A Beautiful Day

Every once in a while a day comes along where everything seems to turn out absolutely right. For me, Thursday was that type of day.

My Mom got a digital camera from my sister for her 90th birthday. We've been taking baby steps as she gets used to it: (a) turn it on (b) look at the mini screen to see what your picture is going to look like (c) push the button for a picture...and on. We took a picture of the pansies in the front of her apartment. Then went to Target, then lunch and back home. I am so greatful for the companiable times we share together.

Home to find the bathing suit I had ordered from Lands End. It fit, which at my size and age is all I ask for!!!!

I went to a meeting at six, full of friends and a wonderful discussion

Later my husband came home, full of happiness from a wonderful discussion at the meeting he had attended.

The weather was beautiful, the cats behaved, all in all a pretty nice day!!! The necklace at the top of this post has happy colors in it. Its made using just one strand of Fireline, and no clasp...so it goes on quickly and you are out the dooe!

What Inspires You?

I live in Granby Connecticut. Granby is a small town in Northern Connecticut, in the foothills of the Berkshires. The landscape is stitched with rock walls, put in place by early farmers, and gently rolling hills that are colored in muted greens as Spring makes its way for summer weather and brighter shades.

I am lucky enough to belong to Granby Artists Association, a group of about 35 artists in a variety of mediums. Last night we talked about what inspires us. We brought food and wine, and items that inspire. It was a wonderful discussion. Things brought: a beautiful bowl with warm glazes that moved in circles, pictures of glass sculptures that showed the amazing characteristics and tranformative abilities of glass, and a strange doohickey that no one knew the purpose of...

And of course we talked about what inspires us: color, gardening, light, the tactile experience of carving or potting. We talked about time wasters, the economy, blogging, whay people expect artists to work for free, inspirational quotes, who moved my cheese.....and more. A wonderful two hours.

I've included a picture of a bracelet I made last year as my entry in to what inspires me. Its a bracelet done in random right angle weave, inspired by Nanc Meinhardts Izzy and Lucy bracelet....and also inspired by those wonderful rock walls that stitch the landscape here.

Color Play & Pattern Play

Have you ever brought a piece of fabric to the bead store to help you pick out beads for a design? Have you ever wanted to play with variations of a stitch and combine them into a cohesive piece? I picked one of my favorite pieces of fabric, a beautiful piece of celadon green with oriental symbols and brought it with me to a local bead store. I picked the beads, then played with spiral weave, and this is the result. The necklace is both a study in pushing color, and pushing pattern. I still need to write up the pattern, but that will wait until after Mom's birthday party

What my students did

I've been a bit busy lately. My Mom turns 90 and there is a party in the works. My class of students finished last week, complete with diplomas and and show and tell of the items they had finished during the eight-week class. Here are finished projects from two of the students. Classy, I think. Makes me feel so good to see the creativity and style.

Family Fun Day

Last Saturday was full of fun and hectic activity. Over 300 people attended a Family Fun Day at Holcomb Farm in West Granby Connecticut. They tried to make paper and fabric beads, brangles, watercolor, oil painting, weaving, and cartooning. Teachers were from Granby Artists Association, and I taught the fabric beads session. It was great fun to see hands of all ages make a bead with fabric wrapped in yarn and strung with wire.

More classes

I'm still working on classes at the local senior center. This class has been a bit different than the first, but they have both been fun. This group finishes their projects between classes, the last class only beaded in class. I am working on a write up for right angle weave tomorrow. I did the necklace pictured, and I am working on one right now that is in black, lime green and turquoise for a more informal look. Only three classes to go, and the eight-week session will be complete

Browns

It snowed again yesterday. Today it is warm enough so that the snow and detritus is melting and hitting the skylights in clinks and clanks . Tuesday's class went well, and I have a nice group of students. I wondered how things would go with both new and returning students, but it was just fine. The new students listened, and the returning students got right in to their projects. This week was learning how to string. Next week we will do chains, then peyote, then brick. I taught brick medallions last time, so this time I put together a simple bracelet in brick stitch. Seems I am working with browns and golds lately. The necklace I should finish today is in the same color tones.