Archive for November, 2011

   So I just returned for a mile-plus walk, and I’m pretty frustrated. I am dizzy, light-headed, and my eyes hurt. And no, I’m not coming down with anything. It’s the *&^#$^@(*^$*&W#$ eyeball. Fifty-one years ago this December I had eye surgery for a detached retina. Spent two weeks in Wills Eye Hospital (over Christmas) and five months out of school. Yup, waaayyyy before laser surgeries. I was left with some peripheral vision and restrictions on physical activities, among other things, but I got college paid for on a full vocational rehabilitation scholarship.

So I figure I’m used to operating this way….until about three years ago, when I fell at school and hit the back of my head on the left side. Really whacked it good. Several hours later in the emergency room the vision had disappeared from that eye. The retinal specialist a week later found some hemorrhaging in that eye. I was proceeding with workmen’s compensation until my eye doctor filled out the final paperwork (without my knowledge) and said the current eye problems were not the result of the fall.

what I discovered in the next couple of monthgs was that the vision would come and go at odd times, which is a real B**** when you need to be able to see out of that eye to drive. So I stopped driving, thinking it was temporary.

Well, it isn’t. The vision went completely away the beginning of summer. Along with that, my depth perception kind of said “bye bye” at the same time. One eye just can’t compensate for the work of two when it comes to depth. There are a a lot of adjustments, I am realizing.  Running into stuff, not driving, not being sure of my actual place in space. Depending on my brain to rationally tell me what my eye should be able to see. So I’m compensating with a walking stick for extra stability when I am out for a jaunt. I’m trying to find another form of exercise that is less dependent on balance….but when the fitness folk talked about “chair yoga,” the vision in my head was of old arthritic people, and I just don’t see myself there yet. It’s bad enough having to wear the compression stockings because of damage to my veins from blood clots……

I know, it could be a lot worse, and I’m very aware of that. I treasure moments with art even more so because of this. But I know I need to exercise, and this is the tough part – finding something that works and doesn’t cost a lot of money. Patience has never been something I’m really good at, so that’s another reason all this is bothering me at this point. For now I’m planning to walk tomorrow around the neighborhood. That’s relatively level and a good start. Two years ago I used to have hubby drop me bout a mile or so from home when we were running errands, and vary my walks that way. Need to get back to that. Now I just want to sew.

Later, y’all.

Well, it has been at least 10 years since we did any kind of demonstration of marbling on fabric.  Full-time teaching and the need for two of us really limited our ability to get out and work with guilds. Thanks to a faithful reader (hi, Kay!!), we were booked to do a presentation to the Sunflower quilters guild on the northwest of Tucson. I was especially excited because….it’s a school day and I was doing this DURING THE DAY….love it!

We’ve been planning for this for a couple of weeks. At one point we figured it was going to be at least two trips to the car, but with careful packing, it was only one for the trip across town.

The only thing not on this stack is the crate of quilts and a green grocery bag with fabric. We pack really well.

Kay had samples of fat quarters to build interest for our demo, and the ladies were wonderful. Hubby and I work really well off each other, and his humor comes out. We spent two hours, showing the marbling process, letting people marble fabrics, and showing a progression of quilts. I’ve found, since we started marbling, that too often people say, “what will you use it for?” or “what will you do with it?” To answer those questions, I always pack lots of quilts (both art quilts and more traditional ones) so that folks can see so many uses for the fabrics. Plus, it’s always fun for us to see where we’ve come as artists….and we love hearing all the “oooo’s”!

The crate of quilts, many of which are not available on the website or in the blog, because they are process quilts.

We had a great set-up in the recreation room.

What I discovered with this layout is that as Dean demonstrated some of the patterns , I held up the fat quarter with the particular pattern on it, and that way people got a much better look at a larger example.

Having eye candy is always a great idea….

Works in progress.

Some really high-tech supplies – left-over hospital pans for the rinse process.

What next? Well, we are going to start contacting local guilds in Arizona for demos, as we have all the handouts and  such prepared. At lunch we decided on a plan for a sampler so we can begin offering marbling classes at quilt shops. And…I’m going to start contacting friends around the country to see if we can “book” a couple of demos during the summer travel months. I’ll get information up on the blog and website as I get it finalized. You can always email us for more information.

A great day was had by all!

I finished the fish quilt, and I absolutely LOVE it! No question the machine quilting is getting much much better. Amazing how a good amount of practice will do wonders!

First of all, what it looked like last October….when I had plans to redo it for the arts and crafts show…..not…..well, evidently I don’t have a photograph. Suffice to say it was straight line quilting in the ditch – nothing fancy, because I didn’t know anything else. I took it apart….all the quilting stitches,,,,last fall, because I knew I had learned way more and wanted to see if I could improve on it.

I think I succeeded……

Marbled Fishes

I did so many things I never have before. I used two different decorative stitches on my machine. I did a lot of free motion bubbles, and I added a few beads, a la Lyric Kinard (whose video on beading is fabulous!). The story behind this quilt goes back to creating the marbled fabric. It “read” fish to me as it came out of the tray, and I looked for a traditional block that looked like a fish. I threw in some batik, some Moda, and a lime green backing and border. It was okay…..

I just knew I could do more with those fish. A lot of Superior thread later…….

Marbled Fishes

I am loving it. What’s great about this is as we embark on guild presentations, I want to have a variety of small quilts so that beginners can see that marbled fabric really isn’t any different from any other specialty fabric. That was the motivation behind this series of quilts. Now it’s off to look through my stash of patterns to see what’s next.

…and yes, I know I still have three table runners to finish in three weeks…..

Busy week on the web this week. From The Best Article Every Day comes 106 Excuses That Prevent You From Ever Becoming Great. How can you not read an article with a title like that?

I particularly like this one, as this was my generation of breaking boundaries:

“YOUR GENDER WON’T LET YOU. Gender roles are increasingly less relevant. There have been women CEOs and male nurses for years. Men can start a daycare and women can start a design firm. Blaming your gender simultaneously speaks poorly for your gender, and empowers those who refuse to fit a mold.”

TED Talks now has a YouTube channel, Ads Worth Spreading. The TED talks are always wonderful, and now there’s a TED Blog, with great articles.

Light bulbs? Yup – evidently we artists might have some trouble coming with the phase-out of regular 100-watt bulbs. This from the Joanne Mattera Art blog.

From JPG Magazine comes a photo tribute to Steve Jobs….some interesting…and weird…photos here.

Apple Logo Autumn Spectrum by Devid LeClerc

Very reminiscent of Andy Goldsworthy.

I have a former student, Dr. Matt Lyon in Charlotte, NC,  who is doing some amazing work when it completes to complete health and wellness. I invite you to visit his blog and download his ebooks on wellness. There is some great information there, certainly worth researching.

Mary Edna Fraser does some simply amazing batik, and most of it in the name of climate change awareness. Check out this book signing for global climate change.

I love Vi Hart, who bills herself as a recreational mathematician. She does amazing stuff with doodles that makes mathematics seem so clear. She also has her own YouTube channel…yeah, I know…..doodler extraordinaire!

And now…candy buttons and mobius strips…

Phil Hanson – wow! I put in “amazing art” on YouTube…who knew I would find this?

And finally, is it art? Elvis in cheetos????

Have a great week!