bee creative

thankful

For shelter. 

It's 32 F right now.  The winds have been tapering off but  have been between 14-47 MPH.  The chicken's water is frozen this morning.

For food in the garden and on the plate. 

Photos of food are best in natural light but that's not always possible so I've been playing with filters. I recommend not using red wine for risotto.  It really isn't pretty.  Luckily it can be covered up with yummy roasted vegetables.

For the skills to make things. The fabric that I made this string from is a scrap from the dress I just finished making.

For found treasures.  I picked this up in a parking lot.

For a hot cup of tea and a fabulous book (really recommend this one).

And for everyone who comes by to visit. 

It's another kind of neighborhood....

assignments

At the beginning of the year I gave myself assignments to accomplish. 

It's doubtful I will complete any of them. 

Even a once a month assignment to fill a jar with dye stuff:

I missed June and August.

There are good  and not so good reasons for not following through. Luckily, since there was no true deadline other than the one I had created it's not an issue.

I learned something very important; the goal I can reach is daily and lasts only for one month.

The other parameter that works well for me is one that is like the one for this shawl:

The rules are:

1. Only work on it away from home (bus, lunch hour, waiting room).
2. Change color each week.

I've worked on it every week since it was started. 

Next year I want to give myself some new assignments. 

They will be monthly assignments.

In the meantime, I might still be able to finish the 12 books I assigned myself....

 

Coupville, part two -the book

My book holds time, generations, and place...

Family, friends, places I've lived, places my family has lived, and color as memory (redwood cones, indigo, avocado pits, pomegranate, walnut).

A fragment of pattern as a reminder of a baby quilt made by my mother.

A sense of childhood, a sense of place.

Gifts from: Hazel, a bit of Deb Lacativa dyed fabric; fabric from one of my grandmothers, some of the lace my great grandmother made and part of her wedding dress; and from Jude.

Transformation.

There is breath and raindrops (not quite how I intended but maybe better?).

The end but not the end.

There is still room for notes.

The workshop, "Binding Time" by Christine Mauersberger

I is for inspire among other things

The sky is one thing that inspires.

A short list: inquiry, investigation, multiple intelligences....

 

...

P.S. One more "h"

The secret to getting a Hoya to bloom is to not water it for awhile and then give it a good drink.

The flowers barely look real. 

They inspire me.

g for gratitude and a few other things

Grateful that I didn't give up on the ginger. 

For abundant green grapes (that will turn purple in a month or so).

And for the touch of indigo that ended up on this cloth.

I hope it doesn't wash out...

make one, decrease one

Decrease: I've decided to start this sweater over. 

Increase: Just one more sleeve and the yoke on the solid green sweater.

Increase:  Making flowers as patches.

Decrease: the scrap pile is a little smaller. Working hard on this.

Make one:  more digital collage.

Decrease: less paper collage happening.  Need to get back to that. Working on decreasing the paper stash too...

random moments

1. This is Lightning. He lives at the childcare where I work. On Friday one of my co-workers gave him a hair cut.  I combed some of the fur into some sheep's wool and then showed the preschoolers how it could be spun into yarn with my drop spindle. And then how that could be knit into fabric. 

2. Multiple photos and projects, layered. It's been windy and it's raining cherry blossoms.

3.  Salad made of fried potatoes, radishes, lettuce, walnuts, avocado, bread, cheese. Tonight's version was asparagus, toasted bread, cheese, lettuce, spring onions (cooked), lettuce. 

4.  Yesterday I was looking at some wooden spoons and pottery at the farmer's market. The vendor greeted me and then asked me a question I thought was a bit odd for starting a conversation...had I ever tried making pottery? (The answer is yes but not much.)

 

 

random thoughts, questions and observations

1. There were two rabbits on the corner this morning. I've never seen rabbits in my neighborhood before this summer.  Do rabbits have territories? Something to research. 

2. Can a story exist without a conflict? Yes, but is it an interesting story?

3. Stitching by hand is nice in hot weather. 

4. I have harvested 4 peaches off my tree.  The squirrels got the rest.

5. The days are definitely shorter.  It's especially noticeable in the morning when Lola wants out and I have to tell her no, it's raccoon time in the garden. 

6. I really want it to rain.