slowly she turned

Living the Slow life in North Carolina

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  • New books

    Consumed with enthusiasm and a little uncertainty about my Etsy store. I sold my first book, “The Search for Peace,” today to one of my blog readers – thank you so much!

    The uncertainty comes partly from not being very secure about my art, not having the training or face-to-face contacts with many other book artists, seeing awesome books displayed on other blogs and networks and trying oh so hard not to compare my work but ultimately failing. I’m not a competitive person with others, but I know that I do tend to be hard on myself, so I’m trying to keep the neurosis at bay. It’s an internal thing – all the compliments in the world won’t cure it because it’s a problem with my vision.

    The other part of the uncertainty is that whenever I have begun to sell my work in the past, it has changed it for me in a negative direction. The jewelry was not so bad, though; that was more of a problem with bad luck with galleries and craft shows. I really only stopped doing it because of eyesight and having way too much inventory – also my growing interest in paper and books. So maybe I won’t start seeing dollar signs when I make something – that’s the direction that I hate. “Can I sell this? How much should I charge?” It kills my creativity.

    I still need to put up more photos – I’m using a borrowed camera and my last session was done in a rush, so the results were not so great for many of the shots. Here’s a few that came out okay:

    Dream Journal:

    Red/Rainbow Longstitch Journal:

    Blue Longstitch Journal:

    Drip Book (this is the one ZhaK bought):

    I called it “Drip Book” because the handmade paper was dripped on by a sudden rainstorm accidentally when it was drying outside. I decided I liked the drip hole and used it for this cover.

    Went to Ed McKay’s and came home with a haul. Some books I want to read, some books that I’ll gut and paint and collage.

    Work is ratcheting up. What a shock to the system after such a slow summer. I can never decide if I like it or not. Who am I kidding – I love having a slow summer. I’m a Slow person.

  • http://slowturnstudio.etsy.com

    There are a lot of things that I need to learn about selling on Etsy, and I figure that I’ll never learn until I try.

    For sales that do not need to be shipped, please contact me at slow.turn.studio at gmail.com

    T’ank you veddy much.

  • A wonderful weekend is coming to a close. I cooked fresh green corn shucks with soda ash to make paper with Susanne in her well-equiped paper studio next weekend. I hung out over there for a couple of hours and saw their new vegetable and herb garden.

    The fabulous ZhaK came by with an awesome book on ballooning that she found on the free shelf at Ed McKays. You would have to see it to understand how cool this book is, with lots of vintage ads and posters.

    I tested and tweaked the Etsy store today, and I should be able to announce its opening this week.

    I froze butterbeans with okra today, but I’m not happy with the butterbeans. They looked past their peak, for sure. The okra, however, was mostly tender babies, less than two inches long. I bet I’ll end up eating the okra and tossing the beans.

    I’ll try again next week because if I can get some more of that corn from Clapp Farms, I’m all over it.

    I picked a double handful of barely ripe figs to put inside. I hope that they will ripen after picking. If this works, I may be deliriously fig-happy for a while.

    We went to Fishbones tonight and splurged on dinner. Yum! It really is one of Greensboro’s best kept secrets. I was selfishly thinking about how I shouldn’t mention it any more because I don’t want it to get overcrowded.

    Peaches and pears will have to be dealt with tomorrow night. I’m taking it easy for the rest of the evening.

  • The Five Mindfulness Trainings, Part Two

    I didn’t want this comment by David Conway under this post to go unnoticed, because it is beautiful and helpful, too.

    August 9th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
    Thay has implied in a talk that these revised trainings were produced by the fourfold Sangha. You may be interested to know that this is not the case. Hundreds of retreatants worked deeply at Plum Village in a process started on November 15th 2008 and lasting across three retreats at Plum Village – Winter, Francophone and 21-Day. The fourfold Sangha produced a new version on June 14th, quite different in spirit and tone from that which has recently been published in their name. I thought you might like to see it and have therefore posted it below.

    ==========

    Introduction

    The 5 mindfulness trainings are guidelines for an open-hearted response to life’s challenges and for caring for our world. They are also doors that open to peace, joy and freedom.

    Based on the insights of interbeing – the dynamic and supportive interdependence of all things – the trainings express the realization that our suffering is not separate from the suffering of others and that our happiness is not separate from the happiness of others.

    Aware that all actions originate in the mind, the trainings invite us to embody understanding and compassion in our thinking, speaking and acting. They are to be practiced with compassion, skill and flexibility, conscious that our understanding is still developing and that circumstances may call for new insights and ways of acting.

    Each time we practice a training, we offer a priceless gift to the world and to ourselves.

    First mindfulness training: Respect for life

    Aware of the suffering caused by lack of respect for life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants and the Earth.

    Knowing that harmful actions arise from incomplete understanding, I am committed to developing my insight into the nature of reality. I will practice recognizing and transforming mental states that cloud awareness, such as fear, anger, intolerance and dogmatism. I am committed to practicing non-attachment to views and will listen with an open mind to those who hold perspectives different from my own. I will also try to understand and enter into dialogue with those who seek to impose their views through means such as war, fanaticism or terror.

    Aware that I harm myself when I harm living beings and the Earth, I am determined to reduce suffering and nourish in my community respect for the diversity and preciousness of all life.

    Second mindfulness training: Generosity and Justice

    Aware of the suffering caused by self-centeredness and greed, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thoughts, words and actions.

    Knowing that true happiness comes from caring for myself and others, and not from the pursuit of wealth, fame, or power, I will live a simple sustainable life and practice joy on the path of service.

    I am determined to take only what is freely given and I will choose the products I buy and use with awareness of their impact on other beings and our precious Earth.

    I am committed to finding ways to stand with and share my resources with those who are in need. I will work with others to create just and generous societies.

    Third mindfulness training: Cultivating loving relationships

    Aware of the suffering caused by the unmindful use of sexual energy, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to promote loving and respectful relationships.
    I will generate joy, kindness, compassion and inclusiveness, in myself and others – these are the foundation of true love and intimacy.

    Knowing that sexual activity motivated by craving harms myself and others, I will be mindful of the source of my desires. I am aware that sexual energy is sacred and at the base of all life. I will learn appropriate ways to express my sexual energy or to transform it into the energies pf service and spiritual growth. If I choose to engage in a sexual relationship, I will do so only when there is love, mutual respect and a commitment to deepen the relationship. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I will be mindful of the consequences of my actions, and I will respect my commitments and the commitments of others.

    I will work to create a world in which every child, woman and man is loved and protected, where there is tolerance and compassion and in which there is reverence and support for both sexual and non-sexual relationships of love and respect.

    Fourth mindfulness training: Compassionate listening and loving speech

    Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen, I am committed to cultivating compassionate listening and truthful loving speech, in order to bring happiness to myself and others.

    I am determined to listen with my heart, recognizing the suffering in myself and others, and to speak truthfully and kindly. I will look into the sources of my views so that my thoughts and words are not distorted by wrong perception or strong emotions. I will choose words that inspire compassion, confidence and joy. I will endeavour to resolve all conflicts, however small. I am committed to working for peace and reconciliation in my family, community, nation and the global society.

    Fifth mindfulness training: Nourishing peace and joy

    Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to looking deeply into the consequences of what I eat, drink, use, purchase and allow into my consciousness.

    Knowing that everything I consume has the potential of nourishing happiness or suffering, I am committed to consuming only items that nourish well-being in my body and consciousness and in the collective body and consciousness. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant.

    Rather than seeking to escape unpleasant feelings by losing myself in entertainments or other distractions, I will practice recognizing, embracing and transforming the perceptions and memories that give rise to my unhappiness and cravings. I will breathe and walk mindfully so that I am able to touch the many wonders of life that are always available.

  • Saturday morning coffee pot post

    With chocolate milk added!

    I had hoped to post photos of my newest books today, but I had also hoped that I could transfer the photos on my memory card from my printer to my computer. If it’s possible, I can’t figure it out. So I’ll have to borrow a camera again to transfer the photos until my camera issues are resolved. I didn’t send it back to Office Depot until yesterday so I don’t know how long it will take or what the outcome will be. I hope that it will be in the form of a gift card so that I can upgrade to a better camera.

    Art Oasis was so much fun! Susanne is a great partner. We made plans to work together throughout the year and I’m going to go to the art department head and see if I can get credit for an independent studio with her. She teaches in a special program at UNCG but the question is whether she is considered part-time Art faculty. I know that it doesn’t really work that way in the History department, but the Art department needs a non-digital book arts instructor and she’s already on the payroll.

    First I sold my favorite book, which had a walnut stained artichoke paper cover with spine reinforcements and decorative elements from my dotty painted artichoke papers, a handmade clay bead from my ceramic days, and watercolor/etching type paper gleaned from the printmaking studio. I knew that I’d sell it because it was the only one that I didn’t get a photo of! Then the fabulous ZhaK and Susan came by with a bag of peace rocks and she bought the rain book with handmade recycled paper and map spine reinforcements and trade beads.

    The peace rocks were cool. This woman paints peace symbols on rocks and is trying to make and give away 1000 of them by August 31. I kept one, put the rest out on the table and mostly gave them to kids, who were attracted to them and thrilled to get one for free.

    I bought an adorable stuffed snail made from socks and Sandy bought a couple of wedding presents, so we returned the money to the art world pretty quickly! Susanne sold a book and made several trades that she was thrilled with. She gave me some lovely iris paper. I loved the variety of work that was at the event. Good job, Green Hill.

    The curator from Green Hill asked for our cards and talked about an exhibit of artist’s books that she is planning at one of the libraries. That was exciting.

    After the event was over, Sandy and I had a bite to eat and a drink at Cafe Europa next to the fountain on the patio. I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather and my energy lift while it lasted, because it is supposed to get really hot today.

    Speaking of which, I guess I’d better get dressed and go to the Greensboro Farmers’ Curb Market before the heat gets unbearable. Then I’m going to Leon’s Beauty School for a haircut, and I’m going to gather up some plant materials to take to Susanne to cook and beat in her Hollander for papermaking.

  • I spent $40 at the Greensboro Farmers’ Curb Market this morning. This is what I got:

    11 HUGE fragrant freestone peaches: a couple for eating, the rest will be sliced and put in the food dehydrator.

    About 6 delicious little pears, plus the one she gave me as a taste sample.

    2 big sweet onions

    About 4 pounds of speckled butterbeans in the shell for freezing. I love shelling butterbeans. My inner child is saying “What?”

    A pint of baby okra to go with the butterbeans.

    A dozen ears of bicolor corn: some for eating today, some for freezing, shucks for papermaking.

    One big free-range chicken breast

    Two pounds of grass-fed ground beef

    A head of hydroponic green leaf lettuce

    Numbness in my right hand fingers from hauling this bounty back to the car!

    Dang! I forgot the goat cheese.

    I have kale, garlic, potato onions, tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary, my own butterbeans, field peas, other shell beans, carrots, and figs, if I can beat the birds to them.

    Life is good.

  • What a day!

    The Art Oasis was fun, the weather was perfect, and it was just the right amount of time. Nice crowd. I hope that Green Hill will do this again! (And I sold two books, woo hoo!)

    Since I’m a good kind of tired, I’ll elaborate tomorrow. I have photos of books to post. I’m just fulfilling my daily blogging goal tonight.

  • I stayed home again today and finally got a jolt of energy after Susanne called about tomorrow’s Art Oasis. I have several books that are nearly to the finishing line so I think that I’ll be able to finish them up tonight and take photos with a borrowed camera tomorrow.

    I know that congestion had something to do with this energy vacuum but I think that there was a bit of sleep deprivation and depression to be contended with as well. I’m finally hungry, so some food ought to pick me up some more. It’s not generally a bad thing for me to lose my appetite, but I got things to do.

    Susanne and I talked about the trip to Italy next June and how I might go to the head of the Art Department to see if it is possible for me to get a one-hour credit for independent studio for it.

    Lots of butterbeans and field peas. Green Zebras and little tomatoes. One of the Brandywines is turning pink. I got one ripe fig off the tree. Mmmmm.

  • Summer bug – slept all last night and most of today. I’m not happy about the waste of time.

    We’re having still another thunderstorm right now. The weather forecast looks great for Friday night’s Art Oasis, though. I should have about 10 books for sale and I’m considering putting out a few baskets and a bunch of little origami boxes made from magazines and junk mail.

    I’ve had a few questions about my hats. At this time, I’m not ready to sell my hats. They’re a little bit precious to me still.

    That’s all. I did nothing but sleep and cook that tomato sauce down all day. I’ll probably go back to sleep in a few minutes. Argh.

  • Went to Cat’s going-away party at the Taste of Thai, where she gave away more of her personal possessions. She brought them in bags and tubs and drew names out of a bowl and decided what to give each person. She gave me a sweater (amazingly, it might just fit, so it probably wasn’t hers!) and I snagged a pair of nice hiking boots that were my size in the leftovers.

    I can’t write about the emotion I feel about Cat moving to Tucson. Suffice it to say that I don’t handle loss well. At least I can visit her, two thousand miles away, and keep up with her on Facebook. I’m happy for her adventure and admire her courage.

    A co-worker gave me a big bag of tomatoes, so I’m stewing them right now. I’ll make sauce tomorrow night, when I’m not sad and tired. I didn’t have onions, and I remembered the potato onions in the Back Forty. I looked back where they were planted last year (or the year before?) and sure enough, two or three big handfuls of onions were laying at the top of the ground in bunches. So I gathered them up for the sauce. I still have garlic from my crop last year too. And of course I have lots of basil and parsley.

    See, they said that if you plant potato onions you’d never be out of onions, and they were right.

    Guido is meowing as if someone is torturing him. I’d be concerned, but he’s been doing this all his life. As soon as I say something, anything, to him, he’ll calm down.