Scenes from my weekend!

One of my sons and I spent the day at the Wichita Art Museum and Botanica (a public garden we love). I couldn't take any pictures of the Quilt exhibit at WAM, but here are a few goodies from the gardens. My son loves to feed the koi in the pond. We have been doing this since the kids were babies and now they are almost 14. Time sure flies!

It is getting closer to the time when I will be ending my work at the law firm I work at. I have loved the job but it is time I come home and work on my house and my health. I am amazed at how things fall into place and things I have wanted to learn are placed in my path. when I was in Georgia, my friend and I found a wonderful scarf done in entralac. She mentioned how much she like the pattern and I remarked that I have always wanted to learn it. I saw a set of stitch markers while at the shop that got me thinking about learning wire working so I could make my own. And last but not least, I have considered trying a little faire isle, but can't get the hang of it from books. I am taking a wire working class in Newton tomorrow at the Newton Beadery and a Faire Isle class there Saturday. November 8th I am taking an entralac class at Twist. Is that not wild or what?!!!

Creativity Plans

Pictures from my trip to Tulsa on Monday and Tuesday...

I am sitting here completely chilling out to a really neat album that I am surprised I like. It is Love, Sensuality, Devotion by the group Enigma. For those of you who lived through the 80's, it is very 80's style...but in a cool way! I can see painting or knitting to this group! I may just have to order more. I am a member of a monthly music service called Your Music and the albums are only 6.99 . I have found some good stuff there and you can't buy most of these for that price, so I'm lovin' it!

With winter approaching, my thoughts are turning towards artistic endeavors. While I was in Tulsa last week, I came across a bead store that is offering a class on making your own jewelry clasps, jump rings and other findings out of sterling silver wire...definitely something I want to learn. So I am contemplating whether I can make it up to Tulsa at the end of the month to take this class. It would take a little juggling and I am trying to watch finances in anticipation of me ceasing working outside the home, so I am still weighing the pros and cons. One pro would be that I can make jewelry for Christmas gifts....one con would be the actual logistics of getting to Tulsa....

I am having a creativity spike right now. I have made myself go on several field trips for inspiration (Artists Dates for those of you familiar with Judith Cameron's incredible books such as The Artist's Way", "Vein of Gold" etc) . The artist date is a field trip to a place in order to get inspiration or to push your creativity along. It is definitely working! I have been free writing (again, Judith Cameron calls them Morning Pages) for 3 pages in the morning after I get everyone off to school and work. This is my time to get my heart ready before I head to work....

I am trying to make myself behave when it comes to buying more yarn--kind of a yarn-a-holics 12 step...I fell off the wagon this week when I ordered 10 skeins (a bag) of Bretton yarn from Patternworks. Hey, I save 15% --does that count? And I got 5 free patterns with it that use Bretton. I have not ordered yarn from Patternworks before and sometimes I am hesitant about buying yarn without touching it first--but this is a superwash wool (70%)/Nylon (25%) and alpaca (5%) blend that is really going to be wonderful for socks. I ordered white and I am planning to dye it. I figure I have enough sock yarn now to keep me knitting for the next year without having to buy more...let's just see how that turns out. I think I need a sponsor...but everyone that has volunteer is a sock knitter themselves and on that shaky ground!!! However, I am quite firm that I will finish the socks I am working on before starting another pair....

Things I am trying to do in anticipation of not working outside the home:

1: Taking stock of all the books I have and have not read--technically I have enough to keep me interested for years!

2: Taking stock of all my cookbooks in anticipation of cooking more at home. I have quite a few and it will be fun to actually start using them!

3. Taking stock of all my fabric in anticipation of actually having time to quilt. I have enough that I can get several really good sized quilts completed and only have to buy backing fabric.

4. Taking stock of all my knitting supplies. This includes yarn, patterns, needles, books etc. I am set for life!

5. Taking stock and getting all my beads and jewelry supplies in one place.

A few of these will happen slowly as I am having to work through the contents of our garage. That alone will keep me busy for a while once I leave my job in December... it will be good to take time to get the house in order. We moved into this house in June and still have boxes unpacked in every room and a garage full of boxes. I will roll up my sleeves and get working on putting the house in order one I am home full time...

Great Day in T Town!

I had to take my mom to the cardiologist today in Tulsa Oklahoma. She lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma, so it is not too far of a drive for her. However, when the appointment is at 7:30 a.m. it is too early to get up and make a 1.5 hour drive in the morning so she rented a cabin at Keystone lake and we stayed the night. I did a little running around while she was having tests run and got to remember how much of a spot this town has in my heart. It is a very good place to learn artistic endevors --and there are some killer bead stores there! I am hoping to get back at the end of October to take a class at one of them on how to make my own findings, clasps and etc.

I used the time she was at her appointment to have an Artist's play date (from the Artist's Way for those of you not familiar with the phrase). I got to go to a couple bead stores and soak in the inspiration. It was good stuff..I needed it.