Apples For the Teacher

This has been a very thought provoking, productive and definitely interesting week, and since it started with Critical Life Lessons, pasted long ago into my sketchbook, you shall now have the last one there. It reads:

Don't ever make a promise you can't keep.

Very wise...

I have now wound my way through tax prep, and will soon be diving into the embellishment of my 'yellow brick road' piece, but the picture here is the one I worked on last night in Photoshop class. Learning the tools... it's all about knowing various ways to get from here to there, and our teacher is of the same mind. Makes it more like play...as it should be... So, these are apples for Gil. Great job & thanks!

Critical Life Lessons

Happy Monday to All-
For those of you who have known my blog for any period of time you may have noticed some changes. I have wanted to give my space a facelift for some time and slowly I am working through what I want -- and trying to get the technology in sync. This all requires #1 time, #2 my willingness to be pulled out of the studio (both mentally & physically). Being a Spring person, (and and a die-hard project manager) I have set a goal of the first day of Spring to have things updated and ready to roll-on....

Sometimes this can be daunting, but then where would the fun (or sense of accomplishment) be if it was ALL easy.

I also had been chatting here about my color book recently... having filled its pages after many years. Many memories of places, people, times spent and of course COLOR filled these pages, but there were also things pasted in that have been worth re-finding. This list was pasted in long, long ago (during my Y2K project if you can remember back then). It came from one of those newsletters that used to be routed through the office. Wish I could remember which one and give them credit... It seems fitting, so I hope you enjoy thinking about these with me this week.

Critical life lessons

• The ability to focus separates the successful from the unsuccessful.
• The most impossible feat is made up of very possible small accomplishments.
• Teach yourself patience-it will be good company during the long haul to success.
• There's nothing like the smell of success to make some people get lazy and complacent.
• Family and friends who love you dearly will be the first to tell you to give it up.
• If you can be distracted from your goal, you don't have what it takes to play in the big leagues.
• When you believe in what you're doing with all your heart and soul, there is no force on Earth that can stop you.
  
  
  

stop by Subversive Stitchers and check out my guest blogging there.

In-Studio: 2 Day Double-Quilt Weekend

I've got a space open for my upcoming Double-Quilt Applique Workshop. March 6 & 7
Held in my studio and limited to four students these workshops are always fun.

In this class you'll learn about using Negative & Positive space to its best advantage while designing. You'll then stitch together 1 or 2 of your favorites designs using just two fabrics and the Double-Quilt Applique method.

It makes for an exciting and informative two days -- and a great way to add new ideas and tools for design and construction to your 'Bag of Tools'.




Below are a few pictures from a previous Double-Quilt Weekend

Sand & Surf from above

I took these photos yesterday while wandering about down by the beach... They are the last of photos taken from above for now, and this week I'll be looking from the perspective of Looking Up! This always makes me think of the scene from Funny Face when Audrey Hepburn comes sweeping down the stairs with her dress in flight behind her, saying to Fred Astair, 'take the picture', 'take the picture'....

Have fun... and 'take the picture', 'take the picture'.

Hearts - From Above

Happy Valentine's Day-

Perspetive- Climb up some hill at Sunrise.

It's promising to be clear & sunny here for the next few days, so I'm planning to head out with my camera and take some photos from ABOVE...

in the meantime I scouted out a couple more examples on-line. See anything interesting or inspiring from these?

For me, they get me thinking and feeling about a place differently.

Seeing color and patterns that I was not even aware of previously.















I'm not alone... here is a quote from -Robb Sagendorph

Climb up on some hill at sunrise. Everybody need perspective once in a while, and you'll find it there.

Enjoy exploring...

Perspective - View From Above

As the sun hopefully begins to return I am planning to continue my search for a different perspective.

This week I'll do a bit of climbing to loftier spaces locally, and a bit of on-line searching for images that provide a 'view from above'. It's interesting to see how when we are removed by some distance objects changes, and how color, line and texture have a chance to play out.

The little photo I found this morning is a perfect example. The kayaks here are more about shape & color. What do you think about the composition and all the elements here?

Presepctive - One of Many Definitions

Like many others I love a new blank notebook. It is filled with possibilities, so in beginning this study on perspective I have sought out the perfect blank notebook...

Now to set about filling the pages, I like to start an exploration by first finding out the definition. By looking up perspective I found many interesting directions to go. Paths of discovery...

The etymology of the noun perspective had its origins from the Latin prospectus, then the later Old Italian prospetto and more recently the Middle French prospectiva. And, of course any Jane Austin reader might think of Elizabeth Bennett speaking of something having or being a 'fair prospect'.

Within the definition I found there were mentions of techniques of reproducing perspectives in drawing.... but my wanderings that start today are influence by the definition -- a visible scene, and the appearance to the eye of objects in respect to their relative distance and position.

The first picture for my book was taken a few days ago. While off with some friends we were sitting waiting at a traffic light when this huge tire appeared. The size and just how big it was in comparison to everything around us was intriguing and luckily I had just enough time to pull out the camera to take this picture..... What do you think?

Free Color Lessons

I have just filled the last page on my color book. It has been a long time accumulating all the words, pictures and happenings that fill these pages.

The book was started while on my first trip to Sante Fe--way back in 1999?? (note to myself --better date the pages next time). I knew I wanted to expand my understanding and ability to use color, so I set out on an adventure to find Orange.

What better place to discover orange than New Mexico! Well, from orange I went onto to purple, blue, red, yellow... think you get it. From this continuing exercise I feel blessed with the love of ALL color and look for it, and have begun to understand how color effects us, changes us ..... calls to us, and best of all, I love incorporating it in all my work.

As I finished pasting in a final picture today, I took some time and went over the pages again, and from that I know that my next book will be about adventuring into perspective. I'm headed out to get a new notebook to get started...

Want to join in?