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. 

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. 

Alcohol Ink Fun

A girls day! Melissa, Mela, Sandra, Lauren and Carol. We all gathered post Christmas to converse (I can't divulge some of the unseemly topics!) and eat and create!

I decided even novice crafters could come away with a usable product...these alcohol ink coasters. 

Mary Lee demoed these for my artcgirlz group a bit ago. 

They are easy. 

Cheap.  .(.16 cents a tile at Home Depot.)

Fun. 

Each person had their own technique. 

Interesting. Cool. 

Melissa was my fave. She was all about the drip, not the pounce. 

I'll get pics of hers soon. 

Mela definitely had her own thing going on! I will, by hook or by crook, get mela to be my creative accomplice!

Snow has come to WNY.  I love the sound of it pelting my vintage aluminum awning right now. Cozy. 

I have learned:

1.  Rye toast + sliced hard boiled (farm) egg = delicious dinner. 

2.  It's almost 7 years since Sandra was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She's now involved in a pharma study. Grateful she is doing so well. 

3.  Sophia lost her first tooth on Christmas Eve!

4.  Mother Earth News magazine. Retirement + mag = much ado. 

Hope Tree

This little 8.5" x 11" piece was made for the Telephone Line project my Fiberista group worked on over the course of 2015. Reminiscent of the old whisper-around-the-room game. 

Each of us made a quilt to start a line. In the rotation, we each used the previous makers quilt to come up with our piece. May be the color story or subject matter or technique. Whatever works. 

It was truly creative and challenging . 

At our monthly meetings we'd all be thrilled to see what we had to work with in the coming month!

All pieces were kept in a large envelope. A sealed envelope!

The reveal was 81 quilts worth of inspiration. 

Most of us enjoyed it so much we are doing it again in 2016!

I have learned:

1.  Mela is not a girl. She's a sister. 

2.  Tiny Owl Knits.  Check out her knitting/felted patterns. Coveting. All. 

3.  Twin Peaks is being resurrected in 2017. Cool old TV show. 

4.  Netflix's Jennifer Jones, apparently a Marvel character, is very cool. 

Merry Christmas Time

Galleria Mall Santa (points for real beard)

Riley & Mela!

What you didn't see was me backing Riley up to Santa so he wouldn't cry again. 

What you don't see is mommy under the red blanket torquing her neck to look at the ceiling so her head wouldn't be in the pic. 

What was my heard, my diatribe I didn't have to unleash when we walked right up to the "workshop"....no line! 

Yep, it has been awhile. 

It had to be said. 

Since last I wrote, I've received good news that all four blood clots are gone and no clotting markers in my blood. Done with the thinner. 

Riley Michael, aka Cy,  just turned 1! He's our big little guy always smiling and very chill. 

Mela turned 2 in July. Her papa calls her the tornado! Exuberant should be her middle name. 

Sophia is 5 now and loving kindergarten. She's beautiful and makes a sweet big sis!

Cy came by the way of Mela when she couldn't say Ri-ri like all of us. Cy-Cy since and still. He answers to both!

Maddi turned 1 in July also. She's walking! Her laugh is hardy like her dads. 

Speaking of....Michael & Jenn relocated to Fort Benning GA after Michael graduated first in his class from Officer training school. Proud mom. 

They'll be coming up to Fort Drum NY next fall for 3 years. Will be great to see my granddaughter more!

Over the last 6 months I've been in a creative  process mode. Hexis aplenty made from used tea bags, hand dyed fabric, silk and vintage materials. 

I'm finally to a point that I feel like getting some projects done. 

1" hexagons for the background to this pic I took last summer in my yard. 

Do you see it? Loving. 

This is for a challenge that will exhibit the original pic with the piece. 

What I have learned: 

1.  9 weeks til I retire! 

2.  Audiobooks.com. Best way to squeeze in more books from the must 

"Read" list. 

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert up now. Good. 

3.  Dryer broke. Too much $$ to fix. Hanging laundry outside since...feels so domestic. Green. Free. 

4. Balanced gas billing will reflect my conservation!

5.  Cliffy ran away. He's not been back. I miss the bastard cat. 

Summer Time

I have been busy over the last few weeks. Maddi, Jenn and Ace were in NY for 5 weeks while Michael is at school at Fort Benning. We celebrated Maddi's 1 year birthday; Mela's 2 year birthday and Sophia's 5 year birthday, all in July!
Was able to bond with Maddison on the drive back to Fort Campbell. Her daddy face is sweet...she makes some of the same contemplative brow expression as Micheal. Her laugh is hearty and infectious! I am truly blessed with these 4 happy grand babies.

The road to recovery (4 pulmonary emboli) is still a daily strive. The fatigue is constant. I could sleep 12 hours a night! They are being good to me at work.....for the next 6 months and 3 days!

Many projects have been in the works of course. I am still making recycled tea bag hexi's. Loving them.
Have a large bit pieced of 2" hexi's in Marcia Derse fabrics...very cool.
Made 2 sundresses for Mela and Sophia to wear at their birthday party.
Made a few small art quilts for a great project one of my fiber groups is doing. A Telephone Line. We each make a quilt inspired by the last piece made so that in the end there will be a sort of design story to the line. Looking forward to the reveal in December!
Knitting a bit.
Played with paint on fabric and Prismacolor pencils as well.

I wish I could post a pic but, alas, I am still having troubles on my laptop getting to my photos.

I have learned:

1.  Dexter...show with an interesting concept; loved the characters....that finale!
2.  Project Runway is on again. Love that show. Never gets old for me.
3.  Clifford has not been home in over a month. I miss the bastard cat. I am not hopeful he will return. I think he was coyote meal.
4.  Coyotes diet consists, in part, of 45% cats.
5.  Strange poop on my property a bit ago. After investigating I found out it was Black Bear poop,
6.  Black Bears don't eat cats.

Work on "Deployment"

I am getting close to finishing Deployment. The squares are stamped with the dates and an X for all the days Michael was deployed two years ago. 

The sheer print layered over the squares is a pic of Michael in Afghanistan. 

You can see the walkie talkie antenna, then his helmet. He's in a camouflaged hut. 

I have learned:

1.  Michael is doing well at OCS. One week down. 11 to go. 

2.  Six Feet Under. Amazon Prime. Really good. 

3.  Cliffy won. He's happy going outside. Can't fight that cat every time I open the door. 

4.  Back to work tomorrow. Very fatigued still. Ugh. 

5.  Jalapeño Margarita. Mmmmmmm

3843 Pearl Street Road

The pic is not so great. Sorry. 

I made this quilt for a challenge, My Piece of the Universe. This is an aerial view of my property on Pearl Street Road. The blue mono printed fabrics are my house, garage and shed. The line of blue up top is a natural drainage steam for my town. 

The trees are the reddish hand dyed fabrics. I am fortunate that my 6 acres are filled with trees. 

Making this was fun every step of the way. I used my mono prints, rust dyed and discharged fabs. 

I will happily look at this hanging in my living room for a long time!

I am still recovering from the pulmonary embolism. The blood thinners are providing multiple contusions from simple bumps! Fatigue still an issue. Improving though. 

I have learned:

1.  Riley Michael, 6 months today, is one rock away from crawling!

2.  I sold a piece this weekend! An unfinished, but still cool piece, of Mela. 

3.  No more YouTube on Netflix. Sucks. 

4.  These woodchucks. Under my house. 

One day I'll come home to them sitting on my couch. I must address this. Ugh

My Universe & Blood Clots

I forgot to get a pic of this piece when I finished. GVQC had a challenge called " My Piece of the Universe" 

So an aerial view of my property came to my mind..very literal. 

I've use my discharged, mono printed and rust dyed fabrics. 

Machine quilting. 

Hand stitching. 

Every step of this project was fun. 

"Pearl Street Road" will be at their quilt show,along with other universes, the first weekend in June at RIT in Rochester. 

My home away from home last Monday through Thursday was Millard Fillmore hospital. Pulmonary embolism. Multiple clots in each lung. 

Two weeks ago I flew to Portland OR for an IBEW utility conference. I noticed some swelling in leg/foot and what I thought was winded breathing upon arrival. I attributed the breathing to having put on weight. Apparently I formed a clot/clots on the flight. 

I worked all week noting I had been winded much of the time. So much so that I commented to coworkers about it. 

Finally I decided to ask my RN sister about my symptoms. 

Call dr now. 

I did. I went. Was sent directly to ER. 

No clots in legs verified 

But after scan of chest they discovered I had numerous small blood clots in each lung. 

Winded was actually shortness of breath. 

Now I know. 

Blood thinners and laying low for a bit. 

I have learned:

1. Add xeralta to my list of meds with allergic reaction. 

2.  Michael made Officer Candidate School. 

Mary Lee's Tiles

At my ArtCGirlz meeting tonight Mary Lee demoed a cool alcohol ink on tile technique. Very cool. It would need a special sealer but I can see how useful this could be. She made done switch light covers for her home using this idea. 

I am pondering what mixed media project I could use this in. 

You never know what little tidbit will make you think. Thanks ML!

I have learned:

1.  10 months to retirement-real-life-living!! If only someone would get prego so the count down would mean more!!

2.  I am buying an Avante quilting machine! Used. Know this woman has taken care of it and I'm so excited! Investment for my future. 

3.  My extra weight was felt walking around Portland OR last week. Give me strength to address it. 

4.  Clifford, the cat bastard, has been sneaky. He waits for the last screen door bobble to get out. Caught him. Alerts on!

5.  Think spring is actually here in western NY. 

6.  My son, Michael, was accepted into Officer Candidate School, Army. Georgia from June til September for him. Proud. 

6" x 6" Party for ROCO

"Batty Bird"

My favorite one 

"#2 Bird"

"Uh Oh"

A bit of fun!

Mary Lowe had a ROCO-ROchester COntemporary Art Center Party at her cozy, mini art gallery home today. What an in-the-zone day of creativity for the friends that showed up. 

Together we made over 20 works to deliver for the very popular in person & online auction in June. 

My 3 pieces are collage on canvas board. Mary had a veritable Michaels craft store of materials to use. Haven't had a great day like this in a while. Good friends, good good, great art!

I have learned: 

1.  Riley, at 3 1/2 months, is laughing. Like a goose. He's a cool cat!

2.  Gas leaks + epic deep freeze = migrating gas = our guys working around the clock to keep people safe. 

3.  Gas leaks + melting snow = water in low pressure main/services = our guys working around the clock to keep people warm. 

4.  1000 Quilt Inspirations by Sandra Sider came in mail today. I see I sent a section of "Ice Crystals".  0596 on page 182. 

5.  My sister, Noni, at 52, started running with Beat Feet in Buffalo and she is loving it!  Pretty darn cool  sister!

Orange Kitty's

This evening was my ArtCGirlzs meeting. It was pure fun after a busy day at work. 

Martha lead us in this transfer exercise. 

We used Sharpie markets to color our designs then in turn used isopropyl alcohol to transfer the image from card stock to fabric. 

I wanted to see what would happen when I sponged a bit of alcohol onto yo transferred image. It left a watercolor type image. Loved!!

This would represent Clifford, Fiona and dead Chester, my three orange kitty's. 

Fun night. Thanks Martha!

Going to AQS Lancaster Friday with Tracu J. Meeting up with Mary Lee and juried quilter, Martha!! Can't wait. 

Snow is melting. Kitchen ceiling is leaking. Uh oh. 

 

I have learned:

1.  The Voice. Such a good show. Enjoying. 

2.  Mamasans in Rochester. Mmmm. 

3.  Garth killed it in Buffalo this past weekend. 

 

FB Pay It Forward Artworks

Connie made this for me as part of her Pay It Forward Art Challenge on FB. (now i must find my list of 5 friends i am to create art for!) I love it! The colors, the black background and those fabrics. It is already hanging in my kitchen and it sure looks great! Thanks Connie.
A bit ago I received another artwork from Pat Pauly from the same challenge. This postcard sized treasure is also in the kitchen on my fridge. I love it! Thanks Pat.

This weekend is our annual quilt away in Silver Lake NY. 4 days to just sew and make! All meals are cooked for us, yum. I have no idea what I will work on. There is a huge rolling suitcase I have just for the retreat that will be full of fabrics, threads and UFO's. Next year at this time I will be retired!

The cold weather had people inside scoping out Etsy this week. I had 7 sales this week! Just listed 6 new things today. Click on the Etsy banner to take a look-see.

So I locked myself out of my house today. I used and didn't return the keys hidden for such an offense. Last time I did this was summer and had no trouble breaking into my own home. Not today. All windows shut tight. With no one to furnish a key, I needed to "break" in. Tomorrow I will measure the broken glass in my door for a new piece to replace it. Ugh. I need to have a dozen keys hidden all over my property.

I have learned:

1.  YUME Asian Bistro on Veterans Dr in Batavia is spectacular! The food was stellar. The decor is awesome. Try it, you'll like it.
2.  "Chef" on Netflix. Liked much.
3.  "Bosch" an Amazon production. Liked much.
4.  Had to hire roofers to come chop very thick ice off my back roof. It started to leak up under my roof over my sink. This winter has been epic.

Judy Niemeyer PPing

 Took a class through my guild to learn the Judy Niemeyer way to paper piece her extraordinary patterns. The beauty is that all templates are included in her patterns along with the sewing pattern

Not having too read all those instructions was great. I would have opened one of her patterns said, ummm no way. 

This class helped me to understand her process. It is genius!

This is my One Leaf. I used Marcia Derse fabrics here. Like. 

Good day Saturday with my quilty friends. 

I have learned:

1.  I am not a good drawer. At all. 

2.  I have approx 200 work days left. Yay. 

3.  Thankful Michael is not deploying this month as anticipated

4.  Ready for bed.