Guest Post: Barbara

Hi, Everyone. 

My name is Barbara

I am happy to introduce myself to you

and show you a few of the projects I enjoy.

 

  

One of the rare pics of myself

and my eldest granddaughter Luna.

I feel that I am a less likely guest poster since I have read and been impressed by many of your grand adventures and unique lives. I have loved my life enjoyed it immensely, but it is far from glamourous. It is to me however interesting and quirky.

I grew up in very poor circumstances in numerous small and large towns in Texas. I learned to make my own entertainment by drawing and sewing, taught by incredibly talented and resourceful women of the family. I earned scholarships for college but opted for the hippie vagabond life. 

It was the sixties after all. 

Met my husband, Curt, in San Francisco and we just recently celebrated our fiftieth anniversary.  

I’m the short one in the center, with friend Jennifer, and my husband Curt in Long Beach, WA.

We have four wonderful sons, six treasured grandchildren-

Luna, Josephine, Marion, Elam, Eamon, and Maggie...

scattered between Oregon, Nevada, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. 

We look so forward to seeing them all again post-Covid.

I have done a variety of jobs mingled within the years of rearing our four sons. 

I’ve been a school custodian, sewing factory laborer, and finally a health unit coordinator in a neonatal unit. 

I returned to college when I was fifty and working full-time night shift at the hospital. 

I received my degree in psych/neuroscience to demonstrate to the sons that it could be done by me,

therefore easily by them. And to finish something I had begun many years before. We have lived too many places to list here, from Venezuela to Alaska, but recently relocated to New Hampshire after 30 years in Portland, Oregon and are becoming accustomed to the retired, rural life in the snow.

 

The surprise outside our windows this morning.

Since childhood, I have loved drawing and sketching and nothing boosts my mood like a fresh sketchbook and new art supplies.  I enjoy painting, sewing, and crafting of various kinds too, at least for long enough to master a new project.  Then I tend to give away the results and go on to something new. 

But sketching is always there waiting to be enjoyed again.

During this pandemic, I had begun sketching my favorite bloggers and decided to email the sketches to them. 

One sketch I did was for Corey of Chelsea

and her beautiful son Gabriel. 

Corey and several other bloggers chose to

feature the sketches in their posts,

making me grateful and happy.  Here are a few of them:

 

   

 
Years ago, when I began to travel with my friend Renelle,

I also started to keep a daily journal for each trip. 

At first, I mostly wrote and inserted a few shy sketches. 

Over time, these became more like sketch journals. 

I love browsing through these so much; it is like living the joy all over again. 

Photos from the same vacations do not compare in triggering memories. 

I deconstructed each journal and made bound copies to be able to lend them

out to friends and they’ve become lovingly worn.

 

Another use for my sketchbooks has been to sketch the authors of books

I read and enjoy, as well as meals, grandkids, pets, and all manner of things. 

If nothing else inspires, I’ve been known to sketch my own feet.

A few years ago I became interested in shoemaking and attended a shoemaking school in Ashland, Oregon. 

Made some very ugly shoes and boots,

a few nice sandals, and then fancies inspired by on-line examples-of crepe paper shoes. 

And I painted some clogs, which I found oddly meditative.

The most successful sandals for daughter-in-law Noriko.  

I have always needed “something to do” and tried painting with acrylics, and for a while supplied many friends

with tote bags and purses, dolls, and recently I’ve been making little Altoid can shrines.        

And finally, here is the first sketch I ever had the nerve to

send to anyone, and still one of my favorites.

It’s been so nice sharing with you all,

and this has helped me settle on my next learning project: 

I need to learn to format a document and enclose photos without mass spaces between! 

That should keep me busy the rest of this snowy New Hampshire winter. 

Stay warm, and stay safe.  Barb

Comments

[Jeanne]

You are a lady of many talents. My Grandfather was a shoe maker.
Your drawings are lovely and so are you.
Blessings
Thanks for sharing
Jeanne

[Anna]

Your art —your life also —bursting with spirit! Beautiful!

[Marilyn]

Barb, what a special post. I love your artwork. What a treat to receive one. How fun to take shoe making in Ashland too. I recently have been intrigued in creating something in the Altoid tins too, but so far have just been doing a kit I ordered. Saving the tins to do something though. Now wish you were still in Portland and I would invite you for a cup of tea. Thank you for sharing.

[Lil]

This is a wonderful post. Your altoid tins are beautiful and your journals are inspiring. You have a great gift in that you love to draw. I went to art college and worked in art professionally all my life and my inner critic is so loud that I stopped drawing. You inspire me to start again.

[barbara willis]

what a great array of lovely things you do!

[Penni]

I am so inspired by your art books and sketches, just incredible! I am also impressed by all that you have accomplished! Back when I was an interpreter for the deaf, my first day on the job one of the educators took me aside and said "Forget the principal, if you need anything done, make friends with the custodians." It was interesting because I had also been told that by my son's kindergarten teacher his first day of school...facts are facts! lol Thanks again for sharing your art!

[jackie]

Less likely guest poster??? You are SO talented! I would pay for your travel sketchbooks. I knew instantly that it was Gabriel in the picture. What an amazing talent you are. Incredible. Just incredible. Talented artist AND a degree in neuroscience? Holy cow...well done you :)

[Ella Dyer]

Bonjour Barb,

Quel talent! Your ability to create is a gift, thank you for sharing it with so many and thank you Corey for sharing Barb's beautiful life with us.

Barb, in addition to your artistic output, your return to school (à l'âge mûr) is an excellent example of the importance of eduction for all (note to self; continue to with the ever-exasperating but beautiful langue française!) at any age.

Bonne journée à tous,

Ella

[Jennifer Phillipps]

Your life seems very unique to me and your creations equally so. Lovely to meet you Barb, greetings from New Zealand, where instead of snow we have summer sun! Jennifer

[judyo]

Hello fellow New Hampshirite! Thank you for your post! You are a lady of many talents. I am curious how you discovered Corey.

[Judy Wilcox]

What a talented and creative woman you are! I never understand people who say, "I'm bored", because those of us who like to create can always think of something to entertain us. Thank you for sharing your interested life with us.

[Donna]

You are a very talented lady!!! Keep up the beautiful, creative work....! Thanks for sharing!🎈🙏

[Kathy]

Thanks so very much for allowing a glimpse into your life! You are not a less likely guest poster. I enjoyed your story and your talent!

[Julie]

Barbara--you are my favorite guest blogger. I admire that you keep so busy learning new things; I am hopeless when it comes to creating anything with my hands, except for cooking and baking. You are exactly the friend I wish I could add to my circle.

[Irene Thomas]

Dear Barb,
I have thoroughly enjoyed your post about your very interesting and fun filled life. You have tried so many different types of craft, bouncing around such interesting localities throughout the US, starting with the hippie life in San Francisco. Congratulations on returning to school and being an example for your boys! Like you, I've made art and craft central. I recognize Danny and Koosje and smiled because of so many opportunities for us to visit other bloggers and feel we know so many more people intimately even though we haven't even met in person. I feel I know you now, and appreciate Corey for allowing us to expand our horizons even though we are "at home-in-place this year.

[Momof5]

So nice to “meet you” Barbara. And maybe when covid ends we could actually meet in person one day as I live in Boston. I have relatives in Portland and Seattle. You are a brave woman to deal with New England winters! But you have so many talents to keep you busy over the long cold months. I love all your sketches, your notebooks and your Altoid shrines! And hope those son’s of yours appreciate all you’ve accomplished! Thanks for sharing your life with us. Michelle (aka momof5)

[Linda Piazza]

Barb, how can you believe your life is not interesting and adventurous? I loved your post. As the family genealogist for our family, I can tell you those journals should be and probably will be cherished for many generations to come.