Category Archives: Journal

February Fun

Garden installation

Well that’s I made it the last month of being 50 !

I again helped to build the Seattle Arboretum Foundation’s award winning garden.I was asked to paint the piñata green to blend in with the design.I love working with Bob Lily and the team from the Arboretum Foundation.We have great fun and it is the best cure for my seasonal mood disorder (SAD) One of the nicest things is that Bob always gifts us plants and currently my deck pots have Blue Irises popping up at of slightly different blues from different builds.I’m also totally indulged by hubby and we always buy a plant or two to add to our garden collection. This year we have a white ribes and two beautiful  specimen witch hazels.We have also gained some kinnickinick which I’m hoping will do well.

Leigh ,my wonderful gardener, and I have big plans for the garden this year.We’re trying some live stack planting with a very vigorous ribes which was causing a visual obstruction to the traffic on the street.We used the cuttings to screen the working area of the garden.We’ve taken advantage of renewing the fences in the fall to make formal plans.I value my privacy so am exploring different screening methods , these also help our small birds hide from the Cooper’s hawk that nest’s across the road.

I’ve wanted to build in more bird and bug friendly elements.I really happy to see the birds beginning to court on our deck.Most exciting of all is our Berwick wren seems to have a partner so I’m hoping to see the population increase.I’ll post the new structures and elements as they develop.

 

 

 

 

Year in review

Baby quilts awaiting delivery

Surface design/book play

First crop – I explored growing our own summer vegetables in pots on the deck.Our salad bar was a huge success and this was our first crop of beans-the resident hummingbirds loved the heritage variety and they provided great screening/privacy from our neighbors.

Cover detail of a tool pocket created to hold a set of jewelry making tools which replaced a set which were stolen from an artist’s car while she visited her sick husband in hospital.

Dottee dolls created for an auction raising funds for Ladybug House proposed children hospice in Seattle area

Sample teenager for Baton Rouge project.Sadly this package was returned as contact didn’t pick it up from mailing office.So if anyone wants to pick up this project it’s all ready to go in the studio !

A variety of pieces from 2017 but thought I would share.I have also created a series of boro place mats which are still a work in process so there will be more in the future.I have just recieved my renewal for American Craft Council membership and look forward to reading the magazine and maybe funding my artistic voice this year.

Thursday Therapy

For around 8 months I have been helping at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens with maintenance in the perennial border.We have a great time and once month have a weed and feed session potluck lunch).I love the team work and sense of accomplishment in a garden that is available to all.I was most surprised after joining the NW Perennial Alliance to find myself in this months newsletter.Yes I love that hat !

Happy rainy morning volunteering at Bellevue Botanical Gardens.

We are working to potentially make our garden open in a couple of years as an example of a wildlife friendly urban garden.I have just been editing images from last year our wildlife visitors include deer,rabbits,coyotes,bear (yearling while we where in Hawaii) and a stunning bobcat who it seems was responsible for the destruction of our old fencing.We discovered over the holidays that we had been accidentally feeding a family of raccoons when they visited our deck bird feeder while we were a dinner one evening.We have repositioned the feeder and consumption has reduced significantly.I am currently adding new areas to support birds and wildlife, removing non native species.We have 5 species of woodpeckers visiting and a gang of teenage juncos resident over the winter.My favorite daily visitor is a wren, such a personality, along with our two resident male hummingbirds who guard the feeders to the North and South of the house.

After a long absence I have also started to participate in Postcrossing again.I received a great set of Washington stamps to add to postcards and used them for the first set I sent but they seem to have disappear in the ephemera in the studio – I’m sure they will turn up soon.

New Adventures

The New Year brings the opportunity to develop skills.I will be going on retreat for the first time with a group to explore seed beading techniques.I have been experimenting with peyote stitch for around a year which will be included in a series of necklaces.I collected many beads and found objects during my travels and hope to continue to explore with these objects.I have joined the seed bead society so am looking forward to meeting and meeting new members.

In the run up to Christmas I attended my first Oddball Convention at Bellevue College.So many talented artists.I was looking for a personal handmade project for my parents to take back for my nieces and nephew and adapted an article about making boro brush holders when I “found” some oilcloth which had been in my stash.This seemed to be a more practical application as ever I now have extra “unfinished objects” in my studio space.

Small series of oil cloth brush holder.Screen prints patches by chibiyeti.com

A little Rest

I’ve enjoyed my break from this blog for the next few months plan to take a step back and focus on my art.Thanks for stepping by and don’t hesitate to contact me f you have any question or would like to collaborate on future projects.

Keeping On Keeping On

Well the summer is nearly over but I have one last adventure up my sleeve.Something I never ever thought I would do.

As a young child I was bullied but the TV never judged me.I hid in many TV programs.Blue Peter was a fav.Music was always important in my life. One of my favorite orchestra pieces was the theme to Hawaii 5-0.

Next Monday I will be flying into the Big Island with my Hubby to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

F1 Salad bowl

 

Life Lessons

Well a deep sigh started this blog post.

I have not heard from the Salmon Days Festival so assume I have not been juried in this year.

Neither of my pieces were sold at Artful Evening but I learned much from the experience and had a few others learn a little about me.Way back in this blog there is a story of Joe Davids piece being displayed the wrong way up at a walkthrough.The same thing happened to me and I had the good fortune to have Stephano Catalani ,current curator of the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle at hand to help me deal with this delicate situation.

Artful Evening 2017
Post adjustment !

Among ali the strange political happenings across the globe this week an all party report was published by the British government on the roll of the Arts,Health and Well-being.I am looking forward reading to this in depth.An evidence-based piece of cross party research is a powerful tool.i hope to find some applications for my future studies.I think it will help as a reference funding applications and in forming my application to return to studying.

https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/publications/creative-health-arts-health-and-wellbeing-short-report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of the Line

I’ve been thinking about working with this green velvet for about 5 years.Finally there is no more left.I have to say I have collected some much epherma ( stuff ) over the past years that I now feel it is time to stop, use supplies around me and produce with materials that surround me.

I found myself turning down “inspirational” ballet shoes this week but did find myself with two new books on necklace making.I’ve never really made complex necklaces but may begin to explore this as another method of storytelling through jewelry.

 

 

Finished pieces

More bus babies were completed this week.

Green velvet vintage and gifted,Limb beads from Alaska and Bellevue,Wood faces for Montreal travels.All poseing on my travelling beading box.Time to make a new set of bodies and start a new group.