Summer

It sounds like everyone around the country is hot and we are no exception up here in the northern Atlantic. The heat doesn't bother Eliot one bit. He drinks water like a trooper and flies around on his bike. We were given the bike and found the training wheels and helmet for under 5$ together! Can't beat that.

My Mother's lily's are out and beautiful this year. I hope they last in the hot weather.


I am going on vacation next week up to a cottage on the ocean. I think I will take a computer/technology break that week. I am aiming to make some major headway on my feather quilt and the wool rug and lots of headway on doing nothing. Enjoy your week!

Rocks

The only evidence we have of our trip to the beach last weekend. Another circle rock and a very sandy floor.

I have been putting the rocks for the rug out on the floor to try and find an arrangement I like. The wool blanket has been cut up and I am trying to decide how I want to piece the sand together. I certainly need a bigger craft table - I am aiming for the final size of about 4X5 feet.

Necessity Crafting

Some very quick, makeshift curtains were made this week. The sun coming into the apartment has been pretty intense and I have been pretty lazy about curtains. But, as luck would have it, Kevin and I had a date night and checked out the new Mardens. Mardens is a salvage shop that we frequent for great deals. They just took over an old WalMart store and it was amazingly overwhelming. I was giddy over their fabric department. Everything including organic cotton, Joel Dewbury fabrics and other tons of good stuff for 3$ a yard. I am never going to Jo Ann's again!

The fruit of that trip was some new curtains. I really didn't intentionally want the fabric for that purpose but they will do for now and I can always take them down later and make something else with it. Plus it is nice to have fabric I like on display.

That new/old lamp I found recently in the basement of my work place.

Progress

This was a good day for rug progress. I found this wool blanket at the thrift store in the perfect off white color for the sand in between the beach rocks for the rug. I washed it and am going to start cutting out strips.

Throughout the process of this rug I have been going back to my first drawings of the idea. I always refer to my journals to remind me where I am going. Ideas always change during the process but I like keeping a record while I move along. The journal helps me keep my ideas all in one place. I have never been particularly good at drawing but I can always recall the image in my mind when I look at my rudimentary sketches.

Old to New

I pulled out my trusty wool sweater bag for my newest project. I probably look a little crazy considering it has been in the 80's everyday for the last week but I can't help myself. It holds everything in a nice neat package for an on the go project.

I am working on a little something for someone - a little vague but I don't want the secret out yet. I am working with my pile of vintage fabrics and linen that has come from clothes that I have worn out. Everything has been washed so many times it has a great soft feel to it.

The overall motif is feathers. Along with rocks, feathers are another object I tend to pick up and philosophise about. Changing gears from sewing wool to embroidering linen, has been a nice way to rest my wrists. Plus, embroidery lends it self to fine details in a different way than rolling up wool.



My inspiration for the feathers has come from here. Her talent is amazing.

Camping at the River

We had our first camping trip with Eliot last weekend. It was a lot of fun - if not a little more crowded than we would have liked. I think we are going to try for a more rural state park next time. The river view and beach here was amazing with slow running water and rainbow trout swiming all over the place. We all had a great time exploring and wading around.

Marshmallows of course!

There was a really retro slide there too. I haven't seen a metal slide since I was in grade school. There were all kinds of old giant metal playground items. I can't believe more of us didn't come away with head traumas from these things.


I couldn't resist bringing the ttv camera.

Beach Rug

I am working on a new rug. I have given the other beaded wool rug a rest until I decide how I want to put it together. This new rug idea came from my attraction to rocks with rings around them. Living by the ocean, I have amassed a collection. I like how rocks become arranged at the beach between the tide and the soft sand and then slope up to the dunes. Kevin has also painted several scenes of river stones that are around our house and, no doubt, were an influence as well.

This technique is called standing wool. It allows for more free shapes and pictoral patterns. I am really enjoying the process of putting this one together.

I have also started working on an ebook about this and the beaded wool rug techniques. It will be full of pictures and detailed instructions. If anyone is interested in trading editing for a copy let me know!

Beach Baby

Our little nude dude. It was such a nice golden late afternoon the last time we went to the beach Eliot had to go for a swim. My friend and I went hunting for Elder Flowers but I wasn't quite right in my identification. I still haven't figured out what they are.

TTV

Experimenting with the Duaflex:

Solo Day

I had a welcome Solo day to myself. Eliot was with Grandma and Kevin was helping his brother move. I realized I hadn't been spending ANY time alone. I really needed it. A lot. I am going to have to work some more solo time into my schedule on a more regular basis. I had a lot of time just to sit and think and work through some projects.

I did a lot of dehydrating of flat 'breads' for this week for lunch. I also made an awesome rhubarb lemonade suggested in my comments last week. Thank you so much - it came out great. I think I would sub all the sugar with honey next time.

I also started sewing a new summery dress.

Yumm...I think I was influenced to pick out the above fabric by the lemonade color.

Yard Sale Gold

I went yardsaleing this weekend and found a couple of fun things. More vintage buttons to add to the collection. All I could think about was how I need to learn to knit so I can use these in greater numbers.

I also found a Kodak Duaflex camera. I was pretty excited about this one. I have been occasionally scanning ebay and crag's list for one then it appeared at a yard sale. I had a great conversation with the man selling it about what I was going to do with it. I hope he keeps the other one.

Basically, these cameras have glass at the top for previewing the image. You can photograph the top glass with your digital camera and get an interesting image. I had to make a contraption out of cardboard to keep the reflections to a minimum - so if I go outside with it I will probably get some looks. It reminds me of the Holga's and other toy cameras I used to use but this time no film! People on flicker an the web are calling this 'Through the Viewfinder".

week(s) in review

A catch-up post. In no particular order - you will notice he got his hair cut somewhere in the middle of these...

Because we haven't had a picture together in a while.

Putting our toes in at the beach.

Helping with baby Sasha.

Eating rhubarb pie...still some rhubarb left but I am not sure what to do with it. I made a crisp that came out well but I am trying to think of something a little more unusual. Any suggestions?

Misty water at Crescent beach.


Trying to find Northern Fly Honeysuckle with no luck. It is supposed to be a good blueberry substitute.

With Grandpa G in MA.

First time fishing! He was so excited and serious about it. I can't wait to go again.

New toy.
New dance.

And a tired out beach kid.

Enjoying Spring

We have been enjoying the nice spring weather around here. The flowers are really going and everything is so nice and green. Eliot is learning how to ride a bike with training wheels and I am trying to figure out how to make good looking leaf prints. I tried using gauche but clearly that is not going to be the medium of choice.

I found a stash of balloons that I wanted to get rid of. So, instead of having them hanging around the house for days upon days filled with air, why not have a water balloon extravaganza?
They lasted just long enough and were thoroughly popped and tossed and out of my junk drawer in under an hour.