Friday, October 02, 2009

Magic Carpet Ride

In a sense, I feel like I've been on a Magic Carpet Ride over the past few months.....and you've been along with me on this wonderful ride! You've held my hand and cheered me on through my sinus surgery and both cataract surgeries, and I want to thank you for your encouragement and for caring! All is well here, and as the old song goes, "I can see clearly now"....and it is wonderful, magical, and quite unbelievable! I was awake through a good bit of my surgery yesterday, but was totally comfortable and could see the most magnificent colors: purples, yellows and a vibrant turquoise. It was fantastic!!!

I've finally put the finishing touches on the piece I had been calling "Swirly Gigs", but now it is "Magic Carpet Ride", thanks to Eva. You may recall that I was having trouble deciding how I was going to hang the piece, which consisted of the beaded silk fusion and the hand quilted ground fabric. Well, Elizabeth came to the rescue, suggesting that I affix it to stretched canvas that had been painted black. Great idea! I serged a rolled hem to the edges of the ground fabric with some variegated black and gold thread that just happened to be hibernating in my thread draw, and then I painted the canvas with black acrylic paint and splattered some gold paint on the surface, suggesting stars. Then I affixed the quilted ground fabric to the canvas using some gold beads.. I had rubbed a bit of iridescent red, turquoise and gold Shiva paint sticks on the quilted ground fabric, making it appear a bit ethereal.
True to Hillary Clinton's observation: it takes a village! Thanks one and all for your suggestions on how to hang this thing. Here are a couple of detail shots of it:











I picked up my knitting for a while this morning and was shocked to see the depth of the beautiful colors of the yarn I had chosen for the Noro Scarf! Funny how those cataracts really cast a beige haze over everything! I will post a picture of my knitting progress soon....it is really getting pretty!!!

PEACE TO YOU!!!

6 comments:

Terry Grant said...

So glad the surgeries have all turned out so well! Now take care of yourself and enjoy your restored healthy vision!

Jeannie said...

Magic Carpet Ride is gorgeous and I love the name. I am so glad your surgeries were so successful. Have a great weekend!

Beverly said...

I'm glad the surgery went well- that's what I remember from my one cataract surgery, the awesome light show! I remember wondering if I could figure out a way to get it onto fabric--

Magic Carpet Ride has a lovely ethereal look to it- should look great hanging on your wall.

Eva said...

Happy to hear about the successful treatment! -- Colors can be such an important part of our lives. But remember that also the mind is part of the ability to enjoy colors. There are people with perfect eyes who don't perceive the beauty of colors.
Magic Carpet Ride is the perfect title for your pink cloud! And I think it is a very good idea to put it up like this.

connie said...

I am glad to hear all went well and better yet you are seeing colors!!! I did not know that cataracts make a beige haze. Enjoy your day.

Oh, I love your new piece. the texture looks amazing.

Elizabeth said...

Magic Carpet Ride turned out truely magically!! ( Not sure that the grammar is right there!!)
The spattering is pinpoint perfection and I love the serged edge- much neater!!!! I am going to ahve to remember this method for mounting and we really should give credit to Laura Cater Woods for giving ME the idea!!

Big hugs to you with your new technicolor peepers!!!
XO Elizabeth