Things are greening up.

 The sun is shinning and the birds are chirping happily

outside my window. Another perfect spring day.

Yesterday Brad my grandson hauled 5 pick-up loads of

branches and leaves to the burn pile. The rabbits and deer

did lots of damage this past winter. The rhodadendums

did not survive our harsh winter either.

 The sun shines on and life will continue without

them. The white pines are always constant and

I love the sun shinning through them.

Wednesday I go to Fine Line in Saint Charles, Illinois

for a 3 day class with Jane Dunnewold.

I plan on having a great time and getting

very messy with dyes and paint.

Now to finish packing. I am the woman who

brings everything but the kitchen sink to a class.

4x6 card quilts for Christmas Shows

 Well I did get into the studio for a couple of hours.

I started some 4x6 art quilts that will go into

greeting cards. I usually cannot keep up with the

 demand for these. During the year I use them myself

for Birthdays and Anniversaries,

 I am liking the ones with purple in the background.

Looks like distant mountains.

As I looked at them I think I need to make this into

a 12 by 36 art quilt too the panorama is nice.

Maybe a larger on for my friend Dana.

I must get hers done it was on my list for this week.

Than I fell and got sidetracked.

 Today I will add the stitching and will have 20 small

quilts for the Holiday shows by the days end.

Time to get it in gear.

Time is a wasting.

Paintings

 I am still struggling with the big one.

It really helps to take a photo and print it.

Than I can study and look for ways to improve.

I did not realize that I really am a better art quilter

than painter.

I need to stick with fabric to paint my world.

The panels below are rust dyed cotton velvet.

I love the abstract quality of it.

Nice to touch too.

One more day of extreme heat.

Our long hot summer in Indiana.

Central Park

 Central Park finished.

6 hours of sewing and fusing.

5 hours of thread stitching to accent the quilt.

Ready to debut at the show in Lafayette.

 Some close up of the details.

Trees reflected in the water.

Off to the hardware store this morning.

I am going to use the hanging method Jane Dunnewold

showed me last week.

Much neater that a sleeve.

Rigid strip of metal at the top with holes in each end.

Either use mono filament or nails to hang.

Attached with Velcro to quilt.

Easy to remove.

It is what this irregular top quilt needs.

Today I finish Northern Lights.

Ready Set and GO to Columbus today.

 I start my day here at Cedar Ridge and will end it at

QSDS 2012 in Columbus.

Where I will be for 7 days.

Looking forward to learning something new.

Most of my friends will be here at the Indiana Dunes.

Indiana has beautiful places to go.

And Live.

I left my husband lots of food.

Written instructions on the washer and dryer

and instructions to wash those dishes.

When we were first married I went to the hospital

to have our first child and came home to a

sink full of dirty and moldy dishes.

7 days worth.

I do not think he has ever washed dishes yet

in the 50 years we have been married.

Well I better get dressed and head to Lafayette to pick

up Pat and Anita.



Ending 2011 & beginning another year

I am ready for the new year to begin.

I begin a new series on skies.

Winter skies, Spring skies, Summer too.

Morning skies. Sunsets. Storms.

The list is endless.

2012 here I come.

Being in the studio for hours on end is my goal.

But first a day of quiet with my mate of 49 years.

Good by 2011.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday's mornings golden glow.

Sunlight through the trees

The glow of Fall.

 Fall grasses highlighted  by the sun.

The sumac glows red against the woods.

The old wind mill spins in the gentle breeze.

Fall is a special time of the year.

Have a great day.

The road home.

                Finally finished the new art quilt.
                Fall in its most glowing colors.
                It is my favorite time of the year.
                Next art quilt will be more abstract.
                4 weeks of stitching in my spare time.
                The hand dyed threads from Artfabrik
                really make the finishing touch.

Back from vacation.

            Just back from a week of recharging my spirit in Wisconsin.
            Lots of rain and clouds but on the last day sunshine came
            back in Door County Wisconsin.  The trees were glowing

               red and gold. The skies were blue - a perfect end to the week.
               Found lost of galleries to look at art. Very good fine arts.
               As always I get some new ideas.  This would make a great
               quilt. Good food and good times now back to the studio.

Back in the studio.

                        Can you see the piles of fall leaves .
                        Last night it occurred to me that the
                        pinking wheel would make cuts like
                        edges of leaves. Love the colors.

                          Spent the afternoon with a tweezers applying
                          leaves and ironing them in place. Now to
                          add  the leaves on the ground under the trees
                       . Than I will be  ready to add the hand stitching
                         with the hand dyed threads  that came in the mail
                          from Artfabrik today. Lovely colors of fall.

A sunny Monday.

                               The gold fish really stood out in the pond
                                bright orange and the water is so clear.
                                Butterflies continue to devour the sedums.
                                Loaded the last load into the kiln to bisque.
                                Wednesday I will help at the college making
                                 glazes in return they will fire all 50 of my
                                 containers saving me a weeks worth of work.
                                 I can get back to quilting than. :)

The Wood's Road

Got some studio time today.

I added the next layer to my newest quilt.

Taking a photograph shows me where I need corrections.

Lots of corrections.

Glad to be back creating.

Have a good week-end. 

Start of The Woods Road art quilt.

Yesterday was busy.

I laid out the background and

started quilting the sky.

My new art quilt will be a road

disappearing into the woods.

Lots of trees and leaves. 

                                   I made another 6 quarts of tomato juice.
                                   This is the last of the melons from the garden.
                                   We will savor this one.
                                   Next week on to the watermelons.

 

I am glad to be back in the studio again.

The pantry will be full for the winter.

I will be happy as a clam in the studio.

Watching the snow blow past the windows.

I am probably the only person who likes winter.

Enjoy your day.

Wordless Wednesday

Mondays progress in painting

Monday was good.

I started a new lake painting.

This will be a fall scene.

                           I added the 5th layer to the roots painting.
                           I love these colors reminds me of fall.

Taking photos help me see where

 I need to change the painting.

Today I will paint in the rocks.

Have a good day.

I will try and concentrate on painting

and stay away from the sewing machine.

Its hot and steamy on Cedar Ridge.

Two weeks ago when I cleaned like crazy

I set up 2 cozy areas.

The wicker chair is perfect to sit in to hand finish my quilts.

The recliner to read and work on my laptop.

Just imagine 3 shelves of quilting books and magazines.

The perfect place on a hot summer day. 

                        I love my view from the kitchen table.
                        Quietness and tranquility of water.
                        Perfect for a cold summer lunch.
                        Now off to the studio for some create time before lunch.

Cedar Ridge Art

I was able to finish 3 of the 4 canvases.

My idea of Lake Michigan.

                            The butterflies are busy the heat doesn't bother them.                                     

Nor the bees.

I will be glad when this heat abates.

I am off to pick the beans in my daughters garden.

Early

To avoid the heat.

Than into the cool studio to paint.

Purple is the color.

Up or down. What do you think?

I had some time to waste

I had some scraps laying around.

I wanted to practice finishing  the edge.

A new art quilt is born. 

                   

I love the color purple.

Whether is is silk or flowers.

                          It has been raining since 8 pm last night.
                          At least I don't have to water the flowers.