Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Stalling

I am stalling.
when acrobat airplanes stall their engines and plummet dramatically towrd the earth, they know that there is a time after which it will be too late to restart their engines and float on air again. I am not sure if I can restart my engines or if I even want to. I read some stuff I wrote recently and I have to say I really like it but I have stalled. It is not ( or maybe it is) writers block because I have been writing but it is not the same as when you are in the flow and you can just float along on currents and it all is right and good. I am just writing to get the words out of the way and I hate that kind of writing but it's like unloading the dishwasher, mundane and trivial and just needs to get done before you can make space for the next load.
Funny. I think to mysef that it cannot be writer's block because I am not really a writer. That is my inner engine gunk. So maybe I will post some of my stuff here and maybe I won't. Maybe this is too public. Stuck on the horns of that dilemna.
maybe I should go empty the dishwasher.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

STARRY NIGHT


Playing with Inklingo sixty degree diamonds. They are so fast and easy and addictive.
Busy week.work.life.visitors.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Progressing on Ping


Getting a little bit done one thread at a time is getting the job done. Last night I started the next process of sewing the flowers onto the backround four patches. These will in turn have eight half square tris added on as corners and there is no sashing.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

lovely faces


plan for my days off



I hope to get some more corners done in the next few days, to add to the sampler. I think it will be really cool with some more blocks from the Sue Nickels book Stitched Raw Edge Applique. I am using different designs for each corner. Who knows? I may do some garlands in the outer borders if I get carried away.
I am doing some more diamonds, one at a time, just to see what developes and I am doing my ping blocks. Ususally I do them on my lunch break at work but today I some how left my sewing kit at home and was forced to have a thread free lunch....
I have the next three days off and I only want to stay home and do my own stuff but I know I will have to go out of the house at least a couple of times.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

A walk-what I saw


Went for a walk today along the coast of the mighty Atlantic. It is a perfect day for a walk, breezey and cool. I am grateful to live so close to the beach that I can hear it and smell it and feel the salt spray in the air. And If I want to walk along the sandy shore I am about five minutes away on foot. So today, after walking to the laundry and dropping off some shirts( I love the way they come back ironed and folded into uniform little packets-so worth the buck fifty), I decided to continue south to the water and stroll home the long way making a complete circle of my steps rather that a crescent.
When I first came to the boardwalk I was irritated that here were these two guys with blowers on the boardwalk, blowing away the sand with these loud obnoxious fuming backpacks. For heaven's sake this is the beach. Why are they paying these guys to blow sand around and why is it so freaking loud that you can't even hear the surf? I know the town has an ordinance against these loud backpack blowers-no matter, I continue past them over the boardwalk and down to the water's edge.
I saw the seagulls and the pipers and the crab shells that housed the animals that fed them, strewn along the beach-low tide-there was that sudsy scummy stuff that the surf leaves, some bits of seaweed and some less appealing human litter. Well at least they were having safe sex!
I saw a fisherman, surf casting in hip waders held up by suspenders over a plaid shirt: his cooler and some other stuff beside him on a beach chair. As he returned my wave his line tugged and his attention instanly went to see what was pulling on his line. I did not stop and watch. I kept going.
I saw a man a and a boy with their pant legs rolled up feet in the still cold water. They did not look up, they were engrossed with each other. There was a runner whose footpirints dug deep into the sand as he passed and I wondered how he ran on his toes like that-no heel imprints. That can't be good?
A beach comber truck went by his rolling trash sweeper raised, not yet in service. Later on in the season, before the official opening of the beach, when you must pay ten dolloars for admission, the beach pickers will be hired from the ranks of the middle and high school to come onto the beach each day to pick up the trash that the sunworshippers leave. Really disgusting how people do that.
I saw some neighbors on the way back, too. Olga from across the street ,out for a ride with her husband Nick, allowed as how it was a pity that weight watchers has done me no good at all. See, she said I told you it as a waste of money! Her double chin encased in a hooded sweat shirt, wobbled. After fifty it is hopeless she assured me-but you still look sexy!
Thanks Olga. I did not accept her invitation to join them on their bench on the boardwalk. I might have become depressed.
And now I am off to meet a friend for lunch:) and I will enjoy it!

Monday, May 07, 2007

DOW


The DJretreats Yahoo list re started the Diamond of the Week, also known as DOW, courtesy of Linda Franz and Monkey of Quilted Diamonds and Quilted Diamonds Two fame. (click on title for link) This is my evening's work, using Kaffe Fasset prints.

Inner Sanctum





There was a topic put forth today on a quilting list, about our personal space and I thought I would ponder aloud, if you will, here on my little cyberspot.
We are each 99 point something percent the same and yet so different and unique and fabulous! I am so blessed that I have a partner who is proud of me and who shares the same quirky taste and has the same tolerance for dust. We seem to both reach a point at the same time where we just get up and begin to tidy. we don't nag or get nagged. we mostly do it together. I am a passionate maker of things, insanely creative and firmly ensconced in that place and he is steadfast and kind and loves my art and lets me hang it all over the house and paint whatever is not in motion.
So I thought I would post some of our stuff, recently dusted, lol, before it accumulates another layer. It is all in our room except for the paintings which are on a ledge on the staireay up to our room.
The "Call Me Beanie" piece is by a Vermont artist, who apparently lives in the woods and makes these boxes about his dog Beanie. There was another one called "Ich bin ein Beanie" that I wish I had bought. The sail boat is origami, folded and painted by me. The Bottles on the window are a lamp, given by a friend, and mini bottles of perfume from the duty free shop. Paintings on a stairs are paintings on stairs by me and my mother. My elephants, collected from different worlds. My thimbles and rocks, tiny paintings and toys. More toys.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

my prettys


I did not go crazy at the quilt show. I bought some from Dawaibo and some Oakshott samples from Pinwheels and some Kaffe Fassettfat quarters from Woodstock Quilt Supply, and some random squares from a place called The International Fabric Collection. I would never have a cent if I worked in a quilt store that is for sure.
Tonight I am just relaxing and admiring my fabric. It is inspiring me to get some more things finished. Time will tell if that theory will hold water.

Quilt show favorites






Feathered Stars-Free To Be As They Like, by Maggies Kolvenbach
Machine applique! the Water Lily quilt is Louise Gibson, the quilter is Wilma Cogliantry
Pretty wall hanging, quilter Unknown
Tapestry triptych by CarolTaylor
Cat Under the Sun, Pieced by Diana Sharley, quilted by Wilma Cogliantry