Busy around here

Owls and rabbits in the yard.

And a small bird has decided it's safe to have her family close to us.

Life is good.

Humble Pie

Crows live in the surrounding woods. They're territorial and
when I hear them call I know my small dog is safe in the yard.
Hawks and even a very occasional eagle show up so crows
are very helpful around here.

Winter story

                                                                               

                         
        

Our neighbors have horses. Their animals are a lovely part of country life. In winter I often see horses  with blankets. A quiet story of the winter around here. The applique/embroidery is worked on pieces of old quilts.Not quite a blank base. Even the white bases have needle trails from the quilter. I love sewing on these soft, worn cloths.  

Because of a health condition, painting (oils, anyway) is no longer an option for me.  

Janet Bolton is one of my favorite artists. And lately I've discovered Mandy Pattullo

and Cas Holmes, all British artists.

             Some years ago I was able to take several online classes with Jude Hill.

              All of these teachers have taught me a way to make story cloth.

Story maker

I've always thought in stories. From the local  WPA murals
to the homemade books I dictated to mom and illustrated;
stories were the form ideas took in my mind.

Now I'm sewing my life stories awake. Here is a recent story...

It was the autumn we moved here right after the harvest of about 500 acres surrounding
our small home. I turned while taking packages out of my car and saw this race
across the empty fields. It was like a silent, slow motion movie. Geese flew over
so their clacking and muttering provided the score. Our neighbor's huge dog
was, sadly, never seen again. I was rooting for the deer.

Once again

                  For more than a year I've not posted here. Mostly because what's been

           happening is depressing and nothing I want to bother anyone else with. But I 

                still read my favorite bloggers. Maybe this is a way to keep in touch. My friend 

                       gave me this photo taken in happy times. They'll be here again.

We are not promised an easy life. And we are the only person who can
 live this particular life. We can also reach out, appreciate and help others. This is what's important. So, I'm going to begin posting again about what I'm making. Making has become a lifeline for me.
 I'll leave with this very true thing someone sent me.

Excellent class

The author of Fearless Watercolor for Beginners, Sandrine Pelissier, has several great online
classes as well as many free tutorials. During the past few months these have given me some
pleasure and a retreat from reality.  Here are a couple of my finished paintings.

She has many free tutorials online too!

I enjoyed her class so much that I signed up for her new 26 week course. 

I've been watching Chris Cozen's wonderful DVDs on Acrylic underpainting, etc.

 and her new book, Acrylic Color Exploratioins, which looks very good.

Now, if it just would get cold I could stay in and paint. 

 

 

July and slowing down

The main grass cutter has died. Bob's using a tractor and pull
along cutter. For tight spaces (like the fenced in pet cemetery)
he found other good, four legged solutions. 

The daily rain has turned into humid heat. Finally have
some ripe tomatoes to make into sauces for winter. Going
to make some extra hot salsa.

Also working on some roosting pockets for our year round birds. Last winter
was so bitterly cold. Lining them with felted sweaters. Using thrift store
yarn so little cost, also little color choice. 

I'm sure the birds won't mind. Jute was way to scratchy.

We're dealing with the heat by slowing down.  

Autumn is my time to work on more painting.