My confidence has taken a dive. My emotions have been bouncing up and down like the weather..."life stuff", the bittersweetness of it all. I'm also wheezing and experiencing some heaviness in my chest so I've had to up the breathing treatments and rest more than I typically do. I'm always the most vulnerable when the seasons change. So the few days I've been at the workshop I've piddled. I seem to have lost the grove for The Poetry Series at the moment...I didn't want to approach it with the funky dragging moods I've been in. In order to be gracious with myself I thought I would dip and dabble around...so I pulled a book fro the shelf on collage and thought I'd work through it slowly, not with any sense of urgency...afterall, collage really isn't what I do, so whatever I end up with would be okay.
While working on this I thought about paper quilts or paper and cloth quilts. Possibly another piddle day I may quilt this.
On another day, I gave in to re-organizing but really only manage to move clutter from one table to another, so I opted to sit down and read and listen to music...really listen and allow the music to carry me away...I was vibing with jazz violnist Regina Carter. So that was this past Saturday.
Today I thought I would play around with free motion embroidery and free motion quilting. This is very different for me...again, just piddling and practicing. My flower looks like it has the chickenpox. Again I was playing Regina Carter and added Herbie Hancock to the mix...I really wanted a bottle of wine to accompany my groove with the sewing machine, but since I drive to come home, that wasn't an option.
Inconsistency in speed paired with hand control delivers uneven stitching. I did like the zig-zag stictching with free motion. The threads I used were Isacord and Madeira. Isacord really sinks down into the fabric. Madeira seems to sit more on top. My machine (Janome 6500) loved them both.
Here are two atc's I had left over and found when I moved my clutter around and if you'd like to trade with me, give me a shout out. ummm, the image orientation is on its side...oh well, if you make atc's then you already know what size they are, right?!
I canceled going to Paducah next week. I took a deep breath and called my sister to tell her I just didn't think it was feasible to push going financially in light of some other things I'm trying to cook up. She kept the reservation and plans on dragging her husband over for 3 days and 2 nights (if I had the strength, I'd fall over laughing...she is optimistic but I really don't think that is going to fly). We shall see, said the blind man.
Oh, and I the only one who is going wild over the HBO series The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency? I ordered HBO just to watch this series...a big fan of Jill Scott, no surprise there, but I think its the secretary that makes the show. Think of Murder, She Wrote with an African flavor. I could just snatch Jill Scott's wardrobe for the show right off! Simple, free flowing, yet great sophisticated patterning. I'm also tickled by the cartoon animation for the header and footer of the show so I did a search to find out who was responsible. Those of you interested in graphic design might enjoy perusing the company's info...Airside.
Peace to anyone and everyone who reads here...and as far as replying to comments, I'm going to change and try mainly to reply within the comment section.
I loved the book and am enjoying the HBO series, too. Please take good care of yourself. Your health is your number one concern.
ReplyDeleteLove your forays into uncharted creative endeavors.
Sometimes we need to just piddle and play to recharge and regroup- and it sounds like you needed both. I hope your breathing gets better, and your confidence with it. Play, and this too shall pass.
ReplyDeletePiddling is fine, esp when you don't feel good. Here's hoping that you'll soon be feeling better.We've had terrible winds here last week,stirring up all the dust, and pollen
ReplyDeleteThis weather has my allergies in high gear, 100 out yesterday, then down to 65 by the weekend! I loved the books and am loving the series, my husband is even caught up in them which is unusual considering it's not "action" packed. Feel better please
ReplyDeleteyour are listening to two pretty good artist. regina carter and herbie hancock's names are stitched in a jazz quilt that i am working on for a quilt challenge. the quilt has to be completed by june. keep listening to regina and i know it will make you feel better. i love listening to violnist playing jazz. it mellows me out. take it slow and take of yourself.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Alexander McCall had a series of these book...I read the first one when it first came out and was entertained by the book.
ReplyDeletePeter has watched one episode with me but didn't have much to say so I kinda thought he was just trying to earn some sweet-honey points from me...
I woke up feeling a tad better this morning...but its not the mornings that really are the problem...I start to feel really wheezy and drained in the evenings and then have trouble falling asleep. It dropped to the 40's overnight last night and although pretty out it is a bit chilly and windy with the high not going over the mid 50's. I was a little tempted to go to a museum to treat myself or even back to my workshop but just having woken from a nap...I'm glad I still in. Thanks for the well wishes.
I have looked at this post a couple of time now having gone from low confidence to an ongoing state of ambivalence that is most unlike me. But maybe it's like the "me" I'm in the process of becoming. The idea of being gracious with oneself is a very good one. I am borrowing it to suit my own growth and productivity needs of the moment...
ReplyDeleteHi, Karoda! Got your comment on the Paducah Quilt Show, Wish you were here, too. Would love to meet your sister. Tell her, if you talk to her, that I will be there after 2PM. I haven't been to the show yet, but plan on going in about an hour.
ReplyDeleteSorry you have been under the weather. We are bound by our bodies and need to listen to them. But, downtime also helps the creative juices flow, or at least that is true with me... I really like some of the pieces you have been working on! You should post some new photos on Fiber Focus so the rest can see what you've been up to. They'll love it!
I love that new show too! I have only seen it once but really enjoy it! This is my first time to your blog and I just read through your Bio...Your name is beautiful. Take care of yourself. Peace to you : )
ReplyDeleteyeh....piddling seems to be the work of the day.
ReplyDeleteWhat to do when the "What-do-I-do-next-with-the-little-time/energy/inclination-I-can-muster" syndrome hits?
yeh....
...piddle seems to be the answer. Rest up as you need it.