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Archive for March, 2013

Night and Day

Thursday, March 7th, 2013

xandoparts

 

Yesterday was one of those days. The weather was atrocious — dark, dreary, cold and persistent rain. I had a lot of work to do sitting at my computer and I got the headache of all headaches — the one I get occasionally. I don’t know what brings them on — a change in air pressure, allergies, stress? I just know that by 7 pm all I wanted to do was go to bed. I gave in for an hour or so and didn’t really sleep. So I got up and watched a couple of episodes of House of Cards with Mr C.

Today? I woke up to delicious sunshine. Headache almost gone. Energy level was back. I had a great day. Like night and day.

I am making progress on making the parts for my big quilt.

morefusedparts

 

I am also making better progress on stitching the 3 x 3s together now that I have a better assortment of beads and thread. I am only on the second row, but this row is moving along much faster.

3x3stitchingrow2

 

I only have one sketch tonight. It is of my Bernina. I love it. I think this style of sketching suits me better than trying to be so literal.

 

 

drawing 3-7-13

 

I have made some pretty good process on knitting Paige’s sweater. The pattern is so complicated, but I think I have finally got it down.

paigesweaterprogress

 

Just call me the multi-tasking queen!!

 

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, March 6th, 2013
San Diego Architecture

San Diego Architecture

Short and Sweet

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

 

 

 

newbeadsandthread

My modus operandi these days is to do my SDA work in the morning and hope to get to the studio in the afternoon. Today, I made a foray to a bead shop. I realized that I did not have enough different colors of beads in the sizes I need or beading thread. So now I am set for a while. After doing the grocery shopping for a few days, the day was pretty much gone. I did finish attaching the first row of 3 x 3s.

rowone3x3s

 

Here is a detail. You can click on these to see them larger.

3x3srowdetail

 

And here is my simple drawing for the day.

drawing 3-5-13

 

My husband and I are hooked on the Netflix mini-series House of Cards. Messed up politicians.  Got to give it my attention.

 

Left Brain, Right Brain Day

Monday, March 4th, 2013

morequiltparts

I had to spend  the morning doing left brain work, and it was great to spend some time in my studio this afternoon. I made some more “parts” for my next quilt. I love the colors. Here are my scraps which will find their way into the piece, too.

silkscraps

 

I did 3 drawings this afternoon.

drawing 3-3-13

 

I tried to draw Scooter while he was chewing a raw hide. It is sort of cartoonish, but I think I will try more of these.

 

drawingscooter

 

I drew my hand again. This one is better!!

drawing 3-4-13

 

We had a nice day today – a bit cold, but nice and sunny. Tomorrow is not going to be so nice, cold and rainy. That is March in Portland.

 

Takes Two to Tango

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

potentialmotifs 

I spent yesterday cooking Argentinian food for an opening reception at Trinity. The artist,  Mabel Astarloa Haley, is from Argentina originally. She does wonderful oil pastel drawings — some abstract and some of ethereal figures.

pastelfigures

She told me that she takes photos at busy intersections and then does the drawings from the photos. She does a wonderful job of capturing body language.

I made a garbanzo bean flour flat bread, called Fainá. I topped some with carmelized onions and some with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes — gluten free.

fainaonions

fainapizza

 

I also marinated flank steak in chimichurri sauce – so good.

flanksteakchimicchurri

 

And there was also manchego cheese with quince paste on crackers.

manchangoquince

 

I also had some empanadas and potato cheese things from Trader Joes. It was declared the best reception food so far!!

We also hired the Portland State Tango Club to come and dance for us. We wondered if they would try to tango the labyrinth!

tangodancers

 

Today, I did some household chores and some SDA work and then headed for the studio. I cut the batting for a large quilt. I started cutting and fusing some possible motifs for this piece. They are in the photo at the top.

I also have done a couple of drawings. I tried to draw my left hand, but it is kind of scary. I do have wrinkled and gnarled old lady hands.

drawing3-1-13

 

And this is the little Japanese maple on my studio patio. I really am happy with this one.

drawing 3-2-13

 

I walked down to the farm stand near my house with Scooter this afternoon. I love these daffodils growing in the parking strip.

parkingstripdaffodils

 

And as a counterpoint, this cluster of pinecones.

pinecones