The past year has been an interesting one. A mixture of good and bad times, joy and sadness, successes balanced with unfulfilled dreams.  It has been a very busy year, hence few blog posts! My days were often long, leaving little time for reflecting. 2014 included some real successes in my artwork, travel, lots of Grandma time and time spent with new and old friends. In many ways 2014 was an ‘ordinary’ year. But today I found...

One of my goals for 2014 was to apply to as many juried shows as possible. I just heard from the Surface Design Association (SDA) show ‘Edge of the Forest : Exploring Perimeters’ and have yet another piece heading out for travels across Canada. This exhibition features work by Canadian members of the SDA and will open at the: Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (Ontario) and this show will run from March 1-30, 1915. John M....

I believe that if a four year old can spend most of a day working on a project and still be anxious to do more I can count the project a success. Look at what she produced – gifts that will soon be mailed to special people in her life! The results of the day were quite attractive and putting the last few ‘sparkles’ in place was a great way to delay bedtime!   And Grandma found time to make a tutu for a little girl who...

I’m learning to work with a short production week! I’ve got a four year old in my life who ‘loves’ doing crafts with Grandma. As she visits often, the weekend is often focused on our joint efforts. This is ‘work in progress’ of the start of our Christmas crafts. These Christmas ornaments are now dry and waiting for their hangers.

Last night I sat and stitched! I love hand stitching! Stitching is reflection time. Mind journaling time. Sorting out time. Recognition time. This summer I crossed another milestone, the unanticipated loss of a cherished sibling. I live at a distance, plans unfolded quickly and I missed the celebration of his life. Then the revelation that yet another sibling suffers from heart ailments. It’s time to take stock and to examine priorities....

Spring and summer 2014 have been a time of extremes. Emotions have run the gambit – from high to low. Happy times mingled with sad, joy with sadness. It was a time of renewal and of letting go. Since April I have said goodbye to a much loved younger brother who left us suddenly without warning. A warm and caring man, highly regarded by family, friends and neighbours; his death has left a hole in many lives. The shock and sadness left me...

The last couple of weeks have been difficult.  Not only have I been dealing with my reactions to the ‘tempest in a teapot’ but I have been doing a lot of hand stitching and, for me, stitching time is introspection time. Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate, or not, in that I have not had a lot of conflict in my life.  Perhaps it is because I was well schooled in the art of  ‘avoidance’, perhaps it is because I...

A Bully has crossed my path! With the recently increased profile of bullying in our society, I want to make a comment. It doesn’t stop with childhood.  It’s not always physical.  It can be disguised in many ways. As a person of certain years, I have not had a lot of experience with bullies for many years.  I am a straight speaking person who calls it as she sees it and people usually know where I stand on an issue. People usually respect that....

Work in progress!   This is just a sneak peek at ‘By the Light of the Silvery Moon’, my work in progress.  Although it is in response to a Guild challenge, I also have an exhibition opportunity in mind for it so won’t be showing the whole piece for a while!  The background fabric, a whole cloth, is a sunprint by Thelma Newbury, a friend from British Columbia. As usual, lots of texture added, use of metallic threads and...

Over the years my husband and I have traced our Scottish roots with varying success.  Don and ‘the lads’ have had ‘Duncan’ tartan ties, we have worked at the local ‘Highland’ Games and participated in Robbie Burns nights in our small eastern Ontario community.  In 2000, our millenium project was a family trip to Scotland that provided context for our research – and new information. I decided today to...