I heard chickadees outside today. In the summer months, I realize I might not stop to appreciate their “fee-bee” whistle, but hearing this sound in the snowy quiet, was bright and clear.

Despite the birds, it’s very routine here in the studio, I’m up early working on art and I crank through the day with Maisey at my side. In this wet weather, Maisey and I have come to enjoy what we call a “suburban walk.” We walk on the cement pad from the front to the back deck so she doesn’t get her paws wet. She’s something else this one…. but it gets us out and breathing the fresh air.

I said on Instagram that we were not prepared to deal with the snow at our new place. Thankfully, thankfully, our neighbor with a John Deere plowed us out, not once but twice! We feel quite welcomed out here. I will say, I miss talks in the dark night chatting with our former neighbor - shout out to Martha!

As some of you know, Evan and I moved out of the suburbs and are building a small scale homestead, which begins with rehabbing a 1970s ranch. The ongoing construction inside the house is dirty, cluttered, and slightly dangerous… I feel like either Evan or I get a “it will be worth it” pep talk once a week. The cold is slowing us down as it’s hard to use saws even in the garage at these temperatures. We will hibernate for a little bit longer…. there’s certainly plenty to draw on my desk in the meantime.

I planned to put away my sewing machine for a bit while the dust settles, that’s until a friend of mine announced her pregnancy! Obviously, the Juki is coming out of storage and on to the kitchen counter - I’ve got a baby quilt to make! Even still, l need something fun and compact to work on in the evening when we are cooped up that won’t be too much of a mess … and so, I began a meditation scroll.

The mediation school, or snippet scroll concept is simple. Two layers of fabric: the bottom strip and the scraps on top. If you follow my projects you may recognize pieces of my mini quilt coral/purple ombre that Evan accidentally set on fire… It lives again! On the top layer, the little scraps can be basted down or stitched down on as you go. For the bottom strip, I’m using a jelly roll. It’s 2.5 inches wide but I don’t see why we could do a scroll at any size.

I love this as a way to keep meaningful fabric, clothes, or swatches. Some people use the scrolls to cut apart and use for journaling embellishments or decorations but I think it can be just for the act of stitching practice and play.

Stitching for stitching sake! Loving these meditation scrolls for sitting in front the t.v. at night, I can really fly down the strip! (Though that might not be the point… LOL)

Ideally, you’d fasten them onto to a spool and roll them up. I happen to have a few large wooden spools I want to use, where are they? What box? It could be a while friends…

If you have any bit of inspiration to make a scroll, I invite you to join me and please send pics!

I’m trying to keep the sewing explosion contained among the wreckage of the remodel. Whatever the heck I’m making on my Living Canvas is in its “ugly stage” no doubt. It’ll all be worth it. <3

More soon.

P.S. Seriously - consider joining me on the scrolls!