Rethinking Recycling

 

Giving a title to posts before written can be a daunting task.  So, this is a writing exercise wherein the title may or may not reveal itself.  Let's begin with a question.  Do you recycle?  

I recycled before recycling was cool.  Back in the day we called it 'Waste Not Want Not'.  For me as an artist in the last 13 years of blogging these "4R's" became my motto...RePurpose-Recycle-ReNew-ReSale.  The Broachability of R#4 or R#5...Resale or Rubish is an example post supporting "4R's".

Moving on to 2022.   In order to minimize waste another 'R' has been added to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Acts slogan 'Reduce-Reuse-Recycle' to include Rethink!

So...I've been Rethinking my wine drinking.  Still about pinot noir and cost with careful consideration to bottle shape and color.  Since glass has been taken off the recycle bin list, I'm Rethinking how to Reuse and Recycle wine bottles and of course other glass items.

Certainly I would not waste a drop of wine just to empty the bottle...Waste Not...not a problem! 

 What to do with empty bottle...'Dot Art'...Want Not...got it covered...literally!

Rethinking 4R's to 5R's...Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Rethink-Refill.

Linking to How Sweet The Sound's

Pink Saturday

Wordless Wednesday...Therapy-It's Complicated

 

Charmed...I'm Sure! Another Charm Bracelet

It's one of those 'Dory Moments'..."Oh look, something shiny"!!  Funny how that happens and how one Charm Bracelet post leads to another.  Without further introduction, here is a Charm Bracelet from decades ago, zipped in silk pouch and stashed in the deepest, darkest jewelry chest drawer.

Kind of a treasure hunt, really.  Not just for the bracelet itself, but for the memories it holds. Each and every charm marks a significant event and brings back memories of the young women who were members of local Beta Sigma Phi.

 An international non-academic sorority made up of women of all ages;  usually in twenties or thirties that builds friendships that last a lifetime.  Founded in 193l, in Abilene, Texas.

All the protocols fit me as a new member in 1974...Heart Charm...27 years old.  Lifetime friendships...thanks to Facebook connections and small hometown.

There is much I've forgotten about Beta Sigma Phi. My last membership charm was 1976.  Let's do the math...27 years ago...the exact age I was on Welcome Heart Charm.  And the 'Then & Now' similarities continue with the Award Charms:

STARS

Pledge of the Year

Best Program

Scrapbook

74' and 75' Founders Day

SYMBOLS

Motto ~ Life, Learning and Friendship

Colors ~ Black and Gold

Shield ~ Torch

Flower ~ Yellow Rose

History and more information on Beta Sigma Phi....Wikipedia Link

As for me...I'll be dragging out Beta Sigma Phi Scrapbooks.

And Yes, they have lots of pictures...Be warned Lifetime Friends on Facebook.😉

Charm Bracelet Memoirs

Having just had a milestone birthday, thoughts turned to my Mother and Grandmother.  I was there for their same milestone birthday, and although I don't recall the details, party or gatherings, I know a card was sent with a hanky inside.  That was a tradition the two of them began when they were states away from each other.  Mother kept every letter and hanky.  This I know as I have them today...tucked away in her Memoir Box.  

Their cards held sweet birthday wishes with lovely floral bouquets and painterly landscape vignettes.  On the inside their handwritten birthday wishes and news from home.  Mother's news about children and our growing too fast and school.  

They both wrote about the weather.  Mother received Iowa snow weather report in her February card and Grandmother enjoyed the Texas Spring weather news on her May birthday.

Grandmother's news had bits on Mother's siblings and their children.  Mother shared her letters and a favorite subject written about was Grandmother's church activities and the Ladies Bible Study.  Those words to this day bring back a 5 year old's childhood memory of going to church with my Grandmother.

Right after the Amen of the Offering Prayer and the Deacons preparing to pass the Offering Plate, Grandmother took the hanky she had tucked into the band of her watch and untied the corner where she had secured her tithe.  She handed me a few coins and together we dropped them in the silver velvet lined plate.  Our coins landed as softly as any of the small bills.  

So, now 70 years later, my treasured charm bracelet made from Grandmother's watch brings joy to my heart and such gratitude for having these two women in my life for their lifetime.

Charm Bracelet Memoirs

 Inspired by
  Alana at Ramblin' with AM

New Year Sunlight

It's a New Year and I am thankful for the Sunlight!

 

Bridal Wear From Stash Mess

In the last post..."Wedding Day Dressing" ... the Brides Dressing Robe/Shirt had the look of "Your kidding me...Bridal Wear...no way!"  "Yes way" said the Bride after it's reincarnation from a man's XXXL shirt to a Brides Dressing Day Duster!  

And then there were the Bridesmaid Dressing Robe/Shirts.  

They agreed with the Bride....Yes Way!!!

Worked out perfect...Bride and Maids got a Fun Robe!

And I made....This Stash Mess at least half as much Less of a Mess!

Wedding Day Dressing

I know, I know....it's a mess...and you will never guess why.  You will no doubt guess that I have to make a mess by dragging out all the trims, fabrics, threads, etc. etc. to create just about any project.  I haven't done this in awhile, and I'm having such fun on this special project.  Ready? 

It's a 'Wedding Day Dressing Robe'.  See I told you it would be a guessing game!  Weddings these days have a touch of 'Traditional' mixed in with touches of 'Contemporary'.  In the olden days the Bride and Bridesmaids showed up at the church fully decked out and ready to walk down the isle.  The only photos of the 'getting dressed' part of the wedding day were for the Wedding Album where the Bride is perfectly dressed and posed.

Today, every aspect of the Wedding Day is celebrated and likely shared on Social Media...including the dressing getting ready room.  So it will be for my granddaughters wedding, but rather than 'Dressing Robes' the girls will be decked out in oversized old men shirts.  Doesn't that sound comfy and celebratory?  Just imagine getting a spa treatment with a makeup artist, a hairdresser, and a nail technician wearing a shirt off a thrift shop XXXL men's rack.  

Granddaughter says, "Nana do you think you could fix up the Old Men Shirts?"

My answer, "Really, you want to wear this thrifted $2 Old Man Shirt 

while you get ready to put on your $1200 wedding gown? 

 Of course I can."

PS...Watch for the finished Brides Dressing Shirt!

Wedding Day Dressing today is certainly different than 'Back In The Day'.

Here Comes The Stinking Bride

FALL-ing Back Blooms & Time Clocks

BEFORE Bloom

AFTER Bloom

There is more to this TIME of year's FALLING BACK besides clocks, and in my case...many clocks.  For what ever reason I think I need to know what time it is wherever I find myself at any given time.  So ridiculous...I'm retired.  No longer on a schedule where I have to clock in and out.  I really don't have to time myself on projects or keep up with 'It's time to eat"...my stomach does that.  

Sorry,  I digress...time to get back on the point of Falling Back Blooms. 

Every year since planting pots of Mums I can hardly wait for them to bloom in the Fall.  They pop up every spring and stay green through out the summer.  

I can usually count on them to begin blooming on time by early October.  Not this year!  Like clockwork I checked them everyday for signs of buds.  Made sure they were watered and had the right amount of sunlight.  Even gave them a dose of bloom fertilizer.

Finally they bloomed at the end of October.  I decided Texas Mother Nature was not going to let go of 2021's  '100 Year Weather Calamity'.  I hear she will likely reek havoc with 'The Farmer's Almanac' in 2022.  I'll be getting out 'Fake Poinsettias' for Christmas. 

Now for a few favorite this time of year 'Fall Blooms' from 'Blogger Archives'.

So Maxine,  depending on your outlook...

we either lose an hour of daylight or we gain an extra hour of sleep!

I'm going with extra hour of sleep!

 

Coloring Comes Full Circle

As a child, coloring books and a box of crayons were one of my favorite pastimes.  Without realizing it, that childhood experience led to a lifetime of  'Coloring In My World'.  Coloring has been a journey of many pathways that have come full circle. 

As an Artist of Many Mediums from 'Art to Zippers'.. most of which have found a place in this blog...it seems appropriate to add a category of 'Senior Coloring'.  After all, when you can relate to 'crayons to perfume' you can certainly circle back to crayons.

The Art of Conversation

It has been awhile since I sat down to start a blog conversation, and I must admit it is quite like setting up to paint.  Also something I haven't done in a long time, but has been on my mind as of late.  I've gone so far as pulling out decades old portfolios, boxes of brushes, tubes of paint, sheets of watercolor paper and albums of photographs destined to be references for future paintings.  

It's not like I have that much of a problem starting.  It's finishing!  As I discovered in the decades old portfolios,  UFO's have been a part of my creative process for...well...decades.

In my defense, I am also a 'Multitasker'.  In fact, I'm what is known as an 'Ultimate Multitasker'.  My grace is saved by Merriam-Webster who says, 

A good multitasker is a person who can perform or manage many tasks at the same time.  The 'Ultimate Multitasker, routinely has a half-dozen or more projects under contract at the same time, all of which would be seen to timely completion.

Hmmm, the decades old portfolio UFO's kind of blows the 'Timely' completion.  However, my saving grace comes with the recent matting, framing, hanging and gifting more than a half-dozen finished pieces from the ancient portfolio.

Now, back to starting a blog conversation when you don't have much to blog about. 

Via Google, a page on Career Development suggested 13 ways to start a conversation.  After 13 years of Blogging I think I can loosely claim to be a career blogger.  Of the 13 conversation starters there were a few I considered:

~Introducing myself...probably a good one since I've been absent from blogging for 11 months.  Please see post 'Now Is The Time' for my explanation of absence.                                                                      ~Mention a shared experience...my goodness, but as bloggers we have certainly shared many experiences over the years.  How about those of us who have done the AtoZ Challenge, and all the posts about our Ancestors.  Bless their hearts and pasts for providing us with the challenge of depicting their lives in the face of adversity, historical significance and family connections.                                              ~Comment on the weather...as a last resort or instead of starting a conversation...ending one.

Welcome November!

Now Is The Time

The years of 'Collecting' a plethora of everything from AtoZ and documenting just about all of it on this blog has been 13 years of discovery.  Who knew writing, photography and other bloggers could have such an impact on one's life.  I'm glad and thankful it has on mine!

As the end of 2021 approaches perhaps 'Now Is The Time' for this 'Blog Hiatus' to come to a close.  In doing so my expectations of future posts content will likely be somewhat different than the last 13 years.  Why?  Life over the last few years has changed dramatically...not just for me, but for the world.  

Since the last post of 2021 in February, the months of March through July were filled with making treasured memories. Coping with 'Missed beyond measure' is life changing, but tempered by knowing my husbands life was indeed a blessing to so many. 

'Loved beyond words'.  I'm using these words in 'Surviving Grief.(excerpts and paraphrased from...Living with a Broken Heart)  How do you live with a broken heart?  The answer isn't how you fix it or move beyond it.  The skill is learning to live with your grief as an ongoing way of being in the world.  It's the way you honor that which you love.  The heart is designed to grieve.  Especially when it is broken.  This is the price you pay for love.  But you can also find and feel grief in opening your heart.  Opening it to what the future holds.  Life is about endings and beginnings and the heart was designed to navigate you through this forever winding adventure called life.

So, as my heart navigates and survives through the times to come, some 'Collections' are providing 'Therapy'.  Plants and Dragonfly's!  

 

CollectInTexas Gal Blog is on Blog Hiatus!

You are welcome to browse the Collections of Posts ... listed on the Sidebar.

Flower Gardening~Popular Pandemic Project

July has been somewhat of a busy blur! 

My blogging time has been setting up and stocking my Online Shopping Venue.

I put off trying any kind of marketing after closing Sue's Fiber Arts Studio

at The Chicken Farm Art Center.

Finally, I got my Home Studios and Myself together and Got-Er-Done!

Here are July's Shopping Posts

 

BAGS and TOTES

Serape Crossbody Bags

Big Button Rag Bag

Scrappy Stripes Plus

 

QUILT BLOCK and VINTAGE LINEN PILLOWS

Basket and Butterfly ~ Quilters Flower Garden

 

QUILT

1940'S Flower Garden

 

Coming Soon to Sue's Fiber Arts Online Shopping Venue

Vintage Hankies, Lace and Doily Runners!

I've been reading and hearing that Flower Gardening

 has become the number one COVID19 stress reliving activity during this pandemic.

What fun I've been having digging in my Flower Garden Fabric Bins!

Keep Calm and Weave On in June

Typically weaving with wool and wool blends is for winter months.  For sure they are winter wearables.  In my situation of thinking ahead for having an inventory to sell during the winter months weaving with wool in June makes sense.  It's like they say about Christmas...you know...Christmas in July. 

So, here I am in my home garage weaving studio with no AC weaving with wool. 

Thankfully, the mornings are cool, fans are blowing, and I am weaving away.  

And with all that is going on in the world...I'm going with this...

"Keep Calm and Weave On". 

I Felt Like Felting

I've had very little experience with felting, but it's been on my bucket list for awhile.  After sorting through several large bags of wool yarns, I came up with a basket full of scraps.

Most of the scraps were rolled into a yarn ball and were enough to make several passes on Bonda...knitting machine.  The smaller scraps were balled with bits of wool roving and made ready for dryer balls.

All of this scraping out wool was for a reason.  In the process of setting up my Home Weaving Studio, I came across a long forgotten book...The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting.

Bingo...Inspiration on page 79.

The first two practice felted pieces were light to medium felted.  I wanted the knit stitches to show as well as the felting to be solid enough to be stable.  To add more stiffness to the case, I stitched in a stabilizer under the fabric liner. 

I think the next panels of knitted wool will need hotter water in the wash cycle for at least 20 minutes.  Then after the cold water rinse to set the felted fibers I'll toss in the dryer on high heat for a few minutes.  Next will come a bit of block shaping to finish drying.  Time to go experiment.

Felting is Fun...Glad I Felt Like Felting!

My Signs of The Time

But do you really, Sue?  That is the looming (pun intended) question as I move Sue's Fiber Arts Studio from The Chicken Farm Art Center to my Home Studio Two...formerly the garage.  This sign has gotten lots of LOL's in my Chicken Farm Shop, but now it makes me feel a bit overwhelmed.  You see...this is just the Weaving Yarns.  Home Studio One is overflowing with knitting, crochet and other needle works yarn.  With the closing of the Shop my outlet for Sales of yarn and all the yarn items I make is gone, and I'm not sure how well Online Shopping of my wares will work.

As I mentioned, Home Studio Two is mostly a Weaving work space.  I'm making the most of the space and still have storage areas....it was and still is a storage space for stuff.  Thank goodness for curtains and sheets that block all that stuff from sight.  Sparrow...floor loom...is ready for a new warp and next weaving project.  I'm looking for inspiration...it make take awhile.

Setting up a Home Studio always requires a place for doing business...whether much business is going to happen or not.  It just feels better.  Then there is work space for other things as well.

Guess I best get to Work!