I am home.I got here at about 9:30 on Wed night. There was so much construction in Georgia and it was 50 mph most of the way on hwy 75. I walked into a house so clean and sweet smelling and happy and cheerful. Fred was so glad to see me- he even emptied the car for me!
As I walked around and remembered everything about my life here I felt a calmness wash over me. To hurl down the highway at 70mph is not my natural state- I like the adrenaline rush of driving fast but after 10 hours I was exhausted. Wrung out.
Sometimes it is nice to go away and have new experiences that make you feel thankful and grateful for your own home. I love my parents but have been gone for 30 years. I respect their wishes not to be written about, so all I can say is that it was nice to see them and hug their necks and spend time with them again.
Charlie the poodle is delightful and keeps them both busy and entertained- I secretly think that he must have run away from a circus somewhere because he can walk backwards on his back legs and could probably balance a cat and a rat and a ball if you were to start stacking them up on his nose!!
My neighbor is ringing the doorbell- she is 6 and has missed me something fierce! I have to go say hi and fix dinner and then I will be back to add some more to this post....OK, so last night got a little outta hand! It took me longer to cook and play and read the new Quilting Arts magazine and re-watch 4 episodes of LOST with Fred than I thought!
I think that each issue is like a small art book- I always, ALWAYS learn something new! It always seems fresh and exciting! There is also a new Green Challenge- using what you have to create a quilt square.
I finished the Scarlett Felt Blue square yesterday and took the pictures and emailed them to Barbara at CPS- I was so excited/confused/intrigued by this challenge and I kept thinking this can't be right until I finally just went with it and ran the gauntlet and fell out the other side- Layering the fabric, paper and tissue paper with glue and then painting it seemed pointless- I kept thinking that it would only be viable if you could see the paper ephemera under the fabric but it was too thick- and the tissue side was too icky looking! I kept the fabric side up and after I used Amanda's paints and watercolor crayons on it I could see where this was going. But all my issues of Cloth Paper Scissors were at home and unavailable to help me- I went with what I knew and did my best given the circumstances and at least I felt stretched and uncomfortable and that signals growth.
I bought Beryl Taylors book titled Mixed Media Explorations and then I saw! I knew what the finished look might have entailed- oh, well, that is what happens when you work sight unseen- I should have Googled Beryl's work- shoulda woulda coulda- the point was to accept the Challenge and Create! Moth Girl knew that she was happy to see me, she had gotten quite lonely here waiting for me to return. I introduced her to Scarlett, who we all know was feeling blue, too. They are fast becoming friends and I promised them that I wouldn't leave for a long time.
So, Beryl's book is great to help with the artistic expansion of your mixed media collage skills- I like the way that it shows a picture of the technique and then describes how its done. Easy! Or so it seems! I am getting some more Crayola Modeling air dry modeling paste to use for stamping designs and I already have some Shiva paint sticks. We just got new phone books and I told Fred not to throw them out because I could use them for ART.
He just shook his head and a tiny smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
I really want to kiss that spot and then go get out the glue and fabric and tissue and play but we are gonna go take a walk on the beach- my little friend from across the street is going with us- we are going to gather some shells. I have a project that is in the works for my friend Jude and it needs some little cocquina shells...it is a bright and sunny day and the beach might be crowded but hopefully we will be able to find a spot to park...I can save unpacking for later.what's your wish for today?