time to blog

I haven't posted for awhile mostly because I have been working more hours at my paid work this month.  I have also been busy finishing my latest work for the online class I will be instructing and completing the lessons for the same.   I am happy to say that the piece is completed - just the sleeve and info tag to complete on the back.   I'll be keeping this one under wraps for awhile.

I got together with a quilting friend last week and we watched a couple of quilting videos - one from Katie Pasquini Masopust and the other was the work of Leni Levenson Wiener.   Both were very inspiring.

 This week I also started a new piece - an orange lily - and am presently agonizing on how to present it - the background, surroundings, framing etc.   I tried a different technique of fusing the lily pieces onto the  muslin  background then cutting out just the flower and trying it on various backgrounds.                                          

 

Here is the beginning of my lily before I cut around it and placed it on several different backgrounds searching for just the right one.   I plan for it to be framed inside a small square with a larger frame surrounding it just the opposite of my last piece 'Grapevine' where the leaves continued over the frame.  I want the colour to jump out from behind the frame.   My problem is visualizing the background and surrounding frame.  I tried the rules of colour, I used my own intuitive eye for colour - still no luck.  I know the right fabric is out there somewhere - and probably in my stash.    Does anyone else go through this kind of creative agony when designing a piece?

My quilting friend and I have made ourselves a challenge.  Choosing a colour scheme out of a hat, we will choose colours, and complete a piece using the same photo as inspiration but with our different colour schemes.   I got 'analogous' and she has  'achromatic'.   It will be fun to see what we come up with.  Oh, and each of us will give the other one of the colours she has to use.   Lots to do......and I haven't forgotten 'Kuan Yin" - still in the planning stages.

I have to say that my heart is breaking for the people of Haiti and I just hope that they will get the help they need over the next few months.   I have seen and heard so many heartbreaking stories and stories of bravery. Their plight is never far from my mind.   I feel so fortunate to live in Canada in a solid home with food to eat and the opportunities to foster my creativity.    I hope everyone who can, will think about contributing to the organizations who are in Haiti caring for its people who already had more than their share of suffering.

Heard it Through the Grapevine

I finished my Grapevine piece last week and here it is.   It was a monochromatic piece I did for our quilting class for an exercise in using a pattern.   I decided to have the grape leaves flow out over the border as they do along the wall of my house.  It was a fun piece to do. 

Now I am tackling a large quilt of Kuan Yin, mother of compassion.   I have read articles about her and looked at lots of pictures online.   Then I put everything aside and drew my perception of her from what I had read and seen.   For instance she always carries a blue bottle holding the essence of life and a branch from a weeping willow.   There is often an open lotus flower signifying purity of heart and the level she has attained.  There are sometimes dragons as well.  I will add a bird and tiger resting together in the folds of her robe.    I'll keep you posted.   So far I have only the pattern completed and am  in the process of choosing fabric.   I want to add embellishments and some fluid acrylics to this piece.  Maybe some of my own dyed fabric.   We'll see....

I am almost finished preparing my online class for Quilting Weekly.  It has been quite a learning experience so far.  I will add a link from my blog once the class is up and running if it all works out.

Water Lily

Before Christmas I brought my Water Lily piece to the framers.   Here is the finished piece.  I am happy with the effect of the double matt and the faint greenish hue of the frame.  I just loved the subtle pastels in the fabric I used for the petals.  If you'd like to see a close up just click on the picture.

Did I Ask for Snow??

                                                                                             

Here are some photos of the snowy conditions one week ago when we were out snowshoeing.  We saw deer, a noisy raven and a woodpecker.  Since then it has snowed almost every day.   So, since I worked all morning, we are heading out cross country skiing this afternoon.   But the temperature is -18c with the windchill.....brrrr.


ps.  We went out and it was great!!   A Winter Wonderland..... now I can eat some more...