Moments

It's Janice's Birthday today....and this golden oldie window box display continues to be one of my favorite Janice moments. But things have changed. Janice and Jay have a brand new garage....with a brand new window. 

And whether or not there is a new window box, I can always be certain that every time I visit....there will be some sort of a colorful and fabulous Janice moment. And I celebrate that she is just ten minutes away.

Happy Birthday Janice! 

I had a wonderful visit with Patty today...and I keep celebrating that she's right down the street. Yesterday I had breakfast with Marita and tomorrow I'll connect with Jane. I got a couple update emails today from Cherie (more on that tomorrow)....and texts and calls from other friends in the past several days. I'm so grateful for so many joy-filled moments with my circle of women friends.

It was a treat to have breakfast at Marita's yesterday....and I was smitten with her collection of found nature objects on his kitchen bar counter. 

The whole was as beautiful as all the individual parts.

So may sweet moments.

Re-Discovering

I've been drawn to interesting and colorful images for as long as I can remember. I just can't help myself....when I see an image that speaks to me...I cut it out....take a screenshot....or pin it on a Pinterest board.

Margaret loves images too...and she sent me these photos a few days ago from a color collage project she did during lockdown.....they reminded her of the color cards we're doing for our Rainbow Connection art exchange.  

Margaret's collages reminded me of my pile of Discovery Journals I started back in 1996.  I collected images from magazine, catalogs....and other found papers and stickers that inspired me and glued them into sketchbooks. I grouped them by color...or theme and I didn't think of them as collage at the time...more as inspiration...or just a collection of images that I loved.  I wrote a post about them here called "Before There Was Pinterest."

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/05/before-there-was-pinterest.html

I loved putting these book together....and because of Margaret's email....I'm going to re-discover them.  I'm going to go through every single one of them...page by page over the next week or so. Who knows....maybe my next big inspiration is in one of the 6 or 7 books.  

In that post back in 2015 I wrote:

I'm going to have fun re-discovering these images that bring me joy.

Thanks for the nudge Margaret!

Stuff

My sister Angie was an artist and a crafter. She also was a hard working handywoman, a dedicated volunteer.....and an enthusiastic collector.  She could make anything and collected everything. And she loved her stuff.  

I have memories of her responding sharply to us sisters when we talked about her needing to let things go of some things....."I like my stuff." 

But after she became ill she knew that one day she might have to leave her home....and we all knew it would be difficult. In preparation for that day....she began to go through her stuff as best she could.

When I visited I tried to help. I fetched boxes for her to sort through and toted things to the car for donation or to the backyard burn pile. 

Hardly any words were exchanged....Angie was a woman of few words. I just patiently waited until I was told what to do next....because when I was with Angie....she was in charge.  Even in my own home she was in charge. And she worked miracles.

I have clear memories of her going through a box picking up every single item and assessing its value.  Can I use this?  Could someone else use it?  If it was broken, could it be fixed?  

She would tediously match nuts to bolts, and inspect some mystery contraption checking to see if all the parts were there.  I could clearly see the magnitude of the task ahead of her...and I was beginning to understand the urgency of getting it done. I just wanted to help her move along.

But Angie was in charge.

I've been thinking about Angie recently as we approach the 2nd anniversary of her death. And I have come to recognize that I am like my her in many ways. In NO way do I have her vast talents....but we shared the drive to create, the love of problem solving.....and the joy of collecting.  And just like Angie....I like my stuff.

I don't have nuts and bolts to match up.....my boxes are mostly filled with pretty papers and fabric....snippets and sample projects. My motives might be a bit different....but my task is the same. I'm healthy....so I know I have the gift of time that Angie wasn't blessed with and I won't have to leave my home and studio anytime soon. She needed to get rid of some things....and I want to.

I have some ideas percolating that I'm kind of excited about. And in the meantime I will think of Angie as I tediously and joyfully go through my bins and boxes of things I have collected, snipped or created over time. I shed a few tears today as picked up tiny bits of this or that and ask myself Can I use this?  Could someone else use it? Can this be fixed made into something?

The first photo in this post was this yellow gumball machine filled with 

marbles at Angie's house....and here it is at my house. It is one of my very favorite 

items....from Angie's stuff.

A Thing For Boxes

I admit it....I have a thing for boxes.

I love all kinds and all sizes....because you never know when you'll need a good box ....especially a good box top.

But before I launch into my box story.....here a few joy nuggets from the day.

The snow in the backyard got packed down in the rain and melting....and in the late afternoon light it glistened like meringue. 

And during my sorting I found these two projects....a pretty little watercolor in blues and greens....and a collage mastersheet where I played around with free motion stitching on one end.  Both...have potential....both found in a box.

And my sister-in-law Liz shared some photos of the snow sculptures from a trip to Breckenridge, Colorado today.....pretty incredible! 

Now....back to boxes for those who have the patience for my stories.

As I s-l-o-w-l-y work on my studio project....I'm coming to terms with the fact that my obsession passion for boxes and box tops may be just a bit out of control.  

These are just the ones I have emptied and/or consolidated. There are more that I haven't gone through yet.

I use box tops as trays for pieces and parts of projects....or storage for snippets and offcuts and precious scraps.  And my go to method for cleaning off a work space has been to put everything in a box.

I'm always on the lookout for a good box...or a sturdy box top I can use as a tray. And I get especially excited when they're colorful and pretty.

I got this beautiful box top back in 2016.  It covered a box of pears I got from Connie....I wrote about it here.  (I probably have the bottom too.)  Right now it's holding all the fabrics I painted for Stitch Club.  I love this box top.

Here's another pretty box top with pink stripes holding watercolor scraps.

Not all my box tops are pretty....like this one that holds an odd assortment of stuff. There are cut-outs and snippets.....projects and paintings....and fabulous fodder. I'm overrun with boxes....and all these precious things in them......and it's time to do something about it.

So I've got a few ideas....ways to reduce the number of boxes....and ways to let go of these precious bits of color. It's going to take some time....I'll keep you posted.  

One Little Corner

I have an amazing studio upstairs in our condo.....it was actually one of the selling points.  When Paul walked into the large upstairs family room he said, "this is the space I've always dreamed of for you".....and we made an offer that day.

As a matter of fact...this was the listing photo....and you can see only 1/4 of the space.  

The door in the back leads into a closet that goes behind that entire wall...and there's one just like it on the other side.  Like I said....it's a dream space.

But ever since we moved here full time 2 years ago and combined our two houses....and 2 craft rooms...it's been a disorganized mess. I just kept creating...making messes upon messes.  

Then, just before Christmas, one of my sisters and I committed to cheering each other on as we tackle our messes....one bin....one space....one little corner at a time.  We sent each other before photos of our first project....and got to work.   

I chose my sewing corner as my starting place....and in case you can't tell...this is the cleaned up version. (For better or worse....I am posting a before photo at the bottom of this post.) I LOVE this sewing corner.....everything is right at my fingertips. It has great light, a large sewing table, all kinds of storage, a cutting table, a regular ironing board and a small ironing station right next to my sewing machine.  It's a big space.....and only one corner of my fabulous studio.  

I like to be surrounded with color and inspiration....I'm guessing there are some minimalists reading this who are bit horrified. 

 

Several of my own pieces are along this wall. The funky blue purse in the middle is made from paper and was a gift from Philippa. On the top of this shelf you can see my swirls of color class project, the one piece I kept from my year long monthly Folt Bolt projects, one of my favorite fabric pieces that didn't sell in a show, and a jar of stars. 

My recent bauble wreath hangs on the left and my Fabulous Florals project as well as one of my Funky Faces are on the right.  

I love this mini ironing station with the wool mat.  It's the perfect spot to iron a seam and it's where I'm making all my fused trees.

This cutting table (from Connie) also serves as a project table.....and I'm surrounded with treasures and things I love: artwork from artists I admire...many of them friends...sentimental collections....as well as snippets and and findings.

My special bottles from Angie are here....as well as this odd little group of animals from Paul.  The whole area is an odd mix of things that warm my heart.

OK....I almost didn't share the before photo....I'm a bit embarrassed...but I was encouraged to go ahead by people I trust.  You have to understand that I'm making things all the time and when I finish something....I make two or three more then start something new.  I just don't take the time....or have the patience to clean up in between.....so it builds up.....and up. I AM going to try and be better.....cleaning up a bit after I do a project. I won't let it get this bad again...wish me luck. 

I have already started on another corner of the studio.....and I'm also trying to organize my closets and storage spaces as well....so that should help. For now....I'm just taking one corner at a time. 

Now please go back to the beginning of the post and 

look at the "after photos" again.  Please!!!

All About The Lights

I was talking with my sister Nancy a few days ago...and she quoted my sister LaVonn who said Christmas decorating is all about the lights. We both agreed.  

I have 6 sets of little battery operated rice lights on timers that come on every day at 4:00....and stay on until 10:00.  I love them all.

And this was my view this evening....one string of lights on the bookshelf in the background (which happen to be little stars)....one set in the marble bowl....along with the Christmas tree lights, a burning candle on the pedestal....two small red votives with tea lights....and my battery operated changing rainbow candle from my sister Marilyn.  

Yes!  Tonight is was all about the lights! 

The little battery pack hides under the marbles....and this bowl of my special art marbles start glowing every day at 4:00.

I have a string of lights on Connie's cupboard....highlighting some Santas.

Jane made the tall bearded Santa....and I've always loved my skinny Santas.  They're made from cinnamon sticks, a wooden stick and even a cattail. You can see a closer view is in this post: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2018/12/skinny-santas.html

Speaking of light....I took this photo last night....the dusky pink sky was spectacular!

And LaVonn just posted some photos in our sister chat....including this one from the farm in Evansville.....and it's nice to come full circle in this post back to LaVonn!

It IS all about the lights!

Strange Things

Subtitle: Bones...Body Parts....and Bits of Color

"Don't ever be ashamed of loving the strange things that make your weird little heart happy."  Elizabeth Gilbert.

One of the first things I checked out when I got home was my tiny little collection of berries.  They're still beautiful bits of color.....and they make my heart happy.

And this pile of Paul's of weird found objects were waiting on the counter when I got home. 

I think I can use these little hair ties somehow in my gel printing.

Who finds a perfect "P?"  Paul does.....and he knows I like strange found objects.

Speaking of strange things....I've posted about Alyson's bone collection before:  https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2021/08/alysons-bones.html

But during this trip I was blown away by the sheer volume and variety of her collections of bones....and body parts. This tiny collection includes teeth, cat claws, whiskers, snakeskin....and one tiny little bone.

I will admit....the cat whiskers were pretty cool.

And this tiny femur was spectacular.....as was this tooth.

Let's face it....it's all cool....in a creepy and strange kind of way. Alyson even has quite a collection of hair.

And this is just funny.

The bone I mentioned in the link above that we found for her is displayed in the box on the floor of her lani.     

And some larger bones are on a side table on the lani.....

....and this beautiful box of bones is in her living room.

It's fun to have weird collections that bring us joy. Carry on Alyson!