DAY 23

Today has been a very long day. I have been working pretty hard all day.

First, I finished up #12 which is below. I only needed to do a little bit more on it and then add the circles and then trim it.


Then came #13. This piece worked right along and got finished pretty quickly (well, finished enough to take home)


And then, I started cutting out my batting to lengths and found that I was going to be two short. That sent me into a depression (probably because I was getting tired and this was discouraging because doing these at home is going to be hard) so I worked on three 12 x 12" pieces which are all ready for backing and edging.

So I toddled down to Virginia's and found one piece of batting that I had given her which is big enough and a couple of half pieces that I can probably put together to make one last piece. I have lost count so many times that I really won't know how many I have batting for until I am all done.

So then, it was time to work on #14, below, which has been trimmed and ready to go.


I also spent time getting stuff packed up and now have five boxes ready to go to the post office tomorrow with two other boxes almost ready. I have decided that my quilts are getting packed in lutrador in my large suitcase...since they aren't finished quilts, I don't think anyone would give them a second glance...just fabric and batting, which will also be in that suitcase. Oh, the end is getting near.

Friday night we are going to Round Top for dinner and a quilt show. That will be lots of fun and a good diversion!

Going to hit the sack and read and go to sleep, and then be ready to get going nice and early
tomorrow!

DAYS 21 and 22

Where or where did yesterday go? I think we just missed it somehow! Must say we were a little sluggish and ran some errands. Stopped by Wal Mart and they had just gotten in another 10 yards of black fabric so I bought it all.

I forgot to mention several things the other day. Sylvia Weir brought me some homespun cotton from Wal Mart in black, dark red and navy blue to try discharging. I did a little test piece but I haven't washed it out yet to see just what color it is leaving.

And then, Connie Hudson, who wasn't there, sent 10 yards of black cotton from a couple of other Wal Marts. That was so special for her to do!

And then, Jeanelle McCall gifted each of us with a wonderful fiber piece which has been framed. They are delightful and have been needle punched to bring the different fabrics together...very cool! See it below! Unfortunately, I had to take it through the glass so you get a reflection on it. You can even see the neat card to attached to the outside of the package. She said "Thank you for sharing!" Now, wasn't that special!


So yesterday I started working on a piece and finished the top of #11 and got almost finished with #12 which I am not showing you right now. This is about 44 x 66" or so.


And today, since I had 20 yards of black cotton and lots of orange fabric I had painted and still need to get another 8-10 pieces done before Sunday morning, started discharging. I had lots of questions about how I do it and what I use so I thought I would show you my discharging mono-prints.

Above you can see the black plastic underneath covered with dried Sunlight Dishwasher gel which is what I use for discharging. It is dried because I have been way to lazy to clean off the black plastic after each time I used it. This has resulted in some very interesting designs, however. I am a firm believer in serendipity.

Any way, I have spread a layer of Sunlight get on the plastic about the size of my fabric and have smoothed it out with a foam brush. Then I have done some sort of design into the gel. Then I carefully lay the piece of fabric over the whole thing and pat it all over to be sure that it is picking up the gel.


Above you see a piece that is discharging...I have placed it on a piece of table cloth fabric (since we cleaned up the floors I no longer had that huge piece of black plastic, but did had the table cloth fabric that I use for under fabric when screening to give it a little padding ( I work with the fluffy side up). The piece has been monoprinted and then I dragged my fingers through it making some sort of curvy pattern.

In this and the next two pictures you see the results of the first 10 yards of fabric. At that point I had washed it all out with water, then put it into a bucket with anti-chlor which neutralizes the chlorine. This is available through Dharma Trading or Pro Chem...google them to find their website. Vinegar does not neutralize the chlorine. Then I wash in a large washing machine with lots of water and also detergent and you can see what they look like dried.


This group of fabrics seem to be coming out more orange than before. I ran out of Sunlight and had to take a break to run to the grocery store. We had already taken a break earlier for lunch (2 hours worth) when we took Pam out for lunch at the Bistro.

So, then I was able to finish up the discharging and finally quite, having done 20 yards, at 6:30 pm. Washing out the fabric in a low deep sink can be back breaking so I fixed myself a healthy dinner of tortilla chips and salsa, sat down in the comfy chair and watched an hour of TV.

The it was time to get the fabrics out of the washing machine (the second batch) and put them in the dryer. Then, I started ironing Misty Fuse on them...only got four pieces completely done and ready to go and got the other 10 yards out of the dryer and folded.

So now I am ready for tomorrow...enough fabric to get going, finish piece 12 and go forward. I feel so good about this series..who knows when it will stop.

This series is about the circles of life...still looking for a title but that will come.

See y'all tomorrow!

DAYS 19 and 20...ZOWEEE!

Jan 27th has arrived! Virginia's studio is all dressed up and ready for display, mine is looking nice, we look nice and we finally roll in at 10:30 as people start to appear. And appear, and appear. Cars are coming in from everywhere. Those staying are parked nearby...those leaving Saturday had their cars parked a little further away with shuttle service to the cars. It is way beyond exciting. I must tell you right off that I did not get as many pictures as I would have liked because I was just too busy showing people how to do what I do and talking and smiling. My jaw is still a little tired from two days of smiling. But, we are settling down...

A view of part of Virginia's wall all ready for people to come in.

Amanda folding fabric for my table so that it looks professional...something I sure couldn't have done!

My studio area all nice and neat...won't be that way tomorrow, you can bet on it! Won't be as compressed, either...will get it spread back out!

A display of fabrics in Virginia's studio.

A display of her screen printed fabrics and her screens.

Nancy, Karey's cousin, also from Quilts, Inc. She is just delightful and it is a hoot to listen to Karey and Nancy talk to each other!

The crowd has gathered for eating lunch. I know the names of many of the people now, but I know if I try to identify them to you, I will get it all mixed up. Knowing the names and being able to put them with the faces is still coming...Yesterday was such a blur I had to constantly look at everyone's name tag to know who I was talking to.

Out of order here, but some sweets in Karey's house during our happy hour for those going to dinner.

The other stuff at her house. She was so gracious and opened the house for people to come in and see her things, have some wine and visit some more!


And the beautiful, gracious Miss Karey signing her book for people!

And people visiting.

And eating and talking

and posing for pictures

And more eating and visiting.

Unbeknownst to Virginia, Karey had asked the top 18 providers of postcards this year to make a special one for Virginia. She had them framed in to separate frames with each card labeled with the maker's name and the name of the post card. This was a big thank you to Virginia for all of her work with the Fiber Art for a Cause postcard program to raise funds for the American Red Cross. Virginia was just thrilled and so surprised!


Lots of visiting.

And Rosemary Claus Grey gives Karey a piece of art.

After happy hour, we went back to Las Fuentes for dinner. This is Pamela Allen whom I knew before this weekend so I remember her name!

And Virginia and Janelle McCall. Janelle made some beautiful art pieces which she gave to Virignia and me with a note saying "Thank you for sharing" What could be sweeter!

At dinner


Still at dinner

Still at dinner

There were so many of us I couldn't get a picture of the entire table at one time...the flash did not reach that far but if you look closely, you can see Pamela Allen down at the very end on the right.

And this is the breakfast club the next morning...or at least, part of it.

So, what was it like? Absolutely awesome!!! People ooooed and awedddd about our work, making us feel so very special. Karey's staff and Karey fussed over us and made us feel like prima donas. Everyone wanted to know how we did what we did, took tons of pictures of us, had their pictures taken with us, had us sign our autographs and just spent lots of time talking art and quilts with like minded people. Both Virginia and I were walking on clouds. Discussing it later, we both felt so validated in doing the work we are doing.

So, Saturday was filled with lunch and lots of visiting and sharing knowledge, then happy hour (as if we weren't happy enough) and then dinner out. Virginia and I wisely did not go back up to the Creativity Center afterwards as that became one giant pajama party. All ten beds in the dorm rooms were filled, two cots and the couch in the main room were filled.

Today (Sunday) arrived and I got even fewer pictures. We had breakfast all together at 9:30, chatted a lot more and then everyone was gone at 1 pm when the first car of the next group came in. Another 30 or so members of the local quilt guild came to us. Coffee, tea, and sweets were served. This group is composed of mostly traditional and some contemporary quilters. They were very interested in what we did and how we did it. They were all so gracious and friendly, Again, my jaw was hurting from smiling so much! They stayed until 3 pm and then finally it was quiet. There had been talk about another group coming, the local artists' groups, but Karey wasn't able to make contact with them to invite them over...Their loss!

So tonight we are unwinding, relaxing and coming down out of the clouds as tomorrow we are back to work. I have ten more quilt tops to make!

I have no pictures of to the people who were gathered in front of my table as I was talking about things, and Virginia has none of her talking to people. If you were here and took pictures that you think we should have, please email them to me and I will put them up on the blog and also send them off to Virginia.

Many thanks to all of you who came and gave us such wonderful support and admiration. It is the most wonderful feeling to have other artists (whose work admire) complementing . Thank you all and most especially, thank you Karey for making this happen!

DAY 18

so, today is lots of hustle and bustle...getting the creativity center set up for 60 people to eat, getting some of my work up on the wall, etc. So here are three pictures of my work up on the wall and I have three more on the design walls. It is so wonderful to be able to see these on large walls they way they should, and from a distance. I feel good, da, da, da,da,da, like I knew I would!

Another piece on the wall

And another

And this piece I finished this morning. I also did some foiling on it and am really happy about it.

Here is a detail with the foiling...it is a copper color, not gold.



Above you see Vicki dancing to the tunes of the 60's...you can tell everyone is working hard...or at least Pam who is bringing in more chairs...60 total! Pam is in charge of the food, the seating, the beds, the bedding and all that stuff.

The skies are not clear this afternoon. Things have started to dry out so we are hoping the clouds just keep on moving by.

This is one of the beautiful oak trees on the property. Virginia was out on her hike today and heard hawks screaming...she finally was able to see them and watched them mating...but she wasn't sure if they were successful of not! She wasn't close enough!

Karey took the entire crew out to dinner at Las Fuentes for Mexican food...we seem to be hanging out there. I passed the camera around for shots of the meals. The first one is Nancy's and it is tipped so she could get the margarita into the shot!



My taco salad


Marvin's something or other that had lots of food!

Quesadillas with an enchilada

A tamale with something else that sure looks good...it was down at the other end of the table.

A taco con queso

Three tacos on flour tortillas

Karey's dinner of enchiladas, half of which came home with her.

and now for the people...left to right: Marvin, Karey, Virginia, Pam, Teresa
and in the back on the right which you can't see is Ann Flaherty, Vicki, Amanda, and Nancy

Here is Virginia, Pam and Teresa, all holding the same pose which hides the double chins. Check
out the size of those margaritas!

And here is Ann along with Vicki and Amanda

And then, at the end of the table was Nancy, me, Marvin and Karey.

We had a grand time and laughed a lot. Found out there is a happy hour tomorrow and that Ann will be over around 10:30 and the fun starts. Wow!

Glad I drank half of my Margarita..I will have no trouble going to sleep tonight.

Needless to say, Virginia only got fusing done and rearranging her studio for the open studio.

I spent time signing my little pieces and cleaning up my space some more and finishing the piece from last night.

Got to get to sleep...it will be a full day tomorrow from around 10 am to after 8pm. But it will be fun with lots of great people to meet for the first time, people to see again, and lots of pictures to take!
See y'all tomorrow!