Putting my hand on

ink pens is a problem I no longer have no matter where I might put one down in my apartment. You see, I brought a half dozen of these to support the 54-40 quilt guild's charity efforts last month. I know I could have made my own. I've seen then done like this in many places where pins tend to walk off, like doctor offices. After all, all they are is a cheap pen with an inexpensive single stem silk flower attached to it with floral tape. As you see four are tucked into a yellow tea pot on my desk. As I sit here, I can see the other two stuck into a vase on the coffee table. Functional and appropriately they continue the theme of flowers that so much characterizes my life and decorates my space.

I have missed the garden I planted in Missouri. I knew I would when my bio clock on the first of May told me it was time for planting things that bloom. While the garden outside my window is always green, even in January, there are no flowers of color visible from my window. Because I haven't wanted to make myself garden sick I haven't asked Lyn to send me any pictures of the gardens at her house.

Until this afternoon I thought I was going to have the pleasure of wandering in my friend Marti's garden the middle of next month to see what was blooming, but my trip to Louisville to judge a small quilt show in Indiana has been cancelled. While they were willing to pay my fee they weren't willing to pay my airfare. Oh well... Not entirely their fault, they thought I still lived in KY.

My cell phone still has a Louisville area code.

Not having a garden with flowers outside my door hasn't stopped me from filling my space with blooms. The cut flowers they sell at Publix (the grocery store) are always plentiful and fresh)

My collection of paint brushes is growing. Sort of looks like cut flowers in their little vases. What is it about what ever art tool I choose to use there has to be more than one or two of them. I find I pick up and fondle the bristles of paint brushes in Michael's and Joann's, let's not even mention Art Systems, the art store of my dreams. And it is not like I need another brush. Do I need help?

My collection of water color pigments is growing as well even though I know that six basic colors would do. A warm and cool yellow, a warm and cool red and a warm and cool blue. I picked up a tube of a yellow hue by M. Graham to try but so far I like the Daniel Smith brand best. I have found that the less expensive brands (Grumbacher for example) tend to rub off because they take longer to bond or their pigment particles are not fine enough an act more like a temper paint; sitting on the surface rather than bonding with the fibers like a dye or coating the fibers like a stain which is what the more expensive brand do.

I had a tube of a less expensive red (Grumbacher) that I love, but couldn't find the same or similar hue at the art store in the Daniel Smith brand, so I used it anyway, but I think I am going to regret it.

This composition looks familiar I know. I am doing it again in a larger size, using different reds and greens. You can never mix the colors exactly the same twice, which for me is the fun part of painting.

This piece is larger than the one completed about three weeks ago; in the range of 44" x 60"so that it will qualify for an upcoming quilt shows .

Yes I did say that.

Done painting. Steam pressed and waiting.

I am going now to sandwich it and begin quilting.

Will check-in, in a few days and keep you abreast of my progress.