Synergy of Art

Yesterday, I felt I went around the world. I had attended a festive museum group reunion down by the ocean and afterwards gathered arts and crafts to play some more. It is rewarding to stay connected with committed people and art and to create.

(click to enlarge this photo)

After the reunion I went into Hingham to find a needlepoint cow that I had seen at The Monday Club. Although I can paint needlepoint canvases, the proprietor was so helpful teaching me new stitches that I purchased her goods for a new project.

On my way to the car I stopped in at the yarn store, a shop that imports Peruvian wools and the cheese shop for sarsaparilla and a panini, strengthifying should the predicted thunderstorms start. Synergistically, I saw in a window, art by children, model clay figures, looking at paintings, something the reunion group specializes in.

I had to go by the fabric store to pick up a novelty fabric for a Father's Day portrait (cars) and found two 18" bendable stuffed muslin dolls with wire armature for the grandchildren to think about to fashion to their own creations. They have their American Girls Dolls. I wonder what they can create the same size.

The heavens held their downpour until I hit my driveway!

Needlepointing Neal

A good way to start the week is with some small muscle handwork. The Monday Club met with people involved with needlepoint, bead crochet, sweater knitting and food provision! On future Mondays, I hope to finish Beth's needlepoint for the children's doors, to be made easier with Julia's Mighty Bright light if I can find one.

Since I seldom finish needlepoint work, I wanted to show you my solution for finishable projects. I made bias tape (there is a little machine for this at quilt stores) to fit around the bookmark-size canvas and" gluestick-ed" it to sew. I had the hole punch from long ago, but the tassles aren't necessary. I needed a birthday present for good friend Neal, a reader, and spelled out his name with nautical flags. His wife Jean absconded with it; so I will have to make her one as well. I started another for Beth but my canvas weave was too tight to finish quickly. I used DMC floss but yarn is fine; and I found canvas at a craft store. After needlepointing the name, you blind stitch the cover on the back. I hope the photos (click to enlarge) make this clear.

Craftsy Concentration

It was a craftsy week, starting out Monday talking and stitching with friends over lunch and coffee until today when I dropped by the grandchildren's to pick up Beth's unfinished needlepoint (she and the grands were doing ribbon weaving projects), to have more than blind contour drawing to do at these sessions. I should get out the needlepoint bookmarks I made from scratch to give everyone a canvas so we can design our own. Susan was doing Matisse!

In the studio for two days, I filled two giant garbage cans with files of 40 years. Joe was so happy that I can walk through and almost paint there! Found some jewels to save. And at the other end of experience, the entrance to beading at Nita's today had these electric azalea bushes. Was it the rains as she claims or her devoted gardening.

After stopping at the grandchildren's, I went to Adrienne Robinson's to see her portrait quilts and her newly published book! It is beautiful. Her Creation Myth book is hot off the press and available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I am so proud of her. Coming up soon is a self-portrait quilt workshop with Clara Wainwright (with whom Adrienne created faith quilts after 9/ll and self-portraits) at the Cape Anne Museum, both the museum and artist a special treat.