wow, not sew much but...

I can show white stuff.  Not too exciting but I am sewing the curtains for my fabric shelves.  They'll do double duty as design walls.  I got better rods but the Rooster needs to make the last box for the top of the third bookcase.

A different kind of worktable. This is the dining room table.  The gate-leg table turned out so well, I decided to try this oak one.  In my haste I made a mess and my dsil re sanded it for me and I tried again.  Much better and now it needs some wax.

The ground itself has become a work table.  The rain has been causing some delays but progress is being made and mostly by my tenacious Rooster!

Then a nice cover for the worktable and it was time to get messy as we worked on a series of backgrounds.

We had the room to spread out and work on half a dozen pages at a time.

Fun!

And some more fun!

Just because...

I do like IKEA and I could not leave this shower curtain behind.  I couldn't get it out of my mind since the first time I saw it.  Coming from a quilting background I have been making my seasonal shower curtains.  Just because...

Maybe it is time to think about making whole cloth shower curtains with fabric paint, stencils, stamps, screens, etc.  Just because...

I have been trying to go slowly with the redecorating.  I left 4 screws in the wall just because those were not going to change!  vbsigh  Not!  I had way too much clutter before,  I am a thinking.   lol   I also want to move away from traditional.  Somehow I have gotten myself entrenched in it and at heart I am much more modern.  So, I need to cover those four screws with a thoroughly modern painting.  Just because...

But this shower curtain has me rethinking my whole design plan.  A quilt thrown over the chair back is one thing but maybe I don't have to cover every flat surface and bare spot on the walls with quilted objects just because...  

I'm trying to get up to speed slowly.  I'm searching for a good start for the day.  Early morning is a good creative time.  I need to remember the Keep It Simple, Sweetheart! principle.  I'm trying very hard to keep a tight reign on my 'pedal to the metal' mentality.

Just because...

Blue?

I have finally figured it out! 

Some things stay the same.  These little blue flowers come up every year in my Secret Shade garden.  But some things also change.  The lime green ground covers spread and some even revert back to regular green.  :(

This little guy, whose very common name escapes me, starts out blue, fades to pink and finishes very pale, almost white. 

But things don't stay the same.  They are ever evolving, changing.  So I shouldn't be surprised to find I'm changing and what I like to do changes.

 

The Rooster pointed out that I kinda sink into a slump come spring.  He is likely right.  So I need to remember to take the green juice before I waste too much time! lol

This spring quarter has seriously gone awry.  I will not, even with a good and productive week  make all my goals.

So, or should I say sew...

I shall give it my best shot and we will see how much spring I have yet left within me!  ;^)

The books will be the first to be set aside.  I took the first,  Photography & the art of seeing,  when I was away.  Next time I will travel much lighter as I had no time for my good intentions.  lol

I don't want to rush this so I will continue it and press on into the digital photography in the summer.

 

I want to learn good creative habits that will lead to developing my own imagery.   To do that I need to be  

S E E I N G !

 

Now I hope I've chased those blues away.  In fact, baby blue is my least favourite colour. 

Look out!  It may be a late spring in a lot of respects but I'm still hopeful!  Let's sing,  "Blue skies,  smiling at me.  Nothing but blue skies, do I see."   :)

Green with a dash of yellow!

The green juice is having the desired effect.  My motor is revving nicely. 

I am trying to smell the flowers but I'm mostly limited to the dandelions at the moment!

Eliana has been visiting and we started out this morning in my clean studio.  She had options but painting is the favourite thing to do.

 
We did  spend some time weeding.  Eliana  was in charge of the telling the big chickens to stay inside the gate when I brought the weeds.  We have two roosters and one is The Boss and the other flies over the fence when things are looking green as in 'jealousy'.

Then we went to pick up this year's chicks
.  

The meat birds will be brown birds so the chicks are various colourings.

The future layers are yellow and will be white.

Little chicks!  It is good to take time to smell the flowers and cuddle the chicks! :)

The whole darn work table!

Well, I didn't think it could be done but I found 'another' arrangement for the Coop and Saucer Playroom.  I had gotten a used Big Shot Pro and it fits better on the old office cupboard with a large piece of melamine on top to allow the tray to move and the handle to keep out of harms way.  It is heavy.  I am able to access all three sides of the large craft table now.  And I am going to do my darnedest to keep it clear of  'stuff'!

Mixed Media is all along the south wall.   I need to buy better/longer shelves but I don't want them too deep.  I'm learning to keep things within reach.  The far corner will be for stamping as I padded that top and I'll spread the stamps in those long drawers.  My old sit down sewing cabinet is at the fourth side, in front of the window.  It is a bit lower than the worktable but that is good as it  holds and corrals all the rulers and papers I use and they don't overflow all over. 

My sewing area is greatly reduced.  Hopefully it won't be too hard to re figure for the few large quilts I need to finish up.  I also lost my ironing station but I do have a new ironing board I can set up in the hallway.  The pegboard will hold sewing accessories as soon as I get time to get them up.  I need to organize some drawers but I think this will work okay.  I also have white feather ticking which was wide and really cheap so I'll make those design walls a bit bigger and smoother!  ;)

Creativity 101 went well today with the new set up!

And...

I couldn't resist letting you know what my dear grand daughter thinks of it all!    Her papa was getting his Canadian citizenship last week and she grew weary in waiting!  lol

May BE

Where has this first quarter of 2013 gone?

With prep for my trip, the trip and then the cold and sniffles after the return ...  I could add that I now have 2 house guests, neither of whom drive!  :(

I need to reclaim my Spring plan and give the green light to progress.

 I obviously benefit from some green coloured spring tonic as every spring I seem to get lethargic.  So I'm back on the green stuff and fast coming up to speed.

I definitely benefit from a plan and I'll be jotting down some ideas and looking at the old list.

But the idea is just to go, go, GO!

Silently Summing Up!

Time to fly again!

                           Awk! We haven't had any New York cheese cake yet!   Breakfast anyone?

                                                      One last visit at the library gift shop.

                                                         I definitely supported the library!

A last look out of the window  and last room check.  If I had found something it wouldn't have fit in my bag!

One more cup of coffee and something light as I felt I'd eaten about all I could during the last week.

                                                       Very tasty herb and Parmesan fries.

The weather had turned again and we were delayed leaving which made for some interesting dashes as we tried for our connecting flight out of Toronto.  But we did it and I managed to keep up and stay on my feet.  Next time I won't be dragging a carry on!  :(   I hadn't seen the welcome sign when we arrived.  It must be a sign that I will return one day! And that I would look forward to doing. :)

Divide and Conquer

Friday!

We slept in just a wee bit!  And then...   shopping!

An American Girl store.  LOL    I need to bring my grand daughters.  Only I would would buy souvenirs for my dolls first.  lol

The buildings are so interesting and inside there is lots to see.  Not quite so much to buy. ;^)

I wanted to go back the the library!  My friend wanted to buy clothes so we agreed to meet back at the hotel.

The architecture was awesome and there a display of prints that showed the artist's process very well.

Then I was hungry and I can always find the book stores.  In this case a Barnes and Noble.  :)

St Patrick's Cathedral was nearby and had been recommended as a 'must see'.

I haven't been in a lot of cathedral's and this is pretty impressive.  The outside is shrouded as the restoring continues.  I'm not sure what to think of camera's clicking at the same time as people are trying to pray.  :0

I knew there were a couple of museums close but I saw and recognized this name right close to St. Patrick's.

So I had to go in.  I made a friend and added some new things to my cosmetic bag.  Every time I apply blush  over my soon to be wrinkle free face I shall now think of NYC!  lol

Way too many books and bottles.  Would I like a ride back the hotel???   SURE!

My new friend had recommended the view from the Mandarin Hotel which is on the opposite end of Central Park.  My old friends were game and we had just the loveliest time.  A lovely memory to finish off our time.

                                              Very classy, but then it was our very last night!  

Again, blurry.  But can you see the faeries!  

That is moss with glass flowers.

The view really was amazing.  I wish I'd had more time for the park.  My bicycle driver had offered his services for our last morning but it wasn't to be.  :(

We had a relaxing walk back and again enjoyed the magic that seems to permeate New Your City.