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Archive for the ‘weight loss/gain’ Category

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A Step Back to Reflect

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

I am spending some time cleaning and reorganizing my studio and office and reflecting on the past year. It was a year when I attempted to experiment with some new work, but also felt blocked from really doing the work I want to do. I am making some plans and setting some goals and just thinking.

That gorgeous and sunny apron up there was a belated birthday gift from my good friend, Judy, in Georgia. The pocket is printed with grapefruits. She made the apron and it is perfectly sewn. You can see some posts about the apron here and here. Judy is one of those fiber artists who does the work. She  spends lots of time in her studio printing and dyeing and doing beautiful work.

Lisa arrived on Monday, with her dog, Wilfredo, who ran to greet me at the airport. I think she could leave him here with me, and he would never miss her!! He does find Scooter a bit daunting.

Clay, Lisa’s partner, arrived yesterday and we have been running around, shopping, eating out and baking.

Our neighborhood really goes all out with the holiday yard decor. I took these photos of a couple of trees.

I haven’t tried to photograph the lights at night, but there are some very  exciting displays.

Lisa and Clay are vegan which means they do not consume any dairy or eggs. I found a vegan gingerbread recipe which has a really nice spicy flavor. I have so many cookie cutters, but stars are my favorite.

I will make the frosting using margarine and soy milk.

Last night when we were out for dinner with the whole family, Mia asked me what Christmas cookies I was making this year. I asked her which ones she most wanted me to make. She said, “All of them!” So, I mixed up a batch of peppermint brownies which will get frosting and crushed peppermint. I also will make some pressed sugar cookies.

I have finished my gift shopping, but I still have to wrap things — something I do not really enjoy doing. I am a fan of gift bags!!

I hope you are enjoying a lovely holiday season. Happy Solstice!!

 

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Family, Holidays, weight loss/gain | 5 Comments »

Melancholy

Friday, October 24th, 2008

Well, you knew that my happy high would not last. Got some news today that has me in tears and worrying for someone. Perhaps at some point I can share the details, but, for now, we are in the stages of discovery and coping. Don’t worry about Mr C or I — we are just fine — just sad.

I spent the morning at WW and shopping. I am at an impasse with my diet. I gained over the celebration time and now I just can’t get back with the program and losing. I switched meetings and am happier with the leader and group so I hope I can get motivated. I have to start journaling my food intake again, which I just finished doing. I had a good day.

M & M had no school today and Steph needed to do a Trader Joe’s run so she dropped them off to spend some time with us.

Miles and Mr C found a paper airplane site on the web and started folding.

Mia came down to the studio with me and decorated a t-shirt with T-Juice markers. I forgot to get a photo. I kept working on the Galilee Sunrise.

This is what I did today. For the mountains: the top reddish fabric is one that Jeanne gave me for my birthday. That glowing bit in the center was perfect to be under the sun.

I am covering this with organza to tone it down.

I have this delicious piece of shibori silk that will be the base of the sky. I am covering parts of it with organza to give it that reddish/golden glow.

So here are my fabrics laid out on the cutting table. I think I am making progress. I apologize for the photography. I had to take these photos from overhead the piece is on my cutting table and the light is not that great.

Tomorrow, I am going to the Oregon critque group. We meet twice a year. This time, we are meeting in Eugene, a couple of hours away. Terry is picking me up at 7:30 am. I have my quilts packed and my outfit selected. I am not very good in the early morning. I have to be organized. I guess I better set the alarm, too.

Posted in M & M, Solo Show, weight loss/gain | 7 Comments »

A Quiet Week-end

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

I have been plugging away on the next 12 X 12 challenge. The theme is shelter. I have had a couple of ideas. One was very  simple and one was not. Guess which one I decided to do? I am having a problem getting this done or getting excited or something. I hope to start some stitching on it tomorrow, but I still have some cutting and fusing to do. Here is a sneak peak at some of the cutting I have been doing.

Yesterday, we made another trip to the garden store to pick up some new grasses for the front landscaping. I also wanted to get some raspberries as my planting guide says to plant them now. The problem is that the nurseries do not get them until January so I will have to wait. I did pick up some mesclun mix starts and some more herbs and trailing/carpet rosemary. I am lining all of the beds with carpet herbs and rosemary which I will train to grow over the sides. (At least that is my plan!!) Here is a progress photo. I think we can start harvesting some romaine soon. I also need to thin the arugula and spinach.

We are having cooler weather and less sunshine. I guess fall is officially  here. I have a WW update. I went to a new meeting on Friday. I really liked the leader so I am going to switch from Wednesdays to Fridays. I was down a pound. I  am sure the strep throat contributed to my weight-loss last week!

Thanks for checking in.

Posted in 12X12 challenge, The Farm, weight loss/gain | 4 Comments »

Artistically – A Very Good Day…

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

. . .politically – crapola. I had to walk away from the Republican Convention speeches and just peek in occasionally. What was that movie — Sex, Lies and Video Tape? Yeh, that’s what this week is all about.

Enough of that.

Well, I guess the following piece was not too tasteful for the Dancing Hands Fiber Art Exhibit because it was juried into the show which opens November 4th at the Springfield Museum near Eugene.

Today, I rushed to burn some cds and get them in the mail to reach their destinations by Friday. SDA is having an online auction, starting in October. I had to send my donation and a jpeg on a cd for the website. I am donating this scarf, which I have shown before. I added some copper foiled dots.

I also entered a body of work  — 3 pieces — to Quilt National. I know my chances of getting in are very slim. So many enter this and so many mourn together when they do not get in. But, for the first time in my fiber art life, I have a cohesive collection of work that I love and have never entered anywhere. I am very proud of that. The downside is that these pieces are all unavailable for entering any place else until October 4th. All three pieces are constructed from my complex cloth. I loved working on all of them and if they don’t get in, I know they will make it in some other show.

I finished the final piece last night. That was Red Sky. Here is a detail from that.

I have been so at peace and so focused on my work over the past couple of weeks. I am looking forward to starting a huge project — more on that, later.

I didn’t lose any weight today. I am almost pain free. I am still loving my dorky new shoes.

Posted in Construction series, Juried Shows, politics, weight loss/gain | 7 Comments »

A Whirlwind Wednesday

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

OK, before I blather on about my life, I know you want pretty pictures. I decided the indigo scarf that I was rust dyeing was done. Here it is:

I love how that bamboo looking motif that emerged. I am very happy with my first attempt at rust dyeing. It really took a somewhat boring scarf to a new level. I am definitely addicted.

I seem to have very busy Wednesdays. I have to get up and out of the house for my 9:30 WW weigh-in. I usually do some grocery shopping on my way home. Every other Wednesday, Maryama is here to clean up after me. Which means, I have to do some uncluttering before she gets here. During the summer, I have to get to the farmer’s market around 3:30. Once a month I have a Trinity Website meeting at 5:30. So, it is always difficult to sandwich in the things I want to do or need to do in my office and studio.

Today, I finished some reorganizing in my office. My desk was driving me nuts. Too much stufff. I was losing things — like bills that needed to be paid. I was trying to keep too many files on the desk and decided that I would not be so lazy and put them in a file drawer in the credenza. We moved the Grand’s toy stuff to the other end of the room. I was tired of looking down and seeing and tripping over the legos, etc on the floor, left from their last visit. Tomorrow, I am going to finish spiffing up the studio. I also need to move my clothes into my new closet from the guest room because Lisa is coming for a week. I don’t think she would appreciate my using her bedroom as my dressing room. Vladimir and his son Sergi painted it today. Mr C is installing the components as I sit here blogging and enjoying Project Runway.

Here are some photos of the gorgeous cabinets that our son-in-law, Jack designed and Tom, the hippy dippy cabinet maker crafted. Notice the beautiful grain in the rift sawn white oak. Tom says it is his new favorite wood. This is the tall cabinet in the corner, just inside the door. It was difficult to photograph.

This is the base of the cabinet in the entry to the bathroom and closet. Notice how the grain matches all the way down. Tomorrow, we have to go out to the granite place and make sure we are happy with the piece we reserved so that it can be cut. It will go on top of these drawers.

It was such a pretty day, I thought I would take some photos at the farmer’s market. These are clickable for a larger view.

Oh, just to be honest, I gained a pound this week. I am in one of those plateaus where clothes are getting to big, but I am not losing weight. That’s my diet life!!

Posted in Bathroom Renovation, indigo, Out and About in Portland, rusting fabric, weight loss/gain | 7 Comments »

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