Sacred Threads 2007

QSDS

I have just finished my adventure to Quilt Surface Design Symposium. My major reason for going was to go to the Artist Reception for Sacred Threads where I had a piece. That was great fun, met many fellow artist who had pieces in the show and are also members of the QuiltArt group. I went also to visit Quilt National. Wonderful, wonderful, maybe one of these days I will actually try and enter something. I also took a great class with Melody Johnson. Fast fun fusion, no pressure, just fun. After I get my camera downloaded I will try and post a few photos for everyone to see.

Murphy Bed

Hello,

I thought I would post some photos of this great murphy bed made for my studio by a friend. Since my studio consumed two bedrooms of my home, I wanted somewhere for guests to sleep and this was my solution. It folds up completely into the wall, taking up about a foot of space. The front panel folds down on piano hinges and becomes my cutting table at a height of 36 inches and it is 36 inches wide by 60 inches long. Works perfectly for both my cutting mat as well as an ironing surface. The third photo is of the bed down and ready for sleeping. Notice the art quilt that is hiding inside and comes to light when the bed is down. No more day beds to be piled high, just a cutting table that gets piled high.

Back again

Hi, well, I created this blog and have not even posted to it in 3 months. Lots going on, feeling inadequate about my art, rejects from quilt shows, acceptances to juried shows, work, grandkids, spring, reading quiltart online, meeting with my quilt art group and meeting challenges. Well, you all know. I recently had three, yes three art quilts accepted to Images 2007 at Art Quilts Lowell. I am happy dancing!!!! Maybe I will keep trying. Here are a couple of photos of my newest work, both of which were challenges with my art quilt group. The first was to be made with only one color (I got blue) and beads. This is called "Once in a Blue Moon", which by the way we just had one on May 31st. The second had two chosen fabrics that had to be used and it had to have a musical theme because it will hang in a great coffee shop in Ashland, Oregon called The Key of C. Lots of fun. Hopefully, I will keep up on this blog on a more regular basis. Next week I am going to QSDS (quilt surface design symposium) and taking a class with Melody Johnson as well as going to the "Sacred Threads" exhibit in which my quilt "Color in Chaos" is hanging. It looks much more impressive in person than in photo in my opinion.

A little about Afghanistan

Thought I would tell a little about this amazing trip that I made to Afghanistan last year. I went to Bamiyan, Afghanistan for two months to teach a class of wonderful students in a community midwifery program. It was an incredible journey. Bamiyan, Afghanistan is the area where the Taliban blew up the 150 foot tall buddha statues that stood at the entrance to the town. It is also a land of beautiful people, they are mostly very Asian looking, and 2/3 of the people were killed by the Taliban and they were forced to hide in the caves surrounding the Buddhas to survive the very cold winters. It is known as the Jewel of Afghanistan and Bamiyan means Roof of the World. The people always had time for chai and chat. The majestic himilayas surround this town that sits at 8500 ft. I was very safe there, never hearing any gunshot or bombs, and I had my own driver and interpreter. It was a time never to forget. I could talk forever about it.

photos

Here are a few of my quilts that I have created from my Afghanistan visit. Any and all comments are welcome. The first one is a dye painted whole cloth quilt entitled "Waiting". The second one is "Color in Chaos" showing the beautiful madonnas and their children in photo transfer. The third is "Roof of the World" Showing the Buddhas of Bamiyan, and the last one is based on the book "The kite Runner", showing that again, the children of Afghanistan are free to fly kites, at least today....

finally

Well, I have finally taken the plunge and created a blog. We shall see how easy it is to download and work with. This photo is of me (on the right) standing in front of the buddha ruin in Bamiyan, Afghanistan.