My last painting of the year.

Wishing  you a very Happy New Year 2012.

Mixed media on canvas

 
 
Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Friday's child

Silent Friday

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's snowing. The real thing, not temporary or wet snow.

So you whip up the hot chocolate, and wander around trying this and playing with that. You start tidying up your paintings, one sits on top of the other, and presto! you have a new composition.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I went to town on this canvas as a form of exercise. One giant doodle.  A good thing the canvas wasn't expensive.

And a bit of stitching. My late Mother-in-law used to call me Missy. I was thinking of her while stitching....

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

My last night with Genie. Will she miss me when she goes home tomorrow morning? I will certainly miss her, but I know she'll be happy to be back home with the person who rescued her and is giving her a good life.

The weather has been dry and not too cold, so we've had some really good walks. This evening we got wet snow, and this is where you really have to love your dog --  whatever the weather, you have to take her out. I bundled up and we went out and she had her exercise and other stuff she needs to do.

This will be my last doggie/Genie post, so thank you for bearing with me.



Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

And so it's Boxing Day, and Day 3 with Genie. I think of her as my personal trainer, out running, walking, jogging, then a few minutes rest as she gazes into the distance at some unseen creatures. Sometimes it's a squirrel, other times.... She goes home the day after tomorrow.

In the evenings, she curls up next to me on the couch and we watch television while I stitch.

Then, suddenly, she'll turn towards me and burrow her face in my side.  Then, realizing she might suffocate, she looks up and slaps her front legs on my lap. Then she turns around, curls up and goes to sleep. Yeah, it's a dog's life alright!


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I love Christmas Eve better than Christmas Day, when it's night and all the lights are on (I hear Santa has left the North Pole) and life is cosy.

One condition I don't want to have is dissociative fugue because I'm very thankful for my life as it is now.  But one can dream, as long as it's for the better.... Dissociative fugue is a rare condition in which a person suddenly, without planning or warning, travels far from home or work and leaves behind a past life.

This piece is available in my Etsy shop.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 On a bright sunny day, after her walk and breakfast, Genie joins me in wishing you a Merry Christmas, and Peace of Earth (now, more than ever).

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Very worth reading

The Dalai Grandma: God Hates the Mayan Calendar

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

My Christmas decorations: Christmas cards.

I'm not one to do much more, especially as in essence I live in my studio (it used to be the other way around but the studio has taken over all but the bedroom), but I love other people's decorations and enjoy those instead.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I've been doing a lot of drawing/painting with gouache this past week, so it's not surprising that I migrated to my beloved tags. There was a time when I would have drawn on the walls if the walls had belonged to me....

I like the idea of creating mini installations with tags. I started with three, but imagine a dozen tags hanging at various lengths. Bliss.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Best news all day: My canine friend Jeannie will be staying with me over Christmas because her peeps will be in New York.  Jeannie is from a pound in Florida, but she has adapted very well to Toronto, especially as she is well loved and taken care of.

 Merry Christmas!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Homage to Paul Klee on his birthday (December 18, 1879)

Paul Klee's bird.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

There is one area in which I have a lot of patience -- I say this because patience isn't my strong suit -- and that is when I leave a piece of cloth alone until the right time. This 35-inch-long table topper has been draped on the back of a chair for a long time. I knew I wanted to embroider it with words, but the words didn't show themselves until yesterday.

I mounted it à la Sibella Court -- with masking tape. Ideally it would be pinned in place.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

More details.
Fabric collage with a little paper.

 Arranging colours and patterns to create something pleasing to the eye. My kind of patchwork.


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Slippers/pantoufles

Walk softly in velvet slippers. When your feet are happy, the rest of you is happy. Feet are our base, supporting the rest of our body.

Gouache on brown paper. Available in my Etsy shop.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 If you know me, you know that I love brown paper. For the longest time I searched for heavy brown paper, not the usual kraft paper, but darker and much heavier. One day, my prayers were answered when I found it at Curry's Art supplies. It's scanning as greyish, but it really is brown.

I tried painting on it with black gouache.

It made me very, very happy!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Details.
It's all in the details.
And how those details are placed.
God is in the details or the devil is in the details: It's your choice.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Wabi-sabi

Wabi-sabi derives its quiet authority from subtle details, small doses, a limited palette and simplicity.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Breakfast of champions

Look, there's no metaphysics on Earth like chocolate.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Friday's child

 December is finally behaving like December.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

A collage of my collages.
The Red Series, fabric collage.
Wishing you lots of cheer.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

"The affable Irishman"

 My husband and his brothers were all rugby players. Now one of the sons, Robin Copeland, is making his presence felt on the rugby field. Some of the clan travelled to England to watch him play. We're all very proud of him. Robin is the one holding the ball.....

Secret weapon Copeland is sure to attract Premiership interest - Rugby Union - Yorkshire Post

Yorkshire Post, Dec. 8, 2011 -- Of more short-term concern, Copeland's scores on 23 and 26 minutes were enough to secure victory for Rotherham. The affable Irishman is content with that for now, while coach Andre Bester – a seasoned unearther of rough diamonds – thinks there is more ‘balancing out’ of Copeland’s game to be done.

There was still much work to do, but Copeland, who seems destined for the top, does not need opportunities gift-wrapped.

His intervention was decisive. It gave Rotherham a 17-0 lead at half-time that they managed to hold onto in the second half, with Garry Law scoring two penalties and a drop goal.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Midweek and more quilting and stamping.
The bow is not just for Christmas. Change the colours and the month and you have something completely different.

The little girl is French, so she would say Bonjour.

 And more bows stitched on a quilt.

 Happy Wednesday!

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 This rubber stamp arrived today. I love bows and I make them all the time; now I have a stamp, too. By one of my favorite people, Dawn Houser. I got this one from her Etsy shop where she has many of her stamps as well as lots of other goodies.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 The elves left at midnight. But before they left, they made a few things that I'm very pleased with. They said they won't be returning [until next year] because I can manage on my own now. Christmas is looking on the horizon; take a deep breath and enjoy.

I'm a little besotted with this little rubber stamp (the legs) by Paperbag Studios

The elves added the red bow in honour of the festive season.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

The skies are grey, the hearth is warm, the soup's on.... really? No.

But it is one of those days that begs a fireplace and a pot of soup.

I'm using a lot of red these days. In the right doses, it makes me happy.

Textile collage on burlap

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I went back to One of a Kind today to take advantage of my favourite shop before the show ends tomorrow and they go back to Montreal.
They will be back for the Spring show, but I didn't want to wait that long, and I didn't want to order online because, again, I would have to wait for the shipment.
We are so lucky to have L'Atelier du Presbytère locally (a little bit of France on our doorstep).
Françoise and Thierry are the nicest, most creative people. I admit I'm smitten!

My special purchase is a linen wrap. When I saw myself in the mirror, I understood the genius of it -- it looks quite beautiful. You could drape it on furniture or across a table, but I really love that it's meant to be worn.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Friday's child

 I'm working away from home today, desk work at the Medical Post, so here's a butterfly for you to enjoy.

Happy Friday.

This piece is available in my Etsy shop.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Sew Somerset is out today.

I contributed one of my very favorite projects to this issue and, as usual, they did a fine job. My article explains how I put this fragments book together.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown