Playing With Birds

Paul's sister Alyson loves birds. Many of the photographs she sends me in our nightly exchanges are of birds....especially in the warmer months. Last December I made this little bird collage for her....and I wrote about it here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2022/12/loving-birds.html

She had given me a bird book when I was visiting....and she chose this little humminbird for a collage.  

And now it's framed and in her bathroom.

Alyson has a birthday coming up next week.  We're not big on gifts....but I wanted to do something a little different for her card this year.  

So I've been playing with birds from the bird book again and I put a little something in the mail today that I hope gets there on time. I don't know if she visits the blog on a regular basis....but I am going to give some sneak peaks over the next few days.

I've not had a lot of time for art....but this is where some of my creative energy has gone recently....and I had fun with it.  The other thing I've been working on is the final booklet for the art trade....and I can't share that until we do our exchange in mid April.  Too many secret projects!  

I was inspired by Susan's accordion book she recently sent me....so I've been working on one for Alyson.  I used cream colored card stock to fold the book....then used my gelli plate to create a textured background.  

Sorry....that's all I'll share for today.  More to come....I've got to spread this out!

Lilacs Somewhere

It was cold and windy today....not all that pleasant to be outside. But March is often like that....and I'm gearing up....because April can be like that too sometimes.

I took this a few days ago....the pond was so still and the reflections of the trees were as clear as the real thing.  I will welcome the leaves....but I continue to enjoy the bare trees against the very early spring sky.

You know the saying...it's 5:00 somewhere!  Well....my line today is there are lilacs somewhere!  And that somewhere is Texas.  Elaine shared a few spring photos....and her lilac is starting to bloom! How fun!

And look at this amaryllis she planted last fall. I didn't think about the fact that they could go in the ground. I've only known them to be a inside winter thing!  But apparently they can in the south!  Thanks Elaine for sharing your Texas spring with us!

And it's a wrap!  I loved this one....the beautiful quilts of Gee's Bend.

This and That

My day was filled with a little of this and a little of that.....and these were my favorite moments.

This sweet little iris and the yellow crocus caught my attention on this frosty hillside.  

New signs of spring are popping up every single day.

Look at how beautifully this bloom from my gerber daisy from Janice has dried....and how well it kept the soft green color. I adore all the curly petals and I'm going to enjoy it on my window sill for a while.  

The quilt puzzle is really coming along.  Still loving every single minute of it!  

Won't be long now....but per usual.....I'm going to savor the finish.

Patty's coat is mended and ready for her trip....and I'm proud to 

say that she's officially a needle felter now!

I fussy cut some tiny birds late last night....

I've got a project brewing in my head.

Time and Attention

This image came across my social media feed....and it made me smile.  

I was drawn to the cheery spring colors and the funky lettering...but mostly I was drawn to the message.  I am TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED....so that's what I'm going with.

I have several things in the works that are...and will require my time and attention over the next few weeks....and whatever else I have time for will be just be an added blessing.  

But I also believe that you have time for what you make time for.

Patty is heading off on a fabulous family vacation at the end of this week.  She wanted to take along her favorite long black wool flannel coat...lightweight...yet warm enough for layering this time of year.  But it had a few issues....a worn and tattered hem and little holes here and there from years of love and hungry moths. This morning she asked for my input....hoping I might have an idea how to make some improvements.

A few hours later......the coat had a new hem...and I taught Patty how to needle felt so she could fill in the holes with black wool roving.  I did have an idea....and I had the supplies to breath new life into her precious coat.  It just needed a little time and attention.

Paul and I are blessed to have friends and family around us....and sometimes they need our help. And I'm grateful we have resources and energy for the things that need our time and attention. We are way too blessed to be stressed about any of it!

I made 2 or 3 trips to Patty's at the end of the street this morning during the coat project...

...so got to enjoy the long row of crocus she planted in the garden she created for her dear neighbor Pat. Pat is gone....and new neighbors have moved in....but Patty still tends Pat's garden.

We have the time for what we make the time for.

I love seeing the sedum coming up in the same garden....they look like little green roses. I've alway had it sedum my gardens....but not here at the condo. Maybe...just maybe....I can get a little split from Pat's garden for my own garden.

The quote at the top of the page came from Natural Life....the online resource where I get all my colorful headbands. These bands have become a staple in my wardrobe....keeping my whispy and sometimes lifeless hair out of my eyes. As I've gotten older...the less time and attention I give to my hair...the better.  

Just before I pushed "publish"....this was the view out the window!  I am blessed!

Gone

And just like that....the row of icy snow along the front of my condo is gone. The lesson here is take a close look while you can....it might be gone tomorrow.

I'm excited to report that I have ONE little snowdrop in the back garden....and that makes me happy.

Paul recently sent me this photo of some little green sprouts poking through in the garden....just in case I hadn't noticed.  I had to smile....because I look the garden over every single day....so of course I noticed. But I absolutely love that he's looking too.  I planted quite a few bulbs last fall....can't wait to see how they do.

And I got two for one in this photo of the holes in ice in the backyard....a heart and if you turn it the other way....there's a little rabbit!

I was tickled to get an envelope of goodies from Marilyn from Rhode Island with a little of this and a little of that from her stash.  

Paul chuckled at the irony of me getting my own ounce of joy. One of my goals was to whittle down my stash....and Marilyn is helping me fill it right back up!  But it's fun to get mail!

I'm absolutely in love with this little red and white sack.  I can think of all kinds of uses....so I'm going to try making some.  what a great way to package small little snippets....and the design is pretty simple.  Thanks Marilyn!

Broken Record

I know I sound like a broken record at times. You've seen photos just like these before....but I can't help myself.  But no two are alike....do these are brand new!

Familiar and fascinating things continue to draw me in.  I am compelled to look closely....and I'm never disappointed when I do.

Much of the backyard is still under a layer of ice and snow....but the front yard is clear except for one small strip under the drip line from the roof runoff.  It's where the melting and freezing creates these beautiful little sculptures that I adore.

The delicate and dainty ones are my favorite.

Pieces and parts of them remind me of coral.

Just like the crocus from yesterday....it would have been be so easy to walk by this little patch of icy snow without looking closely....but I'm glad I didn't.  

I just can't help myself.

Enough

If I didn't know it was there....I would have just walked by this clump of crocus in my neighbor's yard. 

I actually love blooms at this stage....just before they open. There's just something about a tightly closed bud....and all the goodness that you know is packed inside!

And when you look from the top it's like a little burst of fireworks!  And one little clump...or even one bloom at a time is enough to get me excited about spring.

See what I mean?  Looks like just a patch of scruff.

This was the result from a little creative play today.  It may be a little busy...but I'm happy enough with it.

I played around with my eucalyptus stencil and fussy cut one stem and added it to this collage I made a while back.  It needed a focal point....and I think this works well enough.  It's a 6 x 6 collage stitched onto an 8 x 8 piece of watercolor paper.

The grass and leaf prints are from last fall.  

I will confess that the three lines of stitching are to correct the fact that my first row got a little wonky.  So now....it's wonky on purpose!  

My goal was to make a few more papers where I could fussy cut the shapes...but also ones that had soft backgrounds and colors that could be incorporated into other collage pieces.  

I was bit rusty with my gelli plate...but it felt good to have paint on my hands again. 

 

And what do I do when I have a little extra acrylic paint!

I color wash swatches of my metallic commercial papers.  I spritz my pallette with water....and sop up the paint with a makeup sponge.  It doesn't take much to cover a little piece of paper...and these little gems are so useful.  

I did a little more fussy cutting this evening....and it might surprise you that this is my favorite pair of scissors.  When I open it wide....I can maneuver the paper for a long time before I need to reopen the blades.  This particular singer style cuts paper really well because the blades are really thin....making them great for trimming off edges.  Unfortunately they don't seem to make them anymore.  

There's Always Joy

One of the lines I've used over the years on this blog is there's always joy.  No matter how busy.....or overwhelming....or even sad things might feel....if you take the time to pay attention to the little things....you'll always find some joy.

My day wasn't sad....or even overwhelming...it was just full.  I had hoped to get in the studio....I've been craving a little paint on my hands. But other more important things were a priority....so I ended up having exactly the day I needed to have rather than the one I thought I needed.  And when I paused this evening to figure out what I was going to write about....the list of things to celebrate was clear.

Emily, my goddaughter, had her baby boy today....and both baby and mom are doing well.  That is reason enough to shout for joy!

I had a wonderful Zoom catch up with a friend. We both had a chance to tell our stories....and compare notes on our joys and our struggles. Thanks Roseanne!

All four Christmas cactus blooms are open at the same time....and the pop of color is a delight!

Janice let me know that her crocus is even more beautiful 

today than it was yesterday....and indeed they are! A few years ago 

I planted hundred crocus bulbs....and the squirrels dug up every single one!

So thank you Janice for sharing yours.

And....something very special came in the mail today....all the way from England.  I was able to purchase the original portrait that Gina Ferrari did of me as part of her 100 day project.  If you read this post....you know this portrait represents so much more than just my face.  It represents a journey....and captures a shift in my self image and confidence.  

I will find a place in my studio where this talented artist's version of me 

will remind the real me that there is always joy!

Slow Crawl

"There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter." Rachel Carson

Margie pointed out that today is 3-23-23!  I know several people who are tuned into number patterns....and this one is pretty cool.

Elaine let me know that Texas is in full spring mode.....the air is warm, the trees have leafed out, and flowers are blooming.  

I know it's coming here in Maine....because Janice has some crocus blooming in her yard just a few miles away. 

I actually don't mind the slow crawl to spring.  I enjoy hunting for bits of green....knowing pops of color will follow.  I love the changing seasons....and winter to spring....is about as wonderful as summer to fall.  Nature's awakening after the winter is such a wonder and I'm going to enjoy every slow crawling minute of it.  There's no hurry.

I did a little more hand stitching late last night....and finished the binding this afternoon. The baby quilt is done!  And Done....is better than perfect! 

I love that this quilt is infused with color inspirations from interesting things that caught my eye. So in some ways...it kind of tells a little story of some of my days. But it's not perfect....the squares aren't the same size (actually on purpose)...the color balance is a little off and it's a bit wonky.  But that  pretty much sums me up...and I'm good with that!

I love the back too....I'm so glad I went bold with the binding.

And look at what I did today....I connected the puzzle from side to side.  I needed one piece in the second quilt from the left to actually connect the path....and I literally smiled when I found it. I enjoy these silly moments and the slow crawl through a puzzle....there's never any hurry.