Summer Musings

Oh.... hello!  Been awhile.  I battle with this blog thing.  Can't seem to get myself to post anymore, but then I read these great posts on other's blogs, and I think "well, blogging's not dead yet".  And.... I really do like taking photos and writing about them.  I use Instagram all the time.  It's become a tiny hobby.  Love using the filters, and curating my own little band of people and organizations that I like to follow.  It's sort of like a magazine of pictures that I've personally chosen.  But...... I'm here today to lay a few shots down of my beautiful, but extremely hot and humid world.  Although....the upside with all this humidity is skin, nails and hair.  Really, there's a big difference this time of year as opposed to days on end in heated enclosures.  But, boy do I LOVE a change of seasons!  Would not want to live where it's the same day in and out.  Oh dear, a bit off topic (whatever my topic is.......) not sure.

This photo was taken from the upstairs bedroom window a couple of weeks ago before all this heat wrapped us up in it's sweaty grip .  The mimosa has grown so much this year.  It's become a cloud of pink, with the most heavenly scent.  This tree has been in bloom for a month!  But I'm looking outside right now, and blooms are browning and tumbling into birdbaths and our pond.  Still, the aroma is fabulous if you catch the breeze just right.

See all those pink puffs!  All the same tree crowning our back yard.  It's like a tropical jungle.

I use these super hot days of summer to spend time in my studio with the AC cranked up, and podcasts and Netflix keeping me company (I've discovered "Absolutely Fabulous"  Hysterical!).  Things are a bit untidy, but it's my "happy place".

I took this shot today.  You may see the green shawl I'm working on, and the canvas that I've just painted red.  The color is actually called Christmas Red, but it has just a touch of orange in it that makes it perfect to mount this on.

My Willow Rug.... Willow is our extremely sweet girl.  This rug is done, with a few tweaks since I took this photo.  I'll post again when I have her mounted on canvas.  I'm showing her in December at a little exhibition I'm having.  Just four large pieces.

My new favorite shawl is the most gorgeous dusty sort of lavender.  Lovely silk/cotton blend.  I tea dyed much of the attached ribbon.

Smashing against the old green iron bench!  I chalk painted that bench a couple of years ago, and it just gets better with time and the elements.

Speaking of green.... here's little peek of a deck corner.  Everything is here, because it's the only spot that receives any sun.  I keep a few herbs and my trusty geraniums.

Fact:  when in France I saw that people really do have tidy window boxes of geraniums sitting on windowsills.  The scent keeps away insects.  Good to know.  I loaded up on red this year and have several pots located about.

And lastly...... enjoy this sweet little video I took the other morning of a very industrious garden spider.  The web was amazing with the east sun shining through.  All golden and sparkly!

xo

dulcy

Blogging For The Better

Haven't blogged in a bit, and quite frankly, wondering "why bother?".  But... I've also cruised around from time to time checking out other blogs,  Instagram, facebook sites, Pinterest, and am always so amazed at all the creativity!  I love to follow wonderful artists at these sites, and occasionally will leave my own comments.  Sometime I'll get a reply back!  Whenever I feel a bit in a slump, something as simple as a few photos of great homes, gardens, art, and fashion are all I need to get back at it.  So.... (well now that my computer is fixed.... a pesky issue) I'll post a few photos of what I'm up to, and what is making me happy and feel creative.

I've been hooking a lot over the past few months, and just finished this small abstract landscape.

This piece was inspired by one of my husband, Jim Mayfield's, photos taken while traveling through the Netherlands last spring.

I've also had a lot of fun making pillows.  Here's a couple of girls.  Rosie and Violet.  They're about 18" tall and 10" wide.

I still have one more to do to make a set of three.  These will be for sale later next fall.  Speaking of owls, our friends called the other day and told us to get over quick!  New baby barred owls just emerged from the nest in their yard.  We jumped in the car and got there in time for a great viewing.  Jim grabbed several shots.

I'm still working on lots of shawls and a few bags.  Saving bags for fall sale, and shawls I've been selling in a couple of different shops.  Love the silk/mohair blend of yarn.  Light and soft!

Spending special time with family.  Just returned from Chicago where we had the most lovely time with little grand daughter Ruby, who just celebrated becoming two years old.

 

Of course, my favorite place to be is home.  It's garden time and I couldn't be happier than when puttering around the house and garden.  Here's a picture of our front and porch.  I'm using this shot for tags on my shawls. 

A view of the back yard after one of the many extended rains we're currently enjoying.

A sweet little guy resting in the front garden.

And one of our gorgeously brilliant hibiscus!

So.....passing on a long post to you in hopes of adding a bit of color and creativity to your day!

Namaste....
dulcy

Around and About the Garden......

Garden scenes from my home to yours.........

Happy Weekend!
xo
dulcy

Hooking Small

I've been working away on my new fiber piece while thinking about hooking.  What else do I want to hook? (I counted seventeen pieces around my house.... counting pillows, rugs, and wall hangings... this does not include my many hooked bags and a few oldies put away).  It's not like my home is a shrine to rug hooking, as I have everything spaced apart and in various rooms.  But, I'm so into cutting down on decorating clutter these days!  I know a lot of you probably hook for holidays, and keep those pieces nicely stored to be brought out each season.  I think that's a refreshing way to display hooking and decorate.  But...... I'm not a big holiday decorator.  I like to keep things as simple as possible.... I like to keep seasonal decorating to a minimum.  I don't really like to have too much stuff stored away that's not being used.  That all being said, I'm thinking of using my hooking creativity to create smaller more painterly types of work.  I've done a few in the past.....

All these were made without much planning from bits and piece of this and that.  They tend to be playful and full of color.  The following is along the same lines.... in that I cut by hand and create my design as I hook.  This piece is loosely based on a photo my husband took of some woodland wildflowers.  You can see the photo in my previous post.

 

I stitched the hooked piece with the lace onto this gorgeous piece of wool dyed by my bestie, Tammy from  Skip To My Ewe.

This piece will be a wall hanging, and I'm waiting for the weather to dry out to find the perfect tree limb to use as part of the hanger.  I'll post it completed later.

I think this sort of thing is the direction I'm heading, at least for now.  I love the aspect of painting with wool.  I also like hooking small, not cutting a bunch of wool at one time, and just creating as I go.  I'm thinking postcard sized pieces that can be mounted creatively..... small gifts that can easily find a home in small spaces......

Oh, I'm sure there's at least another large rug or mat left in me, but I'm really happy with what I have right now.  Too much to create and not enough time or space!!

xo

dulcy

Loving Living In My Right Brain!

I've been living in my right brain all week, and loving it!  I've said "NO" to all substituting jobs, and reserved my precious time for creativity.  I love the right brain feeling.... you know.... where you are moving from project to project, sleeping well, eating right, etc.  Yes, I know these moments don't last forever, but as I age, I recognize them for what they are and try to "make hay while the sun shines!"  Below are a few samples of my new rug.  It's a way long way from being finished, and my hooking techniques and color planning are evolving along with the rug.  I think it will be called Summer Jewels.

 I've also been struggling with my current pastel project.  It's very difficult and a frustrating piece for my inexperienced fingers.  What I'm showing you next is quite a way from being finished.  I still need to add all the individual pieces of fur over the pastel layering, finish my tree, and the rest of the cat.  But, I'm having such a good time working this one through.  Wonderful challenge!

You can see he's peeking through his wax paper window.  Grrrrr......

Yes.... more socks..... okay, I just really like knitting them.  There's such fabulous self-striping yarn available!  Also, I'm getting where I can pretty much knit these in my sleep.  Socks make a great little project to take when I'm visiting my mom, or T.V. watching.  It's very difficult for me to just sit and visit... or sit and do anything for that matter.....without something in my hands.

Note that I also added two new Somerset Publications that just came out.

I, probably like most of you, am anxiously awaiting spring to arrive.  Below you can find a new addition to our growing collection of yard art.  This little fellow was a Christmas present from Santa to my hubby, Jim.

This kitty is staying inside where it's nice and toasty until we find a new home for him somewhere among the flowers.  And speaking of flowers, here's a couple of darling and beautifully illustrated used books I found.  Great sources of artistic inspiration, and dreams of summer.

Well.... that's all at the doorstep for now.  It's already a beautiful day here, temps expected to make it to 60!!  Very unusual, and I intend to get outside and make the most of it.
xo
dulcy

A HodgePodge Of This And That

Well Hello!  Ok.... I am trying to keep everything that's still with me in the garden going.  I got this same way last year, where I started to feel a little blue about losing my flowers, blooming trees, shrubs, etc.  I love watching all the leaves fall, but feel a wee bit melancholy about winter coming on.  I sort of go into a kind of denial about the eventual freeze that will leave everything laying over wilted, soggy, and gone for the year.  I continue to water, prune, and deadhead my little ones as though it's still the middle of summer.  You may remember a recent post about Ms. Toad.... now known as Pansy because I believe she (?) has moved into my pansies for the winter.... well, she made an appearance the other morning.......

She spent most of the day in that spot contemplating whatever toads contemplate about.  I checked on her frequently, and eventually she dug back down until I could see only the her eyes peering up. 

Besides garden brooding, I've been working on my drawing.  You may remember that I started a class this summer, and was happy to report that I had drawn a passable eye.  Well.... I've been working on an entire face.  You may be able (hopefully) to recognize the subject of this portrait.

Yes, its Albert, or Mr. E=MCsquared..... I actually had a lot of fun with this, and tomorrow am starting a pastels class.  We'll be doing an English robin.  Finally some color!

 

I'm still working on bags.  This is my latest.  I really enjoyed working with neutrals and black.  Below is the back view (where I concentrated most of my design).

I guess that's about it here at the doorstep.  Thank you for taking time to read this little hodgepodge of stuff going on in my world here at the end of the lane.  Looking forward to another lovely weekend, and hope you're able to do the same.

xo

dulcy

Oh... once again... can't say "thank you" enough for leaving all the lovely comments about the magazine thing.  But I will..... THANK YOU!

Too Hot To Play Outside!

Except for an early morning walk, and watering my quickly fading flowers, I spent the day inside.  It's blazing out there...., but my husband did spend the better part of his day mowing.  It's a big job, but when he's done it looks just like a park!  This is a view from the upstairs bedroom looking out towards our studio out back.  Leaf reflection is kind of cool I think... Our upstairs bedroom is practically a green house!  A few of the plants have gotten so big, I imagine that if we ever sell this place the plants will either have to be cut down, or remain with new owners (heaven forbid that ever happens!).

Another view from the same window of our pond and wacky fence.

I'm knitting....yet another pair....of socks.  Absolutely loving this new sock wool!  The colors are scrumptious.... My sock knitting has vastly improved since my last pair.  This is the fifth pair I've done, but it's taken me all five to really get it right.  I've also got another set of #1 needles that are quite a bit longer than my previous set... fewer dropped stitches.

Here's sweet Willow reclining and catching her late afternoon cat nap.  This nap closely follows her midday nap, which comes just on the tail end of her late morning kitty snooze.  These naps usually take place upstairs shortly following her early morning doze on the screened porch.  I've also included another peek at my doorstep rug, which is still under construction.
xo
dulcy

It's All About Flowers!

My Garden Hydrangea pillow is hooked, and now on to the assembly.  I think I'm going to stuff it, and hand-sew on a soft wool backing.  I had lots of fun prodding the edges!

I took the following photos around some of our back gardens this morning.  The iris is gorgeous right now, and the peonies are just opening.  One of my favorite "happies" is to make a peony bouquet and put them in an old glass Ball jar.

Hope you enjoyed a nice little garden stroll!