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Ms. Toad

(35,857 posts)
28. I've had a lot of things I never had time to do when I was working.
Sat Jan 11, 2025, 08:32 PM
Jan 11

Going back to school was one of them - so I started immediately on retirement. I thought I was going to head toward computer science - but that first semester I took a photography class and that was making me happier than the computer science. (I did photography back in the dark ages with no formal training at all. My first professor was all about process, so it was fantastic to have a more scientific method for sorting out how to fine tune my prints.)

There aren't a lot of retirees (even though auditing classes is free) - but there are quite a few middle-aged folks taking advantage of being school employees to take classes.

You may appreciate my wild dreams for the foundation review class. We have to re-envision one of our projects from the three foundation classes. I've been thinking of using one of the traditional women's arts and (in my least restrained dreams) creating a community quilting project. Morale is pretty low right now due to cuts to art programs (including ours). So community would be a good thing. And it would also be nice to to link my generation (parent/grandparent to most of my peers) and my grandmother (who had a quilting frame in her living room fairly frequently) to a whole new generation - and bring in the Native American way of looking at being the middle of seven generations. (At least one of my classmates is Native American, as are 3 of my siblings.)

But to pull that off, I'd have to piece together the quilt very quickly to have enough time to invite community participation before the end of the semester.

I've posted quite a bit about my foundation classes - including artwork (including photography) in the Artists forum here.

Recommendations

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Beautiful! SheltieLover Jan 11 #1
I go in spurts where samplegirl Jan 11 #10
Oh I hear you! SheltieLover Jan 11 #21
Yeah Ive been in a real samplegirl Jan 11 #25
Me too SheltieLover Jan 11 #30
So soothing..... Karadeniz Jan 11 #2
Ty samplegirl Jan 11 #11
Need it! samplegirl Jan 11 #26
Gorgeous! Tulips? My fave. Clouds Passing Jan 11 #3
Ty samplegirl Jan 11 #14
I love your work. Irish_Dem Jan 11 #4
It couldn't be samplegirl Jan 11 #12
Well, what a beauty! Walleye Jan 11 #22
Scarlet is persistent. samplegirl Jan 11 #27
What a beauty! Ursus Arctos Jan 11 #23
She's a stinker samplegirl Jan 12 #56
Of course your kitty is exquisite. Irish_Dem Jan 11 #41
She is a cutie samplegirl Jan 12 #57
My little doggie is a perfect dog but is still a pain a times! Irish_Dem Jan 12 #59
She wants right up on the desk samplegirl Jan 12 #65
Oh my. Irish_Dem Jan 12 #75
Excellent. Could be orchids? Walleye Jan 11 #5
I was thinking tulips samplegirl Jan 11 #15
Very good. I should be seeing tulips peeping out through the soil pretty soon. Walleye Jan 11 #19
The sooner the better samplegirl Jan 12 #62
Every miserable day I get through in winter, I say to myself "another day closer to spring" Walleye Jan 12 #64
My little garden outside my kitchen windiws samplegirl Jan 12 #63
Beautiful 💙💙💙 TommieMommy Jan 11 #6
Beautiful surfered Jan 11 #7
Beautiful! Well done! Fla Dem Jan 11 #8
You're unblocked ! Nigrum Cattus Jan 11 #9
I hope I stay that way samplegirl Jan 11 #24
I'm eagerly awaiting the start of the spring semester! Ms. Toad Jan 11 #13
Just retired this November samplegirl Jan 11 #17
So awesome! Ursus Arctos Jan 11 #18
I've had a lot of things I never had time to do when I was working. Ms. Toad Jan 11 #28
Wow! Ursus Arctos Jan 11 #34
Here's a direct link to my final photo project for the fall semester. Ms. Toad Jan 11 #37
Oh, Thank you! Ursus Arctos Jan 11 #39
Thank you! Ms. Toad Jan 11 #43
Beautiful samplegirl Jan 12 #54
I'll have to go look samplegirl Jan 12 #45
Lovely Work! Ursus Arctos Jan 11 #16
Thank you samplegirl Jan 12 #46
♥️ spanone Jan 11 #20
Hey Spanone samplegirl Jan 12 #47
Great work samplegirl spanone Jan 12 #71
Beautiful. I love what you do with colors. LoisB Jan 11 #29
Hey Lois your always samplegirl Jan 12 #48
Your beautiful paintings always create a bright spot in my day. Your talent is awesome and LoisB Jan 12 #77
I love it! Joinfortmill Jan 11 #31
Ty samplegirl Jan 12 #49
Nice... 2naSalit Jan 11 #32
I've been in the dumps samplegirl Jan 12 #50
That was me 😀 you posted a pic of psycho's mouth Meowmee Jan 12 #76
Hey 2naSit samplegirl Jan 12 #51
Flowers and trees... 2naSalit Jan 12 #53
I like whimsy samplegirl Jan 12 #55
Because... 2naSalit Jan 12 #61
The whole reason I paint! samplegirl Jan 12 #66
... orangecrush Jan 11 #33
Ty samplegirl Jan 12 #52
YW orangecrush Jan 12 #78
Beautiful! Diamond_Dog Jan 11 #35
I have been in the slump swamp samplegirl Jan 12 #67
Every lady friend I have whose husband retires says the exact same thing! Diamond_Dog Jan 12 #74
Watercolour is my favorite too. Very peaceful. Maru Kitteh Jan 11 #36
That is a lovely way to have become unblocked. 3catwoman3 Jan 11 #38
Both actually samplegirl Jan 12 #60
Lovely! Hope22 Jan 11 #40
Beautiful wendyb-NC Jan 11 #42
Thanks samplegirl Jan 12 #69
Beautiful 👏🏻 Meowmee Jan 12 #44
Beautiful... rasputin1952 Jan 12 #58
Just find your niche samplegirl Jan 12 #70
I write and do Public Speaking for Liberal Causes... rasputin1952 Jan 12 #73
That's really pretty. Have you ever thought of designing for textile companies? That would make a Vinca Jan 12 #68
No And I have no idea how to samplegirl Jan 12 #79
Lovely! Such light delicacy -- love it. nt allegorical oracle Jan 12 #72
Nice! marlboroman369 Jan 12 #80
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