Somethin' Fishy's Goin' On 'Round Here

Well I've been busy doing some fish business for the past few days. Gerrie Congdon inspired me to make a fish collage quilt! I thank her so much for all of her insight and wonderful pictures. Here are a few of my own:

I got the three fish and the sea horse quilted onto the background last night, knowing that something else needed to go in that spot to the right of the sea horse.

So I am now auditioning ocean creatures:

I have just placed Mr. Jelly Fish in position...what do you think? Is he right for the part? Here he is playing with the other guys:

It was too late to do anymore (or was it just that I was too tired?) I dunno, anyway, I ran out of steam at about 11:00 last night, so the other contestants are still waiting in the wings to be photographed! We are off to Atlanta to spend a few days at the condo, so I will have a chance to check out a few bead stores here and there (mostly there as there is NOTHING here!)

Before I go pack, I'll leave you with some individuals of the stars already cast for this quilt:

Miss Stephanie Starfish

The Purple Polka Dotter

Billy Blue Funk Fish

and Cecil the Sea Horse

Can't wait to get them all dressed up in their beaded finery!

Ciao!!

Gee's Bend Quilts

I had so hoped to have photos to share of our fabulous experience yesterday viewing the Gee's Bend Quilts at Atlanta's High Museum, but those that I took at the roundtable discussion were either blurred or too dark or too far away, so just use your imagination today. The quilts are just amazing and if the exhibit is ever near you, you MUST go see it! I loved hearing the quilters discuss their love of quilting and color, and how they first met up with and negotiated with the Arnetts, who have purchased and made famous their quilts. It was a lovely afternoon, which culminated with many in the group singing gospel songs.
Last night we dined out with our daughter and son-in-law, Kristin and Dave. They purchased a home in Ormewood Park, a lovely old Atlanta neighborhood a couple of years ago and are doing wonderful things to their yard. Both Dave's Mom Ginger and I have contributed perennials over the past year, and it is exciting to see them emerging now that Spring is here! I'm so pleased to see that both Kristin and Dave find pleasure in gardening, as that has always been a high point for me. And you are just dying to know where we ate, right? It was a fabulous restaurant in East Atlanta (Fourth Ward) called P'cheen http://blog.joonbug.com/new_york/2005/11/index.html
So, yesterday was fantastic!
Today we are lunching at my favorite Metrofresh and then I am meeting with my Silk Art Group!!! More fun!!!

Tomorrow....

.....we are off to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta http://www.high.org to view the new exhibit of the Quilts of Gee's Bend, not to mention the amazing self portraits of Mr. Chuck Close! I am really excited about this terrific opportunity. I remember so vividly when I first read about the Gee's Bend Quilts, and I thought that 2006 and their arrival in Atlanta would never come...and here it is!

We are going to sit in on the "quilters' roundtable" discussion, which will include some of the Gee's Bend Quilters, William and Matt Arnett (who collected and documented the quilts), and Alvia Wardlaw of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, where the exhibit originated.

Chuck Close's self protratis really interest me, as they appear to be quilts in their own right. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with his work!

Here Chick, Chick

I spent the morning completing my "Cock O' The Block" wallhanging. He looks a bit catty-wompus, but I think you can get the drift! It was fun to do, and I learned a lot through trial and error. I did the binding and hanging sleeve a la Robbi Joy Eklow, which was a new and liberating experience! The binding technique was certainly a change for little ole anal me, but I AM loosening up and I liked the speed of it a lot!
Here is another view, where you can see the binding a bit better. HOnestly, the quilt sides ARE straight...guess the photographer was a bit tipsy at the time!! LOL

OK, here is my rooster....what do you think??? Is he finished??? If not, tell me where I need to go with him. I have a few ideas, but want to see if you agree with me. Thanks!!

Home Again, Home Again

Jiggety jog!

We had an incredibly fabulous mini vacation in Mexico. I cannot believe it is already over! I'll share a few photos with you before I flop into bed. I think the thing I was most impressed with was the art of the Huichol Indians. Craig and I bought a few small pieces of Huichol art, but Craig's sister and brother-in-law purchased the most incredible piece, and here it is:

This is a rather large piece, and is done all in very narrow pieces of dyed thread/yarn that is glued down to a surface of beeswax. The symbolism is great and I plan to go into detail about it in the futue. For now, I'll tell you that the deer in the center is very symbolic, as well as the peyote blossoms seen at the bottom and top centers. Also the hawks at the right and left top are very representative of Huichol art, along with the serpents just below the hawks and those at the very bottom of the piece. The colors are very vibrant...this photo doesn't do it justice.

Here is a close up of the blooming flowers. I just love the high contrast of the leaves and the background, not to mention the shading in the leaves.

Our journey began at the Atlanta Midtown Marta Station:

I was thrilled last Friday morning when we reached our gate at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and found the display of eight of the Olympic Art Quilts, plus a wonderful explanation by Martha Connell. I was really glad that we arrived early so that I had time to admire the incredible quilts. Here you can see just a bit:

Here is the explanation of the exhibit with the exerpt from Martha Connell:

That's it for tonight! Many thanks to Carol and Jacinto for a wonderful mini vacation!

Hasta.......

I don't know how to say "next Tuesday/Wednesday" in Spanish, so I'll just break down right here and now and tell you that we are off to Mexico for a few days! Craig's sister, Carol, and her charming husband Jacinto live in Monterrey (is it 2 r's or one...I get mixed up with the Monterey in California...but I'm betting that the one where we'll be tomorrow has two r's!) and we will be going there to visit them. They are taking us away to visit and stay in an old mining town called Zacatecas....and I can hardly wait to see them, their new home, and the town of Zacatecas! I have cleaned up my trusty smart card, so there'll be lots of room for new photos...and I will share them with YOU!!!So, "Hasta Tuesday or Wednesday"!!!

Date Day

Today wasn't at all like I had planned it to be. My darling daughter Kristin called this morning and said she would be in town on business and could we meet for lunch. Well, naturally I changed my previous plans and we had a terrific lunch outside at one of my favorite haunts, 2 Dog, on the square in Gainesville! YUMMMMM Afterwards, I took myself on a much needed "date" to view the R.A. Miller folk art exhibit at the Simmons Gallery at Brenau University, which happens to be just a few blocks off of the square...convenient, huh? It was a great exhibit, and I'm hoping to return tomorrow with my camera. Mr. Miller was a Gainesville native and passed away only last week, at around 92 years young. He was quite a character and an amazing folk artist, known for his devils, angels, "blow Osker", and whirlygigs! I remember when we first moved to Gainesville and went driving out through Rabbitown, his neighborhood. We came around one curve in the road, and there before us was a hillside just covered in whirlygigs. They made my heart sing. Well, that was my introduction to R. A. Miller! I regret that I never met Mr. Miller, but I sure am glad that I took the time this afternoon to view the exhibit of his art.

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday

Well, this is the third Tuesday out of four that I've heard that a family member or close friend has passed away. WOW! I've had enough. Last week it was my eighty year old aunt, two weeks before that was my 10-month-old great nephew, and today it was one of my neighbors and friends, Kathy. She was just 51 and succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver. Horrible. Just horrible. I went to the visitation this afternoon...she has a lovely young daughter and a bright young son, both off at college. So much to live for, but the lure of alcohol was just too much for her. So, I came home and did an hour of yoga and then got busy on this:

I have a good bit more of embellishing to do, but I am coming right along! You may recall the quilted background from an earlier post....I told you I'd get back to it sooner or later!

Where and what would you add? I think her beak needs some tweeking, don't you? Also her comb...that will get some added "feathers" tomorrow when I go shopping.

Now back to the sewing machine.

Batiks Today

It's a rather dismal day here, but that is good because I have lots to do inside! I finished a major dye piece yesterday...one that has been weighing heavily on my mind for quite some time. It is now "curing" and will go into the steamer in a week or so! I can't wait to see it totally complete! WooHoo!
So, this morning I got out to the studio bright and early and started on another batiked piece. I've dyed the "bottom layer" and later this evening I'll go back in with the wax and my new tjaps and apply the second layer of dye. Here is an example of one that I did last week:

Above is the "first layer" of dye.

Here I've applied the wax and added a second layer of dye:

Below is a close-up of the batiking. I'm calling it my "fat Batik" scarf because the wax was applied with way too heavy a hand. That was the first time I had used my new tjaps, and I was too impulsive to try them out on a scrap of silk, so I got some real fat wax! I am learning now and hopefully will have some finer results this evening! Thanks loads to Diane my cyber buddy, who researches techniques for me and then sends me the files!

Yesterdays News.......

or would it be olds, since it was yesterday? You figure it out and let me know! Anyway, just as I was about to post to my blog, our ISP went down and it remained in that sorry state until just before I went to bed, so I didn't have a chance to tell you what a wonderful day Craig and Barker and I spent in Atlanta. The weather was unseasonably warm, with temps soaring into the high 70s and we took advantage of that. We first had our morning walk through Piedmont Park, and this time I remembered to bring along my camera. So, are you ready? Here we go:

When we leave our condo, one of our routes to the park takes us past the wonderful intersection of 8th and Piedmont. I call it wonderful because there are so many great eateries right there, practically at our doorstep! YUMMMM! My favorite is of course the one and only Nickiemoto's, where they have the most incredible sushi.....as they call it truly "Edible Art"! Next door to Nickiemoto's is the sumptuous Zocalo's, specializing in Mexican food and Margaritas that are hard to beat!!! As I've said before, Flying Biscuit is catty corner to Nickiemoto's, and then there is also Gilbert's, for fine, fine Mediterranean cuisine. It's difficult to diet in this neighborhood!!

Here we are in the park. Barker was busy on squirrel patrol, and Craig was busy watching after Barker, so I was snapping pics for YOU!

The lovely Lake Clara Meer.

What a great husband and father, to be taking not only the dog but also the baby out for a run in the park on a Saturday morning!! I'm impressed!

The wonderfully majestic high rises of Midtown, towering over the park.

Now, on our way back "home" we like to walk through the neighborhoods, preferably along 9th Street, because there are some really neat homes there, and there isn't much traffic. Here are some of the sites:

Yep, I'm a Techy at heart! What can I say!!!

The first tulips I've seen in a garden this spring....aren't they great!

In the early afternoon, we took a stroll up to the Botanical Gardens and then took in the Orchid Show. I'll close for today with one last shot:

Isn't she just outrageous? I love her!

OK, I'm off to work on some dyeing projects. Hope to share work with you tomorrow!

Finito!

Here is Radiant Suns....finished! It was a breezy day when I photographed it, so it appears more than a bit cattywhomus, but you get the idea! It is now at Intown Quilters, advertising for an April class.
What do you think? Do you like it? How could the colors be manipulated to make the quilt look even more stiking?

What's Up?

Well, yesterday was a lousy day...you know, one of those days when no matter what you did, it seemed to go wrong. So today is a new day and things are lookin' up!! I'm trying to finish up those placemats for my friends, and thought it was time that I posted a photo or two.
Here is how the fabric starts out, with the first application of dye. There's a plastic bag over the top of the fabric....don't mind that!

Isn't that funky? I love the colors so much that I have a hard time putting the wax and brown on top, but that's the way it goes! So, here they are AFTER the wax and dye:

I have quilted the placemats with a heavy, I think 20, wt of metallic Madera FS. It is really pretty stuff!

OK, my "break" is over, so I must get back to the binding on these suckers before I totally lose interest!!

Funday!

We spent last night in Atlanta and awoke this morning to a beautiful day....blue skies, puffy white clouds, and warmer temps! After walking Barker through Piedmont Park, we had a nice breakfast and did a little bit of reading. As we were leaving town this afternoon we went by one of my new favorite shops, Mingei, in Decatur. They had some awesome tjaps, which I will be using on my batiked scarves.


















Here are the two that I purchased.


















Ivy, the little gal who waited on me, was so pleasant and helpful. She even invited Craig and Barker to come in from the car! Then she showed me these wonderful wooden blocks that came from Afghanistan. I think they may be fun to try on some fabrics.




















Ivy told me that these are used to decorate around doors and windows on Afghani homes. Aren't they cool?









So, when we got home this afternoon I rushed out to my studio, rinsed out a few pieces that had been batching, let them dry, and then batiked one of the scarves. I'll show you the results tomorrow...I hope!

Here's the Skybucket picture from Saturday night's show at the Monkey Barrel.

Left to right in front: Will, Coleman, our son-in-law Dave; and Mike the drummer bringing up the rear.

Ooooops

It's been a wonderful and wild weekend, and I had hoped to have some new photos for you, but alas I am at our condo in Atlanta and my camera is at home, so.......

Kristin and Handsome Dave came "home" to "Gainesvegas" this weekend because Dave's band, Skybucket, was playing at our local Monkey Barrel. It was another great, great show and we all had a really fun time. Special thanks to our friends Patrick, Molly and Keith Rooks for coming out to the show.

Dave, Kristin and our grand-dog Marley spent the night, so we got to enjoy a bit of time together today...updating my website (www.silksorbet.com). Check it out! Kristin and Dave have done a great job, and perhaps I can keep it current all by by my own self now! I'll let you be the judge.

Craig and I motored on down to Atlanta this afternoon and stopped by Horsefeather Quilting to pick up my Radiant Suns quilt from the awesome longarmed quilter, Leslie Evans. If you are in need of some innovative quilting, give her a call, you will not be disappointed!

After walking around Midtown with darling boy Barker Baby, we dropped by Twisted Taco for some nourishing vittles....and then home to watch the Academy Awards.

Pictures tomorrow!!

Night night!

How about a.....

Chick Me Up??

Most of you know of my fondness for foul, and so the other day this little darlin' arrived on my doorstep! I was so tickled. Craig's cousin Heather found her while out shopping and said that she just called out my name! Now isn't that the sweetest?

Thanks Heather!

Spring is springing

An admirer told me over lunch today that he was saddened to see that I had not posted to my blog yesterday. Well, I have been so busy working in the garden, that there just hasn't been time!!
Anyway, enough of that silliness and on to real deep stuff! Our weather has been pretty awesome the last couple of days, and I have been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak. There is so much gardening to be done around here, and very soon it will be too hot and humid for this Yankee to be out of doors in the south, except in the early morning...so the dyeing and quilting are on the back burner for a few days! But I did want to share a few photos with you.
On Monday evening we had the privilege of hearing the Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes speak at Agnes Scott College. He is the author of several books, including "The Good Life: Truths That Last in Times of Need", "The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart", and "Strength for the Journey: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living". If you ever have the opportunity to hear Peter Gomes speak, do so!! I highly recommend his books, not that I have read any of them (yet!), but they've got to be fanastic! It was a lovely day and evening, and this time I took along my camera:

The lovely campus of Agnes Scott College on a Spring-ish evening.

So there you have the remainder of Monday....and you already know about Tuesday and the pancakes for 160, so I shall go on.....

Spring seems to be here, but I am told/reminded by the resident weather prognostacator that we suffered a rather severe blizzard here in early March about 13 years ago, so I am not counting any chickens before they are hatched. But just look at the following pictures and you'll see why I am suffering such an acute case of Spring Fever:

This little guy was sitting in amongst the Hellebores just outside our front door the other afternoon, just begging to be blogged!

ahhhh, Snowdrops!

a solitary white Iris

lovely crocuses (or are they croci??)

and last, but by no means least, the wonderful daffodils of Spring!

Enjoy your day, wherever you are planted!!!