quilts and drafting tables, my youth carries onward

In my classroom I am likely to say "onward" when the present moment has taken us too far away from where I would like it to be. I say it often because I do let things flow at times to see where it will head. A technique that works much better than trying to control the class constantly.

So maybe onward is a bit like my lately favored term, "unfolding." And no matter which way you look at it my life it is moving on but still attached strongly to the past.

A grandma who quilted, a father who drafted, and a young boy who doodled. Two posts back, I showed a stained glass design for a friend and hinted that she did something huge. this is it...

She did not piece this thing together. I did. You see I was going to become a quilter (well I guess I did and I am one) and took a class. A quilt top was completed and all that was needed to quilt it, was purchased. I imagined designing my own quilts. Then I took a class in stained glass and maybe that was the wrong path or the right path... but it was the path I have taken (for now). The quilt top was put in a dresser drawer, the supplies in my studio closet. Than I told my friend, who is a quilter, about it. This most likely happened inside my church and if I remember I was chastised with no mercy. Probably not, but it felt that way. Eventually she got the top and the supplies... and spent quite a bit of time completing what now drapes over my couch.

so there are 99 pieces of glass on a piece of homosote waiting to be foiled and soldered, and then framed and delivered. 

...

My job --- a blessing and a good gig

I stumbled into teaching and there have been jobs along the way that I would not have described as a blessing or a good gig. But now I do say such things about my job. Sadly blessings and good gigs don't mean perfect and trouble free. Angst still arises, but I am in awe that my professional life has landed. I continue to leave this blog open to all who can stumble here and apparently at least one student and his family has done just that. My science classes are often interrupted with back in the day stories of life growing up or in Oregon or in Massachusetts or in Illinois. Do I wish for my students to be reading this blog? Not really, but is it the end of the world? Just like I don't wish they would knock on my front door. But I would not slam the door in their face if they did. In the latter case I would explain what is private and what is public. But the truth is I keep this blog public, so all I can do is keep it a place where I would bore them to death. That is my hope.

Now I have gone public with my life at work. With permission from the leaders at the school, I have started a blog about the horticulture program. Here is a photo from 2002 of me at the school. It was taken and given to me by friend who has retired and moved to Canada. My hair had grown out, but had not yet turned gray. I am planting bulbs. Mosaic Woman keeps it on her dresser top, apparently it is favored by her too.

trying to focus away from the shoulds into what can be done

After being passed by all the Rocky Balboa wannabes on the steps leading up to the Philly art museum, I let Mosaic Woman take a photo of me "looking less than hip and maybe a bit old." We had just had quite a filling meal at Zorba's Greek Restaurant so between a full belly and age I was no challenge to the joggers. I did remember to hand the camera over to Mosaic Woman and went over to rest on a larger than life pillar. I've been thinking a bit lately on my ability to keep focused. It's not easy.

But I believe it is what we are called to do, so I kept trying to pull myself back today, especially in church. My mind wonders away and away again. If I am there to worship God, then why am I thinking about a blog post or what is for dinner (Black bean soup).

All day "shoulds" have been floating into my brain. It is the last day of a long break and so there is the list of things I had hoped to do and should do before it is over, and a list of things I should do to get ready to go to the school tomorrow. And the seed order hangs over my head and the Eagles made the playoffs, so I combine those two activities with soup making and weed down the flower choices as the game and dinner goes in our favor. Sometimes shoulds do move us into a needed action, but they can also distract us from the present moment. There is a line there to be drawn.

And the "epic project" moves on with only 17 of the 91 pieces left to cut out of glass. I based it on a quilt square called "Bear's Paw" and since she asked for a peek here is the original design still on the drawing table...

Epic Stained Glass--- no less will do for Giggles

It is epic for me. when it is done it will have 99 pieces inside of 120 square inches. She must have done something nice... future post.

It involved cleaning up my studio so I could sit at a drafting board. Lots of erasure dust is about. a bit of research on a quilt pattern. adapting it to make it my own. getting it photocopied, cutting out 99 pattern pieces...

But today I got to picking out glass and cut out most of the larger pieces. She wants to be surprised... so no images allowed

Youghiogheny Stained Glass--- Nothing but the best for Bert..

I made this for my father-in-law. It gets shipped on Saturday...

Youghiogheny is a word I know from studying about my home state. It is a river out by Fallingwater. But it is also home of a company which makes some of the finest stained glass in the world, in the style of Tiffany.

Glass--- a toast to the New Year

after facing a mighty windchill and some extroverts at Nadia Thai in Lansdale... we eventually toasted the New Year. May it be a year filled with moments...

Marie Brizard Parfait Amour... product of France

... "An unexpected encounter of Spanish oranges, violets and vanilla from Madagascar"

setting up a shop

All pieces are my original designs and can be shipped to you by priority mail with plenty of support and bubble wrap.

 

My stained glass and mosaic hearts come in a variety of sizes and colors. Purchase Here.

 

My sun catchers have been described as stars and flowers and I call them starflowers. They come with different number points and pieces and some have a hollow a center. My framed pieces are often the only places you see straight lines. Purchase them here.

Collaborations with my wife, mosaic artist Margaret Almon: I design and cut out the pieces for the letters. She takes it from there... You can buy them here.

My wife and I truly enjoy making mandalas as part of our spiritual practice. Check them out here.