LIfe Interupted

I never saw the movie Girl Interrupted but I'm having the feeling that I'm in a version of Life Interrupted and it's going to be a long running show.  Thankfully there was a midweek intermission which I'll describe later.

Ashley came up for 4 days this week and we sorted, purged, cleared out, and cleaned.  We concentrated on art supplies and books. We haven't even touched fabrics so there will be many more days like these.  Ashley is quiet the taskmaster (did I train her too well?); she threatened to recommend me to "Hoarders" if I didn't stay with the job.  If this sounds like complaining it's the exhaustion talking.  I really do appreciate the focused direction.  She has several big shows in he spring so we're doing this while she has some flex time and I'm thinking it will give me a good work environment when I can get back to making art between now and the move time.  Thanks kiddo.

The intermission mentioned above was an outing for Deborah's 40th birthday.  Six of us met at an elegant new eatery in Dallas, Samar by Stephen Pile.  The celebration was to honor her but we all enjoyed the experience.

Tote Tuesday

This 3+ yard assortment of hand dyed, printed, and painted fabrics are my contribution to TOTE TUESDAY. I am excited to be participating in this latest installment of Fiber Arts for A Cause organized by Virginia Spiegel. In case you're new here, FAFOC is Virginia's brainchild to raise money for the American Cancer Fund.

My fabric will be included in a Tote sponsored by Lyric Kinard and will include her new book, Art & Quilt plus a beautiful beaded journal she has created.

Go to Virginia's website for more details. Bidding starts Tuesday, Feb. 2nd with the project running on Tues. thru March.

Hope in the face of loss

For most of last week and some of this I have not felt well. I think my original malady morphed into seasonal allergies accounting for the sniffles, sneezes, headache that have turned me into a bit of a zombie. I'm hoping I'll feel better with the weather change expected this weekend. I know I'll feel better seeing Karlie. Any problems and worries I have are minescule in the face of the tragedy that has unfolded this week in Haiti.

The last 2 days remind me of the images of Katrina. Once again I am reminded of how richly blessed I am. I have a life filled with hope; I have a life of luxury compared to standards of much of the world. My circumstances are far removed from those of the citizens of Haiti. I can hardly imagine theirs. They had little in their lives before the earthquake and now the horrors they face are overwhelming.

I believe in hope. I believe there is power in each small action, donation, volunteer effort. I urge everyone to do what small thing they can to bring hope in the face of this loss.

Slow

For most of the last 3 days I've been snuggled under this blanket with Miss Meowgie on my feet. Partly it's the weather (VERY cold) but also I've come down with a bug -aching, no voice and yucky cough. Karl has been especially sweet taking care of me with soup and other treats. He's got a crock pot of chili going for tomorrow....cooking nice and slow.

All this slowness is giving me opportunity to think about the changes ahead and how I need to best deal with them. Some things will require that I act and others will require that I be patient and calm, not my strongest traits. Hours of web surfing has given me lots of inspiration for new art even if my head isn't clear enough right now to make real decisions.

I've been thinking for some time about doing more hand sewing. Some of the inspiration comes from Susan Lenz 's Grave Rubbing quilts and Jude Hill. I even dyed threads in the fall toward that purpose but sadly they've disappeared. I'll have to believe they'll reappear in the future and for now I've got an inherited collection of floss. Stitching seems like a nice slow & calm balance to the craziness ahead.

A review of '09 pictures has me thinking about a series called "seeds of change". Check back to see what develops. Slowly...............

Warm and lovely

I was the fortunate recipient of these lovelies for Christmas. Shari gave me the hat (made by the talented Lesley Kregel (Cimarrona) and Kathy did the mobius neck warmer. Both will get good wear over the next few days as the weather is supposed to stay below freezing with a wicked wind.

Ashley made the beautiful scarf in my favorite combination of purples & greens. The yarn is Noro Kureyon. It's designed for socks but obviously has other applications. She and many others love it and now I know why. It's definitely yummy in look and feel. I found an enamel pin from her college days that works wonderfully with it.

All this creative use of fiber is inspiring me to get busy in the studio.

Body Snatchers and Bloggers Beware.....

Here is proof that Ashley is NOT stranded in Barcelona and needing everyone in her email list to send money. She's at my house and we're making her a body double so she can sew for herself. It's not a very comfortable process but hasn't been without a few giggles. That's better than the frustrations she's endured all morning changing her passwords.

It seems that scammers keep getting more creative so everyone beware.

Milestone & Moving Forward

January 5, 1968 - a life time ago. Today is our 42nd anniversary. Karl was enlisted in the navy back then so his hat was different. I won't say much about the grey and weight we've both added over the years but I'm glad we're still mostly smiling. This picture was Christmas day. Ashley & Frank gave him the Captain's hat to wear while he's guiding the "land yacht" down the road as we head off on our new adventure.

It was tough for me today to share our big news with the Studio Group. We're moving. We found land in San Marcos during the holidays and will head south after 25 years in north Texas. I hope we can sell the house and get our new base build within the year. There's lots of work to do. These beautiful trees will be in our front yard. I'm thinking our lives and the brambles here are very similar - lots to clear and clean as we downsize for the journey.

If I think about the year ahead for too long I get overwhelmed and want to run screaming into the night. I've been the one wanting to move for some time and now that it's a reality it's more than I can grasp. On one hand it's very exciting and on another it's scary and sad. We built this house; we raised our children here; we spent 23 Christmases here. All the planning, sorting; packing; and making choices will be hard work. It will interfere with my art making not to mention require me to do major deacquisition.

The quiltart list has been discussing a "word for the year" and I think I've picked "Choice". There will be lots to make this year - big and small and I hope we get them right. Wish us luck and smooth sailing as our adventure begins in 2010

Seeds of Change

Happy New Year to one and all. I think I am ready to begin a new year and a new decade.
These seeds, which some would take to be ugly and of no interest, remind me of a promise made in "the bleak midwinter". In spring their magic will give us pause. My toast to the new year is that it be positive, productive, prosperous, and peaceful for one and all. I hope the pieces of cloth, thread, paper, wood, stone, metal and all the bits of life we choose work together harmoniously and with wonderful creative energy. I hope everyone is ready to meet the challenges ahead.