QSDS Day 3

Today was half class, half bus trip. Our teacher, Cynthia Corbin, called the day "catch up" so we could finish what we had started before starting anything new. I decided to chop up the piece I had started yesterday and see if I could save it in any way. This is how I left it before the bus trip - kinda so-so.

The afternoon a trip to a museum in Zanesville,  OH, an exhibit in Delaware, OH, then an exhibit at the JCC in Columbus and making it back to the college just in time for dinner. We saw quilts at all three locations - I hesitate to post any without permission from the artist.

Zanesville is home to two pottery businesses that date to the 1800's: Roseville and Willard. The museum has quite a collection from both companies - things I have only seen on Antiques Roadshow. Here's a Roseville vase.

Zanesville was home to Charles Schulze and here's a tribute to his work.

On the way to Delaware,  we passed the Longaberger headquarters - a huge basket.

After dinner, I went back to whacking, chopping and sewing the piece from yesterday. I got to a 'finished' point and declared it done. Forgot to take my camera - so I'll do a photo tomorrow. Am I pleased? Well, hmmm, it's done. Tomorrow we start on our final project which I am still pondering.

Wonderful people here (aren't all quilters wonderful!). The weather has cooled and is pleasant. All around, a good week.

Karen

QSDS Day 1

Yesterday was Day 1 of Cynthia Corbin's class New Directions. She is a lovely teacher who knows how to push us, which this class is all about.

The  first exercise started with her asking us to pick and put on the design wall our favorite and least favorite fabrics of the day. The next step was to choose a photo and use our fav of the day to create a version of that photo. Here are my two fabrics - the fav on the left and the least fav on the right.

The goal was to work fast but in our comfort zones. My photo was of a landscape with a mountain and river. I was not very pleased with this first effort.

After lunch, we were to use the least favorite fabric and do a second version of the same photo but taking it a step further. I like this version better.

Tuesday morning, Cynthia asked us to choose three fabrics that do not go together and put them on the design wall (we each had a 4' x 8' design wall for our use - really nice). Here are my three that do not play together well.

The morning exercise was to use all three and create quickly and break all our rules. I loved the process. I wound up with two pieces, neither very exciting.

In the afternoon, we were to find an element from the morning piece and use the design of that element to create a new piece OR we could continue to work something from the morning. I chose the second option and came up with these pieces. I don't know where they are going, but it will be fun.

Soon, it will be time for bed. My suite-mates are all three taking a class with Jane Dunnewold on surface design similar to the class I took two years ago. So, we have lots to talk about.

Thanks for reading,

Karen

Just a bit

I am here at QSDS - all  set up and just waiting for tomorrow. The drive was very easy, though long. And we had help unloading our cars and getting all our stuff to the classroom and living suite. The college is in Columbus and very modern in design. Photos tomorrow.

I did finish quilting the "plaid" Dad quilt and put the binding on, now it's waiting to be sewn down - later.

A diary quilt

I have almost finished the commission quilt made of Judie's father's shirts. I need to finish the quilting, mostly ditch-stitching, and then put the binding on it. Judie originally wanted this for a Christmas gift, but she is so excited about it, she won't wait. I've used the concepts in Mimi Dietrich's Diary Quilt book. The photo is a bit dark - the outer border is a nice dark green.

I have just a bit of time to work on it tomorrow, but then I need to pack for QSDS and leave on Sunday. I am excited about going there - it's my first time. A whole week about quilting! I think I am taking my laptop so I can blog a bit.

Karen

The graduate

Tonight was Matthew's graduation. A lovely event with all the family there. Matthew was home schooled until his senior year, which he did at the Community College, so graduation was combined with a small Christian school for a total of four graduates. Three of the four graduates spoke of their experience. We are all so proud and happy for him. Afterward was the mandatory photo shoot. Here's Matthew with both of his grandmothers. He's a good guy.

Who are you celebrating this season?

Karen

Weekend adventure

Last week, I became the grandmother of an adult - Matthew turned 18. Time for an adventure. Our tradition has been to see a minor league baseball game to celebrate his birthday. The only farm team of the Orioles that he had yet to see was the Norfolk Tides. Road trip! We left early Saturday morning with plans of going on a boat cruise to see dolphins at 2, then the game at 7:15. Traffic got in our way - a long slow backup to get to the Norfolk tunnel. Plan B was to go on the 4 pm boat cruise - got there with about 5 minutes to spare only to learn boat trips for the weekend were cancelled due to very choppy seas. Plan C became a nice walk on the beach - he knows his Mimi pretty well, how I love to walk on the beach and get my feet into the ocean. Here's Matt.

Got to the game a bit late due to more traffic, had a good time and the Tides won. In fact, the Orioles and the other farm teams all won that day.

The Norfolk area is home to several military bases. Saturday night was Armed Forces Appreciation Night, complete with fireworks. The seventh inning stretch at the stadium begins with a photo tribute to the Armed Forces to the sounds of Kate Smith leading the crowd in the singing of God Bless America. That was impressive.

We ran through our options for Sunday and decided to see another baseball game - Matt was hoping to see two of his favorite pitchers on this trip - he did see one on Sunday. And the Tides won again!

The biggest surprise of the trip for me was yet to come. As we stopped for dinner, about 50 miles south of DC, he announced he would be driving the rest of the way home. I had to take several deep breaths - it's been a long time since I drove with a teenager - but it was going to happen. As you can see, he's a good sized guy in the MimiMobile.

After a brief spin in the parking lot to test the brakes, etc., we got back on I95 north and after a while I stopped clutching the door handle and pushing the imaginary brake pedal and became the navigator with just a few gentle hints for driving in heavy, fast traffic. We both relaxed into the drive and he did fine. He described the adjustment as when a coach and a player are new to each other, both are a little on edge and have to find the groove. So, we grooved home after a fast and fun trip. So nice to have a grown grandson who still wants to travel with his "Little Mimi".

Thanks for reading, Karen

The view is lovely ...

and even lovelier through clean windows. Do you remember when spring cleaning was a big deal and even talked about over the fence and on porches? It's been a long time since I have thought in that mode (I usually just move). But I just did it - I cleaned, tidied, de-cluttered, dusted,  polished and even washed windows. It's nice to walk into a sparkelly home.

The mess had been getting on my nerves and I was aware of too much dust, but I can procrastinate such chores for a long time. So, I gathered my energy and tools and got busy. There may be some of this energy going around. I have read a few blogs lately from others who have taken time out to re-organize and clean their spaces. I hope they feel as good as I do - especially when my daughter came here today and noticed! She is much more diligent about housekeeping than I.

Now I can get back to some creative stuff. Anyway, that's my plan for the next two days.

Do clean windows speak to you?

Karen

The clouds got in the way

At least for a while and hid the "super moon". So, I made my dinner. Then, the clouds parted and the big moon was right there, outside my back door. It's always exciting to see a full moon and this one seemed larger (or am I just seeing what I heard about). Anyway, it is lovely and I am happy to see it.

I've not been blogging very much lately and now I feel I should catch up a bit. So, here's a bit of what I've been up to lately.

I've been feeling less than creative for a few weeks and quickly got tired of that. I spent a few days stamping, stencilling and printing some fabric. I tried two versions of a flour resist. One failed totally - I tried to create a screen, but made the flour paste way too thick. The other worked better - I covered a piece of previously dyed fabric with the paste and designed a bit in it; let it dry, then painted it. I read in someone's blog a tip about using a spoon to remove the dried flour - that worked very well (sorry I can't remember whose blog, but I am thankful). Here it is still messy,  then cleaned up. It has possibilities.

As I was uploading photos, I bumped into the shots from the Peep Show at our  local arts council. This is an annual event that brings in huge numbers of people and is a great fundraiser. It's a wonderful display of creativity. The only requirement is that you must use those marshmallow peeps. Here's the top vote getter - it also won the prize for using the most peeps.

I'm working on a commission right now - a memory gift. I was given a group of shirts from Judy's Dad that are becoming a quilt for her Mom. We chose twelve blocks from Mimi Dietrich's Diary Quilt book and will fill in with some sashing of a solid color. It's been fun to do some very traditional blocks - and those are enough for now. I have all the blocks finished to show her and then can do the rest. She originally wanted it for Christmas - I'm happy to get it done early. It could be a nice gift for Father's Day.

Tomorrow I'm leading another session of the Praying with Watercolors for some cancer survivors. Then it's back to a usual week -- bookkeeping, Bella, book group.

I finally registered for QSDS in Ohio. This will be my first time there and I am excited about going. Can't wait for some new tricks and ideas.

Enough for tonight. Be well. Karen

A new exhibit

Last night, I went to the opening of an art quilt exhibit at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster. I have eight quilts in this lovely exhibit. Four other artists are exhibiting as well. It was a nice opening with a good number of attendees for a Tuesday evening. The local paper sent a reporter and a photographer, who were each pretty busy doing their thing. Both seemed very interested in this unique (for Westminster) exhibit. I was a bit uncomfortable with the photographer shooting a bunch of photos of me (I am always the photographer). Imagine my surprise early this morning when my daughter called to tell me I was famous - my photo is on the front page of the Carroll County Times with a nice article on the exhibit. Here's the link to the article: 

 

 http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/fiber-fantasies-quilt-landscapes-replace-peeps-at-carroll-arts-center/article_60289341-b62d-509e-a8f3-475e9ac3732f.html

 How nice to have a bit of excitement and quilts in a lovely exhibit.

 

Karen

Maybe some new work coming

Last week I visited the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore to see the exhibit All Things Round. This museum always inspires me, from the man who makes huge structures from toothpicks to the woven yarn structures made by a woman with Down Syndrome. Many pieces in the exhibit captured me and one stood out - The Golden Spiral by Greg Mort. He had several paintings there, all very moving, but this spiral captured me ... and seems to be calling me to create my own golden spiral.

Internet exploring revealed that this spiral can be created using logarithmic computations (which I resisted even though the math part of me was curious) or by using the Fibonacci Sequence. I am intrigued and have been pondering how to do this with fabric. The Fibonacci Sequence goes like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 where the last two numbers are added together to get the next number. To make the spiral, each number becomes a square. For more info on this, check out http://www.ehow.com/how_8493648_make-fibonacci-spiral.html?ref=Track2&utm_source=ask or http://www.ehow.com/how_10072695_construct-fibonacci-spiral.html or Wikipedia.

So, now I am playing with the "how tos". Do I piece the background first and then fuse the spiral parts on top? Do I make each square in total and sew them together? What color scheme do I want to use? I thought about some version of a color wheel or sequence. I am thinking about something earthy too. I'm thinking I may draw it out on paper first and get those curves worked out using a compass. I always did like geometry. So many options to explore.

This is exciting, especially since I have not decided on any other new work since the ACC show. I am collecting photos and thoughts on paths - those need to simmer a bit more. For now, I am going to explore this golden/Fibonacci spiral.

But first, I have a binding to attach to a cow quilt. It's nice to finish things.

Have you been to a museum lately? What spoke to you?

Karen

A couple splendid days

Last week was mostly spent on the Eastern Shore. I spent two days with my friend Peg, just relaxing and catching up. We went out to breakfast one morning and had omelettes with wonderful home fries. Home fries are not, I repeat not, hash browns. Home fries have crunchy edges and are never mushy. So good.

My next three days were spent visiting my favorite spots on Chincoteague Island, VA, especially at the Wildlife Refuge. Yes, I have written about it before - it is one of my most favorite places on this earth. The Refuge is kept in a natural state and has very little human touches. Spring is always exciting there. The egrets and great blue herons return from wherever they were during winter. Hundreds of egrets were everywhere in the Refuge. I saw these egrets feeding Saturday evening on the wildlife loop. I was close enough to hear them, they sound a bit like a bullfrog, deep and low.

As I rounded the loop, I saw three Sika deer romping across the marsh. These are smaller deer that thrive on the island.

My favorite photo from Sunday is of this mature great blue heron. He was standing on one leg for a couple hours. One of my favorite critters on this earth.

Friday night was cloudy, windy and chilly but provided dramatic sky views and a long sunset.

After visiting my favorite homemade ice cream place, I headed home feeling fed by nature and started counting the days until I return in May. I was struck by all the different greens I saw while driving, but the camera was in the back seat, so no photos. Spring provides such a huge palette of greens, not easy to pick a favorite.

Now I am in catch-up mode: paperwork, some applications to complete, baking for the Easter festivities, straightening out the credit card debacle, etc., etc. Hope to sew Saturday.

Do you have a favorite place in nature that feeds you? When were you last there?

Thanks for reading,

Karen

What a week!

This was an anniversary week. It's been twenty years since I left corporate America to do art full time and earn a living at it. The good news is that it worked - I've never been a starving artist - and I have had a wonderful time in these years.

My first bunch of years was spent doing calligraphy full time and lots of craft shows up and down the East Coast. I had some specialty items that were custom orders and led me to meet many wonderful families. Along the way, I added watercolor painting to my lettering and sold paintings as well. Then this voice kept saying 'paint large,  on canvas with acrylics'. Even  though I put a lot of energy into resisting, I finally began that new chapter of making huge paintings in the shape of tapestries.

Then I moved to the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and joined some women who gathered each week in the local quilting shop.  I was crocheting blankets for Project Linus as they sewed and quilted. And then I got hooked ... as they say, the rest is history. I returned to my first love - fabric.

I had intended to celebrate this anniversary somehow, but on Tuesday afternoon I turned and bent in the wrong way trying to help Bella and Shazamm! my lower back  went into a horrible spasm that has taken over the week. Knowing this was muscular, I saw my acupuncturist and got some relief. Since then, I've slept a lot and have just had to take care of me by going slowly. Today I have been vertical without pain, but still get tired quickly. All my plans of sewing has been put on hold.

Sometimes, we just have to go with the flow and pay attention to what is happening in our bodies.

I sure hope that I can do something tomorrow. I am bored with doing nothing.

Karen

easy stippling

I finished quilting one of the angels today and had some fun playing with stippling. I often procrastinate trying to come up with new quilting designs and try to avoid stippling again. But the ladybugs in the outer border seemed to call for stippling. It was an easy way to get the border done and not get caught up in my usual OCD quilting. I used the spaces between the ladybugs for the zooming around and found it fast. It occurred to me that a design like this could be a teaching tool - to quilt around shapes and not overdo it.



And the ladybugs seem to stand out. Now, it's time to put some binding on the quilt.

Karen



a walk in the woods

Spring called me to go to the woods for a walk today. There's a county nature center close by that has several trails. On the way there, I passed many gardens full of daffodils and hyacinth and wild bright forsythia. I love forsythia that is wild, not trimmed and shaped like a boxwood. Its yellow screams 'notice me, it's spring again'!

As soon as I got out of my car, I could hear the peepers at the pond and even some bullfrogs wanting to be noticed. Peepers are small chorus frogs that get very noisy when the weather warms. I enjoy driving with the window open and smile with delight every time I hear their spring symphony.

The path still looked a lot like winter - very little new growth yet. I was struck by these leaves in one of the marsh areas.

On the way home, I stopped to buy some daffodils to bring that delightful yellow inside. They are just starting to open up very slowly.

Take time to feed your soul with the delights of spring and drink in the sunshine.

Karen

Two more things

Spring has come early here in the Mid-Atlantic with temps in the 70's yesterday. Bella and I spent most of the day outside. She was thrilled to swing and go down her slide and just be outside. Then we got out the bubbles and she was sooooo happy. We blew bubbles for an hour, exhausting one container. Each time she filled the wand, she'd whisper to me 'a big one?' and puff away. She did not mind getting soaked from the drips at all. Life is good through the eyes and soul of a three-year-old! As I watched the bubbles float through the air, I starting thinking about how I could create that image with fabric. Maybe tulle or organza. Hmmm.

Spring also brought some good fortune for a local artist. While I was visiting the local arts council, a patron purchased Fernando Alvarez's onions (see an earlier post). I was so happy to see those luscious onions go to a new home. Happy for him.

What is spring saying to you?

Karen

Something old, something new

When I graduated from high school in 1963, I was going to business school while working full time at a medical center. Singer was advertising their newest line of sewing machines called Touch And Sew. It had stitches and was easier to use than the older one in our house. I had to have one. I traded in my mother's older Singer and had the delivery man install it in the old cabinet. My mother was not happy with me. I am not sure why since she never used that older machine, not even once. I just wanted that new machine and a trade-in made it more affordable, as did the monthly payment plan with the coupon book (remember those). The bobbin sat horizontally under the needle and was wound through the needle. Really cool. And it had many built-in stitches and cogs for more stitches. I was thrilled with that machine. Over the years, I made hundreds of items with it - clothing, toys, bazaar items, prom and wedding dresses, costumes and my first quilt. When I began quilting in 2005, I put that machine through its paces in a new way, even buying a walking foot and free motion foot. Then I met a Janome 6600 and fell in love again. I had to have it. It hummed a new tune as I began my new love of quilting My Singer sat in a corner of my workroom except when Abigail came to Camp Mimi and was learning to sew. Since she and I were focusing on clothing items, I taught her how to use my Singer. It is probably more of a clothing machine than a quilting friend. When I moved to my current home, I decided it was time to pass the Singer on to Abigail, but some flooding problems in her home kept us from setting up the Singer for use and it sat in an unheated garage for a year and a half. Finally, this past Saturday, I reunited with my Singer. I was a bit concerned that the cold storage may have harmed it, but was relieved when I opened up the bottom to oil and lubricate it and saw it looked just fine, a bit dusty, but fine. I remembered what Mr. Olin had told me when he did the only repair it needed in all those years -- that this machine had all metal parts and could last forever. I dusted, oiled and lubricated my old friend, then plugged it in for a test. After a very, very brief sigh, the Singer came to life and hummed along stitching on some scraps. My friend is ready for a new life with Abigail. I am happy to pass this on to her, sensing she will love sewing as I do.

I returned home to continue working on my new angels. Time for FMQing. Time to try something new. I like to 'play' on quilts I make for Project Linus. I practice new quilting designs and just have fun. After all, I don't think any of the children who receive Linus blankets belong to the quilt police or notice that my FMQ stitches are not perfect. I noticed that Mary Lou Weidman had used the feather motif in the wings of her angel featured in her book. So, I took a deep breath, cheated by using a blue pen to draw the design, and started 'feathering'. It worked. I learned a NEW thing!. About time. Here's a photo. I may even try them without drawing first in the large border. Maybe...

How do you celebrate something old and something new?

Karen

A bit of this, a bit of that

This is a bit of catch-up tonight. This week has been busy, car stuff, starting a retreat, sewing some angels, and just plain catching up on life stuff.

First, just a short bit ago, the moon rose. It was full last night, but clouds kept it out of sight. Tonight is clear and the moon rose like an orange ball on fire. As it rose above the horizon, it began to change color to its usual buttery yellow. So glad I got to see the orange. Just gorgeous! I always try to catch the full moon - there's a special energy around that rising.

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about an exhibit at our local arts council and promised I'd get back with photos of one artist's work. Here are two from Fernando Alvarez, an artist from Columbia. These are alive, vibrant and sensuous, just as he is. Enjoy. (The exhibit was at the Carroll County Arts Council.)

I've been shifting gears since the ACC show. As I get in this phase, I like to do fun things to recharge my energy and focus for new work. So, I pulled out Mary Lou Wiedman's latest book, Out of the Box with Easy Blocks, and made another cow and two angels. These will all go to Project Linus when complete. First, I need to embroider some eyes and a mouth on each, but wanted to share them today.

What helps you recharge your batteries?

Karen

What is success?

So, what is success? I have been struggling with to define it  since the ACC show ended. I had a lot of hopes for that show. I had focused a lot of energy on it. Now it is over and I am switching gears and have been processing the outcome of the show and how I have responded to that outcome.

A couple friends congratulated me on my success at the show. I probably responded to them not nicely, because I did not feel successful. Their comments and my response to them stopped me in my tracks, so to speak, and called me to examine this thing called success.

Is success the achievement of a goal? Is it accomplishing something that one has wanted to do, such as a bucket list item? Is it something purely internal, perhaps defined in personal terms and not always measurable? Is there a spiritual aspect to success?

If I use accomplishment as the only criteria for success, then "doing" that show and being there was a success. But (there's always a but), participating in a craft show brings the desire to sell one's wares and make money, to make a profit over expenses. In our culture, that would be the only measure of success at a craft show. Using that measure, my show experience was not a success. And it is too easy to fall into the trap of that cultural view. That view can easily lead to negativity and unhealthy reflections on one's self and can be self-destructive. Not what I want.

As I have struggled with all this for the past few days, I have heard echoes from my past, of my own voice as I taught The Artist's Way to many, echoes of how creative people deal with disappointment and failure. Studies (those infamous authorities) have shown that highly creative people are able to reframe failures, to turn them around, and to view them differently to be able to feed the future in a positive way. Well, I am pretty creative and I've been listening to what I teach. I cannot change the monetary results of the show, but I can and I must change my recollection of this past weekend.

It would be wonderful if I had a video of all the visitors to my booth this past weekend so that I could replay our interactions and hear and see what happened. With a booth filled with quilts, I attracted many quilters who admired my work and wanted to know more about what I do and how I work. We talked about about colors and fabrics, about my hand dyed fabrics, about free motion quilting, about design, about the need for a design wall, about inspiration and about the need to practice and to JUST DO IT a lot. I talked, I shared and I listened. I was present to those people and I enjoyed myself.

There is something about being in the right place at the right time, maybe for reasons we don't plan or realize for a while. I believe that was my success this past weekend - to be there for others. That might sound loftly, but it feels right to me.

How do you define success?

Karen

The show is history

I woke up Friday morning with a great sense of relief  and excitement - the show was about to begin - at last. And now it is over. Lots of mixed emotions and just plain being tired.

If you have never been involved in having a booth at a craft show, I can tell you it is very little glamour and lots of hard work. But usually fun. It's been eight years since I stopped participating in the show circuit. This past weekend reminded me of the highs and lows. And now it is over.

Here are some photos of my booth in full regalia.

I am so thankful for all the help from family and friends and for all my friends who came to visit. Some former students and dear friends sent me some congratulatory flowers today - a bouquet of sunflowers and lovely purple somethings - a great contrast of colors. They know my love of purple.

How was the show, you may be asking after following me for months now? I had a lot of fun and talked to many, many people (lots of quilters). Compliments were shared freely and frequently. I felt a bit like Sally Field: "you like me". Sales, however, were low - some disappointment for me to process and just accept "it was what it was". And now it's over.

Time to rest a bit, get back to my usual routine and then pick up the unfinished projects and move forward. Thanks for following this journey.

Oh, I can check this off my bucket list and pick the next right thing. What are you moving toward?

Karen

Really close

Two days and closing in on the start of the show. Today we set up the booth. We got there early and had no wait on the loading dock. I'm guessing that tomorrow will be much busier with lots more exhibitors coming from out of town. That's why we went today. The booth looks good. The quilts look good hanging up together. I used several from my southwest series to start the show. My son helped and when I asked what he thought, he said I use color well. That's pretty good coming from a really good photographer. I'll  take a photo of the booth before the show opens to share in this blog.

So, it's really happening. My hardest task of the day was deciding what clothes to wear for three days. I thought about a dress, but it has no pockets and I like to have pockets at shows. Plan B includes some nice pants with accent pieces. The suitcase is packed and I'll be off to the monastery where I'll be staying in the morning.

I'm thankful the show is almost here, for this springlike weather and for all the help and good wishes from family and friends. And I'm ready for showtime.

Karen

Three days!

At last, it's almost show time. I've spent so much time getting ready and anticipating this show that I'm antsy and tired of waiting. Now, it's time for real action. Today I borrow my daughter's minivan and start loading it. Tomorrow my son and I head downtown to unload and set up the booth. Whew!

Thursday I'll move in with some friends for a couple days and spend the day at my bookkeeping job.

Then it's really show time on Friday. Woo Hoo! Say a prayer for me that all this goes easily with no problems. Thanks.

This show is big for me for several reasons. It's a great opportunity to show and sell my work. It is an honor to have juried into the show and be included with so many outstanding artisans. And it's a dream come true. I have done a lot of craft and art shows over the past 20 years and have dreamed of doing this one. So, come Monday morning, I get to check this off my bucket list. Life is so very good.

What's on your bucket list?

Karen

More twinchies

I took some time this past week to play with more twinchies.
These were made from leftover pieces from the last shoulder bag I made for the show. I never thought I would be having fun with such small pieces, but I am. After I cut all the 2" squares, I had to put something together. This Kokopelli cloth jumped out and became the center. First, though, I bordered the image with a hand dyed orange piece. Then I arranged twinchies all around the image as a sort of frame and fused them down. Twinchies formed the next border with a bit more orange on the outside. I hope to have time to quilt and bind it tomorrow or Monday, then add it to my inventory.

Tomorrow we celebrate Abigail's 15th birthday. How did that happen? She is a delightful 15 year old. I am so happy to be her Mimi. Here she is with her cousins, Juliana and Bella - all three of my girls together.

Karen

In the homestretch

I'm down to one week until the show. It's time. I am eager to set up and meet all the visitors to the show. This week was focused on final details and a lot of administrative stuff - pricing, labels, signs, packing quilts, gathering all the stuff needed to do a show.

I took a break and visited my friend in Delaware overnight. We had a good visit and caught up on many topics. On the way home, I was able to stop at Assateague National Seashore and walk along the beach. It felt so good to be near the ocean and hear the surf, walk on the sand and relax and be refreshed. I want to plan a longer trip after the show is over - probably spend some time near the Chincoteague Refuge and just sink into nature. I love the quote from the book of Job: "listen to the earth and it will teach you." I am ready to listen and be taught.

Today, it was 50 degrees here in Westminster - a great day for a walk. Surprises popped up everywhere in the form of flowers and greenery breaking through the dirt. Yes, it is early to see crocus and vinca and pansies, but I am loving this mild winter. I am very happy to be free of possible snow next week. Here are a couple of the surprises on my walk. Lovely.

What tells you that spring is on the way?

Karen

Little things ...

Today I welcomed coffee and chocolate back into my life. How wonderful to be back to normal.

After spending a few hours organizing for that show, I pulled out some fabrics and started building strata to make another bag. It's amazing how doing what I love changes everything. My spirit lifts and focus returns. Joy. It is so easy to get tied to things that need to be done and put off what feeds me. I can only do that for a couple days and then I get on my own nerves. Today was grand. Chocolate. My favorite decaf coffee. Pasta for dinner. Time to sew. The snow melted. I called a friend and reserved a room in her house for an overnight next week. Lots of little things that bring contentment. Life is good.

What brings you joy?

Karen

Hooray for chicken soup

The nasty virus is history for me, but I am still eating lightly. The funny thing is that I have had no desire for my decaf coffee or my dark chocolate treat since last Wednesday. For now it's tea and toast.

I did get some things done in the past few days. Nothing exciting, just those mundane things. I made hangers for all the wall quilts. I got the merchant card thing straightened out. I emailed the world with show and discount info. I delivered postcards to a couple shops. I got labels on all the quilts. The list is getting smaller. Whew!

In the midst of trying to get better, I got a phone call from the local art council asking me to be an exhibitor in a quilt show. How nice to be invited to show my work.

I have a few days at home to do what has to be done and maybe play with those "twinches" I made, when? Let's see what I can get done tonight and get organized for tomorrow.

What was the last surprise phone call that you received?

Karen

This was the week that wasn't

Or maybe I should say that this was the week that dissolved. First into some tough stuff that ruffled my feathers, nothing earthshaking, just stuff that I let bother me and had to spend time fixing. Then on Wednesday night I had a very unwelcome visitor -- the nasty digestive system virus that is "going around". Two of my grands had it, but somehow the virus decided to stay longer with me. I am back up today, but just going outside and downstairs to do laundry is using up a lot of energy. Enough of that. I am on the mend.

I had emailed some friends about the show and mentioned that I had a virus attacking my system. One friend wrote back that first she thought a computer virus had attacked that system. Funny how words have taken on new meanings connected to our world of technology. Virus. System. Network. Bugs. Apps. Text. Her email did remind me to run a virus scan on my PC so that it stays healthy. Wouldn't it be lovely if we could run a virus scan on our bodies and detect the germs and erase them?

Hope you are well and avoiding these winter bugs - all types. I hope to get a bit of work done while I have some energy.

Karen

Ten hours of daylight

Ah, the earth is tilting and we now have ten hours of daylight. I love reaching milestones like this one. The waxing crescent moon has been lovely in the evening sky and the temperatures have been warmer than usual for the end of January. I've walked outside several times this week and noticed tiny buds starting to form on the trees. It is too early but I enjoy seeing them and feeling the sun on my face.

I took a few hours away from working the to-do list and dug out the first quilt top I made using a pattern. I have always liked the spring feel to this top, but never finished it. One of the local Guilds is sponsoring a project to provide quilts for each bed in the local women's and children's shelter. Some other groups have painted the walls and done some other things to brighten this transitional shelter. I wanted to participate but felt I could not meet the spring deadline in the midst of my show preparations. Then I remembered this sweet top and found it quickly. It wasn't quite twin bed size but I had matching fabric packed with it. I added two more borders that brought it to a good bed size. It feels good to participate in this project. A guild member will long-arm all the quilts and hopefully someone will be able to bind this.

Today I looked at the list and picked a project that I have been postponing. No excuses now - got to do it. This quilt has always been a favorite of mine. It's titled Earth, Sea and Sky and was made using Karen Eckmeier's layered wave technique. I used some gold and silver metallic threads for the quilting and left the threads hanging on the front. It has an organic feel to me.

The reason it was on the to-do list is that I did not like the way it hung on the wall. I had originally used plastic rings on the back to hold the branch in place, but those rings were too bulky and caused the quilt to hang awkwardly. A friend recommended using Velcro instead. What I thought would be a quick job wasn't - Velcro is a buzzard to stitch by hand, especially so that it looks more than decent. Finally, I got it sewn down and hung it. The work was worth it - it is flatter on the wall and just looks even nicer. (Thank you Penny.) Here are some photos of the 'after' with Velcro.

Tomorrow, Abigail, my almost 15-year-old granddaughter, is coming to help with postcards and labels and some basic organization. I hope to work on the labels needed for a number of quilts and will enjoy her company.

Do you notice the lengthening daylight? How do you respond to it?

Karen

Two more and the list still is huge

In one month, the show will be over. This has been busy and too consuming. Of course, I've let it consume me. I'm getting down to nitty gritty things to do ... make labels for quilts, make hanging devices, send out postcards and emails, buy lights and little things. Enough already! Years ago, I had a recurring dream that my to-do list had legs and was chasing me down a long road. That dream has not returned, but I feel the nagging list on the counter yelling at times. That's when I have to remind myself that this is a really good thing to do and I am on schedule.

But I want to play more. I want to go see the Stephanie Plum movie when it comes out this week. I want to do a jigsaw puzzle. I want to figure out what to do with all my twinchies. Soon.

Today I finished another bag and the Winter Trees. I am pleased with the Trees

As I finished the quilting, I saw that the outer border did not lay quite as flat as I wanted. So, I stuck it in hot water for a few minutes and laid it flat to dry. Not only did it flatten out, it also got more textured. The trees look more real and want to be touched. Here's a bit of detail that shows the quilting.

Tomorrow I will work on a new method for hanging one quilt and see what else I can do on the list. It's going to rain so I'll probably stay inside all day and maybe play a bit.

Karen

Iced in

Winter came last night and dumped a bit of snow and too much ice. I'm happy to be inside and warm, even though I probably won't get to the SAQA meeting today. It took one of my neighbors over half an hour to chip away the ice and get up the hill out of our driveway. I think I'll wait for warming.

Last night I went to an opening of two exhibits at the Carroll Arts Council here in Westminster. My friend Donna Yarish had several of her abstract paintings in one exhibit - they were bold and colorful and exciting. You would not know that she is fairly new to painting - she has found her niche.

One of the other artists was a man who had moved to the US from Colombia a year ago. Fernando Alvarez does these vibrant, sensuous paintings, mostly still life and landscape, that brought a smile to my heart. All his paintings are full of life and joy, even when the subject is a tomato. I want to go back and maybe take some photos to share (he doesn't have a blog or website).

I came home with a full heart and a smile on my face. Balances out this ice mess.  Now I need to finish quilting my trees.

Karen

Good to be home

I've been out a lot in the past few days and I am happy to be home for a couple days.

I have to pay attention to some business stuff tomorrow, but then I can play again. I pulled out a bag of scraps from a quilt I made two years ago and found some strata in big chunks just waiting to become something new. Once again, I plugged in a DVD and started stitching them together, making new fabric. I now have a stack of pieces.

Again, I have that urge to cut them into 2" squares to see what I can do with them. Who is this person cutting small squares in my studio? She seems to be having fun.

Last week, I did make some progress on the TO-DO list for the show. I got info on merchant card services - I'll make a decision this week on which company to use. I also did some remaking of the covers for my booth panels. They are okay. I don't want to make all new covers for the panels because I don't know if I will be doing more shows. That's a decision for after this show and some pondering over directions I could go in.

For now, I think I'll put on my jammies and curl up with a book and get back to all these things tomorrow. Scarlet had a good idea for some days.

Karen