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Archive for December, 2008

Me Too

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

happynewyear

I am joining the blog chorus of Happy New Year (and Maggie, too). I was going to share my goals and aspirations for 2009, but I am a little late and a little tired for that. Maybe tomorrow.

I am so excited for 2009 and especially, January 20th. I cannot complain about 2008. It has really been a pretty good year for me. I turned 70, in style. I have been healthy. I have gotten into some pretty good quilt shows. I have enjoyed finding a new direction in my work. I asked for and got my own show. I got to finally meet Judy in the Dyes and had a wonderful time at Coupeville with her. It has been a good year. Here is what I said last year about 2008.

  • We will elect a new president and things will get better in the political arena.
  • I will not have to start a diet — already been there and done that, but I will continue to lose.
  • I will turn 70 in October and that seems almost impossible to me. Mia told me the other day that I don’t look old because I have no wrinkles!
  • Mr C and I are taking a trip to the Holy Land in May which is bound to be an incredible journey for us.
  • I am excited about creating some new art cloth that will become quilted art.

It made me happy to look back and see the positive attitude I had and how it came to fruition. Oh, I didn’t lose that much more weight, but I didn’t gain it back either so I will keep on keeping on.

We just got home from the annual Cathedral New Year’s eve concert which is very eclectic and involves our Jewish neighbors from Temple Beth Israel. I always get so teary-eyed at the end when the bagpiper comes down the aisle and then plays Auld Lang Syne.

The only damper on my day is that my postcards did not get delivered. UPS says they were missed at the depot. I paid for 2nd day air and now I have to wait until Friday. I am very p_ _ _ ed off and have asked for a refund. Otherwise, I had a great day with some things I will share later. Yikes, it is only 7 days until I hang my show and 11 days until the opening reception.

Catch Up Day

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Today, I accomplished  a lot of  things that had been hanging out there, just bugging me. I am coming up on a few days which could bring utter chaos to my life — the finishing and hanging of my show and the launching of registration for the Surface Design Off the Grid conference, for which I am the registrar. I am turning the dining room into the registrar’s office so that Mr C can go back to the basement and finish what he had started when I kicked him out!! I have to get copies of letters and supply lists done, buy stamps and envelopes and start the online data entry. Whew!

I made a thermofax from a pdf that Kristin sent me and got it shipped to her. I also whipped up this little gilded pear wall hanging to go into another mailing.

lapoire

I am one of the invited artists for Virginia Speigel’s Reverse Auction for Fiberarts for a Cause. Because of my show, I could not get a quilt done so I am giving one of my hand-dyed, discharged and foiled scarves. I had a couple of scarves with the discharged circles. For this one, I made a thermofax screen of x’s. I screened the foiling glue onto the scarf:

gluexs

Then, I ironed on copper foil. I call this the hugs and kisses scarf!

hugsandkisses

hugsandxesdetail

Would you bid on this?

Here is a sneak peek at my next project, which is a wall of Palestinian graffiti and art from photos taken in the West Bank.

barriergrafitti

Tonight, Mr C and I went to see a really good film — Doubt. It was perfectly cast. All of the actors were superb and gave this film validity. It is not a feel good film. It has some funny moments, mainly provided by the character played by the fabulous Amy Adams.

Seeing Red

Monday, December 29th, 2008

I am seeing red, but not because Lisa and I made a typo in my postcard (caught by my new editor, Dale Ann :}). We were able to catch it before it was printed and do an edit! Whew!

I am seeing red, but not because of the weather. It is in the 40s; the snow is a distant memory; we had rain with beautiful sunbreaks, today.

I am seeing red because Mr C and I bought this yesterday, and it was delivered today. Are we crazy?

redleathersofa

It is an Italian red leather sofa, now in Mr Cs office. He was tired of the ratty old thing that was once here. He started looking online and then went out to check some at Macy’s on Saturday while Lisa and I were shopping with Miss Mia. Yesterday, he asked me to come and look at one that he liked — it was black leather. I nixed it, and then steered him toward a taupe fabric piece. While he was talking to the salesman, I wandered off into the clearance section and found this lovely. It is the same sofa as he had seen in black. He was smitten, too. They are discontinuing the red so we got it half price!! Look how nicely it goes with the rug.

redsofarug

Lisa left this morning. I am going to miss having her around, but maybe I can get back to work. Today, I printed some images on fabric which will be part of a collage.

I thought I would post one of our Christmas presents. Steph and Mav had some of their diptychs, from the blog and book, printed and framed. We purchased the one on the left and she gifted us with the one on the right. Don’t they look great in my kitchen.

twodiptychs

The Party’s Over

Friday, December 26th, 2008

I am a little late catching up on Christmas Day around here. First the gratuitous Wilfredo photo. I think he is waiting for a text message to come in on his I-Phone. Or maybe he is just dressed and ready for the party.

wilfredowaiting

We had a delicious brunch at Steph’s house and enjoyed seeing all the loot the grandkids received from Santa and other relatives.

Back at home, I prepared roasted Cornish game hens, Jacques Pepin braised potatoes, green beans, and a broccoli cheese dish. I love setting the table with the family china. I wanted to fold the napkins into elf shoes ala Brenda. But it was a bit complicated for me (I needed Miles!), so I opted for the elegant candle fold.

candlenapkins

That is where the photos of the Christmas dinner ended. I was too busy to pick up my camera. Oh, I did get this photo proving that the party is over, especially for these two.

partysover

Today, Lisa and I designed a postcard for my show. I am very late getting this done and she saved my rear. It has been sent off to Overnight Prints and should arrive early next week. At least it won’t go out in the Christmas Rush.

congdonfront

congdonback

Tonight, Lisa is staying with Amy Ruppel and catching up on artsy things. Tomorrow, we are taking the patient Miss Mia out for her birthday shopping trip — only a week and a half late. I am sure it will be more fun with Aunt Lisa joining us.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

Hope your Christmas was as merry and happy as mine. We gathered for Christmas soup, cookies and gift opening. Steve and I attended Mid-night mass. It was so beautiful and enjoyable because the normal horde of folks did not brave the elements. Our Rector called us the die hards. I received some wonderful gifts which I will share over the next few days. We are about to head over to Steph’s for her wonderful homemade pecan rolls and other goodies and to see what Santa brought.

For now, here are a few pics from yesterday. You can see all of them on my Flickr Stream.

Wilfredo dressed for a walk with Lisa, Maggie and I.

wilfredoboots

We took a walk to the Rhodie Garden, but the gates were locked so we took photos through the fence.

rhodiesnow2

Having fun at Christmas Eve supper.

mialisamiles

miawilfredo2

Miles and the tree. He loves to check out the ornaments. He LOVED his gifts from us – lots of Lego stuff and a book of Lego constructions and a Klutz card castle kit.

milesandtree

The temps are up, the snow is melting, things are looking up! Hope you are having a great day with family and friends.