Changes, Changes, Changes

Sorry I've been quiet for so long, but things have been a bit harried around here. Since I last posted, my older son and his family moved into their new digs, he started that new job, and we have only had phone connections with them. It means I have spent a number of evenings on the phone either talking with my son or on speaker-phone talking with all of them. Even though we can't see the babies, hearing them clapping at the sound of our voices is priceless!

Last Saturday, my younger son/youngest child graduated from college. The day was raw, more like being at a football tailgate party than a college commencement in May, but well worth the effort in sheer joy of the experience. Our kids have all made us extremely proud by their tenacious efforts to acquire their degrees and do what they are called to do with their lives.

In addition, I realized this last week that I am down to about five weeks before I retire from the day job. Finishing projects and cleaning out my office have become the constant in my life. Unfortunately, it leaves me extremely tired at the end of the day, and since weekends have not been free to create, I have not been getting into the studio much.

I have, however, been doing a little editing of some stories, planning for an open mic with a writers group I belong to, beginning to think about the garden, and brainstorming the designs to finish a quilt for a Friends of the Library group.

We did have another unusual visitor to our neighbor's yard recently. Very often, in the summer, we have had a pair of ducks come to our yard. This time it was one duck of a different breed, who allowed me to get fairly close - as if she wanted to make sure I got her picture.

Until next time, I wish you peace . . . .

Out on a Limb

I found I couldn't post my sketches for the Sketchbook Challenge this month. They all deal with patterns I am developing, so I'm not ready to show them to the world. It is my move "out on a limb," and taking chances. I can give you a little glimpse of some possible fabrics for the prototypes, though I apologize for the quality of the photo. It doesn't do the fabrics justice.

On a sadder note, the tragedies of this last week across the southern states have me considering how I best can help those who have been affected. Some of the possibilities include  The American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Feeding America. Most of the housing down there does not provide the type of shelter needed for protection from the monster tornado that hit Tuscaloosa. In addition, at least two of the other tornadoes have been classified as F5's, the worst on the scale, with winds of 200+ mph. I hope you will consider how you might be able to help, too.

Finally, I want to share an astounding sighting I had last weekend in my yard. It appears that a bird has built a nest under a pile of branches my husband stacked next to our crab apple tree. I heard a bird making a fuss and looked out the window to see a hawk attempting to figure out how to get to the nest. It was quite a spectacular sight.

I wish you good weather, interesting challenges, and the beauty of nature.

Changes

The computer is back up and running, but we had to switch to the new Windows. It has created some problems for me since blogger hasn't caught up to it, yet. I am hopeful that I will be able to post normally, however. So, here is an update on what has happened in the last three weeks.

First and foremost, our grandbabies' daddy has accepted a new job. They are in the process of driving cross-country to their new home.It is a wonderful opportunity for him in an area of the country where he has wanted to live for years. It has left those of us still here rather bereft, but extremely grateful for the Internet. Thankfully, before they started their journey, we were able to spend a day with them and the babies were in good moods. I had, also, completed the quilts. So, the babies were able to get those to take with them. My intention is that they be able to use them as drag-along/comfort blankets.

As I mentioned before, my younger son (and youngest child) will be graduating from college next month, which leaves me hoping he is able to find a job in his field and begin his adult life. In the meantime, I am getting closer to retirement from my day job and beginning to wear the retiree's grin. There are so many things I want to be able to do. We'll see how many of them I actually get to after I have an additional 45 hours a week.

I have been going through my stack of UFO's, trying to decide what I still have an interest in completing. I've also been contemplating directions for my art, writing, and possible volunteer work. At the same time, I haven't forgotten the Sketchbook Challenge. Ideas percolate in the back of my mind, but I haven't yet put anything together for this month's prompt.

It appears I cannot add any images to my post this time. As with the other difficulties I have been having, I hope this is resolved, soon.

Until next time, I wish you peace and all good.

Spilling Over

This month's prompt for the The Sketchbook Challenge is "Spilling Over." It took me a while to decide on a direction to take. I have been doing a lot of portrait sketching lately, trying to improve my technique and attain better images. In the end, I decided to sketch a page full of baby faces. I call it "Baby Love."

A baby's face is definitely different from an adult's. The proportions are different, primarily because a baby's hairline generally appears to be much higher. In addition, the nose is, obviously, shorter and wider in comparison. I also found I had to much more careful about the shape of the eyes, as the shape we normally think of is too narrow on the outside.

The sketches also proved good practice in capturing the foreshortening of a body and indicating patterns without color. Altogether, I am pleased with the piece and hope you enjoy it, too.

I'm off to work on finishing my grandson's quilt, so that I can give it back to him next week. Until next time, wishing you peace and all good.

The Library

I am sitting in my local library because our computer has crashed. (We've been without now for just over a week.) This by way of explanation for the lack of post last weekend, and to let you know that, for the moment, I am not sure when my posts will be able to get back to normal. We are hoping to get the computer issue under control this weekend, but it remains to be seen. At any rate, I will return as soon as I can.

One side effect is that I cannot post any pictures, since I have no access to my hard drive and cannot upload them to the library's computer. Another is that I have a limited time on the computer. (A third, unfortunately, is that I have to deal with my fragrance allergies. Another patron was directed to the computer next to me and is wearing a heavy dose of something that is setting off a reaction. So, I'm afraid I don't feel quite clear-headed.) I'm sorry this is so short and mundane, but I'm running out of time.

Until I can post again, I wish you peace and all good.

Sketching & Quilting

It has been an interesting and productive week. I have been reading Cathy Johnson's book,

You can find more information here.  http://cathyjohnson.info/bookpages/sketching.html  She is a marvelous teacher. She makes sure that her illustrations are clearly connected to her descriptions, and breaks things down into manageable chunks.

On another note, I got to see and spend time with the grandbabies last Saturday, when we met up with my son and daughter-in-law for lunch and a trip to ProBass Shops. (My husband and children are avid fishermen. I will fish, but rarely do.) In addition to seeing the babies, however, I was able to get a couple of things to help me with working on embellished quilts away from my studio.

This neat little number will easily hold spools of ribbon. While I will not be able to pull ribbon through the holes (they are sized for fishing line), I may be able to work that out, too. At any rate, I can take between six and eight spools on retreats or to classes.

http://www.basspro.com/Plano®-Line-Spooling-Box/product/97465/-1433314

The other item actually came in two sizes. So, I bought one of each. I plan to use them for beads. Each section opens individually from the top, which should be a great help in keeping beads organized and preventing large spills.

http://www.basspro.com/Plano-Round-Organizer-Utility-Boxes/product/10205144/-1528937

On a sadder note, I found out through Lesley Riley's blog entry, Jean Ray Laury, that the quilt world lost a treasure this last week, since Jean Ray Laury passed away. Lesley's blog is a great memorial to her. I consider my decision to attempt my business to be based on Jean's influence. My copy of her book The Creative Woman’s Getting-It-All-Together at Home Handbook is well-thumbed and highlighted.

Wishing you peace and all good.

Building blocks

I'm definitely ready for spring. At the same time, I am starting to take more concrete steps toward the changes in my life this year. My last child is graduating from college in May, and as I've mentioned before, I will "retire" from my current day job in July. I have been busily soaking up input from other artists, taking a lot of pictures of people and places I encounter, and experimenting with new (to me) techniques in my art.

When I think about "retirement" (which I keep enclosing in quotes because I won't really retire), I am excited at the possibilities and the opportunities that will be available. For the first time in years I will have the luxury of time. While I don't expect to be able to do everything I want to do, it will be a joy to do more than I can now.

If you have checked out my blog more than once, you might notice that I added some information to my profile. It is one of the first steps in those concrete steps I mentioned above. I realized that I needed to identify what my artwork is about. It also reflects some of the work I've done to determine what I need to do to make a difference in the world. I'm still working on the total picture, but at least, I have decided how it affects my art.

Life is good.