good news!

After an annoying string of 'no's" lately, I was starting to wonder what is going on..


But I've received some 'yes's' lately.. hooray! check out December's artist...

sketch book

The best I can do lately is to work in the sketchbook, as the week rushes by in a blurry whirlwind..
or in a rush of paper, markers, and paint..

Keeping the house from blowing away with comings and goings. Anchored to one spot for a small iota of time..

Stillness will come eventually.

summer trees

I've never been a very good linear worker. I must have several things going on at once. Not in a frenetic, hectic sense, but in an inter-connected, flowing from one movement to another sense. A dance of inspiration..an interweaving of spirit. Knitting with painting, sewing with reading..

This has been a linear summer, however, with one thing following the next, as if on a track going from one stop to the next. Taxi service for the masses..go stop go stop..

This piece is part of the tree theme that never leaves me. I grew up in Southern California, where the palm, olive and orange tree was the trees of choice. Here in Virginia, the oak reins supreme. In all it's acorn, leafy glory. Also, though, there are others, sweet gum, birch, and willow. This is the willow, hand and machine sewn, and using a lot of embellishment to boot. Beads, yarn, applique and hand dyed lace.

And some silk ribbon work to add some dimension. about 18x18"

Shad

Here in Fredericksburg, the Rappahannock River runs right through the old part of town. It's an amazing river, as it's tidal up to Fredericksburg, and the fall line is just upstream from the town. A few years back the city removed the old damns that were hindering the shad and other fish from migrating up stream to spawn. Now the damns are down and the fish can go up the creek!

The Friends of the Rappahannock is an organization here in town that have many conservation and enjoyment programs for this river. They hold a fund raiser every fall and this quilt is going to their silent auction. It's my attempt at depicting the shad in the river. It is all raw edge applique and machine and hand sewn. About 36x46".. I've layered upon layered this to give a shimmer and movement to the fish and the water.

Just about done, some more embellishment and stitching, hopefully complete by next week.

A Winner!

Miss Gina, You win the quilt! I'll mail it out to you next week. My hired help picked a number, and it corresponded to your name. Congrats!

a give away!!

Since it's my birthday next Friday, I thought I'd give YOU a gift! Just leave a comment on this post, with a link or your email or some way I can reach you and next Friday, August 7th.. I'll pick, by very scientific means, (ie, names in a hat w/11 yr old picking out..) and voila! for you!

This is a small wall quilt, part of my floral-theme quilts I've been doing for a while now, about 8x11".. would you like? Ya! Thank you to all my commenters, I read them all, and my lurkers thanks for the moments you spend here, looking at and reading my blabberings. I appreciate it!