Thanks to all my blogging friends for being so supportive. I really appreciate it!! A couple of things have happened to brighten my day.

We have been in ongoing negotiations with the sellers of our Portland house because the inspection showed that the furnace is not big enough to heat the house. We had a HVAC person test it. Our Realtor Cynthia turned the thermostat up to 74 yesterday morning, 6 hours later, the temperature was 60?Ǭ?! They kept claiming there was nothing wrong. We wanted an allowance to add another furnace in the attic to heat the main floor and to blow in some insulation. We were ready to walk (not really). Last night, they finally signed the addendum and the house will be ours, March 1. So that is off my worry list.

I also talked to the president of the guild and she said that she had nothing to do with my dismissal from the website design team. She had been away from her computer and knew nothing of the e-mails, which had been copied to her. This was part of my angst – that she did not contact me at all. I finally called her because I wanted to know why this had happened. It was the work of one person who for some reason wanted me out of the equation. I am ok with that, knowing that it was not a board decision. I have to let my ego take a nap once in awhile!!

And, I have completed the commission prototype. For the client, I have fused silk squares in the color run close to what I plan to use.

I did not satin stitch the crosses because they are small and it would take too long for a sample. I have always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to simulate a large cross in the yellow section. I’m not sure how I will do this in the final piece, but for this, I cut a fused one. I have the quilting lines radiating out from the cross and I think it gives the piece a focal point and the quilting adds some drama. You have to imagine this 7 1/2 feet square. I think it will be striking.

So, I am off to get things in the mail. I have two quilts with photo images that I want to enter in the Art Quilt Images show in North Carolina. And  I need to send a photo of the commission sample and the fabric samples to Alabama.

In my little black hole – a space I periodically crawl in to and have a pity party for myself. Why? I never know why for sure – sometimes it just happens. I’m probably coming down form the high of buying and selling houses and now dealing with the trivial stuff like disclosures and inspections.

I am also feeling irrelevant in Santa Rosa. I went to the vestry retreat and was sent home because we have moved up our departure date and I am no longer needed! I have been working with the amazing Gloria Hansen to develop a new website for the guild – something that I wanted to leave them when I left as I am the one that helped create the current site which is a dinosaur. Sunday, I was sent and e-mail telling me that I was no longer to work with Gloria because someone else would be taking over. Hey, people, I haven’t left yet!! I’m not even sure when I am leaving.

Then, there is the commission sample which I am struggling to finish. Here it is fused with some quilting started. I have decided that I must do it as one large piece as batting can stretch and cause problems. You can probably see that the yellow sections are not lining up properly. I can not take this chance with a large piece. I will just find a way to quilt it.

This is for DebR who thinks she is the only one with a messy studio:

Now, for the reasons to feel better than I do.

1. We have been having  spectacular sunny warm weather.
2. Sunday was the one year anniversary of my third breast cancer diagnosis and I believe that I am cancer free!!!!
3. We had a wonderful time Sunday afternoon attending the Tribute to the Rat Pack in SF and dinner with Lisa later at Delfina. It is always a treat to be in Lisa’s space – she lives a totally creative life!!
4. We will soon be 3 miles from these two wonderful children:

I think I am getting somewhere. Do you like my scrappy work area? That stray orange square is not supposed to be on the green section! Last night, Mr. C said, "Your other piece had more variety in the colors." I realized then that what was bothering me and what made it static was using solid areas of the same color. So, I started over and replaced the green with a brighter one. I used two different blues – a purply one and a true blue&;nbsp; and a turquoise. For the greens, I used a true green and a blue green and some lime green accents. For the yellows, I added a warmer orange/yellow and some yellow/orange. Then I mixed up the red/ magenta/hot pink and violet. To each area, I let some color from an adjacent area migrate in to the space to create more movement. I really like what is happening now. It is not so static, and I think it was what was in my head and it took some help and some time on the floor to get it.

Thanks, everyone, who had an opinion!! Now, I have to fuse and cut a bunch of rainbow crosses.

Love, love this. My word cloud, as created on snapshirts. I did a little changing of words and names. Apparently, I reference Mrs. Mel and Diane quite a bit!! Thanks, DebR for the link.

Thanks, also, for the great critiquing I am getting on my background for the commission. Mr. C, believe it or not, gave me some great feedback last night. I think I am on the right track. I don’t have a lot of time until Monday.

I am getting my hair done this morning. Caesar, the son of Norma, treasurer of the guild this past year when I was president, was killed in Iraq last Wednesday. I am so sad for her; she lived in daily fear of his life since he was deployed to Iraq. I can’t go to the  service, but I am making 3 or 4 dozen cupcakes for the reception after. They are expecting 300+ people to attend. Tomorrow afternoon, I leave for the vestry retreat in the redwoods. I come home on Sunday and Steve and I will head to San Francisco to enjoy a Christmas gift from Lisa, a performance called The Tribute : To Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean – ah, nostalgia! Then we will have dinner with her at the fabulous Delfina.

I may have time to give you a sneak peak at the background, after I work on it this afternoon and evening.

I was not thrilled with my prototype that I posted yesterday. It was what I thought I wanted to do, but it looked somewhat trite to me and did not have that painterly feel that the original design had. It can be seen here. I am so glad that I am doing this exercise of working out the design. I rearranged the squares today in a vertical orientation. I don’t have a design wall anymore; I am using the floor. The photos are a little wonky. Here is the latest arrangement:

I need to play with the squares a little more. I introduced a lighter hot pink in the warm color area to give some value change. Remember that once this is fused, rainbow crosses will be added to the mix.

So, if you are so inclined, I am open to having your opinion about the two layouts. I may ignore it, but go ahead and tell me what you think. The colors are representative of the final piece. I will meticulously choose the colors and dye the silk to get a nice gradation of colors.