Butterflies

Daily Scratchings

was a large part of my life for four years.

Recording time passing

Stitching every day.

It will be shown it in it's entirety for the first time this summer,

all 200 feet of it.

I am working on it at the moment

checking it out and adding tabs for the first day of each month.

Sometimes adding to the writing on the back

where I had written about special days and thoughts.

I hope you can visualize the

difficulty I am having in controlling a 200 foot 'snake' on the tables in my studio!

But that is the least of my worries.

Which photos to use for promotions

 invitations

catalogues

cards

and

Which words to use in Bios

artist statements

backs of cards

are decisions that are simply freaking me out!

I have to say that the blue section above

is a favourite of mine.

It includes the day that we received news from our insurance

that my car was a write-off

killed by chewing mice! 

Back when it was a more manageable size

It was easily rolled around a stick

and taken hither and thither.

Another favourite

when I spied a crow flying overhead

with the biggest twig he could manage.

At this moment I might be quietly freaking out

but

I am so looking forward to having this show with my dear friend

Judy Martin

 the Mary E Black gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

2012 Scratched

A Christmassy Week



Hope your stockings were filled to the brim



and that Christmas day was spent in the warm embrace of family.

For us it was our first Christmas without any of our boys around

but so full of friends

and enjoyable FaceTime!



The pheasants came to feast on our abundant seed banquet

and then the snow started



One of my favourite books is "The History of Writing"

ancient scratchings fascinate me



For today, December 31, 2012,

I took all my scraps of thread and finished them



2012 has been a lovely, lovely year



I had planned on photographing the whole year ourside

but the winds are blowing.



I hope 2012 was good for you too



and here's wishing that 2013 is magnificent



Every year I try and stay awake to welcome in the New Year

Every year I fail miserably!



The Week Before Christmas Scratched

Just doodling inspired by the frozen puddles



We live in a gem of a community.

So many talented people.

This evening we listened to the music of the community band

and the dulcet tones of the choir.

(Woops, I see I forgot half their mouths!)



It snowed all day



Out on the basin scooters caught our eye

they were staying in the same spot

..... must be good food about.

Then we spied the eagle above them

He fought strong winds to stay motionless

then dove into the waters near the birds

Three times

What a privilege



Grocery bags bulging

only two of us this Christmas

amazing how much food we buy



A glorious sunshiney day



but on Sunday it snowed all day



A week stretched back



and nearly another six months are done.

I hope your stockings are hanging by the chimney with care

in hopes that St Nicholas soon will be there!



I'm Late, I'm Late ....

A week recorded.

Photographed very late last night

so apologies for the quality. 

Remembering the sight of that heron swooping over the rusty pups.

For Tuesday that is supposed to be Handy Hubby flying

back home over the Atlantic.

The big circle is supposed to be the London Eye

Not too good!

On  Wednesday Judy's 'Heart to Heart' returned in the mail

and she included this lovely stripy thread.

On Thursday this doodle got stranger and stranger

with every stitch!

This morning we wrapped Christmas presents and packaged them into parcels for the boys.

After stitching joyful parcels the airwaves filled with tragedy.

With a heavy heart twenty stars for those little innocents

and six stars for their devoted teachers were added.

Finding comfort in the trees that surround me.

In this creative community

the Christmas musical events have started.

Scratching Through The Layers of One Week

Sometimes a week takes on a completely different character.

It seems to have been a week about applying layers.

I suppose I am multi layered!

The art of throwing bleach around!

I added a piece of knitting

and wove more threads into it to bring it under control

Friday turned into a doodle day

Finally cut into a favourite old shirt and threw a strip on my scratchings.

Thinking of how Christmas will soon be upon us

I cut baubles out of luscious red velvet.

Scratching into December

Monday we organized and rearranged furniture in the house

for a dinner party on Tuesday

Five golfers and their wives.

A natural dyed scrap stitched down because it was my friend Diane's birthday.

She's my natural dye and mark making companion.

Handy Hubby flew off across the pond at midnight

Not a very creative week stitchwise

but we have scratched our way into December.

The year is nearly gone.

Goodness me

it is flying by.

For those of you in Ontario

my 'Rusty Gate'

is in the show 'Tradition in Transition' at The Joshua Creek Heritage Centre.
A show curated by Sandra Reford who has done a yeoman's job
taking the show to France and now to Oakville.
If you click on Sandra's name you will see her write-up about the opening
and over at Judy's journal you'll see more photos.

Have a nice day.

Scratching into Winter

The first snow came on Sunday

Winter arrived 

with brittle frosty mornings

so I played with warmer threads for a couple of days

frosted grasses

followed by a day of strange stitchings.

Haven't a clue why I stitched what I did!

Saturday was a fun day visiting the first craft show of the season

and coming home with a Christmassy wreath.

Sunday tried to snow and sleet all day long.