Whats happening??

As in where have I been??
We did arrive in Palm Springs, California... without any problems on the road,everything was in good shape when we got here. clean up, of course, we called the gardener, the house-cleaners and it turned out that we needed the plumber as well.
The MAJOR complication in my inability to communicate was 2-fold. First, 2 blocks away Verizon DSL had a problem, then,,, oh, oops... we forgot to turn on the switch in the main office. I travel with a very old, well used and well loved laptop. It decided it didn't want to play any more,so to make it short, I have a new computer. Just in the process of setting it up now.

Also, just have to say... I have a sewing machine with me this season! Yeah... I bought a new one and brought it home a week ago. I also have converted my spare bedroom into a sewing room. Well, how good is that!

I am starting a new blog..... that will be running shortly. I have it 'made'... but haven't posted anything yet. It is only going to be positive.... as in what I really like.
More on that when it gets going....

In the meantime, I thank those of you who follow and visit my blog, even when I am quiet.
Soon, there will be something to show you...

Losses ...... Breast Offering and Addiction II

This has been a 'season' of reflection for me.

I had planned to have 3 of these, but I only got 2 done, so do not qualify for the show Linda Minton is putting on...
Both of hese are JQ size.

I have done a smaller version of 'Addiction', it seem every time I turn around I hear of someone else who is plagued with this 'vice' in one form or another.

The other I have entitled 'Breast Offering'... a dear friend has had a double masectomy in the last 5 months.... devastating.... not to mention my own sisters demise to this dreadful disease we know as breast cancer.


While it seems melancholic... I hope you will see the hope that is buried in each of these pieces....as well as the obvious 'presence' in each case.

My work has been very therapeutic during the last 4/5 months.
I am happy to have this outlet.

Thank you for looking.

Shibori

I recieved this gift of Shibori from a Japanese fellow quilter.
Naoko Hirano purchased my Canadian Quilting Association challenge piece back in
1999. She wrote me the lovliest letter and enclosed this piece of silk shibori.
I have been hoarding it... and while I am organizing and re-organizing to make our place ready for painters while we are in the south, I came across this delight. [I had carefully put it away..and forgotten it].
Naoko is a regular contributor to the International Quilt Show in Houston, having had several pieces juried in. I watch for her name every year. I met her at our own Canadian show in 2007.

Any ideas as to what I should do with it? Just save it?
This is not the best picture, I have it laying on the table...but click
on it to really see it.

Machine Quilting....

Awesome!! My friends and I have been having a discussion on machine quilting, what is good and what is not so good. These are snippets of a piece I have hanging on the bedroom wall,they were taken by the long arm quilter.
Jane Ann Munroe of S. California is the 'artist' who created this fantastic quilt work. That was in October 2003, completely free motion, hand guided....isn't this wonderful?
Whe Jane Ann quilted this, she called her quilting business 'Pickle Jam Quilts'.
I have since tried to find her, but believe she has gone back to her main profession, that of an optometrist.
This quilt is still my favorite, and for more than one reason.
My friend and a Quilt shop owner [since retired... March 31/09] spent the
best part of two days together. We did a lot of catching up and reminicing. I taught at her store periodically and at one time did a 'teachers block of the month'. Myblock for the month I taught was Grandmothers fan... my favorite block. So,those blocks make up the corners, with the applque block in the middle. BUT, one of the corner blocks was put together for me by one of the students that day in the classroom out of appreciation for the class. Very Special!

This quilt has won several ribbons.

Take a close look... I am still aspiring to be this good!

Art Now for Autism.........SOLD!

Preview of the artwork starts today.... on Monday the 5th
the actual auction starts.

Here is the link to view all the donated work:

http://www.artnowforautism.com/

My piece entitled 'Lost Ball' is included in this work...
Here is another picture of it, in the event you are interested in purchasing it.

More folios

What a hit!! Everyone I have given one of these too is so very pleased....
They really are terrific and a nice conversation item as well.
Here are 2 more, and the last one.. the one with the buttons, will be delivered today to a very dear friend, whom I have not seen in several years.

If you really like these, go to Terry Stegmiller's website, let her know you saw them here...
the pattern is hers.

Pewter and white

Poppy Seed pods...
in the metallic Lumiere Paint.
I think I am going to keep my eye open for any hard shelled seedpods
now, just for painting.
These are sitting on the latest Simply Seminole!!! table runner.[My pattern from a previous post].

All About Color

Today while 'cogitating' a piece I am currently re-working and in an effort to jump-start my creative muse... I had this kind of fun today.

It started with some wool I had purchased several years ago from a woolen mill. I used the Koolaid dye method.. and wow! is it luscious!!
The batch on the left used Orange, Strawberry and Cherry, The batch on the right is with Tropical Punch and Blueberry. Yummy... and the kitchen smelled wonderful. I did not stir the batches as I wanted some gradation. I took the picture with some of the white wool with it.
The next photo I felted some of the bits, and placed the silk carrier rods I dyed to match.

While I was waiting for that to do what it does, I decided to paint some dryer sheets I had prepared. That was good, I like the pastel-y colors...
I hve some interesting sheets there and they will be fun to do something with.
I used Lumiere metallic paint. Since the paint and brushes were out, I then painted some of the poppy pods I have. Aren't they delicious? I broke 3 off to see if they would maintain their integrity and they do, I placed them in the dish around the candle. They look like ornaments.

Peaches are just about finished, and our daughter [a potter] made that berry bowl for us... that 'peachy' peach with the blue is so effective.

The sumac is starting to turn red and greens are showing definition again. While I was enjoying that color a family of quail were called to dinner and I got a snapshot of these few.

Now..... to enjoy..... the days bounty...