6 x 6 for ROCO

Yesterday my Fiberistas group made our annual arty meet up at Mary’s house! She has all manner of creative ingredients for us to use to make a 6 x 6 piece of art for ROCO gallery. 6” square art on any substrate and anything goes. Really. Anything.

From top:  “XXOO” monoprint 

                  “Eat the Cake”  paper collage

                  “52” monoprint

I’ll make one more. 4 is the donation limit. 

This exhibit/sale has become quite the big deal. Receiving art from all over, from young and old, from great to bad. 

It’s a fundraiser for the gallery. 

When viewing is a available online of all artworks, I’ll post a link.

I have learned:

1.  My friend, Vinnie, has an epiphany a bit ago. After one of our quilt retreats at Asbury on Silver Lake she realized, that for her, seeing was a team sport!  I get it. I sew with my friends on my machine there but at home I hand stitch.  I’ve never loved sitting at a machine. For me it’s the means to an end.
2.  

Gracie Baptized

Baby Grace Anne was baptized today. Beautiful baby. Beautiful ceremony. Maddi was very concerned for her sister. She told me Gracie didn’t like water in her eyes! Grace was a trooper. Didn’t cry once.

Gertie Grace is getting used to her new surroundings! Here. Home. 2 year old Gert is living with me now. My little favorite from work (the only one I keep in touch with after retiring almost 3 years ago) needed to rehome her. I was in the position to have her. I love this girl much. Gentle pup. Right time. Right place. Fiona, Baby & Honey (my felines) are trying to figure out what I’ve done.

I have learned:

1.  Make sure you tag all the appropriate people in a multi contact text. It’s not cool to be the one left out.  They don’t mean to do it. That I know.
2.  Mud. Mud. Wet muddy paws. Haven’t had to wipe them in off in many years. Glad to do it now though.
3.  Maddi overnight tomorrow. She’s a baby sloth hugging sleeper. Love.
4.  There is a rodent in my front wal. I hear it chomping. Poison packet in the hole tomorrow.

Cy is 4!

Riley Michael AKA as Cy or Cy Cy, turned 4 yesterday!

What a smart, funny little guy he is. I had him & Mela overnight Friday. I need to have them here more. Good for all three of us. A heartfelt love fest with them. 

Mela and those eyes...in the sunlight...that smile. 

Love. 

Then there is Maddi & Gracie. The sweetest smiles and happy eyes. 

I am so blessed 

Mela-5 yrs old

Riley-4 yrs old

Maddi-4 yrs old

Gracie-almost 5 months old. 

That will catch you up. 

I have learned:

1.  A former coworker died this weekend. Alcoholism caught up with him. He checked into hospital to try one more time. The DT’s were so bad they induced a coma. He had aspirated and his lungs paid a price. Sad. A good man. 

2.  Ever a Bills fan. Josh Allen has promise. Good game today even though we lost. 

3.  My little fav and his wife have bestowed the rehoming of Gertrude Grace to me! I look forward to being a dog owner again 

Grace

Handwork.

T for Tayte. 

Tayte Ellery 

I’ll meet her tomorrow. A little bundled joyous baby. 

Entirely hand stitched little ornament. Hand dyed vintage linen. 

Many French knots. 

Sweet tassel. 

I have learned: 

1.  The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah, very good read. Read for hours to see how it would end. 

2.  Aldi pizza sauce is the best. Best. Yum. 

Silk Hexi’s

So. 

I’m back. 

I made this silk hexi piece throughout last winter using upcycled silk clothing. All hand stitched and fused to black silk background. It’s approximately 60” x 26”. It now hangs in my oldest friends shamancy Buffalo apartment.  

I’ll need to reacquaint myself with blogger. For a long time I couldn’t access my photo library to post. My old phone would bring up even older pics. I never tried hard to discover the reason for that, I’d just shut it down and not post. Pics are the best part of a blogpost I think. New phone. Photo library access success. 

What I have learned:

1.  Retirement is great. So great. So so great. 

2.  I fixed a leaky copper pipe myself with appropriate tape & spray after watching YouTube videos 

3.  2 knit lit chicks podcast. Mother/daughter talk knits and books. I’ve already read a couple recommended books and have checked out patterns and yarns discussed. 

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.