The Work, Pleasure, and Play

There's Moonshine watercolor shadow work in progress. It seems to be activating some of the murky sludge that's apparently in deep retreat at the bottom of my current cauldron. It's feeling very turbid, and... ominous even. So I'm taking and making time with all the facets of this fascinating and - dare I say - daunting exercise.

On the lighter side of creative expression is a focus on Pleasure (after all, it is the lusty month of May). So I'm amusing (and, quite frankly, distracting) myself with inks, paints, pencils, pens, etc., with zero expectations of outcomes, in a way that is pure play. And I dig it.

This is a season that reminds me that "workdesk" takes on meaning that includes the shelves of seedlings 'n' plants still down in the basement under the grow-lights, and the plants in the greenhouse, and the plants hardening of on the table outside the greenhouse... workdesks, one and all. 

I sporadically join the weekly creative fun of What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday, and this is one of those days. Join the fun, or simply visit the creations of this week's sharings at WOYWW. 

Peace. 🕊

WIP: A Denim Sofa Arm Cover

Piecing together some denim remnants, on the ol’ sewing machine I learned on, to make an arm cover for our sofa.

Once this cover is done, I’ll likely make one for the other arm. With these kinds of home projects I prefer to take it slow, one little piece at a time. Plus I’ll have to collect 'n' piece together more denim, not only for the other arm cover, but I’d also like to make some pillow covers with denim as well.

Plus... this old Brother sewing machine. Beautiful, isn’t it? I may have the paperwork for it, I’ll have to find it, but I think my mom got it new in 1964, maybe 1962.

When I was in junior high, I was taught machine sewing - among other things - by the remarkable Mz. Walker in her home economics class. I could go on - and on - about her. She taught me so well that my mother had me do the lion’s share of sewing after that… especially putting in zippers, and other fussy work that she claimed I was better at than her. It was high praise from a very critical woman. That said, Mz. Walker taught me the value of a seam ripper because she’d have you take things apart and put them back together if you were cutting corners, or making less-than-perfect seams. I think of her often with a grand fondness. 

All this rambling aside, it’s this old sewing machine that delights me. I feel so blessed to have it. It’s mechanical, and I can take it apart, clean ’n’ fix things and put it back together… as I have done many times over the last 50+ years.

Years ago I used masking tape to mark the .5 inch point. The tape's long been removed, the dried adhesive lingers. I may have to clean that off. Or leave it.

Peace. 🕊