handstories

Waves of thoughts

    Missing the ocean.

    From a place deep inside.

    Is this is a moon or a sun, maybe it's both?

    We're trying to figure out a way to go for a couple of days that will be safe, work around Moon's online school schedule, and won't cost too much.

    Mending an old old favorite linen/cotton shirt.  The best thing I have to wear in tomorrow's 95° weather.  A few years ago this shirt was donation pile because of never being worn, because it was beige.  Thankfully, it caught my eye while there was an indigo vat going.

    The old wavy glass windows of the house made a beautiful reflection on the studio wall today.  Remembering swimming pools on a hot summer days.

    Jude's posts about understanding, eyes and insect shells, led to the idea of winged eyes.  New points of view and understandings.

    I am all over the place- in doing and thinking, but seeing and being in the sea is a very focused thought.

stories for selves

   There's been a bad case of start-itis going on around here, but finally some pieces were finished. 

    Trees, moons, ships, and a still life in pink.  Stories of celebration, wonder, connection, and being there for yourself- the tales I tell myself over and over to carry me through.

    If you're in search of a story too, they're in the shop here, thanks for taking a peek.

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 

first day

    Today there was a little knitting while waiting for my oatmeal and tea to cook, and then stitching on this piece I'm calling "Playground" for now.  Later there was more stitching, followed by the dismantling of a very large falling apart contraption that has been living in the basement for several years.  It took half an hour to separate the garbage from the recycling- made of cardboard boxes, toilet paper tubes, tin foil, legos, etc. and lots of duct tape... a long abandoned creation by Moon.  The goal is to take at least one thing out of this house a day.

    There was more stitching.  Lunch happened, along with laps in the Y pool and a little grocery shopping.

    Next came more stitching, rows and rows and rows of dots (Jude's invisible baste, and that's one of her moons, too.), which make me so happy.

    No school, no commitments, other than to myself.  It was a very good first not-back-to-school day.

    Time to make dinner, and then some more stitching to do, while the light holds.  

moon over moon

    I love this knothole, it can even wiggle within its space a little.

    The silky moon, and much of the blue framing the view, came from the basket of Jude cloths... more things to be grateful for.

    It was a lovely afternoon stitching at my table with the window above wide open to the trees out back.  Two crows were gathering for a nest, woodpecker, jay and chickadees were spotted (and listened to), there was a rabbit in the yard for the first time, and now and then a soft breeze carried in the sweetness of the neighbor's wisteria...

making waves

     A couple of days ago, I told K. that I felt like I was swimming upstream, and wearing out.  

    The funny thing is, once I said it out loud things shifted.  After two weeks of not stitching on story cloths, feeling story-less, a few squares began to take shape.

    New things were started and planned for, and some old stuff was even finished, and most amazingly, I mopped the bathroom floor!    "Just stitch some sea," I told myself, and under the soft glow of one of Jude's moons and the rainbow light of Deb's threads, the green tides flowed in and carried me to the other side.

what is

    A strip of golden floral cloth was added, and blooms growing out from it.  Also, rows and dots of stitches in the background, and lines reaching out from the single blue check square.

    Last night we heard Anne Lamott speak.  She was smart, funny, quirky and a little wacky.  It felt like we were sitting in her living room, late at night, listening to an old friend rambling wise observations and considerations.  She talked about being aware, accepting what is, and taking action where we can.  Doing what we can do.  And that hope can come from not getting caught up in worry, the "What if _______ happens?!," but rather in noticing "What Is".  To see all of the wonder that is in front of us.

    Yesterday a murder of crows filled the old black walnut across the street.  Calling and cawing warnings to each other.  They came, one by one, adding to the ruckus.  What was troubling them, I don't know, but it was powerful to watch.

    The day before, winds blew.  In the front yard, the cherry and Japanese maple branches swished, bending and bouncing into each other, white blossoms touching the rusty buds of new spring leaves.

    I keep finding myself lost in thoughts.  Much of it is trying to reconcile the paradoxes of things I believe about myself, and it's seeming an impossible task.  Hopefully, acceptance and action are just around the corner, or at least in a nearby neighborhood.

    We're off to Chicago in the morning.  

    Sending out thoughts for peace and wonder to all, ox.

comfort zone

    I don't make decisions quickly, spend lots of money easily, nor is spontaneity part of my usual behavior.  Ask anyone.  Maybe that's why I like slow stitching so much?  

    Over the last few weeks we've had debates over what to do, if anything, for Spring Break next week.  Lots of words and ideas... Some place new?  California?  Canada?  Colorado?  No actions.  We are homebodies at heart (mostly me).  Just when it looked like we were going to do the usual and stay home... Monday night at dinner I said, "Chicago?"  

    The last time we were there I was pregnant with Blue.  Friends live there.  The kind that always feel like it was just yesterday, rather than years (three since the last visit).  I texted her, and three hours later flights were booked!

    I went to bed excited, but woke up the next overwhelmed and wanting to stitch earth colors.  Maybe trying to ground myself?  This piece is centered around one of Jude's moon fragments, along with several other scraps from her, and some from my own tea, walnut and faded indigo dips. 

    Exchanges with my friend flew back and forth yesterday.  She is a traveler/travel guide extraordinaire and has helped us plan, organize and budget it all.  It's going to be a very full week of art, parks, boats, buildings, baseball, "Hamilton," and more...

    Today I'm filling out the moon, and trying to focus on being giddy.  Trying to push aside all of "the sky might fall" feelings that come from being impromptu, spending money, all of us leaving home, the unknown...  Trying to imagine being different.

pollinated stitching

    'Tis allergy season.  There are many naps and wishes for ocean breezes.  Stitching and thinking is quite slow until the meds settle in, which usually takes a week or so.  I did have fun texturing the waves here, and imagining floating on them.

peace dreaming

    It seems I'm lost in the last hazy days of summer.  Focus is hard to grasp.  The other day I had to pull over to remember where I was going and how to get there...to a place I go every other week.  

    Suddenly autumn has arrived.  There's a golden edge to the leaves and a welcomed coolness in the air.  It will probably be good for me once school starts, to be in a routine again, be accountable...but I can't imagine it right now.

    In an effort to find some grounding, stitching has finally begun on my pennant for Mo's  Gathering- her collaborative creation "I Dream of a World Where Love is the Answer."  Mo's deep and wide visions, eye and talent for the tiniest details, combined with her deep heart and love for this world and all it holds, are sure to make this installation an amazing gift to behold.  

    The satin was dipped in the fading moments of last summer's indigo, leaving it with a silvery shimmer.  I'm not quite sure how this will go... imagining pieced peace filled spheres (planet and moon thoughts), and there will be stars, many many stars to map the story, guide the way, pin hopes on, and for wishing...