Some Blog Updates...

    Blogging is motivating to craft and share. It is also record keeping; and I can return to posts for information. I have some updates here.

     On Valentine's eve, Joe and I attended the reception for Winter Break! at University Place in Cambridge, saw painting friends from years ago and picked up Books 'N Laps (see August 29 post). The book club painting finally goes to a new home this week!

     February 14 is Erika's birthday so I made her a soft card. Previously quilts, this time the "card" is soft sculpture, to go with the chef's birthday gift of marble board and rolling pin. Hooked on a Netflix Spanish movie, VELVET, I could binge watch the show guilt-free while embroidering. There is room for Erika to sew well. She closely examined how I had made the rolling pin which pleased me. I stuffed a stitched rectangle for the tube, gathered little stitches at the ends of the stuffed tube to insert the simple handles which I had distractedly shaped backward

    Assigned the birthday cake for the family party, I Googled an easy vanilla cake with chocolate fudge icing at Errenskitchen.com. Beautiful, it fit Erika's order for vanilla cake/chocolate icing. I had to borrow the 8" cake pans and cake decorating spatula or palette knife. Must get because I will make again. Those sculptural  fudge roses were an easy circular swirl explained by Erren at her blog!
Click to enlarge photos.

     Back to Serial Selfies (see February 5 post) chosen for the juried Unconventional Means with some photo updates here. I learned new techniques from theother entries at the show. I'm pleased that CAA publishes a book at Blurb for documenting the show. I ordered the $15 book on-line, because the Unconventional Means was provocative. Mine was an unconventional presentation.You had to hold and touch the paintings to see them all. Not the usual in museums or art shows.










     Adding chocolate paint (fudge influence) , I focused the "yellow house" on the frame for Cacophony (see June 23, 2015, formerly Family Portrait) The painting was fortunate to get in the juried Small Works at the Chandler Gallery in Cambridge. More on that to come, but I like how the frame improved!...Now to think of a painting for a Truth to Power show and another for the Selfish competition. Time flies!

Blue for Books N Laps, The Wave, and Summer's loss

     Blue is the theme this month. I started a painting of a swimming group that also became a beloved book group, Books 'N Laps. How could I organize eleven people on a canvas. I laid down some blue for the exercise pool and started painting the book lovers without a composition in sight. I am till thinking, but it is the end of the month and time to post.  The history of Books 'N Laps: I once asked Martha if she swims. Had I heard of Esther Williams? We went to the pool to find it filled with exercisers. Water aerobics seemed like sissy stuff compared to laps, but we joined the group. It was not limp, but solid exercise. Later in the dressing room, when Edith responded "It is I" to me, I thought:  a good English teacher who could lead us in a book group as well. I chose the name Books 'N Laps. Many fine times, celebrations and reading followed.


      Hannah came home from camp making The Peruvian Wave friendship bracelet. She had one for each of her siblings and, in the summer, I can't turn down any new craft,  especially one resembling macrame. I grabbed photos of the kids' and her bracelet, and asked Hannah to write instructions (she demo'd a video on her phone).  Since they were on the way out of town to the other grandparents' house, I received the videos on Messages which I  need to learn to transfer to my computer somehow. In the meantime, you can find demonstrations on how to create the waves on YouTube. Get out some embroidery floss, duct tape and scissors. Google how to make friendship bracelet knots,  how to read friendship bracelet patterns and a beginner's how to weave The Wave friendship bracelet. Hannah tapes her strings to the floor or her knees and I used a clipboard. My first effort was weak, but I will try again. Thanks for stopping by! (Click to enlarge the photos)

earlier versions of Books 'N' Laps