Sisyphus Revisited...

The other end-of-year recap is in the UFO category--and shall we just say: not as good as the reading list? Or even: why bother?!

Actually, the list is helpful, if for no other reason than keeping track of what's in there? (as in: what's in that box? What is that item on this list? etc...)
When I take into account all of the items that were finished this year, it feels pretty good--but the majority of those were new items. I keep thinking up more to do...and then there was the show in December...and don't forget a variety of samples for the quilt shop.
Simply put: I haven't been avoiding the quilting loft--but I could be guilty of stepping away from the UFO list.
Looking at the list at the end of the year is also helpful in asking:

• Do I want to keep this dang thang on the list for another year?! 
• Is there a way to re-purpose the project into something I want to complete? 
• Or maybe downsize the project into something nearer completion? (translation: cut your losses & move on...) 
• Or maybe let go of the 'art' of the project & finish it up as a community quilt? 

It is a time of winnowing down for sure--and unfortunately, adding other items that now meet the definition of being 'unfinished'.
So here are the 2011 stats: started with 31 on the list & finished a whopping 5 (16%). Wow. *sigh*
For the 2012 list: 18 current items are moving forward, 2 are being "chopped" & 7 are being "moved". 15 new items are being added. Truly a 'Sisyphus list' of 33 items...
A note about 'moved' items: I always have a group of quilts that are fun & usually faster projects that work well for community quilts or something to grab for a quilting-day-out with my buds. Not really a focus for completion as much as ready to go as needed. So they're really not 'chopped'--just side-lined! 8-)
A note about 'new items: in the 'starting the year with a clean slate' department: 2012 will include a new challenge for myself. I haven't quite defined the 'rules' yet, but I definitely like the learning & creativity that come with a more structured focus. I missed that in 2011. More on that later. But in efforts to help myself out, the almost-monthly challenge of 11 items is going on the UFO list!
(...and no, that's not cheating! I thought up the dog-gone project before 2011 was over--so it's already a 'work-in-progress'! See how easy it is to get behind?!)

Wishing you finished 'lists' of your own in the new year!

Adventures in the Library

Okay--time for a couple of year-end wrap-up's. One is my list of 'finished' in the book queue. I must think I'm going to see some pattern or have an 'ah ha' moment when I browse back through the stacks. Can't say that happens, but it's fun to look.
Anyway--happy to say the library continues to call my name regularly & I've added over sixty titles to the 'read' list this year with little effort. I hit some of the first half highlights in July, so here's some more.

With my 'commute' time I've continued to enjoy books-on-tape--which is really books-on-disc these days! Helps me feel good about car time & definitely better than late night radio reception in our island world.
Got through 16 this year--including all three of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books--before the film frenzy began or I might not have ventured in. I know there are mixed feelings about this trilogy--especially as it pertains to women--but once I got past the beginning (hard), I was immersed. Salander is my hero--such a survivor. (I have mixed feelings about seeing the new movie, despite loving Daniel Craig. There are some things I wonder aren't best left in the mind's eye vs. splattered across the big screen. If you go see it, I welcome any opinions.)

I've continued my fascination with memoir, having logged another 16 this year.
By far the most notable is The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch. Not a book for the faint of heart--but it's so well written & a right-between-the-eyes woman's book.
Few books make me want to start at the beginning as soon as I finish the last page...

I devoured eight Colin Cotterill books with only one remaining...*dang!*
I especially liked Killed at the Whim of a Hat. He's just great; that's all there is to it...
Added another 2 delightful Erik Larson books to the 'read' list, Thunderstruck I especially liked.
Sprinkled in a variety of historical novels & history for good measure--plus some just plain fun novels.
One of those was a gift from Nick last Christmas, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell--really an intriguing read--& discovered recently it will Tom Hank's next big screen event. Not sure how they'll translate it to film but it's got me curious...
Stay tuned! But now I gotta run to the library...

Wednesday on Whidbey

Happy Holidays from our little town park! 

Bright & shiny a midst all the darkness!

Show & Tell...

Here's a guy that's been on the UFO list for way too long!
(...but it's finished--woohoo!)

It started out many years ago as several traditional blocks for some forgotten project. When they went on the design wall at some point, their fish-like qualities became obvious so I had pieced it together with a wonderful mix of water fabrics--and then promptly stashed it away for some other urgent project. 

When I drug it out to finish, it seemed pretty boring. I added the wrong-way-Feldman orange fish & an asymmetrical border (of course!) with some fused sea flowers--and then added some interest with the thread design on the long arm.  I also added the three dimensional sea grass on the long arm--another technique trial that I will definitely revisit in the future. 

In the end I was okay with the mix--and also okay with saving a discarded project. It finished out to a fairly large wall hanging (48" x 31") that unfortunately required Jim to fabricate a special hanging dowel for me! (thanks, Jim!)

Anyway--a woman kept coming back to it at the show & finally bundled it up & took it home with her as a very happy camper! Doesn't get much better than that...

More Show & Tell...

We needed to have a few 'gifty' kind of items for the show--so I finished up a few more quilted table runners. They're reversible & cheery!

Merry Christmas to All!

Best wishes from our house to yours!

Richard joined us--what fun!

Show & Tell...again!

Before the show this month, I spent a couple of days at my friend's long arm studio finishing up some items--this being one of them. I finished the top when I went to retreat in October & it looks pretty sharp after it got quilted (if I do say so myself!). It's done with the same piecing technique that I started using when I made Devin's graduation quilt years ago--and then made a 'left-over' lap quilt a couple of years ago.

The border was done with red thread to add a little more interest (...and also highlight any of my advanced beginner quilting technique errors!). When the border was quilted, I went around the set in red-bordered blocks which makes them really 'pop' as a faux-trapunto look.

 The finished piece is about 44" x 60"--an okay size for a cozy lap quilt, or a large wall hanging.

More Show & Tell...

Here's some more items that were recently finished up. They're all about 9" x 11" little wall hangings--fused, toule over, & embellished with thread. They got little hangers added to them after the photos were taken. 

The second set started with a remnant of Marimekko fabric that I scored some time ago & used the design to start the idea moving. They remind me of Dr. Seuss for some reason... 

...sorry for my blurry view...

Wednesday on Whidbey

Solstice greetings--let the days grow longer, yes?! 

I thought this photo of a slumbering Mother Whidbey at Ebey's bluff would be a fitting salute to the season's change 

(the same bluff from which the beach photo that always resides on the upper right column was taken...)

Show & Tell...

Here was one of the items that got finished up for the show/sale this month.
It started out with three different shapes that were each cut out three times & then arranged differently. (It was a long-ago exercise from the Art Quilt Workbook by Waterson & Davila that I was working through.)
Much later, I came across the three little pieces & thought I should do something with them--so I made the three panels & embellished them with paint & ink.

Then much after that, I finally got them together, but some purple toule over (more about that in a later post), & did some thread painting.
The piece came out about 29" x 20"--and went on to a happy home during the show...

It's Over...

The show came & went this weekend--whew! 

...my little 'section'...

No complaints, though, about attendance, sales or weather--good time had by all!--and now we're all pooped puppies!  8-)

...the 11 'partners in crime' at the end of a long 2 days...

(It's another month until Christmas, right?!)
I learned a lot & made new friends in the process--as well as reconnected with many 'old' friends!

The chatter about 'next year' has already begun...

A Christmas Present, Finally...

8 years & 9 months

4,500 US dead
100,000 Iraqi dead
32,000 US injured
A new vocabulary: WMD, Abu Ghgraib, the Green Zone...
50,000 vets that will be unemployed next year

Almost Showtime!

The three-day count down has begun--let the frenzy begin!

Jim & I had our brief moments of 'fame' on the event website--ha ha! Check it out when you have a minute. I'm trying to take pix of items as they get finished up, so I can share when I have a moment.
Meanwhile--may the force be with us; this is the time we wish we had a 'wife' to cook & clean while we're in our respective workshops!  8-)

Wednesday on Whidbey

from the bottom of Ebey's bluff facing the Olympics (west)

We've had some surprising--albeit brief!--sun-breaks. 

Beautiful, but also translates to uncommonly cold for our neck of 

the sound (high 20's). 

Those factors have provided some breathtaking sunrises & sunsets. 

(We'll just overlook that fact that this photo was taken at 

about 4:30pm...*sigh*...we're almost to the Solstice!)  

Wednesday on Whidbey

OMG--Wednesday on Whidbey on Friday!! So sorry...

Smith Farm on Ebey's Prairie--check out
the sun streaks (if you click to make it bigger)

The quarter just ended, the show is next weekend--life is full, but gooood! More later...

Murmuration

Such a fun word to say!

Recently we were having a minor chat about Starlings--you know: what's the difference (if any) between US & UK variety, the love/hate cycle with them, etc. 

So while I was snooping the internet for useless bits of information I happened upon this little gem on Vimeo (but the YouTube version is the one I could embed...).

You may well have already seen this, but if not it's a very fun couple of minutes if you have them to spare! (make your screen full-size 1st tho...)

We've seen much smaller versions on the island while waiting for the ferry--but big enough to get your attention & make you wonder what the heck is going on. Hard to imagine an encounter this large & this close!

Per snooping done since I first saw this, the general response seems to be: can't figure it out, can't model it, speeds exceed 20mph at times, and...'no starlings were harmed in the filming of this video!'

Wednesday on Whidbey

...on Thursday! Oops!

the lingering fruits of fall...

Sorry--missed last Wednesday completely! Hope a Happy Thanksgiving was had by all. We had several days of great family time, too much great food, & not much time at a computer! The final quarter crunch is under way at school & time is flying.
More soon....

Wednesday on Whidbey

Reember those cool colors a few weeks ago?
Well here's what comes next!

Wednesday on Whidbey

the 'beach bums' facing the wind...

Now For Something (almost) Completely Different...

Jim & I are both participating in a December event:
Made Right on Whidbey (check it out!).
That's a first for us--both together. Jim's done many similar events: show/sales, studio tours, etc. I feel kinda like the little kid that gets asked to sit at the grown-up's table--but it's been a good experience for me (so far...). Makes me stretch...

After the December week-end has come & gone--I'll let you know how it went!

Wednesday on Whidbey

Isn't birch bark cool?!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween!

Just back from retreat--so much fun & got a lot done. 

More to share later..

a fun runner for a Halloween birthday girl!

Take Home Delights

Just had to leave a post for Friday, 'cause it's CSA day!

Well, the CSA season is drawing to a close--but once again, we're fans of the wonderful Friday collections!

It was still a good idea that we split a share with another family--that way we get a variety of goodness every other week. We did much better at using all our bounty--but it was still a challenge. So here is just a tiny sample of last week's take home...

 Aren't these purple potatoes a surprise? There's a reason the skin looks so dark...!

 Despite my poor focus, you can still appreciate the color of these great bouquets! A salute to fall...

I Can't Wait!

aaahhhhh.....I have one more class to teach this morning and then...I'm off to my semi-annual Warm Beach retreat with all of the usual suspects!
It's like an addiction!  The closer it gets to the departure time, the more anxious & agitated I become!
After all this time, it's still so much fuuuuuuuunn..........

this is the 'pack everything but the kitchen sink' retreat!

The coordinator (bless her soul for doing this for us twice a year) asked my roomie Kate & me I if we might want to change roommates this fall. She did it quite tactfully--albeit a bit awkwardly. Kate & I just looked at each other & burst out laughing! We've become a couple of old crones--what would be do with a different room mate?!

Wednesday on Whidbey

...gotta love fall colors....

I Can Read...

Shopping isn't one of my favorite tasks, but I do okay. Pretty good comparison shopper. Usually get a fairly good bang for my buck. Try to get out of my rut, at least sometimes.
One of my least pleasing parts of shopping, though, is getting home & unpacking groceries only to find that I missed a key part of a label.
Am I the only one that happens to?!
I do try to pay attention but a few seconds of letting my mind stray always seems to get me in trouble.
Current case in point as an example:

(the circle on the label is my addition... and sorry
for poor focus; I haven't had my morning cup of Joe...)

 Now I'm a pretty good caffeine-fiend (after all, I live in Puget Sound...). We go through our fair share of coffee--and it's usually what ever is on sale; I'm no brand zealot. I just want my warm cup of 'tastes good' in the am. In summary, I'm in the coffee isle fairly frequently.
So am I the last to know that now there's something in between leaded & decaf? Now I have to worry about 'half', too? Criminy!
And what time of day, with what level of distraction, did I miss the centrally located, fairly obvious disclaimer? *sigh*  So now I'm mixing in small amounts with the 'real' stuff in the coffee jar until the rouge pound is gone; can you hear me muttering? I'm sure this won't be my last example, but it likely won't be coffee next time...

Who's My Mother?

Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer lost in thought when that instant adrenaline-surge arrived with an incredible 'bang' behind me.
"What was that?!"
A look out the window revealed this poor visitor--on her feet but clearly dazed.  It took a few minutes, but she finally flew off...I'm sure with her little heart going pit-a-pat just like mine!
We've had some interesting little flocks going through lately with the weather change--stripping off the berries,  seeds or bugs of choice & then moving on. Hopefully she found her tribe...
Don't know what she is, though, do you? About the size of a big robin, with a great tail.

Wednesday on Whidbey

a regal topper for one of the great old Victorian ladies

Four...

Well... Untamed Threads is four years today & counting.

This is post number 300--funny how that worked out to such a tidy number (not a plan, I assure you!). Seems like it should be more, mostly when I think about all of the important things that go by in our lives that I never take time to address. But that's okay... some thoughts are best left unsaid, right?!
There have been 70 Wednesday on Whidbey posts so far--again, funny how that worked out to a tidy, round number. Are you tired of the island, yet?

I've had many visits from the 'usual suspects' & for that I say 'thank you for hanging in there with me'! There are also visitors from locations I can only dream of visiting--'thank you' to you, as well! Unless you're selling some modern day snake-oil, come back anytime... & leave me a comment now & then!
(it's not hard--and any suggestions are always welcome!)

Anyway, thanks for stopping by...lift a glass or sing a song: celebrate the day! It's a good as any other, right?!
(oh, and Snoopy happy-dances are always in order!!)
Cheers!  8-)

23 Skidoo!

Have the greatest birthday, Dev! 

Blow out the candles & may all the wishes come true--

including the ones from  the Physics GRE fairy!

Here's to the next 365-day adventure,   

Love you! XXOO

Fall Formation

It's fall (actually that could apply to most of the summer this year!) and the geese are on the move. A lot.
And oddly enough, not always in the same direction.
I think it's because we have sheltered waters both north & south of us. Maybe the girls (& guys, too!) check out all the options before they settle. Or maybe they're just going from party to party, checking out who else has shown up so far.
Can't really say I'm privy to their thoughts--even though I hear them 'chatting' all the time. I love that sound--I never get tired of it, even after all these years of being right below their conversations.
Too bad I'm not proficient at posting sounds along with the picture--you'll just have to use your imagination....

Wednesday on Whidbey

...mmmm...fall apples.....right outside the back door...mmmm...

The (R) Beauty Pageant

It's been an interesting month so far... or should we say year?!  
I think maybe we need Moody Blues playing in the background:  "isn't life strange?"
The 2011 Value Voters Summit was this weekend (...and that's creepy enough!). Among other VVS events, Ron Paul won the straw poll vote. Then today the President of VVS goes on the air stating 'don't put too much stock in the poll outcome' (of his own group!); that it doesn't mean that much. (Excuse me?! Just 'cause you don't like the outcome?) 
Straw polling (which really doesn't mean that much in the big picture) has had a variety of surprises so far in this Republican slog-fest. Herman Cain handily won the Republican straw poll vote in Florida the end of September with 37%--more than twice the showing of Perry (15%) & Romney (14%).  Oh, oh, oh, & don't overlook Michelle B's 1.5%!! One of my favorite comments after-the-fact came from Larry Wilmore on a John Stewart show: "...it's kind of like a plot for a new porn flick: the pizza man shows up out of the blue and f----s ya!"
Meanwhile good ol' Herman has been caught in several remarkable sound bytes including: "there isn't really a race problem in this country anymore; the playing field's pretty level."  But maybe what he meant was regardless of your color--the unemployment issue is a nonstarter--go get a job! 

That round of comments surfaced in his disdain of the the Occupy Wall Street events across the country, calling protesters "jealous Americans who play the victim card and want to take somebody else's Cadillac." 
I guess that seems tame, compared to Glen Beck's comments (...yes, he's still around on the radio....): "they will come for you & drag you into the streets & kill you...they're Marxist radicals...these guys are worse than Robespierre from the French Revolution...they'll kill everybody." Seriously?! 
The possibly gentler versions came from Eric Cantor who is "increasingly concerned" about the "growing mobs" and Mitt Romney's description of 'class warfare' currently under way. 
Whichever version du jour, it's very clear the party line now is to marginalize the OWS participants & invoke the fear-factor regarding the teachers and others self-described as the "99%" (vs. the 1% fostering the greed, corruption & corporate power). Although some police, fire, & other public employees have joined in solidarity, they should not be confused with the NYPD officers pepper-spraying and baton bashing people last week. 
While Mitt's talking about the class warfare, the Values Voters speaker introducing Rick Perry this weekend said:  "Rick Perry's a Christian. He's an evangelical Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. Mitt Romney's a good moral person, but he's not a Christian.  Mormonism is not Christianity. It has always been considered a cult by the mainstream of Christianity." Wow. Might be news to them.  (Perry was quick to try distancing himself from the comment, but not too far distant, as this group is a solid core of his base...) That broad cult-brush must also include Huntsman, but he's not a contender they need to worry about right now. 
Can you say: "anyone but Mitt?" That phenomenon has fostered other interesting news-bits: reporting that Gov. Christie might still be a contender--even after he resoundingly stated he's staying put in New Jersey, and then of course, Sarah Palin's belated announcement that she will not be running in 2012. That was after she coyly captured one last round of PAC donations based on her letter to followers reporting 'being on the verge of deciding'. It just seems so 'over' & over done: "I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office--from the nation's governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency."  
It all makes for fairly great entertainment--except there's a poorly disguised undercurrent that feels very sinister. Certainly desperate. And fear-mongering, in the face of the latest economic stall (can you say, stimulus money has been used up?!).
P.S. Ken Burn's 3-part Prohibition was well worth the time to watch--but then I'm a long-time fan. Always much to learn while being entertained...

Wednesday on Whidbey

More island yard art...the driveway Orcas

Wednesday on Whidbey

After all these years, I still pinch myself from time to time:  

I really do live in a place where I see this every day

 (except, of course, those cloudy, rainy ones...). 

Sorry to give yet another look at Mt Baker, but this is my route 

home daily with this wondrous view...  *sigh*

Holiday Reminders

We ended up with many sweet reminders of our fun time in PA, including a Mt Gretna t-shirt, a wonderful calendar that includes Bill as one of the featured artists!, great items from the kid's art show & of course Wilbur's chocolates  (..and then there's fabric...).  
One brief side-trip was to LaCigale, one of only a few businesses in Mt. Gretna. I've long admired the wondrous colors from Provence & it turns out--from this business directly.  They sell to an outlet in LaConner, not far from where we live.  The delightful family has been immersed for decades in the French connection of color & fiber. Although all of the tablecloths & tapestries were fabulous to touch & admire, I was trying to stay within my travel budget & found some wonderful napkins on sale. They were perfect to make new pillow covers for our window seat in the kitchen.

Don't they look happy?  They'll be cheery on those dark winter days that are coming quickly!

When we were in Columbia, Julie made the suggestion (mistake?) of stopping at Burning Bridge Antiques--she just about didn't get us back out again! It's a three level old building stuffed full of second-hand & antique items (there's a full basement...). Among many possible treasures, we soon found the vintage electric candles that prompted our visit initially, a wood plane Jim needed to add to his tool chest & two vintage quilts I just couldn't leave behind. They're 30's or early 40's era with marvelous hand-quilting & a lot of life left in them...