Drawing vs Sewing

Drawing is something I like to do I'm fearless, I just jump in and go... if its wrong, I erase it or let it go, I explore the shapes the relationships, I carve it out of the paper. The results are dynamic, messy and just once in awhile, with practice, I get a good one.

Sewing is something I struggle with, I admire it and value it. I love fabric and dye and all the possibilities, its an exciting medium for me, however I'm not sure I was given the tools to ever master it according to the "rules". It is a contemplative practice and I am impatient by nature. I tend to wander off, leaving unfinished shards in my wake. My stitches are uneven my seams are lumpy.

By drawing with the fabric I am trying to get the best of both worlds. The bold energy of drawing practice.

The contemplative construction of the sewing process.

Flights of Fancy

Crow and Magpie

I've had these raggety birds flapping around in my head for a month at least. It was time to release them.

They have flown into the unforseen eclipse moons.

I'm trying to "draw" with the fabric rather than "sew"

Unforseen Eclipse

I had planned a large Makiage circle like this:

Except in blue and on cotton gauze. Then I thought "hey lets try an ombre!" see if the makiage motif can't be darkest in the center and lighter at the edges...

This is what I got:

A reverse moon, an eclipse of sorts.

One Big Pile

Well here I am with this weekend's project...

one huge pile of composted cow manure was delivered Saturday morning and has since been distributed as a top dressing to all of the gardens.

I'm pooped! (har)

Heres hoping that all of the plants out there really enjoy all of that composty goodness and grow like crazy.

Happily I did get into the dye studio for an hour this evening and I think I will get some interesting results.

Night Thoughts

Its nice to have a warm enough night to sit with the window open in the evening. I can hear the peepers and one of the pairs of Canadian Geese that has taken up residency on Spring Grove pond.

Spring has come a long way in the past week, all of the trees now have some sort of blossom or bud action going on.

I noticed this afternoon that my brunneria has flowers. I wasn't expecting that yet. Forgot to get a picture while it was light out so here is a blurry shot in the dark.

Still stitching on this one. I'm varying the thread colors. More haphazard, as in the thickets it is mimicing.

The Hill

This is my running program's Nemesis. The Hill. It is steep and long and just where you think its going to end there is a little more around the bend. Today I successfully ran up it for the first time ever! I didn't die or sound like Homer Simpson at the top either, in fact I ran for another minute afterwards.

This is a big deal to me. It gives me hope that I may be able to run the 5K I have scheduled in a couple of weeks.

Today was the first time my run didn't feel like a complete struggle this year after taking the winter off. I kept my breath and I was in the moment not allowing myself to get anxious about how much further or how much longer.

I wonder if getting more clear about what I want to prioritize art wise has anything to do with it? My gut says it does.

Time to stitch.

Regenerative Energy

Cool and blustery still, but spring is coming. My garden is reemerging from beneath the wrack. These species tulips have begun to bloom since the picture was taken.

I've repaired the front wall, it fit back together rather easily. I have a theory that I was a stone mason in another life, and sometimes I wish I was one in this life too.

The spirea is opening its leaves. Soon all of its skeletal branches will be clothed in a cloak of green and gold.

Resilience is everywhere, spring peepers are all thawed out and singing loudly in the evenings trying ever so hard to attract the ladies.

No matter how delicate the daffodils appear they are tough, withstanding cold and rain, sometimes even snow, to forge ahead into a new season.

I am trying to regenerate too. As I have been attending to other chores I have let this group of experiments languish, lately they have begun to call LOUDLY. If I don't start to spend some time on them they will dry up and blow away. Ideas are like that, they start out all juicy and full of life but if they don't get the attention they need they wilt and can pass on.

I'm listening to the call this time.