The poetry of trees

 

"Trees are poems

that the Earth writes

upon the sky."

-- Kahlil Gibran

I'll let the trees, from the places I've lived and visited, speak for themselves.

My daughter, Julia, 

behind our Illinois home

Have a colorful day

Christmas projects under way

My mini charm packs of cheery Christmas fabric arrived from the Fat Quarter Shop, so now I'm ready to make Juniper's Christmas stocking. I got some ideas on Pinterest and think I'll go for the diagonal look of the one at middle right. 

I'm making it pretty big so Santa can stuff it with lots of goodies. It'll look something like this, except I have to organize the color runs into reds, greens, pinks, and cream. Then I'll give it a white cuff and embroider her name on it in sparkly green (because Juniper trees are green).

I also started my wool appliqué blocks from the "Tinsel" Sue Spargo pattern. That's her picture on the left and my in-progress one on the right. I'm doing my own thing for the embellishment, so my next step will be adding colorful beads instead of her embroidered ornaments.

I made the red ribbons with the whipped chainstitch. I did the chainstitch with red pearl cotton and then whipped it with a sparkly red thread. I think I'll use that stitch for Juniper's name in a fun font.

I have my bowl of stitching supplies ready to take out to the patio. Then I pulled out a selection of trims that I might use in the other eight "Tinsel" blocks.

Before I started the Christmas projects, I gave my worktable a good cleaning. I threw out the paint-stained plastic and replaced it with a clean piece where I paint fabric.

All the sheer scraps from my collage projects went in a basket and the painted scraps went in color coordinated piles on the cutting table. Now it's not such a mess in there.

Here's one more project idea, posted on Facebook during a discussion of art quilters about how nervous we are about the election!

Have a colorful day

First hike of the season and baltering!

It's finally cooled off enough in the mornings to go hiking! I went on my first hike of the season at seven this morning in Catalina State Park. It was the first time I've been there since May and it felt good to be back.

 

The morning moon tipped this giant saguaro in the west, and in the east the morning sun backlighted a saguaro family.

There is no snow on our southern Arizona mountains, but a friend sent this photo of snow on the peaks in Flagstaff in northern Arizona.

It's enough to make me want to dance, except in my case in would be baltering!

Have a colorful day

Disappointing Christmas fabrics

I went off yesterday in search of fun, bright Christmas fabric to use in a quilted Christmas stocking for Juniper. It was a big bust. But I did find Sue Spargo's "Tinsel" pattern book so it wasn't a total loss. I love her whimsical style of wool appliqué, and I have plenty of bright, cheerful wool in my stash to make it. I'm excited to get started on it!

The Christmas selection in the first shop was nearly nonexistent. The second shop at least had some Christmas quilts hanging up as inspiration and a little more Christmas fabric. When I lived in the Northwest the selection was so much better and I always came home inspired and excited! Maybe it's different here because it's so hot that people don't focus on Christmas like I do. There are two more quilt stores I can try, but they're far away. 

This (above) was one of only two Christmas charm packs I could find -- "On Dasher" by Moda. It's not in my colors, but I bought it anyway to use in this table runner pattern (I'm also not a pattern person) because a sample was on display and after driving half an hour, I had to buy something. But there were no inspiring Christmas stocking samples or patterns to be found at either store. In fact, at the first store I could hear people having fun in the classroom but no one ever came out to ask if they could help me -- not good sales policy. This happens nearly every time I go to that shop, so I don't go there often. They were much friendlier at the second shop, the Quilt Basket, where I bought the book, pattern and fabric.

I did like these two prints from that line (but I'm not CRAZY about them), so they'll probably end up in her stocking. I guess I'll just have to pull old fabric from my stash.

For you non-quilters who wonder why I expect Christmas displays in October, it's because it can take months to make quilted gifts!

However, I did get to see the Tyrannosauras rex that lives near the second quilt shop, and that's always a hoot! And I had lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Eclectic Cafe.

Have a colorful day

Spiraling

Gold foil spiral

I love spirals! I've been using them in my art almost from the beginning -- quilted spirals, stamped spirals, beaded, foiled and cutout spirals. The photos here are just a sampling of my art with spirals. 

 Gold foil center spiral, fused sheer spiral, and beaded spiral

The spiral is one of the oldest symbols used by humans, going back at least 10,000 years on rock art, pottery, baskets. Contemporary jewelry is filled with spirals.

Image of a spiraling hurricane as seen from space

Its meanings have been interpreted as symbolizing water, wind ...

 

Beaded spiral represents monsoon wind and energy 

Stamped with gold paint

... snakes and snails ...

Stamped with blue and iridescent paint

... migration, a journey, a search for one's center or moving outward ...

I quilted each of these two pieces with one big spiral

... evolution, eternity ...

... the cycle of growth and the seasons ...

I often use the spiral to symbolize the sun.

It also symbolizes fertility, which is why I bead spirals on the bellies of my female figures.

Some cultures consider it a powerful symbol of directed power.

I love sewing my fabric bowls with spirals, curving out and out until I feel it's done (or the rope runs out). It's a freeing, meditative sewing. My mind can be blank or can wander, but there are no questions that need to be answered.

Spirals are easy -- no corners or other abrupt changes. Wouldn't it be nice if life was always like that?

I could go on and on, like an enlarging spiral, but I'll stop here. I hope you've enjoyed the trip!

Have a colorful day

My creative mess

Welcome to my creative mess! When you step inside the front door, this is what you'll immediately see:

I've taken to closing the blinds on the window beside the door so that people won't think a hoarder lives here! The rest of the house is neat as a pin, but this is my happy, creative, messy room. I used to clean up at the end of each day, but this summer I decided that I could be more productive if I just left everything out and within easy reach. And seeing different pieces of fabric piled together gets the creative juices flowing.

I finished this piece yesterday and I'll mail it to its forever home tomorrow. 

And I just started the piece on the left today to replace the one on the right, which has been spoken for. I'm on a roll! And since it's still hitting triple digits outside, I'm spending most of the day in the studio.

While I sew, I've been watching the Weather Channel and worrying about everyone in Florida. Are any of you affected? If so, be safe.

Have a colorful day