creative excuses

Well, a week has passed and I can't blame the internet because it has been restored.
I can't blame the camp cleanup and wash because there is still a lot to be done ... and even craft boxes sitting in my genkan.

So, where did the week go so quickly?

I finished the toilet paper holder and sent it off to my elder son, along with a Japanese covered hanger.

I was also able to put a roll of bird-print paper into the holder. It was something from long ago that I had saved and had pictures of Japanese birds with their names in English and Japanese.

So what would you think if your mom sent you such a thing for your birthday? Ken is very handy so I'm sure he will be able to install the hanger and I really like the idea of a spare at your fingertips ... thinking back to all the times in my youth that I found myself stranded.

So, the owl is flying on it's way to Oregon and will probably arrive early with plenty of time to perch in the right place before his birthday arrives. I don't think he checks my blog so the secret is safe.

Friday I spent a wonderful day with my blogging friend, Tomomi. We met in Nippori, known as "Fabric Town", and after a quick lunch, hit the shops up and down the shopping street.

I really had no fabric needs but was looking for a few alphabet subjects. If I had been looking for cat fabrics, I would have hit gold. I have never seen so many cat prints in so many stores in all my life!
I did break down and by one small piece of cat print in a color that matches my handbag. I am thinking of making a new bag for carrying my school stuff and maybe a lunch bag.

I'm not sure what was on Tomomi's list but she seemed to have found a few fabrics to buy. It is always fun to hang out with another quilter and meeting up with a blogging friend is a very special opportunity.

I have Lis to thank for friendships beyond the internet, as she was the first of my blogging friends to meet in person. What she showed me was, that every blogging friend is as wonderful in person as over the internet, had been true in every case.

After checking both sides of the road ... up one side and down the other ... we met up with her charming husband (who took this picture) and beautiful daughter over a cup of coffee (for me, anyway).

I smiled all the way home and am still smiling as I look at this picture. And, if I didn't need the friendship to make me smile, Tomomi brought me a darling reminder of her visit.

I need to find a place to display this beautiful beaded lace doily and the pretty pieced pouch.
For now they sit on the chest beside my quilting chair where I can admire them as I recall our time together.

Soon Tomomi will be winging her way back to Ireland and I'm waiting to see what she will post.

Meanwhile, life flies by.

Sunday was our choir party. Pot luck means lots of foods and lots of variety and the party was fun to talk with all those friends we are always too busy singing with for much of a visit.

Monday I was called to substitute for one of the teachers so it was a long day. The weather was very hot and humid all day but the rain started in the evening and the last two days have been cooler.
I have begun at last the cover for my daughter's tissue box ... a lot late for Christmas. I tried to find a box that size so I could be sure to make a cover that would fit. I finally gave up and made one out of tagboard.

Marie had asked for some indigo and sashiko.

I found yukata fabric with the zodiac animals on it and cut a diamond section of a horse for Marie and a dragon for Tim.

It was really too small for real sashiko ...

So I decided to just quilt in the designs.  They are "Fuku" meaning good luck or fortune and the Fukuda family crest.
My next challenge will be to join the sides and add the square bottom. Then, I am thinking of making a gathered strip at the top to be closed around the opening in the tissue box. I have no idea what the shape might be but I think that should work ... if I can just take it one step at a time and one problem to solve in each step. Hopefully Marie should not have to wait until another Christmas to get her gift.

Marie, if you see this, you will know the wait is getting shorter.

So, that's my excuse and I'm stickin' to it!

Thursday challenges

Last Thursday the choir went to a summer schedule ... meaning no Thursday night rehearsal.
I read in the Sunday bulletin that the Women's Fellowship would be holding a "Summer Coffee": "Be a Japanese Artist", Thursday at 10:30 in the library.

Mostly, because of the time it takes to
travel into town twice, I seldom take part in
these gatherings...

... but ... "be a Japanese artist" got my attention and I decided to go and find out how that was done.

I'm not sure what I expected ... maybe some ink and brush drawing ...

a craft... origami creation ... tie-dying ?

Well, when I arrived, the teacher laid out a lot of little colored pictures on two and a half by three and a half slips of paper and asked us to choose a picture.

I picked out the "Yamabuki" or Kerria  because I have a bush at home in my garden and know what it looks like.

We were then given a torn-out page from a coloring book and a choice of water colors ... paint pencils ... or crayons ... and told to copy the picture on the little slip on to the printed picture on the page. (and pay 100 yen)

Hmmm ... I guess I could do that. I chose the watercolors, which was a challenge because they were only black and white and primary colors ... I was lucky by then I had selected the kerria because those primary colors were not very true.

Did I become an artist?

At the left is a picture of some marigolds I painted very long ago when I was just a kid.

I painted two pictures then. The other was a rose and it hung in my parent's home for many years and now hangs in my brother's home

This one hangs in my genkan to brighten the entryway.


When I returned home and re-read the bulletin, I realized that there hadn't been any coffee.

I did get two 4x4 inch blocks completed on the trip into town and back.

 I did manage to finish one other item this week.

I had begun this tissue box cover to go with the sample toilet paper roll cover I thought might be a good plan for teaching in Tohoku. Actually, I think the box cover is a bit too ambitious for a beginner.

Well, our house has an open tank on each toilet so there is no place to set the tissue box in the rest-room.

I took it up to my bedroom and suppose it will live there until needed in some other place.

We are now awaiting what remains of the typhoon. Passing up from the south-west I suppose much of the power will be already spent by the time it arrives.