Take It Further Challenge for October

The October Take It Further Challenge was to think about your textile work space - how do you feel about it? What role does it play in your life?

I wanted some sunny yellow fabric since my studio represents such a happy part of my life. While the dyed result is much more yellow (and green) than it looks here, it isn't as sunny as I wanted - but that's part of the fun for me. My studio is a place where a kind of magic happens, where things don't necessarily look or happen like the image in my head but where they take turns and curves that delight me and end up better than they began.

I'm not sure yet what I'll make with this goodness, but I'm excited to be on my way.

Another kind of magic - this afternoon I spread out cardboard in a sunny space in my back yard. I put some leaves on top and added 20 bags of top soil. The bags had been in the back yard all summer and each bag must have added 20 pounds of water to the 40 pounds of top soil. All through the next five or six months the soil underneath will soften and the grass will mulch into it and in April or May there will be a new space for peas to climb on the fence and for planting tomatoes. The space in the front yard that housed tomatoes this year will have peppers next year.

In the upper left of the picture above you'll see a tree with red berries. I don't know just what it is, but it looks pretty.

From last night, here's a picture of Steph and Nora at the Aranoff. The Wizzard of Oz was as good as they both hoped.