Saturday, December 31, 2011

Paperwork - arrghhhhh!

Well, it's actually it's electronic work now, but I did a mess of it this morning. Whew! I finished the contract for the ACC show and ordered my electric service for it and did some other administrative type stuff for this show. Now I want to get back to making something. The holidays have distracted me from being in my studio. Now it's time to get going.

Today's morning pages were so helpful. I dumped some frustrations on the page and then started brainstorming, mostly asking myself what I wanted. My answers were all about making things. I need to be creating stuff in order to get my energy zooming. That may sound backwards, some people feel they need energy before they can get creative. But I have found that I cannot wait for that to happen -- I need to get moving and get involved in making something in my studio. Then I feel energized. So, morning pages once again got me back on course. Thanks again to Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way.

First, though, I want to get outside and take a walk. It's in the low 50's and mostly sunny today - such a treat for winter. I've been using a DVD for exercise inside lately, but I miss the sun on my face. So, off I go.

It's New Year's Eve and like so many folks, I'll think about making some kind of resolution. A friend of mine always chooses a theme for the next year. I guess mine might be about being more positive and more compassionate in our crazy world. Hard to come up with a word or theme that feels right. I'll ponder for now.

Happy New Year to you and yours. I hope that our world calms down in this coming year and that we will see positive changes for so many who are struggling. Peace and hugs, Karen

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Blessings to All

It's that time of the year when we get stressed and run at warp speed, trying to get everything done until we finally make ourselves stay "STOP" and take time to get quiet and realize what's really going on -- Christmas. Christmas means so many things to so many people. First and foremost, it is the birth of Jesus and time to savor the mystery of faith and hope. Right about now, I'd love to be walking on the beach at Chincoteague - it's where I feel closest to God and the intimate immensity that the ocean brings reminds me of the bigger picture of life.

Christmas is also family, traditions, memories, time together and time to remember others. If you have time, check out this video using Mary Chapin Carpenter's Come Darkness, Come Light  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb4id4rDwd0&noredirect=1 . It says a lot about Christmas and what we celebrate.

I hope that the mystery and miracle of Christmas touches you and blesses you with love for the new year. Karen

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Progress

Finally, some progress. I just finished the fifth shoulder bag. I always forget that these things take longer than I think they will. So, I am happy that five are ready for the big show. Here are some photos ...



This is what I call my crazy quilt design. It's made of layers of fabrics, all fused down, then stitched like crazy. I love using the stitches on my machine to decorate these.




This is a nice applique (machine, of course) bag. The opposite side has a fish design.









This last one uses layers to create a landscape of sorts.
I guess I'll start another. Maybe I'll use some of these batiks I've been collecting. It's a good evening to stay in. We are having some snow showers here and it's chilly out there, but cozy inside.

I want this week to go slowly, this last week of Advent. My devotion booklet this year has hope as its theme. With all that is going on in the larger world, we need hope and we need to be God's presence in this world for others, however we can do that. I hope you have time to ponder what this season means to you.

Blessings, Karen

Friday, December 16, 2011

The tradition continues!

Wednesday was our annual Cookie Day. This tradition began before I was married when I spent a day with my then future mother-in-law who taught me some of her favorite recipes. My second married Christmas season found me doing cookie day alone since Katherine had passed away that year, way too young. I have continued making two of her recipes ever since. This was my daughter's 45th year of cookies (sorry Susan for the number) - well, the first two she sat and watched, just as all my grandchildren have done. This year, my daughter Susan, my daughter-in-law Jessica and I were assisted by Abigail, Josh and Bella. It was Bella's first Cookie Day and she became an excellent smasher of peanut butter cookies, with instruction from Abigail.
We've settled on five main cookie recipes, but we make many, many of all of them. The day begins around 8:30 and continues til we are finished - this year it was 12 hours by the time we cleaned up and packed cookies. Here's the morning's first round, which included peanut butter cookies, two kinds of chocolate chips (dark and white chocolate), and Katherine's riscottas.

Then we moved on to do sugar cookies and jelly roll cookies (another handed-down favorite) and Jessica made her peanut candy.
Here are our helpers, Abigail, Bella and Josh celebrating their success and ready to eat COOKIES. All the children  love Cookie Day because all dietary limits are set aside, as you can see from Bella sampling her mom's peanut candy.

As you can tell, this is a wonderful and important day for me. It's so nice to spend time with family, making yummy goodies and carrying on the tradition. Cookie Day adds to the specialness of the Christmas season and gives us gifts to share with others.

Now I have to get to work. I have gatherer's bags in progress and fabric and socks ice dyeing (some are gifts). More later.

What special tradition do you cherish? Karen

Thursday, December 8, 2011

No photos today

Today I received an early Christmas gift from my daughter Susan and her family - an orchestra seat at a matinee performance of The Lion King. It was amazing, magnificent, wonderful, breathtaking. I was enthralled and mesmerized. If you haven't seen it, go. The music was energizing and took me back to my days spent in dance studios. I'd love to dance like that. The costumes are amazing - they take the place of scenery. Rich textiles were used in wonderful ways. I really don't have the words to describe all of it. I'd love to see it again and again. I'd love to go backstage and see things up close. Thank you my dear family for a day of magic.

What has left you speechless lately?

Karen

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Some progress with a break for tea

The past few days have been busy - time in my studio and time for tea. Actually, tea was a lovely annual Christmas Tea at my daughter's church. Yummy scones with clotted cream and jam. Tea sandwiches. Tiny carrot cupcakes. And, of course, tea and cucumber sandwiches. This year was extra nice because Jessica, my daughter-in-law, sang several seasonal songs and led us in some carols. Jessica has a beautiful voice and was a gift for all of us. Susan, my daughter, gave a great introduction, pointing out that the rest of the family cannot carry a tune or stay on key - it's true, singers we are not and we all admire Jessica's talents. The tea was a nice break from work and a true blessing in this Advent season.

The previous few days have been fun and productive. I played with one of my fused pieces and now have two versions, each with different finishing touches.

First, it was horizontal with confetti. Hmmm.
















Then it became vertical with some skinny pieces.



I'll look at them for a couple days before I do the next thing.


Then I took a break from these color play blocks to start some crazy quilt fabric for some bags to sell at the show. I have made several bags of different sizes for myself using this method and constantly get admiring comments on them. So, I'll see if others want them. Here's side one.
Color play and Tea - a lovely start to a new week.
Karen

Friday, December 2, 2011

So much fun

Oh what fun it is to play with fabric and try new things. I put together two pieces following Rayna Gillman's book - well, kinda followed. I'm not sure where either is going. I just have to go to the next chapter in her book. Both have promise. The first is using two of my hand dyed, stamped fabric from a workshop. I like what the turquoise is doing. The orange brightens it. This odd shape is inviting in a goofy way.
This strata (or is it stratum?-don't like that word) was put together by just pulling some strips from a drawer of scraps. I will chop it up and add some boundaries.
Today I plan to do some fusing to make some crazy quilt fabric that will become bags for the show.

It's a gorgeous day, not too cold yet and the sun is shining. My kind of day and a good day for a walk - to walk off some of those calories from all that good food last week.

Enjoy. Karen