Since returning home I've tried to keep busy, which usually means keeping creative. Finally, I warped up my loom again.
It's been many months since I wove anything. I'm using these yarns that a friend gave me.
I really wanted to use this deep brown/mahogany yarn as well, but it snaps under very little pressure, so I can't use it in the warp.
For the weft, I'm using this sock yarn. It will blend in better, being variegated, and it has the same basic color scheme.
A friend shared a new hymn arrangement on facebook -- a new tune to "How Great Thou Art" (although named "Then Sings My Soul") by Mary MacDonald.
I found myself singing it for days, which is a sure sign that I love a song. She wrote it for a choir, but I'd like to have it for a solo, or a simplified version that our church members can sing easily.
So I sat down at my piano with some staff paper and got to it. I'm going on music theory from nearly 40 years ago ... so quite imperfect ... but I hope I'll be able to have a version we can sing. But the most time-consuming thing I've been doing is writing and painting. I'm finishing "The Rescue of William Shrew." I'm on the final illustration! Here are a few of the recent pages:
It's a simple rescue/adventure story appropriate for young children as a read-aloud. After this one is done, I really need to get started on a Christmas story, but I don't know if I'll finish it in time this year .... Plus painting a few cards. I still love this little honeybee.
We thought for sure our garden would be TOAST after the drought and our long absence, but we returned to so many cherry tomatoes!
I cooked them down in the oven with garlic and olive oil, and put them through a sieve and into the crock pot to make tomato paste.
The hardest creative work of all is writing. I finished the "Cozy" book I've been working on for about 2 months, and then Adam went through it to give me editorial help, and now the ball's back in my court, as it were, to fix all the many fixable points. Sigh. I don't think most people realize how much exhausting WORK goes into writing a book! I'll end with a few doggie photos from Chattanooga last week. Pondi and Trixie love to play together.
Charlie and Beau
Trixie
All these doggies (plus Chauncey the Cat) give one's imagination plenty of material for story-writing, so that's been swirling around in my brain too. Here's Chauncey :
When he realized I was doing a photo shoot, he decided to give it all his cuteness!
It's amazing how quickly you weave things! I love the illustrations, especially the lightning and waves! Yes, writing is so much mental work. I suspect writing a book is very draining. And then there's the re-writing!! That's why I've never gone very far in that direction! My son, Josh, earns his living writing copy for people, with Nathan making noise the whole time. I feel for him! I need to try to spend more time keeping Nathan engaged so Josh can think! Lots of creative stuff going on at your place. Cats are show-offs, aren't they? :)
You're keeping very busy! I like the colours you've chosen for your latest weaving project. I can imagine how delicious that homemade garlic tomato paste tastes.
You can do so many things, how do you ever decide what to work on? Gosh, I would love to even one of your talents. I love that little honeybee you painted, and the book looks adorable, like the others. That sure is a sweet kitty.
Angela, it is a kind of shoulder shawl/scarf - a rectangle that wraps around your shoulders and is meant to be fastened with a pin, if that makes sense. It turned out well!
Your family life sounds so busy and rich, Lisa! Bless Josh's heart -- he's a better person than I am. Sounds like hard work! I'm glad there are people who will do that.
Thank you, Gretchen. A lady on a FB watercolor group painted a bee like that, and I had to give it a try. I do miss my creative pursuits, but I can't keep them all "in the air" at the same time.
He is a very sweet kitty, a ragdoll. He belongs to my daughter and her hubby, and lives in Mississippi, very far away. And when I'm in the house with him, I CANNOT touch him, or I'll get very allergic. It's so sad! Thanks :) I have to have lots of creative pursuits, or I will get bored with one. It's a silly way to be.
17 comments:
What are you weaving? Your colors are so pretty!
Well done in the creativity department! The weaving looks great. and the painting is pretty too. Love the bee.
It's amazing how quickly you weave things! I love the illustrations, especially the lightning and waves! Yes, writing is so much mental work. I suspect writing a book is very draining. And then there's the re-writing!! That's why I've never gone very far in that direction! My son, Josh, earns his living writing copy for people, with Nathan making noise the whole time. I feel for him! I need to try to spend more time keeping Nathan engaged so Josh can think! Lots of creative stuff going on at your place. Cats are show-offs, aren't they? :)
I'm happy for you that you are back at your many arts - I can see how your pets would get the creative juices flowing toward a story involving them.
A bee seems like a challenging subject, but you are up for any challenge. I admire you!!
Like the colors you picked for weaving. Very pretty.
You're keeping very busy! I like the colours you've chosen for your latest weaving project.
I can imagine how delicious that homemade garlic tomato paste tastes.
Writing, weaving, painting ... you are one creative lady.
You can do so many things, how do you ever decide what to work on? Gosh, I would love to even one of your talents. I love that little honeybee you painted, and the book looks adorable, like the others. That sure is a sweet kitty.
Angela, it is a kind of shoulder shawl/scarf - a rectangle that wraps around your shoulders and is meant to be fastened with a pin, if that makes sense. It turned out well!
Thank you, Jody!
Your family life sounds so busy and rich, Lisa! Bless Josh's heart -- he's a better person than I am. Sounds like hard work! I'm glad there are people who will do that.
Thank you, Gretchen. A lady on a FB watercolor group painted a bee like that, and I had to give it a try. I do miss my creative pursuits, but I can't keep them all "in the air" at the same time.
Thank you, Karen!
I love making that paste, GM, and it's not hard, and it takes up little space in the freezer, and we use it all winter. My kind of preserving!
Thank you, RK!!
He is a very sweet kitty, a ragdoll. He belongs to my daughter and her hubby, and lives in Mississippi, very far away. And when I'm in the house with him, I CANNOT touch him, or I'll get very allergic. It's so sad!
Thanks :) I have to have lots of creative pursuits, or I will get bored with one. It's a silly way to be.
That cat is hilarious. What a poser!
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