apotheosis canopy transition

"Committing oneself to a technique causes stagnation."   Simon Nicolaides

You are quite opinionated today and might create situations where you can let everyone know exactly what you think. But others aren't necessarily interested in listening to your rant for very long, so deliver your message as quickly as possible. Wasting time with too many details only weakens your story and makes you less believable, so demonstrate your ability to be concise and considerate. Use the art of persuasion to your advantage by leaving your audience wanting more.  Horrors

Busy night last night, but get those visions of me out boogying out of your mind.  TY had a cortisone shot yesterday afternoon and for the first time in weeks wasn't in pain.  He decided to celebrate by going to bed at 7:30, the real bed, not the pile o' pillows he builds on the couch every night.  So off he went and I settled down to Project Runway.  Can't say as the results weren't predictable, but I enjoyed it anyway until 10 when I had been instructed to watch the Food Channel to see my friend's son WIN!

She had some non disclosure thing so hadn't told me that her grandkids OR she was in the show too, so it was way fun to watch.  I was texting her all through the show!  By winning, he is now the chef in a restaurant in Denver and will move there, and today when I talked to Laurie I kiddingly asked her when she was moving too-  and she said three weeks!  Their house has sold and they have bought a new one and are out by Halloween!  Talk about fast!  But they all lived in Denver before so they didn't have to do any research or much looking and apparently found a place near friends quickly.  I'm so happy for them all.  Maybe because I need to go see my aunts who all live in Denver and now I know a good restaurant!

I've been machine shopping online, trouble is that I really need to TOUCH them.  I got two comments last night from my whining and they both boiled down to 'STOP BELLYACHIN' AND BUY A NEW MACHINE'  so today I am headed back to where I saw the whole Bernette line and hope I can do some try-out sewing.  The two entry-level machines are mechanical (Yeaaaa!) so I'll start there.  Other friends weighed in but their suggestions were in the thousands and I just want simple, a back-up system and perhaps something that can travel once in awhile without a U-Haul!  Of course I know I'm going to like the expensive machines more but I have to give them all a shot.  Thanks so much for your input (or should I say kick in the ass?).  I got NO help online from any forums or groups-  they were all talking Joann's or WalMart.  I may want 'simple' but I draw the line there.  

Meanwhile I used up the end of my can of easy-peasy spray baste and finished up the blue quilt to the point it's ready to go under the needles-  so I am off to buy some!  

UPDATE:  bought a used Bernina that will do the job.  Spent more money than I intended but was dissuaded away from the lesser machines by the owner who certainly knows her business!  So I am picking it up ion a few minutes-  a herd of seven Colorado ladies stormed the shop as I was testing so I told her I'd pick it up today.  

 Artist Johnson Tsang (previously) has been posting an amazing series of process photos over on his blog that demonstrate how he makes many of his bizarre ceramic creations. One piece that really stood out is called a Painful Pot, which is a functional teapot being squeezed by a dragon, its head functioning as the spout.  This thing is HUGE, and you simply have to follow th link to see how he does it-  great process photos.

 Lauren Clay, sculpture from wood blocks-   Lauren Clay was featured the other day but using cut and layered marbelized paper.  Here the wood blocks are marbleized

By now you must realize how much I love sewing and embroidery on photographs.  This series is titled Berlin, and is the work of American artist Diane Meyer – it shows the former path of the Berlin Wall cross stitched in threads over the photographs. Oh, if only that wall had actually been made of soft, colorful thread:“This aspect of the sewing emphasizes the unnatural boundaries created by the wall itself. The sewing, which is soft, provides a literal contrast to the concrete of the wall and a metaphorical contrast to its symbolism.” ~ Diane Meyer  See better, bigger, clearer pictures on her site!

A parting shot this morning from a friend.  This made me spit coffee on the screen!

 Mammo Grahams!