Storm Over

I decided to add the quilt I am making for a grand daughter. All done but the binding and I hope to do that tonight. It was on the docket for last night when the lights went out.

Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate it, Diane

Here on the island we had a hellascious storm blow through all day yesterday and then power outage all night into the morning. We have been lucky there are over 37,000 people without electricity still tonight and will go into tomorrow. I was just going to post a few paintigs done over the past few days. Here they are.

Almost Done

Well, the rug hookers are close to the wire now in finishing their own specially designed rugs. They not only created the design but sought out the best colors and fabrics. Some recycled woools, some not but all lovely. Its been one of the best classes yet. I suppose a lot of teachers say this but once they were over the hump of the basic learning curve they could slow down create and enjoyand this class has some beautiful rugs to show for all their persistence.

Now I am busy making small stars as prises for star students.

will post them tomorrow along with a view of my grand daughter's quilt to be. The top is done just need to iron again.

Have a creative day, the sun shine is wonderful and even seems to have some heat. Cold weather coming soon though, Diane

Day 9

This one is for Day 9. Clouds after the storm. We had heavy rains last night with all the resident buckets pinging away. The sky tried but never quite cleared off the heavy grayish cloud cover . A couple of times the sun tried its best to poke through and then the clouds covered it over with bright colored sunspots. A slow day here as I feel like my body is trying to catch a cold and i am not willing to let it.... Got a lot of wool cut for the next rug which is a plus for class tomorrow.

Hope you all had a cozy Sunday, Diane

Mr Blue

Here he is! Finally.

Another Foggy Day

This is the view from the bridge. The island is surrounded by 3 rivers and they are tidal. Watching over the rail of the bridge the leaves were in a swirling dance moving with the current. This actually happend after the morning walk and the painting but I could not position the photos below they kept wanting to be first.... All day I was very aware of the leaves as they fell from the trees like rain. They were all differnet, some were softly clattering and others never made a sound adding to the quiet of the foggy morning.

Here are the leaves are moving swiftly

up around the tip of the island.

I woke early this morning to a world softly wrapped in fog. The backyard looked beautiful with the pear tree's colors vibrating out from the fog. I just knew it would be a good day and would go for a walk as soon as possible. Here is a photo of Mr Blue all scrunched up on a tree branch. He stays so long in the fall and ends up spending a lot of time in this tree.

Here is the outlet to the pond.

After walking a bit I came back and got to painting.

This Day 8's AEDM for today. Susan's Garden.

Have a grand day, I just lost the image of the blue heron may post it separately... Diane

Day 7

This is the seventh day in AEDM and I am beginning to see a pattern here. I have my easel set up. I have even begun several paintings. But I find myself gravitating to any unfinished project except the painting.... This avoidance has got to stop. I want to paint. What is stopping me. I guess I'd better journal on this so I can wake up in the morning ready to paint. No more equivocating.... Sounds good sounds strong now to do it...

Today I had the usual host of errands and got back home around 3 listened to the chat with Obama. Took out the knitting needles and finished the leg warmers for a friend. They are fun and quite funky but will keep her warm on her daily walks. Here they are!

Does anyone else have trouble sticking to what they think they want to be doing. I do want to paint and yet find all sorts of "other stuff" to do..

Make it a great Day!!! Diane

One of My Favorite Things

Today I drove to Port Clyde, its about an hour north of me. Once a

month, I meet with a group of women. These same women have

been meeting for many many years. Maybe over 20 years now. There are only 5 of us left from 30 plus at one time. We used to meet and spin on our wheels but over the past few years it has become more knititng, chatting and just enjoying each others company as you do when you have known someone over many years. We meet in each others home, bring our lunch and whoever is the hostess makes a treat for the morning and desert. Today it was one of the members birthday and she opted to make her own cake. And we also had another knitter with us who brought new pattern books and some show and tell to wow us all. Leg warmers was the topic as several have dogs and are out in all kinds of weather and another spinner walks long distances daily. The leg warmers for show and tell were made from Noro a lovely Japanese yarn in varigated colors and the knitting was done circular so no seams to sew and fun to see all the color changes. I brought a small hooking project to work on. When I woke up this morning it was early, dark, and foggy so I got my coffee and sat down to begin this little mat. And because I had a good start I was able to finish it tonight. The incentivce to be creative every day is not new to me but to pay attention everyday and include that conscious bit of creativity as a normal occurance is just wonderful. I would like to be able to maintain this after the month of November is over. How is it that a challenge temps one to get to it when in the regular dailiness of evry day living this does not often happen. Between work, errands , getting the hosue prepped for winter,(which seems non ending) there are always more things to do in a day than the 24 hrs allow. So here is a photo of the snowman mat for a daughter in laws November B-day. Well I still can't seem to make the photos go where I want them and this one looks too yellow. The wool is white and the twig branch arms seem to have disappeared but you get the idea...

Make this an extraordinary day, Diane

Day 4

Yes, I voted and when I came back home felt a bit jittery so knew not to paint. I need to be somewhat calm when I begin painting. And even though I have a good start on a painting of my friend Susan's garden, I thought it best to finish something i have been working on in my rug hooking class. A Lobster Welcome rug. It was small and I felt i could get it done quickly to be an example for my students. But instead it was taking forever and i

needed to be done with it. And since I was just filling in the black background I said today this is what i can do!

The top image is with the rug begun but nothing done in the background. Here is the finished rug all but the steaming and hemming... This is my AEDM for today.

Third Day

Well, it's happening the well is beginning to fill.. Ideas are coming then the question is which one to attempt first. I got on a roll yesterday and after making a painting of the leafless trees in my backyard I went on to begin a painting in the series I will be working on this winter. I was able to finish the trees this morning and will be able to work on the next one tomorrow. What I find so refreshing is that the smell of the oils and using the brushes feels so comfortable and yet just 2 days ago I felt I could not paint. How quickly the rythm comes back. Oh its still in the rusty stages but the actual dipping of the brush into the medium and then the oil is just so seductive. Ita still a dream to be able to paint every day all the time. Am greatful for this time to paint.

Here on the island the weather has turned colder and all thoughts turn to what is coming, winter. I have plugged holes and hung lined curtains, have had some window units built that not only stop the drafts but also cut down on road noise. They work so well that my big room is more comfortable tahn it has been in years. You can read about them on www.ArtTech.com
two inventers got together an dcame up with the idea. On eof the men Guy Marsden came to an informational meeting on the island to help us all get ready for winter and showed how to make these window units. They do work and in my drafty old one room school house they have been super so far and I imagine once the snow flies will work even better...
Make it a great day, Diane

Day Two

Greetings from Westport Island,

Here it is Day 2 of Art Every Day and instead of painting I took my camera out and went for a lovely fall walk. The day here on the island is chilly, the air is sparkling and crisp. The sunlight bright and the pond across the way still has the lilly pads in green against the deep blue of the water. The leaves were blown off the trees except for the oaks this past week during the huge wind and rain storms. The winter berries are red and plentiful, I will have to gather some for decoration. so here are a few shots from my walk.


Well, they are not exactly how I wanted to place them. but will leave it before I loose the post. Make it a great day! Diane

Art Every Day

I joined the Art Every Day for the month of November. Yesterday was Day 1. I have to say it was a revelation to me, I seem to have forgotten how to paint. I realise its been a long while since I had time to get out the oils but yesterday was a real hard day. I spent most of the day fussing and getting things ready . Would it be a bowl of apples in a wooden bowl or the quinces I had been saving to paint? or somthing else entirely.. How well I remember the time a mentor said "just show up!" Ok So I showed up got an old French linen cloth, found a small blue bowl put some quince into the bowl and 2 beside the bowl. Poured my palette and here is the day 1 painting....