Back in my Studio

I dug out this old embroidery design for a house and tulips and decided that I wanted to add some fabric

I made a pattern of the house using my light box, paper and a pencil 

I do have a bunch a pre-Mistyfused fabrics from my Hopscotch line

Let the fun begin! This is a good start!

And the tulips, but the tulip on the left might need some tweaking



Now making a pattern for the landscape 

I eye balled the stems, chimney and front door. Then trimmed the edges so they would be free from threads

In hindsight, I should have cut the thread ends before I fused the back, so they wouldn’t show through. So I cut them and didn’t lose much of the web, fortunately 

Working with white fabric, I need to have a really clean iron, so I use Dryer Sheets

It didn’t look like there was this much gunk, but apparently there was! Then I slide my iron over a scrap piece of fabric to remove the residue 

I pressed this to a piece of white wool blended felt and trimmed the edges all around




I pinned the house and white felt to a piece of pink wool blended felt. Now it’s ready for some fun embroidery! 

Let the fun begin!

Home Studio

For years this was my drawing desk at home. A lap desk. My paper and pens stored on an Ikea cart. Easy and portable

Then came the stay at home order. I made a small place for myself in one of our spare bedrooms. I brought this table from my studio. It’s a full circle moment. I bought this table over 25 years ago at Ikea to put my sewing machine on in my home studio. Now it’s back!

Supplies at my fingertips in a Logenberger divided basket

I like to spread out when I work with my supplies around me, like paint! 

These are my favorite supplies for drawing and painting!

This week, I started drawing patchwork birds carrying stuff. A paint palette with dripping paint 

Yes, the Pandemic is still here. Wear a mask and let’s beat this thing!

And VOTE! Our right as Americans! Use your voice at the ballot box! 

Opinions in Paint

One of my favorite quotes! And yes, I really do dress like this

We owe much to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I drew this so fast, that I messed up her initials

Be bold, be brave and use your voice! VOTE

She was a champion for women. Google Captain Susan Struck

I believe in science and I want to protect our country so we have something pretty amazing to hand down to future generations 



Me dressed as Alexander Hamilton. One of the reasons our forefathers left England.

This is my favorite paper to draw and paint on. It lays flat, takes layers of watercolor paint well and has easy to tear out pages. During the Pandemic, I have used up two of these books

I choose....

Reading Books...My Great Escape

My greatest escape during the pandemic and from the chaos of our current administration has been to fill my days with words

I love to open a book and fall in. One of many watercolor illustrations of me reading. This is actually a real chair in my house with a quilt made by a dear friend

Here is what I have read this year! Louise Penny is my most favorite author! I do love a good series. Elly Griffiths and her a Ruth Galloway series is wonderful. And who doesn’t love a cozy mystery with the Amory Ames series? Or Rhys Bowen’s books? And now I am reading Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series! 

Books I’ve a Read by YEAR

2020

The Dutch House by Anne Patchett

little fires everywhere by Celeste ng

Everything I never told you by Celeste ng 

The world as we knew it by Alice Hoffman

What happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand 

Book 1 Still Life by Louise Penny

Book 2 A Fatal Grace 

Book 3 the Cruelist Month

Book 4 a rule against murder

Book 5 a brutal telling

10

Book 6 bury your dead 

Book 7 a trick of the light 

Book 8  The  Beautiful mystery

Book 9 how the light gets in - excellent book

Book 10 the long way home

Book 11 the nature of the beast - would make a great movie

Book 12 the great reckoning - so good

Book 13 glass houses

Book 14 kingdom of the blind

Book 15 a better man

20

Tender Points by Amy Berkowitz

Book 1 The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Book 2 The Janus Stone 

Book 3. The House at Sea’s End

Book 4 a Room Full of Bones

Book 5 a Dying Fall

Book 6 The Outcast Dead

Book 7 The Ghost Fields

Book 8 The a Woman in Blue

Book 9 The Chalk Pit

30

Book 10 The Dark Angel

Book 11 The Stone Circle

Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen

The Hideaway by Lauren Denton

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Book 1 Her Sisters Shoes by Ashley Farley

Book 2 Low Country Stranger

Book 3 Boots and Bedlum

Book 4 Tangle of Strings

Book 5 Saturday’s at Sweeney’s 

40

Uneasy Lies the Crown, book 13 Lady Emily Series by Tasha Alexander

In the shadow of Vesuvius, book 14 Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand 

The Sweeney Sister’s by Liam Dolan

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

White Fragility by Robin Di’Angelo

QBQ by John G. Miller- book nerds club

Book 1The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory 

Book 2 The Proposal

Book 3 The Party

50

Book 4 The Royal Holiday

Book 5 Party of 2

Book 12 The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths 

The Last Mrs. Summers by Rys Bowen

Book 1 Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver

Book 2 Death Wears a Mask

Book 3 A Most Novel Revenge

Book 4 The Essence of Malice

Book 5 An Act of Villany

Book 6 A Dangerous Engagement

60

Book 16 All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

Book 19 The New Girl by Daniel Silva - Sept book nerd club 

 And this was such an intriguing story, that I had to start at the beginning!

Book 1 The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva

Book 7 A Deception at Thorncrest by Ashley Weaver

Book 2 The English Assassin by Daniel Silva

Book 3 The Confessor

Book 4 A Death in Vienna

67

Currently Reading

Book 5 Prince of Fire

To Read

Book 6 The Messenger

Book 7 The Secret Servant

Book 8 Moscow Rules

Waiting Anxiously for:

The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths

Book 13 The Night Hawk 2021 by Elly Griffiths - preordered 9-17-20

This is a chair from my imagination 


Wear a mask. When I leave the house, I have a mask on. You never know how many other people have not been social distancing or wearing a mask, so protect yourself and others. I think and feel that it’s a sign of respect to wear as mask

My daily artwork helps me get through our stay safe at home days. I set up a drawing studio in my house which has been fun! More about that in my next post.

Enjoy your week! Stay safe! Keep in touch with your loved ones! 

Mid-September Already

 Am starting an ‘I believe series.’ This is the first one 

Climate change is real. Science is real

I was gifted with some handmade watercolors for my birthday from two different people. These are pretty incredible to paint with. Ruby Mountain Watercolors.

We marked the anniversary of 911. Sad commentary 



Received this pretty terrific birthday box of ice cream for my birthday! So delicious! 

All the paint is here and ready to go! 

Live a polka dot life! 

Since having a heat wave and smoke and unhealthy air, I’ve been working from home

I’ve always loved this quote! VOTE and let your voice be heard

Reading is my great escape from what is happening in our country and world. I’ve read 60 books since January. Currently reading Daniel Silva’s first book in the Gabriel Allen series. I read his latest book 19 The New a Girl for book club, and decide to go back and start from the beginning with a The Kill Artist. I’ve read many books about tRump, and read about 100 pages of Michael Cohan’s book and had to stop because what he and tRump have done together is just criminal. I felt like I had to take a shower after every chapter to wipe the scum off.  It was All a Lie by Stuart Stevens is what I am now reading.

Reflection

We are living in unprecedented times with Covid/Pandemic. One thing I know for sure is that we should all be wearing a mask in public if we want it to go away.

Life is indeed fragile and we need to take care of ourselves to weather the storms that come our way!

This is me.

I am trying to make sense of it all. Thinking in the ‘positive’ works for me

Playing the glad game

Even though we can’t see each other in real life right now



We have had a heat wave for far too long and my best solution is to water from the middle of the pool

Labor Day 2020 

Yep, birthdays are a time to reflect on one’s life. Drawing a line in the sand to be more positive, especially on social media. We are all in this together. Hang in there everyone!