a break

Artists write about their process, and I find it comforting to read in some way, more often than not; so why shouldn't I? First hurdle, to dismiss the concern that no one will read it, no one will care.

I'm stitching up coffee-cozies this evening, little blankets that wrap around a to-go cup to protect your hand, and to jazz up your cup. They're an easy use for scraps (even the tiniest, which I tend to keep along with all others). Take a small piece of flannel or felt, couch or applique and stitch down your scraps in vertical rows or strips over this ground, layering and changing thread colors and stitches along the way -- a tiny, chaotic crazy quilt emerges. Using a template I cut from a magazine (though any disposable cup holder does just as well) I cut the curvy strips from my crazy-quilt one by one, saving even these scraps; then customize each one, zigzag stitch the edges a bunch of times, maybe add some couched ribbon or some low-relief charms... and enough velcro to fasten the cozy around any size cup in the standard coffee shop repertoire. Easy holiday gifts. Fun to make. A nice break from whatever I'm laboring over on the table, because this is easy, this is fun.

As soon as I finish the first two I'll post an image. I should make a bunch of them and let friends choose which they'd like. More soon!

work in progress...

the bird

 Early in the day, last week, I found this bird on the side of the road as I pedaled to work on my bicycle. I needed help from my husband to identify it - he took ornithology seriously in college whereas I am an amateur birdwatcher.

 I thought flicker at first, but was soon disabused of this notion -- totally wrong markings, though the size was right and the long bill threw me off.

Finally I rode back to the site of the bird's demise to snap a few quick shots with my phone. Upon viewing the husband immediately emailed me a link -- "It's a woodcock" he proclaimed. As indeed it was. A night-migrating woodcock, met with an accident in the chilly darkness of the city.