My husband and I went to an Antiques Marketplace in New Hampshire recently, and I came home with this sweet dish garden of succulents. The elderly couple who sold it to us seemed really delighted with the sale, which made it seem all the sweeter.
Honestly, I've been feeling a bit down in the dumps lately. I try to stay "up", realizing that others have far worse problems than I have, but the constant negativity in politics, plus the strain of dealing with a family member with dementia has been taking its toll on me. Also, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my artwork, as I skip around from one medium to another, trying different things. I'm often influenced by what I see on Pinterest or Instagram and get too engrossed in the work of other creatives, admiring and praising their work, while being unsure about my own. I'd like to find one medium I love (I'm pretty sure it's fabric!) and stick with it.
What keep me going are my classes with Amy, and my Thursday morning stitch group - creative women working and laughing together. A few friends and I meet at Amy's house on Tuesday nights, taking a continuous stream of classes. There are usually little dogs under our feet, cats making rare appearances, and a parrot or two talking (or singing) in the background. In our last class, Amy made a digital copy on fabric of a photo chosen by each of us. I chose a print of Matisse's "Goldfish Bowl". I stitched the goldfish with some slightly metallic thread, which gave them a little shimmer. I'm still working on the leaves and will post the finished piece when it's done. Our next class, which begins this week, is an introduction to weaving.
And finally, that Thursday morning stitch group I mentioned has moved from our friend Susie's dining room, to a cottage she had built in her back yard. She named it "Freedom Cottage", filled it with a large table and chairs, sewing and ironing tables and two comfy armchairs. I made her this fabric picture as a "cottage warming" gift. Such a charming place for our meetings!
We're moving into cooler weather, although warmer days keep popping up. Soon enough the snow will come, so I'm planning to get out and enjoy these fall days as much as possible!
Here's wishing you a wonderful week to come!
