Little Stories – July Days

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

As August is trundling along,  I took a look back at July.   With all the time spent at home, I piled up my days even more than usual with music and Japanese studies.  This is my July along with a few more black and white everyday photos, and my finished quilt block.

 

 

Simple 365 – Set 12

 

Here is another set of everyday Simple365 photos.   A few years ago,  I took one b&w photo of simple little things around me for a year.   I have been sharing those photos here every now and then.

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

 

 

I created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365.  I continue to add photos to that page as I share them here.  That way I can relive the journey through the year via black and white photos, like in an old photo album.

 

 

 

Let There Be Dragons by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

I was trying out a couple of old glass pens with homemade black walnut ink.  The slanted light coming through the window often casts wonderful shadows.  I liked the two little light spots under the glass nibs in this photo.

 

 

 

Muir Woods by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

This is only outing I had in July.  We got up around 5:30AM and drove an hour to avoid the hot day.  Usually I set my route beforehand, but this time I decided to explore a bit more.  Of course, I did have a map and compass with me.  It would not be prudent to get lost in that heat in an area without cell coverage.   We walked around 7 miles without any incident and then I fell…hard! Just before reaching the car.

The resulting backache took me out of commission for a while.   That is the reason for my long delay in email replies and blog revisits.

 

 

 

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

Get Musical Instruments Quilt Patterns

 

Playing music calms my mind and helps me focus.  This old girl has been neglected for the last four years.   “She” is now around 100 years old.  I love all the marks showing its age.  Nobody wanted it because it was not new and shiny.  The luthier repaired it for me, and it was mine.

 

 

 

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

In July I took it out, tuned it, and started to bring the sweet sound back again by playing a little everyday.  As the wood resonates, the violin sounds nicer with every passing day.  I am also a bit rusty, so we are both waking up together.  I took these two photos the day I took it out of its slumber.

 

 

 

Tavish the cat in a violin case by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

Shortly after I took it out, Tavish climbed into the case…

 

 

 

Tavish the cat in a violin case by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

…and fell asleep.  Violin is an extremely loud instrument.  I have no idea how he was sleeping comfortably in there!

 

 

 

Piano Studies by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

Get Musical Instruments Quilt Patterns

 

Even though I learned to play music on the violin, I have been playing the piano a lot more lately.  I learn music fairly slowly; I let the melody develop as I play.  It makes for slower learning, but I like it that way.  Currently I am working through Mozart’s K. 545 Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, II Andante.  I find it to be such a gentle, happy piece.

Here is a recording of the piece – K. 545 Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, II Andante

 

 

 

Genki Japanese by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

Additionally, I have upped my Japanese studies.  My goal is to be completely proficient at it with reading and writing, and hopefully able to do translations one day.

 

 

 

Harmony Star quilt pattern by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

I also finished this little star for my kitty quilt.  I will share more about the fabric choices with photos when I share the finished quilt here.

 

 

 

Blaze - The Girl and Her Cat drawing by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I will wrap up with a drawing of The Girl and Her Cat from my sketchbook.   By now, my cabin fever has not only moved in, but has settled in quite well for me.  That’s probably what reflects in this drawing.

 

I wish you a lovely rest of August.  I will see you all in September.

-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please consider paying a visit to some of them.

 

 

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Little Book Of Thoughts

Girl and Her Cat hand bound book by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

Hi Everyone!  If you are new here, you probably wouldn’t know about The Girl and Her cat.  A few years ago, I started painting and then writing little stories about an adventurous little girl who loves to travel and wander around with her little cat.  I made this book a few months ago for writing down little ideas and notes that randomly pop into my head.  Unlike other times, I actually remembered to take photos while making this book.  Let me share a few of them with you today, along with a few paintings of these two best friends, and a couple of sewing projects.

 


 

Month of July

 

July marks not only our anniversary, it is also a birthday month for my kitties.

 

Felt cat toys by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I picked up these bright felt pieces to make a few toys for them.   They can see the bright colors really well.   There is a kind of stringy toy they love to play with, but is not sold in stores anymore.  That’s where mom enters the picture.

 

 

 

Hexagram Star quilt pattern by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

The oldtimers here know that I used to make quilts for my kitties all the time.  I recently completely rewrote one of my old retired patterns.  What better way to test it but make a kitty quilt.  The fabrics are pulled, and the pattern pieces are all cut and ready for sewing.  I am hoping to show you both the toys and the quilt block soon.

 


 

The Little Book Of Thoughts

 

Now on to the book which is also related to a birthday!

 

Girl and Her Cat hand bound book by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

Stitching the pages together while paying attention to the tension.  Tension is important to make sure the binding is not too loose or too tight.

 

 

 

Girl and Her Cat drawing by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

Once the pages were sewn together, I started working on the cover with a quick pencil sketch first.

 

 

 

Girl and Her Cat drawing by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 Tombow markers are not lightfast.  However, since I was going to print this out on thicker paper for the cover, I still opted for those markers for their vivid colors.

 

 

 

Girl and Her Cat hand bound book by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

This is what my desk looks like when I am binding books.  My husband thinks this photo looks like a pile of scrap and rubbish; you be the judge.

After a bit of measurement and math, I wanted to make sure that my measurements for the corner cloth pieces were correct.  I did this by cutting the pieces from paper first before cutting into fabric.

 

 

 

Girl and Her Cat hand bound book by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I chose  a cream card stock to print the cover picture.   The card stock I had was of a light color.  So I used watercolor wash to tint them a little.  In retrospect, I should not have cut the paper to shape before printing. 

Painted paper curls in a little, so the paper kept on shifting as it went through the printer feeder.  Thank goodness I made extra.   After a few tries and fiddling with the printer, I got a good straight print of the cover.

 

 

 

Girl and Her Cat hand bound book by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

With all the pieces in place, I finished binding the book.  Promptly afterwards, I went through all my bits and pieces of paper full of ideas and copied them down in the book.   A few more notes have been added since then. 

The ideas are the little saplings.  Hopefully, I will be able to grow them over time.  That was the idea behind my drawing this picture.

 

 

Today happens to be this little cat’s birthday.  I am pretty sure they are outside somewhere in a cold country enjoying a little picnic together in the woods.   Here are some of my favorite moments of the two best friends spending time together.

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures and read about their wanderings –

 

 

 

If you want to see more paintings of their adventures, here are the three books I have  shared here so far –

Lost Pages

Wandering Pages

Distant Pages

 

They are the personification of happiness for me.  I hope you enjoyed today’s post!

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please consider paying a visit to some of them.

 

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