Tanglewood Threads

A Leap Year Trip

2012-03-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

A day trip up the valley.
An artist date with Diane and Sharon
buying delicious threads
sharing the treat of a lunch out
and show and tell of our latest work.
What more could one ask for on a day that only occurs
every four years.

On the drive up we passed snow covered fields of golden stubble.
No time to stop and photograph.

Back at home the next day
simple markings on the iPad
helped me to record

before I forget

because I want to remember.

Finding Old Messages and Making New Ones

2012-02-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

After photographing my frosty stream on Monday

had to scratch a memory of that

steel grey water edged with snow and ice.

Then it snowed on Tuesday.

Rummaging through old sketchbooks

I found this page of intention from 12 years ago.

Surprised to find I was interested in daily scratchings back then.

Shows you there is no such thing as an original idea!

This is what I wrote immediately after

declaring those admirable intentions!

Yesterday I was intent on covering this page of colour with potential stitches

when lo and behold a bird of sorts simply insisted on being included.

Perhaps it means my handsome heron will soon be back from the sunny South.

Watery Influences

2012-02-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Painted page

marked with stitch lines

just wondering what it would look like.

The end result brings to mind the marshland down by the dykes.

Funny how unintentionally my surroundings influence just about everything.

Down at the stream yesterday

it looked like the ice was melting

but it was so cold

perhaps it was freezing over again!

A Week of Scratchings

2012-02-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

Another week gone by.

Mighty winds have swept up the valley all weekend long.

Like nature's spring cleaner

blowing fresh air through the woods

ripping off dust and debris

whipping waves into a frenzy

polishing snow and ice into smooth and slippery surfaces

sending clouds scurrying overhead.

The woods are alive with dancing trees.

Snow clinging to grasses...

...bring to mind the daily scratchings.

Doodlebug

2012-02-23T09:08:00.001-04:00

A daily sketch but more of a doodle.

It started off as tree bark

How things change when we're in control.

Perhaps not as smoothly as we would like

A bit too much here

or not enough there

fragmented

but the spaces allow us to breathe.

There is a flow in the empty bits.

Working in the Shadow of the Sun

2012-02-22T09:59:00.000-04:00

Dappled stitching stretching back towards the sun.

Kisses and crosses hide in the shadows.

Every new stitch affects the whole.

There is a push and a pull to balancing my work.

As the stitches in the shadows increase

that first row of tiny flames around the sun have faded into insignificance.

So as I stitch my mind wanders back to them

thinking through how to bring them back into balance.

And you will remember the beginnings of this piece involved

a million pale stitches for silver birch tree trunks.

This too is now out of balance creating a distraction rather than

adding to the whole story.

Darker, more like a shadow, would be better.

The thought of unpicking all that fills me with dread!

Perhaps painting/dyeing each stitch would work?!

Beneath Clear Blue Skies

2012-02-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Alfred Joyce Kilmer

A Busy Week of Family Events

2012-02-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Just after Valentine's

it was second son's birthday.

The crescent moon is heraldic symbol for second son

and as you can see his candles would light up the night sky.

You will remember these young folks visited recently.

What Donna didn't know is that when they left for home

Mark also took along his grandmother's engagement ring...

....and this Friday he gave her the ring.

So my scratchings include the star symbol for third son

and Mi'kmaq hieroglyphs that says

how deeply they love each other.

Talking of rings...

I put my wedding ring amongst these teeny tiny postcards and letters.

My grandmother's joy in life was entertaining children.

She made these minute mailings for us.

Those of you with British blood will recognize

the Telegraph and the Times newspapers

lying next to a postman's bag...

....and the old letterboxes

that were easy to find in busy towns

and tiny village.

It's been quite a red-letter week in our family!

Stitching Some Sunshine into Snowy Winter Days

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

The sun has been hidden by thick snow-filled clouds for the last couple of days

so I sat in front of the fire

and stitched lots of my own sun rays.

As I stitched I thought of my Mother

whose name was Ray.

My grandparents named her that

because they thought of her

as their ray of sunshine.

The funny thing is she very nearly married a man

whose surname was Ray!

But luckily my father swept her off her feet instead.

A lot of logs have gone on the fire

over the last few snowy days

but I had to rescue this one

and examine it closer...

and closer.

Valentine Scratchings

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Surprise, surprise...

today's scratchings are heart shaped.

However my favourite so far was scratched a couple of days ago.

I decided to do the cretan stitch

but make it higgledy-piggledy

and change all the proportions.

Now that is scratching!

Not Just for the Birds

2012-02-13T08:34:00.000-04:00

Do you see

All is not normal at the feeder?

See the little paw just below the roof.

Well, I suppose it is normal here

where birds and squirrels and raccoons

breakfast at the feeders regularly.

With his tummy squished between glass and roof

he still eats!

He's a red squirrel and they're small.

Visitors often mistake them for chipmunks.

The large grey squirrels have not yet arrived

in our neck of the woods.

If we lived in town we would have another bird feed raider.

Some deer there have learnt to get their long tongues

into bird feeders

and scoop out the seeds.

Those who haven't mastered that skill yet

then nibble at whatever falls to the ground.

Sharing The Love

2012-02-12T09:38:00.000-04:00

Carolynn over at Artystuff has generously given me the Liebster Blog Award which recognizes blogs with under 200 followers. Carolynn is a fellow Canadian who creates beautiful art quilts and writes about the natural world that inspires her. She's only been blogging a short time and is already raking in the awards!

There are rules to follow when given this award:
1. Thank the giver and link back to their blog.
2. Reveal your 5 top picks and leave a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award onto your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love too.

The actual origins of this award are a mystery it would seem but it's surely German. Having been given it I am happy to pass the love along and share it with others. So here are my nominations and you'll find I can't count!

Art Journey belongs to another Penny. This Penny is committed to the art of punchneedle and designs wonderfully organic and tactile pieces.

Chris over at Textile Butterfly sips tea on Tuesdays and creates beautiful stitched works inspired mostly by ancient tribal symbols.

Sweetpea is Christi's blog where you will find 'scribblings' of a stitcher of stories, a beader and a gardener...oh, and she loves her 'dawg'.

Stitching Life is Karen's blog where she shares her love of stitch and her respect for tradition in cloth.

Deanna's blog is Eclectic Meanderings which is the perfect title for Deanna who makes art using an eclectic collection of materials and techniques.

Kaite's at KaiteYarngarden is a generous soul who creates not for herself but always for those in dire straits or lucky friends.

Reflections

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Granville Ferry reflected on a perfectly smooth Annapolis Basin

Looking like little Lego houses gathering around a mirror

to work out who's the fairest of them all!

As you look down the coast

houses start petering out

and at some point down that road you'll find my home.

It's the oldest road in Canada

and to our surprise the Pony Express

used to ride down this finger of land

and hop on a ferry to the Eastern States.

That was yesterday

a glorious sun filled day

but today we're expecting about 12" snow!

Thread and Ink

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

January's scratchings.

Decided to pen a leaf yesterday.

February scratchings are beginning to line up row upon row.

Cold Effects

2012-02-07T07:50:00.000-04:00

Frozen shoreline

Frozen waterfall

Frozen Stream

Huntress frozen in time

Flapping ears frozen on film

Cheeky raccoon frozen in the act of petty thievery.

We Walked the Rocky Shore

2012-02-05T08:39:00.000-04:00

We drove over the mountain to the Fundy shore.

A great place to come when it's too hot in the valley.

A wee bit cold on a sunny mid winter's day

and a wee bit treacherous for the trail was mostly ice.

Donna wore two coats and pretty much two of everything else

but rusty pups ......

they need no extra padding.....

they just take things as they come.

Where solid rock meets rhythmic waves

always fills me with awe.

Mark wore the best hat for the occasion.

and snapped away taking photos of potential landscapes.

Take a deep breath

ad release it slowly.

An Artist Date

2012-02-02T10:01:00.000-04:00

The two young folk and I dropped by the Arts Centre.

Mark sat and read about Tom Thompson.

Donna and I played with materials we're not used to.

My Dad loved washes over ink and we did too.

Chalky pastels...a bit too messy for me!

But the oil pastels were fun.

I'm counting these as daily sketches

since spending time with the kids

is so precious this week.

Snow Blushed

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

It snowed most of the day.

Thick heavy flakes that stick to everything.

The skies began to clear at the end of the day

and the clouds blushed gently.

Raw Materials

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Neatly stacked

all prim and proper

ready for the kids to arrive.

Nature's soft colours

and subtle markings

and the seductive feel of flowing silk

So much potential

so many ideas

Can't wait to work on them

but first a lovely family week.

X's for You

2012-01-29T08:23:00.001-04:00

Made years ago

I thought of this piece

as a wave of emotion

but today I think of it as kisses on the wind.

Kisses of every size

and colour.

Today it's my birthday

Boy do they come around faster and faster!

So today I'm blowing you kisses

in thanks for

your friendship

across the windy internet.

House Cleaning

2012-01-28T08:54:00.001-04:00

Little chatterbox dangling on my suet ball.

Not much in the way of creativity going on here lately.

Son Mark and his beautiful Donna arrive on Monday

so cobwebs are being swept away

dust bunnies are being shooed out of corners.

All the graffiti I've been able to write with fingers on dusty tabletops

have to be erased.

To me this housework business is a chore to be suffered through.

But some folk express their creativity with housework like that.

Just a different way of being an artist.

Not my |Favourite Things

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

It rained.

Not cats and dogs but daisy stitches.

Have to say the daisy/chain stitch is my least favourite.

My least favourite sketch so far.

Shadow of the Sun

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Stitching row upon row over the sun

the title of this piece revealed itself as

'Shadow of the Sun'.

Wrapped running stitch might do for the rays.

Hopefully that lumpy bumpy thread will behave itself.

Evening grosbeak dining in the crab apple tree.

Looking closely at the photo a small white feather revealed itself

and would have to be included in any stitching.

Tracking Transitions

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Water on sand from Friday's post

presented a challenge that I decided to try out.

how to stitch it.

Really doesn't look like water

more like a contour map.

But that lead me to think about transitioning from one stitch to another

and decided to try from blanket stitch to straight stitch.

One way

and then another.

More work needed.

The rows of daily scratchings are lining up one after the other.

Snowshoe hares have been laying tracks behind the pond.

and because I've seen one wandering around

I reckon this must be muskrat tracks.

They dig homes into the side of the pond.

Human and rusty pup prints crossing the stream

which is frozen over

and yet I still seen the heron visiting this spot.

Beachy Texture

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Grains of Sand gathered on the lee side of

Anything the wind couldn't move.
And some thoughts on stitching
French knots
Bullion knots
slits with threads popping through from underneath.

Nearer the water
looking more like a reptilian skin

or bubbling nuno felting
Smocking perhaps.

The transition from wet sand to water
fascinating from a stitching point of view.
I see blanket stitch transitioning to straight stitches
perhaps on a sheer over a piece of boro mending.

A ruched landscape

or a million little kantha stitches.

Corduroy
tucks and folds
blanket stitch
Just thinking out loud.

Rhythm

2012-01-19T07:45:00.000-04:00

There is a strange rhythm to this particular winter
yesterday was above zero again
Not a day to stay inside,

with a packed lunch in hand

we drove to the beach
heads bobbing

as we grooved to the rhythm of songs from our youth

Row upon row of windswept waves
marched towards the shore.
Boy was it windy.

We walked smooth windblown sand.

Then turning the other way we walked a moonscape

marked by rhythmic tides
Some unpredictable and chaotic

others most organized
even regimental perhaps

Row upon row like a military tattoo.

These two have rhythms all of their own

wagging tails from the joy of life
panting breath

anticipating the next flight of a tennis ball.

Walking Solid Land or Stitching Above the Surface

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

We walked the rock bound woods

I love this place

and walked the rocky shore of a frozen lake.

The rusty pups walked on water

well, frozen water that is.

They were following coyote tracks

that disappeared across the ice.

Luckily those pups were happy to return when called.

Stitching on that sun was such hard work on Sunday

decided to explore stitching above the surface

with ladder stitch in a natural silk noil.

Daily sketches are still going on

but I have thoughts about that commitment

that I need to sort out.

A bright Sunshiny Day

2012-01-17T07:56:00.000-04:00

Sunshiny cold

Tracking through the snow

two people and a couple of rusty pups

but someone crossed our path

a porcupine I think

and one pup veered off to follow that delicious scent

Standing beneath echoing walls

wondering who might be watching

from the safety of those cliff tops

a gentle haze of trees

a wall of solid rock

Faster than me

the others stop and wait every now and then.

I drop a glove

and only realize half way down!

But everything's good on a bright sunshiny day.

Thread Stories

2012-01-16T07:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday burning logs kept us warm

and a sun began emerging on this piece.

If you look carefully you'll see

She's surrounded by a few black holes

where stitches were tried and rejected

or perhaps burnt to a cinder!

Perhaps because it was so cold

I decided on a bold warm sun.

Trouble is I decided not to remove

the background fabric under the sun

and the combination of these two cottons

is tougher than I thought to stitch through.

I can feel my median nerve feels very tender

so I'll move on to gentler stitching for a day or so.

I've had carpal tunnel before and it's no fun for a stitcher!

Having worked all day on a sun

I decided to stitch a moon for my daily scratching

but what I visualized didn't occur at all, at all

and it looks more like a Catherine Wheel!

And so the day was spent with my basket of threads

in front of the fire.

Three

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Three little maids from the land of the Incas.

Sometimes Things Work and Sometimes They Don't!

2012-01-12T07:39:00.000-04:00

Daily scratchings are more to my liking this week.

After the disappointment of that many coloured first week

a snippet of college day memories came back.

Using many different stitch types

keep it monochrome

or perhaps analogous

with just a few surprises.

Using the same stitch

lay colour upon colour.

Not necessarily a rule to follow

but worth remembering

if something's not working for you.

And so a change after only one week...

Wonder what week 52 will bring!

What I wanted to play with

was the difference between the dangling brown cat-tails

and the horizontal lozenges of the water reflections.

Didn't work

The water is confusing!

Whittling Doodles

2012-01-11T06:50:00.000-04:00

And sometimes a sketch might be

just me learning more about my ipad.

Way back in the days of being a young mother of miniature men

we explored whittling.

They did branches

I did a tiny piece of driftwood.

It became something like a worry bead

and has travelled with me ever since.

On the other side Mother Nature had whittled herself

a face with a beautiful head of curls.

Birds of a Feather

2012-01-10T08:27:00.000-04:00

Amid the snowflakes.

And to my amazement the heron is still here.

He blends in so well against the woods that sometimes we don't see.

A bit of whimsy

Just because I love eagles

I have a little friend to sit among my cloth.

Squeeze tummy and he cries out just like the real thing!

Edging Towards The Finish Line

2012-01-09T07:43:00.000-04:00

Edges are always last.

When you reach the edges

and actually decide on how to finish them...

...there is another surge of energy

and you know it will be completed within a week.

You leave the top layer frayed

and turn the backing in so that a narrow line of muslin

peeks out beyond the piece.

You've turned the corner and you're coming down the home stretch.

Daily sketches still proceeding

but they take me away from my stitching.

I need more hours in the day!

Daily scratching from the weekend.

It's beginning to look like a sampler.

Not what I want!

Will aim for more consistency this week.

A First 'How To' For Me

2012-01-06T08:10:00.001-04:00

All fluffed up on a winter's day.

Not a typical Blue Jay stance

so I had to colour inside the lines to remind myself!

The background of my original photo was blurry blobs of white and green

so I put in snowballs!

A knotted blue feather stitch seemed appropriate.

And here's how it's done if you're interested

Think of the three points of a V.

Bring needle up through the top left point of that V

Take the needle down at the top right and up through the base of that V

making sure you hold the thread under the needle as it emerges.

and voilà first step done.

Now wrap the thread around your V once.

Make sure the needle travels under your V but over the trailing thread.

Oh, and don't take it through the fabric at this point.

Et Voilà a knot appears.

Then you start a new V to the right...

add a knot...

then go leftwards for the next one!

and so on and so forth.

Liked the look of this stitch so much

I thought you might enjoy trying it.

Let me know if this was of any interest...

or indeed of any use!

The Freeze is Settling in

2012-01-04T19:35:00.001-04:00

Stitching on the Rusty Gate continued yesterday

and as the textures grew...

...beachy textures came to mind.

The lakes are forming icy skins

and yesterday it snowed.

Think our heron has finally flown South

but one day his presence around the pond will be

stitched into cloth.

Perhaps I'll record the day we found him way atop

the dead spruce tree

checking to see if rusty pups were around.

Rock-bound Woods

2012-01-04T07:14:00.001-04:00

A rocky edged river flows deep in the woods.

Rocks smoothed by the flow of water and ice.

Rocks that support seal-like trees!

Rocks that protect entrances to somebody's home.

Rocks that litter our path through the woods.

We came here today because when the snow gets really deep

we can't get here.

For handy hubby who thought it looked like a sock puppet!

Being in the woods reminded me of the heron blending in with my trees.

So that's what I sketched....took forever.

Because we were in the woods scratching went greenish.

Airy Sea |Walk

2012-01-03T09:14:00.000-04:00

Perhaps sometimes we think too much.

Perhaps we are here just to experience everything we come across.

I know today I'm to experience one of my favourite places.

It's raining back home but through the magic of iphone aps

we knew it was clear down at the beach.

Rusty pups are way ahead of us

they love this place too.

Take a deep breath

That sea air is so cleansing

We have it all to ourselves.

Coming at low tide means a good walk to water's edge....

where the wind was blowing frothy lines.

Rusty pups love handy hubby...

but Shandy the fetcher really loves the tennis ball in his hand

and Kayla the hunter really needs to watch that seagull in the distance.

There certainly weren't any of these little dancers to chase.

A sandy coloured undulation seemed right.

Daily Sketching and Scratching

2012-01-02T07:23:00.001-04:00

Playtime in a sketchbook is so important

and I don't do enough of it.

The routine of a daily sketch popped up in conversations

so many times last year.

Perhaps the universe was giving me a nudge.

I'm game to have a go.

On wintry days like this a pile of photographs
waits to be explored.
Just like the sandpipers surrounded by protective walls of kelp.
We shall see how it goes.

As if sketching wasn't enough.
There's a long strip of cotton stretching out in front of me.
I'm aiming to 'scratch' at least one line a day
choosing a colour and stitch that feel right.
As I always do at this time of year
yesterday was a day of contemplating what the heck my purpose is
for being here on this planet.
you'd think by now I'd have it down pat!

Sunrise on January First

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Break of dawn on a brand new year

and to my surprise I'm still blogging!

I started with trepidation

but have found a warm and welcoming community on-line.

Thank you for dropping by for a visit.

I enjoy your company.

Many of you have become dear friends.

Joy and blessings on you and yours for this brand new year.

As I'm stitching into the new year

I'm looking back at row upon row of Rusty Gate stitching.

Neat lines of straight stitch

obviously freshly mown grass behind the gate!

And then the more organic flowing stitches on Celtic Crow

which reflect thoughts of an ancient cave wall.

Now there is chaotic stitching going on!

Do you see I left the fly stitching in and

being surrounded they look like they belong!

But it's allowed to be chaotic because

I'm thinking of dappled sunlight

in the woods around me......not that they are dusty rose at all at all!

Being a piece about the sun

it seems appropriate that there would be

little goddesses of the dawn with arms open wide

dotted about the piece.

Wonder what this new year will bring.

Hey Ho

2011-12-24T10:15:00.000-04:00

No need to dream of a white Christmas here
It's still snowing.

Peace and Goodwill to you all

Snowy

2011-12-23T10:50:00.000-04:00

Snow was falling before the sun woke up.

Happy Toronto Son arrived yesterday and not today!

Before the smell of coffee permeated the house

red berries were under a blanket of snow.

The Rusty Pups love all kinds of weather.

Nothing stops their morning rituals

of mouth to mouth tennis ball exchanges

and following Handy Hubby down to the road and back again.

Will There be Time for Stitching on this the Shortest Day

2011-12-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

Yuletide blessings to you all.

It seems strange that Winter has hardly shown his face

and now the days will start getting longer.

But I like it!

In between making lists and checking them twice

and in between shopping expeditions and holiday festivities

there are a few moments each day

for a wee bit of stitching.

As stitches build there is time to ponder

and thoughts often turn to wondering if the stitches are becoming a bit too repetitive,

so a couple of feather stitch rays suddenly appear.

Unfortunately they really don't belong

and so some unpicking will be done

some time soon!

Circling in the Mind

2011-12-20T07:01:00.000-04:00

Family circle

Circle of friends

Circle the wagons

Talking in circles

Come full circle

Fragile laces handed down through generations

look very much at home on gentle natural dyes.

A very small piece that fascinates me.

It looks more woven than crocheted.

I need to understand it's construction.

Perhaps Deanna knows.

One of my treasures is a beautiful piece

with thin bone clasps all ready to dress up the front

of stiff Victorian dresses.

Harry the Heron

2011-12-16T09:25:00.001-04:00

We have a daily visitor who really should have flown south by now.

He stands around looking just like a knock-kneed professor in shirt tails.

He could be here because of the fish in the pond

but there again he might fancy my rusty guardian of the veggie patch.

He blends in so well that sometimes I don't know he's there

but of course the rusty pups do

and when I let them out

there is a mad barking rush towards the pond

and a graceful flapping of wings

and off he goes.

But he's not really scared because he'll be back in ten minutes!

Love this photo of him and his neck

leaning in the same direction as wintry grey tree trunks.

iPad Primitive

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

New beginnings

or perhaps new ways of beginning.

Learning to doodle on my iPad.

It's a matter of taking the time
to explore the possibilities and
getting used to a different rhythm
of doing.

I discovered transparency.
Like it.
Could be a useful tool for testing ideas.

Then Handy Hubby told me I could import photos
and so stitching ideas are gathering on top of shibori silk.
Think this app is called Inspire Pro.
Could be very useful....
certainly fun.

Muddy Paws and Sunny Rusted Beginnings

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Muddy paws underfoot.

Rusty cotton on the wall.

A strip of rusted cotton pinned alongside my rosy rust

simply looked like it belonged.

Brought to mind the sun shining on silver birch or perhaps copper birch.

When you know what to do you simply have to do it!

Started stitching bark like textures

because I didn't yet know how to handle the sun

but as I stitched....

thoughts of sun symbols and sun discs popped in my head.

Things often sort themselves out or become clearer

as you work on them.

Unbundling and some Wall Pinnings

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

A shibori bundle released from those tightly pulled stitches.

as usual silk velvet soaked up colour

and

the rough texture of silk noil absorbed yellows and burgundies.

My giant washers created a pair of owl eyes.

A stained crochet heirloom is now a delicious cool brown.

Colours undulating and encircling each other on the silk noil.

At the moment early mornings are spent pinning bits and pieces on the wall.

I aim to get going on a few pieces at once.

It's always a surprise when commercial prints look at home beside natural dyes.

Little bird spent quite some time clinging to the side of my home

a stitched house surely belongs somewhere.

It wasn't night-time perhaps the star doesn't belong.

I'm also thinking of a border of stitched prehistoric bird symbols.

We shall see

Still playing

allowing the idea to become clearer.

Another piece on the wall.

My favourite at the moment.

Animal tracks perhaps.

Not complicated

Simple

Honest.

Donna's Jewellery

2011-12-08T07:19:00.001-04:00

I think I've mentioned Donna's jewellery before.

Today I wanted to share her silver trees with you

simply because I love them

and I love Donna too.

because she loves my son Mark!

They are a creative couple

dedicated to their art and each other.

Brewing dyes and Simmering Thoughts

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Colours brewing in dye pots

Wrapping cloth with seaweed, shells, leaves and bark.

Creating colour with what grows locally

connects me and my work closer to this land.

I like that thought

My goal is always to express my reaction to these precious surroundings.

Brewing time allows time to think.

Thinking of this year as it comes to an end.

Thinking of this year's work

and wondering if it expresses what I wanted it to say.

Am I focused enough?

Perhaps setting a narrow focus or design element could

improve my work

make my voice clearer.

I'm working through thoughts like this as I tend my simmering pots!

One thing I know for sure

my favourite part of bundle dyeing

is the bundles themselves

and I plan to create a body of work based on simple bundles.

Trying Something New

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

It's always worth while trying something new

especially on a play-day with friends.

I thought of you, Yvette, as I attempted my first wet felting.

A physical process

that needs a sturdy back and strong wrists.

After working a second piece,

I decided to try felted balls.

The first one ended up as a separate egg and a saucer shape.

For the second one I paid more attention to stopping the wool from folding over itself

and ended up with a perfect little sphere!

Ready to be Adopted!

2011-12-01T09:56:00.001-04:00

All that snow melted outside under a barrage of rain.

Inside a snowbound tree still remains

but not for long.

It is ready to go forth and be adopted

at the Community Arts Centre fundraiser.

Actually today I would be happy to adopt out some rusty pups...

...muddy paw-prints everywhere!

Sometimes

2011-11-30T09:49:00.001-04:00

Sometimes sadness sweeps through the body like a giant wave

and then we try to remember that the sun still shines way up there above the clouds.

Feather Fashions

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

Boldly striped

and speckled hints of stripes.

Misty greys dipped in marshmallow whites.

Blacks and whites streaked with blue.

Polka-dots of night and day.

Snow tipped.

A swoosh of black.

Snowy Boughs Again

2011-11-28T09:15:00.001-04:00

Never been able to stitch on black 'cos I can't see what the heck I'm doing.

Stitching on white is not so easy either.

I can see what I'm doing but...

...the fear of marking it or dripping blood from my pin pricked fingers

is daunting!

There is also the urge to rebel and throw in some bright colours...

I'm being very disciplined

and satisfying that urge with delicate

threads of colour that will only be seen on close inspection.

And for B over at Aracne...

it will be one free standing tree just like my red one last year.

Snowy Boughs

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Working in the studio on white tree shapes.

Machine stitching on Egyptian Cotton

or perhaps animal tracks on snowy ground.

Buttons from Grandmother's button box

or perhaps pearly tree ornaments.

Winter's Heavy Hand

2011-11-24T06:52:00.001-04:00

On Monday I walked the dyke coatless and photographed long willowy grasses.

On Tuesday I bundled up and photographed icy puddles.

Yesterday I couldn't even get to the dyke.

It snowed

and snowed

and snowed all day long.

The rusty pups and I played outside.

taking a chance on not becoming snow-pups or a snow-woman.

For if we stood still long enough we would surely have been buried.

Inside the studio things are also very white.

I have to make another Christmas tree for our

Community arts Centre fundraiser.

I nearly forgot.

This year I decided on a white tree and time is short.

Winter has Arrived

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

It was cold on the dyke today.

Things are icing up.

The random lines are interesting to me.

There are potential stitches in those frozen puddles.

Thinking out Loud

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

As I stitch another layer onto the back of the rusty gate...

I arrange my new fabrics on the wall and ponder what to do with them.

There seems to be two definite families.

Perhaps they belong together.

Perhaps they don't.

Is there one large piece here or many small ones?

Is there something completely different to be done with them?

But then there is also the feather piece I need to start

and this lovely rusty piece from a while back...

...which could be a fading Queen Anne's Lace.... perhaps.

So many ideas

Not enough time in the day to tackle them all at once.

Up the Quarry Road

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

The rusty pups and I walked up the quarry road.

It's way too windy for the dyke walk.

At least here the trees protect us a bit.

Before going for walks we usually frisk Rusty pup Shandy

checking for tennis balls she might smuggle along on the trip.

I missed this one!

We stumbled upon some rusty stuff.

I tried to pry it loose from a mountain of rocks

but it held firm.

Wonder if we have wire cutters large enough to free up some.

A Special Delivery Day

2011-11-19T07:30:00.001-04:00

Winter arrived yesterday.
But after a cold and blustery walk along the dyke
my heart warmed with excitement...
...there was a parcel waiting for pick up
...and it turned out to be
a marvellous piece of Judy Martin's work
that I am now thrilled to be the custodian of.

'Heart to Heart'

It is a piece with two sides and two titles.

Each side a poem in it's own right.

'Mother Canada'
If you know how Judy works
you know that it is heavily stitched...
even the white snowy land around 'Mother Canada'
is covered in stitched leaves of white.

If you know how Judy works...

you know that every stitch is a thoughtful meditation.

If you know Judy's world...

you can feel the caring embrace of her mother figure.

For me Judy is a major voice in Canadian art today.

For me she is a poet who writes her poems in stitch.

I know Judy loves this piece

and that there is a small piece of her within it's stitched textures.

I'm honoured and thrilled to provide it a home.

Thank you Judy.

High Tide on the Windswept Dyke

2011-11-15T07:21:00.001-04:00

It's not only the colours that get me at this time of year...

It's also all that tangled mass of texture.

As the pups and I walked below the dyke

a warm south wind blew hard against our faces

and the sound of rustling grasses surrounded us.

One day I need to do a piece on grasses.

The rusty pups played 'ambush' up and down the dyke.

We returned along the top of the dyke

and those little monkeys decided it was the

perfect day for a swim.

Do you see one swimming off into the deep blue yonder?!

(Bottom right of the picture)

If You Came Down to the Woods Today...

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

...you would have been spied on by

black ringed eyes of firewood pixies

...and a few other critters I expect too.

....you would have seen fungus

bursting from the ends of logs

like orange popcorn.

...and red berries dangling from a tangle of grey branches

just waiting for the deer to pass by.

...and rings of tree bark being colonized by moisture loving organisms.

Or perhaps you would have noticed other things.

Threading Needles Again

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

You might remember that on a summers day quite some time ago

this small piece of fabric came out of the rust pot.

and around the same time this little chap clung to

the side of the house as I sat and stitched.

So to me they have always belonged together.

Yesterday I finally drew him onto that piece of linen

and with threaded needle tried to bring him to life.

Feels good to hold needle and thread again.

I'm reading a book about the first world war

and so today I will be thinking of all those heroes, including my grandfather,

who fought in those awful trenches at the battle of the Somme.

Under Clear Blue Skies

2011-11-09T08:20:00.001-04:00

First thing in the morning on my way to meet Diane for a day of unwrapping bundles

I noticed the basin stretching for miles even beyond the horizon.

And just look at that clear blue sky fading to kiss the land and sea.

Fishing boats of every shape attach themselves to buoys

after lengthy fishing trips.

Usually cormorants crowd onto each buoy

but I don't see any this morning.

Most people might take a photo of that boat

but I was looking at those rusty trees.

Boat is just in the way!

Later on I unwrapped this bundle that could be

a shoreline of rusty trees perhaps.

Surely I'll get to do some stitching today....

It's been so long, I couldn't find my needle case this morning.

Mulling Things Over

2011-11-05T07:40:00.000-03:00

While in Toronto I did a talk about Environmental Influences.

In preparing the images I decided I had way too many.

So I collaged j-pegs of the inspiration behind the finished pieces.

Brilliant eh!

Bev misunderstood me and thought the background inspiration

was part of the whole stitched piece.

Since then Bev has caused me many sleepless nights

lying awake ruminating and mulling ideas over.

I'm exploring hanging pieces over a backdrop

of the original photographic inspiration.

Photo transfer onto fabric is not something I am interested in.

The idea of a contrast between the textured stitching

and a smooth print on paper is a possibility.

The colour saturation on those prints would have to be cut back.

Viewing these images from my talk

I can see that the photo inspiration needs to be knocked back.

The stitched work should be the first thing you see.

Still have not had a moment to settle down to some stitching

but as you can see it is never far from my mind.

Still Playing Catch-up

2011-11-02T08:55:00.000-03:00

It seems that returning home from travels

involves a lot of catching up on things other than

stitching.

I left my studio in a bit of a mess and need to tidy it up and organize my thoughts.

In the meantime here are a few lovely rusty things.

The rusty pups and I found huge rusty things up the quarry road.

My grandmother's button box sits in a shady spot

so as not to fade the beautiful inlay woodwork.

It still brims with buttons

that I have loved to play with since the age of three.

And then of course there are the rusty pups

with whom I have to play catch-up too.

Some Favourite Things from a Slow & Natural Dye Week

2011-10-31T10:22:00.002-03:00

A gift of lightweight wool cloth from a Toronto girl

took the dyes beautifully.

Dress weight wool not easy to find

but definitely worth the hunt.

My favourite colour combination is now soft greys and tans.

Leaves transferred their colours beautifully to a gift of raw silk from Judy.

This small corner of shibori lines is my favourite of all.

Surprising because of the tangled mess

I always manage to make of those long tails

from gathered threads.

And I was finally able to buy one of Margi's dolls.

They always have a story.

This is Beatrice, princess from an exotic land,

who feels that her giraffe frock and feathered fascinator are perfect for weddings,

whether royal or common.

Must get back to stitching this week.

I've missed the feel of needle pulling thread through soft cloth.

...And What a Week it Was

2011-10-29T11:31:00.000-03:00

A week of brewing....

A week of mornings spent unwrapping wondrous gifts created with the help of Mother Nature.

It was so much fun learning what our local flora and fauna were capable of.

A week of tiptoeing through washing lines.

As we brewed and wrapped giant cruise ships parked outside our window.

As we played with rust inside, huge pieces of rusty things sailed by outside.

My favourite piece of all was Kathryn's beauty.

Thank you India for sharing your wealth knowledge.
'Twas a very special week for me.

I learned so much.

A New Tool of the Trade

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-03:00

Handy Hubby has a new camera...

Just look at that glorious moon out there in the heavens.

A bit closer to earth but still quite far away

you can see the individual needles atop a spruce.

Even I got the play with it...but my focus ain't so good!

One gallant rose still working at being beautiful

even though thoughts of lighting winter's fiery logs

often occupy our minds nowadays.

It's been raining cats and dogs here

so the poor mourning doves are looking a bit bedraggled.

Pity they can't order take-out in this kind of weather!

It's rained so much that the stream has decided to go over the bridge!

I'm in Halifax for the week and class is about to start!

Will be back at week's end

when hopefully I can get back to some stitching in the studio.

It's been a long time.

Thinking of Mark

2011-10-23T06:00:00.000-03:00

We've been thinking of Mark this weekend

who is participating in a show at the wonderful McMichael Gallery

in Kleinburg..

If you're nearby

do go and drop by.....you'll love his work.

I love these trees on a rocky shore.

And just look at how he makes that water sparkle.

Mark is brilliant at bringing water to life....

Mark is a Pisces.....

You'd think that his family would have put two and two together....

But no, it took a stranger wandering into Mark's gallery

"The Artist's Den" in Collingwood

to point that out!

A Puppy Creation

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-03:00

As I rummaged around for materials to take to India's dye class

I stumbled upon an old skein of beautiful wool

that had been changed into a very messy bird's nest

by a certain rusty pup two years ago.

I won't name any names....

but she knows who she is!

Because I'm feeling a bit brain dead after my trip

I sat down

and two hours later

that skein now looks like this.

What next?

I'm one of those people who really doesn't knit

but finds wools so seductive

that I buy them

not knowing what the heck to do with them!

A Day of Travel

2011-10-21T08:57:00.000-03:00

Back from Toronto...

where I had so much fun.

Where visuals, noise, smells and energy bubble up around you constantly.

That's not a negative, it's just different from my tangled woods.

Thank you Toronto

where Kiyomi, Carole, Kaite and many others looked after me so well.

Thank you Toronto

where I reunited with Anne-Marie, Gordana, Christine,

Sandra, Jeannie, Wendy, Helen, Anne, Pat,

and so many others.

I had forgotten I knew so many people!

I'm back but not really!
I have two days to prepare for a lovely week with India Flint.
Oh, and Mark.....we forgot the maple leaves....they're somewhere in your rusty car!

Stuff of Woodlands

2011-10-15T09:42:00.001-03:00

Twisting and twirling...

Painfully ingrown....

Leaning tower.

Those of you who drop by here know of my rusty pups...

Mark, my baby boy, has a rusty car!

Woodland carpet.

River Life

2011-10-14T10:40:00.003-03:00

Rivers run through deep woods in these parts.

Mark has been a keen fisherman since the age of eight.

He already knows every river here

and they are teeming with salmon and rainbow trout.

Sometimes the rivers have to dive over tall escarpments.

Surely an impossible jump for the salmon.

Sometimes they are blocked by dams

and so we provide fish escalators.

The salmon are moving from way out there in Georgian Bay

up the rivers to spawn.

I've never seen a salmon run before

There are so many fish

and they are huge.

Quite fascinating to watch.

The Rolling Hills of Ontario

2011-10-12T17:42:00.000-03:00

There is nothing like the colours of autumn in Ontario.

Driving north from the airport rolling hills melted into the distance...

and rusty woods formed protective shields around farmers' fields.

Beautiful old barns in every state of repair dotted the countryside.

After two hours of driving straight up the airport road
finally we see that faint soft blue strip of Georgian Bay water.
A beautiful place indeed.

Strangely Grateful

2011-10-09T08:05:00.000-03:00

The thing is, my oven gave up the ghost as I cooked dinner last night.

Couldn't help but be thankful it wasn't Christmas Eve when the house will be full of hungry lads and lassies!

So on this Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for handy hubby who threw our dinner on the BBQ,

apple crisp and all!

I am especially thankful for my three boys

and for Donna who loves one of them!

And of course grateful for the rusty pups who rule our lives.

'Thank you' to you all for visiting here.

Thanks to those of you who share your thoughts on blogs, I so enjoy visiting with you.

I have to apologize for not being very responsive lately....

I've been so busy

and the day after tomorrow I'm off to Ontario.

Will post when I can but probably won't be back in full swing until November.

Gee whizz that's a long time!

I will miss your company.

Happy Thanksgiving

Feathered Beauties

2011-10-07T11:10:00.002-03:00

Thanksgiving is just about here for us Canadians.

I'm grateful for the birds who share my space...

for the brilliant red Cardinal who carefully guarded his little ones this summer...

the jittery Pheasant who dares only visit the feeders in the depth of winter,

woody the woodpecker

and the Evening Grosbeaks who will soon be back to denude the crab apple tree...

for the American Goldfinches who always bring friends

and the humming birds who swoosh around our heads all summer long.

So happy the cardinal babies are growing strong

and another Goldfinch.

Grateful the two geese didn't choose our pond for nesting!

The Chickadees who are always here willing to gossip

and the little sparrow whose name I've forgotten

Most of all I'm grateful for the mighty Eagle who soars overhead.

Thankful for the Blue Jays who clown around my feeders

and even the squadron of pigeons....

for the seagulls riding the winds above

and the noisy crows who thankfully decided not to nest in the tree on the driveway this year!

For the beautiful Northern Flickers

and the Heron who spent most evenings in the pond this summer.

We enjoy their company so very much.

When You Need to

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-03:00

take things slowly

Observe a tiny little spiral among spent flowers

Hang with like-minded spirits

Relax with soft and gentle colours around you.

Small Pieces Sometimes Take the Longest

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-03:00

Funny how a small eagle piece can take so long.

This was started under Jude's guidance

about a year ago I think!

I think of him as a messenger travelling between the planets and the heavens.

Fly stitch seemed appropriate.

He can soar even above a shadowy moon and stars that remind me of quilters blocks.

A meeting place of stitches

oh, and of course some rust.

Shore Lines, Cloud Lines, Nibbled Lines

2011-10-03T06:00:00.000-03:00

An afternoon with the beach all to ourselves.

We thought we spied a water spout

but they surely not in this part of the world.

Wonder what caused that.

Low tide reveals sandy undulations.....potential stitching lines for someone like me.

Reminded me of some logs back in the woodpile

with inspiring undulations created by tiny critters tunnelling under bark.

There are lines and markings here....

just waiting to be interpreted in stitch.