'Tis the Season

Well... it really isn't 'that' season yet.  At least it doesn't feel like it.  I had my coffee on the deck this morning while enjoying the start of a sky that glowed soft pink everywhere!  It's so mild that it hardly feels like December in Saskatchewan, so doesn't it shock you to look at the calendar and realize you have 2 weeks to Solstice / Christmas!?  The only give away really is that the sky changes colour around 9 am, and by 5pm it's pitch black already.

Lastnight, a family picked up the commissione of the little snowglobe for their small boy.  Oh I WISH I could see his face when he opens it!  I've never met him, but he's only 4 years old, and snowglobes are on the top of his list.  How fun!  : )

I just finished up another commission request in time for the holidays...  I was asked for blonde grasses with the spring crocuses to be framed in white.

I'm having a tough time photographing my work in my new studio.  The bright white spectrum of the lights seem to mess up up camera, and I am unable to get a good sampling of detail and depth with the threads because they are so overlit form all sides.  Time to get a proper photo station for the art!  I shall see what I can come up with.

The crocuses in the foreground are hand dyed silk ribbon with teenie French Knots of yellow.  The matting is WHITE - not greyish bleah.  Again, blame it on the lighting.  It looks so very pretty and fresh in the white.

Crocuses Return, 2015 (sold)

I'll be delivering this one Friday after work.

I have two more threadpaintings 'just because' that are nearly done.  Often I get some last minute calls from customers, so I like to have work on hand for them.

TWO MORE WEEKS!!

xo

linking to WIP Wednesday at TN&TN

Things I Love Thursday

I ventured out one more time to enjoy them - those lovely crocuses!  This time I went to Crocus Prairie, where Central Avenue turns in to a gravel road.  When I arrived, I grabbed my little camera and started down a path.  A woman I had never met was just heading back to the parking lot.  She had a big smile on her face and said, "There's lots of them out there!"

I guess we all know what we're looking for. ; )

There must be two dozen in this 'nest'!  What a bouquet.  They are bursting, but becoming paler which was beautiful in the early evening sun.

I love when the light changes!  The birds were chirping shortly after 5 am this week.  The sun rises when we do, and it sets when the children go to bed.  It's a wonderful time of balance.

Look at them stretching!  I love this group.  It's like they are trying to see something out there.  It was a longer image, but I cropped the sky and pulled it down a bit.  Can you see there?   I love taking photos so much.  It feels so good to get out.

I love this time of year.  It sure was nice to get out and take a short break from the studio.  WHEW!

Happy Thursday!

Things I Love Thursday

After the longest winter ever, we are now having the longest spring.  Usually our spring is a fast, blustery change of guard that precedes summer.  It's going pretty slow this time.  We are still waiting for green to appear.  I am joyfully announcing that the crocuses have awoken!  : )  These photos are from May 1st, but they are still out in full swing.

CROCUSES!

I love crocuses.  They just break my heart!  How can you not adore these furry little winter babies!

I love them.

I love them.

I love them.

still-curled-up newly borns

These are the natural, wild ones that grow in untilled land.  They can be hard to find.  My friend Patti and I stood there for a long time before we noticed all these teeny buds.  In fact, the hill was COVERED with them!  There were thousands and thousands I bet.  This is a good lesson about looking closer to find beauty on the prairies. 

Here is the hill from the road.

thousands of crocuses!  lol

I love to discover these first blooms of the year.  It never gets old.  It makes you feel like a child finding hidden eggs.  When you do spot one you think, 'How on earth did I not see that!!?"  And then you are on a mission to find more.  ; )

And you go home pretty darn satisfied.  : )

Happy Thursday!

Sunday Snapshots (on Monday...)

I'm a little late, but I have a great 'excuse'.  After the longest winter of our lives, it's practically summer all of a sudden!  I've been doing loads of yard work and spring cleaning.  The winter wear has been bagged!  As I type this post, we are preparing for our first thunderstorm of spring (and so I am back inside for now).  I am SO ready for a good rainstorm!  Around here, the first big thunder and lightning show happens regularly on my birthday (5/5).  That's when I was in Manitoba - so how awesome that it held off 'till I got back.

My physical surroundings are really in need of serious change.  I just can't stop spring cleaning - mostly because now I have the time to.  My sewing space is calling my name AGAIN.  It's time for some sorting and a brand new inspiration wall.  I've had old pictures and sketches up for so long.  I'm ready for something new.  I'm craving to stitch, but in the mean time I am holding myself back from fibre art in order to tweak my skills at 'domestic art'.  After 4 months of hardcore creating, I must say I have a LOT of catching up to do around the homefront.

Here's the photos as promised - some different views of the prairie.  Enjoy.

this side of Winnipeg - a flooded ditch full of willow

Can you believe these colors!??  

Willow west of Winnipeg

Arriving in Saskatchewan... nearing home, I stopped to photograph an abandoned building in Chamberlain overlooking a valley.

detail of the shingles - lichen and popped nails

how these remain standing as long as they do...

underfoot - the old and the new : )

I looked around some more - I heard the crocuses bloomed while I was away.  Sure enough!

one sweet little bundle just waiting for their photo

Across the highway - beautiful bison grazing.  HUGE creatures.  Silent.  Majestic to behold.

beautiful beasts

I hope you enjoy today's pictures.  This spring is the first real use my new camera has had.  I think I'm going to have a great year ; )

New Growth / Budding / Rebirth (a study in dirt)

After 6 months of solid making and selling a ridiculous amount of threadpaintings, and six equally solid months of winter, I seriously need a creative diversion.  I wanted something new, something quiet, something rich, something full of texture.   I fully planned to have some crocuses at the upcoming show (Manitoba's provincial flower) so I figured this would be the perfect timing.  I can't wait to find crocuses again!  I can't wait to smell the earth again.

Come along on a pictorial diversion and you can see where I went with this longing...

some heavy cotton canvas on good and tight to a frame

pieces of stabilizer and fabric on top

some hand dyed 'uncommon supplies' that i needle felted on top

i stitched and stitched and stitched by hand on all three for about 13 hours (noon to 1 am)

It was very late when I stopped.  In fact, it was past midnight and I know I prepared that frame late that morning.  It's like I was in a zone and unable to leave it until my unknown project was complete.  Usually I take lots of breaks.  Finally it was complete.  My family were all upstairs, sound asleep.  I went up to join them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I woke up the next morning, long after the sun had come up.  I sat up, had a good stretch, splashed some water on my face and came back down to my mainfloor workspace.  Would you believe what I saw!?  The 'study in dirt' had come alive overnight.  ; )

New Growth, 2013 (detail)

I was very, very happy.  There were bursts of life!

Budding, 2013 (detail)

For you Winnipeg! ; )

Rebirth, 2013  5x5

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

My goodness.  What isn't in-progress right now!?  

#1.  My yard.  #2.  The dandelion plot berries & veggies garden.  #3.  We are trying to transfer everything over to my new lap top and what a mess that is!  I had to get a new one because I had pretty much destroyed the 'enter' key, as well as the eyes for the sideways happy face on my old one.  lol  I have it back!  : )  (see?)  So I can smile again... but I am missing some important emails.  Oh dear.  #4.  As in yesterday's post, my presentation & framing is also a work in progress.  #5.  Some commissions are on the back burner as the next art show approaches.  (***Thank you ladies for your patience!!).  #6.  In about ten days I'll be at the Spring Art Show & Sale which is up in the header of my blog if you want more info.  I am a few hours away from completing another canola field!!  In the mean time, I started this on Tuesday afternoon.

in progress - wild crocuses to be added by hand

I'm not sure if starting another piece right now was wise, but I think I can manage this.  Besides, it was 'calling' me.  I had to answer!   : )  It's all ready for hand stitching.  I'll be putting wild crocuses into the foreground, inspired by the photos I took at Patti's farm.  There was one photo in particular that drew me.   It was that blue, blue water down the hill.  I think I'll be putting smaller crocus clumps into it instead of one big close-up as the original photos portray.  You can see them here.

Also in progress: #7.  I am teaching on Sunday, so I am getting ready for that too.  I'm excited about this.  I'm heading out to the town of Watrous to do my first Beginner Threadwork Class for a group of 5 women.  I think 2 are coming from Regina.  Annette from In Stitches and Seams is hosting it at her place.  We 'know' each other through The Needle & Thread Network.  I'll be bringing along some yummy Wonderfil Threads too!  Speaking of Annette, she happened to be the one to answer my call for the "Tag! You're it" postcard exchange.  I mailed her one of my Tag cards, and WOOHOO!!  Look what I got today from her!

only the BIGGEST art-to-mail that I've ever got!

It's ONE HUGE TAG!  I had to burst out laughing.  Look at what I made for the swap...

off to Ireland it went... 'Tag! You're It' postcard.

Only the tiniest tag ever!  lol  Annette, I love your card!  Thank you so much!  I'm so glad you swapped with me.  Don't mind me if I show that one off to my postcard classes!  It's a keeper.

Linking to The Needle & Thread Network.  : )

Fun Night, Sore Feet

Ooh that was a many, many hours not wearing comfortable shoes.  Ow.  The show went terrific though.  It was a lot of work rearranging the room, and a few of us were left quite late putting it all back.  That was exhausting, but the turnout was terrific!  Arwen did a lot of work pushing all the banquet room chairs to the back of the hall, one by one.  (Way to go girl!  ; )

Arwen, up on crates in to look over the balcony.

I know - it looks like a big mess from here.  But it wasn't!  It was so nice to see some of my friends, local artists, my family & cousins, SQG members, Margot & Terry Lindsay, and even Wendy from Creative House came!  (Nice surprise!).  Luckily, the spring rains waited until tonight.

Stick by Leila O.

I thought the slide show was fun.  The kids loved it (that's the little girl's Mother on the screen).  Her name is Lily and I love her work, especially this piece!

Weaving by Lily P.

Crocheted & felted nest by 'yours truly'

Bag by Jill C.

A nest I started that Elizabeth B. finished for collaboration

'All That Was Left' - my failed attempt at felting. : )  Note that there is barely any felting in this piece.  hahaha

Elizabeth's felted bag (detail)  She's WAY better at it!  lol

Here it is...

Cowpie & Crocuses

Based on this photo:

And here's the gang (minus two students):

Lily, Monika, Sandra, Jill, Elizabeth, Leila, & Anahit our instructor

Thank you Anahit for such a wonderful opportunity!  ; )

Alrighty then...  off to throw a birthday party for one excited little soon to be 6 yr old!