handstories

Fortuitous

    K. asked if I get tired of making these little trees.  Nope.  Each one is a surprise with its own tiny story, and I love choosing names for them.  When one is finished, I hold it and wait for a word to come to mind- night, wind, song, light, whisper, etc., and then look up names with that meaning to choose from.  So many wonderful names out there...

    Also, each one reminds me of my wonderful middle school art teacher, Mrs. Trytko, who taught us to draw trees this way.  Tall, wearing caftans and huge framed glasses, she swirled through the room giving praise and constructive critiques.  She offered complicated lessons and projects, treating us with generosity and respect, making us feel like real Artists.  How lucky we were.

    Speaking of lucky... Juliann's name was drawn for the copy of Stitch*illo!  Thanks everyone for sharing your lovely stitching words and thoughts.💙 (Juliann, I've sent you an email.)

In Seattle & thereabouts

    There are days when you just need soothing.  Stitching this silky moon from Jude was just that.  Like stitching water.  It grew into the tenth moon cabin block.

    Favorite fabrics, some took a while to find.  Somebody really needs to get some ducks in a row over here.  That pink cloth looks like it might be too much, but I'm hoping it will be balanced out once it's surrounded by other blocks.  Or it can come out later.

    A visit to the Bainbridge Art Museum...

    Upstairs, in the Sherry Grover Artists' Books room, there is an exhibit going on... "Every Day & Special Days".

    What a happy honor to be a part of it!

    And to share a space with so many wonderful works, including dear Velma.

    There has been some searching for my best Self .  She seems to be M.I.A. a lot lately.  It seems Moon and I are working hard to create many memories that we will hopefully laugh about some day.

    Also on Bainbridge Island is the beautiful Bloedel Reserve.

    Most of the photos I took were of water.

    I just love this willow.  It holds the memory of another willow, that held a memory of another willow for my mom.  All of the willows held/hold happy moments.

    The day ended with a beautiful ferry ride.

    Wishing you the bluest skies.

Moons & mountains

"Moon Story"

    It was K's birthday weekend.  We spent a day out in the world!  In Tacoma, first there was a visit to the Museum of Glass.  A few favorites...

    "Signs and Signifiers" by Sarah Gilbert.  "Signs and Signifiers is meant to reference a collection of family photos.  Each hand representing a different person, and a different record of lived experience- some young, some older.  Each hand has an image in the middle.  These images are all meant to be signs, signifiers, and tools used to find our way through life...."

    "Aurora Orange Basket Set with Night Black Lip Wrap" by Dale Chihuly

    Top of one of the "Crystal Towers" on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass.

    "Seafoam Pavilion" on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass

    We also went to a minor league game- Rainiers vs Bees.  I found some shade to knit in, but still managed to get sunburned.

    It was a good time on a beautiful day, including the drive home with views of Mt. Rainier and the moon...

    Very happy to have another year to celebrate with K.  I've probably told this story many times before...  It was just after his 17th birthday when I got to know him.  Visiting a church youth group with a friend, riding in a van.  I heard a couple of guys in the back talking about how one of them had just gone to his first movie for his birthday.  I wondered what kind of guy didn't go to movies?  It turned out that guy was K, and I ended up talking with him for a long time that evening.  I was dating someone else at the time, but wrote in my journal, "I'm never getting married, but if I do, it will be to someone like K."  So smart for sixteen, if I do say so!

 

Making days

    There was a tiny bit of practicing of Jude's wrapped bar stitch on the rooftop with Deb's thread (matching her sky cloth above), while remembering the tedious work of trying to do the short and long satin stitch that Grandma used to fill spaces.  Jude's method was much more manageable and doable.

    Another ferry boat day with a friend, from downtown Seattle across the bay and through an inlet to Bremerton.  I always enjoy the waterbirds... especially the cormorants, with their long elegant necks.

    (Aside- A customer from Australia wrote because a piece mailed at the end of November had not arrived yet.  After some investigation it appears it made it to the post office, but there was a mix-up in the address (we're not sure how), and it's on its way back to me...  Hopefully, it will make it here and have the energy to make another trip!  Can I just say how kind and upbeat her emails were, and what a difference it made in my worry levels.)

    On the other side of the bay, we sat by the water eating our sack lunches- talking about our boys, books, recipes, moderation vs abstinence, etc...  A clear day with seals barking and a quick glimpse of one (it's under the water here, if you would care to imagine it).

    A view from the walkway that leads off of the ferry to downtown.  This alley must be so pretty at night.  

"Third Quarter" by Liz Tran

    Before parting ways, we went into a gallery where Liz Tran is having an exhibit.  A local artist who's work I find joyful- full of color and textures.

    (Aside:  I first saw her work last summer.  She and other artists installed beautifully painted paper lanterns in a local park.  A place where folks play basketball on the court, garden in the pea-patch, and some call home.  It felt like a happy gift to the community.) 

    And then I came home and stitched a tree.

    I think her name is Hilda.

    These have been good days.

"cultivating peace"

    This is a photo of a photograph by Ishiuchi Miyako.  One of her many beautiful and poignant works on display at the Spirits Rising: Hiroshima exhibit at the Portland Japanese Gardens.

    "...documenting cherished items and clothing left behind by victims of the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima at the close of World War II that are now housed at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum." 

    More about her work can be found here.

    We've been in Oregon for a few days visiting family.  The gardens were part of a lovely day with K.'s sister.  I hadn't been there in decades.

    The Heavenly Falls.  (To see & hear them in action go here.)

    It was a bright sunny cold day, and I don't know how to adjust for that with the phone camera, so please imagine all of the lush green that surrounded us.

    There was a view over downtown Portland, looking towards Mt. Hood.

    Such a blue sky.

Currents

    There's a postcard, so I guess this is really happening!

    A show with Tininha Silva (my old next door neighbor, who I miss dearly) and Tracy Hudson (her dear friend, and happily, my new one).

    If you're in the neighborhood, please come say hi!

    The details:

    Port Townsend Art Walk

    December 7th, 5-8pm

    Cotton Building, Port Townsend, WA 

playdate for new old friends

    After years of "knowing" each other on-line, Deb and I have finally met!  How great it's been to spend time getting to know each other in real-life.

    We're spending time in Coupeville, WA, as students in Christine Mauersberger's workshop.  She has brought us a world of techniques to explore.  

    Here are just a few from the first two days...

    Cyanotype prints- this one had seed beads and buttons on it.

    Geli plate prints.

    Strike-out poem.

    A happy accident with a piece of Velma's beautiful handmade paper.  After dipping the edge into the indigo, it caught on itself, folding up into a wave... more to come with this page.

    The indigo drying tree.

    There's a lot more, too... Christine is filling our minds and time and with creative play, with two more days to go!

too many things

    The afghan is almost done, just the crocheted border to do...or not (those yarn ends you see dangling have been woven in).

    And this stuffed pillow-ish thing is begun for Moon.  Because he likes the critters I've stitched/painted.  And if a teenage boy likes something his mother makes, you better believe she's going to milk it for all it's worth!

Saint Woman, 2015 by Amy Sherald 

    And, because there is all the time in the world, a friend and I went to the Seattle Art Museum yesterday.  I can't tell you how happy I was to see a work by Amy Sherald in real life.  Apologies for my poor photography, I wish you could see how this blue really glows...

        While visiting the museum, a storm was brewing in Seattle.  Later, out on the street, the wind blew the bandana right off of my head!  Luckily, a man in the street saw it coming and stomped on it for me.  Power was out all over the area, our house included.

    Luckily, there was take-out by candlelight and Moon had a band concert in the evening.  We enjoyed the concert (and the heated, lit auditorium), and then went home to sleep under plenty of extra blankets until the electricity was back up at midnight.  

    Now back to stitching...tick-tock!

a piece of peace

    "Piece of Mind" by Moon.

    Sometime in early May, Moon asked what I wanted for Mother's Day.  

    "Peace of mind," I told him.

    When we finally got around to "celebrating" the occasion (which happened to be on Father's Day, which tells you a little about the state of things around here), this is what he gave me.

    Made in art class, this little (1x1 1/2 inch-ish) bit of brain makes me laugh, which means it does bring a little bit of peace after all.  

    We're off in search of a few more pieces of peace . . . going to the island for a few days, and it rained last night, hooray!  

    Wishing you all a very swell week . . .

post-yesterday

    The first gift was having Blue come home for his spring break at midnight Friday night, and give the very first greeting for my new year.  

    Yesterday, we drove in pouring rain to see the last stop of the Fiber Fusion show.  

    It was nice to see both of my pieces near each other (top right and in the case.  Leslie Levenson's "Maple Tree" on the left).

    "Wanderlust" Booklet.

    "As It Is and Should Be"

    There was carrot cake.

    And stitching- appliquéing more stones, mostly from gifted cloth.

    They turned into pockets.

    With messages written inside.

    There is more to say about this- the gifts, pockets, messages . . . about gratitude and acceptance, and seeing Self.  I'm still working through it, trying to get clear.  

    There is sunshine today.