Peace and Goodness

I like to make small pictures with very fine black sharpies and a little watercolor. I cramp my hand up very tightly, raise my right shoulder, cross my legs, and hold my breath. In an effort to avoid a permanent cramp on my right side I've been sewing big pieces, using my arms, the dining room table, and most of the floor. I have a need for banners made of cloth. It's one of my stops on the way to painting with oils on linen.

I would like to piece some variations on this lovely peace sign from The New School in Berkeley. I lived for many years near here and admired the peace sign each time we passed. Maybe it will be a quilt or a tablecloth or a banner. I'd like to add St. Francis's "Pax et Bonum" greeting.

Flowers at Heath

Last weekend Heath Ceramics in SF offered a flower arranging class with Studio Choo. I learned so much by actually doing.  I love their book of recipes. It has easy to follow, beautiful photographs to inspire arrangements, from simple to Dutch painting-looking. All week I have been diligently changing the water in my vases and re-snipping the stems. I have a small cup of basil clippings in the kitchen that smells wonderful. I am going to make arrangements for beside our beds - things like basil and lavender. My favorite flower smell is the marigold. I like to have pots of these where I sit on the deck. 

Flowers at Home

I've been mixing bits of the yard and pieces from florists lately. Visiting the homes on the Berkeley House Tour this weekend reminded me how lovely it is to have flowers in your home. 

I checked "Bringing Nature Home" out of the library again. Every page is such an inspiration. The cover photo shows the wallpaper in Erica Tanov's bedroom. I also checked out "Undecorate" which has lovely photos of her home.