Not All Bells and Whistles

There are a handful of new people who have signed up by email for the blog and I would like to officially welcome you!  It's not all bells and whistles here...just simple everyday things that bring me joy as I putter around my studio....house and yard....and places I visit.

I spent a good chunk of the day out and about doing errands and chores. There was satisfaction...and even some joy in taking in our recycling and returnable bottles. Our bottle money goes in my Maine Needs fund. There was joy in buying my first few annuals so I can start hardening them off....and that I found just what I wanted for my hummingbird garden. And there was even joy in having my annual skin check at the dermatologist. 

There was most certainly joy in my visit to Bessie.....the beloved Hackmatack tree in a nearby neighborhood. Her pine needles are filling in and as always....they're soft as a baby brush. 

I am smitten with the baby pine cones....especially knowing they will grow up to be still tiny pinecones. 

Seeing her in this stage actually does feel like bells and whistles.

So that's what you're find here. Some bells and whistles...but mostly just simple things that bring me joy that are right in front of me. And what's in front of me right now is spring! 

If you are new....there are more than 10 years worth of posts that can easily be accessed by topic using the label links along the right hand side of the blog if you have special interests. The labels in quotation marks at the beginning of the list are posts about classes that I have taken. 

I hate being a broken record, but I would  also like to remind everyone that sometimes photos are distorted in the email version so not visually appealing.  You can easily link to the online version by clicking on the title of the post in the email.

There was joy in our sunset last night....I hope you found joy in yours.

Tis The Season

My sister Marilyn gave me a dandelion lego kit for my birthday because it reminded her of all dandelions on the farm growing up. They grew big in Wisconsin! 

Tis the season for dandelions here in Portland.

I'm not quite sure I get the brown stem on the left unless it represents the wabi-sabi end when the seeds have all blown away. 

I was hoping to help Patti repot some arborvitae in the front of her condo this afternoon.

We were about to pull one out of the pot....when a house finch flew out. After a closer look we found a nest with a couple of eggs. We got one of the three repotted....but the other two will have to wait until hatching and lift off.

Tis the season for nesting....and practicing patience. 

Tis the season for hummingbirds too! I put the feeder up yesterday and the first one stopped by today during happy hour! 

A Bit Wonky

Happy Mother's Day! I've been lucky enough to be a mother for 40 years....one year longer than my mother had the chance to be. She died when I was just 29.

And Happy Mothers' Day!  Heather Cox Richardson's newsletter described how the first Mothers' Day (mother in the plural sense rather than the singular) was started in the 1870's by Julian Ward Howe as  part of the women's suffrage moment pushing back against a society dominated by men. So I'm going with that this year...celebrating the plural version....all women who mother and care for so many of us.

Before Sam and Kelly arrived....I had time to finish another free motion floral experiment I started last night.

This time I used a piece of bold floral upholstery fabric for the vessel with a few stitched doodle flowers. I need to remember to do odd numbers!

I remembered how much I enjoy stitching around the designs of printed fabric from the free motion class. I especially love when it gets extra wonky like with the little squiggles. The wonkier the better.

I'm going to keep playing with doodle flowers....love them too.

This piece was a little oversized to stitch onto one of my premade cards...so I stitched it onto folded a piece of cardstock. Afterward I trimmed it too narrow on the right side as compared to the folded edge on the left so I compensated with extra row stitching. If I didn't point it out....one might think I planned it! Sometimes a bit wonky works out OK! This card is going to my Aunt Beverly...who is one of my many other mothers. I'm also thinking about Margie, my mother-in-law....who was a very special other mother.

Celebrating Blue

I spied these hyacinths on our way to the rally this morning...so I'm celebrating blue today! 

They were behind a metal trellis type thing...but I was able to slide my hand under for a photo. 

I couldn't really see what I was doing...but I think I did pretty well! 

This afternoon during the rain (yay!) I sat down at the sewing machine to ease back into the studio. No plan...just a piece of watercolor paper and my blue tutti frutti swatch from my stash. 

I wasn't very creative with my design...but it got me back into the swing of things. I didn't want to change the presser foot to stitch around the outer edge to attach it to the card.....so I took a chance and did it free motions. I like the concept....but the execution could be improved.

I want to keep developing this idea of plants and vessels....so here's what I learned:

• I like that I left the jagged edge on the top.
• I like the wonky free motion stitching around the edge...but it can be vastly improved and better balanced. 
• But I also like the combo of straight and zig zag I did last time too. I may set up my second sewing machine somewhere so I don't have to change the foot.
• I want to sketch out some designs that include a variety of flower shapes and leaves.
• I want to experiment with different vessel shapes. 
• I need to remember that I don't always need to paint them. 
• I hpe to keep practicing and experimenting.

Favorite sign of the day! Yes! Let's welcome the stranger and love our neighbors! 

Oozing Spring

The grass is greening up....and I don't even mind the dandelions and violets in my side yard. 

It's still slow in coming...but spring is oozing out all over. There is something so special about the ways each tree and shrub leafs out. All the little pieces and parts are beautiful and interesting.

And who doesn't love a patch of grape hyacinths. They're one of my favorites!

I had a special gift waiting for me when I got home. Tracie made this fabulous fused glass sun-catcher for my birthday...and it just oozes spring. I am smitten with the design.

It's a perfect addition to my colorful kitchen window. It pairs so well with my large fused piece...and the other rainbow Tracie gave me.  

Small Things...Big Joy

Nancy gave me these adorable felted eyeballs for my birthday.....I think they're fun! 

They're on two separate wires...so easily placed in any plant.

Small things bring big joy!

There was another small thing on my puzzle table when I got home....a found object from Paul. How is it that a bright green Duplo can bring big joy! I think it's as simple as making a decision to appreciate the little things. Nancy also gave me the little pink crocheted heart....big love....big joy.

Home!

What a wonderful time I had connecting with my family....and how wonderful it is to be home. 

I was tickled to find spring a little further along here in Portland....including the little daffodils blooming by the rock wall. I'm looking forward to walking the yard...the woods and the neighborhood tomorrow to see the progress.

There's no place like home! 

Angie's Chair

I took this photo back in 2019 when I was helping Angie with things in and around her house in Missouri. She loved a good burn pile....and especially enjoyed sitting and watching it smolder down to nothing. 

My cousin Scott has done a lot of clearing in the yard and along the woods....even cutting in walking paths into the woods. It's almost park-like.

He kept Angie's rusty chair under a scruffy pine as a little homage to her. 

And he has also created a big fire pit in another spot. Angie would be pleased. 

Tomorrow is my travel day. It's time to go home. 

Special Lady!

We had such a good time visiting my aunt Beverly.....she's a pretty special lady! Nancy and I head back to Minneapolis tomorrow. 

Making It Their Own

Here are my three sisters LaVonn, Nancy, and Marilyn We visited our cousin Scott and his partner Lynn today....who own what used to be my sister Angie's house in Sibley, Missouri. We felt Angie's presence....and enjoyed our day together there. 

I took this photo back in 2017 when I helping Angie recover from surgery. This view through the living room of her wheelchair in the lighted hall really struck me at the time.

This was that same view today. So much of Angie is still there...but Scott and Lynn have made it their own. Angie would be so pleased with what they have done with the house and the property.

Joy

Joy: chatting with my sister for 5 hours in the car....then spending all afternoon with my 90 year old aunt, my cousins and other sisters listening to all their stories. 

And then going to bed early. 

Did You Know?

It was a perfect spring day for walking the dogs. Minneapolis is such a beautiful city! 

Nearly every home had a sign in the yard or in the window supporting their immigrant neighbors. 

All we can do is take care of each other is what this sign said.

Nancy and I spent a delightful evening with several mutual friends...and we celebrated the "neighboring" that has been happening in Minneapolis. It's that butterfly effect! Tomorrow we head to Iowa! 

Did you know that if you slice the stems of dandelions as thin as you can with a knife...they coil up into tight curls when you immerse them in water. 

Yup....we tried it. You can take the girls out of the country...but you can't take the country out of the girls. 

It happens almost instantly....so would be a fun thing to do with kids.

This Kind of Day

It was a blue sky....fluffy clouds and cool crisp spring air kind of a day...an absolute delight from beginning to end.

We've been in a slow spring crawl in Maine. I really don't mind because it just makes every phase more precious.  

And I hadn't fully realized how wonderful it would be to be suddenly immersed in spring that was a little father along. 

Trees are leafing out nicely and spring is bursting out everywhere here in Minneapolis.

The best thing is that when I get home things will be catching up and I get to experience it all over again. 

I as so excited to see this young Bessie hackmatack along one of our walking routes....the new pine needles a little further along that Bessie Senior back in Portland.

And it was this kind of day too! We always eat well when Nancy's in charge!

Nancy has such interesting plants in her gardens...like this bellwort.

I might get to take a a split home with me for my woodland garden.

My favorite puppy moment of the day.....Bodi trying to hide from Lulu!

Those are his hind legs and his tail.....and it didn't work.

Soaking It In

Spring is more sprung here in Minneapolis....and I'm soaking it all in! 

Meet Bodi and Lulu....I'm going to soak them in too.

Yellow

We're still in daffodil season....but we've also moved onto forsythia. Yellow...is the color of late April in Maine.

By the time most of you read this I will be on a plane to Minneapolis. I will spend a few days with my sister Nancy then we will drive to southern Iowa and meet up with Marilyn and LaVonn....my other two sisters where we will visit our Aunt Beverly....my mother's only sister. My mother would have been 100 this month....and her sister Beverly is 90.  

So...that means I will focus on family and be fully present with all that will be going on. I hope to post some sort of a joy nugget every day but my postings will likely be late in the evening...or early in the morning. But if I do miss a day here and there....you'll know why.

I love being home. But I also love spending time with friends and family. I hate to miss one minute of spring in my yard and neighborhood...but I will get to celebrate it in other people's yards and neighborhoods...and that's exciting.

I'm also leaving behind this fabulous Craft Cupboard puzzle...but it will be here when I get back. There's a lot going on....so it's a bit tedious....but it's quite fun.

I put together a little hostess gift....and I had just the right card.

I think the final line of stitching changed everything!

I'll see you in Minneapolis!

Behind Me

Now that it's behind me (pun intended) I am happy to report that my early morning colonoscopy report was clean as a whistle! Sorry if that's too much information....but I'm just keeping it real.

As most of you know....the prep process isn't very pleasant....but the minute it's over I'm always glad I did it. There was a bounce in my step and gratitude in my heart today. Health is a precious thing.

And it makes me so happy that my bloodroot is in full bloom today. They're such delicate little flowers. 

I visited Bessie today....and I'm so glad I did because her baby pine needles are just starting to emerge. For those of you new to the blog....I keep an eye on a Hackmatack tree nearby and I have named her Bessie. Hackmatack....or Tamarack is one of the only pine trees that is deciduous and loses its needles in the fall after they've turned a beautiful yellow. It has teeny tiny pinecones that are just precious. 

But the best part of my visit was meeting some Bessie's neighbors. Alison, and her two kids Cameron and Alex(?) were out in the street riding scooters and I was able to fill them in on Bessie. Now they are going to keep an eye on her too. 

And how excited was I to learn that Cameron's middle name is Joy. I'm hoping to run into them again.

I'm going to try and follow along (no charge) with the current Fabulous Free Motion class with Izzy Moore to motivate me to play around with stitching again. I found my box of lesson projects ....including several prepped fabrics and backgrounds.

This fabric collage from the "tutti frutti" lesson is what I cut the heart from my recent mini journal cover. There was still plenty to use for other things.....so I did another little experiment.

This time I cut a vessel....and free motion stitched some plants. I wasn't sure if I should paint the plants or not. You never know until you try it...and I like it. It's still sweet and simple. As you can see from the above photo....the fabrics are quite vibrant in person...and I couldn't find the right spot to get the lighting right. It's better in person. I could make a card or add it to a journal. I will most certainly be playing around more. I think these fabric vessels will also pair nicely with torn paper collage....with some stitching! Yes...that's what I'm going to do! 

It will be fun to use this tutti frutti piece for something!