surf dyeing (with jellyfish)

This turned out to be much more of a symbolic gesture rather than the dye fest I had planned. Although the sun was strong so, was the wind and temperatures were probably not optimal for good results. The water was warm enough for me to go swimming but the jellyfish wandering about (they seemed to follow me) put that notion on hold. Once I brought the cloth back up to the beach I spread it out, sprinkled it with a little soda ash and added a little dye concentrate already in solution (dye powder would have been impossible in the wind). To my horror - and where was my brain?- much of it went straight into the sugar white sand below. I quickly rolled up the cloth, sand, dye and all and stuffed it into a baggie. Then another baggie just for more stained sand. Didn't want to be lynched by the locals. Still, with more planning and warmer conditions, I want to give this another chance. Results? Tomorrow after I unpack.

to the beach!!

Destin, Florida...my fans await me!

packing....

the things you find when you pick up the studio!

I'll take this along and stake it out in the surf and see what becomes of it. 

dazzled

It's been a long time since I was stupefied by a blank canvas. Time was I worked on really large canvases with acrylic - hammered the wood, stretched and gessoed the canvas myself. All that preparation gave me time to think, from a distance, about what would come next so I don't remember getting the willies over acres of nothingness.


This is something else.
A big box of vintage cloth arrived yesterday courtesy of my scout, Grace of the American West (who called her that? How appropriate). Colin helped me unfurl one last night and Jim estimated it to be 120" square. Shimmering.

As I sat and went through all the pieces this morning in the sunlight the stillness set in. What more could I do? What shades and hue? The hubris of my plans appalls me, yet the subversive witch cackles, rubs her paws together and daydreams in butternut and violet, storm gray and moss, blood orange and peaches.

If it wasn't for my GoodMan, I'd take the veil.

monday, monday

I long to just sit down with this and focus on it for a while, as unfocused as I feel it's become, but it's a Monday full of chores and obligations - the usual boring stuff we all have to deal with.

I've decided to take on the Excess in my life starting with my walk-in closet. There will be NO pictures. So far, two bags for the trash and two for the Goodwill- it's time I gave back some of what I've taken out of there.

sunday prayer flags

that's EQ5 above and EQ6 below


I love it when solutions, or just new ideas, come in dreams.

these are three of the cloth burritos quick stitched into prayer flags and strung in my crepe myrtle grove out front. My dog walking neighbors thought I was taking a novel approach to decorating for Halloween....

I machine basted them to cotton strips just so people could get a better idea of just what was in one of those rolls. Scale is still an issue...most of these pieces are 7 to10 inches wide.

one of the October burritos....they are down now, safely back in the house.

a book arrived yesterday..I leafed through it a bit and am kind of afraid to read closely, sponge brained as I am...

store update

October Burritos (3)

I've just spent the morning adding some of the fall equinox fabrics to the store...why is it that there are still heaps and stacks of fabric all over the  place?
I suspect they are breeding like bunnies.

For those who might wonder about the price increases, these new cloth burritos are bigger than the ones I have sold in the past. 

Back to work, cloth woman!

Super textures (2)

homecoming

The mailman delivered two quilts yesterday.


I had forgotten "Up on Wheels" and "Roadkill" were traveling!! I absolutely have to update my website if for no other reason than tracking the travels of pieces.

All I know for sure is that they were included in a special exhibit at one of the Mancuso shows. Annie Copeland asked me to select two from my gallery months ago. I have to go get some rods and put these up on the walls - I need these colors in my eye especially this time of year

the invisibility cloak

Here's an update on my project for Jude's Magic Cloth Diaries online class,

warming up for Halloween

proceeds of the day

terrible light, this little task lamp but you get the drift. If there's any sun at all tomorrow I'm going to reshoot these in groups, take out a precious few to keep and get the rest ready to sell in the store.

they are so soft and full of texture

another run at the colors

I'm taking advantage of the warm temps to squeeze in one more outdoor dye fest. Got the dyes out of the fridge early and letting them get up to temp before I have to go online this afternoon...hurry hurry....I hate it but, oh well. tomorrow..thunderstorms followed by cold air.

Jimmy looked around the studio this morning and said
"speaking of hoarders.."  yes, yes, I know. I have to let some of these go soon.

For my birthday, Jim and the boys gave me my first laptop. I've been shopping online for weeks but had to go put "hands on" yesterday and came home with this nifty Acer Aspire.

It was a great buy and does things I couldn't imagine. The old monster box in the living room was built in the stone ages (2005) and has been sounding like a guinea pig given birth. It's headed for it's last round up and has given faithful, solid service but it's days are numbered. Now all I have to do is figure our replacements for all the old, outdated software that I'm so used to.

this is my idea of interior decorating.

Everyone has called and sung me...

 ..."Happy birthday Mrs. Hood..."

Here I am sitting in the almost dark, waiting with my coffee for the sun to come through the front door and light up the room so I can stitch a while. It's chilly but worth the wait. It's my birthday...today I give cats their worm pills! Yee ha!