ummm- what's the date again?

Oh yeah, (ahem) The Tenth Day Of Christmas

(now see if you can stop singing 'Poison Ivy!'  *)

Today I grant the Humane Society my largesse, specifically Safe Harbor here in Jupiter.  Oh, I do exaggerate, what I am doing is sending a donation to them because they sent me a picture of a pit bull named Lucy who had her lips removed by some unscrupulous vet after she had a life of fighting.  Made me sick to my stomach that someone could even consider such treatment of an animal.  And here is Molly asleep on my feet and I worry about every bump on her.  OK, that's where my thoughts and cash go today.  Oy, I can't wait to see the credit card bill in January!

Note:  It wasn't a half hour after I sent my donation to the Humane Society before I got invited to their 'Wildlife Ball'.  Guess it probably isn't a place to carry a crocodile purse.

The preparations for the Open Studio are coming along-  today I have to get the current project wrapped up to a point I can pick it up and hide it somewhere.  Then put away the tools of the trade, pull down the paper shades on all my racks of junk to simplify the space visually.

So far:

The big green center hole has a couple of mangrove trees cut out and ready to apply today or tomorrow but I took the picture as I was running out the door.  Coming along.  Next one will be better color too-  my personal swamp isn't nearly as washed out.

I made up a little class schedule if anyone is interested-  it was somewhat of a challenge coming up with simple things that may attract a few students-  the ones who were told they can't draw way back when.  I'm offering a 'learn to draw' class for those that were thwarted in their childhood.  Then, I am also offering a 'Crafternoon' class for the more adventuresome folks who don't mind getting dirty hands.  What I intend to do with that one is to lead them through a No-Wrong-Way project like perhaps paste papers one week, then the next session we will make things from the papers like covered boxes or special envelopes or perhaps little book covers for purchased photo books.  I am intentionally doing things that have positive and beautiful outcomes so they gain confidence for the next stage which will be making a little signature book with decorated pages.  Third, I am offering a one-on-one mentoring class for making a quilt for someone who has never done it-  what they won't know is that they will be learning a series of short cuts and work arounds that will get them a fabulous quilt that they will DESIGN themselves, but if I advertise that they will be turned off before they get there.  (See, I know about being turned off before I get there because if someone offered me a free math class I would immediately leave the building!  BUT if they offer me a free class playing with shapes and colors I would be in heaven!)

*With thanks to the Coasters,  made it to #7 in 1959:


She comes on like a rose but everybody knows
She'll get you in Dutch
You can look but you better not touch


Poison iv-y-y-y-y, poison iv-y-y-y-y
Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound


She's pretty as a daisy but look out man she's crazy
She'll really do you in
If you let her under your skin


Poison iv-y-y-y-y, poison iv-y-y-y-y
Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound


Measles make you bumpy
And mumps'll make you lumpy
And chicken pox'll make you jump and twitch
A common cold'll fool ya
And whooping cough can cool ya
But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!!


You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around


Poison iv-y-y-y-y, poison iv-y-y-y-y
Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound


Measles make you bumpy
And mumps'll make you lumpy
And chicken pox'll make you jump and twitch
A common cold'll fool ya
And whooping cough can cool ya
But poison ivy, Lord'll make you itch!!


You're gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion
You'll be scratchin' like a hound
The minute you start to mess around


Poison iv-y-y-y-y, poison iv-y-y-y-y
Late at night while you're sleepin' poison ivy comes a'creepin'
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound




la da la da la da
la da la da la da
la da la da la da
la da la da la da


(Thought by some to not be about a plant at all, but instead about a young lady with a social disease.) Oh geesh, now I am itching.

The Ninth Day of Christmas ta da da da da daaah

Merry Silk Hydrangea Christmas.

And I am running out of cash fast.  Today is the Marine program 'Toys for Tots' so I will stop into WallyWorld this afternoon and grab me a shiny new toy to donate.  Besides the fact that it's run by Marines, it's a program for making kids believe just one more day that Santa is indeed doing his job.

Whew, this is getting to be quite a challenge.  I have one more really good one for tomorrow, then it's on to the 'B' list where everybody needs money and I have to just close my eyes and point.

Today I got a notice from my friend Terry Jarrard-Dimond that she has a new interview up on her blog with Arturo Sandoval.  Wow-  I've admired this guy's work forever, and have been so happy to see him hanging in the same shows as me once in awhile.  Anyway, go here to her site and read on.  She does a great job with her interview series-  you may just want to poke around a bit and see some of her other posts.  There are some of the most interesting women out there that I have had the privilege of coming across.  Guess I should make more of an effort to get out and find them!

Terry's work is about as far from mine as anyone could get but I find it so compelling.  I love to study it and decipher her choices, always paring down to the simple and elegant.  My own tends to the multilayered and cluttered and confusing-  how I wonder where I went wrong.

I'm at the studio taking a coffee break from trying to get the current pile of crap corralled and harnessed -  I had a fortuitous event yesterday at the local quilt shop where I stopped in to look for more swampy fabric that was easy to cut-  there was a yard left of the one I was using but ran through so I grabbed it-  it's been sitting there for 3 years.  Fortunately for me the swampy look isn't something that sells very well in Florida.  The fabrics that fly out the door are high chroma fish and anything with palm trees.  OK, coffee is about gone so I better get the (branding) iron out.  Yippee yi o kai ayyy

The Eighth Day of Christmas

Some kinda ugly wreath, but you only get what you pay for.

Today's Horror-scope:  Instead of starting something different today, you would be wiser to build on what you began over the past few days. Even if you are already bored with what you are doing, don't fall into the trap of thinking that you'll have more fun creating a new project. You don't have to change your current direction to be happier; you only have to change your mind.

Guess that puts the kabosh on scraping the swamp quilt I am slogging through!  Definite stop first thing is that leafy green fabric I have in my head-  let's see if it actually exists or if I will be forced into subterfuge by scanning, printing and clipping!  There ya go, the 'Mind Change' happened before your very eyes.  Amazing.  But I still have to stop at the quilt store.

I never made it to the studio yesterday because I got so bound up in stupid errands, ran home to walk the dog and grab some lunch, and then back out again.  Ladieeeezzz, I finally got the books out to you.  I waited in line 20 minutes at the USPS, but the line didn't move so I left in a huff and later ended up at a Mailboxes where I got fleeced.  Last time I am giving anything away that has to be mailed!  One of the packages cost me more to mail than the book is worth and that killed me-  I would have rather sent a check!  Anyway, so much for a generous spirit.  But the whole day went like that.  I need some different leafy fabric for the current quilt, and the quilt store is closed on Mondays.  Drat.  I went to pick up a prescription and it wasn't ready yet.  I went to have a VCR tape made into a DVD and the guy who does it won't be back till tomorrow.  Never made it to the bank because I was afraid they would shut the doors in my face.

Today's Give-a-Way went to Kiva where I found a group of enterprising women to fund called La Pintura.  They each sell different items and their funding will be used to resupply their stocks.  This has always been one of my favorite places to throw money as it 'teaches to fish' rather than giving them fish.  A worthy cause, so if you are looking to do some give-away, go check them out.

Monday Monday

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time


I can't believe that even now at my advanced age and so called retirement I still hate getting up on Mondays.  Must be some sort of ancient genetic device like fight-or-flight.  So in honor of a crappy day ahead I found a pretty wreath from Pottery Barn to cheer myself up.

Love that it's square because it fits so nicely inside a window frame and doesn't upset the eye with anything gauche like rounded corners.  This is a bay wreath and you can snatch off the leaves for a stew too.


Today's Give-a-way for the seventh day of Christmas will be a check for Heifer.  I will probably go with the bees this time to commemorate industry, and hopefully they will work themselves to their little exoskeletons for some deserving third world community.  I like bees.  Here is my Bee Quiltlet-  a mono print of antique lace on silk charmeuse called 'Bees in her Bonnet'

So, tha-tha-thaz all folks.  Sing along with the Mamas and Papas for the rest of the day!  I'll be at the notary, the pharmacy, the bank, the grocery, the party lady, the quilt shop, the post office, and the video store.  I sure need a wife.

Oops. Skipped a Day

So today is two wreathes!  One for the Fourth Day of Christmas, one for the Fifth.  Aren't we lucky...  Two paper wreathes!

One made out of beer coasters in that warm and fuzzy holiday tradition.  (OK if you recently got back from the Irish Pub Crawl I 'spose.)

And this one made from paint chips all in shades of traditional Santa periwinkle and mauve.  Also OK if you just bought your first condo and have no color sense.  Also, I 'spose.

So, I am still covered on the GiveAway plan, OK until tomorrow when I have to come up with a few things to tide me over.  There aren't a lot of homeless people around here to buy lunch for, and I am not very good at the contact-with-people part anyway, so I will write out some donation checks today for some favorite charities, and promise that if I fund a herd of bees it will only count as ONE donation.  Also I have a few organizations in mind that can use some help other than me standing around wearing a white glove and pretending to smile.  So, Merry Christmas, here I go throwing money at it already!

Twenty One Days of Christmas

Yeah, the always festive ANTLER wreath.  Needs a bow, eh?  Maybe a sprinkle of glitter?

All the books are addressed and ready for the PO, except one that has a *special* means of delivery!  Watch for it on Tuesday!  The books were all taken, and I have made my gift that covers me for the 5th already, but I can't actually relinquish it until after the Open Studio.

And so another one begins...  Here we go, a quilt about the mangrove swamps, so far just the fabrics bound and gagged.  If they behave I will free them to be trees and roots.  The mangrove swamps are pretty dull colorwise so I have chosen to pump it up slightly.  I've been working from a whole series of swamp pictures I took on a canoe trip and really like these fabrics together.  Oh yes, I got a confirmation letter from my Congressman about my letter deploring the release of Burmese Pythons into the swamp.  I'm on note.  It unfortunately was followed up with letters about three other bills having nothing python-ish about them at all.  I kinda hate to tell him I am still registered in MA and there are very few constrictors loose there of the snaky kind, only the form with two legs.

Another note-  I got talked into going to a luncheon with a psychic speaker yesterday that I was really looking forward to.  First off there was a wine tasting and we filled out questions for the psychic to answer.  I can't have any wine so I sipped away on a big glass of water, what a bore.  Lunch was really good, a generous slab of perfect salmon, some edamame, and a few tablespoons of rice with ginger.  Unfortunately the speaker was a bore and spent her time going on and one about herself and how many celebrities she had helped over the years-  but when asked direct questions she wouldn't answer them, instead referred us to her BOOK, which she says may be out next year.  Huh?  First I have to sit through a boring talk about her and her 'friends' with not a psychic hit in the bunch-  "And then LaToya asked me to read for Michael but I didn't...", or "The JonBenet Ramsey case is coming to fruition very soon."  OK, so who cares about that without knowing whodoneit???  Isn't that what one uses a psychic for?

Dessert arrived, a platter with three mini dessert tastes that looked perfect, but I sent it back feeling extremely sorry for myself.  Then I sent myself sneaking out the back door on the pretext of hitting the john.  Spending the afternoon with Molly and an hour of quiet knitting was preferable.

Today I had a visit at the studio for a little show and tell.  Two friends arrived from Boston and I loved seeing what they are up to.  Beverly is doing some amazing marbleing that I was dying to grab right away from her and take as my own but she promised to come back and have a session with me here.  I have to buy some pool noodles first!  I've been on the ProChem website since she left putting in an order.  I did a bunch of marbleing many years ago but have used up every scrap and would love to get at it again.  The 'Other Sandy' was visiting for a few days so didn't have any actual work but instead had a hunk of orange construction fence for me that was in a size I don't have, and also her sketchbook.  She was working on page after page of intricate 'doodles' that she will translate into thermofax screens (maybe), very interesting stuff.  Then we gossiped, because it's me and that's what I do...

Back to marbles:  As I remember I had as much of an issue with MAGENTA in the project as I did in dyeing.  God, I hate magenta...  I took them over to the beach for lunch, then off to the local quilt shop to pick out a new work table, which just happened to be on a great sale.  Nice full day, ending with a visit from two new tenants, painters, for the industrial park!  YEAAA, I foresee an arty community happening some day-  wouldn't that be great?  Now it's pouring rain so I will get myself home.

Book Chance is Over

 ummm, Christmassy, ain't it?  Maribou feathers and dingle balls, how festive.

The books are gone, tomorrow is the fourth and I got all four adopted in time.  Now I have to think of what tomorrow will bring, or more appropriately, LOSE.  I have one idea but we will have to see if the recipient will accept without protest.  I hate protest.

Thanks to all who wanted my extra books-  I am glad they are going to some good homes.  If you don't keep them, make sure they get re-adopted to worthy book collectors.   Thanks!

Three Books Left

Remember, these are free, and I only have to tomorrow to get rid of them for my 25 Days of Christmas pledge*.  Claim them now!  No catches, no perpetual email barrage, no cart, no paypal!  

The Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art.  Katherine Duncan Aimone

Artists' Journals; Sketchbooks, Exploring and Creating Personal Pages.  Lynn Perrella

Collage Art, A Step-by-Step Guide and Showcase.  Jennifer L. Atkinson  (this is the one with my elbow)  GONE TO A WORTHY HOME


UPDATE:  Thanks Diane-  it will be in the mail tomorrow (or the next day), but let it be known that this is a fabulous book that has a whole chapter with **me** as a featured player- and in spite of putting on my best make-up and arty-est rings, the photographer only got my elbow!  You should have seen all his trunks of stuff and three of us crammed into my tiny studio getting the pictures!  And the book has turned out to be a classic on all sorts of collage, you won't be sorry.  But then again why would you be sorry, it's free!  Duh.

* I am giving away a 'thing' a day for 25 days.  You may as well be the person who GETS a thing a day!  These only take me to Dec. 4th, and I have to get on with it so please, grab a book-  I have the mailing envelopes all ready, just need your address.  

Slipped Right By Me

The post I just sent with the big wreath was #800 for Sandeedee and her Adventures in Muse-Waiting!  Thanks for checking in with me every now and then.  I do have one complaint though, I wish you would comment more!  Maybe that's how You can give Me something for the 25 Days of Christmas plan!

Now, I really must go get something---ANYthing done!




eight hundred friggin posts.  I gotta get a life.  Maybe I will stop at 1000, or more likely BE stopped!   

25 Days of Give-Away

Today I got asked to join 25 Days to Christmas, a plan where we give away something every day until Christmas.  It can be anything, it can be to anybody.  (Isn't this wreath fabulous-  best one I could steal off google images!)

First, today, I am giving away some books.  They are yours (one per customer, please) if you email me (sdonabed at mac dot com) first so someone doesn't get something they don't want!  All of these are in new unused condition, maybe flipped through but the spines aren't broken and I haven't scribbled in the margins.  All but one are recently published, not vintage like I am but the old one has a picture of me-  OK, so it's just my elbow, so the work in them is timely.  And one more caveat-  I will make ever effort to get these mailed quickly but the post office here is ridiculous so it may take a few days before I can stand in line for 2 hours!  Free means being a bit more patient sometimes.  If you want more information on any of these, check Amazon first, or ask me.  OK, the TRUTH is these are all duplicates fro my shelves-  I liked the descriptions so much I got 'em twice and didn't discover it until I consolidated all my stuff into one place!

Digital Art Studio, Techniques of Combining Inkjet Printing With Traditional Art Materials.  Karen Schminke, Dorothy Simpson Krause, and Bonny Pierce LhotkaGONE

The Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art.  Katherine Duncan Aimone

Artists' Journals & Sketchbooks, Exploring and Creating Personal Pages.  Lynn Perrella

Collage Art, A Step-by-Step Guide and Showcase.  Jennifer L. Atkinson  (this is the one with my elbow)

A Lack of Anything Specific to Do

You remember what they say about Idle Hands?  I painted all afternoon and I had time watching it dry.  They I had LOTS of time cleaning it up and my floor has been christened-  has green and bronze smooshes all over.  And how did it get on my iron?  Geesh.  I should go back to my cubbyhole.

Another one down

this is how I feel.

Tonight is Chinese food at our FINALLY good local Chinese restaurant.  Well deserved.

Today's Adventure in BizNiz

I found a sign guy in my same industrial park and he said he could install yesterday afternoon, a few hours after I burst into his studio and interrupted his tv time.  The shop was littered with tee shirts and skateboards and pretty much in need of a good sweep, but I was there, he was there and he sure wasn't doing anything. He never showed up.


Kind of a biker guy, but *very* nice blue eyes.

I went racing over to the studio after lunch today sure it would be up but no, and I had been in such a hurry I forgot my phone so sat around for a bit waiting.  Sure enough he showed, and here ya go:

Hmmm, did I say 'goth' typeface?  Don't think so... I did say lower case, he got that part of our conversation.   My son, the font snob, will have a design fit when he sees this but it's staying because it's DONE.  See the dingle dangle diamonds?  Classy touch, eh?

Here's the side light since you're being held captive by all this excitement:

And I am waving at you to c'mon in, that's not an attempt at the web fingered Vulcan salute.  And a final note, if you call that number I will answer.  Just in case you need emergency mixed media textile art.





begging forgiveness,

Preparations, Exasperations

Late last night I was reading Rayna's blog because I am woefully behind in reading any blogs and one has to start somewhere!  She was talking about price lists at her Open Studios and asked how people felt about them.  I don't feel anything about them, in fact never even thought about it until it came up last night, basically because I had no thoughts of selling anything from the Open Studio.  Well, the more I pondered, the more I realized I really need a price list, not to advertise prices, but just in case someone wants to know I don't have to go scurrying around to tell them.  So today's studio time went to a price list, or more accurately, two copies of my price list nicely printed on my cloud paper with my Ganymede moon in the corner.  Then I slipped them into plastic sleeves and hung them unobtrusively where I can grab them.  There is a note at the bottom that the day of the Open Studio all quilts are reduced 15% as a thank you for coming.

Then it occurred to me that all these quilts have names and that is how they are listed on the price list. SOoooo back to the computer to grab the titles, re-format and print onto card stock, cut them into little strips, and then paste them to the wall near each quilt.  I needed to be in the studio anyway because I was waiting for my new door sign which was due to arrive in the afternoon, however, by 5 it wasn't there yet so I left.  Tomorrow will be another day of waiting and finding even more silly projects to kill my time rather than getting involved in some ahhht.   So, here are the labels ready to paste

                                                                       and here they are pasted!

Did I ever mention my pact with the gods of synchronicity?  I have this amazing luck where things appear-  just APPEAR!- when I need them the most.  I may not even know I need a particular thing, and it appears with a resounding 'A-HA'!  I stroke these gods, I would give them full fat milk and honey if they would show up, but it is just one of those things I am so grateful for.  Yesterday as I was hanging the diamonds I was somewhat appalled at my crappy homemade door sign but got over it fast.  Later, on the way out of the industrial park, I took a side road and there was a sign guy right in front of me.  I stopped in and made a deal, and the new sign will be put up today.  Thanks to the gods.  Bless 'em.

Interestingly enough, he also does neon-  gotta keep that in the back of my head because it WILL be useful for something!  

Tomorrow is knitting day where I work on my Habu sweater for a few hours on the teensy needles.  I am really making progress-  now I have done about 2" up the back so the ETA will be finishing in the fall of 2015.  IF I keep at it steadily.  Actually if it will be worn in my coffin, I don't really need the back-  just the front and sleeves, eh?

They're Comin' to GIT ME!

I heard a whole lots of noise out in front of the studio so checked it out and found a herd of turkey buzzardsd up on the building across the driveway and light fixtures.

And in the driveway where they were fighting over a plastic bag one of them grabbed from the dumpster.  These guys are huge, with at least a 6' wingspan.  I do have to say it's fun to watch them all glide through the sky but up close they are U*G*L*Y.  They stayed around for an hour or so.  These photos were taken through my heavy glass door, I was afraid to open it to get closer, not because I was scared of them, but I knew I would scare them away and get NO pictures.  Meanwhile, back at home TY took Molly out for a walk and encountered another herd of these critters across from our house so he let her off her leash to go bark.  They flapped at her a bit, she got more agitated and backed off barking. Finally they sort of sautered away looking back over their shoulders at her.  She was happy, they weren't affected,  win/win situation.  So on every walk we start, she has to return to the scene and sniff around looking for them.  Sigh.

At the craft store the other day I found a whole pound of quote diamonds unquote but they weren't marked so I hauled them to the register and was told they were $17.  Ain't no way, for that money I would want real ones!  But the clerk told me that they were had a 50% coupon that day so I got them.  Spent all day yesterday glueing the like shapes together over string and sticking the little rubber suction cups back on my window that kept crashing to the floor as they popped off.  Yesterdays suction cups were stuck fast, today's batch from a different source are ridiculous.  So, now I have diamonds clattering whenever the door opens.  Next I have to invest in a real sign to go with the classy diamonds.