process

 the process of how a book becomes is

fraught with tiny decisions 

and then i placed

maybe arbitrarily

the one piece of silk that was 

just over 16" x 20" 

 and did a bit of math

and thought about page spread size 

and divided the cloth into eight 5" x 8" pages

which would be folded into

pages that were 4" x 5"

i then cut the attachment slots

 in this case the dummy was quite small

so i played with some silver oddments

to see how they are on the silk 

a nifty thread in natural and dyed with copper 

and a few other alchemies

the first cut

on this stuff i love so much 

was the hardest

more to come...

more snow and more snow

a bit of (washed out by my bad light, though it is) color in this colorless, snowy weekend, text block with sewn down tapes 

so i had to be plowed out, and the guy made a mess of my side and back yards. gone are the days of ted, the snow plow driver from heaven. ted showed up one year and asked me if i wanted him to plow me out. at $10 a shot it was a deal. he expertly cleaned exactly where my driveway was, pulled up honked the horn and i hurried out to pay him. he had a growly voice and explained he couldn't get out because, "i lost my leg last year" and pointed to his left side. where indeed the leg was missing. he smiled and explained his truck was an automatic so he could still work. he came whenever the snow was deep enough to need plowing. the next year he showed up and showed me the next bit of surprise, he'd "lost his fingers", again to diabetes. he plowed expertly again. this continued a few years until ted never showed up again. i think i "lost" ted. so the guy who came butchered my yard, the same as the last two plow guys. only this one charged me $40. 

there was a LOT of snow. at least another eight inches. it's snowing now.

 i ordered a wonderful blank dyed felt covered cloth book from trace willans at soewn earth. each page is a treat, and trace added a gesso base so i can paint (or whatever) on the pages.

what i like so much is that it stands alone or can be worked into. 

 it's beautiful, every detail perfect. she sent along a couple of wonderful things, including the above and below pieces of her experimental work with dyeing, wax and color. i am so happy, trace's work surpassed the photographs, and i am tickled pink that something went well this weekend!!! a bit of raucous color in the bleak midwinter.

this small piece photographed a little washed out. it works from any side (i like it upsidedown from this photo, better). i should have shot yesterday during the few hours of exquisite sunshine we had. but i forgot. today, it's gloomy, quite warm, in the 30s. 

and as i said, it's snowing.

in the forecast this week? 

snow.
postscript: my partner and i shoveled it today. two middle aged, determined people can get the job done. but i do ache a little--