I ask this with slight panic in my voice… Yes, July is almost over and this is the view from the deck this afternoon. It’s sunny and hot and I should be outside enjoying the shade but decided to spend a little while updating the blog instead.
I was doing nicely and nearing the closing points of the blog entry when suddenly everything disappeared and it had not automatically saved as a draft the way it used to in the past. WordPress may think they are making improvements but I am not impressed with the glitches I have experienced over the past several months. This is a paid for site and I should not have to deal with such instability all the time. I think this is why I have not been posting as often as I want to…
I am overlooking the meditation spiral, our attempt of creating a way to cut down on yard work. It’s flooded with afternoon sunlight and I can feel a gently breeze. In the background I hear distinct renovation sounds. Colin is busy putting finishing touches on the little 1975 Vintage Camper in the backyard. It was here when we moved here nearly 13 years ago. Earlier this summer we decided, rather than tear the old structure down, that we would tackle the space and transform it into a little retreat. I am almost ready to wield a paintbrush to prime and paint the new drywall and brighten up the space. It smells so fresh and new already! Colin added some insulation, ensured that all walls and roof are sealed, installed new LED lights and upgraded the wiring. Once the painting is finished the new floor will be installed and I can finally place the new upholstery onto the bed frames and hang the curtains. The upholstery and curtains have been taking up space in my studio for a few weeks already and I am looking forward to freeing the space up again. I also can’t wait to share the images I have captured of the before, during and after progress. It will be a lovely place to go read a book, cup of tea in hand on a rainy day, a place to write or simply just take a well deserved nap listening to bird song as you drift off. Or host the grand-kids or family for a weekend stay… I can imagine it now… (insert blissful emoji here!)
Almost two weeks ago I spent some time on the studio deck exploring Amigurumi crochet. The result was this little miniature Ash (2.5″ finished height – 7 hours to create). It became a thank you gift for Ash’s trainer who has guided her through the Adolescence class. Melanie has been Ash’s biggest champion along the way from the first time our tiny ShihTzu entered the huge training space in early December 2019 where she was greeted by lots of friendly dogs, all at least 5 times bigger than her. It was daunting for all of us but we persevered and with much encouragement (and many treats – she LOVES tiny bits of ham sticks…) Ash has turned into an assertive dog. We now go and help out with smaller pups during puppy classes on Saturdays…
Our small garden has rewarded up with great colour this year! I just love it when the red lilies emerge and delight us with their vibrancy! The Evan’s Cherry tree is rewarding our patience… last year we harvested about 3 cups of sour cherries in total, this year I have already put up 5 cups and I expect to get to about 6 cups in total. I pit them and freeze them and they are great in cakes and scones when company arrives in the middle of winter, provided we can host company in the future…
And, in the studio these days these are my most trusted tools. I am continuing on my quest of designing and sampling. No, I am not ready to share details. What I am willing to share is some frustration I encountered. I broke down and purchased and downloaded a pattern from Etsy. It took some contemplating before I was willing to spend the $34 (and some odd cents) to receive the PDF. I trusted the huge number of 5 star reviews but at this time I am convinced that not one person has actually embarked on making the project. I firmly believe that the designer never had anyone test the pattern or proof-read the instructions. The pattern is in English and German, which is not the issue as I can read both and eventually figure out what she meant by comparing the bilingual instructions. The issue I have is the sourcing of the materials. I am grateful for my City & Guild background as I am quite good at adapting materials for my needs. I am also never daunted by substituting certain supplies, but several of the required supplies are not available anywhere in North America. Writing to the designer never yielded an answer. So much for the 5 star reviews where people were impressed with her communication skills and the speed at which she would respond to questions… Lesson learned! At this time I consider the pattern a very basic jumping off point. I have already altered so many aspects and techniques, not to mention the substitution of basic materials that I could write a book. Well, I never said I didn’t like a challenge! This one is one that has occupied my mind for days.
To balance work and some small frustrations along the way I try to head out for a walk every evening when the sun is close to setting. Out little community beach has some great vistas and each day the light seems to be different. I will leave you with last night’s image and wish you all a safe and enjoyable rest of the month. Soak up that sunshine and let your body convert it to vital Vitamin D that cannot be duplicated with a supplement.
Best wishes, Anna
Anna Hergert, Art & Design 