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Archive for the ‘My Brilliant Daughters’ Category

Oops! I’m Back

Monday, March 13th, 2017

Well, I haven’t been anywhere, but I have been busy, busy. We had a visit from our California peeps at the end of February. We had lots of fun family time together. Here is Paige at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry).

I also got wrapped up in getting my resist piece done. First, I made the letters, using some snow dyed fabric in my stash.

Then I cut up a whole bunch of my pink and fuschia fabric to make one of my collaged backgrounds.

I used some of my own photos and found other copyright free photos on Flicker of the Women’s March in January. I printed these on Jacquard ExravOrganza sheets.

I collaged and fused them to the pink background. It is now ready to be trimmed and backed and quilted! I am quite happy with it. I am going to tweak the colors in the resist a bit with some paint or color pencil.

Here is a detail shot with a photo of Mr C and I.

As you know, I share studio space with my daughter. She is amassing quite a body of work.

The other thing I have done is finish samples for my wool stitching class at Trinity Cathedral.

The first class was last Wednesday. I have two young boys, 8 and 10, a teen-age girl, 3 guys, and several women. My assistant got sick so it was a bit daunting to work with everyone by myself. They had a bit of a problem getting the idea of making a freezer paper pattern for each part of their chosen object even though I demonstrated it with the piece I am making along with them!! It was fun and time flew by.

 

 

 

A Good Thing

Sunday, November 27th, 2016

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Some of my longtime readers know that I have two brilliant and talented daughters. Stephanie, who is mom to Mia and Miles, and her online partner, Maria, have written another book. This is the best one yet. A Year Between Friends is chock full of goodness. Yes, I am a biased Mom, but it is reall wonderful. It has crafts and recipes plus inspirational commentary via stories and letters that they have written to each other.

They are also both great photographers and their original claim to fame was the photo diptychs that they posted every day. The book has lots of beautiful full color photos, all done on film, not digital. (Click on photo for larger version.)

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They are both really good cooks. They share many of their favorite recipes.

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There are lots of doable crafts with great directions and photos. The yellow napkin above is a waxed napkin for wrapping brown bag items and is reusable. Directions are in the book. Steph is well known for her gorgeous wool and silk pine cones. She finally shares the directions.

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There are natural dye instructions.

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This would be a beautiful holiday gift for someone. You can order it HERE.

Trying to Cope

Monday, May 9th, 2016

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I finished all the hand-stitching on this. I need some more hand work cause I am stuck sitting around here waiting.

Today was the day when I was supposed to get a new knee. Due to a miscommunication amongst my medical team, it did not happen. It has not been rescheduled and I am not very happy.

Let me back up and explain what happened. When I went for my pre-surgery check up, the Dr. I saw thought I should be evaluated for sleep apnea. This was a surprise to me because I have never had what I thought were the symptoms. I don’t fall asleep during the day and usually can keep going late into the evening. I got set up for the home sleep test. I failed it. It was recommended that I go to the overnight sleep lab for a CPAP titration. My team bent over backwards to get all my appointments done so that I could make today’s surgery date. I went to the pulmonary lab and did all sorts of breathing stuff in a glass box and I had blood drawn from an artery in my wrist.

The called me last week-end and said they had a cancellation in the sleep center and could I come in. Which I did. Here is the lovely backdrop to my room that night.

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I was fitted with a CPAP mask and took an ambien and went to sleep. They said I did very well and got lots of rem sleep. I moved on, meeting with my new sleep/respiration doctor and we talked about why I needed the CPAP at the hospital when I would be knocked out with opiate drugs for pain. She said my pulmonary breathing tests were great. Next day I met with my surgeon. We went over last minute things. I continued to do things to prepare for surgery like getting a manicure.

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And, then, I got a call from the surgery scheduler telling me my surgery was canceled. I was a mess. I cried and I think I might have screamed at her. I am not sure. It was a blur. I couldn’t understand what happened. With Kaiser, you can email your dr so I emailed my surgeon and asked for more clarification. He called me and said that my respiratory dr had suggested it be canceled because I had not had time to complete all the sleep apnea things. I said that I had. He said it was out of his hands at that point. I then emailed my sleep/respiratory dr. She said she had not done that. Well, it turns out that I had another dr, who I never saw, who was responsible for deciding what I needed to have done. He did not know that every thing had been rushed through for me. By the time, my dr talked to him, it was too late to get back on the surgery schedule.

On a positive not, the CPAP and I are getting along really well. It is very high tech with a modem and blue tooth. It sends data to the sleep center and I can download the data to an app on my iPhone so I can see how well I am doing. I used to get up 3 or 4 times during the night. Last night, I slept until 6:30- woo hoo. I think I am beginning to feel different when I wake up. I have less over all muscle pain. My only problem is lower back spasms from my sedentary life.

I am waiting for a call for my new date. I think they are trying to figure out how they can fit me in sooner than the normal 5  week wait. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I had a nice mother’s day yesterday. I made brunch for Stephanie and her family. She brought me these beautiful poppies.

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Lisa and Clay were not here because they are in New York for book signing gigs for Lisa’s new book The Joy of Swimming. She has interviewed swimmers and done her typical illustration of all things swimming. If you are a swimmer or know one, you should check it out.

 

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A Clean Well-lighted Place to Create

Friday, January 22nd, 2016

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I didn’t accomplish much today. I needed to take it easy as my knees were not happy. I got caught up on SDA work and this afternoon, we drove out to the airport to pick up Lisa who was flying back from LA where she was a judge for Quiltcon 2016. She had an amazing time and has a new appreciation for the art of quilting.

We got a tour of the studio that she has created out of the garage at her new home. It really is lovely. You can see the frosted glass garage doors in the photo above so even in the waning light this afternoon, it was light an bright. She does her smaller drawings and illustration work on the table above.

Here are the other work areas:

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Packing and shipping is done here.

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Her studio manager works in this area.

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These flat shelves hold all of her past work. The doggie bed is for Wilfredo!

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And here is her new easel where she does her large paintings. It is all very well designed with great storage and areas for all the tasks that need to be done. I am very happy for her and proud of what she has accomplished.

On Creative Overload

Thursday, February 26th, 2015

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This is a sneak peek at one of the pieces for my show. This will be titled Green Pastures, referencing Psalm 23. I had so much fun this morning, fusing and cutting into the fabric.

I am on my last week of the Photoshop Class. I have learned so much. So worth fitting it into my busy life.

I started a 5 week clay workshop at Trinity last night. It is just on Wednesday nights. He told us to make as many small objects as we could – he suggested food and body parts as well as pinch pots.

Here is some of what I did:

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It was very relaxing to play with clay.

I am on a deadline to finish this month’s homework for the EB Master Class.

I dedicated yesterday to getting it done. I have been so restricted with work space because the studio is maxed out with solo show stuff. I finally set up on the dining room table.

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I had made freezer paper patterns for this last year. I sorted them out on the big drawing.

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I started with this mess and some photos of where I left off last year plus my sketch.

It took all day, but I got it assembled. I ironed it to my big teflon sheet and moved it back in to my sewing room.

 

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I almost had a disaster today. I brought batting and backing from the studio and moved the teflon sheet to the sofa while I cut the batting and backing and fused them. The teflon sheet slipped off the sofa and I had to do some finessing to get it rearranged on the backing and fused. I finished quilting it tonight, but have not photographed it yet. I will do that in the morning.

I have to get the multi-purpose room cleaned up in the morning. Lisa arrives at lunch time to start the house hunting in earnest. She will be out on Friday and again on Saturday. It would be so great if she could find something this week-end that they can move into at the end of March when they move here.