Winter and spring spirit dolls

I'm churning out spirit dolls now that I can't drive anywhere. I guess that's one way to be forced to refocus. I'm "branching out" into more shapes and finding that I like the movement implied. This first doll is made from felted wool (another difference from the old dolls) with a flowing dress. She's definitely winter. 

Here's another winter one, also with a flowing dress. The true color is somewhere between these two photos, which were taken in different light. I layered lots of cream colored fabric and held them down with sweeping lines of quilting.

But my favorite color is the bright green of spring! I haven't figured out what to call this first one with the big X on a pool of blue.

I made the spring dolls by layering lots of different fabrics -- one of my favorite techniques.

Check out Nina-Marie's blog to see what other fabric artists have been up to this past week.

On an unrelated note -- do any of you still have high school dreams? I had the recurring one last night where I couldn't remember my schedule or where I was supposed to report for class, couldn't remember my locker number and couldn't remember my locker combination! And the ladies in the office couldn't help me! It's been 50 years since I graduated from high school -- why am I still having this dream?!!!

Have a colorful day

Quilts in situ

I got tired of looking at the same old quilts on my walls, so I swapped out a few over the weekend with help from a friend since my arm is still useless.

I replaced a basket quilt with the one on the far left, which I made way back in 1992. It's in my cutting table/craft room (which is supposed to be a dining room). I called it "Storm Trackers" but it's the traditional Hole In the Barn Door or Churn Dash pattern.

I had just started to paint fabric then, and I made this almost completely with my painted fabric. I quilted it with gold thread in a swirling pattern, like wind in a storm.

I hung this wonky log cabin in my bedroom where I can see it as soon as I wake up. It's also mostly from my hand pained fabric and was inspired by the rich colors of Sedona ... blue skies, red rocks, sunshine, green high desert pines and desert shrubs and the majestic purple sunsets. I made it back in 2016 and called it, naturally, "Sedona." I quilted it with gold thread in a windy pattern. The gold patches in the orange centers are foil that I ironed on -- Sedona sunshine!

I hung my latest quilt (see previous post), "Green Desert," in the bathroom. It's nicer to look at than a plain white wall. The blues and greens are peaceful to look at.

This next picture has nothing to do with quilts, but it's an update on the stranded campers I told you about last week. They were stuck in Catalina State Park (where I hike) for five days because the road out was flooded and below the water was about five feet of mud and quicksand. After five days the park finally was able to clear a path, and this photo shows one of the vehicles leaving on Friday. You can see the piles of earth pushed off to the sides.

And last, here is another gorgeous desert sunset from the weekend as viewed from my front door! I'm so grateful to live here.

Have a colorful day

First quilt finish of the year

I'm looking for things to do inside because I can't drive anywhere (the sling thing) and it's been raining for three days.

So I finished the "Green Desert" quilt that I started a year or two ago. I had planned to do some big hand stitching in the borders, but my arthritis won't allow that so I called it good enough. Since I also couldn't hand sew the hanging sleeve, I fused it on! Then I fused a label on the back, dug out a hanging stick that's just the right length, and now I just have to wait until someone can come over and help hang it since I can't move my right elbow away from my waist. I cannot wait to be fully functioning again!

The four-inch squares are mini collages representing the blue sky and green growth of the Sonoran Desert. Those are mountain foothills covered in rabbitbrush, creosote, juniper, yucca, barrel cactuses, prickly pear, palo verde trees, mesquite, desert grasses, ocotillo, cholla and, biggest of all, the tall saguaro cactuses.

I also decided that the "Sun" spirit doll needed a belt:

When I did all I could in the sewing room, I got bored and ended up making brownies in the evening because I couldn't find anything good to watch and I had finished my last library book. (Have to wait for that friend to drive me to the library to stock up. I'll never take driving for granted again.)

The heavy rain flooded my favorite hiking area, Catalina State Park. It's been closed all week but they hope to reopen in tomorrow. Three hundred campers are stranded there!

Yesterday I got out for a quick walk in between down pours. Here's what it looked like from my neighborhood looking at the Catalinas. I can't believe I have such awesome scenery just beyond my house!

Have a colorful day

Hiking, healing and sewing

 

I've made it on a few hikes since my shoulder surgery, but I'm picking easy trails where I'm not likely to trip and fall.

We had a lot of rain earlier, so there's water on some of the trails where it's usually dry. The horses didn't mind on this hike in Catalina State Park.

The saguaros are fat and happy from the rain. They store water by expanding, which is allowed by their accordion pleats.

The desert is greening up, and I'm slowly healing. In case you've ever wondered how arthroscopic shoulder surgery looks afterward, here are my stitches covered by bandaids. It's amazing what can be done by inserting those tiny little tubes into the shoulder instead of cutting the whole thing open.

My recovery this time will take longer because the surgeon added a patch over his repairs (under the skin), and I can't start PT for another month to allow the patch to take hold securely. That means no driving for too long!

At least I'm able to make spirit dolls while I'm in the sling. Here's my latest one.

I ordered a new batch of buttons for the faces and am well supplied with sticks from pruning in my back yard.

And our sunsets have been spectacular lately!

Have a colorful day

First spirit dolls and hike of 2023

 

I've finally got my first sewing project and hike of the new year under my belt. I got off to a slow start because of my surgery (hard to sew initially) and rain (hard to hike).

I pulled out some old fabric that I had painted and did some layering and stitching with gold thread for the lavender spirit doll.

Then I used an old Southwest print from my stash to make female and male mountain spirit dolls.

Speaking of mountains, here's how the mountain behind my house looked earlier this week during our winter storm.

After the rain stopped and the ground dried, the Shady Ladies got out and hiked the 50-Year Trail in the Catalina Mountains this morning, my first hike of the year. It was beautiful and invigorating!

Last night's sunset was spectacular! This shot is in the little town of Catalina north of Tucson, where I went to check out a new restaurant with Beth and Sandy. While Beth drove home, I took pictures for miles as the sunset just got better and better. 

Have a colorful day

New year, new sling

 

I decided to be in a good mood about my redo shoulder surgery, even though it means another month in a sling and having to do everything with my left hand again! I tore my rotator cuff again lifting a suitcase a few months after the August surgery and I had a repeat surgery three days ago.

Here I am the morning after surgery icing my shoulder while savoring my coffee. I spent much of the day in my pajamas on the patio enjoying beautiful weather before today's storm moved in. Tom took me to and from surgery, fixed my food, cleaned the kitchen and was generally a savior!

Saturday I skipped Beth's New Year's Eve party because I was too tired, but I did catch a gorgeous last sunset of the year from my front porch. I was in bed by 8:45.

Today is rainy and dark, but I'm still choosing to be in a good mood!

I loved following Leslie Jordan on Instagram throughout Covid. He left us way too soon, but his spirit lives on.

Have a colorful day