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The day got away from me!!! So you'll have to accept this doodle on our OM tally sheet. I coached, I cleaned, I did some other tasks... it's now almost midnight. Craig's safely home and all is well. Good night!

quote of the day

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

go red

Tomorrow on February 1st is National "Go Red for Women" Day. Wear your red in support of finding a cure for heart disease! Macy's (one of their national sponsors) is giving a discount tomorrow to anyone wearing red. There's a list of other product sponsors too.

But what can you do to help? Get a physical... have your cholesterol checked. Start moving and cooking healthy recipes (cook from Sarah Foster's cookbooks with me!!). You'll feel better and I won't worry so much about you!! There have been too many deaths lately around here that were heart related in younger women. I can't stand to lose anyone else, so please take your own health seriously. You mean too much to me and others who love you!

My Paper Crane fans...

Plush art by Heidi Kenney (My Paper Crane) and others on Sat., Feb. 9th in Gettysburg. Just so you know (if you live around here).

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Baby, it's cold outside!

because I love Vermeer

I am not one to usually be attracted to older paintings... but Vermeer... I just love the colors and the way he captures the subjects. In Girl with a Pearl Earring, it showed the way they crushed the stones to make the paints. I thought about that as I bought my ultramarine blue. Traditionally it was made of crushed lapis lazuli. And then I found this website which lists Vermeers palette colors and was amazed that someone actually knew this! This is mid-17th century! I love the yellow and blue of this painting. I must be in a blue period right now! The lips and eyes are so beautiful too! It's truly awesome.

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7 more days until my painting class begins!! Ooooh... I'm a bit nervous! I'm painting a heart for you!! xoxo ~ Bethany

what size is your footprint?

Some of you may already know about Tumbleweed Houses. I think I saw an article about them in Cottage Living a year or so ago. I love the idea of minimal living and if I didn't have kids, could see building one of these and plopping it down in the woods somewhere! When Craig and I built our "dream house" which was over 4,000 sq. ft., it was way too big and we felt like it became a monster to heat and to clean and it was big and lonely. When we moved into an apartment between houses, I enjoyed the coziness and having to really think about how to function as a family in small square footage. The house we are in now is perfect for all the things we do, but sometimes it feels rather large. It is true that the more space you have, the more stuff accumulates. And that doesn't make you happier necessarily. It's good to live with the things that you love and get rid of the rest. And to tread a little lighter on our environment...not cutting down lots of trees to make way for another McMansion. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for homes and alternative solutions for living.

More blue

I thought I would add some happier blue to the day, seeing as I was moody below... Melissa at Sugar City Journal is a genius with her children's outfits! I hope she doesn't mind that I posted her photos from today but I am in love with this little outfit of French blue:

Read her blog to learn a little fashion history about "blue collar" versus "white collar" and where this all comes from!

And I found a wonderful gallery while looking for something else. Here is one of the many different paintings that are on this website. We do not have galleries this good here in Lancaster (some might be mad at me for saying that, but I mean it!). These are from The Orange Street Gallery which I think is in London, and the artists who show there are incredible-- drawings, paintings, prints, collages. Take a look!!

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I did some other drawings today but none of them were very good. I'm missing Craig right now and won't see him until Thursday evening. I think when you get married, you get so attached that it's hard to function like usual when we're apart. Even when he drives me crazy (just kidding Craig) I miss him so much when he's gone. We're like a team, especially our parenting, and there is a huge emptiness when he's not around. So I am a bit blue today.

Quick news!

Chai, the puppy

Stacey just opened a new shop called Three Red Trees and she's selling her adorable plush animals... just like Red!

painting apron

Here are some better photos of the finished painting apron. I used really inexpensive fabric because I anticipate getting lots of oil paint on it anyways. I added the decoration to the pocket just because I've always wanted to try it. I did sew a seam down the front so there's a brush pocket but it's hard to see.

You can see how the ties loop to the front and then back again. I think I would have angled the fabric more so that the top wasn't as wide as the bottom. My shoulders aren't that wide so I hope it works. You can see boxes on the floor behind me... all my paints and stuff! Man, is oil painting expensive. Now I know why I haven't done it in so long. Luckily Craig is all for it.

And the gratuitous shot of Ellie, because you haven't seen her in a while! She's gotten bigger and is nearing her one year birthday in February!

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Quite a productive day, but it's late now and you only get a peek at the finished product... due to the fact that it's almost midnight and very dark!! I will take a photo tomorrow! I finished my painting apron and had a little fun with some trees on the front pocket. I am soooo tired... good night ;)

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St. Thomas Aquinas

Feast Day : January 28

I appreciate his gentle, thoughtful spirit and the profound influence he had on theology-- the understanding of the importance of both reason and revelation in our faith. He was misunderstood by his own family and thought to be dumb by fellow students because of how quiet he was. But once he spoke, there was no doubt of his wisdom. Never underestimate someone who is quiet.

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My friend Caroline requested more drawings and I realized I hadn't drawn in days so here is a self portrait I quickly did. I only had a half an hour and I wanted to use conte crayon. I didn't know where mine was, so I pulled out a Sepia Crayola Crayon and drew!! I used to say that it is impossible to draw with children's crayons but now I am changing my mind. Here's the color photo of it:
And here's the scan. I told you that my scanner is slightly widening the images but it is hard to see unless you see the original. I couldn't even take the photo at a good angle without distorting the drawing. I will have to do this more often. I usually don't draw people much because I'm all alone during the day!!! No subjects! I'll be the next Kathe Kollwitz!! (Remember Caroline how I loved her work?!!!)

Sweet memories

I don't even know what made me think of it, but the other night I had a craving for good... really good cherry jam from The Cherry Hut in Beulah, Michigan! This sweet face is a definate part of my childhood as we used to drive north to Crystal Lake to vacation in the summer and it was mandatory to go eat at the Cherry Hut-- cherry pie and jars of cherry preserves...yum! And during July was the Cherry Festival. I remember a few years ago my mom called them to see if she could order some preserves, as she wasn't able to make it to Michigan that year. They said sure and they'd send the bill in the box with the jams! Who does that any more?! So friendly! It was also tradition to stop at the weaver's shop and pick up a couple more rugs or wall hangings... so beautiful. I gained a really early appreciation for the loom and the wonderful fiber arts that were created on it. I was able to try weaving in college and just loved it, though it was hard! And then there's Gwen Frostic's studio! I feel like Gwen is a relative of ours! She ran a beautiful print shop...the old letterpress kind, making stationary and art of her nature sketches. She became one of Michigan's most famous artists through her little business. She passed away a few years back but her shop continues to print her work and Martha Stewart actually did an article in Living on Gwen Frostic's life and work! I still buy a little calendar from the studio every year. It's a family tradition. Lastly, I remember the cool water of the lake rushing over the little pebbles and tiny seashells on the beach. You can't see across the lake... it's like a little ocean. It's cool in the evening but warm in the daytime. There were little cottages to stay in among the pine trees and shuffleboard courts to play on. I had my first sailing experience on Crystal Lake and I fell in love with it! Nothing better than letting the wind push you along, hanging your toes or fingers in the water and soaking in all that sun! I'm feeling a little warmer on this cold January day!

amusing or annoying?

Alicia mentionned in her post yesterday about things that annoyed her. Like the smell of candles blown out. This is what I wrote: "I love blown out candles. I used to ask to be the one to blow out any candle in the house when I was little... woosh... oops, was I not supposed to blow out the dinner candles yet? You say dinner hasn't even started? Oh, my bad. Light them again...wooosh ...it must be the wind in here!! really."

And just yesterday I was considering how annoying I can be... even to myself. I like to think everyone has time to chat with me and talk about whatever is on my mind... ahem, but I guess they don't!!! (some people have to work or actually do clean the house). So, pondering this question of what some consider lovely and some consider annoying, what is it that you find annoying?

amusing

I found this artist the other day and was amused by her illustrative work. This one reads, "Beth wondered how it felt to be that one small leaf."

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Some days you don't get to choose your creativity...it's assigned. Like the church bulletin board. Of course I could embrace the whole thing as one big illustration, but it never seems to be high on the priority list as it takes a few hours just to do mediocre work. So here's a very blurry photo of part of it:

"God made us like snowflakes: no two are the same." Unique...yeh, I know. Oh well. Spring will be here before you know it and the snow will be replaced by Easter images! And life goes on.

good stuff

First, my sister Jane has been working on some great "art" for her bedroom and bath. She told me what she was up to and today she sent photos of the final product! I think they turned out fabulously! She used Amy Butler's fabrics and stretched them on artist's canvas. She was always very good with sewing and she just inspired me!

Beautiful Jane! Now when are you going to start your blog?? :))

Secondly, I tried a new Sarah Foster recipe from Sarah Foster's Casual Cooking : the rigatoni with sausage, cannellini beans, and swiss chard ragu. Did you know that swiss chard was so colorful?? Beautiful red stems and it tastes very good wilted into a spicy dish!

It called for fresh herbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mmmm... All this freshness really makes a dish! Here's some of what it looked like (I forgot to snap the photo before we started to eat!!). The kids actually liked it! They do like sausage (though this was spicy) and rigatoni noodles. Another recipe checked off on my list of things I'd like to try! Before long, I'm going to become a gourmet cook!!! Okay, maybe not, but at least good enough that my family won't starve!

A kiss for the cook! And bunny ears...hey! What's up with that?!!!

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Where does the day go? I am s l o w l y cutting out my rectangles for my quilt. Started the second fabric. This whole measuring and cutting out thing is so much like the technical artist/layout work I used to do as a graphic designer, but harder! Fabric has a lot of pull and give, so it wiggles on the board. I don't even want to figure out how many I still have left to do!

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"Bald Alpaca"

I got a new Micron marker this morning... .25mm... very fine point. So this is what I drew-- a doodle of this poor guy. Did I ever tell you that I lOVE Alpacas??!! I really do. I spent my 39th birthday at an alpaca farm. Too bad I lost all of my photos in the Big Computer Crash of 2007. So here's a few more doodles. I just love the smile and the big eyes on these animals...they will win you over in a heartbeat... and their wool is fabulous!!!

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I thought I'd let you see a little bit of the creativity that's been going on around here! These are the backdrops that my Odyssey of the Mind team have been painting lately! In fact, that's why I haven't posted anything else creative today! My son was home sick today with a cold and then I had the whole team coming to work on their projects. I taught one girl how to use an exacto knife and there was some hot-glueing, painting, building and taping going on. Sometimes I feel like the ringmaster of a little circus! But it has been a lot of fun and we are nearing our last month of preparations. Our competition is March 15 but we perform the skit for their school prior to that date. So, lots of creativity going on here over the weekend and this afternoon!

Paper cutting resource

I just found the coolest papercutting retail site: Papercuttings by Alison.
I am thinking of ordering a kit for Valentine's Day, to make a little present for someone! Under her Valentine's Day patterns, she even has Scandinavian designs which I am presently in love with! I thought maybe you might be interested too!

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Red felt heart garland
by Bethany Hissong

materials:
2 pieces of 9"x12" red felt
7' ribbon
white embroidery floss
stuffing
embroidery needle
cardstock
fabric pen or marker

1. Make a template of a heart, either by folding cardstock and cutting out half of a heart (like we all did in elementary school!) or by printing out the picture below and tracing it onto heavier paper. My hearts are about 3 1/4" wide by 3" tall.

2. Trace 12 hearts onto the red felt and cut out.

3. Embroider the letters "l o v e" on each heart, or initials (you choose) with 2 strands of white embroidery thread doubled on the needle (so it's really 4 strands of floss). I wanted mine to look like school handwriting (see above). I free-handed the embroidery but you can lightly draw on the letter with a fabric pen or marker. I used a split stitch to embroider the letters. See instructions for that here.
4. Cut 6 pieces of ribbon that are 3" long for the tabs of the hearts. Cut one 5' piece of ribbon for the garland string.
5. Pin two hearts together, right sides facing out. Fold the 3" ribbon in half and tack inside the two hearts at the top with the embroidery thread to make a loop. Don't cut the thread...you'll start sewing the hearts here.
6. Using a blanket stitch, sew together the front and back of the hearts, leaving about 2" opening at the end to put a little stuffing in, before continuing to blanket stitch it closed. Continue with all 6 hearts.
7. Find the center of the garland string and position the hearts evenly on the string, keeping about 5" between each heart. Tack the loop onto the string with the embroidery floss (a simple little cross knot.)
8. Hang your heart garland and continue decorating for Valentine's Day! :)

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Valentine's Day is around the corner... and I've had the materials to make a little project for one year now!! I thought of this last year but we were so busy with moving into this home, that I had to put it on hold. I'm hoping to post instructions so you can make one too... but you'll have to wait to see what it is! ;)

Fabric news

I think I should start a fan club because I seem to be too excited any time I talk about Amy Butler's fabric or patterns or books, etc.! But I wanted to show you her newest line Midwest Modern inspired by "summer days in (her) Ohio garden" which is coming out in April!

And by now, who doesn't know about Anna Maria Horner's latest line of fabric also? We've only seen glimpses but it looks like it's going to be one of her best yet, so we'll wait for it's premiere also. And her new book! If you don't sew, now's the time to think about starting! I'm definately a novice sewer but I take the attitude that everything is learnable, so I might as well try!

'Sew' exciting, isn't it?!!! ;)

Things I like

Images from Rose Hip Blog, Jennys Hem och Harmoni, La Chataigne, Blomsterverkstad, An angel at my table, Allsorts, and possibly others as I have forgotten (sorry).