Snowy Sunday

My husband is away on business with an additional day to spend with friends of ours in North Carolina so I've had five days on my own. I haven't been very productive in the "art" department but I did manage to clean up the storage room in the attic where I keep my silk florals, craft supplies, extra bedding, and just assorted "stuff". It was so jumbled up that you could not even walk in. Things just piled up. Now you can waltz in there. I'm very proud of myself. The picture has nothing to do with anything-- a journal page of fences.

Now I was hoping this picture would come up last. I call it "Fish Salad" and it is a combo of found objects. The background another David Walker "created fabric" and the fish from a Susan Carlson class. There needs to be more work on this but at least there is a plan in the works. It's amazing what happens when you clean up a room!!!!

If ever I would make an "altar" quilt--and I am very self-conscious about this type of thing. They seem like "copy" work. Can an altar quilt really be original? I have clipped out many magazine pictures of clock faces and eyes lately and I just love the paper heart in the palm of the hand. And who doesn't want to live their dreams? I'll just SEE if I have TIME.

Now here is a dream I would LOVE to see come true. The kitchen of my dreams. If I could go back in time and make a career decision (knowing what I know now) I would study to be a chef. I love the stainless steel of this pictured kitchen, the containers of tools, the chrome mixer, the hanging pans and the really cool sink stuff. My actual kitchen is very nice---all cherry cabinets, custom fit with nice appliances--the new ones in stainless, the older ones in reflective black. The kitchen came with the house when we bought it 14 years ago. There is even a cathedral ceiling and cooking altar. The range is encased in this altar like area. Very odd. It is SO not me! I have even drawn the plans for the remodel of this kitchen--with stainless steel or concrete counter tops and a Viking Range. The cooking altar would be GONE.

I'm actually a very good cook--I just don't cook very often. My husband doesn't have the same taste in food as I do. So I end up cooking the same things that we agree on--over and over. And that is so boring. When he's away I cook for myself or not. These five days I have not cooked at all. Reheated soup, pasta and made salads. Oh, and pizza from the road side shop--- not as good as mine but ready made.

I plan to do something arty with a full sheet of watercolor paper, gesso, paint and oil pastels today--in the kitchen on the island counter top. Before or after I shovel the snow off the driveway. Then I'll reheat some baked ziti and make a nice salad with balsamic vinegar and mixed "spring" greens and perhaps a nice glass of red wine. A very nice snowy Sunday.