Where Have I Been?

I'm truly sorry for not getting back to each of you over the past week.  We traveled out to Nevada to visit our family and I didn't even look at the computer nor my blog the whole time I was gone. 

It was so lovely to visit with our family -- almost all of them at the same time.  Truly a magical, fun filled week.  

Each day I was surrounded by my beloved desert.  Beautiful deep blue skies above me. Mountains in the background (once even sprinkled with snow).

Sunshine that kept us warm, as only the sun can do - but never too warm.  

We looked for water everywhere we went because it is in such scarce quantity.  It was always a treat to see a stream running or ripples on a pond.

It was a lovely time-out-of-time trip. 

"The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands." - Sir Richard Burton 

Pesky Piffles

                                                             "Bibliophile"

I'm back home and so are 'they'.  Yes the Piffles are back home and making total pests of themselves.  Having traveled clear out to California and back again they don't seem to want to settle down in their place on the shelves.

   

                                                              "Starr"

What am I going to do with them?  One has already started her journey to a new home.
But that leaves three - and believe me the 'left behinds' are really quite upset. 

                                                        "Alberta Algorithm"

And so I offer these noisy and not-too-cooperative Piffles as a blog give away.  Please leave a comment below and The winners will be announced on the Tuesday the 21st. 

"You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." - Yogi Berra





  

Where am I?

Have I been quiet over the past few days?  Its because I am out in Nevada, surrounded by family and noise and joyful confusion.  

Running here and there and everywhere - trying to pack as much into these few days as possible.

A graduation, a new marriage to celebrate, two great grandsons not seen until now.  I'll soon be back in my nest with memories to carry me over until the next time.  Whoops, got to go -- there's a grandchild or two who need me *smile*.

"The family is the first essential cell of human society". - Pope John XXIII

"Very" Unlikely

I have found out, since your last visit here, that the “Unlikely’s” are given their designation at birth (I guess there’s some kind of ‘high counsel’ or something) and then sent out into the world with the goal of debunking any unlikely they find.  Once I knew this I was not surprised to see this small creature hiding inside my mail box.

“What are you doing in there?”   “I have always wanted to travel and it seems the best way to see the world would be to put myself in the hands of the US Postal Service”.  

“The Post Office is very particular about the way mail is packaged and you’re not even packaged at all.  You must come home.” At that point she jumped up on top of my mail box.  “It simply seems the quickest way to travel and I’m sure I qualify for ‘priority’ service”.  “That is VERY unlikely.  In fact you’re more likely to end up in the dead letter box!”  “WHAT???”

“Come home and I’ll fix you some tea, spread the Atlas out in front of you and you can let yourself travel wherever you like.”  “Okay, but I get to choose the tea.” 

"Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home." - Matsuo Basho

Flying Away

This is me (well an imaginary form) flying off once again to the desert - family - much joy - laughter - fun.

I'll be back soon, until then please feel free to carry on without me... *smile*.

"Flying dreams mean that you're doing the right thing with your life." - Douglas Coupland

Hello Family

This is where we'll be this coming week.  Having fun, in the desert, with our family.  I'll give you a hint -- I'm the second smallest person in this picture.  Quite a group we make!

"In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past and bridge to our future." -- Alex Haley

Flitting Away

Thanks to Google Images

 

Tomorrow we'll be flying out west.  Hopefully our transportation will turn out to be more substantial than this one appears to be.

As it happens we'll be visiting Taos, New Mexico where Kit Carson once had a home and then move on to Nevada where we'll again encounter Kit Carson, this time in statue form dedicated to his presence in that area.  That guy really got around!

See you in a little while...

"I have seized the light.  I have arrested its flight." - Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre

Traveling Tidbits

Here I am in Nevada surrounded by all sorts of beautiful chaos and confusion.  The total opposite of my 'everyday' life where there are only two of us and it is tranquil and quiet and orderly!  I'm actually reveling in the noise -- especially the laughter of children.

In thinking ahead of my days out here I thought about taking all manner of stitchery with me -- but in the end I decided to just throw a few bits and pieces into my 'send-ahead-of-time' box.  I included an embroidery hoop, some threads, needles, scissors, pens for drawing and a couple of predrawn patterns that I might like to play around with. 
Now let's see if I actually pull out any of these things while I'm here.

"I dwell in possibility" - Emily Dickinson

Flying Away

I'm flying away tomorrow.  Off to Nevada to spend 10 days with my three youngest grandchildren - while their parents are off on vacation. 

I've been working on a few posts here at home to send off to you from Nevada -- and perhaps I'll actually be able to write some while there.

I shall do my very best to stay in touch while I'm gone -- but if you don't hear from me know that I am probably being held hostage by three children and four dogs!

"Come dress yourself in love and let the journey begin." - Francesca da Rimini

An Itinerant Artist

 Recently I opened a box in my studio - wherein I found this art book which I made several years ago.  This book was actually the last of a five year love affair with book arts.  During the process of making this I began beading, for the very first time, and after this book was made I drifted off into the world of beading. 

From beading I've gone into punchneedle - which was something I was totally unfamiliar with until I went to a quilt show with a friend and saw some beautiful examples.  I loved the texture and the idea of creating an image using hundreds, dare I say thousands, of little tiny loops.

A lot of very creative people stay with the same venue throughout their days. Sometimes I wistfully wonder what that would be like.  But if I'm very honest with myself there's a reason why my blog is called 'Art Journey' - because I seem to be a constant traveler.  I stop along the way, learn a new skill and dive into it head first.  After awhile another sign post appears and I'm off on a brand new adventure down another road.

I feel so grateful to have had these opportunities, to be able to switch over to something as the whim hits and to have the time, energy and passion to explore each venue to its fullest. At this point in time I'm still happily ensconsed in the world of loop pile embroidery but who knows what adventures lie ahead of me.  There is no set roadmap in this life of mine and I'm quite happy about that.

"And you?  When will you begin that long journey into yourself?" - Rumi

Flying to Sedona

We're off to spend a week in the desert community of Sedona, Arizona.  I can hardly wait!  In all the years that we lived in the west I never once got to see the Grand Canyon -- so that will be one of our side trips. 

I am imagining the red rocks around Sedona, the deep blue skies and the clear air.  In my mind I am already walking along paths that take me into the quiet, vast desert.  I'll have a sketch book in hand and my camera by my side and hopefully my mind will be filled with pictures and designs and inspiring thoughts. 

If only I could climb aboard an accommodating bird - instead of a big metal one that is not always that accommodating -- this would truly be a trip of a lifetime!

"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return". - Leonardo da Vinci

Road Trip

We're setting out on a small road trip - driving over to Charleston, SC.  We have been to Charleston once - in the summer - when it was so hot and humid as to be intolerable.  We vowed we would go back one day - when the temperature and humidity were more tolerable.  We tried one October only to have to cancel at the last minute because there was a hurricane off the coast and it was raining so hard that we would have been trapped inside a hotel room if we'd made the trip.

And so, hoping that the third time's the charm we head off down the highway to the ocean and the history of a very historical town.

For the first time I am going to be taking stitching with me -- in all my years of art/craft work I have never been able to take something with me.  Book art could not be done far away from glue and sewing machine and lots of supplies - beading could be transported but never seemed like something that could be easily done while sitting on the beach (just too many little tiny seed beads).  But NOW I have punchneedle and it is totally portable.  I have prepared a bird design and have already punched the center design - so that on our trip I will only be working on the background (which eliminates having to take 1,000 embroidery skeins with me). 

See you in a few days.

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living". - Miriam Beard