Yesterday while I was cleaning out some  quilt project starts, I came across this poppie one.   Seems, I forgot I had it.   Most likely I didn’t know what to do with it and got bored.  It looks different now.   It start off just three red blobs of paint against the blue background.  And its still three red blobs!  I decided to try for more definition.  So I got out the bleach and went to work.  I’m really  pleased with how that turned out.  Now I’m trying to decide if I want to  define it more with some black paint or proceed with some stitching.  Maybe just a little bit of bla….Well I just don’t know yet!   Exhale…

Guess where I have been?  No! not sun bathing in the Tropics somewhere. But,laid up in bed with the flu.  It wasn’t enough to get hit with one of the worst snow storms  we have had this winter.  After several days of none stop snow, snow drifts and high winds and when things started to look a little better is when I got hit with the flu virus.  People were beginning to dig out from under this heavy snow that hit our region for three days straight and I was having a bout with cabin fever by then.  Then it happened a sniffle here and a cough there and suddenly I was down for the count.  Accompanied by none other than chills, fever, a hacking cough, chest pain, congestion, runny nose, and the dreaded d—word. My whole body ached and it looked hopeless that I would get anything done.  My daughter was out of town on business, so while the events unfolded I was caring for two little ones.  I have to say that the boys were little angels during all of this, because they knew I was not feeling well. They were a big help by going to get things and putting things away for me.  These boys were great, not a tear or a fight.  They put away toys and took their naps without protest.  It is amazing how little children adapt to situations and knowing just what is needed of them.  After three days of being in bed, I finally crawl out and stood up on my weak legs and took a step towards the window to look out.  It had stop snowing.  So I started to think maybe I could get some more silk pieces dyed, which was what I had been working on before I got ill.  Suddenly I realized that I was not quite well enough to be out of bed.   Heading to the kitchen to prepare sandwichs for the children and a bowl of soup for me, I was hit with a dreadful wave of chills. This confirmed I needed to get back in bed. Knowing full well my to-do list was getting longer by the minute. I quickly prepared lunch and back to bed I went telling myself not to think about all the things I needed to be doing. So, the children re-positioned themselves back at the foot of grammy’s bed with books, toys and favorite cds.  Now I am starting to get my strength back and beginning to feel a lot better.  While I was bed bound my thoughts wondered about some new projects.  I like to tell myself that if I can’t create something, then THINK about creating something. At some point I thought if I could prop myself up and do some work on my laptop, this would great.  That didn’t happen either.  So I thought about some things and the direction in which I want to go with my fiber work and also this blog.  Earlier this month I visited several really neat blog sites and a few had so great challenges.  Now, I am a woman who loves a good challenge.  I’m thinking it might be nice to host a challenge or two here in the future.   These were just a few of my thoughts from  my sick bed. I’m back now mostly, still a little weak, but better and feeling human again!

” Behind the complicated details of the world, stand the simplicities”  – Graham Greene

What a Messss!   Did I say that?

 My studio is a mess since I have decide to let things go for now.  I will start packing some of my things.  I’ll pack just the items I won’t need for awhile, I think.  That will tidy things up a bit.  I like the idea of moving to another house and I hated it too.  It gives you a fresh start with decorating and organizing.  But it is definitely work and I would much rather be creating my quilts and stuff.  I need to re-stock my Etsy shop.  I do have some definite plans in the works for some changes.  I will most likely proceed with them sometime this summer.  There will be quite a few nice surprises.  I’ll be updating here later on this spring.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”                    -Eleanor Roosevelt-

 

This is one of the post cards I did on the peltex . I am pleased with the results. Although, it was not that easy at first when I tried the color pencils. The point kept getting caught on the fibers and it was a very light color wash. I knew I wanted it to be more saturated with color. The oil pastels worked beautifully. I want to experiment with the peltex again. Only I want to try some acrylics thinned  out and charcoals.

Just heard back from Susan Lenz and I’ m happy about  trading for one of her lovely cards  http://cyberfyberexhibition.blogspot.com/  All of her cards our beautiful and it was hard to chose just one.  They are going fast too.  I have really been working hard at getting more of my work out. That was one of my goals this year.  I also have several  art paper collages that I did last month and they turn out beautifully.  Pictures coming soon!

Well, I have open up a flickr acct and I have uploaded lots of photos.  Now the next step will be to get them into the widget on my sidebar here.  I am still working on trying get some of my images into the body of this blog. I haven’t ask for help yet, because I believe in trying to do things yourself first.  That will be my learning curve. I have  so much enjoyed working on these fiber post cards.  I now have 32 cards and still going.  They are so small and I have been creating several a day.  I read some where about the fiber post card challenge to create one card a day for a year or something like.  Well, for me I kinda just fell into it.  I really intended just to work on my journal quilts (one a month) this year.  Just as a challenge for myself to work with some new techniques.  Another of my goals for this year, to challenge myself  to try some new techniques.  I am working on February’s quilt now, but that is going to be another post.  But, I didn’t know the post cards were so addictive when I started.  They are so much fun and small pieces of art are not that much of a time investment. When I locate the info about the post card challenge, I’ll include it here.  Pictures coming!  Soon!