Wednesday 26 December 2018

Towering Baskets


I decided at the end of November to make
baskets for all the grownup women in the family.


I ended up with nine



Days and days of machine stitching
yards and yards of washing line and cloth strips.
And, oh, yes, spool after spool of thread too.
It seems that stones can be of assistance even in basketry!


I had to get used to using a sewing machine again!
It has been quite a while.
I have to say I really enjoyed making useful things.


As I stitched it came to me that the little munchkins
would also like a basket
just like their mom.
Then
One day I got a last minute request for oven mitts for Ashley.
Ended up making some for Stevie too.
At eighteen months old she wants everything her big sister gets.


I have found their baskets very useful
might make myself some in the new year
to hold threads and scraps.


 Hope everyone finds a use for their basket.
Loved making them.


Wednesday 19 December 2018

Winter's Stitching


Thick, heavy snow fell all day
drooping branches
and even bending trees.


 Indoors I stitched lines


The wind howled outside


Inside I drew stones with strips of cloth.
Yes, more stones
I told you I was not finished with stones!


 Outside the already frozen pond
is now inches deep in snow.


Inside I am really enjoying the soft greys in linen and silk.
But....no more stitching for a little while.
It's family time!
Yay!

I wish you a Christmas filled with family and friends
and snow too
(but not too much of the latter!)


Wednesday 12 December 2018

Nature Stitches on Trees


Some trees around the duckpond have very distinctive markings


They seem to be where branches used to be.


Like Kantha stitched triangles.


Meanwhile back in the studio
I have started stitching some beginnings on a new piece.


Paths that meet in places.


And some paths that meander more than others.

Hope your paths are clearly marked today!

Monday 10 December 2018

Crazy Winter, Crazy Golfers


Last week for a brief moment winter took a few steps backwards
and so
Ted, Jean-Louis and Handy Hubby
took their golf clubs out of storage
and rushed to the golf course.


Someone else was at the golf course
and rushed (if porcupines rush! I reckon they don't have to!) to examine
Handy Hubby's golf ball. 


 Porcus Spina!


 Of course winter has come back with a vengeance.


Down at the beaver pond
I just about jumped out of my skin
at the sound of hundreds of birds lifting off from reedy perches.
Boy it was loud!
I hadn't even realized I wasn't alone.


Then I was treated to a lovely murmuring display.


Talking of golf balls....!
I have been turning messes like this....


....into much prettier balls!


Enjoyed the process so much
ended up with a whole basked full of them
all naturally dyed.
I try to remember to add a skein to every dye pot.

I hope you enjoy your threads today!

Wednesday 5 December 2018

Frayed and Frazzled Edges


Thin ice was forming around the edges
to our surprise it was strong enough to hold this furry creature.
Handy Hubby and I thought this was a beaver....


....but on closer inspection we found it was a muskrat.


Had to include this one
love the two exclamation marks
made by....I dunno!


Must be a squirrel


frayed soft greys and browns


pinned to the design wall


waiting to be embellished with stitch.
Trouble is the design wall has layers and layers of beginnings
waiting for the next stage.
I suppose that is a good thing.
Lots of work ahead of me.


A here is some of my driftwood that I think
hanging around waiting to be used for the
daily stitching idea I have for next year.

Obviously I need more hours in the day
So many ideas
So many plans
Not enough hours in the day.

Hope your hands are busy too.

Monday 3 December 2018

Five - The Artist Way Collective Show....Plus


We hung our show in the Chapel Gallery
at ARCAC
(Annapolis Royal Community Art Centre)
That was a week ago.


There are five of us
Two painters
Three fibre artists


Nadine and her painting on left taking a break
with Diane and her stitchings.


Diane's work


Handy Hubby(not one of the five! But very handy)
and Sherry, Diane and Nadine
taking another break!
Grace had to leave early.


Diane's piece
(Handy Hubby's favourite)


Grace's five buddhas.


Detail of my Stone Pathways.



Stone Pathways alongside
Sherry's paintings.

Apologies for the quality of these photos.
I find that hanging shows makes for a tiring day!
The show will be up until December 20th
along with the ARCAC members show


I have another piece in that show too.


Resting Between Night and Day


as does Nadine Belliveau
with
Nature


and Susan Tooke's
Chaos Theory


Sophie Paskins 
Love this piece!
Well, actually love all of these.


Donna Boyko's
Claws, Fish, and Flower Buds



Wayne Boucher's
Gone with the Wind