The longest, most recuperative sleep occurred last night. Was filled with dreams that could be turned into amazing sci fi stories. The characters alone! Locked doors, concerts, math homework and a math class I was failing due to lack of attendance, searching for a red locker on a street that looked like Berkeley Street. A beige raincoat and umbrella, and long walk to find the street with the locker through territory I've passed through before in my sleep. Trains. Sidewalks. Alleys. And the amazing Narnia-esque lady with the blue fabric sleeves, sheer but not sheer. Was she good? Was she evil? I don't know because I woke up. And I was tired from the journey! 

Coffee in hand, reassess the day's start and direction. School for a couple hours, house stuff that needs doing, studio organizing, and then off to a concert tonight. Poptone bangs into the Middle East Cafe tonight! Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus...magical evening ahead. Kevin's daughter Diva Dompe is on bass, and is no slouch when it comes to fuzzing it out on the Bauhaus tunes like her uncle, David J., did.  Tonight I cry mercy and have elected to arrange for handicap seats as I can't stand for a show without misery (learned that the last time!) Let the kids have the front lol. They should be there to see these iconic figures. Truly iconic and still going strong. 
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​ I completed the first quilted and embellished piece from the collection of fabrics I made at Mass Art a couple summers ago. It was a doozy -- very challenging to bead. The multitude of digital layers needed untangling with hand embellishment, and while I could go a little further with it, I think the spaces left alone need to be that way. Shapes that were in front seem to move to the back and vise-versa. I loved working on it but am not sure about the final product just yet. Takes time, and I have to live with it for a bit. Edges still need finishing (to bead or not to bead...that is the next question.) Making art is like assembling puzzles...but you make all the pieces yourself, and decide which ones to use. 

Today I have about a hundred bead cups to put away and reset the creative clocks to begin the summer art coursework I've planned. Am excited to be challenged by an outside source for motivation and direction. School of Stitched Textiles in the UK is providing such an opportunity. I want my sewing space to be organized and ready to go. The best things about summer: getting to spend so much time with my fur and feathered kids, and to "go deep" with art that stays in the periphery during the school year. Off we go! 

 andCoffee, cool temps, and a beautiful bunny giving herself a post-feeding allover bath in the middle of my driveway. I watch as she uses her little paws to clean every inch of her little self. Precious. Last night there were two adults and three tiny babies jumping all over the driveway. So precious. Soon they will be grown, and having their own litters. Time marches on.

Two weeks ago today I brought a very tired, disoriented, and sick Tobster for his last trip to see Dr. Carol. It was much harder to do than I thought it would be, considering I so often wished the pup would go to heaven (or stop peeing and pooping on things, but he never took that option.) He was as tough dog to care for, but not tough to love. Through diagnoses of diabetes, Addisons, Lyme, blindness, deafness, and finally vestibular disease, the little guy kept his tail in the air and wagged his "happy meter" up until two days before I had to make that most awful of decisions. Feelings akin to having your heart squeezed tightly and ripped out of your body accompany such a loss, and I can only hope that my little wayward pup is in heaven, going potty where ever he wants to go, and no one chasing after him with a mop. Even better, I hope his spirit doesn't feel the need to do that much potty to begin with! Toby was the canine baby, the one who pushed himself ahead of the others for treats and snuggles, and there is an eerie quietness in the house now. Will take some time to get used to the normalcy of living again without all he brought to the table, for almost twelve years. Rest in peace, my baby pug. You are so missed already. 

Onward to a day that promises a heat index of 100 degrees. Which means, 110 in the upper floors of the school. Can you say brutal? I envision kids melting, whining, and not really wanting to do anything. Not that at this time of year they have a lot to do,but still...it's going to be dangerously hot. 

But then tomorrow will come, the 8th graders with "graduate" our school, and Wednesday another school year will be almost complete. I say almost as there are a million things on my to-do list that need doing over the next two months. Lots and lots of filing, organizing, and undoing from the past 180+days. 

And then there is art! 

Sorry to those who have emailed me about upcoming summer classes -- I've started planning them out and will have them online this week.  My Tuesday adult group will be continuing fabric books, and I plan to offer another shorter class featuring canvas collage on Thursdays, as well as two middle school week long workshops. It's going to be a busy summer! 

Also, I will be starting the first module of a textile art course through the School of Stitched Textiles...going to be a challenge, but a good one. Stay tuned.. 

The coffee is done, the bunny has gone back under the barn, and the parrots are yelling for toast. Better get a move on. Cheers.