Wow! I have been busy....

I almost forgot about my blog! Work and play!

Above...playful test of new art supplies...

Now overview of the last 6 weeks...+

Sitting on a motorcycle at the first day of Bikes Blues and BBQ ....only because the owner insisted and then the photo....I'm there for BBQ and to enjoy try to enjoy the scene!

No biker clothes for this babe!

Then down to Clark County....

Visiting my brother, and painting on his front porch.

Enjoying the last flowers of summer in our front yard!

 

Celebrating my birthday with Mr. P and friend Karen at "Cardamom and Curry" restaurant!

 

 

 

YUM!!!

 

Painting abstract flowers...

 

Sewing pillowcases for grandchildren.

Playing with slightly wacky quilting!

 

And finishing a quilt top which Mom started!

Taking a morning workshop on "migrating geese" quilt and piecing this...

Which has now been quilted by another member of the group and will be auctioned in .december!

 

Knitting sweaters for grandsons..

 

 

 

 

Lovely yarn, washable wool by Cascade! Could knit on that smooth softness forever!

 

 

Making a colander into a "basket" for an auction at a quilt group!

 

Sewing microwave bowl potholders...

Visiting Eureka Springs!

 

Thinking of grandkids!

 

Painting this grandchild!

Hanging out with friends....

Donating another painting to a woman who offers life coaching to a diverse group of women....

That's all for tonight...maybe I will come back and edit, filling in more details later!

 

More quilting, garden moments and painting possibilities ...

" I dwell in possibility"......Emily Dickinson

What to do today....work on paintings? I have several canvases "gessoed" and ready....the studio is pleasant, too!

This bouquet I keep working with.....enjoying the process....

I have some quilts in progress too...the one below is another low volume, Sunday Morning (from the book by that name) quilt...should I put it together?

....One thing seems to be emerging....from my possibilities.....I will work on a blogging post! LOL!

...flash back to the last post...I have finished the strawberry pink binding on this quilt...my scrappy, chunky, perle cotton quilted, English floral quilt! love it, it is so light and fluffy, not weighted down with heavy quilting!

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Yesterday, when I got home from work, I sat in my quiet garden corner....doing nothing for a while...just dwelling and resting.

Drinking in the lovely evening ...

[you know iPads have a super resolution camera when they capture wrinkles and pores which don't show up in the mirror! LOL!]

Looking at my little garden patch, I found some strawberries starting to ripen! Wow!

I wonder if some creature will get to them before we decide they are ready to eat?

From this little patch where I scattered leaf lettuce seed in March, we are getting several salads per week now!

Reading is another possibility.....I was reading this book this morning....

I got it for $1.50 at our library used book shop. It was published in 1973. I love books from that era...I was a newly wed bride. Making quilts for my home was something I really hoped to do! This book reminds me of the beginnings of that adventure!

I smile as I read..."Quilting has certain advantages over other forms of needlework. For one thing, it's far less expensive than most. There is no need to go to an expensive shop for supplies and instructions. Once the basics are mastered, the crafter can duplicate any quilted item simply by studying it. The materials can be cut from old clothes,* sheets! and slipcovers that had been intended for no better use than dust rags. At worst, materials can be purchased for the most nominal sums as remnants at fabric outlet shops. The most extravagant piece of equipment is a sewing machine, which most women probably already own.** And even that is not absolutely necessary. After all, our ancestors did some remarkable work without them."

Oh, for those frugal times, not spending $11.00 /yard for designer cotton fabrics resulting in quilt tops alone which cost upwards of $150.00... !

* I did cut up some summer pj's to use in my "low volume" quilt! along with lots of remnants!

**over the years I have had several sewing machines! I think there are 6 down there now....no wonder I feel that I should always be doing/making something, to justify having them! Oh my!

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Back to those canvases now...maybe while listening to an audio book! One way to do 2 things at once!

 

Windows 8 and Grandmother's Window quilt

This morning, I am working with the newly installed Windows 8 on this computer.
I think I will like it.....but of course there is a learning curve!

All the photos we had on Windows 7 seem to have evaporated [very bad!...or a clean start?]

So, I do have a "window" photo to share, tee hee.....one of the few I have at the moment on this new program (just now saved to this computer by emailing it over from my iPad....oh, what a complex web this is becoming!)...

 

 

Ta dah!

 The quilt is called, Through Grandmother's Window.

We  have been enjoying it the last week on our bed, but now I need to add a hanging sleeve so that it can go into our guild's quilt show soon!

 

 

And here is another photo.....of a blanket and soccer ball [pattern from Anna Maria Horner's book, "SEAMS TO ME"] made and sent to my grandson, Wesley.

 

 

And since I am having fun....and Blogger is finally uploading photos for me, here is one more!

It is a page from my art journal last week, a bouquet of orange tulips and a blue striped mug (I just  love those stripes!)

Attention! this is my post # 1,000!

This textile artist with permanently blue hands knows the

Power of INDIGO !

Aboubakar Fofana has worked for years in Africa, France, Japan and Great Britain to preserve the ancient dying techniques for these beautiful textiles.

I had first read about him in "Indigo in search of the Color which Seduced the World", a wonderful travel and adventure by Catherine McKinley.

Last week my friend Paula brought me a back issue of "Traditional Homes" magazine, April 2009, which featured an article about him.
This piqued my interest and I found a lot on the Internet.

Blogger Holli Zollinger writes about these textiles here .

You can read more about Catherine McKinley HERE .
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All this thinking about indigo seems appropriate for this my 1,000th post!
When I impulsively started blogging, I named my blog by "pulling" two words "out of the air", hence "indigo" (a color I loved!) and "pears" so ordinary but still fascinating to an artist!

I am considering taking an on-line indigo dying class with Shibori Girl . I have enjoyed using her textiles in my art work recently!

Blogging in the SLOW zone!

Today, I have tried to upload a photo.....took a shower while waiting for it to finish uploading... (and no, it was not a large digital photo). It still hadn't finished when I came back just now.

So, how do I show you ruffled diaper covers (like you really want to see them even thought they are CUTE! LOL!), all the latest projects from my sewing room, photos of my grandbabies, my art work.... and recipes, etc.?
Our "new" computer has been nothing but a headache. DH ("Bless his heart" and mine too!) has worked for hours, removing and re-installing data and software programs. This is not progress!

I was perfectly happy with my old computer....and may try to set it up again. I miss posting and visiting your blogs. [If things don't improve, I will have to go back to doing my art journal scrapbooks which I was faithful to before I was blogging!]
Now, off to read some blogs and then to yoga class.....and to my part time job.
Hope you all have a good day, free from technical difficulties!

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Later...I WAS able to upload the photo (lots of pink, bibs, sleep sacks, fleece stroller blankets) of my latest sewing for the twins just now. Good!

One last piece of trivia....for those of us who are always reading British novels and watching the BBC.... here is an article explaining the origin of the expletive "Bloody" which has always puzzled me. (note the article was from 1914!)

"Bloody" is a centuries old corruption of the oath "By our Lady!". Makes sense!

Saturday, UPDATE:

Experiencing intense muscle spasms the last few days, (and having visited both a walk-in-clinic and then a chiropractor) I stayed off the Rx's and just tried to let my body heal itself. I rested and read 3 books...but relaxing was hard for me. Feeling guilty for missing work...etc..

Doing things became more and more difficult and painful. Finally last night, when I hurt so bad (both arms now) and couldn't even hold the telephone while talking to daughter Laura, I decided to go back on all the Rx's including the methylprednisolone. Today, I am just resting and hoping.....not able to "DO" anything, watch movies and sleep. I know that being able to relax is a big part of healing...and that has included a few gentle yoga stretches.
Now, I must quit typing too! [although, doing this "creative" blog post has probably relaxed me more than anything else for days! Blogging to relieve tension...like journaling it IS good for us!]

This Saturday October 3rd (tomorrow!) I will be participating in a blogging studio tour to celebrate this publication!

Some of you may not know that I have other blogs for my various creative outlets. The tour will be here! I hope you will come by and see the studio! [and my other blogs!]
Meanwhile, I will be working today and tomorrow. Looking forward to more creative time on Sunday!

Changes to my art space/sewing studio.
Last night we hung this shelf, a gift from my friend, Cheryl. I had painted it turquoise before we hung it. Filling it with little objects was lots of fun!

One object is a retablo of St. Teresa, painted by my sister. You can also see (click on the photo for closer look...) a crow feather and ATC (artist's trading card, 2"x3") of a crow and a girl drawn by an artist in Russia.. a nesting doll also from Russia, artwork by Tammy Mimms, little African beaded dolls, a painting by a Southern folk artist whose first name is Jesse Lavon(it is of a quilt sale at a rural church),a "bellsnickle" black papiermache cat, and a photograph of a friend in her office....

Meet my friend, Macrina Wiederkehr. I've treasured this photo for a number of years! The little Amish doll was a gift from me. I was hoping to find the secret to a SIMPLE, PEACEFUL life, and had been reading about the Amish. Macrina is a spiritual director , poet and author of 7 published books. She has just opened a blog, poetically named, "Under the Sycamore Tree" . I know you will love visiting with her through her posts!

Now I have some other friends coming to see my quilts and studio this evening. I'm off to find a recipe for a tuna pasta salad AND to tidy up all around here! LOL!

It has been a weekend of blessings.... the word above is a "wall word" on our family room wall. This clock is on the mantel in the same room and beside it stands the figure named,

"Blessings"......she is a graceful Willow Tree figure by Susan Lordi. She reminds us of our granddaughter who usually wears her lovely hair just like this! We were blessed with the gift of this figurine by our friend Karen. Thanks again, Karen!!!!!

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I am blessed, I am lucky, I am a winner!

JoAnn at Pieceful Afternoon drew my name for her embroidery pattern giveaway! I was a winner and chose the bird embroideries.

Thank you, JoAnn. I may share these with my granddaughter who is learning to embroider!