COLOR--Be Calm!

Did you get into the latest 2015 craze?  I wrote about this in another blog several months ago.

I have two or maybe three coloring books for adults.  On the other hand,  I must have (mumble, mumble) children coloring books!  Okay--I was into the craze loooooooong before the "adult" books came out.

It’s about “getting back to basics,” said Karen Larson, a Lathrup Village, MI graphic designer who has designed two adult coloring books.

Larson said coloring books offer an escape from today’s ever-electronic world and let you do something with your hands and be creative.

“It’s addictive, it’s meditative, it’s relaxing,” said Larson. “I find lately I’ve been really overbooked, so I take just a half hour to color and it does the trick. It soothes you, relaxes you. It’s that whole key of getting away from electronics.”

In her area of Detroit, there are even coloring workshops being held at Public Libraries!  Can you believe?!!  I would so be there!

I love love this coloring book that my friend Judy P gave me this summer!  It is designed by

her friend, Susan Schmitt.  I haven't taken the time to color though--it's such an entertaining book, I almost hate to mess it up.

Here is one of the pages from the book.  Did you know: Art has long been considered therapeutic. A 2006 Swedish study found that mindfulness art therapy for women with cancer helped significantly reduce symptoms of physical and emotional distress during treatment.

I found a wonderful coloring book at our local Sprouts Grocery store and here is

the display at the Barnes and Nobles!  Get on the band wagon--break out those

coloring books--whether for adults or children--get some wonderful coloring pens

and relax, mediate and enjoy your therapy!

365 Challenge

I have done a couple of "365" challenges in my time.  One was photography--posted each and every day--that was a challenge for sure!  Just try to find 365 different and unusual photos to post each day.  You certainly look at life differently doing that challenge.

Here is another challenge for me--this is 365 quilt block challenge!  The challenge?  Make a small block each and every day--don't despair!  The blocks are posted for you through 365 Challenge Quilt website.  There are over 7000 quilters taking this challenge--will you be one?

 The blocks are going to finish at 3"!  Some will finish at 6"! 

Take a look at this photo!  Isn't this a fascinating quilt!  I've always been interested in small block quilts like "Farmer's Wife" but never had the courage to tackle it.  Now, I think this will be easy to tackle a day at a time!

Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising

Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising plays host to an impressive collection of more than 8,000 textiles and garments from cultures around the world. Additionally, it is home to a wide range of 19th and 20th century western artifacts, including textiles, beaded flapper dresses, hats, shoes, handmade lace, and famous designer apparel. Design, history, and textile students and scholars enjoy access to more than 18,000 catalogued clothing, textiles, and interior furnishing objects.

There are four exhibits that launches, which opens January 30 in their new facility:

Mr. Blackwell: “Artist of subtle witchery”

Layers of Meaning: Color and Design in Guatemalan Textiles 

Tiny Bits and Pieces 

The Power of Maya Women's Artistry

A Book Challenge

Modern Mrs. Darcy website has a challenge for us!  This is a good one, especially if you like to read, as I do!  Some of these will be real challenges--like read book you previously abandoned--oh, my--how, will I stick to one that I've already discounted as worthy of my time!

A book someone chooses for me??  Really, I'd better find that

perfect person to suggest that book!

Hope you can fit one of these challenges into your daily readings.

Do You Finish What You Begin?

Motivation?!  Who needs motivation to finish what I've begun--Well, I do!  This little nudge will be just the thing to keep me on track.  And it's not necessarily just for sewing projects; but, all those projects that have been lingering in the background.  Several years ago, I vowed to finish at least two projects, before beginning anything new!  Now, let me tell you--that was hard to stick to, but somehow, I finished more than I begun.  Maybe, this year will be the same!
How about you?  Do you need that motivation?

the Finish-A-Long is is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete unfinished sewing projects. Every quarter, you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months. Then, when the three months are over, you post a link from your blog, Flickr or Instagram for each successful finish from your original list. 

The hosts for the year will be:

• Debbie - A Quilter’s Table - USA

• Jess - Elven Garden Quilts - Australia

• Stacey - SLOstudio - Canada (that’s me!)

• Jennie - Clover & Violet - USA

• Helen - Archie the Wonder Dog - UK

• Nicky - Mrs. Sew and Sow -UK

• Rhonda - Rhonda’s Ramblings - USA

• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada

Working on BH's 2015 Mystery..................................

Finally!! I got to my sewing room--I'm wading through moved furniture, stacked boxes, etc.  Flooring will be installed this week so everything has been moved from my weaving room to my sewing room.

But, I'm excited!  that I can actually get two of the clues finished for Bonnie Hunter's 2015-16 mystery~

Here is 120 four patches from golds and neutral fabrics

Another step was 1.5" finished half square triangles from grey and neutral--it was a constant

grey too so that was an easy one to complete--just 296, that's all!

But now, if you see from the photos--now of these have been pressed!

I'm thinking that could be an all day event...........................

We're Cooking!

Yes, it's the first of a new year and what do we do?  We start thinking about our

waist line and eating healthy-------again!

Every year, it's the same!

Recently, I found this recipe in January Southern Living Magazine.

It looked good and easy to prepare,

besides I had the ingredients on hand.

Our son, who thought he was getting a good deal, bought one, got one

on sale--Salmon that is!

Then he found out it was small sections of salmon--

He likes big slabs of fish, not

little sections.

Hence, here comes this recipe

perfect! for this recipe.

Ingredient

4 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 pound fresh medium asparagus

8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed

1 small orange, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (5- to 6-oz.) fresh salmon fillets

Garnish: toasted sesame seeds

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!