Changes

This is where I am with Bathtime Madonna. She has quite a bit of work to go, but I am happy with the results so far. I did a classic nine patch for part of the floor. The fabric is all hand painted. After I took a picture and looked, I can see that there is a very nifty shadow effect in the left hand bottom corner. Not planned. Happy accident. 

This week has been very busy. I have been transferred at my "place of employ", and will now be the archivist for the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book and the historical collection. I can't even begin to express how thrilled I am by this. So lots going on at work.

Going to the parsonage this weekend for a much needed rest and to see those grandbabies! 

Trunk show

I started working on and finished a piece for the SAQA Trunk Show a bit early. But I just knew in my mind what I wanted to do.

Miss Ivy. 

Once everything was quilted I was having a hard time with the binding. At first I tried facing the tiny quilt (7x10) and was unhappy with the results. The quilt seemed squished and distorted. I think that has to do with the small size of the quilt, in that a larger quilt could bear the facing better.

I settled on binding. I sort of like the way the black border looks. 

I had fun doing this small piece and I think that's the idea. You're supposed to explore new techniques and try new things with this. I employed layering and free motion quilting. Also, her embroidered scarf and hair which I am very happy with.

Before starting on the next piece, I decided to do some experimentation with an old sketch from one of my sketch books. Sometimes I just feel like I need to stretch my wings a bit before starting on the next big project. 

We're back

Welcome to the world Clara Rey. She is our second grandchild. I am truly loving being grandma.

This is a picture from back in the day of Clara's mama sitting on my lap. 

And Clara's mama as big sister. I have had the privilege of having these two girls in my life, and now their children. I am thankful to them both for giving me the chance to be a grandmother. 

Grandparent love is wonderful but different. It's not the same heart breaking love you feel for your own. With grandparenting, you get to look into the eyes of your grandchild and slow things down. There aren't doctor appointments to keep and homework assignments and parenting deadlines. Just being with this little person who shares your blood.   

I had intended to get at least a little work done this week, but holding my granddaughter was more important. Being, not doing. 

Bathing

I have started working on my Bathtime Madonna. I love the purple and gold against the red. I've been wondering why my work is tending toward babies and baths. I haven't really planned a series, but it is coming out that way. Maybe it is because both of my girls are having babies right now. New granny... part of a new role in life. 

I think too that I've been contemplating this theme for a while. Not too long ago my mother's back went out and I had to help her get in and out of the shower and help her to dry off. She felt so much better after her shower. Such a small thing that I think we take for granted. The act of bathing someone who can't bathe themselves such as a baby or an elderly parent, is a very age-old sign of love and caring. Very fundamental and human. A ritual purification that purifies the caregivers soul. This photo by Smith has always stayed with me since the first time I saw it. The love and sadness in Tomoko's mother's face is heart breaking. 

No gold

I love spring time at the parsonage. Because unlike SoFLo, there actually is a spring time. 

I didn't get a chance to work on Miss Ivy while there because I was too busy gardening. But when we got back I had worked on her chair. I had put a gold color for the chair upholstery (the one next to the spool), which just seemed to drain the color out of everything else. I was not lovin' it. I do love how you can just peel pieces off if you don't like them when you've used the Therm O Web Heat N Bond lite. 

I had it in my head to do a purple background for the wall paper and some sort of floor. Now I'm thinking I'd like to keep the piece primarily white, red and black, though I did put a small splash of purple in the chair, which is still "red" of a sort. So more experimentation. 

12x12's

The 12x12, River Bath is finished. I am going to send it off to SAQA, as soon as I fill out the online form and pay my dues for 2016. Oops. This was the first small quilt I've ever done. Wish they all sewed up this fast. 

I have also been experimenting with layering and colors. The little square on the right was done very randomly like a free association session. Freud would be proud. With the one on the left, I put a little bit more thought and planning into it, (but not much) and was happier with the results. I like the way the little bits or orange and gray seem to melt into the turquoise dots. Not planned. Duchamp would be proud. 

We are thankfully heading up to the parsonage this weekend for 3 lovely days. Catfish festival on Saturday. See the kids on Monday. And hopefully putt around in the little boat on Sunday. Miss Ivy is coming with me again. I have possible plans for her. 

Shadows

 I'm attempting to put a piece together for the SAQA 12x12 benefit auction.

It's a water piece so lots of blues. I thought I'd play around with fabric weaving to get a more "stressed" sort of fabric feel. And hopefully a bit more random. I did the whole 12x12 background in weave and wasn't happy with it. It wasn't random enough. I'm not even sure what I mean by that either. Just something I felt. So I'm playing around with it. I'm calling the piece River Bath

We went home this weekend to see the kids and baby and just get our heads clear in general. I brought Miss Ivy along to have something to work on. And thanks to these gloves I bought at Joann's, I can hand sew again. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

I don't know if it's because of the time change or what, but I've been noticing shadows a lot lately.

The light plays on things at home that make you stop and notice. Make you feel homesick for things you can't even name. 

Well, I can name this little person that I'm always homesick for. Prince Booboo has shadows dancing across his face. Perfect peace.