a birthday pillow

I made this tiny pillow for Meade's 8th birthday. It's only about 8 inches wide. I think she likes it.


The one frustration I'm finding with needlepoint is the complete lack of attractive canvases. They are either old fashioned or Holly Hobby queer. So I took it upon myself to design this one. I downloaded and enlarged a favorite font for the "M" and copied a cool graphic from a desk calendar for the spray of flowers.

I was a little nervous about taking it to the finisher. They once put a hideous dark green moire on the back of a Christmas Santa - bluck! So, I gave strict instructions to use an "apple green velvet" and lo-and-behold, they hit the mark exactly. I'm so pleased. Let's hope she keeps it off of the floor.

summer fun in the pool

Remember the George Washington?

Chihuly Glass at the Desert Botanical Garden

We were able to visit the exhibit twice, once during the day and the next time at dusk. It ends in two days. That it is short-term makes it all the more amazing and compelling. I'd love to know more about the process and installation.

Scott's brother is visiting us, and he spent 4 hours at the DBG this morning -- hummingbirds, herb garden, butterflies, cacti, and glass.

an afternoon to myself

So I'm in Seattle with Scott for a conference, and while he's in meetings, I've been wandering through the waterfront, Pike Place Market, and the "retail core." Yesterday was unusually sunny, so everyone was out basking in the warmth. The views were spectacular -- with a clear shot of Mt. Ranier behind a bridge (below), and cruise ships setting off for Alaska out front of our hotel.



I walked from 11 am to 5:30 pm, only sitting twice to try on shoes. So many cool eateries, coffee shops, boutiques! I was even lured into a knitting shop (wondering if Andrea was here earlier in the week.)

The true highlight was the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). Ironically, I'm not a big museum goer, but I totally enjoyed this trip. I was lured in by a show from Yale's American art collection. That was great, but the permanent collection display was even better. Small galleries of thoughtfully put together works around a theme. Some aboriginal paintings, lots of contemporary art, some Asian ceramics -- a handful of plum vases but spanning centuries. My favorite was a bead quiz: beads from throughout history, beaded Native American bags, modern necklaces, and found object stuff. A video showed four bead artists working with glass, polymer clay, found objects and filigree. All were so humble and matter-of-fact as they talked about the process, yet they were each making the most unique things.

Couldn't find images of my favorites from that room or the aboriginal stand outs, but did (illegally) download my favorite American works. Things I've studied forever, but rarely seen in the flesh: two Homers and two Eakins.


An Adirondack Lake, Winslow Homer, 1870


Winslow Homer (American, 1836–1910)
Old Mill (The Morning Bell), 1871
Oil on canvas, 24 x 38 1/8 x 1 in. (61 x 96.8 x 2.5 cm)
Yale University Art Gallery, Bequest of Stephen Carlton Clark, B.A. 1903
1961.18.26
Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916)
Maud Cook (Mrs. Robert C. Reid), 1895
Oil on canvas, 24 1/2 x 20 1/16 in. (62.2 x 51 cm)
Yale University Art Gallery, Bequest of Stephen Carlton Clark, B.A. 1903
1961.18.18

Thomas Eakins (American, 1844–1916)
John Biglin in a Single Scull, 1874
Oil on canvas, 24 3/8 x 16 in. (61.9 x 40.6 cm)
Yale University Art Gallery, Whitney Collections of Sporting Art, given in memory of Harry Payne Whitney, B.A. 1894, and Payne
Whitney, B.A. 1898, by Francis P. Garvan, B.A. 1897, M.A. (Hon.) 1922
1932.263


I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy art.

my new bathroom

This winter we had our partially-renovated-yet-still-antiquated (1979) master bath and closet overhauled. It wasn’t a huge project -- it only took three weeks -- but oh the joy and satisfaction it has brought me and Scott.



The original had the same granite countertops as in the kitchen (huh?) and a slate floor (also formerly in the kitchen), yet retained the original, moldy pink tile and dirty glass door in the shower. The closet and the shower/toilet area were tiny, while the sink area was a vast waste of space.




Enter Kenny and Mike. These guys had already laid our wood floors and tiled our patio and entrance, so I knew they were reliable and very able. Plus they make me laugh through the process of ripping up my house. They also provided surprisingly insightful design advice, and so together we reconfigured the space: much bigger closet, still spacious vanity area, pocket doors for privacy to the bedroom (it was open before), and a pony wall between the shower and vanity that allows for the circulation of light and air.



The floors, shower walls, and vanity top are all “seagrass” limestone. The shower floor is dark grey river rock, and accents in the shower and back splash are a smokey blue/grey glass mosaic.


The closet is a highlight. All Elfa products from Container Store. Gliding drawers, room for shoes, a jewelry drawer (!) and storage space that we can never get enough of. Not once but two or three times, Scott has walked into it and said, to no one in particular, “I love this closet.”


I have been meaning to email Liz and Mel pictures of the finished project. It was on my “to do” list for ages. Eventually, this task was the seed that led me to create this blog. So until you can come to AZ in person, this is a preview of “my new bathroom!”