I Got Rhythm!

Who could ask for anything more?

Nothing is so good as a getaway with an old friend, so when I hit the road for London, Ontario, and a three-day visit with my friend Suzanne, I knew I was in for a good time! After all, who wouldn't love a scene like this? The sky was as dramatic as the theatre I knew we would soon enjoy!

Oh yes, anyone headed to the Stratford Festival is in for some terrific theatre.

First up was the wonderful George Gershwin musical, "Crazy for You." This pastiche of the Mickey and Judy/Fred and Ginger musicals had just about every favorite Gershwin song ever. And a ton of tap dancing!

As we waited for the overture to start, I couldn't help but think how lucky we were to have tickets to a show that got reviews like this!And it did not disappoint! Incredible music and dance -- the audience was on its feet!



Then time for a walk around the theatre and around town. One will always expect to see swans around Stratford!



I wish the color had been a bit more intense. I think we missed the peak by about a week (next week).

But the town is lovely. A small city with a good deal of charm, but not phony charm. I call it gritty/pretty.



Dinner -- pizzas and giggles!

Suzanne and I have known each other since high school, both sharing a love of film, books and drama. We knew each others' parents, all of whom have since passed. When we get together there's none of that "what do I say when we haven't seen each other for awhile." We just start and don't stop till we say goodbye!

 

Then it was time for "Man of La Mancha." I've loved this show for a long while and this production didn't disappoint. Neither did the set! Every inch of this set worked itself into the show.

As you can see below, the drawbridge/stairs come down and up periodically, very effectively. And Quixote fans will remember that Don Quixote tilted at windmills. The one in back is a gentle reminder.

Tom Rooney, the actor playing Cervantes/Don Quixote was versatile. His rendition of "The Impossible Dream" (which can be an impossible mess when overplayed) was done with understatement but power.



The next day we were off shopping. The Covent Garden market in downtown London did not disappoint.

This indoor market was filled with stalls for veggies, flowers, specialty items and cheese.



Oh, the cheese counter! To die for!

Then off to the book store and home again, only to get ready to leave the next day. The roadtrip home is a boring one but for me with quite a panic on bridges, waiting in this line to get over the bridge at the border was a bit of a terror. I was clutching the wheel even when the car was standing still! It seemed that anyone who passed in the NEXUS lane beside me rattled the whole bridge!

Of course, I didn't have it nearly so bad as whomever happened to be on this bus when something happened that caused it to be hauled across the border by a tow truck.

Goodbye, Canada! I miss you already!

After all, with good friends, good theatre, a good market and a safe road trip? Who could ask for anything more?

(Stratford photos by Michael Cooper)

Prayer Flag Swap -- Incoming!

Earlier I wrote about our prayer flag swap, hosted by Joanne. What fun to have the finished flags arrive! Don't they look lovely in their banner form?

It was a treat to open the envelope and see flags from both friends I knew, like Joanne (left) and Kristen Robinson (right).



I also knew Jill Ongley (left) and Brittney Young (right).



But I didn't know the artist of this one -- I think it is Kate White or Louie Shellenberger. So that was extra fun!

My banner is bracketed by two flags of mine -- Nest and Love. It was interesting that all of us chose a word for the banner. I don't remember Joanne mentioning to do that but together it brings home all the lovely parts of life -- joy, grace, nest, home, tranquility and love. It couldn't get better than that!

Thanks to my friends old and new -- your work is a wonderful addition to my home!

Sort of Square

Part of my artful summer was pulling together some 4x4" canvases.

I figured it was time to share a few of them!

All of these will be going to my late-November sale (unless I sell any of them first!).



I can't tell you how much fun it is to pull these little guys together. They're made all the more fun since I've been using more and more of my own gelli print papers on them (although the pretty paper napkin certainly figures in, too!).



And, I had fun making the paper clay leaves and hearts. It works up so quickly with such little mess!

 

I sort of had birds on the brain when I was doing a few of them. But what can I say other than...



Go ahead! Make my day!

(I couldn't resist! More creativity to come soon!)

Nature's Blessings

I've been working on two swaps over the summer -- both due a couple of days ago! The Nature's Blessings journal pages swap was organized by Karla of Karla's Cottage.



The idea was to create pages -- some fully decorated, some with room to write or draw on -- for a beautiful journal that she will assemble. (I'll share the finished one I received in a future post!).



A theme like "Nature's Blessings" leaves lots of room for interpretation and I couldn't pick one "blessing." My pages mostly celebrate the beauty of birds and flowers.



We sent in six four-page pieces -- 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 when folded into four pages. These are some of mine!



I don't envy Karla the task of choosing those that work well together and putting them into the bound book!

 

It was a challenge keeping the "binding" edge clear of embellishment! Some of the things that look a little off-balance in a single shot should look in better balance when the book is bound!



But it's hard to look at a page and think "I can only really put anything thick or puffy on two thirds or three quarters of it!"

 

And every time I stuck something down I thought "I can hear Karla saying 'that damned Jeanie -- can't she follow directions?"



Well, I hope I did! And I can't wait to see everyone else's work. You can check out Lorraine's HERE and Leann's pages (some of them) HERE and HERE. For more examples from Karla, check it out HERE. And enjoy!