so it occurs to me that i never filled you in on the amazing few days in Ithaca at the artist colony. yes.  i left last friday (early a.m.) and arrived just after lunch.  not a long drive, unless you are using an outdated Garmin.  the minute the door closed on my live/work space, i unloaded my fabrics and doodads and threads.  made a cup of coffee. opened the windows.  took a few moments to soak in the absolute beauty of the mountains and rolling hills just outside the window.  then got busy.  i designed and re-designed and pinned and hung the piece up for a perspective.  redesigned.  then started hand sewing.  the entire piece is handsewn.  it is an amazingly zen experience, despite the difficulty on my hands.  it will be a few weeks before it's done - i have a holiday shop to get ready for - but i am just diggin this piece.  i went to bed late, that first night, slept well, then got up before dawn and started sewing again.  by the evening, i needed distraction from the absolute silence, so grabbed my ipad & cued up netflix.  i learned a lot about myself those few days - one, i need solitude.  two, i can't deal with too much solitude!  three, i am a calm and decent person who needs more absolute solitude than i have. i think a shared studio away from my home is the answer…more on that but Henry is begging to go out.