about 2000 sparkles of joy

This was my first time securing sequins with french knots, which was initially tricky but quickly became a part of my flow.  This piece was incredibly meditative for me and if I started sewing with any anxieties, they disappeared after thirty minutes.  I thought the greens were going to be my favorite colors but by the end I was in love with the yellows and it was the color I finished with.

Fun facts:

I sewed my headphones cord to this piece once while making this.  I was either really tired or in a deep trance. Or both!

Each bead was sewn on one at a time.  

I used five spins for each french knot unless it was for a sequin.  I used 6-8 spins for the sequins.  I still had a few sequins pop off, and now I have a jar with these sequins labeled, "sequins with holes that are too f***ing big for french knots." I eat a lot of jam so thankfully I never run out of jars.

This is an 8 inch hoop.

I spent over 30 hours on this piece.

100+ sequins went into this piece. I learned that there are different sizes on sequins and that the middle isn't always punched through.  I spent a lot of time gently picking off the tiny extra middle pieces.

I believe I used about about 1200-1500 beads.  

This piece is for sell. Check out my Etsy for more details.

Beastly Rugs

The dogs turned three on July 2nd and have been enjoying a few extra freedoms now that they are older and wiser (and slowly becoming the rag rugs they are destined to be).  I used to keep an eye on them, and as I moved from room to room, I would call them to follow me.  Recently I've been letting them roam more and they don't always follow me up the stairs.  If it gets deathly quiet I'll check on them, but mostly they've been doing their own thing.

But they are very quiet dogs.  Occasionally I'll be engrossed in work and look up to discover they've just magically appeared.  Somehow all their thundering up the stairs has turned into clouds softly floating their way up.  I do most of my work upstairs so that's where I spend most of my time when I'm not at the library.  

My workout room is also upstairs and I workout almost every day.  Every couple of days I'll be laying on the floor doing the dead bug or lifting weights, something evil like that, and without a single sound, a golden retriever body will be hovering over me all goofy face and wagging butt. "Hello! Hello down there! Good to see you!"

 Then, ever so gently, they flop down next to me and become a rug again. 

I've gone from corpse to holy shitballs in less than a second, but now I try not to close my eyes (or fall asleep while working out. I work out like a beast.)  They know better than to lay on me in any way or get in the way of the weights.  They just simply appear and get as close to me as they think they can get away with.  And then they flop.  Occasionally I'm treated to faces imploring me to do something, anything with them.  And about once a week they try to entice me with a soggy toy.

Our favorite thing to do, besides going for walks, is sitting on the front porch and disappearing.  Truly!  We're incredibly good at it too.

When I'm engrossed in whatever I'm doing I go very still.  I sometimes go so still I forget to swallow or blink.  I simply stop existing.  Our neighbor's cat has wandered past our front porch a few times and absolutely freaked the freak out when it discovers the dogs and I are sitting on the porch, just a few feet away.  But because we rarely do anything when we all discover the cat staring at us, the cat is growing braver.  

Josie however, still has some work to do.

Favorite July Reads Part 2

 Anne Arrives by Kallie George and illustrated by Abigail Halpin (Juvenile Fiction)

What a great way to introduce one of the world's most beloved characters to younger kids! I really like how this is just a small glimpse into Anne's arrival at Green Gables but still has some of her most charming quotes. The illustrations are also nicely done. Anne's giant emotions really shine through. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

30,000 Stitches by Amanda Davis and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport (Nonfiction Picture Book)

The Elephants Come Home by Kim Tomsic and illustrated by Hadley Hooper (Nonfiction Picture Book)

What a beautiful story! With so much to tell, the author does a wonderful job keeping the story simple and not too wordy. I loved reading about how the elephants bonded with Lawrence and slowly grew to trust his family. The illustrations are also exceptional. I was particularly moved by how the illustrations radiated the feelings of the elephants so well through color. If you read this, be sure to check out the Author's Note at the end. It was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Roar-chestra by Robert Heidbreder and illustrated by Dušan Petričić (Picture Book)

Dear Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers (Adult Nonfiction)

A wonderful collections of letters kids wrote to Mister Rogers and his thoughtful, encouraging, and heartfelt responses.  I liked several of his responses to tricky questions kids asked and tucked them away in case I ever need them.  This book was written when Mister Rogers was still living and my copy was a library copy from another library system.  The best part of the book was a postcard encouraging readers to reach out to Mister Rogers with their own questions.  I love when inserts survive that long (20+ years in this case).

A Year in Japan by Kate Williamson (Adult Nonfiction)

A beautiful journey of Williamson's year in Japan.  I didn't know what was more exciting - the artwork or all the beauty she encountered and wrote about.

July Favorite Reads Part 1

 I read so many amazing books in July I'm not even sure I can remember them all!

The Little Book of Living Small by Laura Fenton (Adult Nonfiction)

I loved the personal stories and all the clever storage solutions! I also enjoyed a lot of the designs and the importance of aesthetics even in small spaces. Dear Treefrog by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Diana Sudyka (Picture Book)

This book has everything I'm looking for in a book of illustrated poems. First, the language is simple and beautiful. The book begins and ends with "a tiny dollop of frog" and the poems are filled with beautiful lines: "the sun blinks open and the birds sing the world back together again." Each poem is also accompanied by a few facts relating to the poem's content, and the information isn't too overwhelming - just a few lines tucked down in the lower right-hand corner. And lastly, the illustrations completely transport me into the treefrog's world. This is one of those rare books I can momentarily leap into and live within while I'm reading it. It's so beautiful! Through the poems and illustrations, both Sidman and the illustrator, Diana Sudyka have created a world "so still the busy jumbled world slows down around you."

Unbound: The Life & Art of Judith Scott by Joyce Scott and illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Nonfiction Picture Book)

A beautifully illustrated and bittersweet story of twins Judith and Joyce Scott and their enduring connection even when physically separated for years. I am not a twin but have a deep connection with my brothers, so I can imagine how awful the separation must have felt when Judith was taken away and put in a home. Though they were separated for many years, I was overjoyed when Joyce and Judith connected again and when Joyce got Judith involved at a local art studio. I loved reading about Judith's story of how passionate she was about her art and how she became a world-renowned fiber artist.

A Piglet Called Truffle by Helen Peters and illustrated by Ellie Snowdon (Juvenile Fiction)

A surprisingly rich and detailed early chapter book with lovable characters, a charming farm setting, and lots of exciting things happening. I am impressed with how immersive this short read is. It felt like I had a new baby piglet while I read this book (Truffle is the exact name I would choose if I ever happen to have a piglet), and I felt like I was a part of Jasmine's challenges and joys of raising Truffle. I think losing her best friend's guinea pigs that she was babysitting (guinea pig sitting?) was a nice touch. It showed off Truffle's amazing search-and-rescue skills and Jasmine's perseverance and patience. I can't wait to read the second book!

Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog by Tom Watson (Juvenile Fiction)

I am a brand new member of the Stick Dog Fan Club, and I am ready to gush about this book with anyone who has thirty or so hours to spare. 

First, this book was SO funny. And not just to kids (my niece laughed most of the way through), but also to adults (I laughed at mostly different things). Just learning the dog's names and their personalities and what kinds of dogs they were was so much fun. Mutt was my favorite dog simply because he always had such silly things stuck in his fur. Also, the illustrations (plus the self-degrading humor about the illustrations) were hilarious. I can't imagine the amount of talent it takes to draw things that look wackadoodle and a little terrible but also completely recognizable at the same time. 

Second, there are SO MANY details. The dogs really want to eat some hot dogs from Peter's frankfurter cart and they all have ridiculous ideas about how to accomplish this goal. It's a lot to keep up with and their ideas are incredibly silly. But somehow both my niece and I were able to keep up with everything that was going on, and I have to say it made me feel pretty good about myself. I usually struggle with books that have more than two main characters. 

Third, this is a well-written book with lots of vocabulary-building potential. It especially stands out as a great read-aloud book. 

And lastly, one of the names of the dogs is Poo Poo, which got a laugh every time we read it out loud. I started noticing my niece looking ahead to see if Poo Poo was mentioned on the following page. If Poo Poo was mentioned, my niece jumped in to read even when it wasn't her turn.