Hummingbird hangout

While I work in the sunroom this little guy and many of his friends buzz in, have a drink then fly away. At times
a hornet will find the sugar water and stand there on its hind insect legs shooing the hummingbirds off. Someone told me to put an apple core to the side so they won't do this. It works!

Been cleaning up, clearing out and organizing today. It sure feels good to know where everything is!

Sewing therapy

In the evening I like to hand stitch-it's my way of slowing down and coming home after work which is (right now)

full of stress. Our Monday Summer Reading programs have been almost too successful. Last week had 190

children in our very small library. 190 children who were excited by petting crocodiles, boas and other animals.

190 children who were being asked to do the impossible; sit in a very confined space after being excited by

contact with an animal then being asked to sit quietly while he man took the animal all through the crowd. It

was a 'set up' and very unfair, IMO. They were so revved up and loud and why, I ask, did the grown ups not

expect it? OK, I'm off my soap box. But it was stressful for all.

So, in the evenings I'm using Laura Wasilowski's
method of fusing to make evening sewing projects. Embroidery is what makes these little guys really sing. Here are a few for this coming week of 'therapy'.

See how the embroidery fills out the composition? I do love seeing it grow.

Here is Laura's blog with lots of information on how she makes
these; http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/

The little dog with ears flying is going to be fun to embroider. The solid shape only suggests who he's going to turn out to become.

BTW, at a daycare storytime I gave on Friday a 4 year old boy leaned over and said "I love you". Also, when I was making my elephant's roar the front row of children had questions about my dental work. Children keep us humble don't they?

New medium and sweet feet

I've been taking an online plaster workshop with Stephanie Lee and Judy Wise. It's been years since I've painted this much. The new surface (joint compound and plaster) holds paint and marks in a new way. Here I used joint compound on birch plywood as a substrate. Then scratched marks and painted, ending with prismacolor pencil marks. I've started several including the above within the theme of animal tracks. Our big garden's electric fence was partially destroyed by a bear last night which got me thinking of all the critters out there.

Opie's going to have night time supervision for his front yard walkabouts from now on!

And, speaking of paws, aren't these the sweetest little
paws you've seen today? Had dinner with grandboy last night and he danced on the table (with dad's help). Life is good.

Three days making

July 4th is when the first tomatoes ripen here. Tomato soup with the real ugly ones.

 fabric collages to hand stitch.

a hat from kimono fabric.

potato salad from the garden harvest.

bases for chandelier...an experiment using plaster studio workshop techniques...

substrates for painting

And many hours with my best pal. Who could ask for more from a long weekend?