it's the little things that bring the big things together ...

The shelves are up on the wall and the bowls and mugs are loving their new home.  I am so happy with how the whole project is wrapping up that I had to stop in to share and to wish you a happy weekend!

progress (or the evolution of order)

Party Girl (blithe spirit) :: Hemmed In No. 1::  Party Girl (created to be seen and heard)

Floral No. 2 :: Floral No. 1 ::  color happiness

Well hello there.  Things here are moving along nicely but there is an endless amount of work as we near the finish line in the kitchen remodel.  I installed counter to ceiling subway tile last week (sooo much tile!!!) and have spent this week grouting one section at a time.  All of the adhesive, grout and water is hard on the hands and I am slathering on lotion every chance I get (gloves would have been a good idea).  I managed to get a few encaustic pieces completed for a small open house I participated in last weekend. 'A Show of Hands' was filled with lots of creative energy and inspiration.  A few paintings found new homes and a few (pictured above) will be in my shop soon. The last photo shows my wall-o-tile and includes the fabulously-full-of-raggedy color-happiness garland i brought home from 'A Show of Hands'.  It was love at first site as it is the perfect splash of color to my new mostly white kitchen.  So I'm am here working hard and thinking about this space often but giving myself over to the nose-to-the-grindstone-thing so we can finish up and have things in order before the holiday season begins. Time to hang the open shelving on my wall-o-tile....see you back here soon : )

Needle in a haystack...

All these needles but only four size 2 double points to be found.  Luckily my Mom has an equally abundant stash of needles and is going to loan me a 5th size two so I can cast on a pair of socks this afternoon.  I currently have two hats near completion and an infinity scarf in the works but I saw a dear friend (and knitting guru) at a school assembly last night working on a pair of socks and was inspired. Early this morning I pulled out a few skeins of the sock yarn I've kept during my 10 year sock knitting hiatus and wanted to cast on before discovering the missing needle.  I'm heading to my Mom's to drop Sage for a sleep over there with his cousin and will cast on before we take the two big kids to see the musical at the high school this evening (pre-show and intermission knitting works for me).  I'm not sure if it's the chill in the air, the autumn leaves blowing around the yard or the need for a fire each night that has me really excited about knitting socks but I'm going to go with it and hopefully end up with at least one (if not two) new pair of wool socks : )

The meaning of words...

I've experienced a little lull in the studio over the past few weeks.  A combination of meeting deadlines, the daily grind and home improvement stuff had kind of sapped my creative spark. I struggled with this mental roadblock for a bit but then decided  to stretch myself and work in new ways while giving my full attention to things in my daily life.  The results were organic and soul stirring.  I created a very special gift for a dear friend and found the thread that always leads me down the path to new work.  That path is scattered with bits and pieces of text and color and words.  I found words I had set aside long ago and a few new ones too and I created dresses for these ladies, gathered party hats and crowns,  and will soon give them wings and golden hearts. The words themselves caught my eye but it is only in giving them to the girls that they take on meaning.  

Warm wishes for a week of unexpected inspiration...

Taking time....

This was a week of taking things in and putting things down in new ways.  The week brought unexpected conversations, long mornings, new friendships and stolen moments.  As I head into a quietly open and unplanned weekend I just wanted to take a minute to check in here, say hello and to wish you a lovely weekend of lingering on whatever it is that brings you joy.