Grandma's Bootcamp, 1

Grandma's Bootcamp is in full swing. For Father's Day, the girls made cards with Tombow markers to accompany the cake made by the eldest. So fun!

Book of Etudes, Red and Gray, 1

Stitching on my book into the wee hours. Red and gray always please me..feeling of peace...

"Artfully Inspired Life", 6

Having fun with brush pens; here's my May alphabet for Joanne Sharpe.

Book of Etudes, Yellow on Black, 2

Late night stitching in my book--this side is slowly coming to life.

The Trip to France, 3

As my husband's operation was a matter of life or death, my daughter came for a few days and we held hands through it. She knitted in a restaurant while I sketched in my recycled paper journal. 

I drew the chef's motorcycle parked across the street. He took a picture of the sketch. The food was very good. 

"Artfully Inspired Life", 5

Decorative lettering for April for Joanne Sharpe. And I commemorated my trip to Paris. Some of this is very fiddly (says the lady who spends hours hand stitching needle turn appliqué) and yet so fun! 

The Trip to France, 2

The most pleasant place in the hospital was the cafeteria, which was more of a café. I had a good French coffee there everyday and occasionally did some sketching. 

Healing

My May Mantra for Joanne Sharpe had to be about healing, of course, after a month of afternoons spent in a Parisian hospital.

Book of Etudes, Yellow on Black

I stitched my way through April and May in a new project--a Book of Etudes ("Studies"). The rules were simple enough: only hand stitching, and only simple shapes in needle turn appliqué, with stitching added. I've wanted to explore the combination of needle turn appliqué with stitching for a long time. Purely abstract and organic--studies in color, form, and texture. Here is a study in yellow (8"x6"), which is probably not finished.   











The back is a page also, a sort of shadow page that echoes the appliqué. Much more to do on this one. 

So many possibilities!

The Trip to France, 1

My travel journal was recycled paper, a student paper from last year--Typing paper that crinkles, a fast, do-anything project. 

First evening in Clamart (Parisian suburb). The closest place to eat was "Happy Sushi". Yeah, go to France and eat sushi: go figure!

Micron pen, Pigma brush pen, watercolor.

Now Where Was I???

Trying to pick up where I left off and catch up...it seems like centuries ago. So much has happened in six weeks and Mr. M. has come through a very difficult operation successfully. Here are my April entries for Joanne Sharpe's "Artfully Inspired Life". For the first page, I drew a quince tree branch in bloom at the beginning of April. Then, there were beautiful tulip gardens in the Parisian suburb where we stayed--haven't seen tulips in years.


And how can I ever thank you, my blogging friends, for all the support you have given so generously?