Clouds Got in the Way

Exercise with a Purpose

R
No, this is not me! I am a gym dropout as of last April, after fighting unsuccessfully with extreme boredom. My lack of motivation was made worse by the fact that my morning walks with G weren't happening as my flawed reasoning went like this - "I'm going to the gym so I don't need to walk." (Didn't want to end up looking like today's picture.) In the morning, I would dutifully don my gym clothes, which gave the impression of good intention, but unfortunately would still be in them, gymless at the end of the day.

So a new regime had to happen, when I left the gym without a backward glance. And it has - it's called 'Exercise with a Purpose' and it works well for me, allowing me to still Fit in / with my Jeans.

Today's EWP entailed Wednesday Walk, which because G and I are both around, we buy the paper, take in a cup of coffee, then extend the usual route to include the 'Steps from Hell'.


Then comes the ' Wednesday housework' - being retired we decided to let the cleaners go (every now and then I catch a glimpse of Su and Kim with their buckets, as they clean neighbours' houses, and silently grieve.) But No - it is exercise with a purpose and not a bad workout as G and I do all the stuff that they used to do. What I do have to watch is that he doesn't take over - welllll I don't mind that, since he does it well but he can get bossy and picky re my stuff. Tricky territory!

As I bend to perform a 'meaningful domestic task', (is there such a thing?), I think that is the same as doing a squat at the gym etc. Do you get the idea?

Tending the garden was next, not much action there as it's winter but as I was pottering in the front garden I spoke to a senior guy who was hand delivering local papers, another fine example of EWP. This was followed by sitting at the computer, exercising my brain as I continually struggle with the technology required for my hobby.

Almost time to exercise my right arm for a little glass of wine. As time goes by, I will fill you in on some more Secret Womens' Business, SWB, by introducing you to the exercise program I worked out with the Physio.
C

Friends reunited through Facebook

R

Happy Birthday, lovely friend. I hope you have a wonderful day.

So happy that I found you after 30 years on Facebook - G read in the paper this morning, that one of the largest demographic groups on Facebook were women between 55 and 65, who had found each other through FB and were regularly emailing each other.

Love C

Kayaks and Kaftans from the Northwoods

Hi R
Love your Kaftan. Kongratulations on your win in the Kayakathon. Did you know that kayak was a paladrone? (I know it is spelt wrongly but Google can't spell it either, he said pale drone whatever that is - you know what I mean - spelt the same way backwards).
C


Watch the movee below to see how the Kaftan was made and the race won. (bottom aleft hand arrow will give you full screen)

Apre Squash leads to new regime

R


Squash - the Video - so why the heading?
It is linked to Apre Squash, when my favourite M2B (Mother to be) and I went shopping since I was in her area - with her also pregnant friend, who had done lots of homework; as a result, along with my experience, good decisions were made re furniture for the nursery.

As you know there is nothing more positive in this world than shopping with your daughter for the new baby. Or with a lovely daughter in law - it doesn't matter - the generations meet and overlap as new life is anticipated.

OK OK the heading - being in a new environment, observations led to the conclusion that people seemed to be larger than they are in my area.

Which leads me to my new regime, 'Fit in/with your jeans'.

The new regime is about 'Exercising with a purpose'........
C

Master's Kayakathon in the North Woods

Roberto and I totally enjoyed your blog on Shopping, Squash and Dancing. Lest you think it is all work and no play up here, we wanted to share with you our Golden day in the sun. Being the competitors that we are, we could not resist entering the Kayakathon held every year on our lake. Once again we ruled leaving our competition so far behind that they are no where to be seen.
Roberto quickly taking the lead and Renarto coming in for the finish...

Window to the Northwoods

C

This is the view from my "studio". It's a very lovely place to work and play. Often work is play for me. Here I am starting to dye the pieces that will hopefully become my caftan for today. We've had lots of rain while we're here, but we are not complaining. This part of Wisconsin has been in a severe drought for ten years so bring on the rain!

Now I've printed the "caftan" and am hoping for the best. It started to rain in the middle of this, so I may have a new technique, rain printing.

R

Shop Till You Drop!

Hi R
Off for the weekend - G plays Masters Squash while I do Sans Squash and Apre Squash. Sans Squash happens on Saturday where I Shop Till I Drop - 'Sex and the City' has nothing on me when I am let loose in a new town, whether it be a city or a funny little country town with shops with names like Fossies and Cut Price Basement.

Actually, there is more of a focus on craft in the country and sometimes I stumble across a Niddy Noddy look alike. Tomorrow, however, my special Mother to Be and I will meet up at a nearby mall to do some window shopping for baby stuff which is very exciting.

On Sunday, I do some supporting of the master squash player, coming in for the kill so to speak since by then it's time for the last deciding match.

Apre Squash is similar to Apre Ski - where I dress up, often sporting a new item of clothing bought that day, to attend the Dinner Dance usually held at the local RSL or Bowling Club. And a dinner dance it is with the emphasis on Dance rather than dinner (which tends to be rather ordinary for a lover of intense flavours). Everyone, like everyone, except those who have injuries from the day's play and since 'Masters' is code for 'Oldies' there tend tobe a few limps and elastic bandages ankles etc. The local Rock and Roll band is amazed at the enthusiasm with which these 'Masters' dance the night away, and a few 'friendships' are cemented in the process.

Wish you were here to join in the fun

C

Sex and the City - a few unblinding truths

Hi R and other friends
Have to get this off my chest, so to speak, while it is fresh.

I agree with some of the reviews ....... but for the most part I found 'Sex and the City' the movie, to be good entertainment, with a few unblinding truths woven in.

He'd read the reviews (he reads everything) and even though he enjoyed the TV series, I had to cajole G into it, but since it was my choice, and I offered to pay, he came along. His comment was that it really hadn't emerged much further than a TV sitcom, and 2/3ds through the movie he turned the light on his watch to see what time it was (as you do!!!) but despite that, both of us maintained interest in it.

Yes it was shallow , yes the women were self involved; but it did touch on themes of importance to women: finding your voice and expressing it, workforce discrimination, strategies on making a marriage work after the sparkle goes and he sits on the couch and buys a TV for the bedroom, maintaining your old self when you have children. And then the question as to whether or not to have children, when you are accustomed to a certain lifestyle.

Some of the solutions to these age old dilemmas are simplistic and required more than the average income, but I won't spoil the story.

More tomorrow - too much to review in one sitting.
ps - the Karaoke was fabulous - will try to upload a video - where they sing 'I am woman' with infectious enthusiasm and gusto, especially Samantha.

Clara

Tick Tock - Grandmother clock has a soul

Grandfather Clock - A pendulum clock enclosed in a tall, narrow cabinet.

[From the song My Grandfather's Clock by Henry Clay Work (1832-1884), American songwriter.]

"My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf
So it stood ninety years on the floor
It was taller by half than the old man himself
Though it weighed not a penniweight more
It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born
And was always his treasure and pride
But it stopped short never to go again when the old man died

Ninety years without slumbering his life second's numbering
It stopped short never to go again when the old man died"


Grandfather Clock...June 17th

R wrote - This was my grandfather's watch, not a gold watch or a retirement watch, just his everyday watch. When it stopped running it ended up in the junk box and survived time. I finally found time to make a chain for it so I can wear it. I added the old key that was also in the box.

Clara - Antique watches and clocks fascinate me not only for their beauty but their usefulness in keeping time for so long. I feel that they have an energy of their own even when they stop ticking - like a soul.

G loves clocks and has inherited two beautiful examples of clocks with a soul.

This one is a grandmother's clock, not in the true sense of the word since a grandmother clock is just a smaller version of a GF clock, but this one sits on our mantlepiece. It belonged to his maternal grandparents, given to Frieda and Max on their wedding day in 1889.


This clock has been in working condition for all those years and still only needs to be wound once a week to keep good reliable time.


When G's mother died in her nineties, although it had only been wound up the day before, our clock inexplicably stopped around the same time she passed away.

The other clock is Swiss, named a 'World Clock' - Atlas is at the top with the world on his shoulders. Bought in the 1970's by Tony and Alvina, when Tony passed away, it was given to G as a memento.

Because it is doesn't operate on a spring movement, every 5 days, G pulls the chains which lifts the weights to make it work.
With much love to Alvina from her brother G xx

Scenes from Nanooka of the North

C

I can't claim the cougar but he/she has been spotted in the area. I can claim my white deer. Roberto came screaming into the cabin,"grab your camera, quick". I was in my big white terrycloth robe as it was about 5am. So camera in hand, we tore off to the photo shoot. You know those paparazzi. My subject was awesome, the size of a very large cow. He sat there in all his glory. Perhaps his complacency was due to many photo opportunities.  I like to think it was because we were both in white that day, and he could relate to my outfit. Alas we just learned this spring that he did not survive the winter, but he will always be in our hearts and photos.

Love,

N

Tales by Nanooka

Hi Nanooka of the North
Happy Fathers Day to Roberto and to all you deserving guys up there.

What a fabulous photo of the Cougar - did you take it?

I asked R what Nanook meant and this was her reply.

In Inuit mythology, Nanook or Nanuq[1] (Inuktitut syllabics: ᓇᓄᖅ[2]), which is from the Inuit language for polar bear, was the master of bears, meaning he decided if hunters had followed all applicable taboos and if they deserved success in hunting bears.
Well I guess I should really be Nanooka of the north, mistress of bears, timber wolves, coyote and cougars

Clara - I have loved these images, as shown above, and the Inuit stories and have passed them on to children in my care. Stories are important - and need to be passed on for many reasons to be further explored by grannycircle.

xx

Historical T-shirt basics!

Hi R

Love what you are doing to the basic T - the cotton takes the dye or print so well and as you know I'm all for left overs.

It's almost like a blank canvas waiting to be decorated. I had my day as a silk screener - Hand towels leading eventually to Niche market T's. Hard work but fun.

What would we do without our T shirts? The transformation, even before you did your thing, has been incredible.

Get the Point...June 16th

Keeping with the same theme, I cut up a dyed printed tee and added the parts to a dyed tank.

"From it's early beginnings during WW1, when American troops noticed European soldiers wearing a comfortable and lightweight cotton undershirt, and adopted the design, to today' s versatile and fashionable staple, the T-Shirt maintains it's popularity.

On the big screen. John Wayne, Marlon Brando and James Dean all shocked Americans by wearing their underwear on national TV. Marlon Brando in 1951, shocked Americans in his film "A Streetcar Named Desire" when his T-Shirt was ripped off of his body revealing his naked chest. By 1955, the T-Shirt was no longer considered underwear when James Dean made the T-Shirt real cool in "Rebel Without A Cause", becoming a contemporary symbol of rebellious youth.

Tie dye and screenprint of the basic cotton T-Shirt in the 60's, made it an even bigger commercial success with more variety coming into fashion - Tank Top, Muscle Shirt, Scoop Neck, V-Neck etc and could make any statement you cared to print.

During the late sixties and seventies. Rock and Roll bands began to realize that they could make significant amounts of money selling their T-Shirts. Professional Athletic teams caught on and soon the officially licensed T-Shirt became hot merchandise.
Must admit to have been rather fond of Marlon Brando in his day.
Clara

Aussies Never Give Up

Hi R
We did it!!!! Now you can watch my video on Queen's Birthday Fun and I can see yours re the Muggie. Of course there are numerous activities to attend on the day, including fireworks at night, but many like us simply enjoyed a family day at the park. C




Queen's Birthday
In all states and territories except Western Australia, Queen's Birthday is observed on the second Monday in June.
The day has been celebrated since 1788, when Governor Arthur Phillip declared a holiday to mark the birthday of King George III. Until 1936 it was held on the actual birthday of the Monarch, but after the death of King George V it was decided to keep the date at mid-year.

On that day the "Queen's Birthday honours list" is released naming new members of the Order of Australia and other Australian honours. This occurs on the date observed in the Eastern States, not the date observed in Western Australia.

Republicanism in Australia is a movement to change Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy to a republican form of government. Such sentiments have been expressed in Australia from before federation onward to the present, generally achieving little success or approval.

Waist Not for Mommies/mummies to be

Hi R
Waste not, want not-  is a great theme.  It also fits in with new mommies/mummies who 'do not a waist have'.  I went shopping with my mummy-to-be today, but since it is early days yet, it was not too serious - jeggings are a must with draped scarf top.  We have similar taste in clothes and ended up both buying black jeggings, and furry vintage shrugs.  She said to me as we walked out of the shop, "Do you think I made a good choice Mum?" To which I answered, "Do you think I made a good choice, V?"  It's wonderful to have good solid encouragement in this area. She's very interested in checking out the new range of clothes for Mommy/Mummy to be. 

Now - Snuggies/muggies - we need an explanation please as to how it works and of course how it is made, please (at some stage).  Looks fabulous - and I love the T's. 
C
ps - love your Blue Spruce

Leftovers...June 15th

Leftovers...in keeping with the theme of waste not want not, I took yesterday's leftovers and created this cute tee. I removed the sleeves, reattached them to the bottom, then top stitched and zig zagged. It's one of my favorites.


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It takes Two...June 14th

It Takes Two...a tank and a tee shirt to create this tank dress. I hand dyed both and then added the bottom of the shirt to the tank. Voila! Hmm...what will I do with the left over top of the tee?














Oh My, What Do We Have Here?...June 13th

Oh My, What Do We have Here? It appears to be a throw artfully designed to go with the decor of the new baby's room But no, on closer inspection it is a snuggie, perfect for the new mom to cuddle up in with junior. I like to call it a Muggie.

Prince Charming endorses Tank Bags and creates a sensation

Hi R

I'm back after all that wedding photo editing 910 images, with a strained brain, to find all this amazing stuff!  I didn't realise that these wonderful tank bags were part of your  'Welcome to my journey as I photograph something I create everyday for a year... RRT'  Could be  "JOPOC". ie Journey of Photographs of Creations or POJOC.

Very exciting, recycling and adding bits and pieces.  Love to Prince Charming, in both forms.

Tank you   

C 
Green Tee...June 12th

Green Tee...waste not want not. Bits and pieces that were cut off were reapplied as pockets. To save my marriage I started with a NEW white tee, hand dyed and printed .

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The Pantree...Money doesn't grow on trees but pants do. This is a new batch of my hand painted, tattooed denim jeans.
























All Laced Up...June 10th

All Laced Up...did you ever buy something because it was such a good deal even though you didn't know what to do with it. That was the case with this lace, literally a case of lace. Well...just give me an old tee shirt to screen print and a bolt of lace.

Waste Not, Want Not...June 9th

Waste Not Want Not...his mysterious missing tee shirts turn up in my closet. This soft old shirt turned into a cute printed tunic with a cowl neck and gusset bottom, made from the sleeves.

Tank You...June 8th

Tank You...Prince Charming endorses Tank Bags and creates a sensation

He'd give me the shirt off his back, and in this case he did! It was one of his favorite old tees that was hidden in the bottom of the drawer. It has all the soft distressing and holes that are so sought after today. I removed the sleeves, reshaped the body,enlarged the neckline and added some printing. Voila! My favorite new top to wear with skinny jeans or leggings.

In the Tank...June 6th

In the Tank...I bought these nice quality cotton tanks at the local mart, screen printed them, sewed up the bottoms and voila!! They turned into cute bags perfect for going to market or the beach or as a fun laundry bag for your kid's room. A great summer project to do with your grand children

Restoring Aphrodite

Hi R
This is what can happen when you have grandchildren.  I named her Aphrodite after she took a rather serious fall, the second in her lifetime, due to the  over exuberance of my friend's grandson.  I arrived just after it happened, and there was still a tear in her eye, as it was a treasured piece. 

Since then we have had a couple of sessions gluing her back together; today she is starting to look good and it should only take one more session.

Needless to say, we solved the problems of the world as we meticulously pieced her together and I am reminded of the happy creative hours spent in the company of women at the Niddy Noddy as we wove our dreams and stories into the cloth. 

With a trailing plant sitting on the top, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, will be back, maybe not to her former glory, but loved even more for all she has been through.

Clara

Extraordinary Da Vinci. See the exhibition if you have the chance.

Hi R

G and I have decided to get     out     ...    there on Wednesdays and see what we can see. 

Yesterday, was the fabulous Da Vinci Exhibition which we both enjoyed immensely.  You can't help but be amazed that one man could have such talent and insight, stemming from an intense desire to see how the universe works, from an artistic / anatomical / engineering  perspective.

The perfect proportion in the photo, no....  not the blonde .....welll..., says it all.  

Mathematical and anatomical focus with artistic  talent, collectively interpreting universal phenomena, the full span of the legs and arms fitting the inside of the circle, with the horizontal and vertical fitting the square, is 'nice' in the true sense of the word. 

Not so nice, rather gruesome in fact,  were the graphic models of parts of the body, which have been modelled from Da Vinci's drawings - (nice forearms).  In turn, his art reflected this studied interest in matters anatomical ...my audio guide informed me that he was constantly experimenting with different mediums and colours, many of which ended in disaster.  One such problem was demonstrated in  his painting of 'The Last Supper', where the pigments faded - currently in the process of being redone.

The photo at the bottom, is of the woman at the table, as described in the Da Vinci Code. (By the way, you weren't allowed to take photos - but somehow I didn't get that  until I was told).

And then of course there were all the models, flight drawings and robots - like you, he must have had more hours in his day than I have.

I felt like I was in Europe again. 
Looking forward to next Wednesday.

Clara

http://www.davincisydney.com.au/?gclid=CIi13v6BlaICFQcupAodSW4oF

Look on the Bright Side of Life

Swollen Fingers and Arthritic Hands

I CAN
still "scratch" my nose
and sew up some clothes.
Pop open a can
and apply a fake tan.
Still drive my car
ever so far.
And uncork the wine
in about the same time.

My fingers are big
but I'm not in a gig.
I can't wear my rings
but that's not a big thing.

As my mom always said
to avoid lots of strife,
a girl's got to look
on the bright side of life

R

The Chicken of the Egg? or You Asked For It

C

It's difficult to know where to start explaining what I do with my textiles as everything overlaps so much, but it has a lot to do with photography and images I capture with my camera.  Back when we were just young women, I took a wonderful photo/darkroom class at Carroll College, not far from the old Niddy Noddy. I loved the whole process of printing images, so imagine my delight when I discovered photo silk screening some years later. Silk screening has been around forever. In fact it dates back to 1000 AD in China when ink was pressed through a "screen" of silk mesh fabric to create patterns on paper and fabric. Flash forward to the present. Screens are now made with polyester and can be coated with a light sensitive emulsion. Images are placed on the screen and exposed to light. Wherever the image blocks the light, the screen stays "open" . The rest of the coated screen hardens and becomes impermeable. As you can see from my photos, the end result is a picture screen that I can squeegee thickened ink or dye through onto my fabric.

Back to the images. In the old days before I had a computer and photoshop, I created all the prints and patterns in a darkroom. Instead of exposing my negative to paper, I used a clear sheet film called a kodalith. The end result was a black image on a clear sheet that could then be applied to my emulsion coated screen. It was quite laborious but some of my best screens resulted from this. Today everything is digital, so much easier and so much more fun. I can capture an image, load it into photoshop, clean it up and print it on clear film with my printer. You can see a pile of my many images on the table on the right.

Some women buy Prada...I buy equipment. My light box is one of my indulgences. It sits there in all its glory making shooting a screen a pure pleasure. You can also get a glimpse of another favorite tool, my rolling mill, but more about that another time. Recognize anything else in the picture?

R

Shibori - ancient form of tie dyeing, used to create scarf

 Hi R 
Thanks for your explanation following my question, "What is Shibori"?  It sounds like an amazing method and my thought is that it would be good to record the other fabric embellishments which have evolved via your creativity over the years.  This is what we can do on Grannycircle - ie record the stuff we have learnt over a lifetime so it is not lost. 
The scarf is beautiful, as is 'fly the coop'.  You say that you used Photoshop to resize and create the screen.  As you know a friend and I  had a  silkscreen cottage business. We used a heat method to burn the image on a plasticised screen - how do you create your screens? 

Using technology to enhance the creative process reminds me of my sister who sadly passed away recently.  I have set up a heading 'A Beautiful Quilter' to tell you how she created exquisite quilts using digital technology to enhance her work.  And this was a woman who knew 'nothing' about computers and was not even on the net!
So much to tell you........
Clara
- As for Shibori, it is an ancient Japanese form of tie dye that involves folding and stitching the fabric before dyeing it. I should really call my method Renottabori as I have developed my own fabric embellishments over the years. Recently I've been screen printing the fabric with textile ink first and not heat setting it. Then I dye the fabric and wash it well. This removes the original ink that acted like a resist to the dye so my screened image remains, but with a very natural soft hand. Depending on what I'm after, I may still screen print again but with thickened dye that permeates the fabric. That is the plan for today's "aggregate scarf".





Aggregate Scarf...june 5th

Aggregate Scarf...a composite of materials and patterns.












Aggregate...June 4th

Aggregate...a composite of materials. I found this unique stone in New Mexico and bezeled it in sterling and added it to a composite of similar beads, nature's aggregate photographed on man's aggregate.













Fly the Coop...June 3rd

Fly the Coop or Leafing Home...hand dyed scarf with leaf print. This is one of my favorite silk screens made from an actual leaf that nature created, not me. Thanks to Photoshop, I resized it several times and created the screen. No doubt you'll see again.




R