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Archive for April, 2010

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A Power Surge

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

After a day and a half of trying to get back to work, tonight I hit my stride. I finished two pieces for the Twelve X Twelve Kilauea challenge. But I can’t show you those until the May 1 reveal.

I want to make up some small works for the show next  month. Tonight, I made the little aspen piece. It is mounted on a 6 inch square gallery wrapped frame. The background is pieced from some hand-dyed velvet that Kristin sent me a while back.

It really makes a lush background for this simple landscape. I have enough left to make another one, maybe two.

I also decided I shouldn’t wait until the last minute to get hanging sleeves on the big pieces so tonight I got two cut and sewn, ready to attach.

Last night was High Fiber Diet Meeting. It was a great meeting. We each brought one or two books that inspire us. I was reintroduced to some old goodies and discovered some new gems that I may need to add to my library.

Our new show, Bird’s Eye View will make it’s debut at the Second Story Gallery in Camas, WA, over the river from Portland. The opening reception is the same night as the opening reception for Artists Among Us. I must be doing something right, I have two openings on the same night!

My shoulder has been bothering me when I wake up in the morning and gets better as the day goes on. That is encouraging to me. I lost another pound. I haven’t lost a lot, but I am going in the right direction.

So that is the news from Moreland Lane tonight.

Posted in 12X12 challenge, High Fiber Diet, My creations | 6 Comments »

Bouncing Back

Monday, April 19th, 2010

I am bouncing back from the back/shoulder injury. I did not need the sling today, and I managed to take a nice walk with Scooter. I picked up my unsold inventory at the Japanese Garden. I sold two scarves. There were not a lot of sales, period. The Garden rep said she liked my kimonos and was surprised they did not sell. I price my work to cover my time and materials and perhaps the right clientele did not come along.

I have now made two tops for the Twelve X Twelve Kilauea challenge. A detail on the second one is at the top of this post. I changed it to gray scale to disguise it. Her is a detail from the other:

I hope to get them quilted tomorrow. I am not sure which one will be the official piece. I need to get to work on some things for the Artists Among Us show. I need to do sleeves and hanging slats on several of the big quilts that have never been in a show.

Today, the dirt arrived for my garden beds. That is another big job to work on. Here is my new kitchen garden ready to be planted. It is up on the side of the garage. I will do some herbs and lettuces and maybe some tomatoes, later in the spring.

Scooter is checking it for me.

This morning on my walk, I saw a group of Dogwood trees that were just gorgeous. I took these photos with my iPhone. I am always impressed with the quality of the iPhone pics.

So, I am so happy to have gotten through this injury fairly well. I am still not doing any heavy lifting.

Posted in 12X12 challenge, My neighborhood, The Farm | 6 Comments »

Working Left Handed

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

This photo shows the ingredients for my next Twelve X Twelve quilt, a color palette based on the Kilauea Volcano. I have my right arm in a sling most of the time to prevent further injury to my shoulder. I am finding it rather challenging to get things done. I drew my design on freezer paper and marked it up and cut it apart. I started cutting the different elements which will be fused and need an under-lap. I forgot to add the under-lap on pieces 3 and 4 so I quit and left it looking like this. I was too tired.

This is the Trinity Art’s display case where we promote upcoming or ongoing shows. Since I am the featured artist in our exhibit and sale next month, I had to come up with something. I created a mini-gallery of some of my small scrap, inspiration pieces.

I love how this worked out. I need to make some more of these little treasures!! I also hung my last Twelve X Twelve quilt on a little quilt block stand that I bought at a quilt show many years ago.

So, it was not a totally wasted day, but I am tired so Mr C is taking me out to dinner. The caveat is that I have to select the place.

Here is the silly dog of the house, posing for the new camera.

Hope you are having a great week-end.

Posted in 12X12 challenge, Scooter, Trinity Arts | 5 Comments »

A Circus Date with M & M

Friday, April 16th, 2010

We took M & M to the Cirque du Soleil traveling show, Kooza. We picked them up after school and got to our seats just in time for the pre-show clowning around. I think the clowns are my favorite part of the show. Mia would get bored during the clown segments and preferred the wild acrobatics.

They got very excited as we approached the venue and they could see the tents.

Unfortunately, photography is not allowed during the show. I did get photos of the kids, munching on their treats during intermission.

While Mia was totally engaged in the whole scene, Miles was completely stoic. I was concerned that the loud sounds and flashing lights would be  a problem because of his autism, but he was totally engage, even if he showed no emotions.

We stopped at Burgerville to pick up supper for them. I was anxious to get home and ice my shoulder. The Dr. is pretty sure it is a torn rotator cuff so I am doing ice and heat, alternately, wearing a sling and taking Aleve. Hoping this works. Oh, and I am not to lift any thing heavier than a coffee cup for two weeks.

I hope my new camera is not heavier than a coffee cup because I am enjoying it, very much.

These are photos of the Hawthorne Bridge, taken from the car.

An iris in the yard at dusk.

I need to get back in the studio tomorrow.

Posted in M & M, Out and About in Portland, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

A Bittersweet Day

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

I am still having fun playing with my new camera. Right now, it is kind of hit or miss. I get some really good photos and some not so good, and I don’t know what I have done differently!! This is a photo of one of the weeping willows on the golf course near us.

Today is bittersweet because it was a really gorgeous day and I enjoyed time with friends, but tonight, I found out that someone I care about is going through a rough time. I wish that I were closer  so I could be of more help. Her e-mail tonight brought me to tears.

This morning, Steph took some head shots of Terry and I for the Twelve X Twelve book. She hasn’t sent them to  me yet. I hope we got some that will work. Reva came by and we talked and shared some work and then went out to lunch. Here is Terry showing Reva her Doug Fir Quilt.

We took Terry out to lunch. I always enjoy time with my good friends and getting out of the house.

Mr C has been busy building me another raised bed. This one is up near the kitchen on the side of the garage and will be home to my herbs and maybe some tomatoes and rhubarb. Next, we have to get some soil delivered.

I took Scooter to the Rhodie Garden for his afternoon walk and, of course, took the new camera. Here are the good ones!

I have been having a little pain in my shoulder in the back. I thought it might be a pinched nerve. Tonight, I reached back into the corner of the kitchen counter to plug something in and ouch, it got really worse. I think I need to call the Dr. tomorrow and find out what is going on. I did manage to paint some silk tonight for the volcano piece. I couldn’t get the right colors with the Colorhue dyes. It is so much easier to get the right color when you are mixing paint.

Posted in My neighborhood, photography, Quilting Friends, The Farm | 3 Comments »

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