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Dear Friends,                    
Last week I showed my watercolor class a computer designed value study (black, white plus a couple shades of gray). Well, I suddenly discovered that the design can be taken apart. This opens up major possibilities for redesigning. Here’s what I did next.

Above is the original blac&white photo of the exterior of a toy store on Cape Cod. The right hand image is the initial result of the computer’s value study achieved through one of the ancillary programs in the Corel suite of design programs. I only own a #9. Corel has produced upgrades above #15. It’s true they do keep sending me up-dates to improve my older schematics, but the ability to take the values apart may have been there all along and I just discovered it. In any case, I’m thrilled.

Below is what I arrived at after playing around with the value shapes. I “played around” with them for hours discovering different ways I could manipulate the pieces and parts.
I am so excited about this design tool. Before, it would have taken multiple sheets of paper, pencils and erasers to achieve this outcome. I do need to clean up the giraffe’s head, but I’m sure you get the idea even if it’s a bit raggedy. I will leave in some of the bits, Bett’s style, ho ho ho, and the tiger does need some of his stripes back.

After translating designs into a pleasing value study, one then adds color keeping within the suggested values of the gray scale.

Many who read this blog may not be into art, but I hope that you can still appreciate the thrill of discovery. This breakthrough came about opportunistically (a God thing) just as I was building a proposal, for my church, to create decorative stained glass pieces to hang over a number of transoms in our sanctuary. This value study method should help implement any design process. I still need to visit the stained glass shop. That should be another adventure. I’ve not cut glass but once before in my life. Anyway that’s what’s been happening here on the home front.
                   Sincerely Having Fun, 
                                   Jane

Hey Matt&Sarah,

I will eventually get the head phones so I can talk to with you in Vietnam. I’ve been hassling with lots of stuff over the past several days; dr appointments, chest xray, blood test, water-softener repairman, and a new handy man. The final closing of the Stow house has launched a whole string of projects. But of course, I slept in late, as I’m getting use to doing. Then it takes awhile for the brain fog to lift. I think it’s lifting.

I’m having a hard time dieting. I’ve not fallen far, but need to boot myself, for I joined Curves. That’s three times a week. So far it’s a real pain, but combining Curves with a stable diet should help me loose a few pounds and gain some stamina. Pray for me.

I’m having a hard time getting to work on a quilt. Since I have several started I really shouldn’t have that problem. I want to get back to the Arc of the Covenant. I may have to ask for help when it comes time to square it up, but that’s a long way off. I don’t know which church it will hang in, but that’s even farther away, for I Hope to enter this quilt in a few shows before it finds a home.

I found a new quilt store in Kent yesterday, and blew a hundred dollars with ease. I specifically looked for lights and then threw in a few must-haves. I like the hominess of the new place and the storeowner. She’s not as ripped as the perky mover and a shaker out at the bright “Spun Bizarre Sweets”.  (Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

I missed another quilt guild meeting. Guess I’m just not interested in what they do. I will tap the shop for some of the wild bright fabrics, for quilters frequent more than a few shops to keep up their palette/stash.

I already had most of the fabric for the Arc so I really should get on with it. I turned on a web based classical music radio station this morn, instead of Folk Alley (folk music). It’s really neat having two web radio stations with such diverse music to work by.

I will eventually get the head phones, but my camera is breaking down. I’d thought about getting Tim to build me a new computer, but now I’m wondering if I really need a new one . . . at the moment. Even though I’m way behind in Corel upgrades, I can design so easily with #9. It may not really matter that Corel is past #15 and into X3. I can try it, but then I’d have to devote the month to learning it. You know, they allow you to have it for a period of 30 days or so, and then you have to pay for it, or it self destructs.

So you see, life is full  . . . oh yea, I’m taking Sally’s watercolor class Tuesday afternoons. I need the companionship of artists far more than I need a quilt guild that makes cute change purses and lively book covers. I should’a known better.  It would be good to take an occasional quilt class to learn sewing techniques, but the specific community I require is my art society.

I think, for now, I’ll work on the Arc, get the head phones, and look for a new digital camera. Everything else can wait, except Todd, the new handy man. He’ll be working on something from the list, every Wednesday.

    I need to take Mondays off !
                Your Frazzled Happy Mum,
                             Ma Sahr
 

Dear Friends, sorry I missed posting something for January, but I’ve two pieces being critiqued in a few days, one an essay called “Soft Abuse”, and the other a short memoir; “The Best Laid Plans”.  

The first month of this year, went well. I figured out a good furniture arrangement for the great room/studio and when Patty came to clean, she helped me move the furniture into place.

I did take-off two weeks to go through bronchitis, but I haven’t had a upper respitory illness for three years because of the Zinc lozenges. I’ve only a little cough and a touch of laryngitis that I can sing over for short periods, so I’m back in the choir. I’ve been sticking to my diet and the scale has proven it. So all in all, yes, January has been a good month, a good beginning to a new year.

Today I shall grace the doorway of a local Curves. I’m scarred to death. Just last night I had a forty-five minute heart episode, but I’d also missed taking my supplements for two days. That’s a big no no. I’m trying to get them in first thing in the morning, with the coffee-milk; . . .  ritual . . .  habit.

Trying to make a new regimen a habit is a big bug-a-bo with me. “They” say that if you do something for three weeks, 21 days, it will become a habit. Don’t believe it. I’d say it’s more like three months, and even then I still have to think about it. It took me over a year to whittle my food down, to cut out all the allergens, and then begin to pick up a new way to eat. You may recall that I had to cut out citrus, wheat, rice, tomato, potato, peppers, and eggplant. Eggplant was no problem, and I’ve been able to add brown rice and light brown rice, once a week.

Fruit is my new best friend. Bananas; I’ve always liked them, but now I make an effort to have at least a half a day. Unsweetened cranberry juice is the new lemon. A fist full of nuts enhance the top of the cottage-cheese-pineapple-sundae I have most every day for lunch. I’ll not bore you with more detail, but I will reiterate that it took a year to make these changes.

Loneliness still nips at my heels. I don’t like going out repeatedly to keep in touch because I’m a home body. I think that’s part of why I keep this blog. It helps me reach out, and I again, invite you to write back.

Yesterday, I cleaned the fish tank and selected a new teddy bear pattern. I’d already washed and dried a raggedy quilt I plan to use to make this new addition to my collection.

I poured copious amounts of the nutrient rich fishwater on all my house plants. This summer masses of containers will flow with lush growth because of this rich goldfish water. I’ve plans to install an even bigger tank. The current one is 36 gallons. Can you imagine a hundred gallon container . . . on wheels, so it can sit out on the deck; April through Thanksgiving. Anything in between is only a baby step; not worth the trouble.

Ah yes, the old house finally closed and now my plans for the huge multi level deck off the back of my little ranch will come to fruition.  That’s where the container garden will grow and flourish and the XXL fish tank will rest.

Afternoon tea at Jane’s, out on the deck in good weather. Might you stop by ?  Maybe its just a dream; a pleasant dream, my dream and so I’m allowed. Do come by. Bring a small job. I’ll help, or we can play double solitaire . . .  or just sip our tea in communal harmony while gazing out the wall of windows onto the sparkling landscape, and dream in green.

Yours Truly,      Jane