Recovering...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           This is a picture of Nissi in her healthier days...  This has been so hard for me to "get over"...  I was not prepared for how much I would miss her...  She had the sweetest way of sitting by my chair, putting her paw up and tilting her head to get my attention...even now I'm crying...  My other dog, Liesl and my cat are such comforts...  I just keep breathing..hoping that time will work it's will and I can smile when I remember her.

A Sad Day...Remembering Nissi

Today is a sad day.  I took my eldest dog, Nissi, to the vet and had her put to sleep.  She had granulomas on her legs that had turned into open lesions and numerous lumps...  Lately she would come and sit in front of me and look intently into my eyes with her own eyes showing her discomfort.  It makes me cry to think of it...  She had the sweetest way of expressing her appreciation by giving me a couple of the most tender and careful licks with her tongue on my hand...  My only comfort is that she isn't in any misery now....   Give your pets an extra hug for Nissi today...
Val  :-(

In a slump...And lessons learned!

Have you ever been in a slump?  I must confess, I'm in one now.  My sewing machine and all my supplies are probably wondering if I have fallen off the edge of the earth..  I think it is due to too much work and not enough down time for me.  I have been filling in for fellow workers for medical leave and vacations, and I am most happy to do it, and soon I will again have more time for myself.  And hopefully my creativity will be bounding along ahead again, with me in tow, trying to keep up!  Inspiration is an odd animal and visits me, when entreated with energy to contribute to the process.  Fortunately, I've been sleeping well, which is a must, so once the normal routine is resumed, I should be OK...  I miss it though and look forward to being back to, what is normal for me...ideas, inspiration and creativity flowing again!

I'm thinking that it is that old truth about not being able to appreciate the sunshine unless you have days of clouds.  And so it goes, it seems, with inspiration.  I'm appreciating it very much now that I am in my days of clouds...  I used to pride myself, in that, there are so many things that I have my hands in that, when I would hit a wall, I would just move onto another medium and go on my merry way.  And now...nothing is happening...  There is a lesson here for me..  Another old truth:  Make hay while the sun shines!...because there may be days, when it doesn't.  I count it as a blessing to have this time to be introspective and learn my lessons.
Keep creating (and I'll be joining you soon!),
Val

Heidi is Pleading the 5th...

 

Well here she is...the guilty party.  I came home from work last night and found that "someone" had been in the garbage...  Now just who could this have been?  All I had to do was look at it and ask "Who did this?"  She could barely look at me.....  Guilt was written all over her face and her demeanor was downtrodden.   I cleaned it up and it took no time at all before she was nuzzling my arm for attention.  She is such a sweet dog that I accepted her apology and now it is all behind us.  My animal companions mean so much to me...  They are always happy to see me!  They never ask to use my car.  They aren't hard to cook for...  They guard the house and don't ask for a raise.  They are devoted to me.  I just have to clean up after them from time to time.  I can handle that...



On the river at Kaw Point...

Not long ago, a friend and I went down to Kaw Point State Park at the confluence of the Kansas River and the Missouri River.  It happened to be the place where Lewis and Clark spent a few days before they started their way north up the Missouri (1803-1806).  I don't know what it is about water...it draws me to it and feeds my soul and spirit.  The Missouri is a powerful river and to see the current was a mix of wonder and certainly respect.  In this picture you can see downtown Kansas City in the background. 

What things feed your soul?

Keep Creating,

Val

Sunset 12/28/11

Greetings....
On my way home last night, the sunset was so beautiful.  I couldn't resist taking a picture of it.  I love the sky...the variation of light and shadow, color and shape are continually changing...and it makes me feel so small!  I just wanted to share it...
Keep Creating,
val

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas Everyone!   My wish for you (and myself) is that we all can take a few moments to just breathe in the Peace from on high that comes with this season.  Enjoy your family and friends and also remember those who have a more difficult time partaking in the joy, for whatever reason.
Blessings to you,
Val

Season's Busyness...

Greetings Everyone,
I've been busy!  There seems to be a crush for time at this season.  Above is a kitchen towel that I just finished with my embroidery machine.  This is a belated birthday gift for my friend Bonnie.  She has a cat named Jackson that seems to think he rules the kitchen, so I couldn't help but put a reference to the feline in it.  I also have been baking cookies, going on house tours with friends (Kappa Kappa Gamma, which was lovely!) here in the Kansas City area, dinner with friends, and continually looking for new projects.  I was in a yarn shop yesterday, and I bought yarn to knit some socks.  Now, I have never knitted socks, so I'm looking forward to the challenge.  I'll be letting you know how it goes...  I've also been spending time on Pinterest...I can always find pics to collect of things that I can relate to or inspire me.  Winter has arrived here and the evenings are nippy, as they should be!  Makes for a festive and refreshing time compared to the heat of the past summer.  As I write this my cat has settled onto some fabric on my sewing table and gives me looks that say "Don't bother me, I'll be here awhile. You didn't need this at the moment anyway!" She's right, I've got other things attracting my attention.
Keep Creating,
Val

Knitting and Hiking!

I've just finished a sweater for the baby next door...I hope he has not grown too much! If that's the case, it will give me another project to work on and this sweater will go to someone else! The pattern is from Debbie Bliss as noted in the post in July. It took me a while to finish it.  I had some other projects vying for my attention and I knitted truly at my leisure!  I love the blocking process, because you start out with something that is hardly admirable and afterward the fibers are convinced to behave and the final result is so satisfying.  I have a shawl project that is in need of attention, so that is the next creative pursuit.

       

I broke down and invested in very nice backpack with a camelback hydration system to use when hiking.  It is designed for the dayhiker and I'll be able to bring food for lunch along with space to bring some knitting or a book.  So far, I've used it up at Weston Bend State Park and really enjoyed it.  The above picture is from a vantage point above the river.  We were happy to see wild turkeys on our hike and I whispered to them how smart they were to reside in a park this time of year during hunting season...  Thanksgiving is this next week and I'm so looking forward to it.  I have such a sense of unity with all the people across the U.S. who are celebrating as well.  The heavenly scents from the kitchen are something I look forward to each year...

Happy Thanksgiving to All,

Val

                                                                                                                                                 

Newly Completed Art Quilt

Greetings!  This is the latest art quilt that I have finished.  It is part of a series of three.  I work from an intuitive perspective, and it is always so interesting how they take on a life of their own.  As I worked on this, it reminded me of paths and patterns that show up in our lives...it may be the influence of other people or the experience of a place...  It is painted on fabric and then embellished with machine stitching.  I have the other two pieces that I am continuing to work on for an exhibition in March.
Keep Creating,
Val

All Hallow's Eve...

     I made this Halloween Cat a few years ago from a gourd that I picked up somewhere...  His ears are felt, stiffened and glued on.  Every year about this time, he finds his way to the front of the house for display.  I have been very busy with the exhibition that I am involved in.  I finished one art quilt piece that I will post in the next few days.  I am so impressed with the entries and happy to be a part of it.   It begins Wednesday, November 2 at the Main Johnson County Library in Overland Park, Kansas and runs through January 1, 2012. 
     The weather here has been good, although we somehow missed out on the fall rains and we are deficient in our rainfall.  But, anyway, because the weather has been so nice, we have been doing some hiking in the area.  Last weekend, we were at Weston Bend State Park.  There were a lot of people out on the trails along with children and dogs.  A wonderful time was had by all.
Happy Autumn to All!
Keep Creating,
Val

Apple Butter!

     A friend had 10 pounds of apples that she didn't know what to do with and offered them to me, and I thought, "I know what to do with them,...apple butter!"  My mother used to make it for our family when I was a child and when I had a family of my own she gave me the recipe.  It is easy to make although there are some steps involved.  I washed and halved the apples and put them in a roaster with just enough water to cover the bottom layer and covered it and put it on a medium low setting and just let them cook.  Along the way, I mashed and stirred them.  The result is what you see above.  I then put them through a food mill, added sugar and spices and put them in my slow cooker on low for about 12 hours. The house smelled heavenly! And the result was....

I took the pint to work and got rave reviews,...I had to concur I love it too!

This too, is part of the creative life!

Keep Creating, Val