Back In The Studio ~ Busy and Grateful

I am so grateful to be able to create in my studio again. My eyes are almost healed. I still have some floaters and will probably always have them but my vision is good and for that I can only be thankful.

I've been busy dyeing and upcycling clothing. I have piles of vintage laces, doilies, flounces, trims, and clothes strewn about and it is so freeing to be able to dive in and color these things!

I will let the photos I took speak for themselves of my environment, shibori dyed silk organza, vintage doilies and crochet bird trim in dusty blue gray, velvet, chiffon, and laces in the palest seafoam, and works in progress.



















"The eyes are the gateway to the soul."
- Herman Melville

Workshops Canceled

I was so disappointed that I had to cancel my teaching engagements for Create in Costa Mesa. I had most of my kits ready and now I stare at them, tied with little hand dyed ribbons, packed in clear carrying cases all ready to go. It's like being all dressed up and no where to go.

Not only was this canceled but also my trip to Missouri where I was planning to teach with my friend Sharon in her studio in Ashland, visiting my folks for a week in Poplar Bluff, then returning to St. Louis to take a four day workshop with India Flint. I was so excited about this but can not go. On the bright side I have been communicating with India about coming to stay at my house and possibly give a workshop in the area. If you click on "wish list" at her website you'll find that the West Coast in the USA is one of the places she wants to have a study retreat. My house in the mountains would be perfect for her! 26 acres of native trees and plants. If this happens it would be sometime in 2012, probably the Fall, so that means quite a wait for me.

I have my next eye doctor appointment on Thur. and I'll find out how I'm healing and how much of my normal life I can take on.

My friend Bob Runyon wrote and sent me this Haiku:

Vision is
Great and delightful
Tears are shed

Healing

I trust my body's urge to heal. I don't have to make it get well. All I have to do is support it. I am becoming healthier every day.

After my last doctor appointment on Monday I was told I can start using the computer a little. One hour a day to either sew in my studio with a machine (no close hand work), use the computer or similar tasks. I can start adding an hour a day, as long as my eye doesn't get tired, up to six hours.

I was mistaken about cholesterol being the culprit of causing my retinal tears. Cholesterol DOES affect your eyesight and I have to get mine down for that reason but my doctor, Dr. Gloria Wu, insists that my tears happened from lifting heavy things. I am really puzzled by this. I don't lift heavy objects often and things I do lift seemed easy enough. She said that perhaps what I could lift at age 46 I can't lift at 56 but ............ ?????? I can bench press 50 pounds easy enough and often load my car with all the items I need to teach with. I usually have someone load and unload the two microwaves so I just can't believe I've lifted anything heavy enough to cause this. I guess I'll just have to be careful about that from now on, but how do I know what's too heavy? Confusing huh?

It's been weeks of resting my eyes which meant doing almost nothing. It's been a frustrating journey but I've had lots of time to philosophy about my life. I had to cancel teaching at Create in Costa Mesa, I had to cancel a show in Santa Cruz I was suppose to participate in this last weekend, and I have to cancel my trip to Missouri. Is this a wake up call for me to slow down? Can I do that? Do I want to? All these questions have come up for me to ponder I often wonder about the classes I teach and what it is that students really want to learn from me. There are deadlines for 2012 proposals that are approaching. I would love to hear from all of you who would be interested in taking a workshop from me, what class would you like to see me offer? I've been interested in teaching some natural dye workshops but that could not happen in a six hour hotel setting classroom. I would love to work with a small group to take a vintage or used garment and help them upcycle it by dyeing fabrics to create embellishments, tea dyeing, dyeing the garment itself, and/or dyeing vintage laces and trims. I could do small or individual workshops in my studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains. If any of this sounds interesting to you or you have ideas please let me know.

I'm getting off the computer now so I don't waste my two hours of time today doing this. I'm anxious to get back in the studio!!!

I'm on the mend and while it may take several more weeks before I'm back to normal I am grateful that my sight was spared, that the technology today is so amazing to repair eyes and to all those who have sent cards, called, sent positive energy my way and well wishes. I do so appreciate this. Thank you.