Still Playing Catch-up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!