Towering Baskets

I decided at the end of November to make

baskets for all the grownup women in the family.

I ended up with nine

Days and days of machine stitching

yards and yards of washing line and cloth strips.

And, oh, yes, spool after spool of thread too.

It seems that stones can be of assistance even in basketry!

I had to get used to using a sewing machine again!

It has been quite a while.

I have to say I really enjoyed making useful things.

As I stitched it came to me that the little munchkins

would also like a basket

just like their mom.

Then

One day I got a last minute request for oven mitts for Ashley.

Ended up making some for Stevie too.

At eighteen months old she wants everything her big sister gets.

I have found their baskets very useful

might make myself some in the new year

to hold threads and scraps.

 Hope everyone finds a use for their basket.

Loved making them.

Winter's Stitching

Thick, heavy snow fell all day

drooping branches

and even bending trees.

 Indoors I stitched lines

The wind howled outside

Inside I drew stones with strips of cloth.

Yes, more stones

I told you I was not finished with stones!

 Outside the already frozen pond

is now inches deep in snow.

Inside I am really enjoying the soft greys in linen and silk.

But....no more stitching for a little while.

It's family time!

Yay!

I wish you a Christmas filled with family and friends

and snow too

(but not too much of the latter!)

Nature Stitches on Trees

Some trees around the duckpond have very distinctive markings

They seem to be where branches used to be.

Like Kantha stitched triangles.

Meanwhile back in the studio
I have started stitching some beginnings on a new piece.

Paths that meet in places.

And some paths that meander more than others.

Hope your paths are clearly marked today!

Crazy Winter, Crazy Golfers

Last week for a brief moment winter took a few steps backwards

and so

Ted, Jean-Louis and Handy Hubby

took their golf clubs out of storage

and rushed to the golf course.

Someone else was at the golf course

and rushed (if porcupines rush! I reckon they don't have to!) to examine

Handy Hubby's golf ball. 

 Porcus Spina!

 Of course winter has come back with a vengeance.

Down at the beaver pond

I just about jumped out of my skin

at the sound of hundreds of birds lifting off from reedy perches.

Boy it was loud!

I hadn't even realized I wasn't alone.

Then I was treated to a lovely murmuring display.

Talking of golf balls....!

I have been turning messes like this....

....into much prettier balls!

Enjoyed the process so much

ended up with a whole basked full of them

all naturally dyed.

I try to remember to add a skein to every dye pot.

I hope you enjoy your threads today!

Frayed and Frazzled Edges

Thin ice was forming around the edges

to our surprise it was strong enough to hold this furry creature.

Handy Hubby and I thought this was a beaver....

....but on closer inspection we found it was a muskrat.

Had to include this one

love the two exclamation marks

made by....I dunno!

Must be a squirrel

frayed soft greys and browns

pinned to the design wall

waiting to be embellished with stitch.

Trouble is the design wall has layers and layers of beginnings

waiting for the next stage.

I suppose that is a good thing.

Lots of work ahead of me.

A here is some of my driftwood that I think
hanging around waiting to be used for the
daily stitching idea I have for next year.

Obviously I need more hours in the day
So many ideas
So many plans
Not enough hours in the day.

Hope your hands are busy too.

Five - The Artist Way Collective Show....Plus

We hung our show in the Chapel Gallery

at ARCAC

(Annapolis Royal Community Art Centre)

That was a week ago.

There are five of us
Two painters
Three fibre artists

Nadine and her painting on left taking a break

with Diane and her stitchings.

Diane's work

Handy Hubby(not one of the five! But very handy)

and Sherry, Diane and Nadine

taking another break!

Grace had to leave early.

Diane's piece
(Handy Hubby's favourite)

Grace's five buddhas.

Detail of my Stone Pathways.

Stone Pathways alongside
Sherry's paintings.

Apologies for the quality of these photos.
I find that hanging shows makes for a tiring day!
The show will be up until December 20th
along with the ARCAC members show

I have another piece in that show too.

Resting Between Night and Day

as does Nadine Belliveau
with
Nature

and Susan Tooke's
Chaos Theory

Sophie Paskins 
Love this piece!
Well, actually love all of these.

Donna Boyko's
Claws, Fish, and Flower Buds

Wayne Boucher's
Gone with the Wind