Connections with others

Created for my last Zentangle® class of 2016!

Life is full of connections!

We connect with others in so many ways

on a day to day basis.

I love the word Connect!

I recently created a Mandala and

decided to create a little mandala and word play.

So I found a page from an old book,

colored it with a watercolor wash,

and then found a word to cut out and use.

(You never know when you might need just one word!)

I connect with my Optical patients all day long,

friendships are always nearby,

my family always needs me,

I am connecting with my students

when I teach,

I connect with words through the page of a book,

my art while I am in my studio,

my weavings while sitting at the loom.

I even connect with strangers

along my daily path, and so do you!

This is just a small reminder for your day:

To make those connections in your own life work.

Be loving and gentle, in times of strife.

Be that kind word, when there is none to be found.

Be the smile when someone needs to see one.

Connect with others in a real and sincere way!

It is so important!

Especially in these deeply divided politic times in our nation.

I found this beautiful magazine from the UK

at Barnes and Noble recently.

I saw Zentangle® was featured inside

so I purchased it.

Oh my goodness it was filled with so much

beauty and thought provoking articles.

Always finding time to draw!

Find moments to just Breathe,

in whatever way works for you.

Connect with someone you haven't seen in awhile,

Re-connect with a family member.

It's important and good for your own

heart and soul.

Find those times when you can just be 

good to yourself.

Feed that soul of yours with good stuff!

Donna Lee

Letting Go of What Was ...

My dream added to a DreamCatcher at my beloved Squam

This is totally not an easy thing to do ... letting go!

Think about it, we get so comfortable with the way things are;

over and over, day by day, year by year.

Change is a very hard thing to embrace,

or at least it is for me!

I feel that 2015 has definitely been a year of change for me,

and I am trying to handle and live gracefully with each change.

I have had severe neck issues this year,

so I have had to stop my yoga practice (for now)

and that was very hard for me!

I have to question a little, who I am,

without my yoga practice?

I find that I am a little less in shape,

more anxious, and not as centered!

Letting go of what was...

I've been writing Poetry for years,
the dream to publish recurs over and over again,
I think reality is settling in,
my poems are for me,
they are private, personal and for me.
I think the dream of publishing is fading,
Letting go of what was...

2015 also brought a third grandchild into our family,

little Dylan is such a blessing,

but we have all had adjustments to make,

especially his big sister Annabelle Lily!

I now have three precious grand babies ...

all 2 years and younger!

Free time? Not anymore,

letting go of what was...

I learned that I can no longer weave on my 8 Harness

weaving loom, because looking down is impossible!!!

I took up Tapestry Weaving again,

and am happy when I am throwing one small pic of thread at a time!

So I sold my precious loom to a wonderful friend,

and "she" now has a new weaving home.
I wove myself one last chenille scarf,
treasuring each row thrown with my shuttle

Letting go of what was...

How I loved throwing the shuttle

I was able to purchase an upright Dryad Tapestry Loom

for myself 

(The story is a total God thing)

and it was delivered by freight last weekend.

I am truly letting go of what was and embracing new!

It's gonna take us some time to get used to each other

So here she is:

Her name is "Gracie"

Change isn't always easy ...

Even in my day to day workplace,

so many leaving, new faces coming 

 Letting go of what was...

Friends come into your life,
some stay for a long time,
some stay for just a blink of an eye.
I am grateful for what I have learned,
the giggles I have shared,
the experiences we walked through,
 Letting go of what was...

My hubby and I recently got a puppy ...
she's nine weeks old
little Josie Grace
my free time isn't what it used to be
but oh it is so worth the sacrifice!
Letting go of what was...

How about you?
What is it you need to let go of today?
What changes are coming your way?
Embrace them,
you never know what beautiful growth
can come out of it all!

Wishing you a week of grace, love and awareness!

Donna Lee

Learning to Sew

Learning new stitches

I used to have a Kenmore sewing machine that I purchased over 

thirty fives years ago when I first got married.

Every girl needs to learn to sew right?

Especially when she first gets married (I thought).

As the years went on, I never really learned to sew.

I hemmed pants and did an occasional straight sewing,

I even tried my hands at quilting, ONCE!

I even made a few little jumpers for my little guys

when they were just babies.

For the most part, my machine stayed under it's cover, unused.

Time has marched on and my interests have now changed.

I recently gave up my little heavy duty Kenmore and

purchased a Bernina Bernette

during the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival this year 

(just a sweet and simple machine)

but it has more features on it

 than I will ever use I am sure.

A group of my precious friends have gathered together

and we are learning to sew from our good friend,

 the master sewer and quilter Toni Whitlinger.

She is taking us through the beginning foundations of sewing

and teaching us the right way to sew.

We are gathering about every two weeks

with supplies, machines, notebooks and tools

and we are learning the basics skills of sewing,

something I never did all those years ago.

Rachel, Maggie, Toni, Meredith and Me

I am not gonna say it isn't intimidating at times,

for learning something new always is,

but I know it will be worth the effort.

I have always wanted to learn free motion stitching,

and applying it to my artwork.

Now with my new machine, I know I can truly do it!

I even purchased the cool darning foot to go with it.

Somehow I find that whatever I am learning, it always brings me

back to my art life.  For creating anything is art, is it not?

I purchased Alisa Burke's book awhile back

Sew Wild

and now I think I can actually work on the ideas

presented in her book.

Toni is a wonderful teacher and friend,

and I know my sewing foundation will be strong.

As you can see,  from the photo above, 

I am the "oldest" sewing student,

but hey that's okay, we are never too old to learn something new.

I am enjoying being "one of the girls"

Beginning of my Hobo bag

So yesterday I learned how to cut out a pattern,

fuse material, the importance of measuring,

and cutting on the correct grain of fabric

(Have I impressed you yet with my terms?)

I am sewing my very own Hobo bag

and I will be carrying a knitting project in it

very soon my friend.

So . . .  don't be afraid to learn something new

It keeps you from staying comfortable right where you 

presently are

staying in your neat creative box my friend

I will have to revise this post and add my finished

piece so you can see I actually completed my work.

What fun I am having just learning to sew.

I know I haven't been as present on my blog

this summer

I have been working on my poetry blog

as I shared with you previously.

I can hardly believe that today I am

on day eighty six,

only fourteen days to go!

It has been a beautiful written journey

and I can't wait to produce it into my own book.

You can visit me there at

http://100poemsjourney.blogspot.com/

Please drop by for a visit there and we

can share a bit of poetry together!

Donna Lee