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Archive for January, 2012

Nostalgia

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

This is an aerial view of the farm in upstate New York where I grew up. A highschool friend sent it to me last year. It was in one of those Christmas photo cards — very retro. Based on how the house looks, I think it was probably taken in the late 50s or early 60s. She found it amongst here fathers things, after he passed away. I scanned it and uploaded it to Photoshop and zoomed in and — whoa— there was my father standing there. Almost in the center of the photo is a gas tank that was used for filling the tractors and truck and the family car. He is standing right there.

I uploaded this because I want to make a quilt of the family homestead. I have done a couple of sketches in my class with Elizabeth Barton. I think it tugged on some buried brain cells. The night after I was looking at the photo and reminiscing, I had a dream and I was walking through the house and I remembered almost every detail of each room.

We had a very successful SAQA meeting today. I think we had about 12 people here and we had some great conversation about entering shows, photography and critiquing. We have decided to meet monthly.

I spent a lot of time, after the meeting, reading my second week lesson for the class and doing some more sketching.

For today’s 3 X 3, I decided that I wanted to do some foiling on red silk. I didn’t have a thermofax screen small enough so I made one. Here is today’s piece.

We got a lot of snow last night, but by this morning, it had turned to slush. And by the time I took Scooter for a walk, after the meeting, this was all that was left in our neighborhood.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Today, we have a pieced 3 X 3. I love finding scraps of fabric with red.

So, I am exhausted. I pretty much have my studio and office ready for getting down to making larger work than 3 inches square!! Mr C and I cleaned the living level this morning. Two people can get a lot done in less time.

I am having a Portland SAQA meeting here tomorrow —thus, the frenzy of activity. I made some delicious apple oatmeal scones.

I also hung the latest two SAQA auction quilts and rearranged them. They look great in our living room.

 

Here is another Twelve gift to share with you. This one was made by Terry. I love bees and bee imagery so this is a delight to have in my collection.

Making Progress

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Today, I got my office back in ship shape order — just need to dust and vacuum. I also rearranged my work space in the studio. I have had my ironing and print tables in the middle of the room and I constantly trip over the iron cord, knocking it to the floor. I have gone through quite a few irons. I moved the tables which require an outlet to the wall where there are a couple of outlets. The cutting table is now in the middle of the room. I think it will work once I get used to it.

Today’s 3 X 3 is up there, and I did some remedial work on yesterday’s.

Here is another lovely gift from one of the Twelves — Brenda Smith, from Australia. Many of her pieces are shibori with wonderful stitching. This piece is a replication of her Illumination piece in our first set of quilts.

I hope you can see the lovely hand quilting on this.

It has been a while since I posted a photo of Scooter. He loves the cold weather we are having because he has a wonderful winter coat.

Busy, Busy Week-end

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

I have been a busy woman this week-end. I spent a lot of time on Saturday working on homework for the class I am taking on Quilt University with Elizabeth Barton. I am way outside my comfort zone, but I think it is a good thing for me. Eventually, I will feel comfortable enough to blog about it, but for now, I am just working and sketching and thinking.

I got out some silk charmeuse for the 3 X 3s this week-end. The first piece that I did with the turquoise elements was free motion quilted and it was terrible. I have to figure out what I am doing wrong.

Last night, we went to the Oregon Symphony to hear Joshua Bell play Brahms. It was simply fantastic, and he is such a cutie patootie, to boot. This morning, I spent an hour decoupaging candles with grade school kids at church. That was a lot of fun. Then I worked the arts table during coffee hour. This afternoon, we went back to Trinity for a glorious organ concert by our church organist who is very accomplished. Our organ is considered one of the best in the country.

Here is another nice gift that I received recently. When the 9 twelves were in Houston, we exchanged gifts of things we had made. I gave every one a shibori scarf that I had dyed. Kristin gave us these beautifully embroidered and beaded house icons.