A SAQA juried show, My New Year's word - 'acceptance", my animal - turtle.

We've had a fairly quiet week; my son fiance and dogs visited for Christmas and left a day early due to an impending storm. I was not at my best having had the arthroscopic knee surgery the week before and still struggling with disc pain but I managed to enjoy the visit. I roasted a small turkey on Christmas
Eve for the first time in several years and I really enjoyed all the leftovers and especially making soup from the bones..

Yesterday, I woke up to an exciting email informing me that my latest piece, Into the Heart of Birches, has been juried into the SAQA Canadian show My Corner of the World which is opening in Stratford, Ontario, in May.

With the new year starting, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the direction I want to take with my art. I came to the conclusion that I will continue on my path, photographing and expressing my love for the natural world using fiber and paint because it continues to be what I need to do even though I'm working at a slower pace while dealing with health issues. It is me and it is what has kept me sane over the past number of years since leaving work. It reminds me of the fable about the tortoise and the hare. I think I'm the turtle this year. I'm slow, but persistent and there are rewards along the way and in the end.

 It isn't the just excitement of being selected for a show that encourages me onward, although it is a really lovely affirmation, but it is my way of expressing myself and  connecting to others that keeps me going. I simply cannot help noticing all the wonderful things in my world. The more I photograph, sketch, paint and stitch, the more I notice the little details and the beautiful world around me.

The process acts as a wonderful and sometimes healing distraction for me when I'm in pain. I could hardly move my legs this morning and after putting away the tree ornaments, and watching some of the Rose Bowl, all I felt like doing  was curling up with my current book, The Goldfinch which I highly recommend. The sun was shining and the temperature was right and so I pushed myself to dress and head out to the trail because I knew that I would regret it if I didn't.

I parked right beside the trail and only needed to walk a few hundred meters to feel the suns rays, to breathe the fresh air and to start relaxing. Oh the things to see! This is where I stopped and turned around.

 The way back.

I stopped and fed the very eager chickadees along the way.

I can hardly snow shoe a few feet without my eye being caught by one of  a myriad of little patterns against the snow and background greys formed by the dried up flowers and seed heads of wildflowers and bushes. Though our winter colors are nothing like the fresh brights of spring and summer, they are no less stunning with the bright bits etched against the soft backgrounds of greys and beiges and snow whites topped by the blue sky with wisps of clouds and the early afternoon pastels coloring the horizon.

These will act as references and inspiration for future work. There is so much to see, my mind is filled with colors and patterns and there is never enough time to express them all  in my artwork.

I've been thinking about a word for the year too and all week I've drawn a blank. Upon awakening and thinking while I drank my tea in bed this morning, the word 'acceptance' came to me. I don't mean acceptance in the sense of being resigned. I mean  that I must try not to fight so hard against what I cannot do. I must do what I can.  When I do that, even though it does take some resolve to move my body, once out, I am always awed by the beauty in my small corner of the world.

I may walk this route a hundred times, camera in hand; there will always be something new that attracts my eye. I love the soft curve of these dried wilrflowers and the shadows they cast on the snow.

And then I also checked on the little nest that I saw a few weeks ago before the snow when I was out gathering branches.

Closed for winter.


Happy New Year to all! I';d love to hear some of your 'survivor' stories.

It's snowing!

Although much of the maritime regio will be getting rain today, we're getting snow, the tiny light flakes that slowly pile up. It is so pretty.

Both inside and out.

Luckily, most of my decorating was done before I went for my surgery last week. I have added a few little bits here and there.

Some I will pack away and some can stay out for a while.

I even made time at breakfast this morning for a tiny sketch of a rose hip.

Then, I did one errand, as I need to space them out so I don't get too sore. Besides, I'd rather be sewing!

I probably won't get these made into cushion covers in time for Chridtmas but I hope at least to finish the quilting.

Today, I quilted around the poinsettia petals and leaves which really made them puff up.

I wish you all a good week and a lovely Christmas/holiday spent with families.

Maybe you can let go of the odd thing that you felt had to be done in favour of a little quiet time.

And Happy winter solstice by the way.

 

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Looks like Christmas

I got a call from the Georges Dumont hospital in Moncton on Monday. They had a cancellation for arthroscopic knee surgery. I was at the grocery store and had 45 minutes to decide. With my husband away it was a dilemma bu when the reception said they're booking from 2013 I made the quick decision to pack up and drive the two hours.

I missed the storm by a day.

My sister and brother in law graciously took me in. I missed having my husband there yesterday, however, I was happy to get it done. I had a large tear in the miniscus.

My sister in law picked me up and I'm managing with a pair of borrowed crutches. This is what I woke up to this morning.

The view from the bedroom window.

Hubby is flying home today and has booked the bus here tomorrow morning. We will drive home in the afternoon.

I can't wait!

I may not be doing much sewing for a couple weeks, so therefore I may not post much. Of course it was my right knee. Not sure if I could sew with left.

 

I'll be forced to sit and enjoy the season. No more decorating and no more baking. If it wasn't for the pain and the crutches it would be perfect! I can drink tea, knit and read!

 

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Christmas decorating and sewing

Wow, I've been slowly chugging along thinking I'd have time for this and that when I've just realized there are 12 days left until Christmas. I have to pace myself so it's a matter of setting priorities and going with the simple things.

At least cards are off in the mail except for 2 and packages to go are done, ready for the mail tomorrow.

This morning, after wrapping the gifts for the mail. I finished putting the second poitsettia top together and sandwiched it. I quite like the more subtle green on this one.

It'll be there waiting for the quilting when I have the time. Maybe I'll get the pillows made. I'm not worried either way.

I've been decorating the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree this afternoon which I opted to put into our small dining area for a change. It's still seen when you come in the front door.

While out yesterday, I found another downed bird's nest that I'm taking as a sign. I've not found so many before. My mother in law told me that my husband's nana used to say that a nest in the Christmas tree was good luck. Let's hope it's true!

I hope you're finding small ways to be creative while also keeping things simple, taking time to enjoy the season.

 

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Visiting my grandpuppies

I've been away from home and my blog over the weekend. We stayed with my son and fiance and then came home through Moncton yesterday where I had another doctor's appointment.

I'll tell you, I'm beginning to feel like a yoyo being bounced back and forth  between doctors. The last doctor, a neurologist, showed me some of my MRI pics and told me I had no pinched nerve.The surgeon yesterday showed me pics from the same MRI and said that yes there is a bulging disc at the L4L5 level and it was pinching a nerve.
This is crazy! Now he referred me to another surgeon for the back and who knows how long that will take.

At least I had a visit with my puppies (they're pretty big now) to cheer me up and make me laugh.

They get along so well together.

This morning, I was taking it easy having my tea when I spied the nuthatch at the suet. At one point he was hanging by one foot. I missed that shot.

I've been busy all day at odds and ends, doing wash, writing a few cards, and getting a parcel together to mail. This afternoon though, I did go into my sewing room to finish the stitching on the poinsettia petals. I used Sulky Hollowshimmer for the white highlights and a red metallic for some darker glitter. The Hollowshimmer works pretty well for me but the metallic always gives me trouble no matter what needle I try.

 I persevered and got about halfway when I got a major knot under the plate above the bobbin -- took me about 20 minutes to get it all picked out.

Now that I think about it, last time I used a bit of lubricant on the needle which seemed to help. 

Anyway, it's done now so I've chosen a blue batik for the narrow border and a green batik for the triangle setting corners.

I won't have time here in my sewing room until Thursday. I have a hair appointment tomorrow morning, a lunch date, I think, and then tutoring in the afternoon. I'm aiming to finish the two pillows and a runner for Christmas but may be a little optimistic bearing in mind my usual pace.! No stress.

Poinsettia stamping

Yay, I settled in today to get some things done.mThis morning, since it was raining intermittently, I went out to the garden shed and put together an arrangement for my mother in law in her brass pot. We're going to deliver it tonight.

The rain has turned to light snow which will make my outdoor arrangements more festive.

After lunch, I went to the sewing room and I finally got the black outline stitching done on the second poinsettia and started the sparkly highlights.

It's really difficult to bring out the sparkle with the camera. I used Hollowshimmer. You can just see it in the top half on the lighter parts of the petals.

I'm looking forward to getting it bordered and actually making the pillows.

 

For some time I've been thinking about how I would make a piece of fabric with several smaller poinsettias on it, so I made a smaller craft foam stamp and gave it a try.

It's hard to tell, but it's half the size of the first stamp used for the pillows. To the rights is a piece of scrap paper that I laid under the stamp to apply the paint. Then I to re-stampd onto the paper to remove the paint. Pretty! It'll probably go in my sketchbook.

I stamped the first one and then used some paper ones to lay on top. This acted as a mask so I could use Tulip spray fabric paints. It's an experiment. I just bought them at Michael's and they're new to me.

I have the lower right corner to finish. The fabric is quite long. Once done I may cut it up and make a runner.

Time to stop and take a break!

 

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Little gifty things

Would you believe that the mug rug and the poinsettias from the last post still sit  exactly as I showed you on my sewing machine untouched. There seems to be something to do every day and time is slipping by all too quickly.  This morning, I added the finishing touches to my outdoor lights before I had to leave for an appointment.

There seems to be a little something lacking. Maybe a bit of snow. Tomorrow.

I heard the blue jays around the last few days. They arrived at the feeder and heated birdbath yesterday.

They are such a pretty spot of color against the naturals hung along the deck.



These are the crab-apple branches that I pruned from a friend's tree.

I had lots of little Christmas projects in mind but I cant seem to get to them. I started this post yesterday and left it when the computer wasn't cooperating.

The only things I managed to finish are 2 pear pincushions. The middle one is mine and I've been using it for quite a while. The pattern can be found at retro mama.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network.