48 days until Spring

The big freeze

The feeling to stay at home, close to a stove would have been my wish for this weekend. Ontario had an arctic drop in temperature and I couldn't resist taking a photo from my dashboard on the way skiing.

Never mind the -30C on top of the hill. My son had to train for the next SL race and I decided to take a drive through the country side.

The final cut

fabric journal

Fabric journal with DJPettitt 

I am finishing off my fabric journal. Last year I took a class with djPettitt in Los Gatos. Dj shared so many techniques in this class that every page looked amazing. For my front cover I transfered a Vermeer image of the Girl with a Pearl Earring on fabric, applied a crackle finish took my trusted sewing machine and stitched layers of tissue papers and lace together.

weekend readings

These are two books I picked up on my return trip at Barnes & Noble.

Water-Paper-Paint by Heather Smith Jones has a beautiful blend of unique and fresh techniques with watercolor. I never could get into watercolor and I always preferred acrylics. Reading through the chapters of mark making, dabbing with different materials, opaque washes on dark paper and water etching I can't wait to dig out my Pelican watercolors and start.
The second book , The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin  I started to read in a store here in Toronto. Reading the first chapter was like deja vu, already done- been there. It starts with....I make New Year's resolutions-and usually don't keep them for long. How many times had I resolved to exercise more, eat better, and keep up with my e-mail in-box. This year, though, I was making resolutions in the context of my happiness project...  It's filled with great insights for the search of satisfaction and happiness.

no art - just play

My friend Alice and I decided to take our three very grown up boys skiing to Ellicottville, NY. One car was packed with skies and snowboards , the other car was rocking with heavy beats towards the hills. Upon arrival they had to catch up with the sleep from New Years Eve.

Perfect snow conditions and a great workout.

Waking up and seeing the sun rising.

I am ready for day two!

Here are the four of us, one is sleeping on the chairlift, the other is texting and number five was never to be found. He is a true ski racer and preferred the double black diamond vertical runs. (not me!)

By the way teenagers don't like to be seen with us mom skiing - we are a tad too slow.