I can't believe it has almost been two months since I last posted...so sorry! While I continue to keep those in prayer that have been suffering from flooding and other severe weather, it's hard to believe that it was only a few months ago that we were still in a drought. I've experimented with container gardening this year, and so far, I'm pleased with the results! I have citronella, canna lilies, tomatoes, marigolds, dusty miller, geraniums, petunias, sweet potato vine, Shasta daisies, Marguerite daisies, zinnias, salvia greggi, mealy cup sage, snap dragons, coleus, verbena, Easter lilies, basil, mint, and portulaca just to name a few! Whew! :) Despite all the rain, wind and even some hail, things seem to be holding up quite well. In the background you can see how green the rest of the yard is as well. Last year, there was nothing but brown. Brown trees, brown grass and dirt spots peaking through! These pictures were taken a few days ago, but we have already harvested some tomatoes and had fresh basil on our home made pizzas. Pesto coming soon! I have twelve blooms on my Easter lilies, and the canna continues to produce more and more blossoms...fun! The wildflowers are still on display on roadways in the local area thanks to the extra rain and cooler-than-normal temperatures. I created the piece below in response to a call for entry for a Wildflower Festival at a nearby museum and it was accepted! I dedicated this piece to a dear friend of mine who passed away suddenly in August of 2014. Blanket Flowers were some of her favorites, and I can't wait to give it to her family. I painted the petals with water colors on white kraft-tex and then cut them out individually. I used Sulky cotton threads to stitch the petals down and then free motioned the flower centers. The business of life seems to drain my creativity, so slowing down and literally smelling the flowers has revived me. I feel like I am coming out of a personal drought as well, and it feels good to be creating again!
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My family and I just got back from almost a week in the mountains where we had a wonderful time! The cool, crisp air was so invigorating to the senses. And the views....WOW!!! The day after we arrived, I took my camera along as we scouted for good fishing spots and snapped a few interesting, yet unassuming pictures. The Ponderosa Pine tree fronds on the forest floor and the lone aspen leaf amongst the pebbles were just neat images. Later on, back at the cabin, I set up my sewing space. (Yes, you read that right. I took a sewing machine to the mountains.) It was my husband's idea actually. :-) He knows what the clear mountain air and the smell of pine does for my creativity ! :-) Before we left for the cabin, my sweet husband used his Tetris skills and figured out how we could squeeze in my Featherweight machine and my QuiltCut2. (I love the QuiltCut's carrying case because it has interior pockets that I can stuff with fabric and other supplies!) I actually left the QuiltCut in the case, so I could save space and have everything in easy reach while I worked. Here's another view from my chair. Like my ironing station? :-) I had to improvise a bit! I used two thick wash clothes since I forgot my ironing surface! And if that wasn't good enough, look at the view I had while I cut, sewed and pressed! Since I didn't have a plan in mind when I packed my fabric, I just brought along some of my favorite pieces that I have hand-dyed. So what are you to do when you don't have a plan much less a pattern, but want to sew? Improvisational piecing! I began by cutting a fat quarter of olive green into rough 4ths. You'll notice that I'm using the small rotary cutter. Sometimes I think it's easier to use and less bulky for traveling. And yes, I know. I should press my fabric before cutting. Normally I do. In this case, it wasn't necessary since I wasn't trying to be precise. :-) I had some scraps of gray from another project, so I sewed a gray strip to the green. In this picture, I'm about to trim the excess green off, leaving my seam allowance. I pressed the fabric open and then sewed a piece of green fabric on top of the gray. I trimmed the excess fabric and pressed it open. I continued the process, alternating between the green and gray fabrics, making sure that each seam created a sliver of green on the front. (I'm sorry I didn't take more pictures, I kind of got caught up in the process and the sound of the blue jays in the trees and forgot! :-) Any ideas what I'm up to? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Comment below or email me!
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About MeFiber artist, wife to a wonderful husband and mom to 2 awesome, grown kids Archives
July 2023
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