Potent Quotable, 1-29-12
Posted: January 29, 2012 Filed under: Pets, Quotes 2 Comments »What! You too! I though I was the only one! -C. S. Lewis
The only way to have a friend is to be one. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bibbs chose Marlo to be her friend, from the very first day we had her. When we were driving home, after picking her up at the shelter, she was in a carrier on my lap meowing and carrying on something terrible. But the minute I put her in the back seat, next to Marlo she was content and even started purring. Its been that way ever since.
Marlo, on the other hand, refuses to return any affection. She snubs her, tolerates her. But Bibby is perfectly okay with their level of friendship and cherishes Marlo’s companionship.
Words from a 3 year old who knows his own mind
Posted: January 25, 2012 Filed under: Grandbaby!, Happy things 7 Comments »After having fun grinding salt and pepper over his mashed potatoes:
“I don’t like those, they are too tasty!”
While giving me a tour of their soon to be home, and his mom calls him because its time to leave:
“Can’t you see were talking here!”
I’m reading him a dinosaur story book, and he sees one of those flying bird dinosaurs:
“That’s a pterodactyl, a flying reptile.”
We are talking about dinosaurs, and I ask him if he would like me to make him a dinosaur quilt…
“Yes, and we can make a fort with it. Let’s do it right now, can we use this chair, Grandma?”
After refusing to give his Aunt Steph a hug and kiss goodbye, I ask him why he won’t:
“Because I’m too dirty, I need a bath to get nice and shiny again.”
Going down the basement steps with a flashlight in his hand, and Marlo, our dog, is following him:
Don’t worry Marlo, I’m your protector, I have a light.”
Caught during a stream of talk, going from one subject to another without a pause:
“I want a baby, Grandma. A real baby, not a fake one.”
After his dad warns him not to do something. His mom had just explained to him, a day or two before, that dad isn’t yelling at him… he just has a big strong voice that can, evidently, be a little scary:
“Daddy, we’ve talked about your voice before!”
If he said this once, he has said it a hundred times:
“I can do it myself!”
While him and I are sitting on the floor, putting together a puzzle, he looks at me with a big smile and says:
“Grandma, this is so fun. I love doing puzzles with you.”
Abstract
Posted: January 24, 2012 Filed under: 2012 Count Up, Quotes, What I've been doing 8 Comments »In one of the groups I belong to (212 Fiber Artists), the challenge was issued to create a piece of art using a limited color palette. And within that palette use 70 percent of one color, 30 percent of another, and 10 percent using any of the remaining colors. In addition the piece had to be attached to a painted canvas. Inspiration struck this weekend…and I finished my challenge piece. 
Although it was a lot of fun playing with color and shapes and balance and repetition, I found myself sitting back and asking what this abstraction says to me… deriving some meaning and connection to it after it was finished. I decided to title it, “Listen”. And then, I found this quote:
Potent Quotable, 1-22-12
Posted: January 22, 2012 Filed under: Quotes 6 Comments »Nesting in January:
“I enjoy doing housework, ironing, washing, cooking, dishwashing. Whenever I get one of those questionnaires and they ask what is your profession, I always put down housewife. It’s an admirable profession, why apologize for it. You aren’t stupid because you’re a housewife. When you’re stirring the jam you can read Shakespeare.” ~ Tasha Tudor
Takes courage to label oneself as a housewife in this day and age! Would you be able to proudly say housewife? I probably would not, even though I feel one of the most important contributions I make is caring for my people and environment. (At times, done well, at times NOT!)
I found this quote at The Quiet Home , a blog from Scotland I enjoy reading.
Alexandria, Virginia
Posted: January 20, 2012 Filed under: Virginia 1 Comment »Yes….still talking about our visit to Virginia at the end of December!
One of my favorite places in Alexandria is the Torpedo Factory:
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After we arrived, Kevin said he felt “duped” into going there….being a history buff, he expected an actual torpedo factory/museum. But in the end, I think Kevin enjoyed this place. Lisa and I didn’t purposely mislead the guys, honest. But the Torpedo Factory is an art community housed in an old torpedo factory. Individual artists have studio space with huge windows that look out to the Potomac River, or into the heart of Alexandria. The individual studio spaces are divided: a work area and a gallery/display area…if an artist was working, his door was open…we could walk in, view her work, engage in conversation, watch her process and purchase art directly from the artist. 
The interior of the building was filled with colorful bright murals…..
Artwork was everywhere…
That was a warning sign for these:
Photos of art and individual studios were prohibited, but visit their website, here.
Photo credits: Kevin—thank you for being the official photographer in Alexandria, your photos are great!
My next and last (I think) Virginia post is in the works….have a great weekend!
Doings….1/18/12
Posted: January 18, 2012 Filed under: Stitch 5 Comments »I’ve resurrected a few unfinished things, that I’m happy to work on again. These days, I’m busy with a couple of non-art projects, so its great to have something to pick up and work on whenever a spare moment presents itself. Flowers are always a good starting point for me…..comfort zone:
More January color therapy:
Potent Quotable, 1-15-12
Posted: January 15, 2012 Filed under: Quotes 2 Comments »
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” -Elisabeth Kubler- Ross
I am fortunate to have many beautiful people in my life! I hope you do too!
Thank you Leslie for this quote.
Thank you Kelly for starting the Sunday Potent Quote meme. I have been quoting along with her for one year now!
Front Royal, VA…
Posted: January 14, 2012 Filed under: Virginia 4 Comments »One sunny afternoon, while in Virginia, we toured Front Royal…Cam and Lisa’s home town.
This quaint and quiet little town is teeming with history, particularly Civil War history.
And to walk through old town feels like stepping back in time Front Royal had a ghostly, abandoned feeling…..at least these images were what I was attracted to.
Here is a little photo tour of one of my favorites places in Front Royal, an overgrown boxwood maze garden:
Did you see the beauty of the boxwoods…or did the scent of them send you running? I am not particularly sensitive to their smell…but I know some(one) would be overcome (CK).
Lisa has some great shots of the boxwood gardens and more, here.
Thanks for going on our mini tour
Have a good Saturday!
Virginia critters
Posted: January 12, 2012 Filed under: Virginia 4 Comments »A visit to Virginia is guaranteed to have lots of critters to admire and love….they are attracted to Lisa, they know her heart and home are open and ready to care for them:
Meet Pudg, the 40 pound, 9 month old beaver…….despite his independent aspirations, he depends on his mom, Lisa, for at least another year:
This is Casey, the kitten that was living on rat poison until Lisa took him in….he is a handsome and sweet boy, full of mischief, teasing and pestering……
And this is Poppet, the kitty with a neurological problem that gives her the “bobbles”. She is my favorite, she is an opportunistic lap sitter…..and was quite happy with all of us visiting:
We walked the trail going through Luray and came across this sweet baby:
And interrupted a game of Duck, Duck, Goose:
Stay tuned for more photos of beautiful Virginia….
What doings….
Posted: January 11, 2012 Filed under: Patchwork, Running with Scissors 5 Comments »I’m working on a collaboration project for my group “Running with Scissors”, a quilt to donate to a charity…Safe House. In December, the call was put out for wonky striped 18 inch blocks in red and white, . The response from our group members was instant…..here are the most of the blocks auditioned on the kitchen floor:
Today, Patrice came over and we worked on our plan….cut each of these large squares into 4 smaller ones and see if we have enough. Here is the result….taaadaaaa…..
Much more interesting, wouldn’t you agree??? Patrice and I will add a few more blocks, grow it into a twin size. We’ll definitely include a few more diagonal ones….we just love surprise and movement of the diagonal squares mixed in. (My friend Kat claimed she didn’t read the directions and mistakenly made diagonally set squares…but I think it was instinct, she knew we needed these!)
Here is something Jackie made for her friend Alicia, a birthday present….using some of my screen printed fabric, stencils and paint on a canvas……
And, ain’t that the truth!
Next day or two…photos from Virginia.
