Comfort Doll Project

While browsing this web blog http://www.groggyfroggy.blogspot.com/ I found a link to the Comfort Doll Project. This sounds like such a nice idea, that I thought I would include a link to it so that I can explore it further. I love the thought of providing battered women with a work of art. So, my plan is to create a doll or two to send to this cause. We should support one another.
I may even think about gifts for my friends and family. (Of course, they won't all get done for this Christmas. So, they could be an ongoing project or a never-ending project.) I'll keep you posted. Thank you Groggy Froggy!

Buffalo Update

I have finished Casey's buffalo. I added grass and stitched around the edges. My son wants to hang it up, so I may add a dowel pocket in the back.

After dinner last night, I gave it to him so he could have it today when he went into Boston. He seemed very happy about receiving it.

I wish I had taken his picture with it. :)

I added some more of my favorite blogs to the list on my page. I have so many favorites now, that I should put them all on here so I can look them up easily.

Buffalo Stage 2

Here I have appliqued the main parts of the buffalo. I plan to sew him (Yes, it's a male) onto cream colored fleece. I embroidered a smile for his mouth, but it's barely visible. I also switched his beard to the same fleece as his fur.

Next Wednesday (12/17), Casey is having his tonsils and adinoids removed. I want the buffalo ready to give him on the night before his surgery. I'll ask him if he wants it to be a rug or a blanket. Maybe I should just finish it as a blanket.

Does anyone have any thoughts about this? Let me know, okay?

Until later... Janet

Casey's Buffalo

My Grandson has a fondness for buffalo. He saw some at the zoo earlier this fall. My oldest son has been laying wood floors throughout his house. When Casey showed me his beautiful floor in his bedroom, I lold him he cold have a rug by his bed to stand on when he gets up. He asked if it could be a buffalo. Hmm, that made me think about creating a rug for him. This picture shows my version of a buffalo cut from fleece. All of the pieces are pinned and ready to be sewn.

New Discoveries

Hi, I'm back from my cruise. It was an amazing adventure. We traveled on the Disney Magic - and a magnificent journey! I'll have to post some pictures soon.
But now we're back to reality and getting ready for Thanksgiving with family.
While I was busy reading the Amusing Muses' blog this morning, I rambled over to The Lavender Loft - a beautiful web blog. Janet is a participant in Diary 2009 Project. I placed a link on my right column, just take a peek. It looks like a fun way to journal the year. Congratulations to the participants of this amazing project.

Tropical Cruise

Tomorrow, my husband I leave for our Carribean Cruise. I'm just about all packed and almost ready. I'll be back on the 23rd - just in time to get ready for Thanksgiving :)
My Best,
Janet

Sunday Serenade

Music is such a soothing way to help me relax and create.

I'm off to see Mom today. She needs help finding oil for her industrial sewing machine. I have some wooden doll heads for her. She likes to make dolls with button arms and legs to give for gifts. She'll be 86 this December, and we worry about her driving. So I'll take her to lunch and shopping, if needed. I figure it's the least I can do for her.

Back to the music. I get to listen to my favorite tunes and artists on the way up and back!
Have a beautiful day.

Random Thoughts

Lately, it seems that I have been on a quixotic journey. Every so often, I find myself traveling along divergent paths. Even though I love my painting and drawing, I have been exploring fiber arts and designs.
As a child, I watched my mother sew beautiful clothing and accessories for our family. A very early memory is one of my felt blotter that Mom constructed out of wool circles for me to use with my ink pen at school. Yes, I actually had an inkwell and a pen with a nub.
At St. Catherine's School in Norwood, we practiced penmanship every day at our desks. The desks and chairs were bolted to the floor in the classroom. I must have been in third or fifth grade. I know it wasn't fouth grade, for sure. In fourth grade, I was in Sister Prudence's room at the corner of the hall on the first floor. The room where I remember using the wool blotter was the second one on the right side of the hall.
Why do I want to write about the blotter? Because I loved the look and feel of it. I liked the idea that my mother made it for me and I could carry it with me in school. It gave me confidence and security to have that little pile of wool circles stiched together.
Much later, when I went to college, I had trendy little wool coats that my Mom made for me. I think those wool coats were comforting as I traveled to and from class, or over to the Admin. Building where I worked in the Education Office several hours a week.
It's certainly fun to go back and mull over things remembered from the past. Over the years, my mother patiently taught me to sew. When something became confusing, she would help me work out the snaggles and puckers. I spent many happy days shopping for fabric to construct some amazing (I thought) outfit. There was a fabric store in the center of town. Martins Fabrics was located in the middle of a block of stores in Guild Square in Norwood. They had a wonderful variety of fabrics and notions.
That's it for now. As you can see, I have been drifting around. I'm hoping that by exploring other diversions (check out my blog list), I'll bring fresh eyes to my art.

IF Late

This picture reminds me of my two boys when they were small. They finished trick-or-treating very late. Before they head in, they want to check their treats.

Marmalade

Here's Marmalade day-dreaming about her long name. She keeps wondering what school will be like. In the second picture, Marmalade is getting ready for sleep. She's a quiet, sweet girl.

I love the way that this illustration shows how shy and timid Marmalade is, while Zoe is so outgoing. They are the two characters in the children's story I'm currently writing.

Classroom Dance

This is another illustration for my manuscript. During a session with Virginia Freyermuth I added pencil line shading to refine the details.

First Day of School

This is an illustration I'm working on for my manuscript. There are pieces that I'm very happy about in the composition. I hope to refine some datails eventually.

Lighthouse on the Maine Coast

While I did use an actual photograph of the Nubble Lighthouse in Maine to compose this illustration, I decided to improvise a bit with the style and details of the setting. My Niece wanted a painting for her dorm room. I decided to give her both this painting and the one of the stone railroad bridge (below). I photographed this one while it was in progress, but there were very few details left to complete. Both paintings were great fun to compose. Getting them up on my blog has taken longer than I'd like.

I keep hoping I'll get better at uploading my work and publishing to my blog.

Railroad Bridge

This illustration is done in watercolor and colored pencil of the stone bridge on Dean St. in Norwood. I was pleased with the way that it came out. Rather than pay a lot of money to have it scanned, I photographed the original using my Pentax *istDL SLR Digital Camera. This camera is a marvel! It is an amazing tool.