Walking in the rain...

Today I wanted to go to the bead store. I had an idea for my most recent quilting project. At noon I stepped outside to see that it was raining. Okay, take the car. I walked to my car and decided instead to just take the umbrella out of my car. I have no idea how long it has been since I purposely went for a walk in the rain, but I did today. It was fun. I loved it. With my little black umbrella above protecting me as I listened to the pitter pat of the rain drops not falling on my head and the squish, squish of my shoes on the wet sidewalk, I walked the few blocks to the bead store where I found beads from Kenya. Perfect. African beads made by African women for their livelihood the shop keeper explained. I picked out three flat ones in brown with gold painted swirls, three round ones in red with painted gold dots and a button that is very special for a special focal point on the quilt to be explained another time. But it was just what I was looking for. Just what my quilt needed. The rains came down harder on my way back so I picked up my pace and took my now cold but not too wet body back to the office where I welcomed the warm interior of the room. There my umbrella and I dried out for my work of the rest of the afternoon. I had time to check out everyone elses blogs, something I love doing...catching up on artists' drawings, mixed textile art, paintings, collages, poems, photography, and words. What a wonderful circle we've made in blogland. What great talents gather together and share their art and their wares. I know I've said this before but I so appreciate having been introduced to this world, this amazing group of talented souls. Leaving comments I hope will be half as appreciated as I do the ones that come to me on a daily basis. Who knew? Who knew? I feel so blessed. ********************************************************************************* Tonight I went to the second and final sketching class. Once again I felt too tired to be there. But Brenda, our teacher, explained that my right brain could take in her lessons while my left brain relaxed so perhaps I was in the best frame of mind. Negative spaces, dark shapes were drawn out of pictures, lighter spaces filled in later. She even had me copy one picture upside down so I'd see those spaces and not just the lines. I'm writing this still tired just having come home from there so not positive I have this all right. Just know I probably should stick to day time classes when it comes to drawing and sketching. She's a great teacher. She deserves a more alert student! ;-) I will try these techniques on my own and others we learned...no giving up here. No giving up. **********************************************************************************