california

california circles

Same pattern of intersecting circles from Thursday's sketch. But this time a collage combination of paint and paper from my collection of vintage books and old atlases. I do love maps. I am drawn to maps with water in them and as I began to flip through my atlas I landed on a map of California, a state that I've been to three times (all work related visits to Los Angeles but once, we did drive up the Pacific Coast Highway in a cherry red convertible as far as Oxnard, along the ocean and I would have loved to just keep on driving - continuing along the coast until we reached British Columbia ...). While I was tracing and cutting and gluing little bits of California in this collage it made me think of my friend J. she's in SoCal (like SoHo or NoHo). She lives way down the coast in San Diego, her life miles away from mine and in so many ways.

Today I would like nothing more than to stay put at the teak topped desk building my creative empire - working on more greeting card ideas for my Sept 15th submission to greatarrow, taking this circle pattern and doing another collage with a more limited colour palette, my archival mounting tapes have arrived and I have near 50 little photos to secure in matts for my upcoming HUGE etsy shop opening. (I know I may have some disbelievers out there - I know, I know I've been talking about it forever ... honestly it is coming). Think I'll add prints and cards of these new paper collages as well. Paper quilts. I'd love to work away at my desk for hours and then curl up with a blanket and a book from the new pile of books I've just lugged home from the library. A cup of tea and maybe a bon bon or two. That's what I'd like to do today and tomorrow. Apartment or condo living has been calling my name (I think .... although I confess I'm not totally convinced). Big sigh. Because instead of staying inside and working away at my tiny life I must instead dans les machete, favourite leather garden gloves and wheelbarrow and go into the overgrown yard and jungle and hack away at a small section. Why ? I'm not even sure, my little attempts at denting it are somewhat futile, but I have this idea that it's what I'm supposed to be doing. And damned if I can find any, even remotely handy, man to help - for money, for jam or for casseroles. What on earth was I thinking when I bought this big old house.

Hope you all have a great weekend !

9:00 am- hey ! guess what ? it's overcast and drizzly which in my mind is a big ol' excuse to leave the machete dans les shed and stay put with CBC radio and paper & glue at the teak topped desk. Smile.