finally!!!!

Well, in the process of finding my pattern sketches, I remembered that I still needed to finish tacking the Blue Saint-Saens piece to the black fabric so I can get the thing framed. Now this is usually when I struggle to finish a project; when the thing is almost completed. My perfectionism usually rears its ugly self and causes me to wish I hadn't made THAT mistake THERE and how should I FIX it. I’ve committed to framing it for my studio wall, which means there’s no deadline, which means I procrastinate since I feel a lower sense of obligation to myself than to other paying customers. BUT….

Yesterday I pushed through all that and finished the tacking down. Wahooooo!!!!!!!

Now, to get to my favorite frame shop and get a frame picked out so that I can measure the foam core that I’ll lace the black fabric onto. Then it’ll be time to get out the tweezers and magnifying glass and bright light to extract all the cat fur that has worked its way into the project. I’ll try hard to get a photo of it, but can’t make promises. The camera was packed away when we staged the house. Getting to it, getting things set up, and then tucked away again may just not be in the schedule.

Tonight I’m taking time to sing in an Evensong service. The ancient sung prayers have a way of creeping into my soul and calming my mind and centering my energy. Something a house hunter needs!

organ concert after Evensong

I had the great pleasure yesterday of experiencing great music. Evensong is a wonderful contemplative service; Just the ticket for mid-Lent. The space at St. Andrew's Saratoga is a singing space. It's easy to pray in song there.

The concert performer and Evensong accompanist was James Welch http://www.welchorganist.com/index.html . I know I risk being labeled as a “groupie” by some of my musician friends that read here, but if you do get the chance to hear Jim, please do. He’s a wonderful organist and plays both new and standard repertoire equally well. The new music last night was a piece by local organist/composer Lothar Bandermann. http://www.lotharbandermann.com/index.php I’d love to hear it again. Any takers?

On the tatting side of life, I continue to make progress on several PHD items. I also found some size 15 beads in primary colors. I have all kinds of earring ideas for them. We’ll see what make it onto this blog.

Please find time to get out and enjoy spring. It has sprung in full force here. The blossoms on the fruit trees are lovely and fragrant, the buds on the mulberry trees are getting bigger, the ground looks wonderful and ready for planting!

my brain is faster than my fingers

Well, have you ever misspoke, saying what you were thinking instead of what the sentence really should finish with?

I miss-typed yesterday. In my last post I paraphrased Purcell, but was thinking of the Handel piece I wanted to find and look at. So, I typed Handel. Sigh.

The choral piece I was intending to reference is the “Bell Anthem” that Purcell wrote. We often use it for Evensong. The phrase that has been stuck in my head is “rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoice” (no s on always…..Purcell and his contemporaries didn’t always say always, but frequently said alway)

My apologies to those who caught the miss-type and let me know at rehearsal yesterday evening. <grin>

designing progress

Well, two steps forward and one step back. Sigh. I promise a pic when I have something to share. So far, the reject bin is getting pretty full!

I need to set this aside for a day or so. There are preparations for next week, a day trip to tour an organ factory, singing in the choir for a large Memorial service, and an Evensong I’ve been looking forward to for several weeks. There will be a mini concert afterward. I hope I can stay. I may need to be available to others for preparations for the next 10 days. It’s not like my input will be critical, but it will be appreciated and everyone is used to Mom being available. I’m gently trying to extract myself from that dynamic, but it is nice to be needed.

I think I just have time to test out a design idea that came to me as I was driving yesterday. If it works, I’ll get a sample up later today.