Morning Glory Studio

recently learned...

Honoré here: One of the lessons I've recently learned is that life sometimes gets in the way of blogging and that before you know it, a week plus several days have gone by since your [my] last post. I've just been enjoying a lot of fun activities with all my learning events - online classes - and other things. So, just to catch us all up on the days of my life since my last post and a few ongoing learning events:

Last Friday, Sept 17, Kayla spent the day. No school - probably a teachers' in-service. We spent the afternoon playing in our new doodle book & journal by Dawn Devries Sokol: Doodle Diary - Art Journaling for Girls. One of the techniques I learned from my Blogging Your Way ecourse - which is chock full of ideas, information, instruction and most important, inspiration - was adding text to photos. Voila!...

Saturday, the 18th, was  gorgeous so Norman and I went to Annapolis for the afternoon. Walking the grounds of the Naval Academy, I was fascinated by this tree and its many branches; reminded me of the many learning paths one takes; think I'll call it the Learning Tree.

My quilt weaving class began the 15th; it is so much fun and fascinating. This is the first piece I wove...

...pinned and ready to baste. We're learning lots of techniques. My mother would've loved this class and it makes me happy to take it.

Spent Tues and Wed this week with my friend Kathy, exercising our brains about a journaling/learning project we're creating. Of course, we also compared notes about our Learn Something New online class. This is Kathy's journal's cover...

 

Mine is still in a shopping bag...but that's a topic for another post....

Yesterday, Saturday the 25th, was knitting class day. In the morning, Great American Afghan and I knitted with five needles for the first time! That's fun...and I'm going to tackle socks, one of these days...

My other knitting class began in the afternoon...we're making a sweater. I decided, while I was listening to my Blogging Your Way podcast...

to multi-task and knit the sweater's ribbing...

The podcast has lots of great ideas and tips about developing content for our blogs; one I think I really must heed ...

...in other words: get off the dime! And with that said, I wish  all a great evening or day...and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers~

quilt weaving begins...

Honoré here: Today, my cloth2cloth quilt weaving workshop actually began...and it's just as exciting as I thought it would be. Perhaps because Jude Hill, our facilitator, has very carefully - as in attention paid to - woven in pre-activities that have helped us to connect with one another, the spirit of the class and of course, her, via her blog. I admire how she lives in a very natural setting, seemingly in a very calm environment and yet, she's totally connected, naturally, spiritually and technologically. It's as though she has her feet in two worlds. Calming. Soothing. Inspiring.

I have been collecting fabrics - bits n pieces...

...and contemplating the weaving part. I feel a certain kinship to the whole concept of "weaving" as that was my mother's enthusiasm in her retirement years - the last 18-20 years of her life. My mother wove using a rigid heddle loom; she began her weaving learning journey using twigs and popsicle sticks as part of a program for children [in the public library ] about crafts from around the world. She chose weaving because all cultures weave and make cloth - in the broadest sense of the word.

One of my classmates emailed me with a question about making a design wall- she'd read my blog and I had mentioned I would share the design walls I make...and I forgot to do it. So, here is the info and thanks mucho, Nance, for the memory jog.  I hope this will work for you, too.

The supplies are simple and readily available:

• 3 med or large binder clips

• a stapler - regular household

• a 40" x 60" piece of foam core board . (You can generally find at an office supply store like Office Depot, Staples, etc. Cost: about $13.)

• lightweight, inexpensive flannel to cover the board (one side)

Lay the foam core board on a a flat surface...a bed works fine... cover the board with the flannel and staple the sides and the corners, as illustrated....

Space the binder clips evenly across the top and hang on the wall using picture hanger hooks. It will probably take about 15 minutes to make this design wall; the neat thing: you can hang on the wall or take down and stand up on the floor, leaning against the wall.

I hung two side by side in my studio and also have a couple more [in another room] that I use for projects in progress. I really like the portability of these boards. In addition to the flannel, you can also stick pins in them.

We've had a lovely day, maybe just plain perfect. Hope yours was just as good, too.

Cheers~

weekend learning...

Honoré here: Friday [9/10] was such a lovely day to be outside so I decided after my walk that I'd just stop putting off the dreaded weeding chore ...and I did. Look!

I must say the area looks a sight better than before and with a little more attention, it'll be ready for some bright mums in that barren spot. I must also say that I am a little worse for the wear. Yesterday, it took all the strength I could muster to move, go up/down the stairs, sit down, get up. I was sore, stiff, achy and my knees really didn't want to cooperate. Lesson for the day: don't overdo. Today, I am a little more mobile and dare I say, agile,though I'm still quite cognizant of the fact that I have knees.

Christian's quilt...

...all packed and ready to go to the long-arm quilter. Hooray! Hooray! Tomorrow it gets delivered.

This is my first full sized quilt. It may possibly be my last. When I first started quilting I always said I didn't intend to make b-i-g quilts. Now I know why. I am glad I had the experience and my appreciation for everyone who makes or has made a b-i-g quilt has increased exponentially. I think that if I had a proper studio - like a loft - equipped with tables and walls and sewing machines that can handle b-i-g quilts or with enough space to have a quilting bee, I might be more inclined to tackle others. Until, I intend to stick with wall hangings and lap quilts or smaller... My lesson: you won't/don't know until you've tried though my instincts were pretty much correct.

Have a great Monday.

Cheers~

in memory...

...of all.

what have we learned?

 

lessons learned...

Honoré here: This past week has been a busy albeit fun week. Both the Learn Something New and the Blogging Your Way courses are in full swing ... and they are really keeping me b-u-s-y. On top of everything else I've added to my plate. The quilt weaving workshop debuts the 15th,...and I can hardly wait. In the meantime, I am gathering the supplies and material I need for the course and keeping up with Jude's blog and her daily posts about her own cloth making. Yesterday at about 5 PM and after spending the day with Kathy - we'd not seen each other for seven months and days - I finished sewing the borders on Christian's quilt. Hooray for me. Monday, it goes to the longarm quilter.

A few lessons learned this past week:

• Habits are hard to break and harder to make. Over the hot, hot summer, I got lazy about my daily walks and decided it was time to recommit to making them, clearly an action step [pun intended] I could take...

• Indigenous flowers  [aka weeds] take over. Me thinks I need to do some weeding... you think?!

• Periodically, these are required ...

• Morning Glories light up my life...found these on my walk. Just think, had I not resumed walking, I'd have missed them. Aren't they glorious?

• Learning, compounded daily, is a never-ending process; inspiration abounds...

Cheers~

30 days hath september...

Honoré here: Today! First day of Fall - according to meteorologists, Aug 31 is the last day of summer. Adios! Hasta la vista! Vamoose! Outta here! and all other sayings and expressions that connote g-o-n-e!

I am eager for Fall to appear - you think?!  September couldn't have gotten here fast enough for me...I, along with countless others, am longing and hoping for cool fall days and nights. We've had a taste these past couple days, cool enough at night, despite 90-plus degree days, to turn off the A/C early in the morning and leave it off til late afternoon. I've even been able to enjoy my MSQT sitting out on the deck...

I am also excited that September is here for another reason: I am participating in several online e-courses and two start today. The first is Shimelle's Learn Something New Everyday 2010 .

I signed up last year; didn't really stick with it. Not to be this year's story...though I've been journaling a long time, I've pretty much restricted myself to paper and pen. I've been toying and playing with art journaling and really want to do more of that in the mornings...so, for LSN, I've decided to expand my morning journaling habit, broaden my repertoire, and try my hand at art/mixed media journaling using LSN as my springboard.

This month I'm also taking a decor8 eblogging course; a quilt weaving class; and participating in 30 Days of Learning .

I think combining all these learning activities will be great fun. You can join me on my learning journeys right here on this blog and share what's on your learning agenda for this month,too.

Cheers~