My Florida Kids- What Do You Use To Eat Your Ice Cream?

My Florida kids moved to a new house.

That created a problem for Drew.

There were no small spoons for him to eat his Ice cream with.

So this is how I came to the rescue:

I went to my collection of antique silver spoons and found these. I also found food fabrics featuring ice cream.

This is the beginning of the spoons file I made for him – a spoon for each day of the week.

I added a flap with the information that also protected these valuable spoons.

I bound the edge all around. You can also see the ties that are attached to the outside so it can be folded up and kept in the SAFE!

Here it is all folded and tied shut to keep the spoons safe!

What did Drew say?

“Now I can eat ice cream every day of the week”!

I hope he enjoys it and keep the spoons in a very SAFE place!

Where Are They Now? Fabrics I Created

I was looking at some pictures of fabrics I’ve created and I have no idea where these are.
I made this with thickened dyes stamped on fabric with various items.

I stamped this with a circular stamp I made and also somehow used rubber bands for the impression.
I am wondering if these could possibly be here down in the basement with other fabrics I feel need another layer added to them?
I can’t think of any other place I would have put them. Even with as many things as I have in this house I have an almost photographic memory about where things are. The only time it is likely to fail me is when I do some reorganizing and rearranging!

Facebook Friends From UW Stout In 1958!

I have been looking through some of my photos and found these three people who are FB friends now.
I wonder if any of them read my blog?

If we had to pick a “least changed” classmate she would be it.

Someone flooded the floor in the shower room. Don’t know who the guilty party was but my cousins roommate is cleaning it up.

I think this was a dance in the basement of our dorm. That is me. I am dancing with one of my Facebook friends but I don’t think he spends time on Facebook.
I chose to share these photos because these college friends are now Facebook friends some 57 years later!
Maybe some of the rest of my Facebook friends will recognize some of these people!
I will be finding and scanning some more so I may have a picture of you from that time in our lives too.

From Deep Within Me Comes ART

Last week I did 3 blog posts comparing the things that surround me and the art that comes from somewhere deep inside me.

I am going to share links to each post so you can go back and review them if you’ve seen them.

If you missed them they are here for you to enjoy.

July 8, 2015

http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2015/07/inspiration-and-beauty-opportunity-to.html

 

July 9, 2015

http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2015/07/inspiration-at-work.html

 

July 10, 2015

http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2015/07/artists-homes.html

I am just sharing one image from each blog post. I hope you will click on the links to see the entire post with the relationships between my home and my art.

When I posted the third post I referred to something I saw on the internet about the homes of 7 female artists.

Several people had asked me if I could share the link.

I tried in vain ever since the first request.

AND THEN –BINGO…..I found it this morning while working on my iPad.

I have added it to the bottom of the post from July 10th.

Hand Dyed Fabric- Oh, The Possibilities!

I’m just sharing some random pieces of fabrics I’ve dyed, each one quite different!

For many years I resisted dying my own fabrics and bought hand dyed fabrics from other dyers.

Most of them were either solid colors or had mottled textures.

I am so glad I learned to dye my own fabrics.

I love the colors and the textures I am able to achieve. Many are a surprise when I finally get them washed, dried and ironed.

The surprise is another plus when creating the fabrics.

I will admit it takes a lot more time and effort to figure out how to achieve a work of art with these patterned fabrics, but it’s all worth it when the answer is clear.

Artists Homes

I read a Facebook post this morning that shared the homes of 7 women artist, famous and lesser known.
Makes me want to share a few more of my home scenes and quilts that might have been mysteriously influenced by them…or maybe it was the other way around!

A pillow purchased at Pier 1.

A close up view of my quilt “And……. Then The Centers Fell Out”.

My very oriental water fountain.

A very oriental quilt.

Clay pots with ombre glaze

Needle felted pillow with ombre effect.
You may not see a direct correlation between these items, but I am sure there is a connection.
I do not set out to make these connections. They just happen as I draw from within to create art.
ADDENDUM: Several people asked if I could share the link to the 7 Female Artists Homes. I spend several days trying and couldn’t find it. Then this morning while working on my iPad….BINGO….I found it and here is the link for those of you who are interested.
http://m.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/dl-home/seven-homes-of-amazing-female-artists-20150708-gi7ypt.html

Inspiration At Work

Yesterday I showed several items that inspire me.
Today I’ll talk about how this happens.

This is one of the pieces I shared.

This may not look too similar to the mask, but it uses a palette of bright colors and squares rather than the circular shape in the mask to create a pattern.
I don’t intentionally set out to make something specific that is similar to an inspiration piece.

Of course you can see colors in this grouping similar to what I use in my work.

Look closely at this section from the previous photo. Does it remind you of anything you have seen in my work?

The shibori work I do creates a similar pattern.

Colors and shapes show up in my work.

I can see a lot of influence from the previous photo in Blood Moons.
When I am creating do I have one of these things in mind as I work?
Never. By looking at and seeing things that inspire me I think they are etched somewhere in my brain.
I don’t really see the influence of things until I am studying my creations.
Yet, the influences of a lifetime of living is how and why I create what I do.

Inspiration and Beauty = An Opportunity To Create Art

As I look around our home I see many things created by others that I love.
Beauty is not measured by the cost of the things.
Yes, I am a collector and many of the items I have were free or $1 or less.
That does not make them any less inspirational.

This vase belonged to a great aunt. At the time I received it no one wanted things like this.

The plate was chosen by my granddaughter Heidi who knew what I loved from the time she was 4. The little pieces are inexpensive pottery from Mexico and the pine needle basket was purchased in Eagle River.
Yes I have received some beautiful gifts from family and friends who know me well and pick things I love.

I bought the gold colored straw at an home dec store for less than $5 with no idea what I would use it for. It sat in a closet for at least two years before I put together this grouping. The rug and short pot also came from my favorite local import business.

This beaded mask was purchased at the local business that imports items from all over the world and sells them at very reasonable prices.

The pottery came from a fund raiser that raised money for medical bills for an artist with cancer. The metal sculpture was purchases at a starving artist fair.
These are just a few of the items in one area of the house that feed my soul to keep creating my art.
Yes, I get inspiration within my home, outside in the yard and just about every place I go!

The 4th on the 6th!

After we left Bill & Mary’s on the 4th we went over to Julie’s brother and SIL’s home for fireworks and a visit with the extended family there.

It’s obvious Julie inherited her great personality and other wonderful traits from her Mom Ruth. I always enjoy seeing Ruth.

If fact I always enjoy seeing all of Julie’s extended family – all 4 generations.

Jessica and her cousin Chrissy. I think I’ve known Chrissy since she was about 7.

 

Cortland was the youngest family member in attendance. He is perpetual motion, a very happy little boy and just too cute. I had so much fun just watching him and his big brother Easton.

Jared is getting ready to have the family sing Happy Birthday to him for his 17th birthday. Easton is waiting to help Jared blow out the candles.

We finished the evening by going up to a common area in their community to watch some spectacular fireworks.

A wonderful day with two wonderful families!

The 4th on the 5th!

We were lucky enough to be able to celebrate with two family groups on the 4th.

We started the day in the early afternoon at my brother and sister in laws home on the lake. What a pleasant place.

PHOTO REMOVED


Katie and Tami…almost family!

The water is always an attraction for the younger crowd and the other members of the family enjoy watching the little ones swim or supervising them in the water.

The biggest members of the younger crowd heading down to join the others in the water.

Greg, Julie, Jessica and Jared enjoying the party.

Mary always has geraniums in this wicker planter, a perfect finishing touch for the vintage of their home.
Stay tuned – tomorrow I’ll share the other family get together!

Another Quilt Without A Name Is Finished

I’m quite pleased with this quilt. Although the piecing is simple, it didn’t happen quickly.

All of these fabrics have 2-5 layers of pattern on them. Some of them began their journey 25 years ago.

A lot has changed in the way I dye fabrics in the interim.

Interestingly enough they all reached perfection in the same dye pot…something that has never happened before.

Almost all the quilts I have been finishing recently are faced, rather than finished with a binding. It takes more fabric and more time. I do whatever works best for the piece I am working on. I find I am even getting better results with my facings than I did a few years ago. It’s all in the method and way I handle the layers of fabric. The corners are the greatest challenge.

Now all I have to do is name this.

Summertime Is For Visiting!

Yesterday I had a visit from someone I hadn't seen in too many years.

Joni grew up just two houses away from me. It was so good to see her and catch up with where her life has taken her. Yes, you can come home again, even though it's just for a visit! 

Time To Shovel Out The Studio!

After I bring new things into the studio, finish projects and find things I'm looking for I need to put some things in order.

I reorganized the fabrics I have dyed. I have them somewhat grouped by color.

There are also other stacks of dyed fabric on the shelf under this table.

These are some of my ice dyed mandalas I dyed this season. This is my ironing table I have them layered on. It is much easier to iron large items here than on an ironing board.

I have hung a few of the mandalas on my design wall so I can enjoy them while I am working in my studio

I have some projects I want to work on next organized.

Other thing are organized for donating, sharing and throwing away.

I have done my annual inspection of my fabrics and I don't have enough large pieces to donate for charity quilts as usually do. That could change as I work this season.

I have also been cutting strips of a variety of fabrics. I will make a very limited number of kits for my Potato Chip/Sunset, Sunrise quilt. Stay tuned for availability.