Busy from the ballet to the Peeps Show

and sewing in between. Last week began with a trip to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with Abigail for her 16th birthday event. We saw the New York City Ballet perform excerpts from Carousel, a Philip Glass ballet and a series of waltzes. It was stunning. We were impressed with the Center and loved the performances. Here are some photos - first Abigail with a bust of JFK, then the grown-up shoes we chose a while ago, then the ceiling of the Opera House.

 



 

I always get nervous travelling to D.C., having gotten lost there numerous times. Our trip down was so easy and then I used my son-in-law's GPS for the trip home. It took us through the city, but got us home.

Yesterday, Abigail, her younger brother Josh and I went to see the annual Peep Show at the Carroll Arts Center. Not a burlesque show, but a creative explosion of things made with those marshmallow Peeps.  This year, this local show even got some national TV attention. Exciting! So many cool things to look at - here are some.

Of course, a purple people eater!

Around these two events was Easter. Again, I shared the Triduum with my Benedictine friends and was richly fed spiritually.

I've been working on a few small quilts for an exhibit in May and June in WV. This is another marsh scene. I'd like some feedback. I added the green shapes near the sky, intending them to be trees waiting for trunks. Now I'm not sure. Are they trees or mountains? What do you think?

Here's a related piece that I made for the Arts Council anniversary show. It's their 10th anniversary and they asked members to create a piece 10" x 10". Here's mine, similar to the one above that is larger.

Okay, time to get back to work and watch some NCIS episodes on DVD. I spent a bunch of time walking in the woods today in 65 degree weather -- AT LAST! Hope you are getting some spring in your area.

Karen

Something new for the new year

I do work well with deadlines. So, I set some for myself for the next two months. And I met the first one today. There was a call for entries for the Adkins Arboretum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with a theme of wild nature and landscapes of the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain region. Just up my alley with my marshes.

A couple weeks ago, I worked with thin strips as described by Ann Brauer in the Dec/Jan issue of Quilting Arts. I wanted to try something different that could be part of a marsh. It's not so easy to stitch 3/4" strips and keep it all straight. I like that it is a sew and flip technique and thought it could be a good background.

In some ways, it is, but not for fusing on top of the stitched strips. After I fused the leaves and flowers, I noticed that the rows underneath became part of the fused image. Not what I wanted. You cannot see the lumps but they are there and not to my liking.

I ripped the lotus flower off and replaced it with a new flower shape on top of batting and revised the shape to give it more body.

Stitching came next. I first used a satin stitch and then covered that up with regular FM stitching. I really want to remember that I do not like satin stitching with fused appliques.

The next realization was that the leaves faded into the background. I used some interference paint (has mica in it) to give the top of the leaves some punch. Stitching in the bottom of the leaves seemed to do enough.

Finally, it was time to email my entry to the Arboretum and take time to blog. A deadline met. Success!

What would a day be without a bit of frustration? It seems that blogger.com will not let me upload photos from my computer. So I have played with Picasa, not as simple, but here we are.

Time to make some dinner. Let's hope my entries are accepted.

Karen