summer is opening in all of her bright beauty.   windows open all day to sounds of birds and wind and neighborhood sounds.  i'm whirring around in a state of paper & pattern oblivion.  i bookend my days with a walk in the morning and a fizzy cocktail in the early evening.  in between all of that i'm getting everything ready for my SEWN peeps.  this is the first online class i have ever done when i'm not teaching in the classroom at the same time.  how wonderful it is to not feel hemmed in by other obligations.  how free my mind is to roam and wander and explore ideas.

for the ten thousandth time:  how i love this leave of absence slash sabbatical slash break.

more scenes from our little santa barbara art retreat.   mary brought this lovely & amazing paper.

i couldn't decide which was more beautiful, her shirt or the paper.

i love to see people absorbed in the process of deep and studied creation.

we are makers.  all of us.

pam's journals are unique in that they don't just look spontaneous.  they are.  she thinks out almost none of her marks ahead of time.  she is on fire.  and everyone around her is warmed by the heat.  i've never seen anything like it.

it got too hot inside for this little fellow.  he went outside to sit on the bridge.

wanna meet my rabbit?  mary, the happy hooker made him.  she's a rug-hooking savant.

i always wanted my very own bunny.

ya know?

when i stay in vacation rentals i always get so many ideas for moss cottage.  like this built in bench.  i'd love one just like this in my kitchen.  but i would have drawers built into mine for storage.

but of course with a new bunny in the house it might not be the best time for a new project to begin.

oh.

did i mention my new watch?  syd made it.  it works really well and helps to keep me organized and on track.  and on time of course.  i regret that i don't have a decent photo of syd to share with you.  just picture a tall statuesque blonde with a hearty laugh.  who makes fun watches.  and shares her chocolate covered popcorn.  and fun wallpapered blocks.  (that i used to spell out curse words)

i am excited, happy, and grateful for the response to SEWN.  thank you from the bottom of my bunny lovin' heart.

there was a snafu earlier this morning and i had to reissue passwords to everyone who had signed up.  check your inboxes.  if you run into any trouble there are directions for how to sign into the class HERE.  looking very forward to playing with everyone beginning July 4th!  

I'm going back to my machine now.  there are more paper ideas to be finalized, and videos to be edited, and bunnies to dote over.

p.s.  for those of you in SEWN go HERE to watch the SEWN cocktail video from my sister! 

Do you remember when you were a kid and you stayed out playing till the last bit of light left the sky?  Do you remember how you could become wholly absorbed in the adventure of play?  I do.   And this summer I want to go back to there.  With you!