Thursday, August 30, 2012

Ready to work

I got out the watercolors again.  I need to keep working, but it was fun to splash around a bit.

A few posts back I showed you the parts for the Doodle Quilt.  Well this morning I am headed to the "studio" (you know, my messy garage) to start putting it together.  I will post a progress report after I get started.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Back from Belize

 This was the view from our patio in Belize.  The water was crystal clear the breezes like silk on your skin.  Such a beautiful place.
 Water lilies on the lagoon just waiting to be painted.  We took a boat up a jungle river to see the Mayan ruins.
 This monkey delighted the children as he came down to grab the fruit they offered.
Those people on the top are my grandchildren.  I myself did not choose to climb, had I done so I would still be there. Coming down was the greater challenge.  The kids had a great time exploring the ruins and the surrounding jungle in spite of us telling them to look out for snakes.  They did locate tarantulas, geckos, bats and monkeys, which thrilled them with delight.
A wonderful time was had by all.
I am inspired to commemorate it in fabric in some way, not sure what yet, but I have plenty of inspiration to mull over.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Check this blog out

Painted Threads Projects: Working with Photoshop.

Betsy had suggested I look at this blog when we were working with photoshop.  I revisited it tonight and the quilt of headstones is amazing.  A bit creepy, but using the quilting as the carving is brilliant.  Check it out.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Project Done

 Last Saturday was an SAA Meeting and we had a challenge to do.  One of the members, Lucilla Warren had passed away and they gave us bags containing some scraps of her collected fabrics to work with.  THe theme was "Outside the Box"and we were to include a 12" X12" section and then we could go outside those dimensions up to 36" on one side.  We were to use some of her fabric from the bag and if we had other fabrics purchased from her collection we could also use them plus stash fabrics.
This is what I did.  I built a box of wood and covered it in fabrics and words which tend to BOX us in. Things like "Tradition", "We've always done that way", "no" etc.  As you know I rarely do anything in the traditional way;  (however I can match a corner now and then.)  Once you get out of the box and break free of the wall of doubt, opinion, and the "mother" in your head then you can explore, create, and enjoy the process.
This view shows the box.  I glued it onto the surface of the quilt beneath.  It was challenging to make a statement piece.  You know I have few "statements" to make, I just love to create and see what happens.
Next week I will be in Belize with Lisa and her family.  See you when I get back.  Still not on the surgery schedule yet.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Family Reunion

 The BIG family reunion was a great success.  Of the 96 possible attendees 91 showed up.  That is amazing.  This is Michelle, Ivy and me having fun.
 We had all kinds of activities.  We went to "Roaring Camp Railroad" and rode a steam train through the redwoods.
 These are a few of my grandsons enjoying each other and the adventure.
 We went to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and stayed until they shut down at 11:00 pm.
 A trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium was a highlight; although it was so crowded you could hardly see the exhibits.

Several stops to the roadside markets yielded the sweetest strawberries and other fruits and veggies.
All in all it was a wonderful vacation (very little resting) just being together was the reward.  Now I have a few days to recoup and then off to babysit for a few days.
No word as to a date for my knee replacement yet.