Do not read this if you're in a good mood today!

Today we need colour more than at any time in history.  Blacks and grays, both depressing, should be replaced in clothes, offices and homes with new colours that give inspiration, tranquility, and happiness.  Linda Clark

(Linda Clark wrote 'The Ancient Art of Color Therapy', still in print after 30 years.)

This info was in the latest Painters Keys newsletter that arrived during my darkest moments a few minutes ago.

So why am I feeling all rolled up and sorry for myself?  Because I finished the quilt top for my Tidal Pools piece.  Truthfully I have never had so may problems on a single piece, they usually go together without a hitch even when I am reinventing the wheel.  Again.  But this puppy has been trouble from the get-go, the highlights (umm, make that LOWlights) below:

*Printer didn't survive the renovations so ordered a new one.

*Second printer wouldn't print on fabric.

*Made original set of prints, 18 of 'em, 13" wide on large format photo paper.          Gorgeous prints if I do say so.

*Photoshop program DISAPPEARED from computer so no manipulations allowed, so was reduced to using the good photo paper prints.  (It had been installed with FireWire, not loaded into laptop and the disk is in MA)  Got disk and it still won't load Adobe products- two trips to the Genius, no resolution, waiting for the new Mac release of Elements 6 whenevah...

*Made a set on satin, but they were pale and insipid-  18 bad prints.

*Cut up photo paper prints and gel transferred them to linen.

*They didn't adhere to the backing linen so I made transfers out of them and blistered my thumb rubbing off the photopaper.  Remember there are 18 of them.

*New printer runs out of ink, order more because it isn't stocked in stores.  2 weeks.

*New prints finally work well on linen backed with acetate using 'standard' settings, not 'photo paper' settings.  So-so prints, lost a lot of contrast and detail as expected. 

*Printer runs out of ink again but will not accept a new yellow replacement cartridge, thus rendering the entire printer out of order until I can send it to friggin' Georgia.

*Appliqued all circles down by hand, but am 6 short so I downsized expectations and am now working with 12 units.  Finished appliqueing, beading, and embroidering and hung it on design wall to block.  Sprayed and patted into place, stretched square. Noticed that my hands were all black and purple after doing this last night.  

*Checked this morning and the ink ran badly in three of the circles. I am screwed.  

NOW I HAVE NO PRINTER, NO PHOTOSHOP, NO CIRCLES TO REPLACE BAD ONES, NO YELLOW CARTRIDGES AND A VERY BAD TEMPER.  

Disclaimer:  the inks never ran on the paper copies, didn't change with the gel medium, and survived the test I did by running one fabric print under the faucet for about 4 minutes with NO runoff color.  Who knew that a light spritz of water would do the deed?

If my mood improves I will load the pictures-of-doom and you can see for yourself.  Right now I need to get out of here and breathe some fresh air while feeling sorry for myself.

But I did have an excellent paella at out 35th wedding anniversary dinner last night.  Should have drunk more wine though.