Month: September 2009 | Crazy for Fiber

September 2009
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Archive for September, 2009

Coming Up for Air

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

The SAQA auction is doing very well this year. The first set of pieces made $13,625 to benefit SAQA programs. The next set of quilts are up for bid tomorrow at 11 am PST. My piece, Mystical Forest, is in this group. Here is a link to the page if you are interest in placing a bid – SAQA Auction.

We are having busy times around her. Jayme arrived yesterday to help Mark make arrangements for the two events that they are hosting. Lots of visits to The Party Place, Ikea and Costco. They have ordered ribs, sausage and chicken breast to grill on Saturday at the picnic. Tomorrow night is a dessert cocktail party at the Sellwood Yoga studio, owned by former San Francisco friends of Mark, tomorrow night.

This morning I went to a pre-op appointment with Mr C who has surgery next Thursday. Then, Kevin gave me a new redder hair color and a shorter cut, which I am loving. Then it was off to the Farmer’s Market to get flowers for the house and then I picked up supper goodies for us and Steve’s brother and wife who arrived from California tonight.

To add to the excitement around here, yesterday, the washing machine quit with a load of Mark’s clothing locked inside. We finally found someone to come and service it. He found a needle in the drain pipe or filter, or something which had caused the machine to clog and not drain. I am baffled about how the needle got in there, but I have been known to use my shirt as a holding spot for needle and thread when I am hand sewing.

Tomorrow, I will spend time spiffing up the house for the Friday party. We hope to be able to seat 35 people with tables here and there and some additional rented chairs. I rearranged the living room furniture and I love it.

I received sad news about my brother-in-law who has leukemia. He had a serious problem with the atrial fibrillation on Sunday and is now on a respirator. They have also found either melanoma or lymphoma in the bone marrow. The sister who called was not sure which, but the upshot is, there really is no treatment they can do for him at this stage. I am having a hard time managing the happy times here and knowing what the family back in New York is going through. So these are bittersweet times for me.

I will try to post some photos of our happy times, if I remember to take a camera.

Posted in Family, SAQA | 12 Comments »

This and That

Monday, September 14th, 2009

I am feeling so much better after a rejuvenating sleep last night. This morning, my iPhone alarm went off to remind me that I had a teeth cleaning appointment at 10 am. I got there to find out it was at 2 pm! So, I decided to visit a couple of art stores in my quest to find mica chips for my green flash. The two I visited in the morning did not have what I wanted. After my 2 pm appointment, I stopped at two more stores. The first was having a side walk sale so I picked up some pencils, erasers and small journals, but no mica chips. I did get the green screen printing ink and some Golden black mica flakes.

Off to Art Media. I bought some pearl mica chips which I am going to tint with one of the greens that I bought. I also bought some spring green pearlescent powder. Laura uses pallet knives to stain fabric with paint so I bought a couple of those.

Speaking of supplies – Got Glue? I do. This was leftover from the workshop so I bought it.

Can you tell that I am excited to get back to work in the studio?

I also bought some handmade paper as a possible background for one of the fusion pieces I did in the workshop. I had an aspen screen print on organza that I had used as the bottom layer.

I liked both sides of the fusion piece so I decided to slice it up and alternate the sides. Needs some work.

We had co-presidents of the guild last year and each of them made the board members lovely gifts. Karen, a weaver, gave us these bookmarks which she purchased in Sweden.

And Carla, a quilter, made each of us a quilted heart. I love the fabrics in this.

Tomorrow, Jayme arrives to participate in the celebration preparations. Can’t wait to have her here with us. I feel so blessed to have her as my son’s life partner and a member of our family.

I leave you with a photo of a pooped puppy. Mark and he went over to Reed college and found another puppy to play with.

Posted in fabric fusion, Family, painting fabric, Quilting Friends, Scooter, Stuff I Buy, This and that | 5 Comments »

Fusion Fun

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

I am so exhausted and my darn hip is causing pain so I am not sleeping very well. There is so much to do and yada yada yada — you don’t want to know all that do you.

I managed to complete 4 fusion pieces in Laura’s class. I forgot to take my camera yesterday so I just got around to photographing them. The top is a fusion of wool fibers with bits of thread an ephemera thrown in. You can click on these for a more detailed look. Here is the other side and a detail:

I will probably be adding some more marks to this with paint and stitching and maybe some beads.

This is the second piece; this one has tea paper on the bottom side.

The third piece is black, red and white roving and thread on cheese cloth. I don’t know what I will do with this one. Here are the two sides.

The last piece is made with luscious roving with lime green and purple that one of the other participants traded me for some cheese cloth!! I added some skeleton leaves and bits of lime green curly yarn.

Laura also showed us how to make the folding book sculptures like these. I plan to make one for our next High Fiber Diet show. Bird’s Eye View.

Yesterday, my son arrived to help get ready for the festivities that start on Thursday. Today, Mr C and I drove out to Erath vineyards to pick up some wine for the Friday night dinner. Then, we went to the first night of puppy school for Scooter, sans Scooter. We have to do some work with him this week before he can go to class. I have to go out and buy a clicker and special treats and Tuesday, we will start the training. I really need something else to do this week!

Posted in fabric fusion, Family, My creations, Scooter, Surface Design Techniques, workshop | 5 Comments »

Fun With Laura

Friday, September 11th, 2009

I am having such a good time hanging with Laura Cater-Woods – the very talented and generous Laura. Here she is setting up for the lecture yesterday at the guild meeting. Most members of the guild did not want her lecture to end, they were enjoying it so much. We had a long, chatty lunch with Terry Grant and then Laura and I went to the Coldwater Creek Spa for our massages – ahhhh!

This morning, after a nice breakfast, we arrived at the Mill Ends Store for the first of a two-day workshop, titled:A Sampler of Techniques and Off the Wall/Onto the Page.

Today we did fusion fabric/paper, using roving, stuff, fabric, threads with soapy water and white glue and water.

Here are my pieces wet. I forgot to take photos after they were dry.

We had a layer of plastic wrap, piece of tulle which is big enough to wrap over the fusion, then you make 3 layers using paper, silk hankies, plain roving, fabric, or paper on the bottom and top and dyed roving, ribbon, paper bits, Angelina fibers, whatever – as the middle layer. The tulle comes over the top and soapy water is brushed on both sides to help with the fusing. Then white school glue, watered down, is brushed on both sides. Set it out to dry.

Voila, you have textured fusion fabric or paper. I really love how mine look. I will take photos tomorrow. I promise.

Tonight, I am enjoying the company of Karen Miller who is taking the workshop and can’t drive because she recently had back surgery. Her husband brought her up and will come back and retrieve her tomorrow.

I am sort of living life in the fast lane and don’t think it will stop soon. My son arrives tomorrow. His partner, Jayme, will arrive on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the whole fam-damily starts showing up for the 3 days of festivities which start on Thursday.

Posted in fabric fusion, Inspiration, Quilting Friends, Surface Design Techniques, workshop | 3 Comments »

RIP Miss Maggie

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

I took this photo of Maggie just before we drove her to the vet’s office. They were so kind and ushered us into a room and took care of all the details so that we could leave without a to do when it was over. I awoke at 5 this morning and knew that I had to be there when she went to sleep. If I could make this decision, then I needed to be there. Mr C and I held her as she went limp in our hands. I felt such a sense of relief as Maggie’s spirit was liberated from her deteriorating body.

It has been a quiet and solemn day. Even Scooter is subdued today. At the end, Maggie had developed strange behaviors like constant pacing, licking the floor and licking her body. I didn’t realize how quiet and calm it would be when I didn’t have the constant worry about her. It was a good thing that we did today.

On a happier note, I picked up Laura Cater-Woods yesterday and we had a wonderful evening with her. I made this tomato tart with tomatoes and basil from my garden. We ate every last crumb. It was so good. She was off teaching the first set of workshops today.

Today, I have done a little more work on the green flash piece. Here is a sneak peek. I am liking the way these fabrics are working together.

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Maggie, My creations, Quilting Friends | 13 Comments »

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