Quilting on the Edge

An Afternoon Beach Sit February 27 2009

   Yesterday I went to a new beach area by myself to just hang out for about an hour with my best friends:  my, myself, and I.  This photo wasn't taken then, but it is one of my favorites.  I listened to music and wrote down some thoughts to sort of clear the cobwebs that have started to grow in my mind from recent experiences.  A close person and I were recently talking about making another person happier.......which of course we realize we cannot do.  She said something about  patching together happiness for that person, and for some reason, that expression struck me. Yesterday at the beach sit  I wrote this:  "All must find their own path to happiness.  If happiness is freedom from needs, most of us are already happy.  But we may think it is freedom from wants, in which case, we will never be happy, as there is always something to want. Is there ever a time when wanting stops?  Yes, within you. There is nothing the external world can give you to complete yourself.  What you need to do to complete yourself is within you.. Spend time discovering it instead of spending time accumulating wants.  There will always be another purse to buy, or jacket, earrings, a new car or even a sofa.  If you haven't found your completed self, your own happiness, by yourself, then accumulating things won't make it easier or better for you, or happier.  You have to put in the work to discover your own happiness.  Begin with a spirit of gratitude for every thing you are, have, and see in your daily life.  Happiness is a choice we make."Boy, I guess I was on a roll, remembering my readings from books like "The Secret", and others I've read in the past few years. Not a lot of new insight here, but just my interpretation of happiness.  I turned my attention to other things then which I'll write about in the next posting here on the blog.  later........

ZEN Sand Garden Feb. 25 2009

Today I created a Zen Sand Garden.  You may know that this is a small garden of sand, often with small rocks or pebbles, with a rake that you use to draw patterns in the sand.  Mine is a table top size.  I purchased a square ceramic piece,about 12 inches square, added about two inches of clean sand, and placed a few shells on the side in case I wanted to use them while I was making patterns in the sand.  I didn't have a small rake, so I found this black plastic tool in my kitchen utensil drawer that works just as well.  Here is a photo of the first patterns I drew in my sand garden. You can see the shells on the edges of my container........I haven't used them, altho they are inspirational to me.  Zen sand gardens are used to relieve stress and allow you to enter a more peaceful state while you are drawing the patterns in the sand.  I find this experience to be addicting.....here's another pattern I made.  Maybe this would be something you'd also enjoy........find a flat container, and go for it!  

Library Books: Remembering the Old Way

Yesterday we went to the Anna Maria Island Library to check out a few books as we often do.  As our cards were scanned, I commented to the librarian how this was a lot easier than the old days when we had to write our names in those narrow lines on the library cards in the back of the books.  This single comment led me on a trip down memory lane......and through it all, I thought about what we've lost in this new technology.  I clearly remember watching my kids as little ones laboriously printing their names on those cards, big letters, often taking up more than one line.  Struggling with the pencils attached by chains to the desk.  Watching as the librarian checked their cards and inserted the date cards for returning the books.  Writing your name gave you a committment to the books,  you SIGNED for them.  Also, you could see all the other people who had checked out the book before you by looking at their names on the card...........that was cool!  The librarian at the library here mentioned how she had many comment on missing the old card catalogue for finding books..........flipping through all those individual cards to find a book, and finding other things of interest along the way.  She said people felt like they had held the book just by touching the card.  That's missing now too as we use the computer reference to locate a book or topic of interest.  Things move a lot faster now at the library with this technology, but we've lost a little something with all the changes.  There are probably libraries where you check out yourself, just like markets where you check out yourself.  So there is a loss of conversation and contact with another person in those cases.  Just my little trip down memory lane..........maybe you remember these things as well. Many advantages to the electronic age, but a few losses too.

Happy Valentine' Day!!!

It's the day for hearts, chocolates, flowers, and romance.  It's even more for me since we are celebrating our wedding anniversary today. I joke that I picked this day to be married since it wouldn't be forgotten......actually, it was convenient to our lives to be married on Valentine's Day 34 years ago.  whew!  One of the cards my husband gave me said something about remembering all the everyday moments in our lives together........when I think about it, it is those moments that reflect our lives together the most, not the big outstanding events. The time we heard a litter of kittens coming toward our home out of the woods at night..........the kids' tree forts and gokart tracks, the time a bat appeared in our bedroom in the middle of the night, the Fourth of July pool parties with all the relatives.  There are many more of course,and each of us could probably make a huge list if we really thought about it.  Now we celebrate the everyday moments in our retirement.........the afternoon stops at the coffee shop, the bike rides, and watching the sunset on Anna Maria Island.  We are blessed and are thankful for it.  Hope all of you remember your special moments today.

Art Quilt: Sometimes I Get Lost Feb. 12, 2009

Well here it is......the small art quilt I made using the three photos in the previous post as my inspiration.  At first I was going to make three related pieces, but when I completed this quilt, I realized I had borrowed from all three photos, either literally or abstractly.  The finished quilt is 11.5 by 25 inches.  I'll leave it to your interpretation ........the title is "Sometimes I Get Lost". 

ReIgniting the Flames February 7, 2009

A few days ago I finished up the binding on the final quilt I had lying around waiting to be completed.  For several days, maybe a few months actually, I've had three projects I've been doing for three different shows upcoming later this year.  These will be juried, so I don't know if I'll actually be in them yet.  Anyway, two have been completed and one project has been abandoned.  I've decided not to compete in that one as I haven't liked any of my ideas.  Anyway, so for a few days I was in the usual creative limbo.  This makes me restless.  I know it's part of the process, but still, I love the excitement of creation and I was getting antsy.    Yesterday morning I decided to go to my "photos for inspiration file" and select some photos, crop out some sections, and see if there was anything there that started to reignite my creative flames.  IT WORKED!  I ended up with six new ideas that can reasonably be grouped into two groups.  I decided to work on one of the groups of  three inspiration photos  simulataneouly.......this group brought to mind the title "Sometimes I Get Lost".  I placed three rectangle battings on my design wall and began.  It is going great........Here are the three photos that I'm working from.........and I have to say that what I'm creating is not exactly like the photos, just that the photos were the jumping off point. So now I'm knee deep in the process again, and this is my favorite part of the whole deal.  Sometimes later I'll post the quilts that came about from this exercise.    

Art Quilt and Mt. Dora Florida Yarn Shop

Last week I visited Mt. Dora Florida, and while shopping in their historic area I came across a delightful yarn shop called Knit'N Needle Nook on Fifth Avenue there.  I was attracted through the window by the bright colors of yarns all so wonderfully displayed on shelves, and even though I would have gone in anyway, that's what drew me in. What eye candy!!!  It was so colorful and beautiful just to be in that store.  The owner was so helpful and even shared what she herself was working on when I asked.  When I returned to Anna Maria Island, I couldn't get that image of color out of my mind.......so I had to make a quilt, of course!  Here is the image of the 16 by 19 inch piece I made.  I am inspired to make another larger piece with this same concept.  Lesson learned:  Inspiration can come from anywhere!

 

Flea Market Fiber Treasures February 2, 2009

  Aren't these for greatest dolls? I found them yesterday at a monthly flea market held on Anna Maria Island.  I just had to buy this little family.....they have beaded embellishments, and flat bottomed feet so they can stand.  I paid only five bucks for the set!   Here they are in the corner of the window sill in my sewing studio.  Next, I found this wonderful wall hanging for only $3.00!!!! It's a pattern of seagrapes.........it seems to me they have been sketched in  then painted over with threads.  Seagrapes are one of my favorite leaves here, and this piece gives me an idea for making a similar piece.  There are different shades of color on the leaves........and even some leaves with curled up edges. The size is 14 inches by 46 inches.  It is very inspirational to me to have this piece.  Don't you just love finding something great at a flea market?  This piece is signed by the artist too at the bottom.  I wonder how it ended up at this flea market.......I'm imagining that it was given to someone as a gift, or else the creator herself had it among her own things at one time.  A lesson here is you never know where your fiber art work may end up someday.....something to ponder.