Art Soothes the Savage Beast

This is Monet's The Church at Varengeville (courtesy of Google Images).

Below is my painting of The Church at Varengeville.

Okay, so I went a little nutty with the color. But Monet's was just too dark for me so I livened it up a bit!

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Here's the beginning of the "secret sewing project."

Above is a (paper) grocery bag full of puffs. It's the beginning of a puff, or bubble, quilt. My boss, Sharon, had seen a bubble quilt on FaceBook and admired it. I thought it was interesting, but wasn't enthralled. After she mentioned it again, I thought, "She really really likes those quilts." That's when I decided to make some bubbles over the long weekend. 

You kind of get into a groove watching TV and stitching the bubbles. It's a ritual: pin the four corners, make a mini pleat on each side, sew 3 and a half sides. Sew a pile, trim the threads, stuff a bunch with fiberfill. Sew up the stuffing hole.

On Tuesday, after MLK Day, I walked into Sharon's office and dumped the bubbles on her desk. Boy, does she ever know how to accept a gift!! She grabbed some and caressed them to her face all the while squealing in delight. My hair straightened out with the fervor of her pleasure. Phew!

Knowing Sharon, I had her lay out the pattern and she even made me a grid circling the colors that were lacking to complete the pattern. So now I have a few more bubbles to make and then I put a backing on and !voila! a puff quilt! Sharon calls it a poof quilt ...

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Friday Night Fun

I popped a fresh pork butt into the crock pot this morning before work and Phyllis and I feasted like queens. I was supposed to make cauliflower pancakes, but I ended up putting in a dish as if it were a casserole (it was good and I didn't have to stand over the stove frying the pancakes). Asparagus added color, but I didn't really like the 'gus -- it was too woody for me.

Then I got a call from Barry at Michael's telling me that my framing job was ready. He's the very earnest young man who was patient with me when I was choosing the frame. Phyllis accompanied me to get it and we chatted our way there.  What do you think?

Palm Springs Night

Here's a picture of sunrise and sunset that I took about 5 years ago. I figured as long as I was in the living room, I'd show you these photos.

After Michael's Phyllis decided that she would like to see Planet Fitness. And that's why Phyllis is so young -- she was interested in every machine and she wanted to know what those things are -- it was tanning booths that you stand up in. She said she liked the purple. Planet Fitness has LOTS of purple and gold  . It's pretty garish, but it sure wakes me up in the morning.

It was great to have Phyllis along -- thanks, Friend! We may not be wild and crazy, but we do have simple pleasures.

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I mentioned the paper shopping bag because Amherst has outlawed plastic shopping bags. You can buy the reusable ones, but other than that, it's paper all the way. I'm already in the habit of using the reusable bags (Aldis doesn't have any bags at all), but I did like putting the meat into plastic first. Guess I'll just have to hope that there are no drips. I can't figure out what to do about trash. Maybe I'll have to buy smaller kitchen bags. It takes me so long to fill up the normal size, it smells bad.

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Yup, that's our Abby -- Lisa's daughter -- on the left. She's in the band, Potty Mouth, and this ad for Fender guitars is on the wall at the convention center in Annaheim. How cool is that?

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There will probably be more later, but I was excited to show you my framed landscape quilt!