I love surrounding myself with an evolving collection of interesting resources, whatever the topic. After building a career in publishing that was not especially gratifying, I was on a quest to figure out how to build a work-life that would include my artistic self within a profession that offered a reliable means of support. Early…
It was one of those lunch dates that, once the day arrived, I really felt as though I shouldn’t leave my desk. My mind was busy with voices saying fingers should stay on the keyboard, be productive not social, etc. But this was to be an unusual celebration: a friend from one facet of my…
I am savoring the satisfaction of checking off an unfinished object from the list, reveling in the sense of completion. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love the British drama import “Call the Midwife.” I catch up on back episodes on my laptop while chopping mountains of vegetables, now that I’ve re-embraced a…
So far so good with my new year’s commitment to finish all UFOs lurking in tote bags and hanging from door knobs. Only four more African flower hexagons to crochet. Once everyone is attached to one another, I can begin the border, which I am imagining to be about 12″ deep all around and done…
Smack-dab in the heart of New York City’s Times Square thousands of knitters and fiber enthusiasts converged for this year’s Vogue Knitting Live 3-day event. There were free lectures, like this one with Debbie Bliss, who described how to create flattering knitwear for all body shapes. To be honest, since my bust inflated from menopause’s…
Scraps of ribbon and lace from the sewing basket I’ve had since I was a teen are tickets to an afternoon of time travel. The hand-embroidered stockings belonged to my grandmother. Can’t you just imagine the soft-leather shoes with buttons and a day dress gathered at the waist and falling to mid-calf? Send someone —…
Please welcome guest blogger Melissa Mannon, who is a kindred flower-loving soul and agreed to share reflections on what gardening means to her. Photos and text by Melissa Mannon. I try to walk through my day with an image of my garden in my head. It feeds my creativity. It makes me smile. It induces a…
Cheery yellow-flowering sedum in an upcycled iron post is this week’s free eCard image. Click here to say ‘hello’ with flowers.
Did you know that gladiolas are August’s flower? Perfect segue to today’s post. The handwoven shawl in the photos below all began with a single one of these, in a deep fuschia. The technical details are: the shawl is an 8-harness twill, woven with three different tones of pink warp threads (those vertical and threaded…
This happy jumble of cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, cone flower, sweet peas, and morning glories has the power to draw me outdoors at all hours of the day to water, fertilize, and snag the weeds that elbow their way into the garden patch. Alas, there are no edibles this year — my focus has been on…
