


I do believe another round of berry-picking must happen sooner rather than later!

Its been a Big Week

Wow, ok, where to start? As claimed in my last post, I did indeed get a slew of miniature paintings painted - fun! Also some other projects with which I am quite pleased. But those didn't happen so much on the weekend as on the days I had to stay home from work due to an unhappy run-in with an ill tempered zebra mussel resulting in a late night trip to the emergency room.


Not so much fun.

The new paintings are going in the shop, and I will share pictures of them here over the next few days, but first I want to show you the other things I made.


Ever since I made the abstract cover for my quilt book, I have been wanting to create some fabric flags or banners. I had patchwork ideas like the quilt book cover in mind, but I also wanted to incorporate some text, simple words or phrases. Turns out the awesome wooden type I found works quite as stamps! I brushed them with india ink and stamped words onto the fabric. They are watersafe and I really like how the letters are a little wonky.


The words I could create were somewhat limited by the fact that I neglected to get a letter "R". Oops!

I stamped the letters onto colorful cotton and stitched them onto a natural linen backing. There is a channel at the top for hanging.


I would like to try a few more of these, but I also know how my brain works and instead of mass production, it is quite likely I will move on to something else new... !

(These hangings will be in the shop shortly as well)

The First of June

Wishing You a Very Joyful June!

Household Safety

I am working from home today. Officially working, not working on projects and doodahs and such; I have my office setup on the kitchen table (its brighter here, and the tea kettle is nearby). This means I get to keep Ramona (she's the pup) company, as she does whatever it is that she does during the day. So far, this mostly seems to be sleep.


I have the back door standing open. Its a bit chilly, but worth it for the fresh spring air and the nice sounds of birds and windchimes and street traffic that drift in. Ramona sprawls on the floor at my feet, keeping my toes warm and, assumedly, dreaming of wonderful things.


A moment ago a neighborhood cat came by, apparently intrigued by the open door. He stuck his pointy little nose in, but saw me right away, and perhaps the large bundle of fur at my feet, and scampered off. Ramona slumbered on. Then the smell of "something unknown" must have reached her nostrils, because she leapt to her feet and with a throaty grr made for the door. She bravely snuck around the corner, her back legs shaking a bit, and peered outside. The cat was, of course, long gone. Emboldened, Ramona barked a little, she has a quiet bark that is nearly never heard, and set out to investigate. She ran the length of the yard, checked the front gate, and came back in to make sure the house was safe as well. One more check around the yard and she determined that all was well and returned to her position on the floor.

I am so glad I have such a brave, alert watchdog. Makes me feel very secure!

Daily Exercise

Except, not quite. Let me explain.

A couple weeks ago, as I was driving home, I came upon a man on his bike. First off, I should explain that there are pretty much three roads that come into Burlington, and if you happen to work outside of town, as I do, you don't have much choice but to tackle the traffic on these bottlenecks. This man on his bike, however, was sailing past us all, peddling away as I practiced the arts of coasting slowly and keeping calm. The light changed and I passed the man by. Ha, thought I, your bike leaves you in the dust. But soon I was stuck at another red light and the biker man was in the lead again. It went on like this until we got to the last intersection into town. While I sat at the stop sign, the man on his bike peddled freely past, winning by a breath. But winning. This got me thinking.


I drive about 15 miles to work. Not something I am happy about, but for a short time the learning process of the job is worth it to me. I did have to think about this quite a bit; for the last few years I have walked wherever I needed to go, and none of my jobs were over 5 blocks away.

15 miles is a bit far for me to bike, right off that is. I am very out of shape and have not been on my bike for a good year. But I was determined.


So last week I pumped up my tires and stuffed the bike in the trunk of my car. I drove out to the country and biked the last 5-6 miles. And it was amazing. And fairly excruciating. Except the ride home was so much better I could see how things could look up. So I did it again the next day. Much easier. But then I decided sleep was necessary too, so the next day I slept in. And then it was the weekend, and now it looks like rain. Do you think I will have the nerve to try again?


I certainly intend to.

Homecoming

I have so much to share - one big and exciting (and incredibly heavy) new project, some recent creations, and a few new ideas. But those will have to wait, because tonight I am dead tired after an overnight flight across this whole darn country (we are quite big!), and trying to recover from the shock of leaving this:






For something more like this:

Big Storm for Real!

So after my pish-poshing of the Big Winter Storm last evening, I woke up to discover that it, well, it was real after all. More than six inches overnight, and falling steadily. Did I take that opportunity to stay warm in my little house and play with my crazy dog and generally get things done? I should say not! I am, lets not forget, a Northerner. And that means I am not a sissy!


I braved the elements and the longish, unplowed driveway at my work, and was Responsible and Professional all day. It is my belief that if one is going to live in the North, one must learn to not be frightened by the snow. Nothing would Get Done. That said, I think I am ready for a warmer climate.





(more paper doll postcards are on the way. I am very excited!!!)

Big Storm!

Actually, it isn't even snowing that hard. But the weather people are calling it a Winter Storm, and I am more than happy to comply. Especially since I have several new dolls in the works.



Plus a puppy who just wants to play!

Oscar Night

I really have nothing to say about it though. Fun to watch - I especially love Jon Stewart and the clips of past winners. And thats about that for that. I'd like to thank the academy...

While I'm here, this was the sunset over Lake Champlain this evening. So nice.

My Week in Review

dear old friends visiting ::: LOTS of yummy food! ::: balmy warmth, rain and the smell of Spring ::: a day off! ::: waffles and molasses ::: back to work ::: dishes? nah ::: ok, laundry ::: clean socks!!! ::: Bright sunny mornings ::: long shadows in the evening sun ::: a red barn glowing in the orange light ::: long traumatic car ride with the pup - for all of 15 minutes ::: and home again in great pain - hers was physical, mine emotional ::: let's hope she didn't have her heart set on puppies ::: great meeting with a wonderful writer ::: exciting new project! ::: sleep? ...

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday Cam!

Coming out of the Fog

This picture pretty much sums up my week. I had been feeling so smug that the cold going around my office was passing me by, and then it turned right around and got me good. Youch! But I think its on its way out now, knock on wood, and I am not in the least bit sorry to say goodbye!

More fun artsy things soon, there are projects galore in the works!!

(and in world news, I am so sad that Dennis Kucinich has dropped out of the presidential race. Sure, he didn't have a fighting chance, but every now and again its nice to see a candidate with some morals. So long Dennis, and Good Luck!)

Am I Missing Something?

I usually try to keep some semblance of "art" in my posts here, but this just has me so confounded that I need to share it. And the dog could care less, so...

What is with people?


Am I missing something, or is it being suggested that a sustainable future lies with ethanol, um, hummers? Shall we starve our country and rape our land so that a few imbecilic chauvinists can drive around in absurdly over-sized - not to mention incredibly unattractive - army vehicles?

If I could channel the anger I feel over this - and all the other little things like this that occur ever so frequently - into an artistic statement of some sort, believe me when I wholeheartedly tell you I would. The frustration at not knowing what to do with the frustration I feel over the state of the world is sometimes so overpowering that there is no way a canvas could hold it; by putting pen to paper it would be diminished and inconsequented. I do not feel strong enough as an artist to channel the energy of what I experience.

There are so many colossal tragedies happening everyday that I, for one, often feel that I have conditioned myself to tune them out, ignoring for the sake of sanity really. I make dolls and search out the good things that people are doing. And for the most part this works. For the sanity thing at least. But then some small occurrence, and everything comes rushing back. By power of association the waves of tragedy, violence, senselessness, greed, etc etc come crashing in. Isn't this why there are so many horribly unhappy people? I am an inherently happy person - almost disgustingly optimistic - and I am often overwhelmed! The little reminders are so sneaky, the hummers (ok, not so little), the politicians snide underhand comments, the disgustingly patronizing commercials... ay!

Thanks for bearing with me as I rant. Actually, thank you for visiting anytime; you really and truly make my day with your comments and shared thoughts! Joining in to this online worldwide community of bloggers has been a wonderful experience for me.

photo from truthout.org

They say the neon lights are bright...

...on Broadway!



For Christmas this year, C and I decided to go to Broadway. We chose Phantom of the Opera, the longest running show on Broadway, and am I ever glad we did. It was magic, pure magic. That music!

photo from Sarah Brightman: A Biography

This was my favorite part, when the lights rise slowly out of the mist. It actually brought tears to my eyes.

I can't wait to go back - Les Miserables (is it closing? I think so and am so disappointed), La Boheme, The Lion King, Spamalot... anyone want to sponsor me?!

And back again!

hello there! Happy New Year to you!

I have been suffering from what I like to call "procrastination". Not an original term, I admit, but I am strikingly good at embodying it. In this case, I actually have something upon which to lay the blame... Scrubs has taken over my life and resistance has been futile.

But that's really no excuse. Quite honestly, I recalled on my plane trip home - overnight across pretty much most of this very large country - that I had promised a special Christmas end to my little Advent Calendar. Does anyone else remember that? I realize that perhaps no one else does, but I suffer from horrible guilt when I say anything and do not carry it out. So, if anyone perchance remembered that incident, I humbly apologize.

I hope you all had really and truly wonderful Holidays! I will be back with more soon!

photo: Christmas Morning in the Catalina Mountains, Tucson AZ

I Love Mountains

This is the winning view on my drive to work.


Amazing, right? And it was actually taken a bit ago, so now with all the snow we have been having, I can't wait to see what appears when the clouds part! These are the Adirondacks, visible over Lake Champlain from Vermont.

Today I visited the Vermont mountains - the Green Mountains - for a skiing day. We go to Stowe, which is the big one on Mt. Mansfield, because if we are going to spend the money, we might as well make sure its worth our while! Today was just gorgeous, and after I argued with my boots for a while they settled down and stopped torturing my feet and I enjoyed the runs immensely. Nothing like pitting yourself against Nature at incredible speeds on two little sticks! Wow!

Happy Tuesday to you!

On snow and gingerbread

Vermont will certainly be having a white Christmas this year! We had an absurd amount of snow in the last 24 hours, well over a foot, possibly more than 2! And it's still coming down! Of course, I won't be enjoying it, as I am headed to the family in Arizona... not much chance of a blizzard there and frankly, I don't mind!

We stayed warm and cozy inside today, making a big batch of gingerbread. Yum.


We used a Martha Stewart recipe, only we couldn't bring ourselves to add a whole teaspoon of ground pepper. I am willing to believe that it is a wonderful addition, I'm just not in that place yet.


A simple powdered sugar frosting, and a few little candies added the final touch.



I also made a batch of incredibly wonderful molasses cookies from a long ago post on this favorite blog. So good. I had to freeze some so I would not "accidentally" eat them all tonight.

I hope wherever you are, the evening is treating you well. Happy Sunday, friends!

wow.

oh boy, I've been gone so long I'm not even sure I remember how to do this! Thanks for all your advent calendar love, I always enjoyed the calendars, especially the ones with chocolates! I was trying to figure out how to incorporate chocolate treats into this one, but it just didn't seem feasible.

This Holiday season has been fairly unstressful - gifting wise - mainly because I have hardly had time to think about them! I have a horrid habit of deciding to make all my gifts, and the inspiration for exactly what to make usually doesn't appear until, say, a few days before Christmas! This year I have just been so busy, inspiration may have come by, but I probably wasn't at home. I did manage to finish up my holiday ornament swap items, I'll post pictures after they arrive at their destinations. Don't know if anyone form my swap group has made their way to my little blog, but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise! I have received some lovely ornaments in the mail already, and my "charlie brown" christmas tree is looking positively fancy!

We are expecting another storm, a BIG one this time. I am seriously considering a move to a warm, maybe even tropical, climate. But until then, hot ginger lemonade and plans for monday skiing should suffice.

I hope you are all having a lovely evening!

Not much happening...

I am having a quiet evening, at home with the pup. The "tree" is lit, there is a cranberry scented oil lamp perfuming the air, the fishtank is bubbling away in a rather soothing manner, and I just vacuumed. For the end of a week, its feeling pretty nice.

But I haven't anything exciting to share here; like I said, not much happening!

Here's to your own peaceful evenings - happy December, friends!

Feeling Christmas-y

It snowed big, white, fluffy flakes last night. We had to take a middle-of-the-night walk with the dog, and it was her first real snow experience. Very amusing. She just couldn't seem to believe that it was all real!

While I find the early and intense commercialization of Christmas to be quite bothersome and actually somewhat sickening, after Thanksgiving is passed, I am ready to jump right in. Things like soft powdery snow and twinkling lights make me feel honest-to-goodness warm and fuzzy, and the smell of gingerbread always seems just tantalizingly out of reach. I will make some soon, and hopefully share the joy with a few neighbors, but for the time being I have contented myself with some holiday decoration.


Besides my sparkly candelier, a Christmas tree of sorts is now sharing its warm glow in my home. A real, live, green, nice-smelling tree isn't really practical for me yet - I will travel for Christmas and don't spend nearly enough time sitting at home to properly enjoy it - so I opted for driftwood. White lights and golden jingle-bells dress it up right now - after the swap I have a feeling it will be much more fun! It needs a bit of adjusting, another trip to the rock shop (aka beach) should put things in order.

***after having a look at this picture again, I just have to add that my poor little tree really looks much nicer in person. The lights should have been the kind on white wire, I know, and the whole thing looks rather as if it will go tumbling over at any moment, but its actually very sweet! :) ***

New Doll

I just posted this sweet little lady in my shop. She is another needle-felted creation, with cloth clothing. They are just so much fun!



In other news, I start my new job tomorrow! Very exciting. Must get some sleep...

Long time gone...

I really did not intend to be gone so long. So sorry! I hope you all had a very warm and happy holiday (the US-icans among you, I suppose), and that you still fit in the clothing you owned before and did not have to brave the insanity of Black Friday to refresh your wardrobe.


My mother came to visit, and we decided to have our Thanksgiving dinner a day early so we could fully enjoy the leftovers for the rest of the week. This plan has worked out splendidly, with gravy pasta dishes and reheated stuffing and plenty of pumpkin pie for breakfast! And of course, the soup in the works. I love Thanksgiving leftovers.


It turned freezing cold here last night and I think Winter is truly upon us. I intend to make the most of it by getting busy with making things. Isn't that just the best way to spend the dark, frosty evenings?

The Facts and the Habits

I was tagged a couple days ago by Sherry of Sage and Thyme to share 6 habits or facts about myself... here goes...

THE RULES

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

THE FACTS AND THE HABITS

1. I am left-handed. I feel that this is a very defining part of my life and sometimes I wonder how I would be different if my right hand were dominant. I also like to tell people that I am lefthanded when I discover that they are too, and then we can talk about how we, unlike the majority of the world, are in our "right minds"! I also feel uncomfortable in Indian restaurants, although this does not stop me from visiting them regularly.

2. I find four leaf clovers. This has been a habit of mine since childhood, and now is somewhat compulsive - when I see a patch of clover I have to at least glance over it to check!

3. I also pick up pennies. I blame this on my mother because she does it too. All of my coat pockets are filled with lucky pennies that are probably incredibly disgusting from the street. The combination of the clovers and the pennies make me feel like I really fit into my wierd neighborhood. (I am just not sure if I am exceptionally lucky, but so far I have no complaints!)

4. When I am nervous I twist my earrings. Because of this, I kept losing earring backs, so now I pretty much only wear the ones I got my piercings with, the ones with the backs that lock on tight. Now I can twist to my nervous little heart's delight!

5. I hate shopping for toilet paper. Not quite sure why, but the toilet paper aisle really stresses me out.

6. I blush very easily. My father used to enjoy demonstrating this to strangers.

There we go. That was actually harder than I thought it would be! Where have all my habits gone? hmm, maybe the transitory college lifestyle was better for me than I realized!

Moving on... I tag Becca and eb and anyone else who wants to play along! Leave me a message so I know where to go to learn all about you!

Baby, its COLD outside!

It is starting to get blustery and cold around here, especially in the evenings as I learned last night trying to find a bus home from the car lot. I am attempting to purchase a vehicle, my very first car, and its all absurdly hard! I won't bore you with the details, but let me just say that car lots are designed for people who already have cars. People walking in off the street are at an immediate disadvantage. I'm just saying.

I am also busy trying to find a new job or jobs. Hence the need for a car. Aya!

In between these adventures, I found some time to paint a couple days ago. I haven't managed to take pictures, but I want to talk about the paintings because I had a lot of fun with them.

One of the hardest things for me, I have found, is letting go of an idea. This spreads into my art in that even when I detest a painting, I find it difficult to part with or make major changes to. So I made a break for it and brought out all the reject paintings, the ones I wasn't sure about, and the ones that just plain bored me, and I whitewashed everything. It felt so good. I chose small areas that were appealing and left them alone, and painted a thick coat of white everywhere else. Words aren't really working here, so I will try to get pictures tomorrow.

I feel that I am rambling a bit, so hopefully along with the pictures tomorrow, there will be more coherent words!

Have a pleasant evening, friends!

Back to the everyday

So I'm back to the normal colors around here. Though I must admit that that does not exactly extend beyond my blog - the Jack o'Lanterns are still bein prominently displayed and I fully intend to light them up every evening until they melt into oblivion. I like to stick things out 'til the bitter end!

I found a brilliant site this morning, a blog illustration/cartoon game between two people, and I just have to share. It is called The Superest, with the tagline Who is the superest hero of them all? I highly recommend you click the start at the first hero link and work your way up.

In other news, I am looking for a new job. So if you know of something amazing, tell me about it and I will dream and scheme a way to get to it! Unless of course you are in Vermont, in which case I will take it very seriously and be forever grateful.

I have no pictures right now, so... Yikes!


They just won't stop!

Do I *have* to take off my costume?

I'm going to go back to the normal colors around here, but please, can't I keep it strange for one more day? I just really love how the pumpkins glow...

Plus, I just realized that the post before last was number 100! So happy 102nd post to me! or to the blog, but what's the difference, really?! In honor of the event, I am going to eat a candy bar, and I encourage you to do the same. I'm sure you have plenty of left-overs!

ooooo...

and a Happy, spooky, shivery, sugar-filled Halloween to you!

Autumn colors

My yard is somewhat overrun with squirrels, horrible little beasts! They managed to erase the entire bed of beans I planted, as well as the carrots, and tried their best with the cucumbers and tomatos, although the scarcity of the former, and my vigilance on the latter, thwarted the thieves a bit.


Being something of a color addict, I enjoy looking at tomatos. The red of a fresh, homegrown tomato seems to emanate summer light. They glow.


The apples aren't my own, but once I start photographing food I usually get a little carried away.

Fresh Basil!

I picked my basil plants clean a couple days ago. It has been unseasonably warm here, but at some point reality is bound to return and the frosts will come - this is Vermont after all! So no more fresh basil. It is now nicely dried and crushed in a jar in my pantry. I think I will be set for quite a while!


It makes me feel good to dry things. Like I am honestly settling in for the winter, although at this point all I have is dried basil and dried carrots. They probably wouldn't last me long in dire need, but its a gesture..



(and I also posted a new painting in my etsy shop - have a look?)

Autumn leaves

I think that Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love Spring as well, but who doesn't like Spring who lives in a cold climate? Spring is a celebration of making it through the long Winter, Autumn has the edge of excitement and danger of knowing that Winter is just around the corner. Desperation, one could say, except that the days are just too perfect to complain about.



Part of having a puppy is getting up early and going for walks. Its a bit difficult for a chronic late-sleeper like myself to roust at the early hours, but since it is completely necessary I do it, and once I am up and out it is actually really enjoyable. This morning was perfect, a warm wind coming off the Lake and an empty park with scattered leaves blowing and dancing.



The walk was especially nice today because I could go home and back to sleep. Yay for weekends!

Where I've been...

This has nothing to do with art. Actually, its sort of the reason no art has been happening with me lately. This is Ramona, my new puppy.


She's a pretty big girl, 51 lbs right now at 6 months.


She's very sweet, but rather a handful. I don't know that I really understood how much work a puppy is, it's been so long since I had one.


Luckily, she likes to sleep too.

Another drawing

I did this drawing over the last couple days, in between visiting with an out-of-town friend, going swing-dancing, working, and trying to decide if adopting a dog is really a good idea. Decisions!

How NOT to sell...

I am brainstorming and conniving on how to put my artwork to good use, which at this point mainly translates into financial use. Personal evolvement uses, and connecting with others uses, and keeping in touch with myself uses are all very well and good, but I like to eat and I appreciate being warm in the winter and having cool drinks in the summer and I really like to travel. All those combined make the financial uses sort of float to the top of the uses pile of most things I do, although I have to say, in my favor (?), that they don't usually manage to block out any of the other uses, for which reason I am avoiding all bills (:

With these thoughts in mind, I came across this article, which I find incredibly enlightening...

Yikes, its bigger than me!

I have learned that the strange bad-thing-ness has been running rampant - its bigger than myself! (yes, I am aware how self centered that sounds, oh well).

Last night the guy I work with had a tumble from his bicycle and scratched himself up like no other. Ouch.

And the local Chinese restaurant burnt out the motor on their blender - too bad for them, but too bad for us as well since that means smoothies are on hold for a week.

Aya!

Enough with the self-pity.

Good things that happened are that my garden not only exists after hree months absence, but has grown and is bearing fruit! Once I extracted the plants from the weeds it was just beautiful!

And my fish are still alive and healthy - hurray for automatic feeders!

I love to travel, but it does feel good to be home.

Amanda and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - oops, make that plural

It's actually become so ridiculous all I can do is laugh, but really - can it be the moon? is mercury in retrograde? did I bother some spirits at the Mayan ruins? What happened in the last couple days?

The plan was to finish the last part of getting home - a drive from Virginia to Vermont. Not exactly the nicest way to spend an entire day, but once things get going it can be pleasant enough. Except when the car breaks down an hour out. Four hours and a tow truck later we were back where we started, me with a lovely new sunburn by which to remember the occasion.

In the interests of getting back to work a.s.a.p., I went online to purchase a last minute plane ticket, and somehow managed to buy a round-trip ticket for my one-way travel. Naturally unrefundable and non-transferable. The lady at the "help" center was very clear about that in the seconds following my unfortunate purchase.

Then I stepped in gum.

Day 2. Barely made the plane, due to misunderstanding, lack of communication, and a large truck that drove right down the middle of the two-lane highway. Had to carry on all my luggage and throw out lotions, makeup, toothpaste (honestly, toothpaste? How far are we going to go in the name of "security"? - or perhaps I'd better not get started on that strain, it leads to ranting and raving and dark depressions).

Bumpy plane ride, crowded bus home, thought my troubles were over...

But no. My refrigerator had died sometime - I would say sometime in the early days of my being gone. I won't pain you with a description of what greeted me upon opening the freezer door, but lets just say it wasn't pretty. Bad enough that a new refrigerator had to be obtained.

I think that that is the end of the no-good very-badness of my last couple days. So good to be home. Ha.

Really, its not that bad. I try to think of money as inconsequential anyway, and that's really all that's lost. Now, I just have a chuckle at the absurd timing of it all. And write about it here, when it has nothing whatsoever to do with the point - aka art - but oh well.

I made a wallet this evening. May be my new crafty venture...

Home again, home again... or almost

Well, I'm just about home. Back in the United States, heading home in a couple days. Belize was amazing - I taught art for four days to some really incredible children (the fifth day we went on a field trip - yikes!). There were about 140 of them in all, divided into four groups, so it was a lot of work. The youngest were about 3, and the oldest were maybe 15, with a general array in-between. Facilities were sad - rat poo on the rickety benches and a red ant infestation in our original classroom. And it was amazingly hot. But the kids were polite and helpful, and they totally got into each project and were excited and friendly and talented. I feel so lucky to have had the chance to visit and work with these people, and I hope to return!






Loads more pictures here, and more stories to come, if y'all don't mind...?

Packin' up my bags...

I'm heading off to Belize for two weeks to teach art at a summer camp. This evening we packed up about 10 suitcases full of art supplies - I hope the kids have fun 'cause I know I sure will! Paint and felt and brushes and an absurd amount of scissors. Enough glue to - oh I don't know, but a LOT! Beads and paper and pipecleaners and tape tape tape. Its kinda like my own idea of heaven.

Anyway, I''ll be back when I'm back, with lots of pictures and more kiddie art stories.

One of the coolest things is we are taking lots of cameras - apparently donated by Kodak - and letting the kids take pictures. Then we will set them up with penpals in the states and they can send pictures of themselves!

Now I'm really leaving.

Ciao!

Happy 4th of July

"When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative." - Dr. Martin Luther King

A real life friend!

Today I visited the lovely eb in her wonderful studio. I found her blog via comments on this blog from France, and discovered that we are real life neighbors! Very neat! So I went down to say hello this afternoon, and was treated to a studio tour, a crystal singing bowl demonstration (so very very beautiful - can I come back for more?) and inspiration in the form of some fabulous collaged paintings. The funny thing is, this is such a small city, and I have been down around eb's studio area many times, but the connection was made in France!

The Red Suitcase

Over the weekend, last weekend that is (where did the week go?), I travelled to Toronto to help my parents with packing for a big move. It was finally time to pack away all the little treasures I had never taken away with me, mostly the little treasures that I would not want to lose, but that are not really vital to every day living. To pack them away in style, I went thrifting and found a perfect small red vintage suitcase.

In the course of packing, I came upon some of my grandmothers Vogue magazines, salvaged from her attic years ago (there are actually boxes of these waiting in storage for me - so good).


My packing was slowed down somewhat my the perfect picturesque-ness of the vintage mags in the vintage suitcase - perhaps I was procrastinating.

Its brilliant!

My new favorite word these days seems to be "brilliant". It actually came into my vocabulary in a sneaky sort of way - popping up unexpectedly and somewhat incongruously in the middle of a conversation. I blamed it on my concurrent engrossment in research writing and critical theory reading, and figured it was only a one time thing. But brilliant just didn't leave! And other superlatives (I feel like brilliant is a superlative, but honestly the technical meaning of the term escapes me) have also begun to insert themselves in my everyday language.



When I was little, I used to consciousely add words to my repertoire. In particular I remember, at around the age of twelve, deciding my speech reflected my "goody-goody" personality a bit too much, and so to harden my reputation, I decided to add the word "darn" to my speech patterns, feeling very tough and daring in the process, and totally proving the very thing I was trying to change.

I guess I still feel somewhat that words reflect on personality. I enjoy using interesting words, finding the exact way to convey a particular thought. I'm not sure what "brilliant" says about me these days, but I think I kind of like it.

So tired.

I am teaching a summer camp this week all about monsters. I have three neat little guys in the camp, and we make monsters of all sorts! It's really great, but Im so tired! I don't even really have a viable excuse, since the camp is only half-day and there are others around to help. But man!



This is one of the monsters created. Now we are trying to stick to a smaller scale in order to not totally freak out the parents! (how many giant octopus monsters could you fit in your home?)

News from the Aquarium

Life thrives in my fishtank. I'm not quite sure why - I admit to not being the most conscientious cleaner - but something must be right because the whole deal is getting somewhat out of hand.

First there were the babies, and they turned out to be rather fascinating. They were just specks at first, and now they have grown into actual miniature fish. I know I didn't have much to do with their success, but I have some sort of feeling of pride in their healthy growth.

Then, one day, there was a tiny little snail in the corner of the tank. I have no idea how it got there. And then there was another. And another. And soon there were 20, and now I just have no idea how many miniature snails are residing in my aquarium!



I think it is ok, because they keep the algae away - if life grows, it makes sense that it has a purpose.



In the last few days, I have made the distinction of which of my fish are the females.

They are the ones that get very fat and then have the babies.

Two more tiny little ones have appeared, and, I can only assume, more are on the way.

Oh dear.

Green is good

Sometimes I feel that soaking up as much green as possible is what gets me through the winter. As soon as the leaves start to bud, its as if I am suddenly aware of being parched and must quench that deep deep thirst. That intense green of later Spring, when the leaves are fully open but not yet dark richness of Summer, is my very favorite. That is the green I crave with more than just my eyes.



Can you see the four leafed clover? Actually, there are three.







I hope you are filled with Spring!

All Grown Up

I am officially All Grown Up. Weird.

A New Floor

When I moved into my house two years ago, one of the first jobs was tearing up old nasty floors. The living room was first, and under the aged carpet was a gorgeous hardwood floor - it didn't even need refinishing. The kitchen was next, and under the scummy linoleum was another hardwood floor, not so gorgeous. Linoleum is a nasty business, especially since the installers glued it to the floor. We scraped that thing for an entire day, flooding it with water and working at it with putty knives. Never again.

Anyway, that was the end of floor work for a while, but the combination of the fresh, bright walls and the brown mottled floor kept bugging me. So a few months ago I bought paint. And yesterday I finally got around to painting.



Actually, in this light it looks kinda nice, the next one is closer to the truth...



So nice. I love the color.



I kept stepping in the paint. It's difficult to paint a kitchen floor - how are you supposed to get to the fridge?



Love it.

A Good Cause

I just came across this site while browsing through blogs - not quite sure how I got there, but glad I did! It looks like a really wonderful organization - Women for Women International. I would tell about it, but it is probably a lot easier to go and learn for yourself!

Over the last year, I have become very interested in micro-loan and micro-credit programs and especially in craft cooperatives. Another favorite site of mine, also selling fair trade goods, is Fair Trade Quilts - their patchwork quilts by Mayan women are just amazingly gorgeous. Someday I will have one of my own!

It is difficult to be interested in doing good in the world, and to learn how hard it really is. I mean, little things are important, and little things are accomplishable - things like recycling and composting, biking and walking instead of using a car, turning the heat down, turning off lights, using insulated curtains to conserve heat - things like that. But hopefully, those things will become just a part of life, and then there is the desire to do something more. Only, when one is in school, or working, or both, so often life become busy busy busy and trying to figure out how to do this extra is a real conundrum.

I do feel that learning about all the great things that are happening, and passing the news along, is another little way to support good and combat all the horrors that seem so abundant in the world.

Enjoying My Freedom!!!

It's Spring in the North!





I had my birthday and my final presentation on the same weekend, and now I am free! Pretty nice. Now, I can concentrate on the hundreds of my own projects that I have been itching for over the past few months. Catch up on work work, and have some fun!

I have been creating some designs and graphics, and have put together a selection of gear for sale at CafePress. I intend to change the designs around as I make new ones, so check back!

Query

Why is it that with three desks (yes, three. They have different qualities) and a perfectly good kitchen table, I always end up on the floor?

This is Spring?

It's just absolutely miserable here. There's just no other way to say it. This is the view from my back window...





Particularly, I want to draw your attention to the snow that is covering the rooftops. Last year at this time the temperature was in the 70s. We were having classes outdoors. It was actually Spring. This year, Im just not convinced.

The good part in all this nastiness is that the overwhelming desire to be outside soaking up the sun and the warmth and the infant green-ness is not here and is therefore not playing its devilish role in the procrastination process. To be sure, I do not need any other procrastination temptations, I have plenty and am doing my darnedest to ignore their siren calls.

So, since I cannot chase the clouds away and bring back the Spring goodness that seemed so close a week ago, I am taking the view that this is all for the best, and am dedicating myself to finishing all the papers and projects that have been piling high. Things are going good. And when I need a lift, I sit and stare at the fishes and soak up some of their tropical cheerfulness.

No time for pictures!

I am stitching and stitching and figuring out patterns and just hard at work! Additionally, I have another project begun, with a presentation due this week. This is for a class on art and literary criticism, so I have decided to look at the Arts and Crafts Movement and try to build a model room (at least) inspired by those of William Morris and Co. Luckily, I don't think everything must be finished by the presentation date.

The last few days I have been thinking a lot about how I am connecting all my projects into one area, wondering if this is laziness, or a positive focus in my direction. I am actually inclined towards the second conclusion, not only because it means I don't have to rethink all the projects and papers for the next month, but because I honestly believe I have so many interests that limiting myself for the time being to only following maybe a dozen just won't ruin the rest of my life. It seems to me that simplification is a sort of keyword for more and more people these days, and it would not hurt me to give it a try.

That said, I have an inherent and somewhat overpowering desire to follow every intriguing thought that enters my head. Possibly I should just scrap the whole idea of artistic endeavours and become a detective.

like the proverbial bee

I've just been so busy, what with all this quilting going on, that I have not had a chance to snap a photo of any of it. Ofcourse, I haven't only been quilting. Quite truthfully, not a whole lot of that has been going on. Instead, I have been travelling...



... and working...



... and trying to catch up on schoolwork.

Tonight I painted. It was good.