3 Ring Circus

This week it is a circus

in my class. . .

Tricks and wonders. . .

Creativity. . .

Exploring possibility. . .

and

POPCORN

Wish you were here

xoxox

Oh Lucky Me

This is a cold snowy blustery day outside

but you would never know it inside this room.

Yesterday, the package came from Camilla at

Magnolia Homespun.

Forever, I have wanted to make a sweater vest from Threads Magazine April/May 1990,

The cover of this edition has this sweater front and center.

It is quite lovely and the article is "Impressionistic Knitting,"

by Arlene Mintzer.

She uses many yarns with seed stitched pop-corns and some angora

every now and then.  Beautiful. Embroidery is on the list of techniques along with single-crochet collar edging then plaited ribbing around the sleeve openings.

I think her idea of calling this Spring as a title is what made me decide to do this now.

I have been buying yarn for this from Camilla for a while and now

it is ready to be used. It is so soft and the colors are beautiful, these are from her

Twist and Twine Yarn edition all hand dyed. Her new blog,  Free Range Chick is wonderful.

 At this time I am working on Goony birds, Dreamscape Thread Paintings which is a series,

and now this vest.

I run back and forth to see Mom. She has her good days and her bad days.

We rescued her for a few hours to go shopping for new shoes and a scrapbook the other day.

A haircut was a happening that day, as well.

My classes with the children are going well and it is such a pleasure to work with them.

I am living for each moment to concentrate on the NOW.

One more thing, I signed up for a photography class to help me learn more about using

this camera. I have a long way to go but I am enjoying this journey.

So, this is what is up with me.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

xoxoxo

Before The Sandstorm

You know the feeling

when you have grit in your eyes

when you feel as if you can't see clearly

something is irritating

your insight?

Dreams come to you

that are more clear than life?

The other night 

I saw the open door of an airplane

with no hesitation

I rolled right out into the clear blue sky

and hit the bedroom floor.

So, what I want to know

is what does it mean?

I like the little blip at the end of one of my favorite

TV shows

There is a little fellow pointing off into the distance

and he asks, "What does it mean?"

i have no idea.

But, I am enjoying making tassels

and sewing the back on my piece.

Making cord is a very satisfying activity.

It is great to see something get twisted up into something nice.

XOXO

Art Does Save Lives

Thread painting in the works.  Just a peak.

The back is silk shibori dyed recently.

An old frame thrown in just to see what would happen?

I do this while I contemplate who I am, now?

17 years of being my mothers daughter, again.

Now she living in a wonderful center.

It is better for her. She is safe and has activities to keep her busy.

She has normal times, somewhat. 

It is heartbreaking to see someone you love

forget.

She is forgetting while I am remembering. 

See

This is how one thing leads to another. . .following wherever this may lead. . .

origami folded quilt leads to another idea. . .

sculptural pieces. . .

birds. . .

lead the way to discovery. . .

tassels. . . 

cord. . .

different tassels. . .

thread painting. . .

to birds. . .

new yarn. . .

new silk threads. . .

folded sculpture. . .

Echo of Echo

I found the old jar of Flight Cream

applied it to my eyes

gloom and doom

I no longer see.

The dust in all of it's beauty

is perfect

the tale of how it is and was

lifts me higher to

sky dive

just a bit longer.

Love,

Goony Bird

I saw a violet coming up yesterday?

Spring Cleaning?

Goony Bird#3 - Patricia Makes Me Laugh

A little Drama won't hurt, now and then, right?

I have been up to my eyeballs in drama!

My class is a wonder to see. The children make me smile.

They are so innocent and full of wonder. It reminds me to grab onto 

this thought. Be full of wonder.

We are acting as if we are trees and bees and bears all wanting honey.

That says it all.

My life is crazier and crazier.

I know it takes 21 days to change a habit, right?

I am working on it. Getting used to having a new life is hard work.

In the meantime, I am enjoying my crazy baby kitty and

these goony birds.

It is a lot of work to make me laugh.

How about you?

But, it feels so good.

Have a wonderful weekend.

I am thinking of you all!

xoxoxo

Goony bird #3 2012

With Wings Clipped - Goony Bird #2

A Snap of Her
She didn't know if she wanted
Bird on a Wire
or
Have her Wings Clipped

She has been, for sure, my constant companion in all spare time available. Sitting in a waiting room somewhere, I had a stack of yellow post-it notes in my bag calling to me to do something constructive. Naturally, I took the call literally and began to fold, as in origami. A perfect square, hmmm. now what can I do with that? Well, that was the beginning point of this piece. I wanted to fold a curved piece and so it went. The body of this bird is a square of fabric thread painting to dignify the folds. It is lined with hand died red silk. If you recall a while back I became re-interested in tassels from researching textiles from the silk road. I have been making these using contemporary fibers and beads, etc. It is interesting to try combinations of yarn and thread to see if I can come up with something I have not seen before. One thing is for sure, I set up nothing but difficult puzzles to solve. My dad was an engineer and he engineered EVERYTHING in our lives. I learned from him to solve problems this way. 

I dye and make felted objects and fabric now and then and dye my own fabrics with indigo and other dyes. Shibori is my favorite technique to use in the dyeing. I also love to smash flowers onto silk.

Magnolia Yarn  drapes over her.
See the tail shaped by folding?

So, I can say that I have  many items in my stash to inspire an idea I may have.

These birds are a design nightmare, sometimes. I have to figure out how to put the pieces together and how to make legs, for instance. I spend time wandering the isles at the local hardware store and you would be surprised at the things I find useful.

Tassels for Headress
Silk adornments for the neckline

Fiber Paining printed on organdy
pleated for a comb

Knitted Habu leggings.

I hope this post finds all of you well, I am enjoying the NO SNOW days this year. I try to post now and then but lately, I am just working and care-taking wonder.

Meditation Mode Goony Bird #1

Meditation Nest

Goony Bird #1
2012

Linen thread
Habu Textiles
Copper Beads
Mixed Media

Meditation Nest

Goony Bird #1
2012

Close-up

Bucket Lists- New Year-Christmas Eve Eve

Black Pepper Creme Fraiche in the works for THE Dinner

Either Snow capped Himalaya Mountain or

Pistachio Lemon Cookies out of the oven

I am dreaming of both on my mental voyages

Another thing that got started late. . .

I am very patient, though.

Silk and Wool

It does not get any better then that!

Made a visit to LaDeDa in Roanoke a while back and saw a bag. . .

Inspiration.

I started reading this yesterday.
Making Tassels led me to this very informative book
which is high on my doing list.

This might be my last opportunity to wish all of my friends
Happy Holidays to you and yours

Dusty Trails To You
(Powdered Sugar)
Until We Meet Again

And So It Is Christmastime. . .and Happy Chanukah too

We need a few Christmas Miracles

In This House!

It is pretty funny. . .

Sick Mom

Crazy Baby Kitty

And

being who i am. . .

I am thinking about. . .

GOONY BIRDS C2011

Remember the Ain't She Tweet Bird?

More to come on this subject, later. . .

But, for now

 know

that I keep butterflies in the bird cage and

my Christmas Tree is of felt.

(Kitty Compromise)

Breakfast with  Mom this morning. . .

Orange Marmalade in the center of avocado

on yummy rolls and

eggs with chives

I am trying  to create

some moments to remember

While Mom still can. . .a bit.

A few words from that genius

came in a card yesterday.

Thank you Mrs. Carver.

And Mr. Einstein.

May you be blessed by the goodness of the universe!

Being Wrong Is On My Mind and so are butterflies and ribbon candy

I discovered this Book and the Ted video on another fiber artist's page a few days ago. I am sorry I do not remember which one, but it impressed me enough to buy the book.

This topic is huge on my mind.

Crossroads come up in everyone's life, every now and then. Should I go right or should I go wrong? Should I take the high road or not?

The point I am seeing is that it is OK to have regrets.

To error is so human.

I give us permission to make mistakes.

I do make them all the time.

So, today, I photograph the ribbon candy my daughter left here to remind her of

Christmas Past.

I add the butterflies to remind me to be free of regret.

To Live This Day

I hope for you a very blessed weekend.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays to all!

I am thinking of my Linguist in Afghanistan!

Be Safe

Know you are loved.

Getting To The Essence - Eventually

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."

Henry David Thoreau

An Answer

My Shibori image copied onto paper, pleated, cut, glued, and transformed into an ornament with directions in a PDF file for my new Kindle Fire, in answer to my friend's question. I bought my first Kindle when they first became available a few years ago. It is my constant companion. My honey surprised me last week with an early Christmas present of the new Fire. It is amazing! It is like a mini-computer. I can even get my e-mail. But the best thing is that I can have knitting books and patterns with me whenever I might need them. I have cookbooks on it, too, not to mention all of the other books both audio and reading material.  The images below are of the Christmas Ornament I designed.

Here is the PDF file I did to create the directions for this ornament:

This is a photo of my Kindle with the PDF file visible.

If you want the directions just ask and I will e-mail a copy to you. Felize Navidad!