Quilting on the Edge

The Last Day of 2008

  How are you spending the last day of 2008?  I can tell you what I'm doing.........getting my housework done so that tomorrow, on New Year's Day, I am free to do whatever I want.  I'm also thinking back over the year and what I've accomplished.  I'd set four goals and see that I have met two of them completely, one not at all, and one a little bit.  Not bad!  I'm still deciding on goals for 2009, tomorrow I expect to spend more time on that and commit the list to paper.  Are you a goal setter?  I prefer that to resolutions.  Resolutions seem more difficult, almost cast in stone without room for alteration.  I prefer goals to work toward, anyway, that works better for me.  Today I'm thinking about the paths I've taken in 2008 and new ones I may take in 2009.  As in the photo, paths go two ways.  You can either go to the beach or leave it.  Just like you can either go toward your goals or leave them behind.  Neither decision makes you good or bad. Happy Last Day of 2008!

Journal Quilt: Poplar Leaf 12-29-08

  Today I spent a few hours trying a technique I've been thinking about for a few days.  I first printed  a photo I took of this poplar leaf to a white print fabric. Then I used pastel dye sticks to color in the print on the fabric.  It may look like an applique, but it is all one piece of fabric.  I used different greens, blues, oranges, and reds to get the effect I wanted.  Then I quilted the piece using variegated threads and red and green threads as well.  The painting  with the dye sticks and quilting involved a lot of trial and error to create the final look.  The quilt measures about 8 by 10 inches, journal quilt size.  I take a lot of photos in my wanderings, so it's nice to know I can do this with other photos as well.  What do you think?

Art Bowl Christmas Gift: Kilnforming

Isn't this just a great bowl?  It's called Splash, and I received it as a Christmas gift.  It's about five inches in diameter, and it looks exactly like a splash of water. It was purchased at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.  The card that accompanied Splash says "the ancient process of kilnforming allows this bowl to rest perfectly in balance with itself and communicate the natural phenomenon of a splash."  I thought of water immediately when I saw it.  The blue color is the perfect shade as well.  I've  included a head on image as well so you can better see the shape of the splash. 

Art Quilt Experiment: Nature's Way Dec. 22, 2008

It's three days before C hristmas and with company due on Wednesday, I sure do have the list of things to do, but as it usually happens, I had an idea after perusing one of my painting books so I had to at least try it.  Here's the result.

Nothing is sewn, but I like how this turned out and have plans to improve on a similar piece in the future.  The background is woven fabric strips, and the overlay is a black sheer fabric.  I'm excited about this possibility for future quilts...I like how the paths emerge yet the whole piece remains visible through the sheer fabric.  Now, back to the list.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Traditions: Trees and Cottonballs Dec. 18, 2008

  After much ado we finally decided to put up our Christmas tree.  We go through this every year....should we bother?  We'll just have to take it down.  Is it worth the hassle?  Mind you, the hassle is just getting it out of a box and plugging it in....lites come attached.  It's not like we're trekking out to cut one down for heavens sakes.  But still we go through this annually.  We usually end up getting it out even though we say we won't.  Our motivation was hearing we'll have company, so we did it.  And to our surprise, it brought the Christmas spirit with it!!  It looks lovely.....I got to handle and rememeber old ornaments, I still decorate with things I've had for years, only rarely purchasing new things.  We've made lists for grocery shopping for Eve and Day......wrote cards, wrapped gifts....we are into it now!!!  Yes, it was worthwhile.  I can only claim laziness for our earlier attitude.  I started thinking about Christmases past when our kids were little......remembering things we did.  Here's a little tradition we did which I know I didn't originate, but it's fun if you're looking for a way to remember the "reason for the season".   I set out the empty manger or creche, and beside it a small bowl of cotton balls.  The idea was anyone could do something nice for another member of the family, secretly, and when they did, they got to place a cotton ball in the manger for a "bed" for Baby Jesus.  It was a lot of fun watching the cotton balls accumulate, and sometimes discovering you were the recipient of a kindness.  I remember finding the shoes in my closet straightened out. Others found drawers of socks or underwear folded.  That sort of thing...something kids can do.  Or doing another's chores before they did it was another choice.   It's fun, and returns the focus on goodness to others.  If you try it, let me know what you think.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Seaside Journal: Favorites December 14, 2008

 What do you think of this?  This was one of my first purchases for our home here on Anna Maria Island, probably back in 2002.  It appears to be an old window that has been repurposed to use as a wall hanger.  It hangs on the landing area of the stairs, on the way up to the first floor. It's a pass through area.....as you can see, I use it to hang hats to grab on my way outside, and lots of colorful beads I've collected from various parades here on the island.  This piece has always been located here since I first hung it up.  It has the "shabby chic" look, rubbed off paint.  Below it is a small tile top table my husband and I made, he did the wooden base and I did the tile top. On that table we keep mail to go out, assorted shells that I bring in from walks, a mug with quarters to use to buy a newspaper from the box down the street, sometimes keys and other items we may need when we leave the house.  It can turn into a catchall surface if you know what I mean.  The table has a small shelf at the bottom, I keep tin children's sand buckets on it, that have cheap flip-flops in them for anyone who may need to grab a pair on their way out the door.  So far I've never been inclined to change this area at all, but I suppose that can always happen.   It is nice to have this place set up and of so much use in our daily lives. I figure that since I've never changed it, it must be exactly to my liking and needs.  It makes the home comfortable, which has always been the motivating force for our living here.

 

Seaside Journal: Dec. 4, 2008 Gifts on the Sand

 After a few days of rough seas, high winds, and cold breezes on the Gulf, I went for a walk this morning on the beach to a much calmer environment.  Thankfully.  Here's some of the things I collected along the way.  There was a lot of shells and sea greens brought up from the previous days.  The first thing I saw was a complete shell with a small piece of sealife protruding.  I noticed it was still alive, so I threw it back into the water.  Then I saw the clouds and sky reflected in the wet sand near the shoreline.  The image was blurred, but discernible.  Farther down the shore was a string of sea weeds of different colors all twisted together into a rope like fashion, it had to be about four feet in length.  That gives me an idea for a future art quilt.  Then I got on to shell collecting........there were lots of them.  I love my little crab shell.......the spotted piece in the photo.  The larger dark colored shell at the top in the middle of the photo seems like a complete shell........the colors attracted me since so many shells are in the ecru/tan range of color, this one stood out.  The blue ring is some remnant of a toy made in Taiwan.  A reminder that people litter everywhere, even while out on boats.   Anyway, it was an interesting walk and now I'm sharing it with you!