Sisters and others

Marie Shepherd viewing Janine Anderson-Bays Bunny Tales

I am finally getting around to posting again.  It has been a very busy week.  Today, instead of our usual weekly meeting of Sisters in Cloth, we decided to brave the cold and drive into New Haven to see our exhibit Indigo at 300 George Street's gallery Art in the Hall.  The building is owned by Yale and is home to offices, labs and sundry meeting rooms.  The entrance to the Cafe is devoted to rotating exhibits by local artists.  This year we were invited to exhibit there.  Of course, we were thrilled.

Robin Wolek next to her two

Yvette Howard with hers (mine is behind)

Barb Adams', Ruth Anne Olson's and Linda Zimmerman's

Mine, Carol Ludington's and Gail Kotowski's

Then there was our field trip last Saturday.  Barb Adams, Kate Themel and I decided to drive to Lowell, MA (stopping for thread at Charlton Sewing) to hear Martha Sielman's warm, entertaining and informative talk about the artists and their artwork featured in her Masters Art Quilts vol 2.  It was wonderful.  

Of course, we had to catch up with friends too.  Cathy Smith, Rita Hannafin, Jen O'Brien and Jeanne Marklin joined us for lunch.  Then, as if that wasn't enough stimulation for anyone, we drove back to Windsor CT in time for EdJohnetta Miller's Opening Reception.  What a day!

Before and After

Many months ago I completed Sentinel as you see at the left.  The center panel is a beautiful linocut created by Australian artist Dijanne Cevaal.  She created Sentinelle to travel the world in the work of fellow artists.

Click on the link above.  There are two posts Dec 14 and Dec 30, 2011 (!)  Even then I wondered if it was complete.

Sentinel Detail

Sentinel Revised

Months go by and while I really, really like the piece there seems to be something missing.  Until yesterday when it finally dawned on me.  Sentinel Revised is much more pleasing to me now.

Then I decided to tackle another piece that I was lukewarm about.  Meditations also works better for me having been revisited.  If you go to the link above, scroll down to Oct 14, 2011, for the original post.

I'd be interested in what others think.

Meditations

Meditations Revised

Meditations Revised detail

Fiberactions Reveal: Colorful Secrets

The Color Challenge this time was more fun...a real hoot, actually.  The challenge was to use ten or more colors.  It could be one color with ten variations/hues/saturations or as many colors as we wanted. It's obvious what I chose.  Loving color the way I do, it gave me a chance to dig into my stash and try to create without repeating fabrics.

Colorful Secrets continues my series on secrets.  This time I am relishing those wonderful, harmless little secrets that always brings a smile...and sometimes are hard to keep from repeating.  

Colorful Secrets

Like what color is your friend's natural hair color?...or your own, for that matter.  

Who has been invited to write an article for an admired art quilt publication?

Who is planning a birthday get-a-way for her husband?

Colorful Secrets detail

Who bought a really expensive pair of strappy shoes that she can't wait to find an event to wear them to?

I could go on...

Check out the other answers to the Challenge here.

Belated Birthday

 Ten years ago I accompanied my daughter to Xian, China to 'pick up' her daughter Claire.  It was my job to be the sherpa, toting and corralling our stuff, so that my daughter could have more time to focus on 13 month old Qin Fan (named for the Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, buried nearby in the famous tombs).

This was not my first such trip, having accompanied my daughter previously to 'pick up' her elder daughter.  It was on that trip that I learned (duh!) how much 'down' time there was.  Literally, those babies need naps!  I had decided to take hand work to amuse myself in those times when my daughter was busy feeding, changing, chasing or napping the baby.

I took light squares for backgrounds and red squares for hearts that I would hand appliqué, yielding a wonderful heartfelt (get it?) memory of the trip.  Then I saw Claire!  What a cutie!  With big, pudgy hands and feet.  They were the cutest!  I couldn't resist!

Upon our return to the US, Mommy was very busy with babies...I was very busy, and the project was carefully put away.  Over the years, I've looked at it, but always put it back, thinking "someday..."

In the meanwhile Claire has grown into a tall, smart, athletic, musical and artistic young girl (and I'm not in the least biased, really...)  This latest time I tore up my studio looking for something and came across the squares again, I decide to commit to it.  If not now, when?!

My daughter and Claire share a birthday... which recently passed.  I had aimed at having it completed....but today...I have finished it.  Fortunately, Claire loves the word 'belated'...thinks it's a very interesting one.  And, best, she loves this quilt.

Truth Be Told

In the interest of starting off the new year on the right foot...well, the correct foot...integrity-wise, I have to admit to procrastinating a-g-a-i-n.  Only this time, it came back to bite me in the behind.

This piece is my submission to Viewpoints9's last challenge, as reported on the Dec 26th.  What I didn't report, when I posted, was that it wasn't really finished.  There it is.  The truth.

In my defense...and...of course...all of us really good procrastinators have one (or many).  I hurt my back and couldn't sit at my sewing machine.  Good excuse...except that had I finished it even one day earlier, I would have been ready.

Instead, I photographed it.  Cropped it.  Submitted it. (whilst standing at my computer)

Now it really is finished and properly photographed.  Oh, and my back is much better, thanks.

Resolution:  Quit procrastinating.  Simple.