Please go to:

thelmasmith.3rdward.com

The Vox Populi Award is based on public voting.  Take a look at a selection from the Left Turn Lane and vote for me.  Winning the Vox Populi Award will help me progress to the jurying process.  It’s a good thing to see art quilts in an artist’s venue.

Thank you for your support.  thelmasmith

A couple of weeks ago I went on a book ordering binge.  In the last twenty years I’ve worked with textiles.  My book cases have become crammed.  Still, I need that tactile connection to a book.  My textile work has not restarted. I still crave the physical handling of both books and fabrics.  The books I’m going to talk about here give me some sense that I can combine both books and fabrics.

This is a lush and seductive book.  Page after page of encouragement to paint, stain, illuminate, and write on very large sheets of artist’s paper.  By the time I was towards the end I was salivating over the hand made book examples using the paper being produced.  I came to the point of wanting much more specific instruction of the actual building of books.

This surfaced in the pile next to my place mat when I put Painted Paper on the bookshelf:

This is one of the most information dense “text” books I’ve ever studied.  It will not replace the interaction and community of studying in person with a group of people.  It comes as close as possible.  I did not study each and every step of every format of book and slip case.  My mind could not take in all the information at that point.

I added that book to the book shelf, on the top shelf at the right end where I can find it again easily.  This was the next book in the pile:

I think this becomes like the notations on ancient maps, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!”  This is a compilation of what many artists have done with the book format in the last decade or two.

When I finished Unique Handmade Books I truly felt I had the vision and the manual skills to produce my own books.  5oo Handmade Books has left me reeling in a very good way.  I don’t know if I will ever gain this level of skill.  To make books that are art is the work of a life time.  I am completely blown away.

Now, finally, I have enough perspective on all of this that I can begin to process the information.  I am remembering lovely embossed full sheets of Arches 300# paper in my blueprint cabinet.  I’m wondering if I can add color and washes and inks to them without destroying the embossing.  I can, at least in my mind, envision cutting those large, some day painted, sheets into a book.

I finally have a hose bib and a curley que hose with a nice nozzle and I can reach all the potted plants on the deck.  There are four, new, very big pots half full of soil and a bunch of small pots on the table.  I still am not sure what I’m going to put in them.

Two of the smaller pots got loquat cuttings set to root in the shade.  I guess I’ll have to go over to Somis and to Saticoy and look at the trees in the nurseries.  I have to keep watering in the meantime as the wind sucks the moisture out of everything, including me.

As we get towards summer we will be getting the Santa Ana winds.  Those blow from the four corners high towards the ocean.  Besides sucking the moisture out of everything they bring the heat of the desert.  They bring summer instead of a spring time that is still feeling a bit like winter.

All this in explanation of no posts, no work, and little time spent outdoors in the wind.

I’ve been reading a lot.  I’ve been on a book ordering spree.  I had to replace my all in one printer but I’ve not set it up yet.  It tells me it won’t scan until I do some more work.  I’ll just tell you about my reading instead of showing you the book covers.

Fear of Flying  -  Erica Jong

Life Studies  -  Susan Vreeland

Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

The Essential Eating Well Cookbook

Bicycle Diaries  -  David Byrne

The New Sins  -  David Byrne

Old Friend from Far Away  -  Natalie Goldberg

There are more books that have not shown up at my door.  More on those another day.

You did notice the cookbooks?  Yes, I’m actually cooking some these days; I’m not quite sure why.  Comfort, I guess.  My friend, Barbara, enticed me into baking bread for the first time in twenty five years.

As to the books, I recommend any and all of the above.  Book reviews when and if I get around to it.

Old fold to your left, new fold to your right.

The template I marked on the ironing board in permanent marker.  Makes the work go faster.

Another stack before refolding.  I find that working with the blues I have really few lights and a lot of mediums and darks.  You can see the edge of the scotch tape roll to the left as well as the cat bat.

It’s rather sensual handling and refolding fabric.  So many lovely textures and patterns.

I’ve learned that I need to completely fill the cubbyhole.  Anything less than full is a wonderful cat bed.  I can tell what was on the top of the piles in the arizona storage.  I am scraping off great quantities of cat hair.  The large roll of tape is doubled back on itself to form a self roller.  Speeds the process.  I keep both the tape and the cat bat at hand for my clothes as well.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6412572n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

These are the shipping tubes I mentioned yesterday.

Below are two views of a LOT of rubbermaid containers I need to sell. Again, pick up in Ventura, California.  Rubbermaid has a good life span unlike the Sterilite that break up from the UV, even indoors, within one year.  New Sterilite of similar size sell for $6US.  These were $10 new, now $5 each.

I also got all the Sunbrella measured and rerolled.  Here’s the manufacturer’s website.  Folding will damage the fabric so it must be shipped on rolls.  Shipping to be priced on an individual basis.

I have 54″ wide, cushion weight (light) natural sunbrella.

4.25 yards, whole piece, some spotting for $60 plus shipping.

5.5 yards of the same weight natural in perfect condition for $85.

There are 3.5 yards of a heavier teal (something like the floor color above) for $50.

There is an already cut bag in the teal approximately 8″ x 26″ x 20″ including the building diagram for $25.  It will need a 42″ zipper.

I have good, NEW, YKK Heavy Duty Marine Zippers – Separatin:

2 at 18″ long at $5 each pick up or $9 each post paid in the US.

2 at 72″ long at $10 each pick up or$15 each post paid in the US.

1 at 54″ long at $9 pick up or $14 post paid in the US.

1 at 42″ long at $8 pick up or $13 post paid in the US.

I also have a set of nickle plated sail grommets with the canvas cutter and the setting tools.  I need to get it out and see if it’s half inch or five eights.  Here’s an image from the net.  These were bought from Atlanta Thread.  The set includes a big chunk of oak to use as a work surface.  All are in one Rubbermaid box.  They are priced at approximately $150.  I will sell them for $80.  These are heavy; shipping is extra.

The most important reason was enough more space both indoors and out on the deck that I was able to empty the warehouse, bring all my artist’s inventory home, and have a dedicated workroom for the first time in one year.

I’m not completely sorted out yet but the end is in sight.  One of the things hanging fire is this

Box of Quilting Books

Books for Sale

This is one of three file boxes of books that will be sold.  If you are diligent in reading the titles you can email me with your selections.  Each book will be sold at 50% of list price plus $4.95 shipping and handling in the US.  International shipping to be determined.  Multiple book sales in one shipment will save you some shipping costs.

I really can not do the lifting to open and photograph the other two file boxes of books until this one is sold out and empty.  Contact me and help me get this move over and done with.

All these books are in excellent condition.  Most have been opened only once.  If I find one that does not meet that quality I will let you know.

The other pile that needs to be sold is a stack of shipping tubes.  These range from six inches in diameter to twelve inches in diameter; the length runs from 48″ to 54.”  Price per shipping tube is $15US.  Pick up in Ventura, California to save yourself the shipping cost.  Since they are empty they should be fairly inexpensive to ship.  Be aware that I use FedEx.  Air freight is expensive, ground is not. Contact me, I’ll figure a fedex shipping cost on a per item basis due to the variations in size.

Happy May to each and every one of you.  The weather here on the coast is such that I have my sliding glass door open.  Here’s the red siberian tom who is now living on the deck.  Hope you like the looks of him.  He’ll be a year old the end of the month.

I left the Sonoran Desert last spring after twelve years year round. The climate is extreme, the land is beautiful, and the situation was very good to me and to my husband.

About a year and a half ago I formed a plan for one year, three years, and twenty years. I accomplished the one and three year plan is sixteen months. Age indeterminant has been accomplished. I’ve moved back to the ocean as I had to come back to the water.

I’m about eight blocks from downtown Ventura. I can see the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the end of California Street. I can see the pier that was a working wharf fifty to one hundred years ago.

The view of the town, which was built between about 1860(?) and 1920, most often looks as lovely and peaceful as an oldfashioned christmas card. The old gothic church is just two blocks down the hill. I still have not made it down there for meditation.

I can see the ocean from my deck. It is an ongoing vision of solace. I don’t get down to the beach as often as maybe I should. Looking out the door, sitting on the deck, looking into the floor mirror from the kitchen even gives me a view of the sea.

In August I heard an interview on Bookworm on PBS. An author was speaking about islands and oceans. He said that there is something very expansive about facing open water; psychically and psychologically it teaches your body and your soul that there are no limits.

amen

Thanks to my good friend in Montreal all vestiges of the hack attack have been removed. It is a wonderful thing to have friends you have never seen or hugged. Thank you, thank you! ! ! !

I’ve discovered the media file for WordPress.  When I get figured out how to post my own photos I’ll do that.  For this beautiful Saturday morning with a few clouds, a silvery, glistening ocean and 69ºF, have a wonderful weekend.

OH, and a quick ps.  My daughter just phoned.  I had loaned her my Singer 99K about twenty years ago.  She wanted to know what disposition as I told her it was not hers to get rid of.  It’s being placed in the trunk of my roadster later today.

Did you know that sewing machines are like cats?  All are welcome and we don’t count as all are self sufficient.

However, please don’t be surprised if there is a fat message saying website is offline including this blog. We are not out of troubled waters yet. Need upgrading to website and the blog too. If you see the website offline for more than a day, please holler to use the whip on the web administrator.  And while you are waiting for this site to be back up, how about going to this interesting website.