Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Quote of the day:

Take your needle my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that  - one stitch at a time taken patiently an the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love. - Author unknown

You've got mail!


To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart - Phyllis Theroux

Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company - Lord Byron

Over the past couple weeks, my evenings have been dedicated to creating felt mailboxes for my grandchildren...one for each family. I am very excited by the results, and they were thoroughly kid tested on the weekend when all of the children had an opportunity to check them out. We played post office, which included writing and sending valentines, writing and responding to letters (great writing practice), and of course mailing invitations to a winter party and bring a pet. The kids were so excited, marching up to the location (Robin's kitchen) with their pets (stuffed animals found in the playroom). We dined on bowls of dried cranberries, cashews, strawberries, prezels, chips, and mini marshmallows. Juice was served and we followed with dancing to Mama Mia and the Lion King sound track. So much fun.

Here is one of the mailbox sets. The family name is on the other side. Other crafters talked about challenges using a magnet for the flag that goes up and down. I found a greas solution to share with you. Checking through all my craft resources, I came upon teddy bear and doll making supplies and the doll joints work perfectly for the flag. If placed in the right location no velcro is needed to secure the flag when it is in the up position.

The mail bag is a recycled zippered conference bag with a mail label applique. Rather than making felt mail and parcels etc. I visited the dollar store and purchased small envelopes, valentines, stickers and stamps and small boxes to use as parcels. The mailboxes went together very easily. I found instructions here - http://www.giverslog.com/?p=2531

Recent doodles

Recently, I have been incorporating some form of sketching, doodling, and writing into my meditation time. Yesterday morning, I spent some time sharpening all of my pencil crayons and although my preference is black and white, it is nice to play with colour once in a while. This picture of being re-born out of a lily type flower signifies a time of change and growth.

The next two doodles came out of sleepless night in a Toronto hotel. Know models in sight I pulled open a Where Magazine and found photos of the Dali Lama and Margaret Atwood to pose as models for my middle of the night meditative art time.

Me. Just a sketch of my left hand, symbolic of the things I do, write, draw, make, and even those I touch, are touched from or created from a place in my heart.

Almost wordless Wednesday

Recipe of the day

Dinner for 2 for under $7.00 with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. It was healthy and delicious!

Spicy steak, peppers & rice (easy)

1 diced onion

1 green pepper cut into 1 inch chunks

1 red pepper cut into 1 inch chunks

2 cups seasoned, tenderized round steak cut into strips

Garlic

1 can Franco American Beef Gravy

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 bunch asparagus

1 tsp butter

¼ lemon – juiced

Instructions

Pre-cook rice and set aside

Steam asparagus 3 minutes and rinse immediately under cold water to stop cooking process – set aside

In large skillet heat olive oil, and sauté onion, peppers and steak

When steak is cooked, stir in gravy and add about ¼ can of water

Simmer for 2-3 minutes stirring often

In medium skillet, melt butter and sauté asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, spoon rice onto plate and cover with steak mixture. Add a side of asparagus, complement with a cold glass of sparkling water and enjoy! Yummy!

Flash from the past

My good friend Carol just sent me this picture of our grade 8 class at Corpus Christie School. You will know me by the knee socks, which is interesting to me because I am the only person wearing knee socks in my highschool yearbook picture also. Hmmmm!

I remember so many of the faces, many of the names, and definitely felt drawn back into time as I remembered the many experiences of times long past. I remember playing and staying over for supper at Ann Dixon's house, walking to school with Brenda Valley, Mary Provenzano and Maria Martella. I have not so fond memories of baseball, where I never played good enough to be part of the team. I was however, in awe of players like Marie Bradford who could wallop the ball into oblivion. Susanne Quinn was a beautiful singer, and I wonder if she sang professionally when she grew up? Of course, I remember going to a birthday party with many friends at Carol's house which was on top of the hill. Carol, (front row, centre) and I became re-aquainted these past few years when I recognized her name as editor of a local magazine. I am very grateful for her friendship and for the memories she has brought my way. I remember aspiring to be a great artist like Attilio who sat next to me in grade 8, and I hear that he pursued his talent later in life.

The building doesn't exist anymore, but the memories, although faded remain.

• The boys side and the girls side of the school yard
• Wearing dresses to school
• Hopscotch, skipping, marbles and baseball
• Walking to church, two by two
• multipication drills & drills (I think that is the memory linked to Bobby P...7 X 8 = 56, over and over and over...Might have been someone else, but I have always remembered it that way)
• Singing at Christmas
• Making murals
• Art
• Getting the strap in grade 5, for missing two homework questions
• Ice skating

Mostly I remember the Steelton girls, Brenda, Mary, Maria and our experiences together. This also brings back memories of all the other kids in our area who went to what we called back then, the protestant school. I seem to remember some attempts by the institutions at segregation, but somehow as children, we came together anyway...and I am go glad to say that over the years though we have aged, I have also seen a movement toward being more inclusive and less oppressive than the previous generation.

Thanks for the memories....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d7qDSAMB-s&feature=related

Back to basics

We are trying to eat less processed foods, so tonight I made homemade oatmeal cookies and homeade blueberry muffins with blueberries we froze last summer. Yummy!

This afternoon, I searched for and found my healthy eating cookbook that I filed away a year ago. I can tell that it has been a long time because the last journal entry in the food diary is dated January  5, 2010, and my body has been urging me for these past months to please start making better food choices. And so it is, that I designed new journal pages, headed out for a short walk in the fresh air, and today made a fresh pot of delicious, hot and spicy chicken vegetable soup. My favourite ingredient is the cabbage. Add a whole wheat bun and you have a tasty, heart friendly meal.

My commitment for 2011 is to be more like the girl in the pictures below. I know she is still in there somewhere...wanting to play in the snow. Those were the days when I went out skating, walking, playing in all kinds of weather until the street lights came on, and it was just because it was fun.

Robin and Danny, 1960                           Robin and Danny, 1960

Maybe I will have to make a snow fort, go skating, go out for a walk...just for the fun of it!

My Sanctuary & Sunday morning sewing

Sanctuary, on a personal level is where we perform the job of taking care of our soul - Christopher Forrest McDowell

Now completed: Coat, hat, jacket, jeans, t-shirt, boots and scarf for Jenna, Miranda's new doll...

And for me, a newly organized space, My Sanctuary, that includes plenty of storage for sewing and craft supplies, space for books about spirit, writing, art and sewing,  and a spot to sit and meditate with some nice music and a hot cup of tea.

Craft supplies

I am especially exicited about the yards of felt I purchase at half price, all neatly folded and waiting for me to sculpt into exciting toys, purses, slippers etc... the choices are limited only to my imagination and to all of the fantastic ideas posted on the internet. I am very grateful to all the creative artists who share their ideas and pictures.

Books & Supplies

My next project will be felt post offices for the kids to play with. I found a pattern online that includes a mailbox with flag, mailbag, letters, envelopes, stamps, addresses, a parcel box and cookies to pack in the box. If they are done in time for Valentines day, I'll probably include a box of valentines with envelopes and some stickers. It will look something like this...

A couple more views of My Space, all tidied up from the sewing project.

All cleaned up!

A place to sit and be.....

I love the sun shining in, especially since this is a north window. This is my sanctuary...the place in my house that nurtures my spirit! The sun reminds me that it is time to pack up my snowshoes and venture out into the sun for some excercise and vitamin D. I love that everyday is a minute or so longer than the last. Longer days are approaching!

Obsessions

The creative habit is like a drug - The particular obsession changes but the excitement of the thrill of your creation lasts. Henry Moore, English sculptor.

I've been called many names like perfectionist, difficult and obsessive. I think it takes obsession, takes searching for the details for any artist to be good.
Barbara Streisand, Producer, actor & singer.
What is it about me, that I decide to begin major sewing projects on January 3rd, the evening before returning to work from an 18 day vacation? These are not just any sewing projects. They are projects with timelines, expectations to be filled, and getting bigger by the moment. So who or what would entice me into this obsessive, crazy behaviour that wakes me at 6:00 in the morning to commit time before work, that keeps me up until late into the night, and that lures me into sewing at lunch time, instead of going for a refreshing walk in the snow? Of course the answer is a simple one...or several. Grandchildren!

Pink Dolphins plus...

Prior to Christmas, my daughter in law, Manda,  mentioned that the only thing Stella wanted for her birthday was a pink dolphin. Over the holidays I searched the web and found a pattern to make felt dolphins. Busy with Christmas, I put it out of my mind and celebrated her birthday with gifts already purchased last summer. It was on her birthday, December 31st, that I started to feel the urge, and after pulling up the patterns and heading to Staples to enlarge them, I set out to buy supplies. The little guy came together in a couple hours and might have been quicker had I read the instructions before diving right in. I hate having to undo stitches. With two dolphins almost complete, and the day before Stella's brother, Sebastien's birthday, I decided to whip up a dolphin for him too. His dad said, "make it blue, with a lightning bolt...He'll love that". Well I had no blue felt, and was starting way after the last store closed in the Sault, so settled for light grey with a dark grey belly, and then gave in to the lighning bolt which is bright yellow. The trio done in time to go for birthday cake tonight, I staged them and took the pictures above.

Doll clothes...gone wild!

At the same time as I was starting the dolphin, my other grandchildren were over, and I was looking through a Maplelea catalogue with my eldest grandaughter. Miranda. Her new doll Jenna came from Maplelea, and she was hoping for some new doll clothes. I just happened to have a pattern for 18" doll clothes, so after checking it out, scouring boxes for material and other resources, I set off to Fabricland to top off my supplies. The fur coat and hat on the doll below, not Jenna, were created the same night as dolphin #1.

I have set aside the basket filled with several cut out outfits, to balance my life with some exercise and me time, and will continue with this project on the weekend, when Jenna and Miranda can join me to make high level decisions about style, accessories, appliques etc.

To answer my question at the beginning of this posting...I think I am just one of those people who thrives on pressure and deadlines. What else could it be? Love!!!!