my journey through it all

I'm back and my current read

2011-01-27T15:52:00.007-05:00

It's been a long time since I posted and my only explanation is that life got in the way. It's been very hectic the last 8 months or so and I just have lost all energy and momentum for doing things for me. I am trying to say no more to others and yes more to me.... seems like I always have to restart doing that!

I am currently reading a great book about goats. I love goats and have always wanted to raise some of my own and also have wanted to make goat cheese. When I was in high school I volunteered on a goat farm that was part of Heifer Project. It was one of the best experiences of my teenage years.

The book is Goat Song: A Seasonal Life of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese by Brad Kessler. I really enjoy reading books about people and their real life experiences.

From Publishers Weekly
Novelist (Birds in Fall; Lick Creek) Kessler's account of tending a small herd of milking goats in Vermont captures both the lush, poetic paradise of rural life and the raw, unrelenting drama of dairying. Kessler, a Saab-driving ex-Manhattanite, purchases two Nubian goats, breeds them and helps his wife, Dona, a trained doula, attend to the birth of four goat kids the following spring. The amusing zoomorphic and anthropomorphic descriptions, where goats forage as if they were at a sample sale and milk-fed kids stagger œlike street junkies, dissipate as Kessler endures a season of goat wrangling, haying and hunting coyotes. Kessler gives the legal aspects of unpasteurized cheese a cursory inspection; his devotion centers on a budding relationship with animals, the earth and goat cheese. He's a back-to-the-land naturalist, who supports his detailed personal observations with extensive research as he explores the cultural, historical and biological aspects of pastoralism. While the tome's lengthy poetic journal entries on animal husbandry and cheese making hardly qualify as a comprehensive manual, the observant, unsanctimonious read is bound to inspire hobby farmers and consummate cheese lovers.

Brad Kessler and one of his goats.
Here is a link to a nice interview with Brad Kessler in Gourmet magazine.

What I am reading....

2010-08-10T13:51:00.003-04:00

I was channel surfing recently and came across a show about the making of a new mini-series on Starz. It is based on a book by Ken Follett and called "The Pillars of the Earth". It takes place in 12th century England. The show made it look so interesting that I have been watching it every week on Starz. But I also wanted to read the book so I requested it from the library. When I picked it up it was HUGE. I got the paper back version and it must weigh 5 lbs. It has about 1000 pages. So I am working on reading it and expect it will take me a few weeks. It goes into more detail than the movie does so I am glad to be getting some of the background to the story as I watch it.

From Publishers Weekly
Tom Builder's dream is to build a cathedral, but in the meantime, he must scrounge about to find a lord that will hire him. His search pulls him and his family into the politics of 12th-century England, as different lords vie to gain control of the throne in the wake of the recently deceased king. Prior Phillip, a man raised in the monastery since childhood, also finds himself drafted into the brewing storm as he must protect the interests of a declining church.

From Library Journal
A radical departure from Follett's novels of international suspense and intrigue, this chronicles the vicissitudes of a prior, his master builder, and their community as they struggle to build a cathedral and protect themselves during the tumultuous 12th century, when the empress Maud and Stephen are fighting for the crown of England after the death of Henry I. The plot is less tightly controlled than those in Follett's contemporary works, and despite the wealth of historical detail, especially concerning architecture and construction, much of the language as well as the psychology of the characters and their relationships remains firmly rooted in the 20th century. This will appeal more to lovers of exciting adventure stories than true devotees of historical fiction.

2010-07-23T13:00:00.004-04:00

It has been a hectic past few months. Mom has been sick and in and out of the hospital and rehab. Lots to do for her... not much time for art but I still find time to read.
Here is what I am currently reading.

Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
At 26, Troost followed his wife to Kiribati, a tiny island nation in the South Pacific. Virtually ignored by the rest of humanity (its erstwhile colonial owners, the Brits, left in 1979), Kiribati is the kind of place where dolphins frolic in lagoons, days end with glorious sunsets and airplanes might have to circle overhead because pigs occupy the island's sole runway. Troost's wife was working for an international nonprofit; the author himself planned to hang out and maybe write a literary masterpiece. But Kiribati wasn't quite paradise. It was polluted, overpopulated and scorchingly sunny (Troost could almost feel his freckles mutating into something "interesting and tumorous"). The villages overflowed with scavengers and recently introduced, nonbiodegradable trash. And the Kiribati people seemed excessively hedonistic. Yet after two years, Troost and his wife felt so comfortable, they were reluctant to return home. Troost is a sharp, funny writer, richly evoking the strange, day-by-day wonder that became his life in the islands. One night, he's doing his best funky chicken with dancing Kiribati; the next morning, he's on the high seas contemplating a toilet extending off the boat's stern (when the ocean was rough, he learns, it was like using a bidet). Troost's chronicle of his sojourn in a forgotten world is a comic masterwork of travel writing and a revealing look at a culture clash.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Although accustomed to globe trotting, Troost and his wife, Sylvia, were truly innocents abroad when they moved to the island of Tarawa in the South Pacific, where Sylvia had accepted a government position. Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati--a republic of tiny atolls located just above the equator--and the place where Troost's dreams of paradise were shattered. Although Tarawa has much to offer, such as stultifying heat, dogged bureaucracy, toxic water, La Macarena, and the fantastic rituals of the I-Kiribati people, it lacks running water, television, restaurants, air-conditioning, and, the most crucial amenity, beer. Culture shock ensued for Maarten and Sylvia, and he chronicles their two years on Tarawa in a hilarious, sardonic travelogue. Among the more memorable episodes is the time a simple fishing trip turns into a hunt for a giant thresher shark and when Troost blasts a Miles Davis CD to combat the incessant repetition of La Macarena. Troost's mystified admiration for the I-Kiribati people shines through it all, and readers learn how humor itself can be a necessary tool for survival. Jerry Eberle
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

my current literary entertainment

2010-06-02T18:53:00.003-04:00

I am currently reading "On the Wing: To the Edge of the Earth with the Peregrine Falcon" by Alan Tennant.

Amazon Editorial Review
In this extraordinary naturalist adventure saga, Alan Tennant, a passionate student of wildlife and of the peregrine falcon in particular, endeavours to radio-track the birds transcontinental migration - something no one before him had ever attempted. At the time of his flight, in the mid-1980s, researchers were still unsure of the peregrines transcontinental path: chicks hatched in the Arctic have hardly been taught how to fly and kill their food when they make their first migration, alone, following some mysterious internal call to go south. On The Wing, which begins on the windswept flats of the Texas barrier islands, ferries us across multiple continents, and is loaded with historical and scientific lore and rich characters. Chief among them is George Vose, the septuagenarian Second World War vet and former stunt pilot who becomes Tennants partner in falcon-chasing when they borrow some US Army radio-tracking equipment and set off after a bird Alan has managed to trap and tag with a feather-mounted transmitter. George, who trusts his instincts more than his instruments, is as obsessed with the mystery of flight as Tennant is and the book charts the story of their friendship. As they journey to the Arctic, following their first bird, and then way down South, through Mexico and into Belize, nearly losing their lives, running foul of the law (and, at times, at each others throats) in the race to keep their birds in view and their rattletrap Cessna gassed up and running. But the falcons dominate this odyssey, these majestic birds - the icons of pharaohs, oriental emperors, and European nobility - whose fierce mien, speed at the kill and solitary habits have fired the human imagination for centuries. In this mesmerising narrative, Alan Tennant offers us an unforgettable and moving tale that speaks to all our dreams of flight.
About the Author
Alan Tennant grew up in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean. He has taught film and literary criticism at the University of Texas and lectured on ecology in more than twenty countries. He is the author of several prize-winning books on wildlife and nature. He lives in west Texas and conducts natural history seminars and trips around the world.

currently reading

2010-05-08T07:24:00.004-04:00

When life gets full of stress and chaos one of my escapes is to read. I read whenever I can. One of my favorite times to read during the week is at work during my lunch break. It is a great way to escape for a little bit during each day. Now that the warm weather is here I can sit out on the patio and enjoy to warmer, sunny weather and almost forget where I am.

I am currently reading another book for the local audubon nature book club. Meeting is on Monday nite so I hope I get to go.

The book is: "Sippewissett: or, Life on a Salt Marsh" by Tim Traver.

I have been enjoying reading about someplace local. I think we will take a ride down there to see the marsh for ourselves.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Tim Traver has created a wonderfully unique piece of genre blending in his elegant rumination on Sippewissett, the Cape Cod salt marsh he has known since childhood. By including both a rich history of the nearby Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (along with fascinating profiles of the many scientists associated with it over the years) and stories about his family's long relationship with the marsh, he provides the reader with a work that is equal parts natural history and memoir. As he ponders the accomplishments and impact of naturalist luminaries Louis Agassiz, Spencer Baird, and Rachel Carson, he places their historic research in the context of the marsh's present condition. This transition is made easy by his family's deep connection to the region, which he shares in passages echoing George Howe Colt's National Book Award finalist, The Big House (2003). Traver has the same deep attachment to the land as Colt, but his scientific background and attention to the region's marine biology raises the book to a higher level. Sippewissett is a rare book, as it both informs and entrances. A delight from beginning to end. Colleen Mondor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
"Traver, a third-generation Cape Cod salt marsh inhabitant, has the distinctive and wonderful perspective that comes from loving--and sometimes leaving--a place of true natural wonder. Spending near-idyllic boyhood summers in Sippewissett, MA, Traver grew up exploring the natural world around him. Revisiting those childhood memories, now tempered by marriage and fatherhood, he looks at many vital and potentially contentious issues from both sides of the proverbial coin--that of the scientist/environmentalist and the local--and speaks with understanding and empathy for both. In this wonderful blend of natural history and memoir, Traver details both the ecology and the history of Sippewissett, describing the people and creatures that he encounters, and chronicles the daily turning of the tides. Educational, touching, and highly relevant in today's changing ecological world, this marvelous book is highly recommended for public and academic libraries."
--Susan E. Brazer, Salisbury Univ. Lib., MD, Library Journal Starred Review

Biologists (including Louis Agassiz and Rachel Carson) have long been drawn to the patch of Cape Cod marsh where Traver spent his boyhood summers and to which he still returns. His reflections on the fauna, flora, habitats, and human culture eloquently weave together ecology, history, and memory. He offers enticing discussions of tidal flows, spawning runs, eelgrass beds, clam hunts, and even the microbial communities in the muds. And his treatment of sometimes contentious conservation issues demonstrates his recognition of the challenges facing those who wish to sustain their sense of home.
Science, August 2007

Crafting with Josh and Zach

2010-05-03T18:10:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I went to my sister's and helped her do a craft project with Josh and Zach. We helped them make Mother's Day gifts for their mom and other grand mothers.

Leslie had gotten some blank oval wooden plaques that had ribbons attached to the back for hanging. We let the boys paint them how ever they wanted and then we decoupaged photos of them onto the plaques. They came out really great and I got to take some new photos of them too!!!

Kitties I am missing.

2010-05-01T01:15:00.009-04:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love animals and that I would be a Crazy Cat Lady if I hadn't found Gene, who is the total and complete love of my life.

I soooo love kitties. I adore them. Many have touched my life and I am totally heart broken when they must cross over. I imagine them in kitty heaven where there is always a sunny spot to stretch out in and plenty of treats.

I miss these kitties so very much and am thankful for the joy and love they brought into my life.

Katza

Smokey

Little Bit

this is what happens when i have an espresso/mocha frozen drink at 5:30 pm!

2010-04-23T23:13:00.007-04:00

Met with a friend after work at Panera Bread for a beverage and girl chat. Had a fun time.... but now the aftermath is I am VERY awake. I had a delicious Frozen Mocha drink. It is espresso, whipped cream and chocolate syrup mixed together to create frosty goodness. I feel like my eyes are open really, really wide!

So I thought, well I could work on the project I need to mail for the Pass and Create Journal Project on the Loving Mixed Media group site.... well that went very well.

Here is what I created!I titled it "espresso-ing myself"

I also wrote a poem to go with my submission.

For so many years,
I have hidden within,
Too afraid of my fears,
To ever begin.

Is it my fate,
To be doubtful and sad,
I don't want to hate,
This life that I've had.

I want to be brave,
I want to be strong,
I want to engage,
I want to belong.

Today I will try,
I will change my ways,
I will laugh and not cry,
I will change all my days.

Perhaps I should drink espresso more often!
Hmmmmmm what to do now... it's still early! Only 11:19 pm.... good thing I don't have to work tomorrow...

ok, i am espresso rambling on the keyboard now....
CIAO

another book

2010-04-10T19:34:00.006-04:00

I got a book in the mail today that I have been waiting for and anxious to read. It is Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art by Rice Freeman-Zachery.

from Amazon.com

With a fresh approach and an A-list group of contributing artists, Creative Time and Space embraces the idea that making time and space is at the core of creativity. It is not just about managing your time or setting up a studio space, it is about your mindset and about making room in your life for your craft. Enjoy active sidebars alongside photos of the work and workspaces of the featured artists, as they speak with refreshing candor about how they carve out creative time and space in their own lives.
About the Author
Most recently the author of the best-selling Living the Creative Life, Rice Freeman-Zachery writes regularly for Somerset Studio, Belle Armoire, Legacy, Art Doll Quarterly, Belle Armoire Jewelry and Altered Couture. She is well known for her artist profiles and interviews.

I have already read her first book, Living the Creative Life and loved it!

These are just wonderful books full of creative ideas, wonderful art and encouraging words. A must have for your creative library.

2010-04-09T08:34:00.005-04:00

Currently Reading: Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook by David M. Carroll

I was looking through the newsletter we get from Mass Audubon and saw that they were starting a nature book group at the North River Sanctuary in Duxbury. I enjoy reading nature books and memoirs so thought I'd give it a try. I am curious to see how I will like discussing a book with others. We shall see. The group is meeting on Monday 4/12.

From Publishers Weekly
In this sensuous nature journal, MacArthur genius award winner Carroll (The Year of the Turtle) follows the inhabitants of his local New Hampshire wetlands through a season of turtle life from March thaw, when the turtles wake from hibernation, to November, when ice puts them back to sleep, along the way celebrating such personal holy days as the Return of the Red-winged Blackbird. Wearing camouflage and waders, he meets wildlife on its own terms. At the sudden appearance of a red doe, he wonders, to have those senses—would I trade my thinking, dreaming, imagining mind for them for one full day... would I ever want to come back? He watches a thirsty turtle hatchling encountering water for the first time: he extends his neck full length, immerses his head, closes his eyes and drinks for 21 minutes. Accompanied by Carroll's own exquisite drawings, this poetic recording of his season of loving observation is subdued by Carroll's dread of habitat destruction and nostalgia for a boyhood when I entered waters that, if not alive themselves, were so filled with light and life that my binding with them was as much metaphysical as physical

this and that

2010-03-30T14:54:00.004-04:00

Am currently reading The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore.

From Publishers Weekly
Montefiore's well-crafted, evocative novel is instantly sensual and welcoming. When Miranda Claybourne's seven-year-old is expelled from school, the stylish Londoner, magazine writer and mother of two, ditches her posh Notting Hill digs for the idylls of a country estate. But her simple-life fantasies soon fail. Her husband's preoccupied with his job and his mistress; the kids lash out at each other while Gus, the elder, terrorizes both farm animals and his new classmates. Enter Jean-Paul, a handsome, mysterious Frenchman with an offer to tend her woefully neglected gardens. Cleaning out the estate's rundown cottage for Jean-Paul, she discovers the secret journals of the previous lady of the house—a brilliant gardener, Ava Lightly, and her love affair. As if by magic, Miranda's garden begins to thrive and she owes it all to Jean-Paul, with whom she thinks she's falling in love. The drama of the journals distract from her own failing marriage, and Miranda delights in the idea that her life is running parallel to Ava's—it's a lovely coincidence, until she stops to consider exactly what may have drawn Jean-Paul into her garden.

Gene and I went to the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We had a fabulous time and highly recommend this aquarium. We got to meet one of the Beluga Whales as part of a behind the scenes program we participated in.

The flowers in my little garden are already blooming. They are very anxious for the seasonal weather to arrive, as we all are. I can't wait for sunny, warm days.

I DID IT!

2010-02-22T22:48:00.005-05:00

I finally completed a journal. Let's hope this leads me to completing more of them. I really need to fill the ones I have before I get/make any more.
You'll have to go back through the blog to see the other pages.

Rainbow Waves

2010-02-09T20:13:00.002-05:00

Gene and I went to Plymouth Beach the other morning to enjoy the sunshine and some coffee. I was a lovely day with a gorgeous blue sky. The sun made it look warmer than it was. The waves were coming in pretty good thanks to the storm that hit the DC area which was now out at sea. There was an off shore breeze that was blowing the water off the crest of the waves. When this happened the sun was creating rainbows on the waves. It was really neat to see.

Click on the photo to see the larger size.

pearl paint and colorful art

2010-01-16T18:45:00.007-05:00

Gene & I took a ride into Cambridge today to go to Pearl Paint. I found out about the store from reading Kelly's blog. I feel like I live in a cave cause I had no idea this great resource existed. Where has this store been all my life. The best thing was everything in the store was 60% off! I found out that this store has 16 locations nationwide but they are closing 8 of them, the Cambridge store isn't closing though, yipee!

Here are the goodies we came home with.

When we were going to the store we had to walk thru this alley way that was covered with wonderful, colorful art.

There was also this fantastic mural on the building next to the parking lot.

All in all a great, fun, relaxing day with my darling!

another page

2010-01-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

had a rough day and needed a creative outlet

journal pages

2010-01-05T19:39:00.006-05:00

I currently am working in 3 different journals. I thought it was about time to share some of the pages.
These pages are from the smallest journal I am working in. It is a black board book, I painted the pages and I really like the darker pages.

My affair with photography

2009-12-31T06:03:00.006-05:00

I have had a wonderful affair with photography since I got my first camera when I was 9. It was a Kodak Instamatic and used 126 film. I loved that camera! I thought I was sooooo cool because I had a camera.
Most of my childhood memories were captured by my Dad and his Polaroid. It was always cool to be the kid picked to hold the polaroid while it developed and then give it back to Dad so he could peel it apart.
I remember how grown up I felt when my sister Christy gave me her old Vivitar 110. I thought that was such a fancy camera, I still have photos I took with that camera.
In junior high art class I was gently brought into the wonderful world of 35mm. There was no looking back after that. My Mom and Dad got me a great 35mm camera for my high school graduation, my prized Minolta.
I used that camera for countless rolls of film in college and took over Dad's roll of photo documentor of all family events. I now have at least 3 plastic totes in the basement of photos from all those years of film.
Then came the age of digital. Oh the technology. No more film, no more wasted shots, and wow, editing on the computer. I am now on my 4th digital camera. Started out with a Polaroid pdc640, it had an amazing .3 megapixel! Hmmmm how did we progress back to Polaroid! Then we upgraded to a Fuji FinePix A250, with an outstanding 2 megapixels (hmm, no photo available for this one). This camera actually had a screen on the back and you could view the photo instantly! Oh, be still my heart! I then moved onto a lovely Olympus, still point and shot but *gasp* it records video with sound! Oh, the advancements in technology! the other thing about the Olympus (I still use this camera at family parties so I can use the video portion) is that it had more of the look of a 35mm camera and felt like a "real" camera to me.
This past summer I got the camera I had been lusting over for several years, my Canon Rebel DSLR. Oh how I love this camera. The biggest thing I realized when I first started using this camera however, was that I had lost a lot of my photography skills due to using point and shoot cameras for several years. I had to do a review of depth of field and exposure and apature settings.... Yikes, how quickly we lose knowledge when we don't use it. So now I am still practicing with all the nuts and bolts of photo techniques again.
Please don't get me wrong, I still (in my humble opinion) took really great photos with the point and shoot cameras and the three photos I won awards with were from my Olympus. I think if you have an eye for photography it doesn't matter what camera you use, you will still get good photos.
So now, my latest adventure in the amazing world of photography is with a Holga. A Holga is a plastic fixed lens camera that uses 120 film and can use 35mm film. I got intrigued after seeing photos on various websites from this type of camera. So, of course I had to get one. I shot my first roll over the last few weeks and got it developed last week. I used 35mm B&W film because I had a roll on hand and I couldn't wait for the 120 film to arrive in the mail. I like the basic techniques of this camera. The Holga is well known for it's grainy photos and most of these cameras have light leaks and yes this is on purpose. I like how the photos look old and nostalgic. It was fun to use B&W film again. I didn't have to worry about colors clashing! So, I thought I'd share my first photos. I now have my 120 film and will be working with that soon.

So, that is my self-serving diatribe about my love of photography. It is part of who I am. I am that annoying relative always saying "let's take a picture" at family get togethers. I have finally gotten a lot of confidence in my photography and don't care if anyone "likes" my photos anymore. I just love taking them and that is my gift to myself.

Christmas gift and Kelly Kilmer class

2009-12-29T06:58:00.007-05:00

Well the holidays are done and I am hoping things will settle down and get back to a "normal" routine.
I wanted to share the wonderful gift I received from my bestest friend Carrie. Carrie and I have been friends since high school and have stayed in touch all these years and visited each other even though we live in different states. Carrie sent me a wonderful, hand crafted clock that she made. I love it for it's beauty and I love it because she thought enough to make it herself just for me. I will treasure it always. Thank you my friend!

On Sunday I took another of Kelly Kilmer's wonderful classes. The class was titled "Bloom". We bound a paper journal from scratch and then worked on painting and collaging the pages. I always enjoy Kelly's classes tremendously. Kelly is such a great teacher and I always feel encouraged and motivated in her presence. Below are some photos of my journal. It is the largest I have made so far and I look forward to filling it!

Bazaar Bizarre Boston (BazBizBos)

2009-12-16T05:56:00.004-05:00

Sunday December 6th dawned cold and clear. No sign at my house of the snow that hit other areas. No matter.... I was determined to go to the BazBizBos regardless of what mother nature had in mind. The BazBizBos is an annual crafters fair, this year being held at the Cyclorama in Boston. This was my second year to go and I am hooked. It is well worth paying a bit more for admission to get a ticket for the early bird shopping. You get to go in and shop with only 99 other people from 11-12. The doors open to the general public at 12. Beleive me the crowd that gathers is HUGE, we are talking thousands of people.
After doing my usual prep for driving somewhere I haven't been before (maps, directions, google earth views, charged cell phone) I headed out. The ride was very very easy and I shouldn't have been at all concerned. But I am a novice when it comes to driving in Boston. Put me on the T and I can go anywhere with confidence...put me behind the wheel and I tend to be a bundle of nerves. Well I made it fine, found the parking garage and was only 45 mins early!
The doors opened and all the early birds headed in with excitement but orderly. The main reason I love this bazarre is the creativity of the crafters. It isn't your typical craft fair with conservative items my by granny types. These are hip, young crafters pushing the limits of their selected mediums and having a blast doing it.
I don't usually buy a ton of stuff. While I am admitted shopping fiend, I love to go and just enjoy the creativity that is abundant there. It gives me inspiration to try things in my own art because I see others thinking outside the box.
After I shopped and browsed I headed out for a stroll over to a store called The Paper Source. I have been wanting to check this store out for awhile but the only locations here are in the city. Soooo, I walk over and have a great time browsing but alas don't make any purchases. Don't get me wrong, they have wonderful things and a HUGE selection of great papers....but it seems it is the same stuff I have seen online and at other stores before. Still worth the walk and browsing is never bad.
I also was trying out a new camera that day. I purchased a Holga plastic fixed lens camera. This camera is used to practice what is called Lomography. It is nice using such a simple basic camera sometimes and creating interesting photos with out the use of electronics. Still have to get the film developed, can't wait to see what I made!
The only snag I had is that when I prepped my directions for my excursion, I didn't think to do some for when I had to go home.... The street I came to the location on was one way so I wasn't able to just go back the way I had come which is my usually departure plan. Soooo, I let intuition be my guide and held my panic in check and low and behold made all the right choices and found my way to Comm Ave which led me right back to the highway and my escape route. Thank you travel gods for your guidance!

Here are photos of my BazBizBoz purchases:

journal photos

2009-11-27T17:07:00.004-05:00

I completed constructing the first journal using the one of the embossed copper panels I made. I am mailing this off to a friend tomorrow.

Collage, wonderful collage

2009-11-20T06:32:00.007-05:00

I took a wonderful collage class last night at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury with Marie Zaccagnini. Marie is a wonderful and talented teacher who inspires your creativity. We started out with painting techniques using acrylic paints, gel medium and water color crayons. It was fun playing with the colors and those water color crayons are AWESOME. (hmmmm, perhaps some might find their way into my stash for christmas)

After we painted our pages we practiced collage layouts. I always have a blast choosing focal images and trying out different compositions. I had such a great time and learned lots and increased my collage/journaling confidence. Thanks Marie!

testing my metal

2009-11-08T16:41:00.005-05:00

Haven't posted in a while. I took a second class at the Scrapbook Cupboard in E Bridgewater a few weekends ago. This class was to learn more techniques working with metal.
So I had some time yesterday to play around. I made two metal panels that I will be using on journal covers.
I had fun and think they came out really good.

On this panel I used an old key I found while digging in the garden a few years ago. I just did random positioning and then used some blue and purple inks to lightly highlight the sanded areas.

This small panel was done using a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I don't have a Cuttlebug machine so I just used a rolling pin and it worked fine.

I will post photos of the completed journals when they are done.

Metal Bound Journal

2009-09-22T06:02:00.006-04:00

I took a really fun class at Scrapbook Cupboard taught by Kim Parkinson.
I had such a great time. We embosed metal and then used it to assemble a journal. We used 6 techniques to decorate the pages and prepare them for journaling.

It was so awesome to get my hands all paint covered and just be able to create with abandon.

Marshfield Fair

2009-08-30T12:46:00.007-04:00

Gene and I made our annual trip to the Marshfield Fair and had a good time. I love seeing all the animals at the fair and watching the people. Thought I would share some of the photos I took.

This cow was too funny, I have no idea why it was doing that with it's tongue. Sorry it's sideways... couldn't get it to post the right way.

after the rain

2009-08-10T20:26:00.002-04:00

lots of pics of my flowers after a night of rain....

Scanner Art

2009-08-09T07:20:00.006-04:00

I came across an art group recently that provides ideas and techniques to keep one motivated and trying new things in art. It is called Art from the Heart. It has tons of ideas and resources and videos...
The August challenge is Scanner Art... making art on your flatbed scanner. I was very intrigued by this concept. I made a few scans this morning which I have posted below. I think I will be doing more of these...

I call this one "Reluctance".... Wicketts was a reluctant participant.

flowers flowers flowers

2009-08-04T09:06:00.005-04:00

I love how the blossoms look before they open, all curly.

Lovely dark purple.

I just loved the color of these and the darker pink border on the flowers.

Here are some random pics of my nastursiums. I grow them every year and try to find lots of different colored varieties.

Egrets, I've seen a few...

2009-06-25T07:24:00.002-04:00

Gene and I went out for a ride to the local Audobon sanctuary for a plant sale and saw this lovely site at the North River in Marshfield. Very neat to see two different types of Egrets together and so many too! I am hoping the stoopid rain will go away this weekend because I want and need to satisfy my photo urges.

click on the photo to see the large size

Tulips are my most favorite of all flowers!

2009-05-11T22:31:00.002-04:00

Finally a sunny day so I could take some nice shots of the tulips and just in time because all the wind we got the next day blew most of the petals off them.

Even though I was tired after working and then grocery shopping today I still planted my seeds in my own little garden tonite. It's not a very big garden but it is all mine and I love it! I planted tons of nasturtiums, morning glories and moon flowers! I have some more seeds to plant but they can wait until the weekend. I soooo love to dig in the dirt!

wonderful spring

2009-04-28T16:13:00.004-04:00

Gene and I went to the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary for a walk and to enjoy the lovely weather that has finally arrived. Lots of bird life around. We saw barn swallows and purple martins and canada geese.... lots and lots of canada geese! oh and turtles too!!

Beautiful yellow flowers!

all those brown blobs are geese! there were soooo many! Click on the photo to see the big size.

The turkies I work with!

2009-04-21T12:05:00.003-04:00

I took this photo this morning from inside the cafeteria at work. It's nice to see the wildlife around us.

Creating is Fun!

2009-03-30T22:01:00.005-04:00

I took a really fun class on Saturday at the Stamp Act store in Marshfield. Stacey Rich from StaceyStamps was the instructor. She taught us 5 different techniques for using colored pencils. It was so nice to go to the class and just be there to create. Here are photos of the cards I made.

Stacey had the stamped images ready for us. The images are from her line of stamps.

it felt like spring this weekend

2009-03-08T22:31:00.004-04:00

The weather was just fantastic this weekend. Such a nice break from all the snow and ice we have had this winter. We actually sat out in the lawn chairs in the sun for a bit on Saturday. Since I have been helping my sister move the last few Saturday's, Gene kidnapped me today and we went out for a nice ride and to do some photography. I haven't had much play time with the new camera so it was a great treat today. I got some great shots at the grist mill pond.

Canada Goose

Wood Duck

Then we went out to Middleboro so I could practice with shutter speeds and iso levels by taking photos of moving water.

Slow Shutter Speed

Fast Shutter Speed

I was surprised how much of my SLR skills I have lost using point and shoot digital for the last few years... I am going to have to practice more and do some reading.

Lovely birds.....

2009-02-16T14:45:00.004-05:00

Was able to go out for a nice ride yesterday and enjoy the sunshine and bright blue sky. It was really pleasant out. A little cold, but nice to see the snow going away.

Got some good photos while out and about.

We saw three red tail hawks soaring togehter. One flew right over my head.

Got some good shots of some Eiders in the Cape Cod Canal too.

FINALLY

2009-02-02T07:18:00.004-05:00

Seems like I haven't had much time for creating the last few weeks... and I really miss it. Just a few more priority issues to get thru and then I can do me stuff again. I got out yesterday to try out my new pride and joy....
Here are a few photos I got... I have some learning to do still but that is part of the fun.

can you say camouflage?

2009-01-10T19:13:00.005-05:00

Went to Plymouth Beach this morning to enjoy our coffee and the bright sun and blue sky before the impending storm is due tonite. I love the beach at winter. The tide was astronomically high this morning. Not too many birds around... the usual gulls and some crows. Whenever we go to the beach I have to open my window so I can hear the waves... to me it isn't the beach without the waves. It has been very cold and there were chunks of sea ice washing onto the beach. When we were leaving the beach I was looking at the dune/grass area and fresh water stream, not looking for anything specific but just looking....

I took a photo of something that I spotted..... can you see it?

Here is a closer shot.... It is a Dark Crowned Night Heron...he was fishing for his breakfast.

It is so amazing what is right in front of us...all we have to do is look.

Here birdie birdie....

2009-01-07T10:34:00.006-05:00

It is really rather amazing how many birds you can see in your own yard if you just offer them a little food and water. We had a new visitor to our feeders this weekend. The Pine Siskin.... a cute little bird that summers in western canada and alaska...it's amazing to think how far those birds can fly.

I got a couple of photos... they aren't the best but they do so the yellow markings good.

What a way to start the new year....

2009-01-03T17:34:00.002-05:00

Gene and I got up a bit early on New Year's Day and decided to go get some coffee and then go to Nelson Beach and enjoy the cold but beautiful morning.... as we were leaving the house, Gene says to me "why don't you bring your camera?" I replied, "nah"... Next time I will definately grab the camera on the way out the door.

We get to Nelson Beach and it is lovely in a cold, frozen New England coast sort of way. We are looking around and notice a really large bird at the water line eating something... It is dark colored and got us very curious...so after much digging around behind the seat looking for binoculars and breaking a nail in the process.... We check it out and isn't is an immature Bald Eagle.... he/she was eating a duck.

Totally amazing and I think a good omen for the New Year. That'll teach me not to take 2 seconds and grab the camera.

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T11:33:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Gene and I had a very nice one. We wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year for 2009.

I am looking forward to exploring art some more. Hoping now that the holidays are done I will be more motivated to work on stuff for me.

I have two exciting things coming up in January. On Jan 16th I am going to see Medium/Clairvoyant Lisa Williams at the Wilbur Theater in Boston. That should be a great event. My bestest friend in Ohio went to see her and said she is just awesome. I have enjoyed her shows on Lifetime and have one of her meditation CD's.

Then, on Jan 17th I have signed up for another workshop at The Art Complex in Duxbury. "Thinking Inside the Box"Create a personal shrine ('reliquary') in this fun and informative workshop! We will look at work from the Artists and Books show, as well as a presentation about artist Joseph Cornell, to inspire and instruct. Bring your own personal relics and objects; we will provide everything else. I am looking forward to this a lot. I love their workshops and like that they are a bit more affordable than some I have seen around.

I will be sure to post photos of whatever I create.

Happy New Year!

Fantastic birds!

2008-11-29T16:25:00.003-05:00

Been awhile since my last post... If I don't post often, it is just because nothing blog worthy is happening... don't want to post about the everyday stuff we all deal with....

After enjoying a lovely turkey dinner with the family we thought we would do some bird watching on Friday. We went out to Duxbury Beach in search of Snowy Owls. We had taken an Audubon excursion there looking for owls last winter but did not see any. Gene saw several posts on the massbird.org posts the last few weeks and people were reporting seeing owls out on the beach. So, we said 'what the heck, even if we don't see any, it's still a nice ride'. Well suffice it to say we were not dissappointed! We saw FOUR snowy owls. Such incredible, beautiful birds. Another one of those once in a lifetime experiences we won't forget. It was a good birding day all around. We also saw two flocks of Snow Buntings for the first time. Other birds we saw were a King Fisher, Northern Flicker, Gadwalls, Swans, Eiders and American Black Ducks and got excellent up close photos of a Great Blue Heron.... very good birding day indeed....
and of course here are some photos.

not too much going on

2008-11-09T23:05:00.004-05:00

a much quieter weekend. enjoyed the lovely, mild temps too. went for a nice trip to plymouth beach this am. it is so nice there. we love hearing the whoosh of the waves and see the people playing with their dogs. the tide was very high this am so no beach to really take a long walk on. we drove out as far as we can. saw quite a few birds. feeling relaxed and rested....

i think this is a Greater Yellow Legs

this is a Great Blue Heron hunting for his breakfast

my weekend activities

2008-11-04T06:35:00.005-05:00

I had a busy weekend but it was all fun stuff. Saturday I volunteered with Mass Audubon at their Farm Day event at the Daniel Webster Sanctuary in Marshfield. The weather was great and lots of families came out to enjoy the activities. I especially wanted to do this event because my dad and his family had actually lived and worked the actual farm that used to be on this property. It felt great being someplace that had meaning to me. I know Dad would like that connection too.
Here are a few photos of the animals.

On Sunday I took my second workshop at The Art Complex in Duxbury. It was making an altered book. But what is an Altered Book you ask? It is any book, old or new that has been recycled by creative means into a work of art. They can be ... rebound, painted, cut, burned, folded, added to, collaged in, gold-leafed, rubber stamped, drilled or otherwise adorned ... and yes! It is legal!

I had a great time and it was lots of fun. I enjoy these workshops because it allows me lots of space to work, to use materials I don't have at home and the general feeling of creativity by a group of people coming together for the same reason... to just create. I will be looking for more workshops in the future.

Of course here are some photos of what I did to the book I am working on.

Book of the Spirit workshop

2008-10-29T09:08:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday I attended this great workshop at The Art Complex. It was a lovely fall day and a great way to enjoy a little nature and a little creativity.

We started out listening to the artist explain her works on her Spirit Books. She has created over 30 of these artist books over a 13 year period. It was interesting hearing about her process.

The first step in the class was to go outside and pick up natural items to use in our books. I brought back leaves, sticks, seed pods, pine cones and tree bark. We then learned how to make the pages of the book using handmade paper called daphne paper.It was really neat using handmade paper. The texture was so different from regular papers and there were lots of fibers etc from the plants that made interesting patterns. After putting together the pages of the books, we then used the natural materials we gathered along with rubber stamps, beads, shells and other craft materials to adorn the pages.

I have more to add to my book. That is one of my favorite things about classes like this...the enjoyment isn't over when the class is.

I have some birch bark I am planning on using to make a cover for the book. I will probably do that last as the bark can be fragile. I am curious to see how the book will change as the leaves etc dry and age.

Looking forward to my next class coming up on Nov 2nd. In that class we will be taking an old book and altering it. Much fun.

Here are photos of the pages I did so far.

a calming, peaceful walk

2008-10-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

At times I find a need to do something calming for my spirit. I sometimes do meditation. Other times I like to be outside for this. I love the idea of the labyrinth.

"We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path.

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within."

Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out.

A labyrinth has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again.

A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. With a labyrinth there is only one choice to be made. The choice is to enter or not. A more passive, receptive mindset is needed. The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.

At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are." from http://www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm

I found out that a local church has a labyrinth and I have walked it several times. I find it calms me and helps me put my focus back on the right path.

a fantastic day!

2008-10-18T09:03:00.006-04:00

Gene and I went out wandering today to get away from the roofers. We wound up at a nice audubon sanctuary. We had a great stroll and did something incredible... we hand fed birds in the woods... it was amazingly cool. Someone had trained the birds and all you have to do is hold your handout with some sunflower seeds and they come right to you.... I am still thrilled by the whole thing! I want to train our birds that come to our feeders now.

A fun outing

2008-10-16T21:01:00.001-04:00

I went to The Art Complex Museum on Wednesday and had a great visit. I attended a lecture on the history of artist books. It was very interesting and I learned allot. The artist book exhibit was fantastic! I was so inspired and hope that some day I can get even a tiny bit of the talent the artists had. These are some photos from the website of The Art Complex Museum.

I got some handouts with websites that are focused on artist books.

Boekiewoekie

The Book Arts Web

Boston Book Arts

Granary Book

Vamp&Tramp

I really can't wait now to take my two workshops that are coming up!

noisy vacation

2008-10-14T18:52:00.001-04:00

Well, I am on vacation this week. The weather has been very nice so far, so I can't complain about that. So wouldn't you know that this would be the week the property management decides to do some major repairs on the building. The replaced a window on Sunday in our upstairs neighbors apt... bang, bang, bang all day. Then they replaced our bathroom window yesterday.... bang, hammer, saw, drill...stomping in and out...all day long..poor kitty had to hide behind the couch all day... and today, don't ya know they started on the roof.... who knew I would have to check with someone if I wanted peace and quite.... geeze, they do nothing for the 8 years we have been here and now they are doing it all in one week.
oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes.
I do have some lovely photos to share.... a beautiful monarch butterfly on my nasturtiums! What joy and beauty!

a glorious day

2008-10-11T15:58:00.003-04:00

I love this time of year and the weather has been terrific the last few days. Crystal clear blue skies, light breezes, crunching leaves, busy birds and squirrels.... just wonderful.
DH and I woke up extremely early this am and went to the beach and watched the sun come up. We took a short walk and took a few photos... It was a great way to start the day as well as my vacation.We will most likely have a nice campfire tonite and enjoy the stars.
I hope to work on some art projects this week while I am off work. I will post photos of anything i come up with.
Here are a couple of photos from this morning....

goodies

2008-10-08T20:27:00.000-04:00

I got the gesso I needed, YIPPEE and.... it was on the clearance table marked 1/2 off! I also got some alcohol inks and supplies to try. I saw Tim Holtz on one of the craft shows on HGTV the other day and wanted to try them. Boy are they pricey. Luckily I had a 55% off one regular priced item coupon I used. Now I just have to find some glossy card stock to try it out on.....Perhaps over the weekend I can find some. Am anxious to try some for backgrounds and put some in my artist book. The demo looked great. I was surprised how many different surfaces they could be used on.

funday monday

2008-10-06T12:32:00.001-04:00

just so you know... my least favorite day of the week is Monday... i am not a morning person and Monday mornings area especially yucky.

weekend was good... friday nite dh and i had a great little fire in the fire pit... a great way to end the week. the weather was great on saturday... took the day to just chill. i made 4 atc cards for a swap-bot swap. dh was outside doing yardwork and i didn't feel a bit guilty about not helping.

i was very pleased with the cards i made. it felt good to be playing around... i must get some gesso though... for other projects i want to do.

sunday was chore day and i did laundry and picked up around the house. watched the movie "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". it was really good and we enjoyed it.

back to the work grind, ugh...

next week i am going to the Art Complex in Duxbury to see a exhibit of Artist Books and a exhibit of glass. looking forward to that alot. i am sure it will be great.

i guess that's all the excitement for today....

here it goes

2008-10-03T11:09:00.001-04:00

Well, I have tried doing blogs before and tend not to stick with them. I wanted to have a place to put some things into words that I have trouble working out in my head. Maybe I will stick with it this time.

I am struggling with making time to create things.... when I am at work all day, all I think of is wanting to be home doing artsy stuff....then by the time I get home at nite I don't make the time. My goal is to start making time. I am missing getting my hands all covered in ink and glue and paint. One stumbling block for me is the small space available at home.

I have signed up for two workshops at a local art complex. The first one is called Book of the Spirit by Susan Gaylord and the other is called Altered Books with Bryson Dean. I am really looking forward to going to them. I have been enjoying adding to my book that I made at the Kelly Kilmer workshop I attended in August. I have also been having fun making altered bottlecaps.