Daily Grind of Living Faithfully

I returned to my workshop on Monday as I'm committed to keeping the schedule...like Deb said in the comments...just do it anyways.  Grant it, I wasn't as productive as I'd hoped but I did manage to finish writing on the last panel for the 2nd top in the Poetry Series...I also experiemented with writing with acryllic inks...this sample was ironed after it dried and then wetted with lukewarm water...it bled which kinda surprised me since it is acryllic base.  I also prepared screens using the drawing fluid and screen filler.  The duct tape I use is 3M brand but I do not get a good adherence to the screen...I've tried a cheaper brand and had the same problem...I'm thinking about trying "artist tape".  If anyone has any other recommendations please let me know.  I'm rinsing the drawing fluid out here at home and will print with them (2) tomorrow.

Yesterday I was up to actually running the sewing machine so I sewed the panels together...re-sewed one seam 4 times...I found that I was more committed to getting the seam (it really needs to be straight in these related pieces) right than being frustrated over having to re-sew!  I couldn't believe how calm I was about doing this over and over...one of my more mellower moments for sure!  I also prepared the last of my cotton fabric for dyeing by soaking it in soda ash...it will be in the bucket until tomorrow.  I'm still uncertain about dyeing there or if I should rent out space for a day (20 bucks a day) at MACA to dye fabric...because I don't have that much I think I'm going to attempt to do it at the workshop since I have less than 5 yards and I'm only doing 2 colours, 3, at most. 

A few weeks ago I caught Alice Walker on a monthly tv show called In Depth that runs on booktv.org.  A 3 hour interview at her home in Berkley, California.  I've been told through the years that I exude an intense calmness but I've never seen myself that way...I do see Alice Walker that way and only hope to be able to express my inner voice with such calm and intensity as she...she definitely makes a strong case for meditation and writing practice.  Because I've been pondering motherhood, motherhood and being a poet/artist (something I've never resolved satisfactorily since I first began to question 27 years ago) I'm being led to read the books by Alice Walker's daughter Rebecca Walker.  I've never read any of her 3 books but would like to know her views on feminism and motherhood and to see if I can gleam any more understanding about the mother/daughter relationship...I have a quilt by the name of Faith of the Mother which examples marking time as a mother by my faith. 

I will be putting an update on my book blog in the coming week.  I started reading Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott.  Michele sent it to me with the note that she thought of me frequently while reading it and I've since thought of 2 friends frequently while reading it.  This is my first book by Lamott and I'm enjoying how she plainly speaks about the daily grind of living with the daily grind of living faithfully  I will pass it on when I'm finished.

Of course Jesus would water his tomato plant!  Oh, and thanks for letting me know that "sit a spell" was not a phrase peculiar to the peculiar south.  I don't know why I'm so fixated on southern sayings or even the origin of cliches but when I use one I question how it got started and where it came from.  One that I believe is peculiar to my family (me, a sister, and my great grandmother) is "whatsonevah" meaning "what so ever".  You must use it like like one big word interject the n sound and say the er as ah.