Lovely World

holiday

 

Today I clean up (slowly, as I'm a wee bit tired) from the busyness of the past few days. Our Passover seder went well. Good company, delicious food, lots of children. The children put on a dramatic rendition of the Passover story - costumes, props, and much improvisation. Most all of our holiday celebrations are now accompanied by some sort of dramatical performance. A great tradition. Some friends stayed on quite late, and we talked and laughed and relaxed. I realize how rarely I do that anymore. Before I had kids, it was easy to stay up late. Now, sleep seems the luxury.

On Sunday, my mother had a family party at her house. That too was a nice time to catch up with each other, and remark how much all the children had grown. Holidays mark time, and I see the passing of that time most clearly at these family get-togethers.

I took the top photo at my mother's house. The bottom one is of our seder table.

blue

I really like the color blue. A number of rooms in our house are painted blue. Since we have fairly large windows, the color on the walls seems an extension of the color of the sky (at least on a sunny day).

The top photo is of the yarn I am using for my granny square afghan. The yarn is "Julia" by Nashua Handknits, a wool/alpaca/mohair blend. Very nice to work with.

The middle photo is a paper collage of bluebells that I made from cut pieces of magazine pages. I would highly recommend paper collage as creative method for those having difficulty with drawing (me!). I find the process very freeing.

The bottom photo is of a collection of blue objects I found on my work table. Buttons, one of my embroidered felt brooches, a mushroom pin (that I use as a pincushion) from Fanja, a tiny spool of thread Melissa had tucked into my package when I ordered something a while back from her etsy shop, and a letterpress card that I received from my Vintage Swap partner Patty-Jean.

Notice those bits of green that have snuck into my collection? My look toward spring things, I think!

busy

The top two photos are of 18th and 19th century American folk art drawings. I am always drawn to the aesthetic of folk and outsider art. I think it is the freshness and surprise that this work can bring. I love the way the figures are rendered in the top photo, and the way the barn pops out of the otherwise two-dimensional drawing in the second photo. The bottom photo is a drawing I did in college. I was recently digging through some old papers and found it. I was writing a thesis on quilts and women's craft at the time, and I think the drawing was highly influenced by all the textiles I was studying. I struggle with drawing. I wish I could be less self-conscious with the process. I'm sure others have this same struggle. Perhaps that is why I am drawn to folk/outsider art - maybe I can find direction for putting down my own vision.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I've been pulled in so many directions this past week or so. This happens every spring, and it feels like it is starting earlier than usual! I'm co-chair of our public library's annual booksale, which is coming up in less than a month. This is a huge affair. We fill the local elementary school gymnasium with tables of used books - two moving vans full! I think that part of our success is that this is a college town. Folks in town love books - and donate thousands of them throughout the year. And then they show up and buy more at the sale. It is not uncommon for us to receive back books that we sold the previous year to resell again.

I've also begun to help out my sister, a homeschooling mother of five children (I can only imagine how she manages her day), move. They've bought a larger house, which will be great for them. But, lots of effort to get them settled.

And, Passover begins next monday. I've been preparing my list of things to do in preparation. We are hosting a seder for 16 people. I'm really looking forward to it, but know it will take some effort to get there.

Any one else finding that the busyness of spring has begun?

brown

A little collection of brown objects.

• my sewn pinecone

• two beach stones

• a pinecone I found on my walk yesterday

• my grandmother's very well-used "Flower Guide: Wild Flowers East of the Rockies"

• and a small framed photo of my grandmother holding my father. He was born in 1931. Check out that car, and my grandmother's flapper hat. So much time and the living of life has passed since that photo was taken.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. The sun continues to shine here, so I'm headed outside.

 

the sun came in

Today the sun shone brightly. And it felt so good.

- Our front room with the sun streaming in. I'm glad my kids are learning piano. I'm playing a bit as well.

- A little orange bird with my vintage nature guides.

- Clementines (we are getting toward the end of the season for these I think).

- I'm working on making a pinecone. Seems a little wintery, but a fun shape to work with. Stephanie Congdon Barnes makes a nice pinecone.

I hope the sun is shining for you as well.

 

little bird

This little bird emerged from my sewing room this weekend. I said in my last post that I was saying goodbye to winter by making the polar bear. Now I am saying hello to spring with a bird. I learned a lot in making this one. The legs and feet are an interesting challenge, foremost getting the bird to balance. I used floral wire (gauge 18) and floral tape to make these. I am not totally thrilled with the result, but I have some ideas on how to improve next time.

I went to see Tim Burton's "Alice and Wonderland." I really liked it, very well acted. Before I went I read on Alessandra's blog that she didn't like the Mad Hatter's dance or the pop music during the credit. I couldn't agree more, as they seemed very removed from the tone of the rest of the movie.

Have a nice beginning of the week. I'll be chasing that lost hour of sleep for a few days, I think!

polar bear

 

The newest member of my menagerie. A polar bear. I think he is helping me say goodbye to winter and take a look toward Spring. We have had some mild days here, the maple sugaring has begun, and I risk being sucked into a muddy mire every time I head up or down the driveway. I've lived in New England long enough to know that we may yet receive one of our infamous Spring snow storms, but I am enjoying the sunshine and warmth while I can.

One thing I recently learned about polar bears: the further north they live, the smaller their tail and ears.

a little of this and that

My Camilla calendar and a book of Paul Klee drawings.

The cover of the Klee book is great enough, but then inside were many drawings that I hadn't previously seen. I love the boats and flags in the first photo, and the umbrella eye and feather of the woman in the photo directly above. I'm reading Norton Juster's "The Phantom Tollbooth" aloud to my kids right now, and these drawings make me think of the crazy characters that populate the book.

(*Footnote: Norton Juster was a professor of mine in college. I took a design class with him. For one of our assignments we had to make an architectural model of an art gallery. Of course, this kept most of us up late at night as the deadline drew near. I felt so badly for one (non-coffee-drinking) student who decided to drink a POT OF COFFEE so she would have the energy to stay up and finish her project. She came in to class the next morning in tears, totally wasted. The caffeine had rendered her jittery, nauseous, sleepless, and completely unable to do her work. Norton patted her on the head and excused her from class for the day.)

If you liked the stop-motion short I posted yesterday, do yourself a favor and check out Oren Lavie's "Her Morning Elegance." My friend Sherri nicely referred me to this. Isn't it fantastic? Or, perhaps you have already seen it. It has over 11 million views on Youtube.

simply lovely

I thought this was so lovely that I just had to share it. I hope it brightens the rest of your weekend. Stop motion filmmaking is so captivating, and so is the music of A Fine Frenzy.

bonnet

I finally had a chance to crochet one of the Bonnets from the 1973 "Woman's Day Granny Squares" magazine supplement. At the time I posted the Tyrol Hat pattern, some of you requested that I post this one as well. So, here goes. It is very straightforward and I like how it came out. I have not made the eight little bobbles that go along the front rim, but they seem very easy to make and stitch in place. My dear Miriam very patiently modeled the bonnet, although I think the pattern would be best for a smaller girl.

BONNET

Size: Fits 19" head.

Materials: Knitting worsted, 2 ounces main color (color A), 1 ounce each B and C. Aluminum crochet hook size G, or size required to crochet to gauge.

Gauge: Each square measures 4.5".

Squares: Make 4. Starting at center with A, ch 6. Join with sl st to form ring.

Rnd 1: (right side): Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, (ch 1, 3 dc in ring) 3 times; ch 1; join with sl st to top of ch-3. Break off. ALways work with right side facing you and crochet over ends of yarn to hide them.

Rnd 2: Attach B with sl st to any ch-1 sp, ch 3, in same sp work 2 dc, ch 1 and 3 dc (first corner made), * ch 1, in next ch-1 sp work 3 dc, ch 1 and 3 dc (another corner made). Repeat from * twice more; ch 1; join with sl st to top of ch-3. Break off.

Rnd 3: Attach C to any corner sp and work a first corner in same sp, * ch 1, 3 dc in next sp (shell made), ch 1, work corner in next corner sp. Repeat from * twice more; ch 1, shell in next sp, ch 1; join. Break off.

Rnd 4: Attach A in any corner sp and work a first corner in same sp, * (ch 1, shell in next sp) twice; ch 1, work corner in next corner sp. Repeat from * twice more; (ch 1, shell in next sp) twice; ch 1; join. Break off.

Finishing: With right sides up, sew 3 squares in a row through top lps only. This forms sides and top of bonnet. Sew 4th square for back.

Edging: With A, work 1 sc in each st and in each seam around (94 sc); join. ( MY NOTE: start this at one of the corners where a tie will go.)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, decreasing 6 sts, as evenly spaced as possible, along back edge only (47 st on front, 41 st on back).

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, decreasing 4 sts, evenly spaced, along front edge and 6 sts, evenly spaced, along back edge; join.

Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, decreasing 4 sts along front edge and 6 sts along back edge (39 sts on front edge, 29 sts on back edge). Do not break off. Ch 41 for tie, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each chain across; with right side facing you, sc in each sc across back edge, ch 41 for 2nd tie, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; sl st in bonnet. Break off.

Bobbles: Make 8. With C, ch 2, work 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn.

Rows 2 through 4: Sc in each sc across; ch 1, turn.

Row 5: (Insert hook in next sc, pull yarn through) 5 times; yarn over hook and pull through all 6 lps on hook. Break off. Thread end in tapestry needle and run through edges of bobbles; pull tight. Sew on front edging as shown in photograph.