if you are one of the folks that regularly reads my Studio Blog, you may notice this morning that the countdown ticker to Nevada City has been removed.
Now it might seem more appropriate for this explanation to be over there than here, but because this is something with a lot of emotional baggage, I decided to do it here instead because this is the blog where I "let it all hang out"
For 16 years in a row we had begun our show season with a trip to Nevada City. For a good number of those years it was a financially successful trip, and it was a great way to "fill the well" creatively.
In addition, it has been a wonderful place to "connect" with other artists, and renew friendships.
Since we moved to Colorado it has been the trip every year that has allowed me to visit that "other life" I wish I could have -- {"another life, I want another life,...and every where I ever go, I'm someone who they want to know"} -- and that is the most difficult part for me of making a decision that is practical here.
Since for the past 4 years we have take huge losses by attending this show (it costs us about $1000.00 to do it), and since on our otherwise fixed income with ever increasing costs, we have made the smart business decision and will not be making the trip to California.
I am heart broken.
Please excuse me if there are no posts on the blogs for a few days -- I need time to grieve and try to find some purpose for doing stuff
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Just wondering......
why it is that I've started on this project that involves a large cloth doll (that I've been working on for 6 months and its not finished yet because I haven't figured out the rest of the design yet) and a large cloth winged horse (which is so far just the horse because I haven't figured out the wings yet) are we sensing a theme here?
anyway, I had originally thought I would try to get this all done for a show I'm doing in about a month, and I realized yesterday that because I need to finish pieces that might actually sell, this piece will go to the back burner for now (rats)
which lead to "so why am I doing this"? the second thought of what show it might go to was the Jubilee which is held in Kansas City in September, but yesterday after a look at our budget we regretfully scratched that show off of our list for this year because there is no $$ to apply
so the giant flying horse with the large cloth doll is a project in limbo -- I'm thinking that if I actually get it finished whenever that might be that I might just pack it up and send it off to the Art Doll magazine and see if they'll use it in their publication -- we'll see
sort of sad sometimes how projects I get excited about doing turn into just another unfinished object..............
anyway, I had originally thought I would try to get this all done for a show I'm doing in about a month, and I realized yesterday that because I need to finish pieces that might actually sell, this piece will go to the back burner for now (rats)
which lead to "so why am I doing this"? the second thought of what show it might go to was the Jubilee which is held in Kansas City in September, but yesterday after a look at our budget we regretfully scratched that show off of our list for this year because there is no $$ to apply
so the giant flying horse with the large cloth doll is a project in limbo -- I'm thinking that if I actually get it finished whenever that might be that I might just pack it up and send it off to the Art Doll magazine and see if they'll use it in their publication -- we'll see
sort of sad sometimes how projects I get excited about doing turn into just another unfinished object..............
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
I'm still here
but nothing to show you today
Saturday morning I woke up feeling kind of "off" -- little did I know I'd spend Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday alternating between dozing in my recliner and running to the bathroom -- needless to say, I've had better weekends!
So today I'll try to catch up with the house chores -- do some laundry, etc., and maybe even work on something.
All this after being just mad enought to spit nails on Friday when I talked to my mother.
Seems the "village" they live in has decided that they are in violation of the city ordinance regarding driveways. They have been told that they must put in concrete, asphalt or 3 inches of gravel in their driveway.
Now they have lived in their house since 1956. It never had any of that stuff and neither did anyone else in the neighborhood. Gradually over the years, the neighbors that could afford it have but those things in. And evidently at some point the city passed an ordinance that said every house had to do it.
I looked up the ordinance to try to find out when this little lovely was passed (and why they weren't told something then) -- the web site doesn't give any date on it.
All that and I guess it never occurred to the city that if my folks could afford to do that to the driveway they would have -- DUH!
Sometimes I get so annoyed at government that thinks its more important to butt into our personal property than to actually provide some services (you know, like clearing the street in front of my parents house)
Geesh!
Saturday morning I woke up feeling kind of "off" -- little did I know I'd spend Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday alternating between dozing in my recliner and running to the bathroom -- needless to say, I've had better weekends!
So today I'll try to catch up with the house chores -- do some laundry, etc., and maybe even work on something.
All this after being just mad enought to spit nails on Friday when I talked to my mother.
Seems the "village" they live in has decided that they are in violation of the city ordinance regarding driveways. They have been told that they must put in concrete, asphalt or 3 inches of gravel in their driveway.
Now they have lived in their house since 1956. It never had any of that stuff and neither did anyone else in the neighborhood. Gradually over the years, the neighbors that could afford it have but those things in. And evidently at some point the city passed an ordinance that said every house had to do it.
I looked up the ordinance to try to find out when this little lovely was passed (and why they weren't told something then) -- the web site doesn't give any date on it.
All that and I guess it never occurred to the city that if my folks could afford to do that to the driveway they would have -- DUH!
Sometimes I get so annoyed at government that thinks its more important to butt into our personal property than to actually provide some services (you know, like clearing the street in front of my parents house)
Geesh!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Mind Muddle
I hate mid winter
its so.....well ---- GRAY!
I think as soon as its warm enough for the snow to be gone things should be green
Alas, such is not the case -- {sigh!}
And of course it seems that right now I'm in that "working on a dozen things and nothing is finished" stage of getting ready for shows, which does not help
I think I need a play day, but I don't even have any ideas for what I would do on one
Really I should be spending some serious time working on the website re-write, but this year I just haven't been able to get into it
I spent some time this morning surfing around in fabric websites looking at possible stuff for the back of the quilt I'm working on right now -- I found some neat stuff that is a lovely red batik -- and added it to my wish list
(have you noticed my wish list at the side of this blog? I know, there are a lot of mundane items there, but after all a wish list should be those things that you want but won't/can't buy for yourself right now!) Mostly this list was added because my daughter asked me to give her some ideas for what I might want for my birthday/mother's day/Christmas or whatever occasion seems to call for a present. I'm happy to oblige her.
perhaps today I'll get back to that website writing......and figure out a day to do "play" activities
its so.....well ---- GRAY!
I think as soon as its warm enough for the snow to be gone things should be green
Alas, such is not the case -- {sigh!}
And of course it seems that right now I'm in that "working on a dozen things and nothing is finished" stage of getting ready for shows, which does not help
I think I need a play day, but I don't even have any ideas for what I would do on one
Really I should be spending some serious time working on the website re-write, but this year I just haven't been able to get into it
I spent some time this morning surfing around in fabric websites looking at possible stuff for the back of the quilt I'm working on right now -- I found some neat stuff that is a lovely red batik -- and added it to my wish list
(have you noticed my wish list at the side of this blog? I know, there are a lot of mundane items there, but after all a wish list should be those things that you want but won't/can't buy for yourself right now!) Mostly this list was added because my daughter asked me to give her some ideas for what I might want for my birthday/mother's day/Christmas or whatever occasion seems to call for a present. I'm happy to oblige her.
perhaps today I'll get back to that website writing......and figure out a day to do "play" activities
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
now I've done it...
the newpaper we get on a daily basis did a "call for writers" this month
I polished up two posts from this blog and submitted them
There's no pay for this activity, but it would be cool to be able to add it to my "resume"
also a certain amount of pride accorded to beating out all the grad students
and a bit of a flying in the face of "the critic" that makes me remember so well the line from Gypsy when she says "me, with no talent, as you've reminded me every day of my life"
Take That!
anyway, I will fall over in a dead faint if they actually accept me, but its good to enter any way
keep on keepin' on!
I polished up two posts from this blog and submitted them
There's no pay for this activity, but it would be cool to be able to add it to my "resume"
also a certain amount of pride accorded to beating out all the grad students
and a bit of a flying in the face of "the critic" that makes me remember so well the line from Gypsy when she says "me, with no talent, as you've reminded me every day of my life"
Take That!
anyway, I will fall over in a dead faint if they actually accept me, but its good to enter any way
keep on keepin' on!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Still needing to go green
Here in our little village, I feel like we're living in a time warp of 20 years ago.
A few weeks ago I decided to try to find a new trash company with the idea of:
1. saving a bit of money
2. having our recyclable materials collected instead of going into the landfill
I called every company in town, including the one I currently have service with.
Keep in mind that where we lived before the recycle pick up was part of the weekly trash collection at no extra charge. They didn't need to charge extra, the materials were being sold to companies that actually used the materials in new products.
They took paper (including junk mail and magazines), glass, metal, aluminum, and plastic (ALL kinds of plastic), you were told to pile yard waste (tree trimming, grass clippings, etc) in a specific place in the street and they came by, scooped them up and they were recycled too. And the local stores there encouraged you to bring in your own bags (in fact now in that area they charge you if you want a bag from them).
Anyway, here was the conversation with one of the local companies:
Me: I'd like some information about your recycling service.
Company: We pick up recycle items every other week; it costs an extra $3.25 a month.
Me: What kind of materials do you pick up?
Company: newspapers, aluminum cans and plastic marked 2 and 7
Me: What about glass or magazines?
Company: No, we can't handle those
Me: So do you bring out bins for things to be sorted?
Company: No, you just sort your stuff into the plastic bags you get groceries in
Me: I don't get plastic bags
Company: Well, you could use the paper ones I guess
Me: I don't get paper bags
Company: How do you bring your groceries home?
Me: In cloth bags that I carry in with me and reuse over and over
Company: Well, we have to have the stuff sorted into bags
Me: So do you recycle those too?
Company: I don't think so
Me: Never mind
It’s enough to have me mumbling and swearing I can tell ya!
A few weeks ago I decided to try to find a new trash company with the idea of:
1. saving a bit of money
2. having our recyclable materials collected instead of going into the landfill
I called every company in town, including the one I currently have service with.
Keep in mind that where we lived before the recycle pick up was part of the weekly trash collection at no extra charge. They didn't need to charge extra, the materials were being sold to companies that actually used the materials in new products.
They took paper (including junk mail and magazines), glass, metal, aluminum, and plastic (ALL kinds of plastic), you were told to pile yard waste (tree trimming, grass clippings, etc) in a specific place in the street and they came by, scooped them up and they were recycled too. And the local stores there encouraged you to bring in your own bags (in fact now in that area they charge you if you want a bag from them).
Anyway, here was the conversation with one of the local companies:
Me: I'd like some information about your recycling service.
Company: We pick up recycle items every other week; it costs an extra $3.25 a month.
Me: What kind of materials do you pick up?
Company: newspapers, aluminum cans and plastic marked 2 and 7
Me: What about glass or magazines?
Company: No, we can't handle those
Me: So do you bring out bins for things to be sorted?
Company: No, you just sort your stuff into the plastic bags you get groceries in
Me: I don't get plastic bags
Company: Well, you could use the paper ones I guess
Me: I don't get paper bags
Company: How do you bring your groceries home?
Me: In cloth bags that I carry in with me and reuse over and over
Company: Well, we have to have the stuff sorted into bags
Me: So do you recycle those too?
Company: I don't think so
Me: Never mind
It’s enough to have me mumbling and swearing I can tell ya!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
On becoming part of the political system
Let me be clear first off here. My parents always voted. I have always voted. I was delighted when the 18 year olds got the vote even tho' it was just a little too late for me to take advantage.
But aside from having an opinion and going to the polls, my family was never all that involved in politics.
And frankly, during the time that I was working full time and being a full time mom and trying to run a small business all at once, I just didn't have much time to think about politics much more than that.
During the last seven years, however, I've become something of a political junkie.
For one thing, the current administration's bungling of all the good will we had right after the day the world went mad is so sad. Then all the evil things they have done since have made me so mad.
So, during the last election, I went to a caucus meeting for the first time.
Last night was my second time, and I can tell you, it was a whole new world.
For one thing, at the last meeting we were in this little basement class room of our local high school, two precincts in the room and all of 6 of us there. I can tell you that was a very quick meeting, but in truth, all of the deciding on the candidates had already been done because that race was so lopsided.
Last night we were in that same little basement room, but a whole world away. For our precinct alone there were 24 of us. The majority of us over 55, but some younger ones as well including one mom that brought her two elementary school aged children with her to see democracy in action -- now that was neat!
And, because there actually was a race to be decided, we actually did break into groups (although not as many as there would have been two weeks ago), and we had to "do the math" to get the right proportion of delegates selected.
It was exciting!
And so, by the end of the meeting, the DH is the new Precinct Chairman and a delegate to our county assembly which meets on Feb 23 where more business will be conducted and delegates chosen for the state convention later in the spring.
Oh yeah, I'm an alternate to the county assembly (which means I get to go even if I may not get to vote) and the new Precinct Secretary (I get to handle the emails and the paperwork -- like that's anything new!)
WOW!
But aside from having an opinion and going to the polls, my family was never all that involved in politics.
And frankly, during the time that I was working full time and being a full time mom and trying to run a small business all at once, I just didn't have much time to think about politics much more than that.
During the last seven years, however, I've become something of a political junkie.
For one thing, the current administration's bungling of all the good will we had right after the day the world went mad is so sad. Then all the evil things they have done since have made me so mad.
So, during the last election, I went to a caucus meeting for the first time.
Last night was my second time, and I can tell you, it was a whole new world.
For one thing, at the last meeting we were in this little basement class room of our local high school, two precincts in the room and all of 6 of us there. I can tell you that was a very quick meeting, but in truth, all of the deciding on the candidates had already been done because that race was so lopsided.
Last night we were in that same little basement room, but a whole world away. For our precinct alone there were 24 of us. The majority of us over 55, but some younger ones as well including one mom that brought her two elementary school aged children with her to see democracy in action -- now that was neat!
And, because there actually was a race to be decided, we actually did break into groups (although not as many as there would have been two weeks ago), and we had to "do the math" to get the right proportion of delegates selected.
It was exciting!
And so, by the end of the meeting, the DH is the new Precinct Chairman and a delegate to our county assembly which meets on Feb 23 where more business will be conducted and delegates chosen for the state convention later in the spring.
Oh yeah, I'm an alternate to the county assembly (which means I get to go even if I may not get to vote) and the new Precinct Secretary (I get to handle the emails and the paperwork -- like that's anything new!)
WOW!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Big Brother again? or something MORE sinister?
"The Massachusetts legislature approved a bill that would require all residents to purchase health insurance or face legal penalties, which would make this the first state to tackle the problem of incomplete medical coverage by treating patients the same way it does cars.
Gov. Mitt Romney (R) supports the proposal, which would require all uninsured adults in the state to purchase some kind of insurance policy by July 1, 2007, or face a fine.
All residents will have to provide details about their health insurance policy on their state income tax returns in 2008. Those who do not have insurance would first lose their personal state tax exemption, perhaps worth $150, and later face penalties equal to half the cost of the cheapest policy they should have bought. That might work out to $1,200 per year, officials said."
[source of the quote is an article dated April 4, 2006, in The Washington Post, this link will take you there for the full article.]
So, this seems to be the latest direction our great "Christian" nation is taking.
Let us review -- even if you are poor you still MUST buy health insurance or the state is going to fine you like what happens when you have a car and don't have insurance.
Ok, when you don't insure your car after a while they take away your driver's license -- so what will the end result be here -- they'll take away your license to live? Not having decent health care already does that.
As with everything else, health care is only about the "bottom line" for insurance companies, for doctors, for hospitals. Its the great capitalist system.
and its killing us
[PS: its also why I will NEVER vote for Romney]
Friday, January 18, 2008
What next?
I can't believe the depths to which what passes for government has fallen.
Just prior to being sworn in as a representative for my area of our state, Dennis Bruce kicked a newspaper photographer for the offense of taking his picture (to read all of the ugly details, use this link.)
Now this guy has been causing trouble in the city government for quite a while and he is the author of the now infamous TABOR tax bill that has been the downfall of public schools and other services in our state as well.
I can hardly wait to see what he will do next -- hold his breath until they let him introduce a bill for something?
makes me ashamed to admit I live here
Just prior to being sworn in as a representative for my area of our state, Dennis Bruce kicked a newspaper photographer for the offense of taking his picture (to read all of the ugly details, use this link.)
Now this guy has been causing trouble in the city government for quite a while and he is the author of the now infamous TABOR tax bill that has been the downfall of public schools and other services in our state as well.
I can hardly wait to see what he will do next -- hold his breath until they let him introduce a bill for something?
makes me ashamed to admit I live here
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I want Cheney Care!!
In yesterday's USA Today there was a full page add from the California Nurses Association and the National Nurses Organizing Committee pointing out that if Cheney were anyone else, he'd probably be dead by now.
He (and the members of congress) all enjoy government financed healthcare with very few restrictions and no prohibitive fees. They are never refused payment on treatment for pre-existing conditions or for care that the insurance company labels experimental.
WE ALL DESERVE THIS KIND OF HEALTH CARE!!!!
If you want to check out what the nurses have to say, use this link to go and check it out, sign the petition or share your horror story about insurance companies.
Thanks for listening (and I'm now stepping off my soap box for today)
He (and the members of congress) all enjoy government financed healthcare with very few restrictions and no prohibitive fees. They are never refused payment on treatment for pre-existing conditions or for care that the insurance company labels experimental.
WE ALL DESERVE THIS KIND OF HEALTH CARE!!!!
If you want to check out what the nurses have to say, use this link to go and check it out, sign the petition or share your horror story about insurance companies.
Thanks for listening (and I'm now stepping off my soap box for today)
Sunday, December 30, 2007
End of the Year Reflections
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
I've heard this song for a while, never knew it was Abba.
Here in blogland we have found new friends from all around the world.
May we have a vision in 2008 of how to put an end to all the chaos in our world
may we have less conflict and killing and more peace
may we all have a happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
I've heard this song for a while, never knew it was Abba.
Here in blogland we have found new friends from all around the world.
May we have a vision in 2008 of how to put an end to all the chaos in our world
may we have less conflict and killing and more peace
may we all have a happy new year
Monday, December 10, 2007
Reaping the Whirlwind......
Quite a week it has been for American youth and guns.
Omaha, Arvada, Colorado Springs
In shopping malls and houses of worship
Our society has become meaner, more unfeeling, more violent
We are our own victims, our children have become killers
Our politics are all about the terrorists from without
We are creating our own terror within
"They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind"
now more than ever we need to pray for peace
Omaha, Arvada, Colorado Springs
In shopping malls and houses of worship
Our society has become meaner, more unfeeling, more violent
We are our own victims, our children have become killers
Our politics are all about the terrorists from without
We are creating our own terror within
"They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind"
now more than ever we need to pray for peace
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Creating in a vaccuum?
I have battled for a while with a huge case of "why bother" .... and today it occurred to me that its hard to create in a vaccuum....the well goes dry quickly when there is no rain, and this applies creatively too.
I admit, I like the "strokes" of having someone say "isn't that awesome" or something similar about something I've created -- and even more I appreciate the ones that will whip out their check book or their credit card and actually PAY for some of my artwork -- mostly the latter because without it I very quickly will have no way to pay for materials to make new things.
But there is in itself a certain amount of "loneliness" in creative pursuits. It does not help that at least in my little corner of the world, every group of people that I might find something in common with wants to charge a fee for the pleasure of joining their group.
I realize that if I could make the decision about where I would live I would go back to the beginning of my time living away from my parents, where my apartment was on a main bus line and close to groceries by walking and near enough to the main library and the art museums that I could go there every weekend if I wanted to ... in short, I would return to the city, away from the suburban sprawl and the responsibilities for every little problem with the property and shoveling the sidewalks when it snows and mowing the grass.
I guess the "American Dream" of home ownership was never really my dream, but the other half of this pair still wants that -- don't ask me why. And I guess what that really means is that I'm just being selfish.....at least according to current prevailing attitudes.
Ok, that's my little rant for today ..... back to work
I admit, I like the "strokes" of having someone say "isn't that awesome" or something similar about something I've created -- and even more I appreciate the ones that will whip out their check book or their credit card and actually PAY for some of my artwork -- mostly the latter because without it I very quickly will have no way to pay for materials to make new things.
But there is in itself a certain amount of "loneliness" in creative pursuits. It does not help that at least in my little corner of the world, every group of people that I might find something in common with wants to charge a fee for the pleasure of joining their group.
I realize that if I could make the decision about where I would live I would go back to the beginning of my time living away from my parents, where my apartment was on a main bus line and close to groceries by walking and near enough to the main library and the art museums that I could go there every weekend if I wanted to ... in short, I would return to the city, away from the suburban sprawl and the responsibilities for every little problem with the property and shoveling the sidewalks when it snows and mowing the grass.
I guess the "American Dream" of home ownership was never really my dream, but the other half of this pair still wants that -- don't ask me why. And I guess what that really means is that I'm just being selfish.....at least according to current prevailing attitudes.
Ok, that's my little rant for today ..... back to work
Monday, December 03, 2007
Amazing Sound of a Boy Choir
The other evening I caught just the end of a performance on PBS of this amazing boy choir from England called Libera. If you haven't heard any of their music, I highly recommend you use this link and take a listen to some of their stuff.
My favorite of the ones on line is one titled I am the day....here are the lyrics...............
I am the day, soon to be born
I am the light before the morning
I am the night, that will be dawn
I am the end and the beginning
I am the alpha and omega
The night and day, the first and last
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
In aeterna
I am the life, soon to begin
I am the new hope in the morning
I am the darkness, soon to be light
I am the rising and the falling
I am the alpha and omega
The night and day, the first and last
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
In aeterna
I'm hoping the program will be rerun and I can record it for future listening pleasure!
My favorite of the ones on line is one titled I am the day....here are the lyrics...............
I am the day, soon to be born
I am the light before the morning
I am the night, that will be dawn
I am the end and the beginning
I am the alpha and omega
The night and day, the first and last
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
In aeterna
I am the life, soon to begin
I am the new hope in the morning
I am the darkness, soon to be light
I am the rising and the falling
I am the alpha and omega
The night and day, the first and last
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
Illuminosa, immortalis
Sancta gloriosa
In aeterna
I'm hoping the program will be rerun and I can record it for future listening pleasure!
Friday, November 30, 2007
nothing without a reason?
Over at Clarity of Night (a blog I read regularly), Jason has posted 2 very interesting items this week.
On Wednesday he talked about a marker in one of the cemetaries near him and drew a lot of comment about the idea of "coincidence".
Today's posting was about a very special incident that happened to him after he had read some of those comments.
Fascinating!
Do you believe in coincidence?
Are people rewarded or punished here for what they have done?
Do you think they're right when they say "no good dead goes unpunished"?
This much I do believe -- everything we do has an impact somewhere -- if we had not made every decision we have ever made, we would not be exactly where we are -- perhaps the ultimate expression of the rule of unintented consequences
What do you think?
On Wednesday he talked about a marker in one of the cemetaries near him and drew a lot of comment about the idea of "coincidence".
Today's posting was about a very special incident that happened to him after he had read some of those comments.
Fascinating!
Do you believe in coincidence?
Are people rewarded or punished here for what they have done?
Do you think they're right when they say "no good dead goes unpunished"?
This much I do believe -- everything we do has an impact somewhere -- if we had not made every decision we have ever made, we would not be exactly where we are -- perhaps the ultimate expression of the rule of unintented consequences
What do you think?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Fiber as an art form, and how much is too much?
Yesterday morning I started in on the annual "clean up the house for Christmas decorating", albeit slowly (very slowly due to the cold meds, etc.) when I was summoned to the TV by the DH and told to "sit, stay, watch this program!"
He had stumbled into a program on PBS titled The Art of Quilting, and he thought I might be interested in seeing it......well, let me tell you, I was GLUED to that TV screen through it all!
Now I can tell you that I have made a few quilts. To me quilts were functional, useful objects (guess that goes to my grandmother's telling me to be frugal with materials), but I have found ways to make my own sort of "artsy" statement with some of the ones I have done.
Lately, while the pieces I have worked on have been intended as gifts and intended to keep the user warm, there has been a certain amount of experimenting going on. In fact the piece I'm currently working on is another combination of piecing, applique, embroidery, embellishing and my current plan is to quilt a design over it that does not following the design on the front which will be a real departure from anything I've ever done with one. (All this from someone that two years ago was a confirmed PIECER -- no applique -- too difficult, etc., etc.)
Anyway, regarding the show -- I was fascinated by the work of a group of women who call themselves The Chicago School of Fusing -- a technique that I know a little about and have not previously been interested in doing anything with because I can't see it as a good technique for something intented to be a cover to be wrapped up in. However, as a technique for something to be hung on the wall, that transformation of quilt to art form to be VIEWED it holds a lot of fascination.
The project I'm working on now features a dragon on a water/mountain background, but after seeing that show I see the potential for a smaller hanging version with more than one dragon -- all of which would be possible if I used that fusing technique....
hmmmmmm, perhaps an idea for a later time!
Meantime, I'm considering rather my idea a few months ago to split up my areas of art into several different blogs was such a good one.
Sometimes, less is more, and after all, anyone that knows me, knows my work or has even randomly read my ramblings knows that I have this whole issue of focus -- or lack thereof -- multi tasking seems to be my middle name and I'm not sure at this point in my life if its a good idea to fight what has worked (ok, most of the time!) by trying to split it up into little bite sized pieces.....
We'll see
He had stumbled into a program on PBS titled The Art of Quilting, and he thought I might be interested in seeing it......well, let me tell you, I was GLUED to that TV screen through it all!
Now I can tell you that I have made a few quilts. To me quilts were functional, useful objects (guess that goes to my grandmother's telling me to be frugal with materials), but I have found ways to make my own sort of "artsy" statement with some of the ones I have done.
Lately, while the pieces I have worked on have been intended as gifts and intended to keep the user warm, there has been a certain amount of experimenting going on. In fact the piece I'm currently working on is another combination of piecing, applique, embroidery, embellishing and my current plan is to quilt a design over it that does not following the design on the front which will be a real departure from anything I've ever done with one. (All this from someone that two years ago was a confirmed PIECER -- no applique -- too difficult, etc., etc.)
Anyway, regarding the show -- I was fascinated by the work of a group of women who call themselves The Chicago School of Fusing -- a technique that I know a little about and have not previously been interested in doing anything with because I can't see it as a good technique for something intented to be a cover to be wrapped up in. However, as a technique for something to be hung on the wall, that transformation of quilt to art form to be VIEWED it holds a lot of fascination.
The project I'm working on now features a dragon on a water/mountain background, but after seeing that show I see the potential for a smaller hanging version with more than one dragon -- all of which would be possible if I used that fusing technique....
hmmmmmm, perhaps an idea for a later time!
Meantime, I'm considering rather my idea a few months ago to split up my areas of art into several different blogs was such a good one.
Sometimes, less is more, and after all, anyone that knows me, knows my work or has even randomly read my ramblings knows that I have this whole issue of focus -- or lack thereof -- multi tasking seems to be my middle name and I'm not sure at this point in my life if its a good idea to fight what has worked (ok, most of the time!) by trying to split it up into little bite sized pieces.....
We'll see
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Multi tasking -- crazy or not?
In a catalog recently I saw a t-shirt for sale that said "Multi tasking - the art of screwing up many things at once"
hmmmmmm -- do you think there is any truth to that?
I must admit that from time to time I get frustrated with the "lack of apparent accomplishment" that accompanies this phenomenon, but on the other hand, I'm just as likely to get totally bored and just put it aside and never finish if I try to work on just one thing at a time
Is there a happy medium here?! (and if so, could you please tell me what the winning lottery number are!)
Actually, I've been pretty steadily working on 3 projects this week -- two of which are Christmas presents for folks that actually (at least occasionally) read my blogs, so I can't say much about them -- the third one is a "make it and it might sell, possibly an order" item that I'm about half done with.
As I've been slogging along through these 3 items, I've begun to think about trying the "focus on one project" idea for a bear that I did the design for a while back and that is as far as it has gotten. Part of that has been because for me the bear is easy (relatively anyway), but pulling together all of the accessories/costuming/etc/etc is not so much, and there is still the "it doesn't look like what I saw in my head" issue to deal with.
So, maybe in a few weeks after all the Christmas presents are done (including the at least 3 more that haven't even been started besides all the WIPs); I'll have a go at putting away everything else (well, ok, except the afghan squares which I use like a "pacifier" before I drift off at night) and concentrate on this one bear and all of the accessories that I have envisioned --- we'll see how that goes!
hmmmmmm -- do you think there is any truth to that?
I must admit that from time to time I get frustrated with the "lack of apparent accomplishment" that accompanies this phenomenon, but on the other hand, I'm just as likely to get totally bored and just put it aside and never finish if I try to work on just one thing at a time
Is there a happy medium here?! (and if so, could you please tell me what the winning lottery number are!)
Actually, I've been pretty steadily working on 3 projects this week -- two of which are Christmas presents for folks that actually (at least occasionally) read my blogs, so I can't say much about them -- the third one is a "make it and it might sell, possibly an order" item that I'm about half done with.
As I've been slogging along through these 3 items, I've begun to think about trying the "focus on one project" idea for a bear that I did the design for a while back and that is as far as it has gotten. Part of that has been because for me the bear is easy (relatively anyway), but pulling together all of the accessories/costuming/etc/etc is not so much, and there is still the "it doesn't look like what I saw in my head" issue to deal with.
So, maybe in a few weeks after all the Christmas presents are done (including the at least 3 more that haven't even been started besides all the WIPs); I'll have a go at putting away everything else (well, ok, except the afghan squares which I use like a "pacifier" before I drift off at night) and concentrate on this one bear and all of the accessories that I have envisioned --- we'll see how that goes!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The post office is making me CRAZY!
For quite a while now, I have been an Amazon Book Seller -- I list books on Amazon through their seller program (used books, new books, books found at garage sales, books given to me -- whatever I can get my hands on); Amazon sends me an email when a sale is made, I ship off the book and every 2 weeks Amazon tranfers the money I have earned into my bank account.
Slick little money making thing, and for 3 years it has been painless -- I buy $1.00 stamps from the post office (usually ordering through the mail), weigh the book on my postal scale, look up the correct Media Mail postage amount on USPS.com, slap the stamps on the book and put it out in my mail box for the postal employee to pick up.
Recently, however, here in our ultra conservative, "there's a terrorist under every bush" little up tight town, the powers that be at the post office have tightened up their policies and made my life a lot more difficult for this endeavor.
It began simply enough. I got an email from Amazon telling me that one of the books I had listed had sold and I should ship it out. I did my usual thing -- this particular book weighed 2 pounds and 4 ounces as it was a thick hard bound one -- put the book out in the box, went on my merry little way.
But wait! Two days later, there it is back in my mail box with one of those obnoxious post office sticky notes pasted over the mailing address tell me that any piece of mail that weighs over 13 ounces and has postage stamps on it must be taken to the post office and handed to a post office employee. Not just drop it in the post office box either, nooooo, stand in line for half an hour just to hand them my already weighed and stamped package. Say WHAT!?
First off, what's with 13 ounces? I mean, why not say, 10 ounces, or 14 ounces or 3 ounces.....and the bit about "because it has stamps on it"......meaning if I could afford a postage meter and print those little tape thingies like the post office does I'd be able to just put it in the box. And then there is the question of "what's in the package?"
I had this whole discussion with the postal clerk at the desk -- I asked her "how do you know what's in the package just because I carried it in here?"
I got this whole song and dance from her about how since 9/11 the airlines won't let the post office put a package over 13 ounces with stamps on it on an airplane if it didn't come into the office. HUH?! Give me a break lady, I may be older but I'm not senile, and that is a CROCK -- like the airlines are going to look at each and every package in that big sealed container of mail that gets put on the plane....don't give me that!
And then again, consider that if I really was a terrorist and wanted to put a bomb in a package I'd probably be well funded enough to have that little postage machine and print those little tapes and then I could just send off my little package anyway.
One more piece of evidence that I was right when I said that 9/11 was the day the whole world lost its mind.............
Slick little money making thing, and for 3 years it has been painless -- I buy $1.00 stamps from the post office (usually ordering through the mail), weigh the book on my postal scale, look up the correct Media Mail postage amount on USPS.com, slap the stamps on the book and put it out in my mail box for the postal employee to pick up.
Recently, however, here in our ultra conservative, "there's a terrorist under every bush" little up tight town, the powers that be at the post office have tightened up their policies and made my life a lot more difficult for this endeavor.
It began simply enough. I got an email from Amazon telling me that one of the books I had listed had sold and I should ship it out. I did my usual thing -- this particular book weighed 2 pounds and 4 ounces as it was a thick hard bound one -- put the book out in the box, went on my merry little way.
But wait! Two days later, there it is back in my mail box with one of those obnoxious post office sticky notes pasted over the mailing address tell me that any piece of mail that weighs over 13 ounces and has postage stamps on it must be taken to the post office and handed to a post office employee. Not just drop it in the post office box either, nooooo, stand in line for half an hour just to hand them my already weighed and stamped package. Say WHAT!?
First off, what's with 13 ounces? I mean, why not say, 10 ounces, or 14 ounces or 3 ounces.....and the bit about "because it has stamps on it"......meaning if I could afford a postage meter and print those little tape thingies like the post office does I'd be able to just put it in the box. And then there is the question of "what's in the package?"
I had this whole discussion with the postal clerk at the desk -- I asked her "how do you know what's in the package just because I carried it in here?"
I got this whole song and dance from her about how since 9/11 the airlines won't let the post office put a package over 13 ounces with stamps on it on an airplane if it didn't come into the office. HUH?! Give me a break lady, I may be older but I'm not senile, and that is a CROCK -- like the airlines are going to look at each and every package in that big sealed container of mail that gets put on the plane....don't give me that!
And then again, consider that if I really was a terrorist and wanted to put a bomb in a package I'd probably be well funded enough to have that little postage machine and print those little tapes and then I could just send off my little package anyway.
One more piece of evidence that I was right when I said that 9/11 was the day the whole world lost its mind.............
Friday, November 09, 2007
Amen sister!
Over at A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk the gal that runs Little Black Kitty Art wrote a great bit today about living simply.
I have thought about this issue a lot of late anyway, but her analysis brings it more clearly into focus.
One of the things she says is: "I don’t need near as much stuff as I think I do. Having more than I need just complicates my life. The more stuff I have, the more time I have to spend cleaning, organizing, and taking care of it."
Now I have felt that way for a while. Maybe its that we are in a huge, 2 story, 4 bedroom house and at least in the winter when we're here by ourselves, we don't even go upstairs except to shower! And its on a big lot which means we must also mow it/rake it/shovel it outside.
I'd be just as happy in a much smaller place with much less stuff! I don't want to have to clean it/dust it/wash it/polish it/rake it/repair it or whatever "it" requires. I want to work on other things!
At the end of her discussion on this subject she asks this question: "Do you have any tips for me on the logistics of down-sizing and getting the kids on board with it?"
To which I add a question of my own -- how do you get a husband on board with it? That I think is a much tougher question.
I have thought about this issue a lot of late anyway, but her analysis brings it more clearly into focus.
One of the things she says is: "I don’t need near as much stuff as I think I do. Having more than I need just complicates my life. The more stuff I have, the more time I have to spend cleaning, organizing, and taking care of it."
Now I have felt that way for a while. Maybe its that we are in a huge, 2 story, 4 bedroom house and at least in the winter when we're here by ourselves, we don't even go upstairs except to shower! And its on a big lot which means we must also mow it/rake it/shovel it outside.
I'd be just as happy in a much smaller place with much less stuff! I don't want to have to clean it/dust it/wash it/polish it/rake it/repair it or whatever "it" requires. I want to work on other things!
At the end of her discussion on this subject she asks this question: "Do you have any tips for me on the logistics of down-sizing and getting the kids on board with it?"
To which I add a question of my own -- how do you get a husband on board with it? That I think is a much tougher question.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
blah, blah, blah......
as in, that's how I've felt for the past few days.....nothing serious, just that lingering, behind the eyes, "I don't want to do anything" feeling that usually accompanies the switch off of daylight savings time.....our sleeping schedules are all messed up -- ie the labrador thinks its time to go outside at 5:15 AM! after which I never really get to sleep again....{sigh!}
Its also the result of knowing that Christmas is only 47 days away and behind that the already scheduled increase in health insurance premiums which coupled with the rising price of gas almost insures that we simply will not be able to make ends meet in the new year which is just not a pretty picture.......
My ideas to try new on line ventures to make money have just not panned out, so I'm simply out of ideas at this point........
The best plan we had come up with was to sell our house and move into something smaller, but with the current glut of houses on the market, we wouldn't even be able to get enough out of it to manage that......
I'm seriously thinking that I will have to try to find some kind of regular job somewhere after the first of the year and the traveling/shows/art work will just have to stop
Its also the result of knowing that Christmas is only 47 days away and behind that the already scheduled increase in health insurance premiums which coupled with the rising price of gas almost insures that we simply will not be able to make ends meet in the new year which is just not a pretty picture.......
My ideas to try new on line ventures to make money have just not panned out, so I'm simply out of ideas at this point........
The best plan we had come up with was to sell our house and move into something smaller, but with the current glut of houses on the market, we wouldn't even be able to get enough out of it to manage that......
I'm seriously thinking that I will have to try to find some kind of regular job somewhere after the first of the year and the traveling/shows/art work will just have to stop
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