tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199997962011-08-16T22:13:00.720-05:00Musings on the Intersection of Art & LifeLesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.comBlogger2141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-53411968140476614172008-07-20T10:27:00.004-05:002008-07-20T10:49:41.210-05:00

Yes, I'm moving. I'm moving my blog to Typepad and I'm also moving, as in moving to a new house. But first things first. I have switched to Typepad so that I can use their Photo Album feature. I just returned from my 2-week beach vacation and have many images to share, so please hop (or click) on over to Lesley Riley.typepad.com and be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the new blog's feed so you won't miss

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-25200448815753434592008-07-04T06:31:00.006-05:002008-07-04T08:12:35.599-05:00

Starting tomorrow, this artist is relocating her studio at the edge of the ocean. Temporarily. It's our annual family vacation and this year we are going to Bethany Beach, Delaware for 2 weeks. Bliss. Rain or shine, I'll be in heaven, surrounded by my 6 children, 5 granddaughters, father, sister, the sons-daughter and brother-in-law, and one serious girlfriend. At peak, when all the guys are in

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-85722176539553593252008-07-02T05:58:00.004-05:002008-07-02T06:05:47.956-05:00

I meant to do my work today,But a little girl came by to play,And another wee one found her way,And all the granddaughters were calling me. And my heart went sighing over the land,Tossing my art plans to and fro,And a child held out her shining hand,So what could I do but laugh and go?after Richard LeGallienne

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-84013602905291939212008-06-30T06:00:00.014-05:002008-06-30T08:07:00.195-05:00

There's something to be said for being in the right place at the right time in your life. My week at the Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS) was everything I needed and more. I hardly know how to put it in to words. It was a learning experience on so many levels. I learned techniques and I learned about myself. I gained courage and insight, reconnected with my tribe, my art and my first love...

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-78439826619201899272008-06-17T06:55:00.005-05:002008-06-17T08:00:55.039-05:00

Come, sit a spell. The heat wave has broken and the breeze is gentle this morning on my front porch. Iced tea? The official start of summer is only a heartbeat away but if you have kids at home you know it really begins when school gets out. How do you define the beginning of summer? The solstice? the heat? the day you suddenly realize that the year is half over, or is half-completed? What does

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-77981959016693373312008-06-13T08:05:00.007-05:002008-06-13T09:03:31.907-05:00

I found this drawing yesterday while cleaning out a closet. Did you know I could draw? Sometimes I have to remind myself. You may have assumed, because I use photos in my work, that I don't draw. Well you are right in a way. I can draw, but I don't draw because it just takes me too much time. I want/need a more instant result and gratification. I know if I practiced daily that I would become

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-60517586603001362862008-06-11T18:50:00.005-05:002008-06-11T19:24:15.370-05:00

From your comments I've already received on my last post, if appears that some of you are under the impression that the fabric in the photos that I was talking about is part of the giveaway. No way, baby - that's mine, all mine. I'm not that crazy. It's what I set aside for a special project when I did the big fabric purge 2 weeks ago. Yes, many of you missed the chance at some of my stash

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-83403748824468644702008-06-11T08:44:00.005-05:002008-06-11T09:10:02.817-05:00

This weeks giveaway has been expanded to allow for 5 winners. I'll choose 5 random numbers from the comments I get on this post between now and noon next Wednesday, June 17th. Sorry folks, you cannot choose which book you get, but rest assured, they are all chock full of copyright-free images. Send your friends! Yes, the more comments I get, the less your chances are to win but, here's an

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-28898784877273325702008-06-10T10:08:00.009-05:002008-06-10T10:53:34.331-05:00

Oh where to begin. We lost our power last Wednesday, for a total of 36 hours, then had to wait until Monday am to get our Internet straightened out and back online. I didn't mind being incommunicado, I'm used to that when I teach/travel but it was interesting to be home and realize how dependant I was on it for the simplest of things. And of course my husband was unable to work at all which

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-27242614837777978072008-06-03T06:51:00.006-05:002008-06-03T08:14:53.862-05:00

The winner of last week's giveaway of The Studio issue 16 is Nikki Wheeler. A random number generator was used to pick the winning entry number.Stop pouting - you all have another chance now to win this Premier Issue of Play by Teesha Moore - 46 full color pages out of the private journals of pretty amazing artists - simply gorgeous. Post a comment by June 10th to be included in the drawing. And

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-85091101935305141392008-06-02T06:42:00.007-05:002008-06-02T10:48:48.437-05:00

We didn't even think we would see each other this year since I am not teaching, but my teaching roommate Claudine and her husband Paul, in town for a job interview, met us for dinner Saturday night and then stopped by the house. We fantasized about the fun we'd have if Paul gets the job and they move up here. So very cool. Claudine went to art school here in DC and would love to come back. Keep

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-78543643407143832242008-05-30T07:55:00.003-05:002008-05-30T09:10:55.530-05:00

This book appeared in my email box this morning - Standing at Waters Edge. It was in an email newsletter I get from Creativity Portal (excellent, BTW). Like I need another book. But of course this one was very timely and the fact that it appeared right after yesterday's blog post, well I had to investigate. So I read an excerpt on the Creativity Portal website and there it was WHAM! - words meant

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-29689469685573757942008-05-29T06:17:00.009-05:002008-05-29T13:19:41.514-05:00

First the giveaway. You see I'm still cleaning (this may take months ladies) and next to go are the zines. Not that I've absorbed all the knowledge in them, or finished being inspired by all the art they hold, but it's time to clear my space and my mind, so out they go. So here's an extra copy of The Studio by Teesha Moore. You just can't get these anymore. So leave me a comment and you'll be

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-59506569634178596642008-05-22T19:41:00.011-05:002008-05-24T12:08:18.090-05:00

The general consensus has been that you all want to see more art. I agree, I want to see more too. I want to see it pouring out of my hands, paint and fabric flying, colors lighting up the sky, work that makes my own heart swoon. But alas, it's the art of mothering, or actually grandmothering that I'm wrapped up in right now. But I am counting down the days...just 4 more weeks!One thing I am able

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-56098804914317279152008-05-16T00:01:00.000-05:002008-05-15T09:36:24.595-05:00

Wouldn't we all rather be in the studio all the time? It sounds like my idea of heaven, or the perfect vacation. Yet, just like we cannot forgo family, food and forty winks, we cannot forget about the business side of art. A good plan is to dedicate one day of the week to business-related art activity, but what do you do if you have a bazillion business things you need to do and all you really

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-30092024850216765462008-05-13T08:16:00.004-05:002008-05-13T08:22:28.990-05:00

Alyson Stanfield is making a stop here on Friday as part of her worldwide blog tour to promote her new book, I'd Rather Be in the Studio. If you haven't already heard, the book is full of wonderful info, amazing insight and practical help for those of us who need to stay on top of the business side of art. I have read the book, but I still have one question that's bogging me down. Fortunately

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-5407092498603069662008-05-11T08:02:00.003-05:002008-05-11T08:27:24.608-05:00

(I tried to get Riley to pick a name, but she wasn't cooperating.)There were 188 entries (including the 3 that came to my email) - an amazing number of entries. I was so touched by what many of you had to say - about my Mom, your Moms, Mother's Day and the generousity of the giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered. And the WINNER is...PAM KIRSH - "How very kind of you to share. Happy Mother's

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-54650556456644566232008-05-05T10:18:00.005-05:002008-05-05T10:52:53.317-05:00

In honor of mothers - yours, mine and your children's - I am having a Mothers Day giveaway. I have 13 image CDs that were given to me and I am now ready to pass them along. It's my way of giving back to the givers, the moms. I read a lovely article this morning in the Washington Post, Her True Calling: My Mother's Last Gift that reminded me a bit of myself (or at least how I want to be remembered

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com185tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-38606443599899839982008-05-04T12:10:00.004-05:002008-05-04T12:31:08.158-05:00

Yes, it's Cinco de Mayo and I'll be celebrating on the air! I will be the Featured Guest on ZNE BlogTalk Radio at 9:30 PM Eastern time. You do not need to be a member of ZNE to listen and you can text and call in questions too! Hope you will join us!

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-10582178069391329862008-04-29T15:08:00.003-05:002008-04-29T20:09:42.217-05:00

Lynn Meerkreebs Simpson1953-2008If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know I went to England in January when Lynn's husband Paul died. What I did not tell you is what happened to Lynn between my visit and her passing today. I hate to share bad or sad news, but some stories are just worth telling, if only to remind us about love and life.Lynn was born and raised here in Washington, DC

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-25660819267971159222008-04-27T07:46:00.005-05:002008-04-27T09:17:46.063-05:00

Yesterday was a day for indulging the senses. I saw, heard, smelled, touched and tasted beauty just as Goethe reminds us to: A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.My sister and I went to hear poet, David Whyte at the

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-80347444521101482272008-04-23T07:06:00.002-05:002008-04-23T07:26:01.125-05:00

It's so hard to have to keep my mouth shut about some things, but today I can share. Cate Prato, editor at Cloth paper Scissors has a new book coming out soon and I have a piece in it. Doesn't it look yummy! Quilting Arts will be taking pre-orders for it soon (10% discount to QA & CPS subscribers.) And you can pre-order and read more about Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques on

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-26931871564763114502008-04-20T08:00:00.003-05:002008-04-20T08:18:55.669-05:00

Come one, come all, to this amazing auction of 58, yes 58 cabinet card photos. Amazing likenesses of women, men, children from days gone by. And that's not all folks, the second auction is All Dolled Up - doll parts, doll related, angels, etc. Seeing is believing. Click on over to here for the photos and here for the dolls. Hurry - it's all over next Sunday, April 27th.(Darn, this guy is so cute,

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-25037308483116615612008-04-16T07:45:00.017-05:002008-04-17T08:49:02.159-05:00

This is where I was a year ago, on our wedding anniversary trip to Baltimore. With all that has happened this past year, it seems more than a year, almost like a lifetime ago. This year it will just be dinner and a movie (we haven't been to a movie in 5-10 years). We will sit and hold hands just like we did 38+ years ago when we went on dates to the movies. Ironically enough, the first movie we

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-91477390838287104032008-04-10T07:39:00.000-05:002008-04-10T08:13:22.236-05:00

Wow, yesterday's You Tube video just disappeared so I deleted that post. Lucky those of us that got to see it before it vanished. So here's some more eye candy to replace it. Pellon asked me to make them some Lutradur samples to take with them when they make sales calls to places like Michael's and Joann because the buyers don't understand what it is. So here is the sample book I made for them. I

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-13551109752661424272008-04-08T16:42:00.002-05:002008-04-09T09:15:01.322-05:00

If you missed seeing the rest of this, it's because youhaven't signed up for the Cloth Paper Scissors newsletter. To see what it is and how to make it, check out Issue #76. Yes, I've been busy. There is always something to do here in LaLas Land. 'Tis a magic land indeed. There is no shortage of inspiration here, only time. Just when I think I have a moment, wham something or someone calls my name

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-847164154629151612008-04-03T07:01:00.000-05:002008-04-03T08:52:17.052-05:00

Thank you all for your kind words, insightful comments and gentle admonishments to stay the same, be myself (who else could I be anyway?), and share my thoughts with you. I think all of us here in blog land need to know someone is listening. As I have said before, I would blog no-matter-what, it has become my journal. In fact, I think I read somewhere that you can have your blog entries made into

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-64882828140122073902008-03-30T07:40:00.000-05:002008-03-30T08:45:48.942-05:00

I was talking with Cindy O'Leary about computers today (she just got a new MAC). And I realized that I have been working on a PC computer for 23 years. That fact right there makes me feel so old. I think of my computer days as starting when the Internet became the WWW or World Wide Web in the mid-90s. I remember another conversation I had with a fellow artist Lynne Oakes. Back in those early days

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-68445139334430873282008-03-23T07:19:00.005-05:002008-03-24T07:45:24.428-05:00

(If you mouse over the image, the artist's name will appear)THE COMMON THREAD"What is the Common Thread that we as artists share? What are the ties that bind us together? We are not like one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. Artists are more like a collage, many patches, many pieces, many colors and sizes bound and held together by a common thread."I sent

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-67117160078914605992008-03-22T10:01:00.001-05:002008-03-22T10:55:42.676-05:00

Whether you celebrate the Easter holiday or not, it represents a time of renewal, of new life, new beginnings, of hope. Vernal Equinox, Spring, it is a time for planting seeds, for looking forward, for expectations ~ a time for creating. May this day of beginnings be a day for you to celebrate the creative seed inside your heart.

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-81313520074649838512008-03-20T07:09:00.000-05:002008-03-20T08:10:00.314-05:00

My workshop with Laurie Doctor was just what I needed. One cannot rush through calligraphy. You have to be fully present, relaxed and in the moment. And Laurie made sure of that. Each day began with stretching, balancing and relaxation exercises. Mindfulness. Silence. Shifting from the outside world to the inner space within ourselves, the space from which we create. If it had only been a one day

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-14341876553661055232008-03-12T10:01:00.000-05:002008-03-12T10:29:16.908-05:00

Back in 2005, 25 amazing artists got together to do a Self-Portrait collaboration. Many (most? all?) of the artists that you know from True Colors and Alphabetica were included, along with some talented, and at the time, newcomers. With 25 artists, we thought that it would take just 2 years to circulate the books. But as we all know, life often gets in the way of plans. But something good is

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-47648846326704066712008-03-10T15:51:00.000-05:002008-03-10T16:23:45.948-05:00

Embellishments is the weekly online newsletter on fiber and mixed media trends published by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. The most recent one appeared in my mailbox today and there was my article, Stash Building - As Easy as 1·2·3 by Lesley Riley. I'll be doing a series of articles for this FREE newsletter over the coming months. I'm sure you don't want to miss any tidbits, so be sure to sign-up

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-29749845920325282982008-03-09T10:00:00.000-05:002008-03-09T10:50:20.452-05:00

A favorite theme of mine, more like a lament, is that time moves too swiftly. Oh to be a child again, where Sundays dragged on f o r e v e r. And to make it worse, the clocks really did jump ahead an hour today. Noon already? It's enough to make a girl cry. It's been one of those weeks where you feel like you accomplish nothing, but you've been busy every minute. I know you know the feeling. I

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-68007162380398004772008-03-01T12:41:00.000-05:002008-03-01T13:05:36.555-05:00

Up for bid - two jam-packed boxes of mixed media fodder. As promised, I've listed the first 2 of many Priority Mail boxes of goodies from my stash. The top box is entitled Words & Letters, and is full of all things wordy and alphabetical ~ conversation cards, fortune-telling cards, and a load of letter and number tiles. It is all spelled out for you on Ebay in the complete listing, along with

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-22823991831923805612008-03-01T08:42:00.000-05:002008-03-01T09:04:55.083-05:00

After my pity party post, I stayed home Thursday and did some arting. That's my new work for it. My daughter texted and asked me to come over and to be brief I said "I'm arting." When you have 4 daughters between the ages of 13 and 28, you do a lot of text messaging on your cell phone. Sounds stupid I know, but that's how young people communicate today and now I'm in the habit too. I

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-60961328342220721592008-02-28T07:34:00.001-05:002008-02-28T16:47:20.440-05:00

Finally, some art! It's Good to Be Green is an invitational exhibit at the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center, in Tillamook, Oregon, curated by artist Larkin Van Horn. This innovative show runs from March 4 - May 4, with opening night on March 9th. I'd love to be at the opening but it's not going to happen. My piece, Define Green, has a large image transfer created from a 2x3" 19th century tintype*

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-73403815007663265162008-02-27T07:55:00.001-05:002008-02-27T12:55:08.096-05:00

Hop on over here to see some kangaroos in their unnatural habitat - on a golf course as photographed by Aussie student Sue Smith. Sue sent me a blog comment and a "You Make My Day" blog award. Thanks, Sue. It made my day! I did not see one kangaroo the whole time I was in Australia - a year and a lifetime ago. I was in awe the whole time I was there and am now in awe that I was even there and

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-63128920479890889782008-02-23T09:03:00.000-05:002008-02-23T11:13:50.658-05:00

This was one of the high points of my week - literally, about as high as you can get. The lunar eclipse was right outside my front door. The night was frigid, but the cloudless sky and unobstructed view beckoned. I set up my tripod and made calls to all my kids to make sure they were witnessing it. Events like this are magical to me. Think about it - something as huge as our planet casting an

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-24899378826224668272008-02-19T08:15:00.000-05:002008-02-19T09:09:03.957-05:00

The problem with cleaning your studio is that it is comprised of a lot of small organizational tasks - little steps that, for the most part, don't amount to much until the whole studio is clean, everything has a place and everything is in its place. For me, I'm not so sure that everything will have a place. In the process of unearthing stuff, I found this empty box that I must have purchased for

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-55200727708783212292008-02-14T16:27:00.000-05:002008-02-14T16:30:13.889-05:00

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-63057538397243972422008-02-14T07:34:00.000-05:002008-02-14T08:52:10.160-05:00

How many times can one fall in love? I am happy to say that my heart is bottomless beyond belief, wide beyond imagination and yet filled to overflowing. This grandmother thing is the best deal in town. Two days ago I stopped by to see my trio of granddaughters who have been sick with a variety of February bugs and was greeted by 3 princesses. My camera was at home! Yesterday Julia came by to

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-7774224697701794422008-02-12T19:36:00.000-05:002008-02-12T19:44:29.813-05:00

I've been too busy to blog but Riley's two aunts, Kelly and Kerry, said I really need to post an entry, so here's a preview ~ Riley Ann Crawford - 2/10/08, 8 lbs, 4 oz. 21" of beauty. I definately think she has an artist's hands, such long fingers (& toes too!). Sam had an easy delivery. Marc was an excellent coach. Grandma got soem great photos. More tomorrow~

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-65462725639267728112008-02-08T09:10:00.000-05:002008-02-08T09:44:13.469-05:00

Due day came and went. Yesterday the DR said, "No change." Sam went home a very disappointed Mom-to-Be. I remember those final days before the big one. I went past my due date with every single pregnancy. Back in "the day" they just waitied it out, didn't induce. I went 16, 17 days with 2 of them. Now they seem to want to induce anyone a week past due date. They checked her on the fetal monitor

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-60179616377346968742008-02-03T14:45:00.000-05:002008-02-03T15:09:07.159-05:00

I find it hard to focus on anything else right now, so I am spending my waiting time cleaning. Cleaning my room, my closets, my stacks of papers and boxes where things were tossed after hurried homecomings from far and near. Things that I have put off sorting through for the last 2 years (or is it 3?). I feel that I now have the luxury of time to devote to some organization. A cleaning out of the

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-46389977249988911612008-01-31T14:22:00.000-05:002008-01-31T14:58:08.982-05:00

I feel like this photo was just taken. Isn't that dress still in her closet? She can't have grown so fast. Looking at the photo now, Sam exclaimed, "What was I wearing?" She always was a little fashionista - loved to dress up. When did my babies start having babies? That's one of those rhetorical questions...I know when, but what I mean is, how did the time move so fast? At what point did my

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-40970524374308073672008-01-24T19:52:00.000-05:002008-01-24T20:43:19.023-05:00

Some of the things I saw in England reminded me of Italy. The rolling green hills with trees few and far between. Reminiscent of the landscape I saw in the Napa region of California, but not here on the east coast where trees are abundant. I mean, geesh, I live in a neighborhood called Greenwich Forest. What does that tell you? The winding cobbled roadways, the stone facades perched right there

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-61647626279570922822008-01-23T07:26:00.000-05:002008-01-23T09:23:02.670-05:00

Paul Simpson met Lynn at Camp America where they were both counselors back in 1975. It was love at first sight.That's something you need when your love spans an ocean. Paul died suddenly on January 11th, in the middle of playing his Friday night football (soccer) game. I want to die doing what I love. When I heard the news, there was no question in my mind that I had to go. Lynn and Paul's

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-84942521120593349422008-01-13T18:35:00.000-05:002008-01-13T18:42:33.809-05:00

Grace is what I need right now. This is a lovely card sent to me by a dear, dear woman I met in New Zealand, Ailsa, neighbor of dear, sweet Wendy. I was moved by the beauty of it, the soft silk/satin fabric, the simple word, Grace inserted behind the ribbon.Tomorrow I leave for England. This is not the trip to England I thought I would take someday. My dear friend Lynn, the woman I've know for

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-2499722056555428382008-01-09T19:00:00.000-05:002008-01-13T18:34:37.935-05:00

Today I had a thought. My internal motor is always running at max speed. Even when I'm idling, I think my engine runs close to 80 or 90 mph. I think I sleep at 50 mph - no kidding! I wasn't always that way. I used to enjoy just sitting in a nice hot bath, adding more and more hot water until the water heater ran cold. Now, while I adore the feeling of being immersed in a hot bath, I'm usually in

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-30956100135753490452008-01-09T07:40:00.000-05:002008-01-09T07:55:37.742-05:00

Just a quick note to share some news. The death certificate arrived and the cause of my mother's death was listed as Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Perhaps it was safer, easier, less riskier for the DR to say so after the fact. A bone marrow biopsy would have given them a definitive diagnosis at the time, but at what physical and emotional cost to my mom? Knowing doesn't change anything. I think we all

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-45071217805197200502008-01-07T07:42:00.000-05:002008-01-07T08:42:05.924-05:00

I want to deeply, deeply, thank everyone who has sent a comment, whether through the blog or personally. I didn't know the blessing it would be when I started writing, but the community of those who care or who have shared a similar experience made this whole process so much easier for me and my family. Your words and thoughts spread much farther than the internet cable & monitor - right into our

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-19149552887242334572008-01-04T07:45:00.000-05:002008-01-04T09:35:47.986-05:00

It was the babies who brought her the greatest joy ~ they have that effect on everyone don't they. Everyday as I walked to her hospital room, rode up and down the elevators to the cafeteria and back again, I was sorry that the days are long gone when you could drop in on the Maternity floor to take a look at the fresh babies all lined up in the nursery. You need the joy of birth to counteract the

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-57012265779747400392008-01-03T07:37:00.000-05:002008-01-03T08:55:01.039-05:00

When my mother went back to the ER that 3rd time, Friday, December 14th, word went around, "Mrs. Jackson is back." She must have been an unusual patient for them to remember her. It had only been three weeks, but this is a huge regional hospital with an ER of over 50 treatment spaces, all usually full. Unusual and charming. Even in the worst of circumstances she tried to be her charming self, "

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-83534653595711406292008-01-02T16:36:00.000-05:002008-01-02T20:07:48.120-05:00

I'm jumping ahead in the "Sad Story" to share a bit of joy that came our way today during my mother's burial service at Arlington National Cemetery. My mother never wanted to talk about death or dying. But long ago she said to us that when she goes, she wants to be buried in a warm wood box. This cherry casket has warm written all over it, even today on this 30 degree (wind chill 20), overcast

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-63001924205420741812008-01-01T10:39:00.000-05:002008-01-01T11:54:12.837-05:00

My mother's second visit to the ER is when, where and how we began to really understand how sick she was. In the ER you have a whole team of DRs looking at everything - the whole patient. I was there with her that day, she couldn't go it alone. I was not only emotional support, but I was there, just as my sister was on the prior and next admission, to answer the questions correctly. When the

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-49688188950878341732007-12-31T18:24:00.000-05:002007-12-31T19:26:51.536-05:00

I still don't know why she died, but I do know how she died. One of my father's ex-POW friends asked what she died of and I had to say, "I don't really know." It wasn't until she checked into the ER for the 3rd time in as many months, on December 14th, that we really knew how sick she was. It all unfolded like a series of misfortunate events, a victim of specialized medicine. Everyone treated a

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-5396089052985037392007-12-31T09:07:00.000-05:002007-12-31T10:49:53.785-05:00

I cannot end the year on a sad note. Know that sadness does not hang over our house as we end the year celebrating my mother's life. We had a most lovely service for my mother on Saturday. I spent 2 days compiling the music, framing photos and designing and printing the program, while my husband worked on the eulogy. We wanted a very personal service that reflected my mother and the family she

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-34009457500942536692007-12-25T13:51:00.000-05:002007-12-25T14:04:39.046-05:00

June Elisabeth Jackson9/9/25 ~ 12/25/07

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-1403976605435554622007-12-20T17:15:00.000-05:002007-12-20T17:36:31.241-05:00

For those of you that have sent prayers and kind loving words, and yes, well for those of you who have not written but carry us in your thoughts, every kind thought, every whispered prayer helps. I want to let you know that my mother has been in hospice care since Monday. We try to keep her comfortable but that also means she can no longer speak to us. Everyone had the opportunity to say goodbye

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-86677870890604532062007-12-12T15:19:00.000-05:002007-12-12T15:22:03.673-05:00

My mother is not doing well. My Christmas wish is for you to send prayers and positive energy her way.

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-65380975391340698472007-12-08T09:12:00.000-05:002007-12-08T10:30:40.912-05:00

The snow that fell on Wednesday will be gone by the end of the day with the light rain that is falling and the high 40s temperatures. As I look outside the window, I can see both white and green patches. The yin and yang of a winter that will soon be upon us. I only really love snow when I have nowhere to go, when I can watch as each infinitesimally small flake joins with others to create and

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-45277068886955384752007-12-03T19:05:00.000-05:002007-12-03T19:29:10.160-05:00

The wind has certainly stirred things up around here today. Before 11am I had dodged both a fallen wire strung across the road, and a big overstuffed bag of leaves - big, like Santa's sack big - rolling around the Beltway after falling off a truck. Dodged that and the car that swerved to miss it too. Then I get to the hospital where my Mom has returned and had to accost the DR as he tried to

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-52110907951916188922007-11-29T07:24:00.000-05:002007-11-29T08:17:52.004-05:00

This book, Going Gray, keeps popping into my universe. I have been eyeing it for a while, even saw the author, Anne Kreamer, on one of the morning talk shows. I still was not tempted to read/buy it because, well, I've been there/done that. The author's going gray refers to her allowing the gray to show, to stop dyeing her hair. I never did dye mine. But today I read a review of the book on Terry

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-845686880257839792007-11-25T19:24:00.000-05:002007-11-25T19:34:28.357-05:00

This is the reward I get for being a good mother tonight. Kelly asked me to run her over to her friend's house to pick up something. I was tired but I said "yes". I opened the front door to this glorious moon and felt a rush of energy and beauty surround me. I was going to make a quick trip of it and drive, but I went back inside and to get my tripod, not yet put away after the Thansgiving family

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-25666521458322101112007-11-23T08:50:00.000-05:002007-11-23T10:09:03.480-05:00

This photo is for you, Lynn, across the ocean in England, a friend for 41 years. 41 years? Can that really be true? But weren't we both just 14 last year - Fellow yellow gorillas in our Suburban Hospital candy-striper yellow pinafores?Lynn asked me to take a photo of everyone this Thanksgiving. I'm not sure if I would have done the whole tripod/timer/portrait thing if she had not asked. Surely if

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-67055927318237289882007-11-16T13:21:00.000-05:002007-11-16T14:41:06.728-05:00

Babsarella! aka Barbara. My daughter Sam drew the lucky winners name. If I had to choose I would have picked you all. This has truly been (or is, as it's still Nov. 16) the best birthday. My biggest smile was from Sequana's comment which said, "Just wait till you hit 60...still better yet!" Isn't it grand having so much to look forward to?

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-20174816893782925662007-11-14T16:34:00.000-05:002007-11-14T18:12:21.104-05:00

Can I call this a red letter day? All these good things happened to me in 3s today. Three's a number, not a letter, but who has ever heard of a red number day. Mind you, these aren't fantastic things, but there were enough of them to make it a very special day, just the kind where everything goes right and you find unexpected joys in little things. 1. While shopping at one of the super Joann

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-12586601203045316682007-11-11T08:06:00.000-05:002007-11-11T08:38:26.544-05:00

My birthday is on Friday and I am celebrating by giving you a present! Come to my virtual party this week and leave a comment. On Friday, I will draw a name from the group and the winner will be gifted with this lovely Fragment. That's my grandmother in the photo, Lulu Vivian. The quote reads: If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you; I came to live out loud. ~ Emile

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-74575267877732245542007-11-10T17:19:00.000-05:002007-11-10T18:05:17.373-05:00

I owe you a nice long post about my time in Houston and how my first week off from teaching & traveling has been (wonderful & creative), but I just had to make this quick post to tell you all about my Dad. He is a WWII Vet. He was also a German POW for 18 months. AOL selected him to be the face & voice of their WWII segment for Veterans Day. Watch the video HERE. He's the 2nd interview ~ WWII.I

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-14864027615581870132007-10-26T07:08:00.000-05:002007-10-27T14:07:54.987-05:00

It is finally fall here. After weeks of 80-90 degree days, the rain and cool temps have descended. Red, russet and golden leaves carpet my walk. Sweaters have come out of the closet and the cool, damp air is breathed deep into my lungs. I have always loved the fall. I associate it with of one of my favorite memories throughout grade school....the day they handed out the textbooks at school. No

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-49398977096400879872007-10-23T07:37:00.000-05:002007-10-23T08:29:30.057-05:00

DARN. I just realized that I never took a pix of the Foundry Art Centre. I was enamored of the place. It was such a delightful weekend, weather-wise, facility-wise, and most of all, people-wise. The Show-Me state showed me a really good time, beginning with the wonderful Laura Helling, who has directed this art center into a very integral and moving force in the St. Charles community in the 4

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-76747865806781194562007-10-16T16:55:00.000-05:002007-10-16T18:53:10.997-05:00

I always feel like a bad blogger because I do not post any art that I: a) have made, b) am working on, or c) am planning. This is a very good point in my art career. One could say that I have "made it". Everything I do is for publication in books (mine or others), or magazines, TV taping, or new classes - in other words, I am in demand. Because of that demand, I have been travelling and teaching,

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-21924428886605212852007-10-11T15:49:00.000-05:002007-10-11T16:10:53.754-05:00

My life has been so crazy busy lately, I forgot to share some really exciting news. I'm a cover girl!!! on the next issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, due on newsstands November 1st, just in time for my November birthday. The cover artwork was done for my article on rust. Remember rust? This is a long time dream come true, dating back to when I was editor of my high school year book, dreaming of

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-76948524942379476692007-10-11T07:17:00.000-05:002007-10-11T08:42:56.648-05:00

I wasn't very good about pulling out my camera at Art & Soul. I had it with me when Claudine, Karen, and Sas went out to dinner. I remember thinking I should ask the Sweet Basil waitress to take our photo, but promptly forgot. It must have been the Asian Pumpkin Curry. That restaurant is to die for. If you're local to or visiting Portland you must go. Do it for me please. yum. Anyway, back to Art

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-13815250309542611482007-09-28T18:06:00.000-05:002007-09-28T19:57:54.554-05:00

By the time I arrived at the lovely B&B in Berkeley last Friday night, the sun had just about set. The cottage was located behind the main house, so I asked the shuttle driver to wait until I found my way. This welcoming light was all I needed (well that and the key), to know that I was "home". Being a quasi flower child of the 60s, I was excited to be staying in Berkeley. I had not realized that

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-9534902428760449572007-09-19T07:29:00.000-05:002007-09-19T07:52:54.435-05:00

On Monday I was emailing my contact at Golden Paints. She asked how things were going. I said, "They could be better." Her response was, "Maybe buy some new shoes." Funny thing is, I had done just that. Bought a pair on Friday from my always there, "need a fix" shop Zappos.com, and they were here by Monday. I was actually shopping for these but fell in love with the ones you see here, gracing my

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-61420125188650119192007-09-17T06:55:00.000-05:002007-09-17T07:39:40.939-05:00

It had been a very scattered day, finding out early in the morning that my mother had been taken to the hospital. My sister was there with my Dad and nothing was too seriously wrong, so I stayed home and tried to work and stay ahead of my deadlines and teaching preparations. I would be there tomorrow. Tomorrow was soon enough.I worked all day and got things done but never really felt a sense of

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-74374519130886249622007-09-12T08:27:00.000-05:002007-09-13T08:14:22.767-05:00

I just finished watching Claudine on Martha Stewart and after my own experience yesterday, I have a whole new appreciation for what goes into the making of a TV show. And Claudine did it LIVE!I was luckier, my 3 segments for Quilting Arts TV were taped. That means we could stop & start and correct anything that we flubbed. Not that we did that - well, OK, yes we did. But it was unrehearsed and

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-82440627522032842252007-09-09T07:00:00.000-05:002007-09-09T08:38:22.363-05:00

Wow. A week ago I was in the ER standing by my son. Today he is back to his usual routine and following up on some accident related vision and dental problems, but nothing major. Amen. He will have another CAT scan in 10 days but the DR thinks it will show that everything is OK...physically. Emotionally, I think we both have a new awareness and appreciation of the daily lives we can be so easily

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-554508553739314622007-09-03T14:51:00.000-05:002007-09-03T16:30:58.326-05:00

It's the phone call no one wants to ever get. The one that shoots fear and adrenaline through your sleepy body at 3:30 in the morning. "This is Suburban Hospital Emergency Room. Your son has been in an auto accident. He appears to have no major injuries but he is not responding the way he should so we are going to do a CAT scan."I was up, dressed and there within minutes and spent the next 15

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-41000581327545657302007-08-28T13:29:00.000-05:002007-08-29T17:03:31.500-05:00

Big news! My DVD, EXPLORING FABRIC COLLAGE is now on sale for only $19.95 (a whopping $10 off!) through the producer CCP Videos. Early Holiday present? Can't make it to a class? Here's a great opportunity to fulfill one of your wishes. Hurry!!! Sale ends Tuesday, September 4th.More than just instruction on creating a fabric altered book, you can watch and listen to my thought processes on color

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-4801739262851607912007-08-27T06:53:00.000-05:002007-08-27T07:02:42.931-05:00

We dropped our daughter Sam off at college this weekend. On our way up we stopped and met her boyfriend's family. As Marc's mother, Anne said, we just keep outdoing her by one - she has 5 children, we have 6, she's one of 11 children, my husband Buddy is one of 12. But we are both the same when it comes to having great kids. That night, after we headed home, Marc surprised Sam with this promise

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-23655328309207090912007-08-26T08:35:00.000-05:002007-08-26T09:06:30.511-05:00

I'm here. I flit from family to art, to article writing, to art, to family, to organizing my workspace, to art, to family and back again...sometimes all in the same afternoon. Some may call it ADD, others multitasking. Me, I just call it life. I think I feel better if I get a little bit of everything done rather than spending inordinate hours on one area while the others go unattended and

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-57130730265120502672007-08-07T14:00:00.000-05:002007-08-07T14:45:35.010-05:00

Oh how I wish I was painting pictures. This is utilitarian painting in an attempt to get organized. Most of you know that my studio and my bedroom are one and the same. A few of you have been inside these hallowed walls and know how the studio part is overtaking the bedroom part. This wall unit is an attempt to bring some order. It was installed in my parents house and they did not take it with

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-42856545575818679942007-08-06T18:35:00.000-05:002007-08-06T18:43:35.678-05:00

My dear friend, Melissa Hackmann is the consummate artist. She's due to have a baby tomorrow (see her note upper left corner of her sketchbook page) and spent today on an artist's date (herself & baby) at the Museum of African Art here in DC. I just stopped by her blog and was drawn in by her sketchbooks. Arting up to the very end. I love it!She's also headed off to teach at Art & Soul in

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-41939779362591400872007-08-05T10:41:00.000-05:002007-08-05T10:43:35.207-05:00

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-19294187073029600352007-07-29T09:57:00.000-05:002007-07-29T11:07:07.111-05:00

Sam took this pix on our way to the beach. I was the driver. Not to worry, we were stopped in traffic before we even got to the Bay Bridge. Seems like more & more people head to the shore each year. Traffic is a given, so we make the best of it. The B hats? Kerry is the Boston fan. So we all donned the caps, turned up the radio and rocked on. We had perfect weather all week. Cool breezes, low

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-87365493926772608212007-07-17T18:06:00.000-05:002007-07-17T18:49:14.214-05:00

It's been a while since I have posted. Please forgive me. But really, when it boils right down to it, this blog takes the backseat to my "real" life - my family. I am rolling around in the grass of family, wrapping the blanket of family around me and diving into the pool of family water. I love it. It is what I have been missing the most for the past few years while I have been being an artist,

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-35750718430322013092007-07-01T10:30:00.000-05:002007-07-01T10:34:48.355-05:00

We're all good here. Grandma has been by every day. I am eating well and gaining weight. Yesterday I went to grandma's house for my cousin Emma's 9th birthday party. The weather was perfect. Of course I was passed around to great-grandma Junie, various aunts, uncles and cousins. It was fun but tiring. Four more days until grandma leaves for Idyllwild. What's Mom gonna do?

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-66305162011022669412007-06-23T17:24:00.000-05:002007-06-23T17:46:07.844-05:00

ArrivedJune 22, 200710:52 pm6 lbs, 2 oz19" of perfect beautyand I was there for it all.Kathryn Elizabeth RileyArrivedJune 22, 2006Enjoying her first birthday cake.And I was there for all of it.Because her party was today, June 23.It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-43448917693801849872007-06-19T08:05:00.001-05:002007-06-19T09:04:21.191-05:00

We're still on baby watch here, so in the meantime I'll share an Italy memory of every child's dream. We were in Florence, strolling through the city in between the rain showers. We turned a corner into a square and magic appeared before my eyes - a full size, grandiose carousel in all her glory. I could barely believe my eyes. Photo ops like this just don't happen at home. It was like being in

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-15971759676289228222007-06-16T07:51:00.000-05:002007-06-16T08:06:07.264-05:00

Llewellyn travelled from California to Italy to take my class. Rumour has it she is 90. I cannot begin to tell you the places she has gone, the classes she has taken. She is a fine bookbinder but said she learned more in this class than she ever has. I don't think she meant art though. It was her first mixed media class. Her first class where serendipity and creating were the goal. I know that

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-4509327458059561112007-06-15T08:28:00.000-05:002007-06-16T07:43:57.808-05:00

Here we are - the women of Pienza. Thursday afternoon was spent doing Show & Tell. It was the most entertaining and interesting one I have ever done, because everyone was full of such interesting stories and spoke with such passion about what they had done to create their book. Their journal was a place to record not only meals, wines sampled and duomos seen, but a chance to record memories in

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-11938131876556849532007-06-13T06:43:00.000-05:002007-07-21T07:50:41.376-05:00

This is not a post about learning the language, but about the class I taught in Italy. Although it did not feel like teaching ~ more like a big art party. The beauty of it was having a full week to create a work of beauty, surrounded by all the beauty that is Italy. The classroom was huge and a cool respite from the afternoon sun. I thought I would have some defectors in the afternoon (who would

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-74269093563533273222007-06-08T07:03:00.001-05:002007-06-08T07:40:35.142-05:00

I finally found a fabric store in Italy and it was CLOSED. So frustrat-ing. There it was, chanced upon Sunday afternoon during our rainy day stroll through Florence. But I imagine that was a very good thing: a) because I saved a lot of Euros, and b) fabric is so very heavy and it would have cost even more to take it home in overweight luggage. So I did the next best thing, I took a picture of the

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-71463362873032176242007-06-06T05:11:00.001-05:002007-06-06T07:09:01.171-05:00

Remember how I said I knew I was meant to be on the low road, let me tell you why. There are quintessential photos of Tuscany - ones you see in every calendar: the white chapel, a stand of cypress, a rolling landscape with hay bales. Various photographers have captured them and to me, they are as sacred as any fresco or duomo. After leaving the country chapel I continued my walk along the dusty

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-68411375751686898122007-06-04T16:25:00.001-05:002007-06-04T19:57:49.057-05:00

My sister has noticed that I begin each Italy entry with a door or entrance of sorts. I hadn't even noticed. I think that says something deep and meaningful about my blogging or writing process, but I cannot summon up any deep meaning behind it at the moment. Beginnings? Openings? The wonderland that Alice found behind a door? Dream interpretation says it means new opportunities. Yes, that seems

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-9566289840417893822007-06-04T06:59:00.000-05:002007-06-04T08:44:00.335-05:00

We arrived in Florence at the Santa Maria Novella (S.M.N. for short) train station on Sunday (wow, really just a week ago?) in a pouring rain. Soaking. Steady. We had 3 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and no free hands for an umbrella. I knew our hotel was just a block or so away from the station, but no one could tell us exactly how to get there...they tried, but we could not understand. The S.M.N. Train

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999796.post-53431854060264049952007-06-01T17:53:00.000-05:002007-06-07T07:15:48.537-05:00

Thomas Whately wrote in 1770, "A monument of antiquity is never seen with indifference." I am not one to seek out the famous, the grand duomos and palaces of Italy. I take pleasure in seeing them. I am in awe of their beauty and marvel at their sense of history. Knowing that someone great and powerful, Michelangelo, perhaps, or Galileo, stood in the very same place I now stand, provides me with a

Lesley Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14886738338936113459noreply@blogger.com2