a weak moment

To say that I do not like to stand in front of a group of people and speak would be a huge understatement.  The thought of being a public speaker creates waves of panic in my mind.  No matter that it might be speaking to a group of people that I know very well, many who are close friends, my heart begins to pound fiercely in protest.  You would think this silly, I think it is ridiculous, never the less, there it is.  Along with that predicament, there is this idea that I have;  that for a person to speak publicly about what one does indicates to my mind that one actually knows what one is doing. Nowadays I rarely do the same thing twice. When I am in the midst of a project, I usually don't make conscious decisions about the process.  It has always been an intuitive thing, based on what I've seen or read, or what I might be feeling at that time and place.  (yeah, ok, call me moody)  Now comes the ringer.  I was asked to present a program to my quilt guild on how I do what I do when I make an art quilt.  I was so flattered that I agreed to do it.  What was I thinking?  Or better yet, why was I not thinking?  The words "no, thank you just the same", didn't come out of my mouth.  My mind was saying, "no way, are you crazy?" and my mouth was smiling and saying, "well yes, of course, I would be delighted."

Regardless, the time has almost arrived and I have spent the last 3 days trying to figure out how I do what I do and put it all on paper.  After typing for 2 hours, non stop, which resulted in 4 single spaced pages in size 10 font, I realized that I had only just begun.  Where do I go now? 

When I asked a friend to read over those four pages (I owe her big time), she said many kind words, but then she delicately suggested that it would be helpful if I had an actual sample to visually enhance the process . As usual she was correct.  No matter how I wrote and rewrote instructions on technique, it didn't make sense, even to me. The clock is ticking and I have procrastinated far to long.  Well, the best place to go would be to my drawing board, and my fabrics.  I need to physically reproduce my methods step by step, which will result in a sample design.  I don't have time to do a large piece and  I normally do not make small pieces.  But then, maybe this could be one of those small pieces that I could hang in a local gallery to sell, at a reasonable price?  

 So here goes.

I grabbed some maple leaves that are falling from the spectacular tree in our front yard.

Then I chose 3 leaves and arranged them on the bed of my copy machine, punched the enlarge button, hit copy and out comes the basis for my pattern.  Simple Simon, huh? 

The next step is to trace the these leaves with a pencil.  I use vellum for this step as I have found that it holds up to wear and tear, as well as being able to easily see through for tracing.

Now to add a few more design lines.  Once I am happy with the design I will go over each line with a black Sharpie Fine Tip Marker.

One of the most important things is to label every piece on the drawing, which, incidentally is known as a cartoon.  I use numbers, letters, or a combination of both, to suit whatever I've got going on.  Once this is completed, I'm good to go onto the next step.  
I am really getting excited now and I've forgotten all about having to do this presentation about it next week.
(footnote: if the size of the paper doesn't meet the requirements for the size of the finished piece, simply cut and use masking tape to afix additional pieces of paper to the drawing.)

For the actual pattern, I tear off a sheet of freezer paper and tape it, shiny side up onto the cartoon and trace all the lines with my Sharpie.

Once that is accomplished, I turn the freezer paper over to the dull side, retrace all the lines and label all the pieces exactly as the pieces are labeled on the cartoon. 

And the finally,  but one of the most important things, is to make registration marks.  See all those little red marks that are slashed across every single line.  This does try my patience, but having skimped on this step before, I learned that I won't be skimping again.  This way you are able to fit the pieces together nicely when you begin to sew all those pieces together.  

Another tip:  using another colored marker, draw around all four edges of the piece.  This helps you in cutting your fabric pieces for the edges on the straight grain of the fabric.  Which in turn helps with distortion of the edge of the fabric piece. 

One more tracing needs to be done onto Sulky Totally Stable,  This is iron on, tear away stabilizer which is used when I begin to place and sew the piece together.  Using a fine tip Sharpie marker, once again, trace the design on the shiny side of the Totally Stable.

Now comes more fun. Choosing the fabrics.  Oh, the possibilities.  But time's a wastin', so make a choice and get on with it.  Having all those fabrics from my summer of dyeing in the garage, (it was a scorching, hot summer and I was about to die on several afternoons)  I decided it was past time to put them to use.  This pile includes old shirts, sheets and scraps of gray, blue and natural fabrics that I was experimenting with.

Terrific background material.
I don't think I was wrong here. 
 I'm doing what I love best.  Selecting fabrics for each piece.

I like to begin with the focus of the piece.  Being the maple leaves in this case.  Using my small paper scissors, I cut a few of the pattern pieces from the freezer paper.  Select a fabric and iron the pattern piece onto the back of the fabric.

Cut out the pattern piece with a 1/4" seam allowance.

 Pin each piece onto the corresponding space of the cartoon.
 

Continue in this manner until all pattern pieces have been cut and pinned onto the cartoon.

Are you following all this?  

This is as far as I gotten today.  It's been a long day.  I think my brain is saying that it is time to shut this project down for a bit.  Not to worry, I'll be back with more in a few days with more details and techniques.   

Tick tock, tick tock.

Where have I been?

Where have I been?  Up a tree, out to lunch, over the edge`you get the drift. . . . . .

It has been well over 2 months since I have taken the time to put thoughts into words. In that amount of time there have been too many thoughts, many better left unsaid and so many I wish I could remember "because they were so brilliant"! (This said with tongue in cheek). Well, actually I did write down thoughts in a separate travel journal, as my husband and traveled through the north west for a few weeks during August and September. I'll not repeat all that, as who wants to spend their blog  time reading about other folks' vacations. However, I did take a multitude of photos and was constantly inspired by all the flora and fauna I  would never see in the south east.

There are now so many more wall quilts in my mind, I think that my brain is in total overload. Where do I start? Better question~when do I start? Do I wait to finish up all those pieces begun months ago? Am I still inspired enough to complete them? I do realize that at least one of those MUST be completed, as it has been promised. So I've sucked it up and worked played away on this one. I decided that I should go ahead and do a preview showing of the lap size top for the future owners. Just in case it turns out to be something that doesn't thrill them.  I showed it as being a prototype, just in case it was way too unstructured for their tastes. 



Well, its seems that they were delighted with everything about the quilt. WHEW! Now I can't wait to finish it up. And I am rejuvenated as well. Can you see me grinning from ear to ear? Now to squeeze in some time to dye the fabric for the back of the quilt. This one is really personal and I want to do something very special for such a special young couple.

In between all the latest life occurrences and family crisis', my mother has finally decided that it is time to leave her home of 52 years. This has been an extremely difficult decision for her, as she is a very independent lady. Among other concerns (she is now 90 years old) the hustle and bustle of the city is literally moving into her back yard. So I've been busy repainting and sprucing up our basement apartment. Mom is movin' in. It will be a huge adjustment for her, I am certain. But I look forward to having her so close for so many reasons. Perhaps I can persuade her to attempt a bit of hand piecing to occupy her time - when she isn't working on her Sudoku puzzles, hanging out with her friends, and going to exercise classes.

Once we get Mom established in her new digs, I am hoping to get back into my studio and play around with some of those travel photos. I have really been missing the opportunity to do some sketching and pattern making for a new art quilt. I've come full circle here. Think I've gotten it figured out as to when to start on a project, the most difficult is deciding which one to finish first!

Quandary

Quandary:  Obsessive purchasing of Kaffe Fassett and  Rowen designer fabrics. 

Solution:  Jump to Victoria's new blog for inspiration from that group of designers.

Results:  Oh what fun it is to sew.

More than 15 minutes of obsession

I have a new addiction. Victoria over at 15 Minutes Play has provided a spot for creating outside the box, and just plain play time fun.  I've already posted a couple of ongoing projects on that blog that I have been getting together for using up bits and pieces.  Not wanting to be a blog hog, I didn't go into a lot of detail.  I also intend to join in with Rossie and her Process Pledge group.  That is, if I hear from anyone who has an interest in my processes. But just for today, I'll post a few pictures of things that I've got going on.  Maybe seeing everything on screen will remind me that I've got to learn to focus.  HA! 

I named this quilt "The Aspens at Muddy Pass".  It's my attempt at an abstract design using a sketch that I did several years ago.  I've gotten it sandwiched and ready to quilt. 

Last winter I had the brilliant idea of making an abstract log cabin quilt inspired by the Gee's Bend artists.  I challenged myself to use very large pieces of fabric and make only 3 blocks.  And if you knew me, you would know what a challenge that would be for me.  However, once I had it pieced, it wasn't happy with the result.  I kept thinking that it would be the perfect practice piece for free motion quilting.  Nah.  Then I thought, hummmmm, maybe the log cabin needs some flowers to jazz it up.  And voila'

One day not too long ago, in a wild burst of organizational madness, I sat down in the middle of my studio floor with my box of scraps that I just could not bear to toss out.  Using an old mesh- over- the door- shoe -holder, I sorted, by color, all of those bits and stuffed them into the pockets that once held shoes.  (an obsession I've given up, well almost)  Now all I have to do, is reach in and grab a handful of color to make my posies. 

 

Or other free style pieced blocks that may go into a quilt or a pillow or maybe even a few place mats for the dining table, one day soon.

Next delimma:  Obsession/compulsive purchasing of  Kaffe Fasset, Philip Jacobs, et. al., fabrics.   Seems I can't stop myself from buying fat quarters of many many many of their fabrics.  What do you do with all those fat quarters?  More log cabins?  But with a definite purpose.  I have someone in mind who enjoys bright, happy quilts.  And what could be brighter and happier than a jillion Kaffe/Philip/Brandon fabrics?  Along with Amy/Carla/Heather - the list could go on forever. 

Then there's the selvage thing. For years I've checked out the selvages of every fabric that I see. Always thought I was a little weird that way. Seems I was not the only one. I would cut & toss all those selvages that into a basket, thinking that I would figure out what to do with them one of these days. I stumbled into  Karen's blog and yippee, I'm off and running.   With info and guidance from Jacquie and her tutorial I've got a good start on using up that basket full of selvages. 

In my spare time, I've been doing a bit more fabric dyeing as well as using soy wax to learn how to batik my fabrics.  Got a couple of cabinet shelves loaded up and waiting for some experimentation a la  Jean Wells and her inspirational book "Intuitive Color and Design" .  Maybe even an Amish style quilt in the manner of  the Lazy Gal Liberated Amish 2010 Get Together
I'll write about that in more detail at a latter time.  Right now I've got some more fabric soaking in a bucket of soda ash calling for color.

 

15 minutes of fame

Andy Warhol is credited with this statement, "In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes."  I am not sure that is a true statement.  However, "Thistles" and I did have a few minutes of  fame in the world of quilting.  She was awarded 2nd place  in the "Made by Machine" category at the American Quilter's Society show and contest in Knoxville, TN.  It was such an honor to walk into the show and see her hanging there with a big red ribbon.  And when other viewers noticed that my friends were taking my photograph with her, they wanted to snap a few pictures as well.  WOW - not too sure how to handle that, makes me a bit self conscious since I don't like to have my picture taken.  But, I tried to be very gracious and humble as I received many, many wonderful compliments.  Alex Anderson of  "Simply Quilts" show fame and the co-anchor of the The Quilt Show,  even said to me that she,  "really, really, no I am serious, I mean really, really, really love your quilt."  Those were her exact words.  After I got myself up from a dead faint on the floor, I blushed considerably and thanked her graciously.  I was so flustered that I am sure that I did not compliment her, but quickly fled the scene.  She was even rumored to have been seen taking photos of the quilt up close and personal.  I am quite sure that "Thistles" was blushing, too.  Of course, with all that pink, fuchsia, and purple it would be difficult to tell if you didn't know her as well as I.  Don't get me wrong, we are not complaining, but living my life in the background makes for a huge adjustment on my part.  Oh, well, maybe I could learn to adjust . . . . .   I want to thank my husband, my children, my mom and dad, my friends, the AQS . . . . .  .  is that how the typical acceptance speech goes?  
All jokes aside, it is a thrill and one that I won't forget.  Receiving such recognition encourages me to continue to do what I love to do.  Play with fabrics and my sewing machines.  Ah, life is certainly good.

Progress

Some days, when I am thinking that I have not accomplished a thing lately, I make myself look around the house.   I've got "Fractured Honeysuckles" hanging on a wall in my house now.  Picture driving along a country road and glimpsing wild tangles of vines with an illusion of white blurbs here and there.  To further illustrate my thoughts of this idea, here are some her beginnings as she appeared from my mind to the design wall.

I'm thinking that it might well be a good piece to redesign one day. I'll just put that on the list and see if the spirit moves me to actually do another one.

"Shirts & Skirts" is also finished. Once washed and dried, it is ever-so soft and cuddly.  Not sure if it is the woven plaids and stripes, the linen, or the wool batting, but I am sure it will be a favorite for snuggling under on my sofa while watching a movie on a cold, winter evening. 

 

Click here and  here  if you would like to see the befores.  I had intended to do minimal quilting on it, in the vein of  "Fresh Modern" , but decided that it would be a good chance to practice my free motion quilting.  I don't think that I will ever learn to stay focused long enough to do a "quilt police approval" job on my quilting.  I have heard many folks comment about the process of quilting, whether it be by hand or machine, being so soothing, calming, but I just have yet to discover that nirvana.  Doesn't mean that I will stop trying.  Some things just seem to take longer to get my head and hands around than others.



In the mean time, I'm still quilting along on my grandpuppy - just about to get her ready for show.  And also thinking about using these blocks and/or some of my hand dyes for the backing on the other Shirts top.   I was inspired by Tonya R at Lazy Gal Quilting and her "challenge" class.   Sometimes the picture just doesn't say it all and a few words are necessary.  And oh, what fun it was to create the words.  I didn't take the time to read her tutorial about her process of creating her letters, but jumped right into it with my pencil and notebook paper, and filled up my page.  It may have gone a bit more quickly for me had I actually taken the time to read first, but now that I have, I see that it was to be all about the fun.  And since I'm not the teacher type, you can see all the great ideas that Tonya has taken the time to share for us all in this link.  I used more of my plaids and linens for the words of John Lennon.  I'm thinking John would approve of the tie dyes.

Remembering Simple

I didn't have the opportunity to go to kindergarten, so all the things that I should have learned there, I am still trying to figure out.  Living a in rural community in the 1950's, I began my education in a two room school.  It was an old two story brick building with wide steps on both sides of the front, with huge double doors.  They opened into a spacious hallway that had hooks on the wall for coat hangers.  My classroom was on the first floor directly opposite one of the entry doors.  I shared that room with perhaps 25 or 30 other first through fourth grade students. First graders were in the first row next to the tall, triple hung windows.  If I remember correctly, there were about 6 or 8 of us.  How did the teacher manage to educate 4 separate grade levels in that one room, I often wonder?  Perhaps we all sat in our seats, did as we were instructed and had respect for the teacher as well as the other classmates.  I remember at times, having completed my assignments, I would try to do what the older kids were doing.  I remember that I was able to learn cursive writing by the end of first grade.  And my teacher allowed me to continue writing in that manner rather than printing, as was the custom to do until you were well into your third grade year.  I remember often being the one selected to lead the class in a song at the end of the day.  Favorites such as "Davy Crockett", "She'll be Comin' 'Round the Mountain", "Shoo-Fly", were at the top of my repertoire,  along with "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "The Bear Went Over the Mountain".  I guess I've always enjoyed writing and singing.  After school, I would usually walk home with my older brother and cousin, about a mile of dusty, graveled road.  I never minded doing so, it was just a part of life. Plus it was always fun to pick the berries or wild flowers along the roadside.

 Probably never met more than one or two cars on the walk home.  Sometimes we would make a short stop at the country store and visit with other folks, or share a 5 cent RC Cola, if my brother was feeling generous.  Simple, quiet times.  Never thought about being too hot or too cold, whether I had the latest in clothing or home decor, or even what was happening in the rest of the world.  Life was good.  Guess that's what I learned in first grade.  Enjoy life's quiet, simple times. Continue to enjoy writing and singing.  Take every opportunity that presents itself to learn as much as you can.  Just remembering those times makes me feel quiet inside.  

Picture this

When catching up with my very talented designer daughter the other day, after returning from taking classes with Carol Taylor at NQA in Columbus, OH, I was trying to describe what I had done in the class.  We all know that I have a bit of trouble expressing myself verbally, so I finally just said, I'll have to show you some pictures.  Normally I tend to be overwhelmed in class/workshop situations.  Too much going on, getting distracted/intimidated by all the other participant's projects, and in this case, a pretty fast pace and very little workspace, I was happy to return home.  I quickly settled down in my studio with the partially completed projects and happily stitched away.  So without further ado, here are some photos of the progress.  This one is from the "Arc-I-Textures" class.  It is 16" x 16" inches and I still am trying to decide if I should make it into a pillow or a wall hanging.  Or is it ready for that?

This is from the Sensuous Lines and Curves class.  Wasn't too crazy about the sample design (sorry Carol), so I'm making changes with mine. Still in progress, still making changes.  Absolutely love doing the very, thin curvy lines, as well as the little rectangles and square shapes.  I am using some of my hand dyes for the little squiggles.

Speaking of  hand dyes, after making dozens of solids and slightly mottled fat quarters, following step by step the color recipes, I had a grand time playing it fast and loose.  These are a few pieces that pleased me as a result of not following any given instructions.

Note the strip cut from the top of the piece on the right, below.  I used it as a stripe in the sensuous line/curve piece.  Makes for sensationally sensuously striped strips - say that 3 times fast. 

By the way, "Thistles" was not awarded a ribbon, but did receive very complimentary judges comments.  Of course she was hanging right next to a big ribbon winner who made her recede into the background.  However, she kept her thorns to herself and returned home with me, to be shipped off immediately to be judged for the AQS Knoxville show.  Much to my delight I did find  that she was awarded a very nice "Losers" recognition in a blog that I enjoy following.  Thanks Barb and Mary.  I still say we are all winners!
So there! 

Girls just wanna have fun

Before I forget (yeah, like I could forget) - two of my pretty girls have been enjoying some unexpected yet extremely welcome accolades.  So, without further ado, the big Orange Hibiscus has been published in August-September issue of  Quilt magazine, which is on the news stands now.  I won't be boring with all the details, but suffice it to just say that Debra Hearn, editor in chief of Quilt, saw her hanging in a quilt show, liked her and tracked me down to ask permission to publish her photo.  Each issue of the magazine has a feature on the inside back cover called "The Last Stitch" which showcases a specific quilt artist.  Needless to say, after I recovered from the initial shock, I was thrilled beyond words when Deb asked permission to publish a picture of Orange.  Just goes to show, you never know who may be watching you. 

Thistles also received  treasured honors.  The wonderful folks who attended the Smoky Moutain Quilters Show choose her to receive the Viewer's Choice show award and the show judge awarded her a 2nd place ribbon in her category.  She's now on her way to hang in the  NQA show in Columbus, OH, June 16 through 19.  Then rush home, only to ship out to for judging in the AQS show  in Knoxville, TN July 14 -17.  Yup, my girls have been mighty busy lately.  It is such an honor to have them accepted to be shown in prestigious shows and appreciated by others. 

Changing tunes here, a new Ramsey will be arriving soon, so he'll be receiving a quilt from his great-auntie M.  With input from his Dad and Mom, using a few bits of fabric from window treatment in his nursery, I came up with this design for the top of the quilt.  The nursery theme is blue, cocoa, chocolate stripes and dots.

And for the back of the quilt, here's a partial shot - another modern twist for the young parents and sweet babe.  I forgot to snap a shot of the finished quilt before I gave it to the parents.  As soon as I get a picture of the completed quilt, I'll post it up. 

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho it's off to work I go . . . . . 

I dyed today

I haven't had this much fun in a long time.  I dyed today.  Fabric that is.  It is something that I've always thought about doing but, just didn't want to open another can of worms, so to speak. Having finally cleaned up my house, and my studio, gotten everything organized so I could bear to enter the room, I thought why not.  Things have been rather hectic once again on the home front, I haven't expressed my angst through my blog, and what better way to add a bit of cheer?  My friend, Laura, has long been expressing a desire to dye as well, so she brought all her supplies to my garage and we went at it, full  throttle.  As we began to mix the colors, we were also challenged to find new adjectives to describe each variation and shade.  "Oh, how pretty", just was not adequate.  And as we mixed and stirred, mushed and dabbed, spritzed and dribbled, we became more and more excited.  Although we did want to experiment, one of my goals was to have 12 basic solid colors.  Thank goodness Laura was here to remind me to wash my rubber gloves as we changed from color to color, or there would be no solids. 

Having a touch of OCD, to say that I was anxious about jumping into this new endeavor, would be an understatement.  A horrible nightmare woke me at 5AM, the whole dyeing experience was a complete disaster, there were ghostly, skeletal people constantly cropping up to ruin the results, I had dye all over the garage, and my hair was a unflattering shade of orange.  Maybe it's the word dye that had my subconscious in such a turmoil.   But now that we've gotten yards of fabric gloriously colored, I think that I will sleep very soundly tonight.  Dreaming of all the tints and shades and brilliantly colored fabric. And thanks to some wonderful books and blogs for reference, I think this might become another obsession, as I'm already itchin' to do some batiking a la'  rOssie and Malka.

C'est la vie

Paducah 2010.  What more can I say.  If you haven't ever been to the "big mother of all quilt shows", think about treating yourself one day.  It is another world.  As expected, I didn't win a ribbon, but that's OK, cuz I am honored just to see my big  Orange Hibiscus hanging there.  That's not all I am gonna say about it though.  Does anyone ever get a "kick" out of the judges comments?  It never fails to amuse me when I read their critiques.  Just to show you what I mean, I'm going to write these down for all to see.  Here goes:

Best Feature(s):
1.  Flow from light to dark
2.  Variety in scale of fabric prints

Area(s) to Improve:
1. Flowers get lost on busy background
2:  Machine tension

Okay, some of this is really confusing to me.  The judges liked the variety in scale of fabric prints, but seemed to think that the flowers were lost.  Maybe because I created this thing,  I have no trouble seeing the flowers or the blooms or the buds or the leaves.  Tension, yeah, I got lots of that.
C'est la vie.

As an unexpected treat, my friends and I had the good fortune of enjoying a delightful dinner at a table next to Kaffe Fassett  and Liza Lucy right before Kaffe's lecture.  Now there is an interesting fellow.  Jolly good and all that.

They were both very cordial to us and as much as I was tempted to bombard him with adoration, I thought it best to only take a few discreet snapshots.  Loved the purple shirt, purple slacks, and his bag of knitting yarns. (assumption on my part regarding the bag.)  And check out those socks..  I really had to restrain myself from asking him where I could buy a pair like those.  Loved his lecture.  All about color and design.  Duh, one of the masters of color and design in the quilting world.  And, to top it off, he has no problem in stating his opinion.  In answering questions from the audience he stated that he left America for England to get away from all the rednecks.  I didn't know that his stomping grounds, Big Sur area and NYC,  was so full of rednecks.  I always thought that those areas were full of hippies back in the sixties.  I shall assume that he has acquired that dry British tongue and cheek attitude.
 
On the other hand, I was also amused by his statement regarding all the little folks in their white gloves who wouldn't allow you to touch the quilts on display.  He seems to think that quilts are for all to enjoy, to caress, to explore.  He and Liza don't like quilts to be overly quilted to the point of feeling like cardboard.  Yippee!  so now I am once again justified by a famous one.  I agree with Kaffe - it's all about the color and design. The quilting, whether hand or machine, is secondary.  Sorry, I know I have just insulted a zillion quilters out there.  But that is my joie de'vie.

Back home from my 6 day trip with the girls, I am back to work on grandpuppy.  I must say, she's lookin' good.  I have begun the sewing process and it is always a thrill to see it come together. And, as always, I welcome input from anyone who sees any faux pas that I have made in the color and design.  Still agonizing over the "water".   Any suggestions before I continue to sew? 

Friendly Relations

Although i have constantly sought friendship, in fact i am very much a loner.  I was quite submissive, mousey mary, as an old childhood friend once described me, unsure of the rest of the world out there.  She was, and still is, i am quite sure, a tall, lithe beauty who never met a stranger.  Always seemingly self confident with a constant entourage of followers.  I was always in her shadow, readily accepted whatever she dished out to me.   I always enjoyed being in her shadow.  Life was always so much more interesting with her.  I realize it is the interaction with persons who are obviously far more intelligent and talented than myself that i seek.  I know  (or think i know) what is going on inside myself, but other folks - they are much more fun to watch. Since i never had the nerve to show what i am on the inside to that outside world, i just needed to find someone to follow.  Maybe i'm just lazy - let others do all that for me??????

Being a loner, it takes time for me to be able to establish relationships with others.  It's relatively easy on "paper" or the written word.  I normally sit back and wait until someone approaches me.  Nowadays, I'm trying to learn to be the initiator.  My mind is constantly rambling and whirling as i socialize with people.  Just like it does when i try to cipher what it is that i want to create.  Acutally a bit like this quilt that I created several years ago inspired by a pattern in a book by Jan Krentz,  "Lone Star Quilts and Beyond".

To pull out what is within the tornado like turmoil constantly blowing around in my head.  If i could totally detach myself from external influences, i can soar so much further. OK maudlin, you say. perhaps so.  A bit of braggart you say. To think that i would place myself in that stratosphere. I'm told that more than a bit of bravado is needed to succeed.  As if those artists i might come into contact with, might actually accept me into their world.  You've just got to try, get out there,  i keep telling myself.  There i go again, back and forth, back and forth  . . . .   sorry  . . .  those tornados are really whipping up the dust today.   

I may have mentioned that one of my interests is in photography. If you haven't noticed, my photography is lacking a great deal of skill and talent. Blurry/fuzzy is not what i intend to show you. I want to post pictures on my blog for you to see.  I'll keep working on it.  Just so you know, it is the photography of others over which i drool. That's another of my wanna-bees, maybe one day i'll sign up for photography classes.  A girl can dream on her own blog can't she?  And while i'm dreaming, how about a private concert by the likes of Van Morrison or Eric Clapton.  And while we're dreaming, let's go all the way, how about being able to sing like Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall or Joni Mitchell, just to name a few.  I digress, sorry.

Back on task,  i guess i should finish up by telling you this:  believe it or not, the same childhood friend who used to call me mousey mary, went to camp one summer and told everyone that her name was Mary. Unfortunately, she became ill right after she arrived and the camp counselor had to phone her mom to let her know that "Mary" was very sick.  Her mother responded that she didn't have a daughter named Mary. After much confusion, the situation was finally resolved, my friend recovered quickly from the "bug",  and her mother laughingly related  the episode to everyone. Turns out her mother had always kept saying to her as she was growing up, "why can't you be more like Mary?"  So she went to camp and tried to become Mary.  Years later, this friend confided to me that she always thought that i would become a famous songstress or artist.  I was stunned. I always thought that she would become the famous one, she was one with brains, the talent and the beauty.  And then I hear that she acutally thought I could be something.  As if i could ever become as wonderful as she was.  Dang, she was in the same boat as all the other females growing up in the 1950's south. She was just bluffing her way through it much better than i.  Neither of us have yet to become famous.  Content is good enough for me so far.

OK, that's out of my system, let's get back to reality.  Just to keep you updated on the progress of my grandpuppy's portrait,  here's the current status, pins and all.  She is to be totally pieced - no applique this time.  I'm also still thinking about incorporating a/some appropriate traditional quilt blocks somewhere in there.  Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.  A perfect marriage.