This course of action has worked in the past and yesterday I thought I'd see if it worked again. I saw three movies, one right after the other, with just enough tiime for a potty break between. It is rare that I am so lucky that it works out that way when I have decided to see more than one movie in the same day. But yesterday I say "Next" first with Nicholas Cage and enjoyed it but must admit it was my least favorite. Then came "Disturbed" it had me jumping in spots and tingling with suspense. Considering the fact that not one of the actors in the movie was from the Hollywood "A" list, (for the live of me I can not name any of them) was very well done in a creepy sort of way. And lastly, I saw Anthony Hopkins in "Fractured" He always creeps me out every since "Silence of the Lambs" and while it wasn't one of Sir Anthony Hopkins' best works it was good with unforeseen twists.
Of course since I spent most of the daylight hours indoors in the dark, when I got home I was ready for bed and while I tried to leaf through some of my sketch books the old eye lids got heavy and before I knew it I was asleep propped upright in the middle of my bed, on top of the covers, fully clothed before 10 PM. I awoke at 2AM and got undress and got in bed the right way and didn't wake again until I heard the sound of my neighbors lawn mower. AHHHH Sunday morning in the suburbs.
Today the sun is shining. I've had breakfast. The landscaper is here. I'm ending this blog entry and I'm going to the studio.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah
That's how I feel. It's the let down I know from getting ready to teach and the traveling and the teaching and the seeing friends that you miss and the coming home and the rain that keeps falling and the no progress on the lawn that is now growing weeds around the standing water that has become a breeding place for frogs that we can hear croaking at night.
It's the fact that I did not leave anything on the design wall to come back to which always helps me transition back into my life.
It's the fact that when I left, I left my studio space in a mess and the thoughts of cleaning it before I could begin anew did not appeal. But I got to it and got it done yesterday.
It's the fact that before I left we had someone put in a pull down ladder and flooring in the space above the garage so we could get all the stuff that is in the garage that makes it unattractive and cluttered looking, moved up into the space, only to find that we have more stuff than we had flooring put down to accommodate so it will be the middle of next week before the remodeling contractor has time to come back and put down more. So it will be days longer that I have to look at the mess in the garage and not be able to get to the work area I made for myself out there for doing wet work. Now mind you I don't know what wet work I want to do, but in my head the fact that I cannot get to the space is bugging me more than the fact that I don't know what I would do if I could get to the space.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,
It was the anxiety of making a piece of work for charity and not knowing how it would be received and what it would bring at the auction. You know we artist need to feel validated occasionally. It did well, but not what I had hoped. I learned that it will be hanging in the waiting room of a local plastic surgeon's office. I know in my heart the money that was raised will help some child, maybe its visibility in his office will bring me some commissions. Even in the best of altruistic hearts there are some self serving chains.
I added to the blahs by trying to decide what to send to the gallery to supplement what is already there for the month of May when I will be one of two artist being featured. Of course the advertising postcards came while I was away. When I got back I saw they sent out ones that have a picture of one of my least current works on the front which means it must be included in my selections. So yesterday at the mid point of cleaning my studio space, I took the time to get my stuff out and cut sticks to measure so that four more of my quilts can be displayed. I drove the quilts and the sticks into town (all of seven miles) so that they could be hung in time for the first Friday of the Artrageous Fridays Gallery Hops.
I put on a comfy dress, a Chinese red thing suitable for going into town, but that didn't help my mood and I came home , climbed back into my sweat pants (black) and a comfy t-shirt (orange) to counter-act the black. Ate some ice cream. The blah got a little better.
Today the sun is shining and the earth mover is sitting in the middle of the back yard, but the landscaping crew and trucks of dirt have not arrived. "They say" (the weather-man) we are in for several days of no rain, sunshine and warming temperatures. Maybe there is hope for a green lawn this summer after all. After I finish my cup of tea and blogging, I am going to go leaf through my sketch books to see if there is anything that catches my interest. I plan to bring out only yellows and reds and oranges and purples and greens to work with.
Hopefully chasing the BLAH AWAY one glorious piece of fabric one after another.
Here are some candid shot of the class I taught for the 54/40 Quilt guild in Hampton, Virginia a week ago.
It's the fact that I did not leave anything on the design wall to come back to which always helps me transition back into my life.
It's the fact that when I left, I left my studio space in a mess and the thoughts of cleaning it before I could begin anew did not appeal. But I got to it and got it done yesterday.
It's the fact that before I left we had someone put in a pull down ladder and flooring in the space above the garage so we could get all the stuff that is in the garage that makes it unattractive and cluttered looking, moved up into the space, only to find that we have more stuff than we had flooring put down to accommodate so it will be the middle of next week before the remodeling contractor has time to come back and put down more. So it will be days longer that I have to look at the mess in the garage and not be able to get to the work area I made for myself out there for doing wet work. Now mind you I don't know what wet work I want to do, but in my head the fact that I cannot get to the space is bugging me more than the fact that I don't know what I would do if I could get to the space.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,
It was the anxiety of making a piece of work for charity and not knowing how it would be received and what it would bring at the auction. You know we artist need to feel validated occasionally. It did well, but not what I had hoped. I learned that it will be hanging in the waiting room of a local plastic surgeon's office. I know in my heart the money that was raised will help some child, maybe its visibility in his office will bring me some commissions. Even in the best of altruistic hearts there are some self serving chains.
I added to the blahs by trying to decide what to send to the gallery to supplement what is already there for the month of May when I will be one of two artist being featured. Of course the advertising postcards came while I was away. When I got back I saw they sent out ones that have a picture of one of my least current works on the front which means it must be included in my selections. So yesterday at the mid point of cleaning my studio space, I took the time to get my stuff out and cut sticks to measure so that four more of my quilts can be displayed. I drove the quilts and the sticks into town (all of seven miles) so that they could be hung in time for the first Friday of the Artrageous Fridays Gallery Hops.
I put on a comfy dress, a Chinese red thing suitable for going into town, but that didn't help my mood and I came home , climbed back into my sweat pants (black) and a comfy t-shirt (orange) to counter-act the black. Ate some ice cream. The blah got a little better.
Today the sun is shining and the earth mover is sitting in the middle of the back yard, but the landscaping crew and trucks of dirt have not arrived. "They say" (the weather-man) we are in for several days of no rain, sunshine and warming temperatures. Maybe there is hope for a green lawn this summer after all. After I finish my cup of tea and blogging, I am going to go leaf through my sketch books to see if there is anything that catches my interest. I plan to bring out only yellows and reds and oranges and purples and greens to work with.
Hopefully chasing the BLAH AWAY one glorious piece of fabric one after another.
Here are some candid shot of the class I taught for the 54/40 Quilt guild in Hampton, Virginia a week ago.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
I'm back but then I'm not really back
by that I mean I have returned from my trip to Virginia and teaching for two days to a wonderful group of 24 quilters, 23 women and one guy. It was really fun to be with this group, most of whom I have know for several years. But I am not back to creating new work in the studio yet.
When I left the over the garage storage area was just completed by our contractor. Boy did I underestimate the amount of plywood sub flooring we needed to have installed. What we got is far from enough space to hold everything that is sitting around in the garage. All I wanted left on my side of the garage was my work table where I can dye my fabric and my Gazelle. On Lyn's side would be two shelves that will hold the seasonal decor stuff, for Christmas, Easter, etc. and her treadmill.
But as we were putting stuff up top, we soon realized that we would need at least 5 more 4feet by 8 feet sheets of sub flooring put in. So that will be tomorrows job.
It is raining again. First it was the rain, then the snow, then the rain again and again. Lyn and I both have our doubts as to whether the landscaper will every have enough days of dry weather to come regrade the yard and add top soil before seeding. He had planned to come on Thursday but we had lots of rain late in the day and into Tuesday night.
I spend Tuesday piddling and napping . Had to remake the label for the charity quilt because I misspelled the organizations name in title of the piece. It will get delivered tomorrow, the auction is the 26Th. After making the sticks, I went to run the label through the printer but I couldn't find it. And of course John was at school so I couldn't ask him where he had put it and why was it removed from the computer desk in the first place. It was sitting there when I left so what happened?
Then I pulled from my stash two quilts that will go to the gallery where I will be featured during the month of May along with a wood smith. Have to make sticks for them too.
My studio space is a mess, fabric out of place, scraps on the floor, tools laid all over the place. I left it that way when I left home a week ago and I must do something with this disorder before I can begin to work again. As I have gotten older I have a hard time working in clutter.
I really must give serious thought as to what the body of work I want to make for my solo show in the summer of 2008 at the Carnegie in New Albany, IN will consist of. After all, twelve months is not a long time to get together about 25 to 30 pieces of work. So my nose must really get put against the grind stone and soon. ouch!!!!
When I left the over the garage storage area was just completed by our contractor. Boy did I underestimate the amount of plywood sub flooring we needed to have installed. What we got is far from enough space to hold everything that is sitting around in the garage. All I wanted left on my side of the garage was my work table where I can dye my fabric and my Gazelle. On Lyn's side would be two shelves that will hold the seasonal decor stuff, for Christmas, Easter, etc. and her treadmill.
But as we were putting stuff up top, we soon realized that we would need at least 5 more 4feet by 8 feet sheets of sub flooring put in. So that will be tomorrows job.
It is raining again. First it was the rain, then the snow, then the rain again and again. Lyn and I both have our doubts as to whether the landscaper will every have enough days of dry weather to come regrade the yard and add top soil before seeding. He had planned to come on Thursday but we had lots of rain late in the day and into Tuesday night.
I spend Tuesday piddling and napping . Had to remake the label for the charity quilt because I misspelled the organizations name in title of the piece. It will get delivered tomorrow, the auction is the 26Th. After making the sticks, I went to run the label through the printer but I couldn't find it. And of course John was at school so I couldn't ask him where he had put it and why was it removed from the computer desk in the first place. It was sitting there when I left so what happened?
Then I pulled from my stash two quilts that will go to the gallery where I will be featured during the month of May along with a wood smith. Have to make sticks for them too.
My studio space is a mess, fabric out of place, scraps on the floor, tools laid all over the place. I left it that way when I left home a week ago and I must do something with this disorder before I can begin to work again. As I have gotten older I have a hard time working in clutter.
I really must give serious thought as to what the body of work I want to make for my solo show in the summer of 2008 at the Carnegie in New Albany, IN will consist of. After all, twelve months is not a long time to get together about 25 to 30 pieces of work. So my nose must really get put against the grind stone and soon. ouch!!!!
Friday, April 06, 2007
Latest work
Nearly done. I still have to square up and finish the edges, most likely by using a facing rather than binding it. I love using the digital camera and cropping in the Picasa program to see just how much trimming I need to do. This piece was made for an auction that will be held on the 26th of this month to benefit childhood leukemia research and a program for these children here in Columbia. The auction will take place at a dinner that both Lyn and I will attend as the guest of the organizer. A reason to get out of my jeans and t-shirts. For the next week 10 days I will be working on my teaching materials, class samples and handouts. Good thing I enjoy teaching otherwise I would be a little grouchy knowing I will not be doing anything really creative for at least the next three weeks.
Wishing all a Happy Easter. I've eaten all the Peeps I am allowed to have for this season. I got them when they first hit the stores. Had my fill. I like them really FRESH and now they are getting rather stale.
Winter has returned to Missouri and they are predicting a freeze tonight. I really an ready for Spring to come and stay and the Flowers of May.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
What's up today
For one, the wind, it is blowing very hard this morning, I woke to the sound of it. Of course it is a good thing, it has rained and rained and rained here until I am tired of it and at least if the wind blows enough maybe the ground will dry enough for the lawn care man to come and cut it soon. Plus I have dozens and dozens of summer blooming bulbs and rhizomes to get into the ground that the rain has prevented me from doing. The yard man said he would do that too when he came.
I don't cook on Sundays, that is my daughters kitchen duty day and we are having several of her friends over for dinner tonight. I, in the mean time am working on a quilt with guess what? Flowers! The piece to measure about 44" square is for a charity auction on the 26th of April that benefits childhood cancer treatments. Sense it is what I want to donate I get to make it like I want. YEA!!!! I should be into making the flowers by the end of the day and will give you a look see at where I am then. Of course the tulips got put side for the time being. I won't be able to get back to them until I get back at the end of the month. I really must start working on the kits and handouts for a two day workshop I will be teaching in Hampton, VA on the 20th and 21st.
I don't cook on Sundays, that is my daughters kitchen duty day and we are having several of her friends over for dinner tonight. I, in the mean time am working on a quilt with guess what? Flowers! The piece to measure about 44" square is for a charity auction on the 26th of April that benefits childhood cancer treatments. Sense it is what I want to donate I get to make it like I want. YEA!!!! I should be into making the flowers by the end of the day and will give you a look see at where I am then. Of course the tulips got put side for the time being. I won't be able to get back to them until I get back at the end of the month. I really must start working on the kits and handouts for a two day workshop I will be teaching in Hampton, VA on the 20th and 21st.
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