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Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category

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Ready, Set, Go

Sunday, January 1st, 2012

2012 is here, and I am ready for some fun in my studio and a personal daily art challenge.

I have been thinking about starting something that would challenge me creatively every day. I really enjoyed doing my fiber compositions for the sketchbook challenge last year and so I thought I would do something similar. I am going to make a small 3 inch by 3 inch composition every day with the thought that they will all be used in a larger installation at some point. In addition to my parameters of size, I am going to use the same color background each month.  As I was thinking about this, I realized that a simple color wheel has 12 colors.

I am starting with red. So, I will work my way around, doing orange next month. You can see what I whipped up tonight after a hectic day of undecorating and partying in the neighborhood. I have always wanted to do something like this, but never got it organized. I am excited about using the color wheel. I will sometimes use a print as long as it reads as the color I am currently using. I plan to do a variety of compositions, maybe even some felting. I will do machine and hand stitching.

On another note, I thought I would share this challenge with you.

These are Coral Tree fabrics from Africa which are sold by a friend of Helen Conway, one of the Twelves. The website is here.  In the past, Helen has collaborated with her by making quilts from her fabrics which are displayed in her shop and at quilt shows. Helen invited members of the Twelves to play along and Terry Grant, Diane Hock and I said yes. (Will work for fabric!!) We each got a packet fat quarters of four colors of a different pattern. We have to have some of each fabric visible in the piece and it has to be two dimensional. It needs to be in England at the end of March so it is on my radar. Terry and I are thinking of sharing fabrics to mix it up a bit.

Here is one of my Christmas presents, from Mr C. They are called Huntress boots and are wider to accommodate ample calves and they are also shorter than Wellies. He got me red!

I took this photo with my new lens by using the timer and setting the camera on the floor.

I hope you are embracing the new year and all the possibilities it has in store.

Posted in 3 x 3, Holidays, Quilting Friends | 6 Comments »

Where Was I?

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

My life was rudely interrupted by a nasty stomach bug in the middle of the night on Monday. Lisa’s partner, Clay had it on Christmas eve and passed it on. Nice of her to share!! I was up all night and totally out of it yesterday. I feel as if I am among the living today, but just barely.

We had a lovely Christmas day with a delicious brunch at Steph’s in the morning and dinner here later in the day. Just at sunset, I went on one of my favorite winter walks with Wilfredo and the long legged family. I have to hustle to keep up with them.

I took my Nikon with the new lens to photograph the beautiful light at this time of day.

Back at home, the lights on our Japanese Maple welcomed us.

Hopefully, I will continue to get my strength back and I will be posting some new work in a cleaned up studio.

 

Posted in Family, Holidays, My neighborhood, photography | 3 Comments »

Sunday, December 25th, 2011

I Wish That I Could Wrap Up Christmas

I wish that I could wrap up all the love and Holiday cheer
That comes along with Christmas and with New Year’s every year,
Pack it in a pretty box and put it on my shelf
And pull it down again each year and give it to myself.

I wish that I could tie up all my favorite carols with twine,
Wind around some ribbon, too, and for twelve months call them mine
Until the next Yuletide came when the sounds again could be unfurled
And untie every single one then give them to the world.

— Anonymous

Wishing everyone the merriest of days!

Posted in Family, Holidays | 3 Comments »

A Step Back to Reflect

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

I am spending some time cleaning and reorganizing my studio and office and reflecting on the past year. It was a year when I attempted to experiment with some new work, but also felt blocked from really doing the work I want to do. I am making some plans and setting some goals and just thinking.

That gorgeous and sunny apron up there was a belated birthday gift from my good friend, Judy, in Georgia. The pocket is printed with grapefruits. She made the apron and it is perfectly sewn. You can see some posts about the apron here and here. Judy is one of those fiber artists who does the work. She  spends lots of time in her studio printing and dyeing and doing beautiful work.

Lisa arrived on Monday, with her dog, Wilfredo, who ran to greet me at the airport. I think she could leave him here with me, and he would never miss her!! He does find Scooter a bit daunting.

Clay, Lisa’s partner, arrived yesterday and we have been running around, shopping, eating out and baking.

Our neighborhood really goes all out with the holiday yard decor. I took these photos of a couple of trees.

I haven’t tried to photograph the lights at night, but there are some very  exciting displays.

Lisa and Clay are vegan which means they do not consume any dairy or eggs. I found a vegan gingerbread recipe which has a really nice spicy flavor. I have so many cookie cutters, but stars are my favorite.

I will make the frosting using margarine and soy milk.

Last night when we were out for dinner with the whole family, Mia asked me what Christmas cookies I was making this year. I asked her which ones she most wanted me to make. She said, “All of them!” So, I mixed up a batch of peppermint brownies which will get frosting and crushed peppermint. I also will make some pressed sugar cookies.

I have finished my gift shopping, but I still have to wrap things — something I do not really enjoy doing. I am a fan of gift bags!!

I hope you are enjoying a lovely holiday season. Happy Solstice!!

 

Posted in Cooking and Recipes, Family, Holidays, weight loss/gain | 5 Comments »

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Sunday, December 18th, 2011

I finished the binding on Gwen’s quilt. I will miss it when I send it off tomorrow. I have enjoyed the sunniness of this as I worked on it. Here is a detail with one of the silly suns that I quilted.

I am so late in getting packages sent. Lisa arrives tomorrow and I hope to get every thing packed up and in the mail and then enjoy the rest of the week with family fun.

Yesterday was Mia’s 12th birthday. I can’t believe that she is a tween, now.

We went out for sushi and then back to Steph’s for cake. Here is Mia blowing out the candles on the ice cream cake.

And here is Miles, enjoying the whole event.

Trinity Cathedral has a pretty big and active outreach program, providing meals to the homeless and low income folks around the church. Each year, they make fancy cookies, box them up and sell them to help fund their work. We bought 3 boxes, one for us, one for our neighbors and one for M & M’s family. Don’t they look tasty?

 

Posted in Family, Holidays, M & M, Machine Quilting, My creations | 5 Comments »

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