Go Outside!

Nate texted the family last evening around 7:30 and told us all to go outside and look at the northern lights. 

The four of us were all in three different locations....and connected and chatted by texted about magnificent color.

Paul and I were also greeted by other neighbors enjoying the show too. It was an unexpected moment of joy...just by going outside. 

At the beginning of the Fabulous Free Motion course we made linen and lace backgrounds....and it was time to add a focal point. The lesson was to create delicate flowers or leaves out of painted paper towels. I hope to try that....but this time I used what I had on hand.

I've had this sheer painted curtain fabric from another class for quite sometime...and I thought it would work well for this lesson. 

I applied fusible to the back of the sheer strip....cut out my leaf shapes then fused and stitched them to the lacy background. I think it turned out pretty well. In the end it may not quite be my style...but I think the idea can evolve into something that's a little bit more me.

I went outside again a little later last night...and the northern lights had changed to a soft green. It kind of has the same soft vibe as my linen and lace piece.

On this second piece I used the same sheer curtain swatch...but used black stitching. 

It might be a little too strong for the lacy background...but I do like the doodleness of the black stitching. 

And now....I'm going to go back outside and see if there's another show tonight!

Pops of Color

I'm getting a late start tonight....so I'm keeping it simple and sharing a few pops of color from our morning walk.

You know how I love found objects...but I'm also looking for unusual things on our walks to add into my nightly photo montages for Alyson. I'll work these into the one I send tonight. 

These are from the last couple of nights. We're still having fun with this....especially pairing unusual things.  

As you can see...our pool is all closed up...and this young lady was sad to leave. Hopefully she'll find her way home.

Here are a couple that Alyson sent to me.We do love our pops of color! 

And this is such a wonderful daily creative practice for both of us.

Splashes of Color

I saw a splash of color in the woods....and had to check it out. It was a piece of bark covered in colorful lichen. We've had a lot of rain....and lichen loves rain.....the textures and colors were just gorgeous! 

I'm going to hang onto it for a while to see how it looks when its dried out.  As you may know....I enjoy watching the phases nature takes.

I clipped a few of my tiny daffodils when I got home a week ago and have been enjoying them on my kitchen sill. I love how they have kept their color and shape even when they are dry.

The iris petals I brought in several weeks ago are completely dried out....

and still have hints of  their beautiful purple color.  I do think it's interesting that the tiny yellow stamens are still a perfect vivid color. 

My sister-in-law Alyson gave me a zoom lense for my iPhone for my birthday and I'm going to have fun with it while Paul and I are watching the birds on the patio.  Alyson and I still share (mostly) nature photos every evening....and we both love the birds!

I practiced today on this bluebird couple who come every day to eat the dried mealworms we put out. We watched as they carried some back to the birdhouse a few doors down....maybe we'll have babies coming to the bath and the feeder soon!

I'm loving the splashes of color right outside my door!

Pop of Pink

There are several things I could write about tonight....it was just one of those days.  But right there at the top of the list was Anita and Dave's fall crocus patch....who knew there was such a thing! The fall crocus is sometimes called meadow saffron...and although it looks exactly like the familiar spring bulb this fall crocus is actually in the lily family.  I also learned that the spring bulb is in the iris family. I didn't know that either.

This crocus patch was already there when Dave and Anita moved in 43 years ago and has been blooming every fall since.  The foliage comes up in the spring then dies back in the summer followed by these magnificent blooms in the early fall....just when you need a pop of pink!

The stems must be reather delicate because there were several that had tumbled over...making the patch even that much more interesting. They just felt so special.

I was absolutely smitten!

Birds eye view of the patch....that has pretty much been the same size...all these years.

Soft Blues

Blogspot told me that I've reached 2000 posts.  So this is 2001.

"All I know is that my life is better when I assume that people are doing their best. It keeps me out of judgement and lets me focus on what is, and not what should or could be."  Brene Brown

Mine is better when I do that too.....I'm working on it.

On my way home from Portland to Lexington I stopped in Ocean Park and walked the beach with Jane. It's always a treat!

The sky was a hazy gray blue and there was light fog lingering in the air...making is seem almost mysterious.

I delivered one of my tiny hosta plants....and got to see Jane's new pot of rain lilies in bloom.  I think Rose would be happy that some of her rain lilies are living at the beach.

Jane's front garden is always a big splash of color and her periwinkle door makes a great backdrop.

And I came home to my own sea of soft blue!  This first photo was taken about 8:00 last night when it was getting a little dusky....so everything seemed to be a soft blue.

This one is in the front of the house...and will turn interesting shades of purply blues as it matures.

Pride

It's the last day of June...and June is pride month. So I'm celebrating

along with Sesame Street with rainbow pride colors!

I'm getting ready for more stained glass projects so I've been adding fusible webbing to more batiks. The colorful scraps are quite scrumptious....but sadly....I just can't save everything.

The webbing comes with a paper backing so I can iron in onto the fabric.  I trim up three sides leaving that little edge making it easier to peel the paper off.  Once the paper is off I trim that last side. I'm trying to have a big stash of colors to choose from for future projects.  

I'm also celebrating a some splashes of color from Janice's yard.

Happy Pride!

Reminder of Joy

"I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable and beautiful and afraid of nothing as though I had wings."  Mary Oliver

"Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable." Mary Oliver

I have permission from one of Eliza's moms to post this photo I saw on Instagram...it's just the reminder of JOY I needed today.

Today's block #36 is inspired by Elisa...who knows how to put a fabulous outfit together and has plenty of room in her heart for the unimaginable.  She has a zest for life...and color...and loves Curious George. 

I love the Mary Oliver quote at the top of this post....but it's just part of a powerful poem called Starlings in the Winter. 

"Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us."

A Splash of Color

If there's anything that's been more clear to me during this crisis it's how connected we all are.....and these colorful interlocking circles are my way of illustrating that.  For better or worse....the catchy phrase "we're all in this together" couldn't be more true.

I follow artists from all over the world and many of them are painting, printing, knitting, and posting rainbows as a way of lifting us up. So I'll send this off into the world somewhere as my way of sharing some color and lifting someone up.

And speaking of a splash of color....I added the last rows of indigos and purples to my batik project....and taped it to the patio door.

I think this view in the light is so beautiful....it might be really cool printed on a wrapped canvas. hmmmm

I hate to say it but I do think I'm going to chop it up because I think there's too much going on for the art piece I have in mind....and there are parts that didn't work out as well as I would have liked.  But the good thing is I'll probably be able to make several art pieces out of this particular splash of color.

Distinct Layers

"Hope is something you do, as opposed to something you have. It is a behavior and a commitment that allows us to utilize the wisdom and courage we all possess." from a friend's Facebook Page

Because puzzles are such a source of joy for me....I have to pause and share what's currently on my table. It's one I've done before....and for some reason I don't have the box...just a cutout of the photo that was on the cover.  It's 1000 pieces and has three distinct layers.  Over the past week or so I've been slowly sorting the pieces into three separate boxes and got to work on the sky layer.

There's lots of sky....but it was surprisingly easy because of the clouds, birds, and variation in the shades of blue.  The graduated size of the sunflowers will make the next layer doable too...so now I'm looking for the distant blooms.

I finally gave up looking for this piece....I know it will turn up....so I'm moving on.

And I continue to love my spot behind the couch....I love being in the center of the room with a view of the back yard....and on this particular morning a view of Paul working from home. 

Paul and I took a long walk this morning....some of it through the woods on Portland Trails. It was a beautiful morning to be out.

And what's not to love about a twirling splash of color along the way.