Surprised by Joy!

 Look what I finished today! 

Like I've already mentioned....I put this puzzle off for years...but it surprised me how engaging it was even with with all the neutrals and browns. It felt like like I could walk right out that door into the garden....or right into the shed to have a cup of tea with Philippa! 

It surprised me with joy!

But it also surprised me how even though I knew there was a sunburst reflection/shadow on the rug from the image on the box....it wasn't visible to my eye while I was assembling the puzzle. Only after I finished and took photographs did I notice it again. And that also surprised me with joy.

And just for fun....I brought in the gang for a closer look. It made me smile every time I walked by. I hope you were surprised by joy today! 

Power in Numbers

Live the way you want to be remembered. (quote attributed to several different people)

Maine Needs posted this morning that they had 367 requests this month that included towels....so I was even more excited to take in my stack today.

It was fun to do a shift with Anne. We tackled a huge request from a caseworker that included clothes and personal things for nine different people.  It would have been difficult to handle this long list on our own....there's power in numbers!

Thank you again to those of you who helped me purchase this big bag of towels. 

After our shift Anne treated me to lunch....and I was able to hand off this blue and white joy journal. It was fun to get to do that in person! 

I took the rest of the day off today from the studio for other puttering. I look forward to getting back to the other journals tomorrow. 

I'm still finding purpose hidden in my joy! 

Tools and Tricks

We didn't get as much snow here in Maine as expected...but we did get big wind all day long. The bluebirds didn't seem to mind. They always get dried mealworms for breakfast...but this afternoon there were several around the feeder...so they got an afternoon snack. 

At one point I counted eight either on the feeder or in the tree right above.

I had blue and white outdoors....and lots of blue and white in the studio too. I'm assembling several joy journals at one time...and hope to have a few to put in the mail this week sometime. I see Anne tomorrow...and I can hand deliver hers. 

I thought I would share a few tools I love...and one little trick.

I like the look of a stitched pocket on the inside covers. 

But with all the continuous top stitching I do on the outside...it makes it tough to stitch it in without stitching the pocket closed. So my little trick is to stitch around three sides of the pocket and just glue it in. No one would ever know it's not stitched in! Oops...I guess now you know. 

I've had this corner punch for years and years...and once I start rounding corners...I can't stop. I missed a few in this lineup....but I did go back. Maybe I'll learn that I don't have to round ALL the corners....and find that right balance. I'm quite fond of the gelli ghost print...and I got to make a few more today! This little page has a pocket on the inside.

I don't think I could love this vintage clothespin more. I've had it in my printers drawer for years...but realized it would be a useful tool in the studio. 

My clips and clothespins don't have a very long reach...but this does. It's so useful for holding layers of pages together until I stitch and add the closure. 

I also use it to hold my watercolor journal open when I'm painting. Like I said...I couldn't love it more. 

Here it's holding my pages together as I start to stitch the binding. I do a very simple five hole pamphlet stitch. I used to punch all the holes ahead of time...but I've had trouble with pages shifting and then not lining up for stitching. So now I make the holes as I go. 

Using a marked guide....I make the middle hole with my awl...then pull my waxed thread through. The thread and the clothespin hold the pages in place while I make the next hole....etc. 

When I come up the last hole I go under the bottom thread and tie it off. 

Five hole pamphlet stitch guide found online....forgot where. Oops.

In The Wings

It's not just about creativity, it's about the person you're becoming while you're creating. Charlie Peacock

We're expecting 6 to 8 more inches of snow with high winds tomorrow. I actually don't mind because I have so many inside things to keep me joyfully puttering...even if the power goes out.

Aren't these papers going to make a beautiful book! It's such a pretty color scheme and I'm so glad Susan included one of her own cyanotypes. 

They traveled all the way from Scotland....and I'm excited to turn them into a joy journal for Susan. And it will be fun to figure out how to use the stitchy bits.

But these pretty papers will have to wait patiently in line....I have some other journals to finish first! 

But it's fun having them in the wings! 

It Can Get Better!

There's nothing quite as pretty as fresh snow on the bare trees against the blue sky. We got about 5 inches overnight and are expecting 6 or 8 more inches on Monday! Winter is not over! 

I'm plugging away at the blue and white journals in between life things. I do have all the covers done....so now it's time to start assembling the insides.

I have a fun follow up on yesterday's post. On Dotty's cue...I agreed that it couldn't get any better than making these little journals. 

But actually...it can. 

Because of some of generous donations from some journal recipients I was able to buy 14 bath towels...several hand towels and pile of washcloths for Maine Needs. I washed and dried them all today so they would be ready to use. I'm doing a shift with Anne on Tuesday...and I'm looking forward to taking them in. 

Now really....it doesn't get better than this! 

Just as a reminder, I am not asking for donations for this journal project...just help with postage. But I am very grateful for the chance to buy more needed items. 

Couldn't Be Any Better!

I finally finished the top two thirds of Philippa's Cheeks and the Shed puzzle and moved it up on the table under my light and puzzle gang. It barely fits...with the top and bottom borders teetering on the edge. But somehow that seems fitting given the state of our world. 

The colors are muted and earthy...but Cheeks and the contents of the shed seem to jump off the table. 

What I thought was going to be a tedious and difficult puzzle actually couldn't be any better! 

I laughed out loud at Dotty's comment on yesterday's post:

MaryAnn, hard imagine how this joy journal project could be any better! And-as I may well have stated on some previous occasion or another, quoting my nephew from a letter he wrote home from camp as a youngster-"that is all I have to say" :)

I laughed out loud because I absolutely love the quote from her nephew's letter....but also because this joy journal project couldn't be any better for me....and I have a story to illustrate that.

Thank you in advance for putting up with my stories....this one makes me smile.

You may remember that I had lunch a few days ago with Marita and Lisa....both were assistants in my special education classrooms over the years...both of them went on to be and are still full time teachers. 

My last teaching position was my dream job where I was hired to create and run an educational program at the Falmouth High School for girls living in a transition home in the same town. There were six girls at a time living at the home, some of them transitioning out of corrections, some waiting for foster placement...most of them in crisis. The placement was temporary...so girls came and went....and I loved every single one of them.

It was my dream job because it fully utilized the best of my skills and who I was at my core. I struggled as a student in school and I think that made a better special education teacher....and that served me well in this program. I was a creative type...and we quickly learned that these girls needed to make things...and bake things. They needed to laugh and play and be mothered and nurtured.....all of that was second nature to me. We worked on academics in the morning and in the afternoon we unleashed our creativity. Everyone made something on the sewing machine...everyone worked on puzzles and played games and everyone decorated their notebooks with stickers and tapped into something new. Even the staff.

It was my dream job because it brought out the best in me as a teacher and utilized all of my creative skills.

When Paul and I moved to Wisconsin I had to resign....and that was difficult. But I was able to pass the baton on to Lisa who embraced the program and made it her own. I have not talked about it much with her until just a few days ago...and it was a delight to think back about the special young women I worked with. And I so enjoyed hearing about Lisa's experience in those next years.

I've come to realize that making these joy journals is my dream project because they utilize all of my skills and combine so many things I love. I get to recreate my art experiments.....use the recycled and found paper I've been hoarding and make new gelli prints when I need just the right color. I get to curate....assemble and sew these little journals then add personal touches and tuck in snippets and surprises. Best of all I get to give them away.

My table will always be messy....and my heart will always be full.

It couldn't be any better. 
And that is all I have to say. 

Late Last Night

Jane and I had a micro adventure today. There's a store in nearby Westbrook called Past and Future Craft Exchange and I've been curious about it for quite some time. They take donations of usable craft and sewing supplies and resell things at low prices.

I took in a pile of sewing books and a bag of fabric to donate....and came home with some fabulous blue nubbly string. I certainly didn't need it....but it has all the colors in the cyanotypes! I do love blue! 

I sat at my work table late last night intending to tidy it up. 

The blue and white papers and ephemera were piling up and I needed to clear some space to work. But what I did instead was punch small blue squares from geili prints and other painted papers. 

Then I found a pile of butterflies that needed to be cut out.

Long story short....I still have a messy table...but now I have a sweet little page for one of the journals.

I mostly want these journals to be a blank slate for the recipient to do their own thing...but it's hard not to add a little project of my own. 

And....I got some papers in the mail!!! Margaret was one of the ones who through her name in the hat for the blue and white journal. 

Everyone was a winner......and she sent me some of her blue and white papers to include in hers. There's some fabulous stuff here....enough to share with others! 

My head is already spinning with ideas.

Too Smart!

I had the most delight long lunch with Marita and Lisa. I see Marita every few months often...but I haven't seen Lisa for at least 20 years. I worked with both of them in my special education classrooms in different schools...and I introduced them to each other years ago. We have so much common ground...and our visit was pure joy! 

My phone is too smart for me! 

I get excited now when the circulars come in the mail....not for the slick store adds...but the plain black and white single sheet add that holds them all together. I've been saving them for months....and they've come in handy.

The texture is grainy and flat....the paper is thickish and it folds like a dream. Fabric fuses to it perfectly...and paper collage latches right on with a little glue. It works perfectly for the the bones of my journals.

But I had to chuckle when I took this photo because my phone instantly read the QR code and linked me right to a dental insurance company that will help me pay my bills. Oy!

My phone is too smart for me....I'm kind of old school. 

 

I didn't plan on the the words free toilet to land here...but there they are...for better or worse. 

I thought I would walk through how I'm making the covers.

I cut a piece of fabric a little larger than the cover substrate and fuse it to one side. I fold it over the edge of the paper and fuse it to the other side. It's fast and easy.

Then I fuse another piece of fabric to the inside...and I iron a nice crease.

This cover is a lovely piece of hand dyed fabric. I'm only using what I have on hand...and this shade of indigo blue was perfect for this cyanotype project. 

The paper gives the cover structure...and the layers of fabric on both sides help it hold up to the stitching to come. I think this smarter than my phone! 

Now I get to come up with a design for this beautiful blue cover! 

Full and Rich

Another quick reminder to Mary Ann and Kristin that everyone was a winner in the blue and white joy journal giveaway!  See this post and email me for more information and to establish contact. Thank you!

Days are full and rich...and this particular week is filled with social engagements with people I care about. I spent a good chunk of today with Kelly. She has a school vacation week...so joined me for lunch and a good catch up. We even did a little art this afternoon. For those of you who may not know...Kelly is my son Sam's girlfriend.

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying playing with my cyanotypes again. I've rounded up all my prints and scraps (I still have a lot!)  and am I'm working on various ways to use them to create covers. 

I have eight journals to make...and all the covers will be a little different. They won't all be squares....but I did especially like this one where I cut up one print and separated it into a grid.

The back of the cover is a mixture of prints. 

I've done things like this before...but I was reminded of the technique from a photograph Debbie L. sent me of a very large cyanotype piece at the North Carolina Museum of Art. She said it covered one whole wall and it looks like it's one print cut up into a grid. Thanks for sending it along Debbie!

Mud Season

Putty, beige, caramel, milk chocolate, khaki, oatmeal, sand, chestnut, dark chocolate, honey, taupe, sepia and mud....just to name a few. There are so many versions of brown.

The ground is still covered in snow here in Maine...but the days are getting longer and I know mud season is coming. 

Susan from Scotland reached out about a joy journal...and sent me a few photos of their signs of spring. 

Blooms like this...are the payoff after mud season. But we've got a long way to go!

As I continue to work on the top half of Philippa's shed puzzle...I've spent a lot of time searching for all the versions of brown. Some have a bit of texture that are the images in the shadows...some have the lines of the shed walls....and all of them have had me completely engaged. The rewards after the browns are the pops of red...and the lush greens in Philippa's garden. But it's all good.....even mud season. 

Everyone's a Winner

We've had sunny days and temperatures hovering around freezing...and it feels absolutely delightful. So we finally have some melting and our huge snow piles are shrinking just a bit. Higher temps and sunshine also means icicles. 

We have an amazing one forming right outside our kitchen window where the snow is melting along the rain deflector above the front door. 

I can watch it from the window....drip drip drip....and I'm fascinated by the incredible texture. 

I was tickled at the interest in the blue and white joy journal....nine people responded. This afternoon I drew Linda's name.... so this particular little joy journal will be on it's way to her soon.

And....because I love making them...everyone's a winner! Dotty, Anne, Mary Ann, Margaret, Debbie L., Lily, Debbie C....and Kristen will also be getting journals. If I missed a message from anyone else please reach out. I'll have my hands full for a while making eight more journals....but there may be more offers in the future. I do have other ideas.

If you emailed me...I have replied to each of you there. Lily, Mary Ann and Kristen please email me so I can start a conversation with you about your little journal.  joyfulputtering@gmail.com

Update on the general Joy Journal Project: I know a set of papers from Diane is on its way....but it seems to be lost in the mail or at least side tracked. She mailed it at the beginning of February and there is no sign of it. I'm concerned...but I'm still hopeful it will show up here in Maine...or back to Missouri. I WILL be making a journal for Diane whether it's with her papers or mine. 

I will always update here if I receive papers. If you have mailed some and have not heard from me it means they haven't arrived. 

We've had a bit of trouble here with our mail delivery....I think the Post Office is understaffed and a bit broken. I know they are doing the best they can...but they don't ooze confidence these days.....so don't send anything too precious. 

Keepers of the Flame

I believe art made with the intention to spread love and healing does exactly that. Lori Portka

I wonder if some of you have seen some of the videos of people singing in Minneapolis. Their message is of unity....peace and love....and they are quite moving. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4qXXNnjGHQ
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DUOwntaDuNG/

Judy sent me this lovely card titled Keepers of the Flame depicting the people of Minneapolis standing strong.

It was painted by Lori Portka and 100% of the proceeds go to support the mutual aid groups in Minneapolis. 

Snow boots on the ground, witnessing, recording, and helping people being terrorized. Lori Portka

I'll display it in my dining room for a while...along with my small collection of glass hearts. 

My sister Nancy lives in Minneapolis...and today is not only Valentine's Day...but also her birthday. The restaurant where she works employs several immigrants who all have been directly impacted by the unjust actions of ICE.

Paul and I were downtown today for the regular Saturday protest against the injustice that is happening in our Country. It was HEARTwarming to see that the Valentine's Day Bandit hearts all along our walk.  

There were hundred and hundreds of big red hearts all over the city....I wrote about the tradition here.

And these love signs caught my eye at the protest.

Artful signs meant to spread love and healing. We need love more now than ever!

Something New...

Something Blue to Give Away! 

I have always been a fan of blue and white....maybe that's why I like cyanotypes so much. And I'm wondering if there's someone out there that's a blue and white fan too. 

As I begin to make some joy journals from my own papers to give away...I thought I would start with a blue and white theme. 

I cut squares from some of my prints for the cover and mounted and stitched them onto a fabric background.  

This is journal is mostly a blank blue and white canvas....with pockets and spaces and places for your collage creations and snippet collections. And of course it would be fun to add other pops of color too!

Papers include a bit of commercial art paper you see here, graph paper, a small calendar page, gelli prints and miscellaneous recycled print papers. There's a plain white page in there too. 

And of course...I like to add a butterfly.

I think it's a sweet little journal....and I had to hold

back because I wanted to play in it!

This little gem is a cyanotype from a Chinese papercut from Paul's sister Liz and the painted paper on the right is from my butterfly book.

The small gelli print page has a little pocket and the opposite

paper is from a recycled guest book.....Guests...is written in blue!

This joy journal comes with a little packet of blue snippets and scraps to help get you started. If you have interest in this 4 x 6 blue and white joy journal...email me at joyfulputtering@gmail.com

Because I would like to make more to give away....my only request is help with postage. $5 should cover it...and just might give me a little extra for Maine Needs.

If more than one person is interested...I will draw a name in a few days.

Love and Kindness

We can do small things with great love. Mother Teresa

Paul and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day....but we do celebrate and practice love and kindness as often as we can. Love and kindness feel like joy....no matter what day it is.

And who doesn't love a bright red heart! I certainly do.

Roseanne sent me this fabulous felted heart.....and Mayor Pete is just the right guy to hold on to it for a while. 

Sometimes love and kindness look like a pile of fabric for someone who is learning to sew. And sometimes love and kindness looks like giving a neighbor a ride to the grocery store because her car was broken down.

I had fabric to spare...and I had time to give and sharing both felt like joy. 

Even small doses of love and kindness can change the world.