Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Mexican Chalet Style

Let the decorating begin! Today I ordered my new bed and immediately buzzed over to my fave bed clothes store, TJMAXX. I got a pouffy mattress pad from Ralph Lauren, and three sets of sheets in Lime, Raspberry and Marshmallow White. Sweeeeet! They will match my inspiration piece: this tasty chair.

Metallic gold paint, which I wish I knew what brand the artist used. I would love to dink around with this stuff. It is so reflective and shiny.

I already have two quilts from years gone by that will work with this color scheme, and another that only needs binding or hemming. So girly. I cannot wait til I am moved in and can set this all up.
Now a word about me and retirement.
It's all in how you understand retirement. I am thinking, no more sitting in airports waiting for delayed airplanes. No more packing and leaving favorite garments in hotels, never to see them again. No more leaving Dave.
Wait, that should have been #1.
1. No more leaving Dave.
2. Vast amounts of uninterrupted time to make the work that means something to me, more than samples for a specific technique.
3. Time to garden for weeks without having to leave before it's all done.
4. Time to read a book without feeling guilty.
5. Freedom from suitcases in the studio
6. The end of dyeing fabric for sale
7. The beginning of my new artistic directions that are not tied to teaching
8. Not having to make a living
9. The end of gearing up
10. Getting in touch with my spirit again
I am planning on setting up a temporary studio in the house and then designing the Potting Shed Studio interiors to make that the new studio for paint, and fabric.
Part of my desires include painting paper and fabric and combining them into composition that are mounted on board or canvas and not necessarily stitched. These may be like quilts and like paintings or unlike either. It will be an experiment, and another adventure. You'll see them on the blog if and when this all happens.

14 comments:

  1. Have just retired myself.... early retirement... you understand? It is fantastic...... must get back to some work.

    Best wishes

    Maggie

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  2. I like that chair a lot.

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  3. That is truly a fabulous chair! So many new adventures ahead of you... Good luck with the move.

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  4. Good for you! About time you just took care of Dave and did your art! You go, girl!

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  5. Anonymous8:46 AM

    I hear you Ms Mel.

    Our former Kindergarten groups used to have chairs like that. They were called Birthday Chairs. When a child had a birthday they would get to sit on that chair all day with a crown on their head. Notice I said 'former' we are looooonnng gone past 'Kindergarten' age around here.

    Your studio below seems so abandoned!

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  6. I think I want to retire too!!!

    When you mentioned combining paper and fabric it made me think of this paper "yarn" I saw at Kpixie.com... I wonder if you could hand stitch with it through canvas; I've never felt it so I don't know how strong it is.

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  7. You only have two quilts to match that color scheme?!

    I am so excited for your new adventure. You deserve it.

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  8. Anonymous9:53 AM

    Mel - It is interesting following your life phase. I am a Corporate person (corporate life is horrible these days, but one time it was fun). The "working" life that you have is exactly what I would want as a retirement life. I too have left my family way tooo many times to get on a plane, but the 8-9 times a year sounds about right to me.One problem, I don't have your skill. Blessings to you in your move.

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  9. I'm so happy for you & Dave - and feeling sorry for myself - no class w/Mrs Mel - oh well - I'll keep reading your blog!! Hey - maybe you can hire the former owner of your new house to bump the wall out on that shed to make it a little bigger for a studio????

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  10. Mechelle, The shed is bigger than I thought on first looking. At least 12x30 feet. I think I can make that work since it is bigger than the 13x21 studio I have currently.
    Melody

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  11. Anonymous1:17 PM

    I admire your sense of adventure and dedicated love to the man of your life. You're just gonna thrive, thrive, thrive in your new space. New work with paint, paper, fabric....should be absolutely yummy!!

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  12. You're on the right track, girlfriend. I'm a recently retired teacher and it has taken me the entire year to "find" myself. LOL

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  13. I just decided to try art quilting. In fact I started a blog after being inspired by yours and others. its called http://quiltinglibarian.blogspot.com My only problem with your retirement, is I have never been able to take a class from you. But retiring sounds wonderful for you and your husband.

    Sue

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  14. Anonymous9:18 PM

    That sounds like my kind of retirement. I just hope I get to see you in the flesh, again!!

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