2020- A New Year - Winter has arrived- Some January reflections and past projects

This is my happy place - a place where I write ( very occasionally, it appears if you check out the date of my last blog posting 😁 ) ! It is where I create with fabric, beads, paint and other materials. Some day I need to think of a name for this creative space!

This fall flew by and I am not sure exactly where it has gone but  life has been busy enough it seems... The Christmas season came and went quietly - mostly spent with our own family and a trip to my parents.

The winter season has arrived here in Alberta and the temperatures have dropped down into the negative double digits. My spouse, Bruce, continues to walk daily about 4 or 5 kilometers on the trails in the St. Albert area. He is dressed in many layers of garments but is determined to keep up his walking habit. He feels better for the exercise and has taken some fantastic photos of the local fauna and flora during his walks.

Here are a couple of photos from his recent walks. The temperature had been reasonably comfortable for walking during the fall and early winter, until this weekend where the temperatures have dropped  considerably. Still, Bruce plans to keep walking daily - not going quite as far but  keeping up with his daily routine. He is well bundled up for the seasonal winter conditions. 
Early in December, while walking in a nature area near our city, Bruce saw this fine pair of moose. It was a mama moose and her young one. They made quite the handsome pair. He often sees birds and other interesting animals like beavers and muskrat on  the Sturgeon river. Sometimes, he sends me pictures of local sculptures and other interesting local phenomena.  Earlier in the year, he saw lots of ducks and geese before they disappeared south to get out of this cold weather country.


In November , my good friend ,Sheri-lynn, and I took a mosaic landscape course from a local mixed media artist Darlene Madden. In my previous post, I shared some of the other projects that we have done in her studio. This project was larger than the others, and was created over a three day period. My piece is created with  a variety of materials that include stained glass, pottery, ceramics, rocks, beads and shells on board. We gessoed the board first. The over all design was taken from a photograph that I had chosen. It was interesting to try and keep the design simple enough but still create interest in something that represents Alberta's big prairie skies. I found it was a challenging piece to create but I  am very happy with the finished product. After all the pieces were glued on the board, then we added grouting to sections of the piece. I really like the distressed look of the frame that was built by Darlene's husband. I still have to find the perfect spot to hang it in our house, but for now, it is resting on the fireplace mantle.

 Lest you think that I have given up quilting altogether, here are a few quilting bits that I created for Christmas gifts . I made bowl cozies - in the end 33 of them for family and friends . I also made a few more of the 10 minute table runners. It is fun picking out fabrics from the stash, putting them together and creating something that is functional and reasonably quick to make. A note to self, is to start creating next year's Christmas projects sooner and spread the project time through out the year.

 Do you have any small projects that you like to create for others as small gifts to celebrate friendship in the Christmas season?  I am thinking about mug rugs or star ornaments or oven mitts..
 Other ideas??

I took two art courses this fall- my oil painting class was a continuation from last year.  This is painting number four and it is of orchids.  I continue to learn lots about value, shading and how light works.
Have you ever had a preconceived idea about making things ?
 I had this mistaken idea that one could paint more quickly than one could quilt but my oil painting class has shown me otherwise. This painting has over 30 hours of time in it.
The mask on the left is from an expressive arts course that I also participated in this fall. It was a very interesting class, as we played with various mediums while reflecting and exploring in a writing journal.  I hope to explore more of those ideas in the upcoming year. I enjoyed getting to know some new friends while taking the expressive arts 8 week course. We plan to get together in the coming months. It has been a fun way to increase my retired social circle of friends.
2020 has arrived and with it, some new courses and new instructors. I continue to participate in a movement class( a girl has to keep moving any way she can) 😁
 As well, I am trying my hand at watercolors. It is a very different medium than oils- needing new brushes, special paper and paints and some other skills to master.

As for some goals that I have for 2020 ...

Well,   I want to get quilting again and hope to get the 5 quilt tops in the box all quilted before the end of 2020.  I need to get them spray basted before I can quilt them so that needs to wait for some warmer weather.  Perhaps I will finish up a couple of UFO's that have been hanging around in my closet as well.
 I have downloaded the blocks from Kathryn Kerr's 365 Block challenge and need to get started on the blocks. I just need to start cutting some fabrics - it may end up pretty scrappy unless I figure out  a more systematic way to do it. There is some good advice on her website and the project does not cost anything but your time and materials.. This girl needs to continue to use her fabric stash 😉

I will probably take a few more courses on Future Learn or Coursera to keep my mind challenged and learning new things.  I have enjoyed the ones that I have completed in the past year. There is always so many things to learn about in this big world of ours..

 I will continue to take a movement class.  It keeps me moving and able to do the other things I want to be able to do in my life. It is important to balance all the aspects of life - mind, body and spirit!
 A very sad thing happened in late November when the fellow, Bill, that taught our movement class passed away suddenly in a car accident. He was the same age as myself. I had taken his class for 18 months - more than half that time I attended his class twice a week.  It was a great shock for everyone. The local senior center has found a new instructor for the class but it will be an adjustment to begin a new.  Bill will be greatly missed by the many people whose lives that he touched.  He taught classes to 20 different classes of seniors each week. He left an indelible mark on many people's lives. Life can be stilled so suddenly..

I am not someone who sets New Year resolutions. Instead, I like to stop and reflect about the richness of life.  I count myself fortunate and feel much gratitude about my current life circumstances. We all face life challenges and deal with the loss of friends and loved ones. Some of those losses are more profound than others. Often as we age, those losses become all too frequent events.
  In 2019, My parents each lost a brother, as well as a couple of close family friends. These losses make one pause and think about the fragility of life. It also reminds one to appreciate our loved ones and not take for granted life's gifts. 
 I feel fortunate to have reasonable health, a strong network of good friends and a wonderful supportive spouse and family.  I had many wonderful creative opportunities this past year and look forward to new experiences in 2020.  Life is indeed rich these days..

 My wish for you and yours is that 2020 is filled with good health, happiness, prosperity and  all the things that bring joy to your life .  Be happy and well!  Happy creating dear friends,

Warmest regards, Anna