Sharing My Granddaughter's Art

This beautiful piece was created by our eldest granddaughter with colored inks used as watercolor. I love it!

Quilting Books Still for Sale

The following books are still for sale - I've had several inquiries recently, but did not have email addresses to which I could respond. An additional postage charge of $4.00 for Priority US Mail will be added to the cost - higher for international postage. Here they are:

Pinneaple Passion by Nancy Smith & Linda Milligan Never used; Like-New Condition $10.00

Interlacing Borders by Donna Hussain Never used; Like-New Condition $8.00

Heirloom Machine Quilting by Harriet Hargrave Signed by author/owner stamp on 1st page/class notes on last page/otherwise great condition $8.00

Four Corners Reversible Jacket - Never used, Like New - $5.00


It's odd - I like all of these patterns - wish I had made the jacket...but the artist in me simply cannot stand to follow patterns - thus the "like new" condition of these books... Hopefully, someone else will be able to put them to good use!

Challenge Quilt - quilting

Today I began quilting again - what a joy after two months of desk work, framing, etc. in prep for the show. I do LOVE drawing with the sewing machine... I started with black first - the trees, one leaf, and all the black areas of fabric; then I went to the palest color, a soft creamy beige; then to a soft shade of rust. And that's it for tonight. Tomorrow is another day!
Here's a full shot:

The trees plus the corner/border:

Detail of one tree - note the white spot? It's the one place where the rust literally penetrated the fabric. I'll have to figure out a way to take care of that before the piece is completed...

The leaves and upper left corner:

A detail shot of the leaves:

Sap-Sucking Birds

We have an Autumn Glory Maple tree outside our kitchen window and the sap has begun to run, despite the St. Patrick's Day storm dumping 3" of ice pellets. I've never seen the birds drinking sap from the trees before, so it's been a fun day capturing their sugary delight!










Oooops... these are my granddaughter's Beta Fish. I've been great-grand-fish sitting this week while she's home in Vermont on Spring Break...

Challenge Quilt Progress - continued

Now that my art show is hung, I am finally able to go back into the creative mode. Not that putting the show together wasn't creative...it's just that what I love about creating is the designing, implementing, rearranging, of various ideas in different ways to produce a new piece of art.

In January, I began a project based on two fibers received through my art critique group, the Eclectic Quilters. Both were a coppery color - one was marbled paper, the other was a piece of pale organza. The first few stages of the development of this piece can be viewed here.

I decided I needed to add something in the lower right - and that it should relate to trees or leaves, since I hand-painted & hand colored-pencilled in the leaf in the upper left corner of the piece. I had some lovely tree stamps purchased awhile ago but never used, so I decided to stamp these onto my fabric. In the photo below, is acrylic paint spread on a sheet of plastic along with the printer's brayer (the small rolling-pin looking tool on the right) and several purchased stamps.

Here's a close-up of the stamped trees:

And this is where the piece tonight - ready to quilt. I've added a small border of my rust-dyed-fabric border. It may or may not stay that wide...but it's there for now. I've added the stamped tree images in the lower right corner and have made my "quilt sandwich." It's now ready for sewing and I'm really looking forward to playing on and with this piece!

This is the scrap fabric I used to practice stamping on the fabric...I rather like it and may make it into a small piece one day.

One-Woman Art Show photos

Here are some photos of my art show at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Manalapan, NJ. The exhibit runs from March 5 - April 1. The art department staff is responsible for the hanging of the wall display, while I did the 5 glass cases. There are 30 pieces hanging in the check-out section of the library headquarters and another 30 small works in 5 display cases that are in the outer lobby of the library. A total of 60 pieces - I guess I finally have a "body of work!" (If you want a close-up view, click on the photo and it will enlarge.)








This is their sign announcing the lecture I'll be giving at 7pm next Thursday evening. It will be interesting for me to create the lecture around their description!

And, finally, the crocus blooming yesterday in the front yard - they are now buried in ice/snow...

March, the Full Moon, and More...

Tonight we'll have an eclipse of the moon - these are photos of the moon last night, nearly full, voluptuous, and very, very feminine. The symbolism of eclipse of the moon might possibly involve "exposing" the dark side of feminine energy... Food for thought - how am I using my feminine energy? Am I using it fully balanced and in harmony with my masculine energy? Am I misusing, abusing, or not using my feminine energies at all? If so, why might that be so???? Questions of the night for those interested in symbolism...

Below are images of some of my 2005 and 2006 Journal Quilts that have been framed in 11" x 14" frames for my upcoming one-woman art show at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan, NJ. Final set up is Monday... I'll post photos of the show next week.