Officially Retired!

"RED SQUARE" 

I made this a while ago. I still love it. Mono printed acrylic paint and hand stitching. 6"x 6"

After Julie spent a considerable amount of time cleaning up my beloved laptop, I am making this post using it. The space bar still needs a heavy hand, so it's taking a while. Thanks Julie!

Speaking of my talented friend, Julie & I  have ventured forth with Ochre Moon Boutique, an online shop that will give you the opportunity to see the fabrics we have created....all original designs in awesome colorways....printed especially for you with dye based inks! Check the shop often for updated designs! It;s very cool!

Well, I am officially a retired woman!!!!! The last 7 weeks I have been on vacation, but that's just a formality. After actively counting for the last 8 of my 36 years, 9 months, it is everything I knew it would be. I have read 6 books, planted 8 trees, 4 grapevines, started composting, carved out a small vegetable garden area, hung laundry, stitched much, stayed up late, slept in, dallyed over coffee, met many friends for meals and conversation, lifted all work/union related stress off tired shoulders and have never felt so happy and authentic. Thankful.

All my precious grand babies are growing and happy! The pure joy the give me is better than an drug. I love this gramma gig much!

Sophia is 5 1/2, doing very well in kindergarten. Beautiful, creative and girly. And tall. Being a big sister to 2 sisters and a brother is a natural for her. Sewing on a machine with me already....she made a doll quilt! I hope to keep her in the making loop always. 

Mela is 2 1/2. A true free spirit. She comes straight from her heart. Smart, gorgeous and empathetic, she is like a fresh melody to my heart. Tall also. Ever the big sister to Riley/Cy, she equally cares for him and manages her higher status over him. 

Maddi is 1 1/2 already. Her daddy's mini-me. Very loquacious (but as yet, still unintelligible!) even humming like dad while she eats. She is also beautiful, funny and smart. Soon we find out if she will be having a 

brother of a sister in September!

Riley aka Cy is 16 months. Big little guy! Most adorable, happy and sweet. Walking, jabbering and eating 3 times or more, than Mela does. He loves to dance! 

I have learned:

1. I hate doing my taxes, but not enough to pay someone $200 to do them. Started this morning but now I have to find my property/school tax info. This is where I pay for my inherent disorganization. ugh.

2. Continental Cosmetology school will color, highlight and cut hair for a third of what I have been paying. Since I will be bringing home less bucks, I am all about it. 

3. GoArt! is finally becoming a viable art center for Genesee County. This makes me happy. Thinking of teaching crazy quilting, hexagons using English paper piecing.....maybe some surface techniques on fabric...thinking.

4. Had a first go at encaustics, using a resin wax to collage on surface. Wasn't successful. Will keep trying til we get it right with Mary Lowe. 

5. Woodchucks. Live. Under. My. Livingroom. = Shotgun. Soon. 

6.  I love my life. Always have, but now just more!

Arty

Can you tell I love that Waterlogue app!

This is a rendering of some of my improv pieced blocks in that app. It makes everything a work of art!

Actual piece on my design wall. 

I'm still perusing old Mother Earth News mags for interesting info on many topics that intrigue me. Some things I've done to start on a more careful and thoughtful existence are:

Kitchen composting for months now. 

Stopped buying paper towels. 

Hanging laundry outside since Spring 

(Today I hung clothes out...January 31 in Western NY!)

It's just a few things for now, but the satisfaction I get doing each of them is immense. Pleasurably, carefully living. 

In my quest to mostly make it through each day to my final hours at work, progress has been on hold it seems. 

I can't finish anything. I've got projects in the works with very immediate deadlines that are not going to be finished. 

Once the stress of the daily grind is lifted the wheels will turn. 

I have learned:

1.  Toe + wooden block + darkness = very bruised and crippling digit. Ouch. 

2.  21 Day Fix in my near future. 

3.  Cold Antler Farm by Jenna Woginrich a very good read. Homesteader. 

4. Riley aka Cy, is walking and dancing!

13 months at the start. 

5.  I want to learn to crochet using a pattern. 

Waterlogue'd Fiona

Using the photo editing app Waterlogue, I turned a mundane pic of Fiona into an artful pic. This app is awesome. Many friends have used it to make beautiful quilts. Thanks to Mary Lowe for showing it to us!

The holidays were made magical by grandchildren! 

Still no snow to speak of in western NY. Strange indeed. But nice after last winters punishments. 

I'm working intensely on two challenge projects. Our guilds annual challenge--architecture is due soonest. No pics yet!

The other is the one I mentioned a bit ago--photo to quilt. The 1" & 2" hexi's for the background are close to done. My dragonfly fabrics have been chosen. How to make it now?!

I have learned: 

1.  5 weeks 2 days to retirement! These are the hardest days. 

2.  Another sweet doe...one of the 3 I watched on my property 2 days ago, mangled last night by a very fast car. I hate knowing that sound. Fiona knows it too. 

3.  Odorant not added to natural gas til 1937 after an explosion at New London School in Texas, killing 295 children and teachers. Natural gas has no odor. A malodorant must be added to it to be detectable. 

4.  It's never too early to go to bed. Night.