crystal clear

the Kansas City skyline taken from the Liberty Memorial

on a very cold, blustery day in December

this picture doesn't actually demonstrate what I was going to write about today

but am so blown away by this skyline

growing up all the way over in the suburbs, I hardly ever saw this view

the buildings and projects that have been added through the years have really

made this view so interesting - a nice mix of old and new

am so happy they have been able to keep that Western Auto sign up too 

the one thing that surprises me almost every morning

and throughout the day

is the clarity of the air here

after spending years with the grey skies of England

the intense blue of the sky here, along with the sunshine that has been present 

almost every day since I moved back

makes the trees, the grass......everything

so crystal clear

it can (and has been) bitterly cold - but then that sunshine 

comes out - and kicks everything up a notch

this clarity, the 'big sky' and the sunshine also make for 

the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets

such pinks and blues!

I just need to get myself outside and take a few photos of this to show you

really is beautiful

thanks for stopping by!

__a

Look who it is!

I'm back!

Well, not really back, more like forward.

I am now living in the US after 12 years.

Not just any old place in the US, but in my hometown, 

which I haven't live in for almost 20 years!

It has changed. I have changed.

I am excited to see what happens now, but

I must admit that it still feels as though I am just visiting.

All my belongings are still boxed up in a shipping container somewhere in the UK

so I haven't been doing much in the way of art

That said, I do not have much in the way of arty things to show you

that I may have done recently

but......

I am going to show you the photos I took on my last day 

stitching on the Battle of Lewes Tapestry!

my fearless overseer, Jan working on a lovely pond scene

the beginnings of a new panel

the thatched roof of a cottage - with fleeing cat!

close up of the flames, smoke and cat

I really like all the textures coming into this

a battle scene - just begun to be stitched

each person got to choose a figure to work on

here is my dead guy! in a really odd pose

it is kind of hard to see as someone else's leg is on top

and his arms are in strange positions

but he's all mine!

would like to draw your attention to the beautiful detail and pattern

on the horse - beautiful

more fighting

and to add to the carnage - there is a Rook

eating a dead sheep at the bottom left corner

I knew I was leaving soon, so I didn't pick a complicated soldier to work on

in case I couldn't finish it

so when I did finish my guy, I also got to do this cat

not sure if you can tell, but his hair is standing on end as he flees the battle

I forgot to take a photo of the finished cat

if/when I am able to see the finished project, I will be able to pick 

these characters out as my work - along with several anonymous trees an shrubs!

I hope to be more present on my blog than I have been for so long

but my days in limbo are almost over

I hope to share with you my .......ooh! I was going to say journey

but that sounded silly

I hope to share my new life and what I discover of my new/old hometown

wish me luck!

an thank you for coming by to see me after such a long haitus

hope everyone is healthy, happy and creative!

__a

in my garden

wonder what they'd look like if we actually had some sunshine!!

remember me?

it has been a long time since my last post

my world has been turned upside down

I am ok - my marriage is ok

my family is ok - my health is ok

so phew - 

but......everything else has been completely topsy turvy

and it has been so difficult for me to get back to my blog

part of it is because I haven't been doing any art

I closed my studio and put all my supplies into storage

for our upcoming move......which didn't happen

I have been doing some traveling

and planning

and sitting and staring

hopefully, we now have a plan to move forward

and I will be able to get back here

but for now

please forgive me for my silence

thank you

__a

happy holidays

Happy Holidays !!

I hope everyone has a fun

holiday season!!

feather step down

these were half finished pieces that

were just sitting around

so I worked on them a bit

not too long ago, but never

photographed them

love in my heart

am spending most of my time packing up the studio

the movers come next week to scoop

it all up and put it into storage

have been wondering what to do with my sewing machine

and other materials

do I put into storage?

do I take to the house?

where in the house?

anyway.....

I think I have decided to put everything into storage

(eek!)

it's a tricky one, especially as I do not

know how long this all will take

I could be here for another 4 months

but without the studio

and really; without the room for anything

at home

yup

that's what I'll do

so then......

I can get back to more reading

and writing

and contemplating

and devising

which I have not done in a long time

I need to really think about how I want to proceed with my art

what to keep; what to change

and then there's wax

I like wax

I like stuff covered in wax

I want to start exploring wax

but just really calm my head down

and take the time

to think

since I have it

this move needs to move me too

I need to move forward

and try

really try

again;

happy holidays

thanks for coming by......

__a

cute!

how cute is this?!

so want to buy him...

wonder if husband would notice

hee hee

look at that face!!

I spotted him in one of the local antique places

I was actually searching for two other things

to stash away

and take with me to the States

1) a Victorian hot water bottle

weird, I know

but when I first moved to the UK

I saw them all over the place and wondered what they were

haha

will remind me of first moving here

2) pie funnel

a ceramic blackbird

you put into your pie to let the steam out (is that right?)

I don't actually bake, I just think they are cute!

and again......had no idea what they were when first moved here

so......every other time I meander around the local

antique shops - there were dozens

of these things

this time, now that I actually want them,

nothing

nil

nada

zilch

always the way, eh?

next time, I won't think I want to buy them

am just wandering around........

then they will show up again! ha

thanks for stopping by!

I know I am veering off

my usual arty-stitchy topics

such is my life right now.....

it is cold and rainy today

am hoping it gets colder!

want to build a little fire in the front room tonight

hope everyone is healthy and happy out there

__a

pretty little thing

isn't she a beauty?

I totally forgot to show her to you

my husband bought it for me

at the local car boot sale

right before my open studios

back at the end August!

I have never heard of Jones, but

many people who have seen her know that name

I have only seen Singers so beautifully decorated

well....now I know why

Jones was a sewing machine company

started in Manchester in the 1800s

I saw these jugs outside of a furniture restoration place down from my house

ok, when I first saw the sign, it said

"100yr old Polish Jugs"

and I wondered why they had jugs from Poland?

luckily, I kept my mouth shut

when I went in to buy them

the guy who helped me started telling me

they had a huge pile of them

in their studio

they were at least 100yrs old........

and stored.......polish

oh!

where am I? furniture restorer.......polish

not Polish!

sheesh

don't tell Mr, but I am secretly hoarding things to take back with me

ok, not so secretly as he immediately noticed the jugs

but he didn't say anything

well, actually, he did start in on

"no room, shipping costs"

but then he stopped

I think it might have to do with the

blue and white plate

you can just see in the background in the photo

which he came home with a few days earlier!

ha

not much in the creativity line has been happening

my main dilemma, other than packing up my studio

which isn't really a dilemma, more of a

just get on with it!

anyway

I have to pack up the studio and have it empty

by the end of the month

ok, no problem

however

I am going to be here for a few more months into the new year

now.......

do I bring my sewing machine to the house?

how bout materials?

where will they go?

can use the dining table....

but there isn't anywhere to store anything

if I actually use the dining table for eating

(yes, I do use it for eating, thank you)

what will I be working on?

what materials do I bring with me?

hm.....

on another note;

it is finally getting cold!

I like that

but....the usual problem

do I decorate for the holidays?

or they should probably go into storage

with the rest of the studio things

since we will be at hubbie's parents

some day......I would like to really decorate our house

and be there to enjoy it for a bit

hope everyone is doing well

thank you so much for being here

__a