A Walk in the Woods

This was the guild challenge that was in December 2007. I dyed the fabric for the background and then went back and lightened some areas with a bleach solution. After completing the sewing and appliquing of the fabric, I used color pencils to add more details to the quilt. I gave it to my oldest son for his office.

Journal Quilt 2007

This was the first time that I participated in the Journal Quilt Project. I based my image on the gate to an apartment complex designed by Gaudi. I was standing in front of the gates when my husband took my photo. Behind the gates I created images of the moon to symbolize 6 months of my life. There are fireworks, sorrow, calmness and other emotions that reflect what my life was like during this period. The gates appear to be a huge web that I have been caught in but not struggling to leave. I enjoyed dying the fabric and adding bead work to create this quilt. It was on display in Houston and now is traveling with the other journal quilts.

Barcelona Postcards

I did manage to create the 4 postcards for Quilting Arts magazine. I was very disappointed when mine was not selected to be featured in the December edition. I love it anyway. It was definitely a learning experience and pushed me into more areas than I would normally have tread.
We traveled to Madrid and Barcelona in March 2007. I fell in love with Gaudi's work. I used his architectural forms to make the images on the front and back of my postcards. To connect all of the cardsm I sewed silver rings at one end. I strung beads to fit through the rings which keeps them together, but lets the viewer turn the pages.

Life with Pain

It seems like it has been forever since I have made a post. My back started giving me problems in August. After going to the doctor and having x-rays and mri's, I finally got a diagnosis. I have 2 problems which are degenerative scoliosis and stenosis. My treatment was physical therapy and strong tylenol prescription. The pain progressed with sharp jabs through my left hip and thigh. I had found myself sitting most of the time, but gradually that became too much. The only relief that I could get was by lying flat on my back. I decided to find a doctor at Emory and get another opinion. He recommended a steroid injection which I had done on Dec. 5th. During the three days prior to the procedure, I didn't think that I could stand the pain. I found some relief immediately afterwards. On the 7th the pain had escalated which I found does happen to some people. The next morning I woke up pain free. It is wonderful. I am not sure how long this will last, but I am enjoying every moment now.

Happy Dance!!!!

I finished my postcard album for Quilting Arts Magazine. I really enjoyed making the postcards of Barcelona because it brought back many memories of our trip. I am not sure when I can put them on the website, but as soon as I am able to show them I will.
Sunday I sold a small quilt named "Spinning out of Control". It makes you fell validated when someone else likes your work enough to purchase it. I am thrilled. This is my very artsy quilt.

Caramel Latte for the Koi

Christmas of 2005 my son and daughter in law gave me fabric and a pattern for a queen size quilt. I put it in my sewing room and completely forgot about it. I was cleaning up (LOL) in my studio this past January when I found it. I was horrified that I had not been working on it. I put everything else aside and immediately began to cut and sew. I finished it in April and sent it to the long arm quilter. July 5th I got it back from the quilter. I just finished sewing on the binding and label, As you can see it looks absolutely wonderful on our bed. I love it!

Our koi pond began over 30 years ago. We started out with 5 fish. Now it is over 60....it is very hard to count fish. They will not stay in one place. The red fabric in the quilt has koi printed all over it. It keeps things in perspective sometime to go back to a very traditional quilt. You remember all the reasons that you do art quilts.

4th of July

Today always reminds me of my daddy. It is his birth date and I spend some of this day reminiscing about the happier times with him that I remember. There are days that I really miss him and this seems to always be one of them.

My brother and his family are spending this holiday in London. All 6 of them left on June 28th for Europe. The first day of their visit, authorities found cars loaded to explode near Piccadilly Circus. The terrorists were successful in Scotland with a car bomb, but they have arrested several people. It was revealed that some of these individuals were doctors who were working in the United Kingdom. Harry was very upset that it was people in his profession that had been a part of this horrible occurance.

They leave for Paris tomorrow so I hope that the world is calmer.

I just completed another French Braid table runner for my sister in law. They live in south Florida so the colors reflect that area of the country. This will be a Christmas gift to her.

Retreat Quilts

French Braid Table Runner

We had our quilt retreat on June 7-10. I took a class in French Braids in which I completed a table runner. I demonstrated discharging with a spray of bleach and water. I used leaves to block the spray. Then I used my traces of the leaves to cut fabric and make appliques. This gives a more 3 dimensional effect with the use of shadows. It looked rather plain so I drew a lizard on variegated orange fabric and used oil pastels and crayons to give him more color. I hard used a rock to hold the fabric down outside due to the wind. So I created a rock to applique. I am now in the process of embellishing with beads on the lizard.

Spain

We just returned from a wonderful 10 days in Madrid and Barcelona.

Everything went smoothly and we enjoyed every minute. We met some dearly loved old friends in Madrid. They hang out at the Prado Museum. Goya, Velasquez, Bosch, El Greco, etc. were all there to greet us. We became reacquainted with some at the Thyssen Museum. Picasso had "Guernica" waiting for us at Reina Sofia Museum. What a strong statement he made about the horrors of war.
In Barcelona we really got to understand and appreciate Gaudi. We hung out with him for quite sometime and were amazed with his work and his creativity. The Picasso Museum showcased a lot of his early work since he grew up there. He was a visual genius which was apparent in his painting ability at 15. Joan Miro's museum give us more insight into his images proving how far ahead of the time he was. At the Catalan National Art Museum we met some new friends and fell in love with the whole experience. We felt as though we had earned at least one new degree with all we learned.

Acrylic painting

I finished this painting for my brother before we left to go on our trip to Spain. He had wanted it for his office. He had specified that he would like for me to paint some of my wildflowers. After going through many of my photographs, I settled on some photos of the trilliums that grow on our property in the mountains. I had not painted with acrylics in several years because my medium of choice is watercolor. The painting was slow to come to completion mainly because of the mental anquish rather than the difficulty of the work. I sent him a note with it telling how the flower appears in the spring for such a short time that you must enjoy every moment of it. It is very much like his visits to the mountains. I have to enjoy every moment because when they leave I know they will not return until next year.

Two Pursesonas (um)

I completed these two purses today. These are actually for sale. I am pricing them at $75.00 each. There have been several people who have begged me to make them one. Lets see if they actually come through with the green stuff.

More Pursesonas

Today I was able to spend alot of time in my quilting studio. I had previously started parts of these purses. I finished them today. I am really enjoying making these little ladies. I think they begin to take over some of the traits of the women they are intended for. There have been several requests to buy them. I have such a problem with trying to price my work and I don't want to deal with people requesting certain colors and trying to please a customer. If I could place them on line or in a shop where you buy what you see, it would make it much simpler. Consignment work is much more difficult. I am thrilled to be able to make them as gifts for friends and relatives.

Pursesonas

Susie's Purse

Just finished this purse for a friend of mine. Her birthday was in January and this is a belated gift. She is an avid mah jongg player so I have ordered a bamboo tile to sew on to her hand. I am in the process of making several other purses for friends. As soon as they are completed I will post them.