reading, writing & stitching

Lots going on around here! We had a wonderful birthday celebration with family for my mama's 70th. My son graduates high school in TOMORROW! I look at him now and see a young man, but he's still my baby boy and I'm not sure that I am ready to push him out of the nest! (Even though I will be claiming his bedroom as my new sewing room and space for my art library!)  I know he'll do just fine, but his sister and me? It will take a bit of adjusting. She's maintaining that she'll be calling him every Tuesday night at 9pm and he better answer his phone!

On to other subjects, I started reading more again this year, and started out like a wildfire, blazing my way through book after book, but now I've slowed down again. Really need to get back to page turning. The pace of my life lately is really no excuse. There has been time to pick up a book even if I only take in a few pages.

I'm also itching to get back into my novel and finish a draft that I feel *gulp* is worthy *gulp* of submitting to a publisher. *gulp*  I just really need to write. It is something I have set aside waiting for time to dive in. I need to make time. Block it out and just do it.  I have started writing again with my dear friend B (my NaNoWriMo writing buddy!) and whenever I get into stories with her, I feel the want to write even more! She inspires me so.

Stitching? Yep, been doing some of that too. Now that I'm up and running again with the new laptop...(still hoping my brother can get my Creative Suites software back for me!!) I can get into my patterns. I started work again on Ghoulie Parade. Really hoping I can get it finished up over the weekend.

I have also made some progress on the third bit of slow cloth. I am really happy with the way the pieces are working together, and I know it is going to be a long and wonderful process to stitch enough to make the window treatment, but it will be so worth it.  I held what I had so far up to the window, and the way the light comes through is like something out of a dream. It changes. Almost like a kaleidoscope.

With this bit, I started stitching and I kept seeing little bird foot prints in the spring snow. Or chicken scratch. Still lots to do on this piece, but that's the whole point. Stitching slow, finding comfort in the materials in my hand and knowing that whatever evolves from my work was done with care and thought.

Now off to the library, two days left, and then summer truly begins!