Things to do instead of art.

Play in the snow.

Have dinner parties.

Roller skate in the park.

Have more parties and make cakes that look like pizzas.

Cherish friends.

Make cupcakes.

Camp at the beach.

Watch the storms roll in.

Dig in the sand . . .

. . .for crabs.

Dance and act silly.

Swim in the ocean.

Go for a ride on Grandma and Grandpa's boat.

Play peek-a-boo with babies.

Watch travelers at the airport.

Go to swim meets.

Swim with friends.

Swing.

And have lots of sleepovers.

Time is Elusive

I looked up today and realized it is March 6th. I've been working hard to solicit donations for my children's school auction, have taught three classes at Red Hen Fabrics, prepared for and made samples for those classes and am getting ready to teach more this month!

I stopped watching the news and instead of being filled with angst and angst-related ideas, I have an idea for something completely out of character for me. I shared the beginnings of one of these pieces with a friend earlier this week and she loves it. A few finishing touches and I'll be ready to post it.

Until then, back to the studio.

A few doodles

I continue to draw daily. I find it a great way to start the day, warm up the brain, warm up my hands. Just doodling loosens me up.

Here is today's doodle:


And a card I made for a friend who is having surgery today:

Random Acts of Kindness

I'm pleased to report that kindness is in the world. Sometimes I doubt it, but it is there. Yesterday, while driving home with the girls in the back, a car in front of us broke down in the middle of an intersection. 4, 5, 6 cars zoomed around this broken down car being pushed by the lone occupant. I wondered if I could help, could I help push this car? Would the girls be safe in our car?

But before I could answer any of those questions, a man in a Lexus pulled over and ran to help. Dressed in work clothes, with a long coat on, he started to push. Then another car pulled over, and another man hopped out to help.

While all this helping was going on, people were whipping around me and the men pushing the car, hurrying to get home, or wherever they were going. I felt sorry for these hurried drivers. Sorry that they were in such a rush, they missed the heart warming scene of random acts of kindness.

Playing with Others

I have so much fun reading Ricë's blog every day. I look forward to her Journal Spanks and frequently add her challenges to my own journal entries. Why? Because playing with others is fun. As an artist, I spend most of my day alone (until the girls come home from school) and work in solitude. Reading Rice's journal spanks and completing some of them is like having a buddy over for coffee!

Try it, you might like it.

Binder clip

And for added fun, the mailman brought me a treat. A string of eyeball beads from Suzi B who makes some really pretty glass beads.

My face doesn't look like yours.

"My face doesn't look like yours."

Sophie's Goddess, age 5

"Of course not. I'm much older, see the wrinkles in my skin?
I also have blue eyes, yours are green. And see, your hair is brown."

"Sarah, yours is very pretty."

Sarah's Goddess, age 8

"Do you like your face?"

"Yes, I think she's beautiful. But yours looks better."

"Oh no Sarah and Sophie, both of yours are better. You drew from the heart, mine was drawn from the brain. Drawings from the heart are always better."

Rebecca's Goddess, Age Still Deciding

Teaching at Red Hen Fabrics

I'm very excited to be teaching at Red Hen Fabrics. I taught several classes in January and find it invigorating. All skill levels are welcome and my classes are fun and friendly!

Here is a list of upcoming classes. More will be added as I develop them:

Peek A Boo Jacket
February 21 and February 28
Take a sweatshirt, a selection of your favorite fabric squares and turn it into a fabulous jacket fun for young and old. Looks fabulous in batik's and black and white! This jacket has been featured in Altered Couture Magazine!

Art Quilting – Part I
February 23 and February 28
Fabric Collage and Innovative Piecing
The first in a series of four classes. In each class you will make a 9 x 12 art quilt. In Part I you will learn design basics, layout and composition, and an overview of materials frequently used in art quilting. You will use Fabric Collage and Innovative Piecing techniques to make a 9 x 12 art quilt.

Art Quilting – Part II
March 23 and March 28
Mark Making on Fabric
Making your own personal mark on fabric with stencils, stamps or freehand can be a wonderful way to express yourself and create your own fabric. We'll be working on hand-dyed or commercial fabric with Paints, Stamps, Shiva Paintstiks, Angelina Fibers, Crystals and more. Supply Kit required $10.00

Art Quilting – Part III
April 27 and May 2
Thread Work
In this class, Rebecca will teach you simple techniques for successful thread painting (also called free motion embroidery). We'll also explore couching yarn and fiber and layering with sheers.

Art Quilting – Part IV
May 18 and May 23
Embellish with found objects
In this class we'll learn a bead embroidery techniques, and explore found objects as inspiration for art quilting.

Fabric Art Post Cards
March 17 and March 21
Sending Fabric Post Cards through the mail is a great way to say you care! Make fun fabric postcards using art quilting techniques. With our scraps we'll make ATC's (artist trading cards) and Inchies, 1” square pieces of art.

Today's Doodle

Today I doodled for about 20 minutes. This page is about 5 x 7.

Celebration Time!

Last week we had conferences with both of the girls teachers. The teachers raved about our children and how smart they were, and how nice they were. Joel and I both blushed with pride. The girls had worked hard and their report cards were perfect! Time to celebrate.

Now we are not the kind of parents who take our children out on the town all the time. We tend to find games and activities that we enjoy close to home. But for the total celebration blow out, there's only one place the girls would name. And it happens to be a place that Joel and I despise -- CHUCK E CHEEZE'S.

It is the loudest place on the planet, except for Las Vegas. In fact, I thinkChuck E Cheeze's is early training for a life of boozing and gambling. The games, the lights, the sounds. And yes, the beer. Something to anaesthetise the parents -- keep those tokens coming. . .

Yet this is the place we took our girls on Saturday night to reward them for a fantastic job on their report cards!

Followed by pizza at our favorite Italian restaurant Capozzi's.

Which happens to be next door to Michael's. What a nice consolation prize for mommy, a trip to Michael's. Makes sitting in Chuck E Cheese for two hours tolerable. Ding ding ding ding.

Journals for the girls, pretty papers for the journals, cardstock in greens, purples and blues, Craft sticks, three new Zig's for mom, a white Marvey pen, a set of graphite pencils and a StazOn ink pad!