MONDAY MEANDERING

WE didn't really miss the boat

We went to the Arts Market where we enjoyed food,

Shopping

And saw a man wearing:

a bird

And a kilt.

His shirt said "And in case you're wondering . . .My Birthday suit,"

A bit of entertainment.

Crochet Coral reef

Close-up of all components

Crochet reef components

My Representation of a coral

Underside of Coral

Hyperbolic Plane

 These were FUN to make!  They will be a small part of a huge exhibit at the University of Florida

Monday Meanderings - on Tuesday again

Strange - but true.  About all I did this week was finally get our taxes done!

 So to "celebrate I had my nails done & hair cut!  

Another even brighter color, not sure what's possessed me.

 And I went to another art journaling session.  It's fun to just play and not worry about the result.

In case you wondered about the bird-like scribbles, I call them Rolo Birds.  They are based on a doodle I saw my father make so I adapted them for my use. - Sometimes they wear little baseball caps, maybe next time I'll draw a cap on them.

My favorite porch sign

And an early morning porch visitor.

MONDAY MEANDERING

OK - so it's really Tuesday - but this week I'm starting a "Monday Meandering" series.  I'll try to feature someplace I have meandered during the past week.

For starters, after a pretty busy & not too productive week We wound up on Sunday evening at Port Canaveral.  There we enjoyed good food (at BAJA TAVERN AND EATS) and great weather.  We watched the big cruise ships go out and the graceful pelicans greet the fishing boats.

WHATEVER POSSESSED ME???

To buy a pair of zebra stripe sneakers.  And they have sequins!!

Then a cardigan in similar pattern!!  I think I've lost my mind!!

Or have a serious case of spring fever.

 And, my finger and toe nails are pink!  PINK!!  That's not me.  No pictures, yet.  But maybe I'll post one later.

BLOOMS!!

 It's really spring around our little patch of paradise now.

WICKLES

Did you ever eat a "WICKLE"?  They really added a bit of spice to our simple sandwich and salad meal.

Two "Doodles"

These are the latest from my "Art Journaling" journey.  It's more about expressing feelings than producing art.  We used images from magazines to produce the collages.

And yet ANOTHER doodle

This art journal mostly celebrates my grandson's safe return from Kuwait.  Needless to say his mom is doing a major happy dance.

More dyeing and a necklace

 Here's some more experiments with dyeing.
I tried a verdigris technique, wrapping the vinegar soaked fabric around copper sheet.  I really love the green.

Then I made a necklace.  Formed a flower from avocado dyed fabric, a leaf from the verdigris, added some recycled chain, vintage crystals and a few pearls.

New Doodle and a necklace!

This is the art journaling from yesterday.  We added the circle, kind of a mandala effect.  Of course I can't stay in the lines.

!

This a necklace I made from an idea in 

Belle Armoire Jewelry 2006.

Dyeing! take two!

This dyeing project is from a rusty pan, some nails and bits of wire and steel wool.  It's on a silk organza - looks really cool in the light.

Next I tried the avocado peels and seeds - the color is more intense.  After the boiling process, I let the fabric sit in the dye overnight.  The sheer silk really looks good with the light shining through.

Dyeing!

With Avocado skins!

After reading about this here - I decided to try it.  Although pinks were expected, The color on silk is a nice coppery color.  The muslin just looks tea dyed.  I used the big, smooth skin avocados.  Now I'm saving some skins from the smaller, more "bumpy" fruits.  We'll see what happens.

A FOGGY DAY AT THE BEACH

On my beach walk Saturday, I discovered some wonderful sand art

OH NO!!!!

Happy Octopus

A castle

A seahorse

Fort Feather

 And some interesting birds

Terns ruffled by the wind

Lone fisher

Old Pelican

This guy was hobbling, all alone on the sand.  He was the only brown pelican in sight.

A FEW NEW FRIENDS

EGRET BEWARE!

LURKING!

A friendlier critter

And my favorite walking companion, a seagull.

This past few weeks, I have renewed my resolve to go for a walk almost daily.  For a break from my usual neighborhood with it's manicured lawns and fences and paved driveways, I am seeking out new places.

The 'gator lives at a nearby park  only about a half mile from my house.  The squirrel was viewed scampering with friends at another park.  And yesterday, while most of the rest of the U.S. was shivering, I walked barefoot on the beach.

Happily may I walk. 

Happily, with abundant dark clouds, may I walk. 

Happily, with abundant showers, may I walk. 

Happily, with abundant plants, may I walk. 

Happily, on a trail of pollen, may I walk. 

Happily may I walk. 

Being as it used to be long ago, may I walk.

-navajo-chant-for-happiness

Something else NEW

Yes, they do look like child's doodles!  They are supposed to.

In order to get "out of my box and do some child's play, I took an art journaling class at the Cocoa Beach Library.  It was fun,  freeing, unexpected.  

We scribbled with our non-dominant hand and colored ourside the lines.  Not sure what it says about me - but it was FUN!

PUMMELO!!

This big, juicy fruit is a pummelo!  It is pictured by a Persian Lime and a Meyers lemon to give an idea of it's size.  It's NEW to me, but not a new fruit.  A little research tells me it's an ancestor of the grapefruit.  It is sweet and doesn't seem a acidic as the grapefruit.  It's really big and made about four generous servings.  

NEW!

THAT's it - my "word" for the year! I've been thinking about since Deb posted her word here.

Today is a NEW day, early in a NEW year - so I resolve to try new things - a recipe, a craft or visit a new place. And to try to do all (well, most of) those things that will contribute to a NEW and better me!
Here are some pics a something I tried - Wire and bead crochet.

This one's not really"me", too sparkly.

This one might be my favorite - it's a nicer blue than shows up in the picture