Thank goodness for paper. Canvasses can get bulky and hard to store when space is at a premium, but paper  saves the day.

Often, before I close up shop for the day (around 11 p.m.) I paint something. Last night, I pulled out my paper.

Mixed media collage 8 x 8 in.

I've rediscovered water soluble pastels. I tried Portfolio a while back, but I didn't like the feel or the results. Then Lynne mentioned she used Neocolor II, and because she produces such beautiful work, I got a couple to try them and it was instant love. I love the feel and the results and they are now my pastels of choice.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere, even a new tube of paint.
And you thought that because I was on a stitching jag, I wouldn't paint. As if.

Haha!

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

I thought I was going on a painting jag, but halfway through, I got caught in a web of ... stitching. There's always so much inspiration and I have that insatiable urge to try things I love. However, it's all very well to be productive, but I'm running out of space to store my goods. More than ever, I dream of a little shop where people love what I make and everything flies out the door. For the moment I have to rely on my online etsy shops.
     I've managed to collect a stash of gorgeous French vintage and antique linens over the last couple of years; some are perfect for embroidery.

Soon to be in my Etsy shop.

Have a lovely start to the week.


Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

There are days when it's best to be quiet and make something.

And finish something.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Friday's child

 A new item in my Etsy shop #2.

Matisse is still haunting me. Madame is exhausted and taking a nap.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Corners of my home.

He reminds me not to take things too seriously.

La Femme Matisse (with apologies to Nikita). A small tongue-in-cheek painting.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

 Just before the thunderstorm last night, I heard what sounded like an army of cicadas coming from the balcony; it was almost deafening. It turns out that it was just one, one little -- big, actually -- creature perched on the screen door. I closed the sliding door and it went completely quiet. Attempts at photographing it (I had to, I've never actually seen a cicada before; they are heard but never seen) weren't great because of screen and the fact that it was night, but this might give you an idea of the size of the creature. I hope it found its way back home...

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

As we go from beautiful sunny-cool weather back to the heat, I am nursing a barometric headache.
A few minutes ago, I hear a little angel ornament I have hanging near my desk tinkling and when I looked it was swaying...so, it seemed, was the floor beneath me. It felt like a mild earthquake, lasting about 30 or so seconds.

It was either that or a spirit. Frankly I prefer spirit to earthquake.

My latest brooch made out of a vintage yoyo. This will be it for a while. I feel a painting jag coming on. I may change my mind by this evening. I go with the flow.



Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

I tried a little experiment with my camera: walking around my living room taking photos randomly to see what would come up. It was literally point-and-shoot. I'd been changing items on my wall and had put down this wooden mask on the armchair and forgotten about it. He must have got bored waiting for me to put him back on the wall, and fell asleep...

Antique Bambara mask from Mali

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Step 1 -- Design

Step 2 -- Execute

Step 3 -- Finish

Available in my Etsy shop.

More mail, less email

For all of us who love and support mail (the real thing, that is), let's send some encouraging mail to the second smallest post office in America which is faced with possible closure.

Postmistress
North Hoosick Post Office
22157 State Route 22
North Hoosick, NY 12133

See the story here (Thanks, Beth)

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

A quick painting and some stitching.

Wishing you cool breezes on a hot weekend.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Friday's child

[Some] objects of my affection, made by me, more's the satisfaction.
Stitched words
Image transfers
A plaster-cast dolly

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Outing with my friend Ramona. She took me to Value Village because I'd never been, and I found this wooden gizmo for next to nothing and brought it home.

I came up with an idea for Miss 2-year-old, and made it last night. I kept going and going -- I hate leaving something unfinished, although sometimes I do set something aside and finish it later. Maybe I was enjoying it too much! I especially like now the "cover" turned out, but I don't want to show it until it has left the building ;)

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

 The collection grows. I started pinning each brooch I make on a baptismal dress I inherited from the Irish side of the family and it makes a perfect prop. I was thinking how nice it would be if I had a little boutique for my wares, with a table where I could be making things in the shop while customers browsed (do you hear me, Universe?).

Anyway, I'm now making a little gift for my favourite two-year-old's birthday. I have to roll ideas around in my brain. See you later!


Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

As I said in an earlier post, the words will turn into phrases. And they have (I know myself). As children we ate La vache qui rit cheese. It's now available here as The Laughing Cow.

Which led to... the laughing bird

Available in my Etsy shop

Then there was this word, which I stitched and turned into a little gift for someone special

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

The thing about stitching words is that there are so many, many words that I want to stitch, and that means I could never get bored. I can see going from single words to phrases, too.
           It's also an eminently portable craft. When I'm away, I don't take any art supplies with me; I suppose I need to be in my environment with everything around me. Sewing small items, though, is not a problem; supplies don't take up much space and I don't need to spread everything out. The next thing I'm going to do is make a kit to take with me when I'm travelling.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

I'm officially enamoured of hand-stitching words.
Today, I experimented with very thin twine and heavy brown paper.

I was expecting one of my oldest and closest friends who is in town from Santa Barbara, so I stopped there, and we went out for brunch and other fun things, to say nothing of catching up -- although we talk on the phone regularly.

After we said our goodbyes (she returns to California tomorrow morning), I came home and eventually finished the stitching.

Coup de coeur. Translation:  favorite/things I love

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

 Miss Bunny is about to travel to Duluth (that's in Minnesota) to live with her new owner. From the number of orders I get from Minnesota, I have to conclude that Minnesotans have -- ahem -- great taste...
I spent a couple of hours last night making a second bunny brooch. My imaginary helpers said do it in pink.
And so:

She is now in my shop.
I also experimented with some pearly watercolour paints on nubbly handmade paper. I like the texture.

Wishing you a restful Saturday.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Friday's child

My next thing: embroidering words (by hand, of course). This kind of stitching is the easiest, I find, and it it has a nice, clean look, too. I attached cotton fabric to a piece of thick handmade paper, applied white acrylic paint with a palette knife, and stitched.

I like this style of stitching a lot, but I also find it more difficult than the one above... so I'm practising...

"The only way to keep ourselves from wounding others, doing harm with words, is to become aware of them. Ultimately, this is compassion, and wisdom is the understanding that when you hurt someone else, you drop poison into the whole world, and you are an intimate part of that world" --  the Dalai Grandma

Another lovely day; the oppressive heat and humidity have lifted.
The day so far:
Late "breakfast"

Oats, thick plain yogurt, pure Canadian maple syrup.

My friend Jc dropped in and I showed her what can be done with one of my BIG bows.

I made the cushion, too.

Later on, I made this bunny brooch. Well, it will be a brooch once I sew a pin on the back. The vintage fabrics come from France, so I guess she's French...

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

The day went from dark clouds and heavy showers to blue skies and sunshine, and that's the kind of sudden barometric shift that gives me a headache. Despite the headache I went out and enjoyed the day.

Meanwhile, back on the sofa, my imaginary friends were making more bows, including one BIG one.

And one small one.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

From standing in front of my easel to sitting down to sew. I tend to stand on both feet rather than lean on one foot, which apparently is a good thing because recently I read that you use more energy (calories) standing on both feet (weight-bearing!). So remember that when you're standing in line somewhere.

I've fallen in love with the bow. It's a lovely embellishment, made with vintage materials, of course. And I can sit while I'm making them.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Later is here (see note below). I'm enjoying a fabulous book titled Scrapbooks An American History. Some items were familiar; certainly everything old is new again.

This is an altered book created more than 100 years ago.

And this is a journal

How to start the week on the right note:
Have a sister (like mine, who knows a treasure when she sees one) who finds things that will make you catch your breath.

And the are thick bundles...

More later. I have to go to the Post Office....



Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Sunday painter

It was wet and hot and humid. My foray outdoors was shortlived.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí.
(Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Saturday offering: Miss Bird Has Left the Building

Plaster, acrylics and sgraffito on wood
I confess that it's a little scary to plunge in and scratch out a drawing into the plaster, but you have to be fearless. You really do. It's the only way to move forward.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

Friday's child

Etsy finds: zendotstudio.

When I saw this buddha painting (print) on Etsy, it called to me. If you know me, you can see why. It's totally my style, and I find it very calming. It's now winging its way to me from B.C.
[I placed the "watermark" on the photo]

I had to put another little fire out today. Happily, it involved a call to the federal tax people. True to their mandate, they were very nice and helpful. They put the little fire out for me!

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

The results: for me, worth waiting for. It was a very satisfying project even though it took two days from start to finish. I especially like the organic look

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

It's been a very busy day with things that had to be done. So busy that I haven't done any real work (my work). But I will sometime tonight, when this plaster piece is cured.

I got Stephanie Lee and Judy Wise's plaster book yesterday (Plaster Studio) and in the evening as I went through it, I wanted to make the plaster vessel. So.... I did. I had what I needed on hand. The plaster needs 24 hours to cure.

So here it is, curing away. Tonight I will sand it a little, paint it, and glue on a little bird head that I also cast in plaster, something I had learned already from Stephanie's previous book Semiprecious Salvage.

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)

As you may know, I like to write notes and letters by hand and mail them the old-fashioned way. Usually I decorate the letter itself. This week, I'm sending cards.
I have friends undergoing personal trials, and sending real mail is one thing I can do. Consider that a note, a card, some humor, something! -- a little care package in a sense -- sent out to your recipient every so often, is far, far better than an email or electronic "card".

Now go and buy some postage stamps!

RS by Teesha Moore -- what would I do without her!

It's a civic holiday today, and I'm splotched with paint. I have a "painting apron" but I keep forgetting to put in on. After Sunday lunch with a good friend of mine, I came home and painted trees. We'd been talking about trees, and I've painted many trees over the years but not recently. So.....

Another subject I've painted many times in many ways is the pear.

Acrylic on paper, available here

Ná bris do loigrín ar stól nach bhfuil i do shlí. (Do not break your shin on a stool that is not in your way.)