Over the Moon

Timeout

2012-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:00

As you can see, my blog is having some major hiccups. During the last month the background I've been using became corrupted, and I've been unable to remove the template and replace it. Until I find someone who is much more knowledgeable than myself about HTML, and Blogger, to help me out I won't be posting here. I've started to post some photos of what I've been working on over at facebook. If interested, you can friend me at here or under "Suzanne Reynolds". Thanks.

Day After

2011-12-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

The Portland Art Collective holiday show is over for another year and I'm feeling gratitude and relief; thankful for having spent two fun days with over 20 of my art friends and their work, and relieved that I can now clean things up at home and move on to new projects. These are a couple of shots of my space.

The show was quite a success! We had good attendance and sales that exceeded all previous years. The publicity committee did an excellent job of getting the word out. Robin Olsen, who started our group and Lorraine Jones, chairperson of the show, were interviewed at a local community radio station last week which you can listen to here.
All of the participants worked very hard to make the show a great time for us and our guests.

Edit: Lots more photos posted to the PAC blog, thanks to Dayna!

what's going on over here

2011-11-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Just popping in to say "hello" and share some of the holiday goodness that is developing in my little workshop. The Portland Art Collective holiday show is only two short weeks away and true to form, I'm feverishly creating things to fill my space at the last hour. These rag ball ornaments will hang on the "danglie tree" at the show. They're made of muslin and silk sari scraps wrapped around a foam ball.

The inexpensive rubber stamp sets I purchased here makes quick work of personalizing the muslin ribbon; the individual letters snap together...viola!

Some of these little matryoshka dolls will sit in a basket on my table and others will hang on the tree.

Lots of hooky business going on here, too, making crocheted scarves.

And sewing a few totes, as well. Somehow... it will all get done in time.

field trip

2011-10-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

A trip to the farm in Hood River, Oregon to get apples...but first, a stop along the Columbia at Cascade Locks for lunch.
Most of the flowers at the farm were a little past their prime but they still looked colorful on this beautiful fall day.

Someone had a little fun with the produce.

Loads of pumpkins everywhere.

And the stuff of pies and good eating.

"Nothing is worth more than this day".

--Goethe

wired!

2011-10-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

I came across an article recently written by Inna Gorshtein for Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine (Sept. 2011) on making scarf pins with wire and beads and decided to try my hand at making a few of my own.
Wire jewelry is something I've enjoyed doing for a while. Sharilyn Miller's book "Bead on a Wire" is my favorite go-to resource on the subject.

I seem to be on a roll with these pins...they are really fun to make. They are worked with 16 and 20 gauge brass wire, oxidized in a solution of Novacan Black Patina and water, then put through a tumbler with stainless steel shot for strength and a final polish.

I think they would look nice on a scarf, shawl, or sweater.

flying lessons

2011-09-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

Delicious color! Super-talented artist Helen Shafer Garcia was teaching this week at the Art and Soul Retreat in Portland and I grabbed the opportunity to take her "Batik Flora and Fauna" workshop. The colorful, folk art quality of Helen's current work really resonated with me. The class combined watercolor painting and collage, and I was completely hooked!

Helen is an excellent teacher with a fun sense of humor and laid-back style.

There was a pile of inspirational material to choose from in class to get us started.

I almost had this finished by the end of class, which was satisfying. Can't wait to do more!

working on

2011-09-14T10:19:00.001-07:00

I've been on a jewelry-making jag lately...getting a head start on some things for the PAC holiday show. Some of the soldered pendants I made a few months ago are now necklaces.

The findings and beads collected in the past year or so are coming together for earrings.

Did I mention that I am the "featured artist" for this month on the Portland Art Collective blog?
If you scroll down a bit there, you'll find my moment in the spotlight. :)

treasures...and oysters

2011-09-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a good summer for treasure hunting...this last weekend in Astoria, Oregon and on the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington was some of the best. Art buddies Paula and Jan joined me this time for a little relaxation and fun at the coast. Our first stop was in Astoria where we visited several shops and galleries. And there were cupcakes, oh yes! But I think our favorite place in town was Dots 'N Doodles art supply store; amazing goods and the shop owners are beyond great!
There were several spots out on Long Beach Peninsula to find vintage goodies, including Raven's Haven and Nahcotta Antiques and Collectibles.

The weather was brilliant...these gulls were catching a few rays on Willapa Bay near Oysterville.

We looked on as bags of newly harvested oysters were unloaded at the dock.

We all agreed that this trip was a perfect way to spend one of our last summer weekends.

city by the bay

2011-08-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Throngs of tourists. The smells of sourdough bread and steaming crab pots along the wharf. The familiar sight of that famous bridge. Barking sea lions and street musicians. One brief day in San Francisco, my birthday. And I enjoyed every minute.

The Golden Gate is more interesting to see from the water below.

The best name in bread.

Need I say more?

An evening stroll along the wharf.

These boisterous salmon-nabbers seem to be much more welcome here than below the damn on the Columbia River.

Watching the sun set behind Alcatraz from the end of the pier. It's corny, and printed on every other tee-shirt in the City, but....I do love San Francisco.

charming gardeners

2011-07-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

summer scenes

2011-06-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

I didn't want this month to end without adding a few more photos here; a somewhat random sampling of the last week or so, mostly at the coast.

A Bald Eagle!...sitting on the beach near Ocean Park, Washington; seeming to wait for the fisherman to throw something its way.

My favorite Oysterville garden; there are different things blooming at each spring and summer visit. This time the garden was full of Foxglove (digitalis purpurea). Those tall stalks of flowers are really striking.

There were a lot of dogs hanging out at the Saturday Market in Ilwaco; I think Charlie took the prize for "coolest canine".

My friend, Cynthia, shopping for felted goods at the Market.

We picked up some fresh salmon for dinner, which Cynthia cooked perfectly. Yum!!

At home, the new sewing machine was given a first run on a quilt project.

I hope you are enjoying this season.

a june give-away

2011-06-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

I really love June; the days are so long, and even though it's not quite summer-y yet in the Northwest, you can feel that it's near. A few of my pals have, or are about to have, new grand babies this month. Everything is lush and green from our wet spring. I celebrated my daughter's birthday. Enjoyed time with friends--and some days alone at the beach. Made a few things, and brought home a new sewing machine. A full month it's been, already.

I'm offering up a couple of my pieces at the Portland Art Collective blog this month; a hand-bound blank journal and soldered pendant necklace. Just hop on over to the PAC blog and leave a comment at the June Give-Away post to enter the drawing to have both of these items sent your way.

workshop with Rogene Manas

2011-06-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Art by Rogene Manas

Rogene Manas traveled to Portland from her home in Eugene, Oregon this month to open an exhibit of her work at the Guardino Gallery and teach a 2-day workshop at Collage on Alberta Street. Lucky us! Rogene was featured recently on the OPB program, "Oregon Art Beat" and you can view her segment here.

In class, we learned how to use paper clay to create dimensional artwork that resembles wood carving, a distinctive feature of Rogene's work. Starting with a sketch, I chose an image of a familiar figure in my yard as inspiration, a scrub jay.

After transferring the sketch to rolled-out paper clay, the piece was cut out with an exacto knife and attached to a board. The clay was "carved" while wet with the help of a wooden clay shaping tool.

After allowing the clay parts to air-dry overnight, we returned the next day to paint and finish our pieces. Rogene taught a "dark to light" painting technique, which gives her work a folk art look. Some of us added paper collage to our backgrounds; I used some torn dress pattern tissue.

I was happy with the final result and look forward to doing more with what I learned this weekend...so many possibilities come to mind!

new tricks

2011-06-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

I've long admired the soldering projects done by my art friends, and recently took some instruction from one of those multi-talented friends, Jan Harris. Here, Jan is demonstrating how to begin assembling a tiny glass box to hold some teensy-tiny treasures...

My completed ornament, holding a frozen Charlotte doll and little key...all suspended by a chain with soldered charm...which led to more charms and ornaments later on at home...

As you can see, I've gotten a little carried away with my new skills. These pieces will be incorporated into jewelry and ornaments for the PAC holiday show in December.

Jan is an excellent teacher and frequently offers classes at the Collage store on Alberta in Portland. I'd highly recommend taking a workshop with Jan, and visiting this store!

otter bliss

2011-06-06T12:04:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh, it must be summer yet.

I spent some very enjoyable moments watching the sea otters at the Oregon Coast Aquarium over Memorial Day weekend. Really, it doesn't get any cuter than this. Next time you get out to the coast, don't miss the otters and other wonderful creatures at the aquarium in Newport.

gone fishin'

2011-05-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Mixed media piece by Alissa Clark from Alissa Clark Clayworks

Not really. But I will be away from here for a while...to work on projects around home, and to enjoy the sunshine that is trying to make its way into the Pacific Northwest. I'll be checking back in when the sawdust is swept up.

In the meantime...

"make everything with love"

works of heart

2011-04-19T09:46:00.001-07:00

Cherri stitching a quilt binding in her studio.

I was supposed to be somewhere else last week, but a change of plans found me at one of the quilting bees for Quilts for Quake Survivors at Cherri's "Sew On" studio in North Portland. It was a real pleasure meeting Cherri, and other members of the Portland Modern Quilt Guild; including Susan and Daniela who are leading this effort.

Rachel, wearing red, at the helm of the quilting machine, worked her magic on several quilts.

Paula brought her photography equipment to record the quilts...this one is mine.

A yummy quilt being photographed. Some of the quilts will be sold on etsy for Mercy Corps, and others will go directly to Japan.

Monica took a few shots of her blocks up on the design board. I've been following Monica's awesome (and funny!) blog for some time so it was a nice surprise to meet her in person at the quilting bee.

It was a productive couple of days at Cherri's studio, and a very good time.

for the eyes...and taste buds

2011-04-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's always satisfying to come away from a class with something you'll enjoy for some time to come. Such is the case with this "wood collage totem" I created in Karen Michel's workshop at Artfest this year. It was fun to put all these bits and pieces together...some from my stash and others from friends. Karen is a wonderful artist and teacher...I'd highly recommend that you check out her work, and take a class, if you have the chance.

And something tasty...Smoked Salmon Spread

1 8-oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese, softened
4-6 oz. smoked salmon (not lox)
2 Tablespoons Best Foods mayo
juice of half a lemon
1-1/2 teaspoons dried dill or 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce, a few dashes, or more to taste
3-4 green onions, chopped

Put all in food processor and pulse til smooth. Garnish as desired with chopped green onions and lemon slice. Store in fridge a while to develop flavor. Yum!

signs of spring

2011-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

One of the things we enjoyed most during the stay in our house at Artfest was the presence of these beautiful tulips on the kitchen table, provided by Tory and artfully arranged here by Dayna. Love, love all the color inspiration...

This is what was outside my own kitchen when returning home. There's nothing that looks more promising in the yard than the beginnings of lilacs.

I'll have things from Artfest to share soon...

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them"

--Henri Matisse

Courthouse Steps

2011-04-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

That's the name for this variation of a log cabin quilt pattern.. although it might be one crazy and colorful courthouse! It looks right at home flung over the mossy backyard fence. I just finished piecing the top and it will soon be quilted for the Quilts for Quake Survivors benefit auction.

Next week, I'll be traveling to Port Townsend, Washington for Artfest! Can't wait to be with friends and learn some new art tricks in my classes there. See you when I get back...

hello...it's been a while

2011-03-25T11:19:00.001-07:00

Spring weather couldn't be far away...wishful thinking! I finally finished this chain stitch sampler, which makes me think of the things this season brings. Rebecca Ringquist is a favorite embroidery artist of mine and she designs a series of samplers which are a good exercise in stitching. You can find ready-to-stitch linen samplers at her etsy shop.

I found another great Japanese stitching book recently at the Kinokuniya Bookstore near Portland. They carry a large selection of crafting books; the text is Japanese but most have excellent diagrams for executing the projects with relative ease.

Switching gears a bit...I have in hand my finished sgraffito ceramic tiles, which Maggie was so kind to fire and glaze. This was part of the work accomplished at our pottery play date at the Kennedy Creek studio. What fun!

what a week, part two

2011-02-06T21:35:00.001-08:00

Just a couple of days after returning home from Olympia, I was off to Tucson to enjoy a visit with Libby, my friend and fellow jewelry artist. The trip was planned to coincide with the Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show events that take place each year in Tucson. Libby guided us through 3 of her favorite bead shows during my short stay. It was a bit of a shopping frenzy, I must admit, mixed together with a load of inspiration.

One of my favorite vendors was Sandra Younger of The Knotty-Do-It-All, a design board that makes knotted cord jewelry much easier to create. Sandra made a bracelet for me using one of the charms I got from the Green Girl Studios booth, and I came home with one of her boards.
I found some nice things at Akonye Kena's booth; some hand-dyed fabric, a couple of bags, and a handmade photo album. This organization partners with young artisans in Africa to provide a venue for selling their goods, including colorful beads made of recycled paper.

A few other little treasures that found their way into my bags.

The time passed all too quickly but it was a great seeing Libby and catching up with her, eating great Mexican food (!!!), and experiencing a little bit of Tucson.

what a week, part one

2011-02-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, buddies Debi and Tory piled into my vehicle and the three of us set out to Olympia, Washington for a clay play weekend at the lovely home and studio of our friend and potter extraordinaire, Maggie Roberts. Maggie and her hubs, Dave, are the owner-artists of Kennedy Creek Pottery.

In the studio teacher Maggie expertly led us through several projects; here with Debi and Tory on either side, busy with their creations.

I was so pleased with my birdhouse! Tory and I each made one of these to add to our gardens when they are fired and glazed.

We created a village of pottery houses; some are painted with colored slip (liquid clay).

And here are the tiles we made using the sgraffito technique, carving through dark slip to reveal white porcelain clay beneath. This was great fun! My tiles are at center and upper-center.

Thanks to our hosts Maggie, Dave, and Spud the wonder-Corgi, we had an amazing time.

january pastimes

2011-01-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

Week One of Misty Mawn's online workshop "Stretching Within" has given me a jumpstart in the drawing and sketching department. I'm really looking forward to this week's "Painting" section; it will no doubt take me beyond the 5-week course to explore all of the assignments in this class. Misty has put together an amazing collection of lessons, videos, and opportunities for sharing our work online.

And then there is the purging and organizing going on in my workspace.

It feels good to know that I'll have an easier time finding things when starting new projects.

Bright and shiny bits bring a little spark to this time of year, when days of darkness and rain are the norm in my part of the world.

thoughts at year's end

2010-12-29T20:07:00.000-08:00

Each year seems to go by more quickly than the one before...I'm always left at the end of December with a feeling of how things were, both good and bad. For me, 2010 was a journey of self-improvement, discovery, and creativity, with only few bumps along the way. My intention is to carry some of the good things into the next 12 months. This lovely piece made by art pal Gloria Sowell reminds me of that.
I enjoy thinking about the year ahead and making a few new plans; of travel, of stretching creatively, of doing things that have been put off for one reason or another. What are your intentions for 2011?

Happy New Year--wishing you love, friendship, and laughter.
Suzanne

"The experience of joy is why we're here"
--Chris Roberts-Antieau

deep breath

2010-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that the 4th PAC "Open Doors" Show and Sale has come and gone. November was a whirlwind of preparation; it definitely was a busy time for those of us who work to a deadline. Now we are left with many good memories of last weekend when we performed like clockwork to set up our signature doors with the help of family and friends, prepared our booths, worked assigned shifts, greeted visitors--and took down the whole shebang in less than an hour!

These are photos of my booth and some of the things I made for the show. More pictures of the show are posted at my Flicker space, and you can see and read more at the PAC blog. We're already looking forward to next year.

holiday crafty

2010-11-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

I've been pretty busy here but wanted to take a moment to mention the holiday issue of this great e-zine from Amy Powers of Inspire co. It's full of projects contributed by many craft designers that would be a lot of fun to do with your family, or anytime around the holidays. And it's free! A labor of love. Thanks to Amy.

It's A Giveaway!

2010-10-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

The Portland Art Collective has a monthly giveaway, and for October it's a beautiful glass chandelier journal created by the talented Tory Brokenshire! So head over here and just leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.

the truth about cats and dogs

2010-10-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

As you can see, things have gotten a little silly over here. I stitched and stuffed some flannel friends over the weekend, hoping these softies will find new homes for the holidays. Really, who could resist a cat in bird clothing?

2010-10-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

It would be difficult to catch up on everything that's been going on the last few weeks...let's just say it's been a great time with friends, and art. An awesome quilt show, a week of workshops at the Art and Soul Retreat nearby in Portland, having fun guests stay here with me, enjoying good food, a little shopping here and there for vintage treasures...what could be better? Now, it's back to the business end of life. Picking up the slack at home, and making some progress in my workspace before the next session of art and friends at the PAC retreat at Menucha in a couple of weeks.

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of."

~Blaise Pascal

dragonboat adventure

2010-08-30T10:57:00.001-07:00

The women of the Portland Art Collective enjoyed an outing on the Willamette River, thanks to Tory's cousin, Les, who coaches a dragonboat team in Portland. Les agreed to guide our group in the fundamentals of paddling a dragonboat. I decided to forego the paddling, playing photographer and cheerleader instead. Go team!

Here are the ladies, all decked out in full pirate regalia, taking final instructions from Coach Les before leaving the dock.

And they're off!

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

After arriving back at the docks,Paula, Tory, and the rest of the crew headed for land to enjoy a pizza lunch...and more laughs.

color and pattern

2010-08-26T19:49:00.001-07:00

Ta-da...the finished top of the "quick" quilt I started last month. Since then my sewing machine has been in the shop for a tune-up and various summer activities have delayed completion...not to mention my short attention span for sewing a zillion (OK, 195) four-and-a-half-inch squares together. I do love simple patchwork, though.

Another recent project...painting up a box of drawers. I've used this color on a few other things around the house lately..."City Chartreuse" from Valspar (at Lowe's).

More progress on quilting today. I think this one belongs at the beach house.

a week in pictures

2010-08-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

It feels like summer is winding down. I've taken a bit of a break from blogging while just enjoying the season. We spent a few beautiful days last week in Mt. Rainier National Park. I captured the mountain one morning at Reflection Lakes.

Walking in shady groves of old growth forest.

And through high meadows of wildflowers. The scent was incredible!

Visited many waterfalls--this one is Myrtle Falls, on one of the trails above Paradise Inn.

It was a great little vacation; and not far away from home!

So, fast-forward a few days and here I am in a completely different place--with my daughter on my birthday at the American Idol Tour concert in Portland. I must not be that old as I still seem to enjoy this kind of thing.

Now, I look forward to catching up at home; to settle down and get back to making things again...

smile of the day

2010-08-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Report card, John Muir Junior High.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend. :)

coasting

2010-07-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

A few views from the last weekend...living the weather I dream about in January!

Haystack Rock from Tolovana Beach, Oregon. A favorite stop for lunch at Mo's.

Crab sammie indulgence.

Walking, lots of walking...admiring the gardens in Oysterville, Washington

along with a peaceful outlook of Willapa Bay.

The Happiest and Bestest Dog on the Beach.

The boardwalk at Long Beach, Washington, named as one of the top 11 beach boardwalks by Travel+Leisure Magazine. Really!

And a little crochet time on the front porch of the beach house.

gathering of friends

2010-07-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the good fortune of fine company; friends Tory, Debi, and Maggie gathered at my home for a few days of art and other adventures. Talented Tory agreed to guide us through the making of Santos figures and we had a great time with our creations! Here they are lined up at the end of the day.

My Santo received some changes and finishing touches after the weekend and is now complete.

I probably won't be able to resist adding a few more bits to her costume...

2010-06-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

past tense

2010-06-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a wood block carving class and was reminded how much I enjoy carving and printing with artist's soft block material. Even a soft wood is difficult to cut, especially against the grain; the end of my index finger is still numb from the effort! But soft block is a pleasure to carve.

Several years ago, LK Ludwig hosted a swap where each participant submitted pages printed with carved stamps, along with vellum overlay sheets featuring a favorite ee cummings poem.
LK produced the covers and assembled everything into a book for each player.

My carvings, and chosen poem.

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and Maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles, and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles; and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

--ee cummings

getting messy

2010-06-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It is very good here, with the sun out in full force. As you can see I'm under the influence of summery color, and a short online course with Traci Bautista, "Graffiti Panels". I'm working on canvas rather than cardboard panels with the intention of cutting up the canvas and incorporating it into book covers and other things.

Copy of a photo of my great-grandfather I came across recently. Handsome fellow.

Heading outdoors now...hope you have a wonderful weekend!

four letter word

2010-06-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorites. Right there on a canvas bag.

While browsing the other day I came across a free pattern for this market tote, designed by Denyse Schmidt. So natch, I had to stitch one up for myself. Love the slightly wonky letters, which are a little fussy to piece, but still fun. I'll no doubt be ordering The Proverbial Quilt pattern to get the entire alphabet.

Happy June

2010-06-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a good holiday weekend...we had a little down time out at the beach with the biggest kids. I'm so looking forward to some sun, which is known to come out around July 4th here in the Northwest. An exceptionally wet May is behind us, thank goodness!

I'm scurrying around today, gathering and preparing stuff to take downtown for the library gift shop...some cards, bookmarks, and the canvases I've been working on. This is the latest and my favorite, I think; it feels personal in every way.

Retreat

2010-05-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

High above the Columbia River, in this beautiful place,

a group of women from the Portland Art Collective gathered in a former greenhouse tucked into the woods

to paint,

and gild,

carve wood,

draw,

gather ephemera into journals,

bead,

assemble pins from interesting bits and pieces,

and stitch.

There was also the sharing of stories, laughter, and good meals.
And rest.
It was a very good weekend.

Happy Mom's Day

2010-05-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

I hope today finds you surrounded by your favorite people
and the things that bring you joy.

Meet Baxter

2010-05-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

My new grand-dog. David and his wife adopted Baxter from Jenn's brother. Jenn and pup traveled here from Texas last night on a plane, with little Bax tucked into a duffle bag stashed under the seat. Apparently he was an excellent passenger and seems to be a wonder dog in every other way, too. Baxter doesn't even mind moving in with two cats, although they are less than thrilled.
This is my current crochet work-in-progress; an afghan that will take up 18-5 ounce skeins of yarn. Whew. Can only wonder how long it will take to finish.

I'm also working on a couple of mixed-media canvases that are halfway done. Will share those soon. Hope you have a good week!

Gardens

2010-04-24T15:13:00.001-07:00

My fave at the farm, "Pink Ruth".

I made it out to the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland, Washington on Thursday afternoon and got a real dose of Spring. Hulda Klager began working with lilacs on her farm in 1905, and by 1910 developed fourteen new varieties. Eventually sold by Hulda's family, the gardens and farm buildings were saved from housing development by the local garden club and maintained today by the Lilac Society. Unfortunately, there is now a big townhouse development along one side of the property. Still, the gardens are beautiful.

Have a great weekend.

Waiting for the Sun

2010-04-20T13:56:00.001-07:00

Outside the kitchen window, the lilacs aren't quite at their best but still pretty wonderful. When the sun decides to appear again, I'll be heading here.

My "squares" sampler awaits, too. Not getting done at one square per day, but still a work in progress.

More ArtFest Stuff

2010-04-06T18:55:00.001-07:00

My classes at ArtFest this time were the best! The second day was "Porthole Pendants" with Melissa Manley. We worked with copper pipe, washers, and silver solder to make pendants in two sizes. This one has a mica picture window on the back side.
This is the "porthole" side where a small image is under a flat marble, held by washers and prongs cut from the pipe. Melissa is an excellent artist and teacher. She'll be teaching at the Art and Soul retreat in Portland in October.
My last workshop was "Heavy Metal" with Ty and Marcia Schultz. We spent the day making molds from silicone putty, then pour casting a metal with a melting point of 300 degrees F. I had mixed results. It was difficult to come out with anything fairly thin, like the religious medals I brought to make molds. But the buttons are great; they'll make nice charms. The molds made in class can be reused with either the metal, or polymer clay and resin. Really enjoyed doing something new and fun here!

I'll soon be off on a little road trip to southern Oregon to visit my best-friend-since-fifth grade. Thrift shopping, Pear Blossom Festival, and best of all...laughing!

Yesterday

2010-04-05T15:12:00.001-07:00

Now banned from the premises.

Home from Artfest

2010-03-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

My third, or fourth, time at ArtFest and think I finally got "it". Not that it's ever been less than an inspirational experience. But this time, it was just....awesome. It might have had something to do with the "fairy tale" theme, something magical around Ft. Worden. I don't know. The people, the art...it just all came together for me. Teesha and Tracy are amazing at what they do. I had plans to take lots of photos but was just too much in the moment most of the time.. The only picture here is from Lynne Perrella's workshop; a collage of paper cuttings.

I'll have more to share soon, of things made at AF and since being home. And, the little stitched squares that were set aside while I was gone.

Saw an interesting bumper sticker yesterday, "Never apologize for your Art".

Quilts at the beach

2010-03-21T19:36:00.001-07:00

The timing of a trip out to our beach house this weekend luckily coincided with a couple of events on the Long Beach peninsula. One was Karen Snyder's open studio. Karen owned and operated "Anna Lena's Quilt Shop" in Long Beach, Washington for several years. The shop is now closed but Karen continues to be involved in the quilting supply industry as an author and fabric designer. It was a treat to wander through her aqua-and-orange colored creative space and gaze at the neatly organized fabric stash.
Karen opened her studio to the public over the weekend and asked visitors to donate a handmade pillowcase for the nationwide Million Pillowcase Challenge. My friend, Joan Casey, gave me two of her adorable penguin pillowcases to contribute. The pillowcases you see stacked in the bookcases will be donated to a local organization that serves girls who have suffered sexual abuse.

My second stop of the day was the Peninsula Quilt Guild's show at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco. Lots of handsome quilts on display, including this Australian-themed piece.

I loved the detail and fabrics used in each square.

Amazing applique work on this beauty inspired by a world cruise covering 4 oceans and 5 continents.

Wouldn't it be awesome to win this quilt?? I bought 5 raffle tickets with visions of having it fall into my hands. A girl can dream.

Speaking of dreams, I'll soon be on my way to ArtFest! Look forward to charging the creative batteries and bringing home loads of inspiration, and photos. See you next time.

2010-03-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining and I'm anxious to get outside, but wanted to share my latest squares. This project is challenging my eyesight with the one-by-one inch format, but it's been good to do a little stitching everyday.

Artfest is coming up soon and I'm excited about taking workshops with Lynne Perrella, Melissa Manley, and Ty and Marcia Schultz. There's so much energy at Artfest, enough to keep the creative batteries charged for a long time.

Meanwhile, carpe diem!

Growing things

2010-03-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

My basil seedlings have taken off with the promise of pesto for summer. Last year's herbs ended up overgrown and under-utilized, but these were started from scratch and it hardly seems worth the effort if not used to the fullest extent possible. I'll be on the lookout for some new basil-y recipes, for sure.
So the squares march on without a hitch. I enjoy having these little daily projects. Any thoughts of having a theme or color scheme have been tossed aside. It's more fun to stitch whatever comes to mind.

A certain little beach hideaway.

Springtime blooms.

Inspiration of the Day: Wonderful mixed-media jewelry book, "Enchanted Adornments", by Cynthia Thornton. This one is a real gem! Highly recommended.

Balancing Act

2010-03-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Change happens, and we adjust the sails to keep our lives on course; to continue to take on what comes our way, along with the things that need to be done, and balancing it with what feeds our souls. I feel very fortunate to have a schedule that allows me to do both with relative ease. The nest is a little fuller these days, our daughter Jessica is back with us. It's been wonderful having her here and I find myself more in the role of "nurturer" once again. I'm a little busier now but still finding time to do some things in my fun space....

Another square for the Stitchalong. Repurposing favorite greeting cards into small notebooks or journals, which I wrote about here. And discovering new-to-me fiber artist, Chris Roberts-Antieau. Don't miss the short video at her site. Awesome!

Have a great weekend.

Squaresville

2010-03-02T23:21:00.000-08:00

I'm on schedule for once, having completed the first three one-inch squares of my sampler for the Stitchalong. This is good fun! There's a flicker group for the 39 Square players here. I love seeing what everyone is fitting into those little spaces.

Pink!

2010-02-27T14:54:00.001-08:00

And they smell as pretty as they look. I love the Spring-y atmosphere we've enjoyed for the last week or so. It inspires one to take on new projects and I've started a few. One involves a wood burning tool and colored pencils. More on that later.

I've signed on for an embroidery "Stitch Along" with Amy of Inspire Co. We'll be stitching a sampler in one inch squares; one for each of 39 (or whatever) days, beginning March 1. Amy has created a blog for the project. There's still time to sign-up, so check it out. I look forward to seeing the samplers progress.

Misc.

2010-02-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

I think you can tell what kind of day it is around here. Enjoying the sun, inside (yes, there is a dog under that fur).

Just a few things around my workspace (playing with a new camera here).

The bookrack from Goodwill, painted in a favorite color.

Treasured buttons.

Pillows I made for the front room.

Prints and original work I'm loving from this artist.

Hoping you're having a good week!

To Love

2010-02-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day
XXOO

Join us for Soup

2010-02-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

We're all dressed up but nowhere to go at the moment. Since it's a wet and gloomy day, let's go into the kitchen and make some soup. This one seems to be quite popular around here with family and guests.

Baked Potato Soup

4 medium baking potatoes
5 Tablespoons butter
1/2 C. flour
5 C. milk
2 Cups chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
7 slices regular bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
5-6 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
1-1/4 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 C. light sour cream

Bake potatoes in a 400 degree F. oven for 1 hour. Set aside to cool a bit. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out insides into bowl. Set aside. In a stockpot or dutch oven, melt butter over med.-low heat then whisk in flour, salt and pepper(s). Raise heat to medium; cook and stir a minute or two. Whisk in milk and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Keep and eye on pot and stir bottom frequently. When it has started boiling and thickened a bit, turn heat to low and add potatoes and remaining ingredients. Use a potato masher in pot to break up chunks. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy.

Directions

2010-01-21T17:21:00.001-08:00

It's a very slow start on this blogging year for me. So many things to put away and catch up on after the holidays. January is my least favorite month, but these damp days and early evenings are perfect for snuggly crochet projects. This "Stripy Throw" was inspired by a pattern in Erica Knight's book, "Simple Crochet". I used a recycled blend yarn from Red Heart called "Eco-Ways". It has a soft, heavy hand when worked up.
Rather than put the yarn scraps in my already-overloaded stash, I decided to use them in a new amigurumi doll. I'm creating some of my own patterns this year; should be fun to see how these characters work out.
It's been a while since I've tried something new. After taking a workshop in journal making and keeping this month with my very talented friend Cynthia, I ventured into the world of watercolors. Cynthia has a laid-back teaching style that helps you relax and just jump in to art journaling. I've decided to create a loose leaf style journal using small sheets of watercolor paper.
Hmmm, I see a distinct colorway in this post. Must be this blues-y-gray time of year.

Showtime

2009-12-08T14:03:00.001-08:00

The third Portland Art Collective "Open Door" holiday show and sale last weekend was quite a success! We worked our fingers to the bone to create marvelous art to fill the displays. Everything came together wonderfully and we had good traffic. I've put up a couple of photos of my booth. The pillows and amigurumi animals were most popular and sold out quickly.
Check out the show photos taken by our fearless leader, Robin, at the PAC blog here . I did quite a bit of shopping, myself. Who could resist?

On the home front, I'm readying myself for more holiday activities, including a couple of parties this week and my mom's birthday on Saturday. There is life after December, right?? Carry on.

Weekend

2009-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Spent last weekend here (Long Beach, Washington).

Got some of these (razor clams).
Thank goodness a certain someone is willing to clean them (now in the freezer for chowder).

And a few little things I'm working on today...so charming!

Fall Bounty

2009-10-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to Hood River yesterday to get apples (no pumpkins this time). These beauties are the "Spartan" variety; crisp and tangy-sweet. I'd decided to put some apple pie filling in my freezer this year to make holiday dessert preparation a little easier and these apples seemed the perfect candidates.
This baby makes it easy; an apple corer/peeler/slicer. Yay. One of those things that makes life a little sweeter, no pun intended.
Next, there's a bubbling pot of apples on your stove, filling the kitchen with the smell of spicy goodness. Enough filling here for 4 pies. Easily. I fiddled around with the recipes here and here and came up with this one:

Apple Pie Filling

16-18 Cups of thinly sliced, peeled apples (about 6 lbs.)
3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Cups white sugar
1-1/2 Cups brown sugar
1 Cup cornstarch
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
7-8 Cups water

Place apples in large mixing bowl and toss with lemon juice to keep apples from browning.
Combine sugars, cornstarch, spices and salt in stockpot, then stir in the water (if your apples aren't very juicy, use 8 cups of water). Bring to a boil over med-high heat and stir frequently(be careful not to burn mixture after it starts thickening up), boil for 2 minutes. Add apples and bring back to the boil, then turn down heat to simmer. Cover pot and cook 6-8 minutes (if apples are really firm you might want to cook a little longer but keep a close eye on them; you don't want applesauce). Remove from heat and cool 30 minutes to an hour. Ladle filling into gallon-sized freezer bags. You'll have about 4 heaping cups per bag. Freeze, will keep one year.

I Paint

2009-10-07T15:23:00.001-07:00

With vacation over it was time to get back to arting; and what better way to jump back into creativity than a few classes at Art and Soul? As usual, it was a wonderful time with friends and talented teachers. I spent a little time today touching up and finishing a couple of pieces that I want to share with my art group tomorrow.

This was done in Katie Kendrick's "Tales from the Land of Odd" workshop. Katie creates wonderful, whimsical art and is, also, a patient and engaged teacher. The inspiration for my painting was the work of Gustav Klimt.

Can you see that this was done in quadrants before being assembled and worked as a whole? The base of my mixed media piece is a photo taken by my daughter, Jessica, blown-up in four laser print copies.
Tracy Bunkers teaches the technique in her "Surreal Uber Paintings" workshop. This was a super-fun exploration of paint and collage.

I'll post about my class with Albie Smith next time since I didn't manage to get photos done of my little book of paste papers.

Teton

2009-09-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

How I loved this place. Beautiful. Beyond. Belief.

Don't miss Ken Burns' amazing film series, "The National Parks, America's Best Idea", which is showing this week on your PBS channel. How wonderful that our government has set aside these treasures for future generations. Thank you, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and Truman!

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Our little group, enjoying a meal at the Snake River Brewery in Jackson, Wyoming.

I hope the future holds more adventures in America's National Parks for our family. How about you?

Yellowstone

2009-09-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Bald Eagle in Yellowstone
Photos taken with my little point-and-shoot camera.

Yellowstone Lake

If you haven't been to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, they should be on your list of "places I must see". We enjoyed a family vacation here last week and I'm still trying to assimilate all of the images and experiences
Our home base was West Yellowstone, Montana, and the first thing we did was visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
which is a non-profit organization that takes in animals that can no longer live in the wild, and gives the public an opportunity to observe them up-close.

My daughter's fiance, Sam, had a little fun wearing a bear mask and participating in a demonstration on using bear pepper spray when deterring a bear in the wilderness is necessary (no animals or humans harmed in demo).

Boardwalks in the park let visitors walk through areas of hot pools and geysers. Here we explored the Fountain Paint Pots area. Steaming pools of water and mud can be found in several locations in Yellowstone.

And what would a trip to Yellowstone be without seeing an eruption of Old Faithful?
We saw a herd of over one hundred bison in the Hayden Valley area, who are feeding in preparation for the winter ahead.
This guy was right next to the road. Guests are warned not to get too close, but the bison don't seem at all fazed by the hordes of excited tourists with cameras.
Our favorite area in the park was the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. This is the view of the Lower Falls from Artist's Point.

Steaming pools near the Norris Museum

I'll post some pictures from Grand Teton next time.

Cottage Life

2009-08-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

"I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give." ~Thomas Jefferson

Charlotte Lyons is a wonderful writer and designer and I was happy to be able to take one of her workshops at the last ArtFiberFest, "Enchanted Felt Cottage". This was my take on the felt cottage concept. I loved seeing all the unique creations underway in class.

Useful Thing

2009-08-10T10:35:00.001-07:00

There are so many things out there that make our lives easier and more fun. They can be tempting and it's hard to know on sight if these gadgets are really worthwhile. This Bias Tape Maker from Simplicity caught my eye at Jo-Ann Fabrics; on sale for $89, plus a bonus $10 gift card for making the purchase. It found it's way into my heart and cart, an early birthday gift to myself.
So, this little machine folds, presses, and rolls out a one inch, single-fold bias tape in a flash. You wind a fabric strip on the spindle. After feeding the strip through the bias tip and pressing platform, you press a button and out comes the finished tape. The whole set-up is pretty easy and, if you hate standing at the ironing board pressing bias tape like I do, makes your sewing projects a whole lot easier. It's definitely a keeper. Video demo from Simplicity is here

2009-08-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Just a couple more pictures from Oysterville before leaving the beach and heading back to the real world. There's quite a deer population on the Long Beach peninsula. We often find them grazing near our place in Ocean Park. My neighbor spotted black bear last weekend at Leadbetter Point, but I didn't have any luck seeing them this time.

I'm always captivated by this window, with it's bottles lined up across the panes.

Haven't taken more photos these last overcast days. It's cool and wonderful, so no complaints. See you back home.

Exile

2009-07-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

What to do when temperatures exceed 100 degrees and you're without AC? Why, you find the coolest place and hide out for a while. So, we're laying low at the beach house this week, Simon and me. I come and go at will...going into Astoria for shopping and fish and chips at the Bowpicker. Hanging out at the local coffee joint and cafe, or the library to get online. Picking up my crochet or tabloid magazine (do people really care that much about Jon and Kate??). Watching a little reality TV ("The Bachelorette" finale), and keeping tabs on the weather inland. Walking Simon on the beach. Wandering through the little historic area of Oysterville, snapping a few pictures. I could get used to this.

Summer Saturday

2009-07-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

It started here, bright and early, at the Barn House flea market in Battle Ground, Washington. There were about 20 vendors selling their authentic vintage and chic wares. It was a little crowded so I didn't take any photos close to the action. There are several Barn House sales each year in this lovely setting. Check out their calendar. Worth seeing if you're in the Portland/Vancouver area.

After leaving Barn House, hubby and I decided to head into downtown Battle Ground. First, we came across another outdoor flea market with vintage goodies, where I couldn't resist picking up a few bargains, including a little cast iron bird feeder that would make a great business card holder, should I ever get around to ordering some.

Closer to town, we followed signs that led us to a new fabric store I'd head about, "Aunt Tam's", read about it here. It's just wonderful and the owners are as nice as can be.
I ended up with a couple of pieces of yummy yardage for my stash. At this point it was time for some lunch, then homeward.

Hope you're having a beautiful, summery weekend!

In My House

2009-07-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

I've been an admirer of Alma Stoller and her art for quite a while, so it was pretty cool to have her in Portland to teach at ArtFiberFest. That's Alma on the left, working with a student in the workshop, "Stitch, Meditate, OM".
This is the piece I started in class and is now complete. It sort of evolved into a commentary on what was worth keeping in my home, which started in a discussion at the last PAC retreat. We were having a de-stash sale to benefit our holiday show. It's always difficult to decide between what to part with and what to keep.

This 'n That

2009-07-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

Guess I'm feeling a little colorful today. Must be summer, or creative inspiration that's coming up to the surface; maybe both. Wish they could last all year long. 'Specially these long, warm days. Sitting in the shade and laughing with friends, as we did at the PAC picnic last week, swapping out our colorful banners. Paula posted all of them at the PAC blog. Mine had their start with pieces of painted canvas done shortly after a workshop with Alisa Burke at ArtFiberFest last fall. You'd be amazed at all the things she does with canvas. Really. Check out her site.
Here's a peek of a work in progress launched in Alma Stoller's workshop at AFF last month. I'm lovin' the hand stitching. Almost done.
One of the lovely things I came away with from Vendor Night at AFF...this hand-spun yarn from Reenie Hanlin. Reenie taught us how to make a knotted scarf at one of the mini-workshops in the dorms, but I'm leaning towards a ruffled, crocheted number.

2009-07-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

Happy to report I'm finishing stuff, including this quilt piece commissioned by one of my friends, Lynn. Lynn wanted something that reflected the essence of Isadora Duncan, who some consider to be the mother of modern dance. Isadora was a free spirit who lived an unconventional, and sometimes tragic life. Her demise in 1927 was also quite tragic and involved a flowing scarf entangled in the wheels of a open car.

About the quilt, the face was painted on muslin and appliqued onto the piece. I took a cue on the color scheme from Lynn. She's very happy with the results and I feel the same.

Fireworks

2009-07-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July on the beach with my son and his wife. Sitting next to a crackling bonfire and watching the sky. There is nothing like the display of fireworks up and down the Long Beach Peninsula. We enjoyed wonderful family time last weekend; our 2 big kids and their mates. I'm still trying to catch up on projects from ArtFiberFest, among other things, and gather some photos to post. Stay tuned. Lots of things underway here.

Summertime!

2009-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

So, it seems that my last post was on the first day of Spring and I'm wondering how a whole season could have gone by so quickly. Life is zipping along at the speed of light. Now it's a time for long days, beach jaunts, and projects galore.

I enjoyed a painting workshop at the studios of Lisa Kaus yesterday. Lisa has a lovely home and garden, and a wonderfully appointed downstairs studio full of artwork, as well as an area for a group of 11 or so students to spread out and create. It was Father's Day, something I didn't realize when signing up for the class so we did our family thing on Saturday morning, which worked out better for everyone. I didn't feel too guilty yesterday as hubby was able to spend the whole day with a new HD television all to himself. A well-deserved day of doing absolutely nothing in particular. Anyway, I've posted a couple of pics of the painting I did in workshop. It was fun to do something loose and whimsical.

I'll be heading over to Reed College in Portland on Wednesday for Artfiberfest! My personal vacation time; 3 days of fiber-related workshops and fellowship. This will be my third time at AFF and it's the first year it's being held in Portland. I'll come home with a load of inspiration and new projects. Promise to share some of that when I return.

Cinn-ful Saturday

2009-03-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

Remember these? Bread makers were all the rage for a while but seem to have gone the way of the Ronco Veg-O-Matic. My in-laws handed this down to us several years ago when they moved from their condo to assisted care. It's been sitting on the floor of my pantry since, that is, until this morning. On a whim, I decided to look for a cinnamon roll recipe yesterday, just in case we had a "I need something with my coffee" moment this weekend. Mind you this isn't what you want to indulge in on any ol' Saturday or Sunday, but maybe once in a while.... So I decided on these.
Whipping up the dough was a snap in the bread maker. Rolled up with brown sugar and cinnamon and ready to go in the oven. I adjusted the butter by spreading 6 Tblsp. on the dough and using ony 2 Tblsp. instead of 8 Tblsp. in the icing (while increasing the cream cheese to 4 ounces). Big reduction on the guilt factor, too...not!

Oh. My. Goodness.

Meanwhile, out in the yard. One of the gnarly, old flowering plum trees that line our street doing its spring thing.
Happy Weekend.

In a sunny corner

2009-03-15T15:19:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've been at my little blog. Life can carry us along on a wave of daily chores and detours. And there was that hour lost to daylight savings time, but I'm not complaining. Love the longer evening light, and we've enjoyed some bright days here lately in the Land of Liquid Sunshine. I set up a small table last week in my favorite spot to paint, in front of a south facing window. This face will be incorporated into a portrait quilt commissioned by one of my art friends.

Did you remember that registration started today for Art & Soul, Portland? I'm excited about taking a class with Katie Kendrick this time, and nudging my painting into a new direction. I love her whimsical, folksy style.

See you later.

2009-01-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm making a real effort to avoid buying new textiles. With fabric designers tempting us at every turn, it isn't easy! So the thrift shops are providing my fabric fix lately. I love the graphics and colors on these vintage tea towels. They'll be worked into something, perhaps totes, or quilts.

Speaking of bags, here's my latest embroidery finished off and stitched into something to carry around this spring and summer.
Yep, it's stitched on the back, too.

How's Your Day?

2009-01-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

The sun is out! I'm daydreaming about Spring already and my latest "pick-up" project is all about it. The piece of thrifted tablecloth here will soon be a new bag, although it's looking a little rumpled and hardly there at this point. I decided to go with the tradition of redwork embroidery and it's looking kinda cheerful against the white and yellow plaid.
The pattern is from Kathy Schmitz, which practically jumped in my basket while I was here. Had to edit the design somewhat so there will be a chance of the stitching being done before spring--or summer!-- are long gone.

I came across an article by Cesar Millan, the "Dog Whisperer", in last Sunday's Parade magazine section titled, "What Your Pet Can Teach You". Maybe you saw it, too. This is from the article:

"For a dog, every morning is Christmas morning. Every walk is the best walk, every meal is the best meal, every game is the best game. We can learn so much by observing the way our pets rejoice in life's simplest moments. Take time every day to celebrate the many gifts that are hidden in the ordinary events of your own life".

So Long, 2008

2009-01-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

A few of my favorite bits from the holiday season...

Making peppermint soap with daughter Jessica, gifts for her co-workers. Another "good thing" from Martha Stewart. These were a lot of fun to make and a big hit at the office.

The delicious kolaches made by new daughter-in-law Jenn on Christmas morning, with savory sausage, cheese, and jalapeno fillings. Kolaches are a specialty in Jenn's hometown, Houston, but apparently nowhere to be found in the Northwest. Lucky for all of us that Jenn has learned to make her own. Yum!

White Christmas at the Newlywed's with the whole family.

Finishing the little cardboard cottages I started making last year. They need a few more little details...

The appearance of four young deer on the dunes across from our beach house on New Year's Day; I managed to catch a couple of them with my camera.

I'm excited about the New Year and looking forward to all that unfolds! Hope you are, too.

2008-12-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

Binding a book is much like reading a good book, at least in my opinion. It's a process to be savored; handling the covers and each page, one section added to the next like chapters, from beginning to end. This blank journal has a buttonhole binding, a method learned recently in a workshop with Albie Smith at Art and Soul in Portland. Albie is a wonderful book artist and teacher, and also makes beautiful paste papers. I made my cover papers here with dye inks, stencils, and mica powders in polymer medium. The inside pages are drawing paper.

'Til Next Year

2008-12-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

The PAC holiday show and sale was a great success in terms of attendance and sales, as well as the level of camaraderie and teamwork amongst the participating artists.

I was pleased to have real hanging art this year! If only things could have gotten started a little earlier...but a busy fall schedule and the procrastination thing got in the way. Next year will be different...:)

2008-11-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a deadline to move the creative process along. This piece will go into a 12 by 12 inch shadow box frame ( unlike the photo, it's actually square), and hang in the PAC holiday show...whose dates are coming up at an alarming fast rate! My intent is to have 5 finished art quiltlets by December 4th. I've managed to make quite a bit of jewelry, so far, and will try to share more photos soon. Meanwhile, it's back to work!

Shared Joy

2008-11-12T15:55:00.001-08:00

A couple of fabric journal pages using a piece made in Ruth Rae's workshop at ArtFiberFest.

Shared joy is a double joy, shared sorrow is half a sorrow.

--Swedish proverb

Brand New Day

2008-11-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our new President Elect, Barack Obama. I'm so proud for our country today. Proud to be an American.

Touching Down

2008-10-27T12:35:00.001-07:00

ArtFiberFest is over and I'm getting back into the "real world". What a wonderful time we had in Port Townsend! The drives up and back were a pleasure, with the beautiful colors of fall revealed around every bend. I convinced hubby to go with and we stayed in town. Can't say that I missed the dorms at Fort Worden...OK, I'm a wimp! The weather was spectacular and Scott was able to enjoy a round of golf and long strolls in town while I was busy in workshops for 3 days. The first day's class was with Alisa Burke...what a wonderful artist and teacher she is, not to mention sweet and helpful! We had a ball painting, printing, and stenciling graffiti-style canvases which were sewn into clutch bags later in the day. I can't wait to do more of this art!

The second class was "Nature Inspired Fabrics" with Marylin Huskamp and Tracy Huskamp. You won't find teachers who are more enthusiastic or encouraging than these two women! They guided us along as we painted realistic birds on fabric.
My final workshop was "Ethereal Fragment Squares" with Ruth Rae. Ruth taught us how to dye fabrics, then layer and stitch them into mixed media collages. I learned a lot of new techniques, including how to make and use "resin paper". Loved this class experience!
The time passed all too quickly. It was so much fun hanging with my fellow fiber addicts, and being inspired by the awesome instructors. Teesha is looking for a smaller venue for next year's ArtFiberFest, which might take place in summer. I'll be there.

Heart 'n Art & Soul

2008-10-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time again this year at the Art & Soul retreat in Portland. Being a local"commuter" has it's advantages. Like, not having to schlep a truckload of art supplies on an airplane, or being able to sleep in my own bed at night. On the other hand, I missed out on a lot of the full-on social busy-ness of being around a group of wildly talented and fun women. I did manage to meet up with some wonderful friends during the week, old and new, and that was the best!

This is the collaged and painted box I made in the Lisa Kaus class, "Be Still My Beating Heart". Very fun, and I finished it in class!

The first thing you learn when doing copper enameling is that it's addictive. This is a pendant I made in Richard Salley's workshop. I took 2 classes from Richard and he makes metalsmithing look easy--bending, twisting, and wrapping iron wire around found objects and turning them into lovely pieces jewelry. I found it to be a real challenge.
These are a couple of 3 by 5's done in Misty Mawn's "A Little Art of Remodeling Book" class. I hope to put these together with some yet-to-be-completed pages to create a little board-style book. I had a wonderful time here learning Misty's method of combining collage and paint.

This has been an eventful month, to say the least! Next week, I'll be heading to Port Townsend to experience ArtFiberFest. Can't wait!

Friends

2008-09-29T14:23:00.001-07:00

My best friend from childhood, and Matron of Honor at my own wedding, Millie, with Jennifer. Millie caught the bouquet!

Scott's BFF, and Best Man at our wedding, Glen, with his wife, Pat.

Jenn and David

2008-09-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Bride and Groom. Seriously practicing getting married.

I didn't get many pictures of them together on the Big Day. Too much going on. Too many emotions. It was a beautiful day, a beautiful ceremony, and an amazing party. The photographer was very busy, though, so I hope to have some nice wedding pictures sometime soon.

The happy couple are now honeymooning on a Mexican cruise, while the Mother of the Groom is feeling a little nostalgic; and much relief.

Moving Forward

2008-08-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

The "work in progress" is now a finished piece...yippee! This 12 by 14 inch art quilt is the beginning of a series for the Portland Art Collective holiday show in December. Just hoping that subsequent projects will move along at a little faster pace.

Life is super busy as we move towards David and Jenn's wedding on September 27th. They are organized and well-prepared. I just need to help out with the rehearsal dinner details, which will be here. Still can't believe it's all gonna happen!

an almost vacation

2008-07-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Anthony's restaurant at Point Defiance, Tacoma, Washington

Everything started out pretty well. The weather was spectacular, as you can see from the view of Mt. Ranier from the Tacoma Convention Center where I spent a few hours at the marketplace of the Puget Sound Bead Festival while Scott hung out at the hotel. Dinner afterwards at Anthony's was one of those rare dining experiences where everything is perfect. From our table we watched the ferry to Vashon Island load and unload and saw Mt. Ranier turn a beautiful pink as the sun set. I was looking forward to this jewelry class with Tracy Stanley the next day. The Universe had other plans for me, however. I woke the next day not feeling well at all. :( Scott was able to pick up my kit and instructions from Tracy at the class site. Our plans to visit San Juan Island the following day were also shelved and we headed home. As we got close to the turn off on I-5 for Long Beach, I suggested we drive out to the beach house so that our vacation wouldn't be a total bust. I was starting to feel better and we were able to relax for a couple of days. It wasn't what was planned but not all bad.

The coming week will be busy, getting everything together for the bridal shower on Saturday. And then there will be time for working on some projects; including the bracelet I was to make last week.

Redaqua

2008-07-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

There were so few images to download from my camera last time. But this one was perfect for the moment. Those red, red strawberries in their aqua paper pulp basket. That combination of colors has been speaking to me lately. It first caught my eye at The Happy Zombie's blog, and then ended up in a mix of beads I'm using to make favors for the bridal shower I'll give my future daughter-in-law, Jenn, in a couple of weeks. The theme is "Honeymoon Cruise" (to Mexico) and I think the spicy red and cool aqua are a perfect compliment.

I'm leaving tomorrow for a little R&R in the Puget Sound area. Soooo looking forward it. Our Northwest weather is at its very best right now. Should have much to share when I return.

My Creative Muse

2008-06-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

I know her head is crazy big and she looks incredibly stiff, but that's OK when you're an Exquisite Corpse. She will be one of 21 or so pages in a book done with the Portland Art Collective, a wonderful group of talented friends. The pages will be cut horizontally at the head and hat, body, and legs so the viewer will be able to interchange body parts by flipping through the book. Each of the players will be receiving a copy at our annual PAC picnic next month. We are thrilled that one of our members Maggie will be opening her gorgeous historic home and gardens to us for the picnic this year. yippee!

New Skillz

2008-06-03T16:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I keep making jewelry because it gives me permission to buy more beads or if the pleasure of it actually runs much deeper. There really is great satisfaction for me in crafting a bracelet or necklace, especially in manipulating wire and metal and jewels into something that can be worn; creating a piece that reflects my love of a color or style. I much admire Stephanie Lee's artistic style and was lucky enough to find a spot in one of her classes recently at Innerstandings.
Stephanie is a natural teacher and so generous and kind. It was inspiring to learn how to torch solder and make a bezel; completely new to me.

On a different note, my little canine Simon started a course of chemo medication today to treat his Cushing's Disease. So we're staying close to home and keeping a watchful eye for side effects and hoping for the best possible outcome.

Suddenly Summer

2008-05-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Pacific NW, you know what I'm talkin' about! We've gone from wet, cool spring to full-on summer. There wasn't relief to be found at the coast where temps reached the 90's. We took a ride from our place on the Long Beach peninsula down the Oregon coast on Friday and had lunch at Mo's in Cannon Beach. Loads of people were on the beach cooling their feet in the surf. You won't find them in the picture above, though; this one was taken of Scott near Mo's couple of years ago when the beach was quite deserted.

We headed for the Port of Ilwaco on Saturday morning to take in the Saturday Market and the visiting tall ships. Things were starting to cool down a bit and it turned out to be a beautiful weekend!

A little tiptoe...

2008-05-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Took these pics last weekend at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon. I'm enjoying all the color out there that screams "Spring". And my lilacs are finally starting to bloom. We've had a run of chilly weather in the last month but the sun is finally out in full force this weekend. Devine!

Finding Flourishes

2008-04-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

There's a beautiful spot out in the Columbia Gorge near Washougal, Washington where lovely gifts and antiques are put up for sale about four times a year. It used to be the location of "Willow Nest", but those folks found a new home in Texas. Now it is "Flourishes". You can feast your eyes here.
Flourishes was having their first event of the year on Saturday so I made the 20-minute scenic drive and found a few treasures to bring home.

Do I need more fabric??

2008-04-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living in the Portland area is Fabric Depot. I try not to go there too often but sometimes the urge is great. Like yesterday. Here I am already out in the car and not quite ready to go home after Flourishes. So over the bridge I go, crossing from Washington to Oregon, the land of tax-free retail therapy. Just a short hop. Wouldn't you know it, Fabric Depot has a sale on ALL cotton prints for $5.99 a yard, even the nicest stuff. Everything else was 30% off and I found the perfect book to go with my new stash. Can't wait to get started!

Finished

2008-04-16T23:24:00.000-07:00

Alma Stoller's online class "She's So Unusual" at joggles.com looked like a good way to be inspired to use the paintings of faces I did last year in DJ Pettitt's workshop. I'm happy with the way the quilt turned out and plan to develop this idea further . These photos are laid out in reverse order but, oh well!

Beach Blanket Weekend

2008-04-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

A small window of warm weather and sunshine opened up over the weekend so we went out to our beach place to take advantage of ideal conditions. We were pretty lazy, overall, although Scott washed the outside windows. And I worked on a blanket that's been in the works for some time. The block patterns are from this book I picked up a few years ago when the crochet bug bit me again, but I tired of making the blocks and decided to fill in the sides with some fast-working strips. There is hope that this will be done soon!