Birch tree

 I have fused the form of a birch tree onto my background and have quilted it on.  Now I have added a fabric I think works well for moss.  I loosened my top thread so it would be loose and textural like moss.

I am playing with it right now.  Not sure how much I will cover the fabric yet, maybe a little as shown or a lot.   We will see.

BEYOND THE RIVER LAND

Beyond The River Land

38inches X 18 inches 

Raw-edged fused applique, machine quilted, enhanced with tulle.

Framed on stretcher bars. 

The Journey

UPCOMING SHOW AT WILDLIFE REFUGE

This fall I will be having a show of my work at the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge.  It will include an artists reception on September 30th.  If any of you Wisconsinites or visitors to Wisconsin are able to come, I would appreciate it.  It will run for approximately 2 months so even if you cannot make the reception you could come anytime during those months to see my work.

I also have begun to work on my piece started weeks ago.   There has been much to do in the new house inside and out and it has occupied most of my free time. 

Now, I have finally found several hours of the day to work again and will try to keep that shedule going.  Here it is now.

ART QUILTING STUDIO ARTICLE

I know I have been negligent here on my blog and hope that all of you hang in there
just a bit longer for me to be fully back.  In between my move and all the unpacking etc that goes with it, I was asked to do an article in "Art Quilting Studio" magazine's Summer 2017 issue.  It includes three of my owl quilts.  Please pickup a copy if you can as all the articles in this issue are so interesting and well worth reading and viewing.

I will have some new photos of progress on my quilt soon. 

MOVING & LANDSCAPE

 

Spring is here and March is its usual flip flop month choosing to be winter one day and spring the next.  Today we are going to get a possible 6 inches of snow just when the tulips were peaking out on the southside of the house.

In the meantime I have gotten down to the studio to work on my newest piece which I will let you watch develop.  Above you can see the background that if fully quilted.  I have ideas for what is coming to transform it but will have to wait a while because I am going to be moving this month and that means packing up my studio in the next few weeks.   

Yes, I know, I promised to be back here with continued quilting news for all of you to see, but sometimes life interferes.  I am so excited to move to a new studio because it will once again look out at the woods and have plenty of natural light.  It will be exciting too and Mike and I are looking forward to the move.  The work, not so much, but it all will be worth it.  I hope to post pictures of the process and the new studio coming together and should the possibility of working on this piece be possible, I will also post that.

The last few weeks have been very hard because my mother had to go into a nursing home due to her advanced dementia.  We kept her at home for as long as was possible with my sister moving in with her to watch over her.  But now it was impossible for her to do and the move was made.  She lived in our family home for 50 years.  It was a big country house and she loved it dearly.  My dad has been gone over 20 years now and she continued to live there alone.   Now she is in her one room nursing home facility.   A sharp contrast to what she had, yet great care and safer for her with no steps to climb or all the other obstacles that become obstacles with dementia.

So a very sad time yet a relief as well.    Hopefully time will help her to adjust to it and feel some happiness there.

 

Mike & Me

A Day late, but I am so very fortunate to have this man in my life.  He is truly my partner, my inspiration, my love.  Happy Valentine's Day!

GOOD DAY POPPIES

 "GOOD DAY POPPIES"

34" X 21 1/2"

Raw edged fused applique

machine quilted

couched yarn binding

Available in my Etsy Shoppe

 

 Poppies are my favorite flower and I love using them as the subject
matter in my quilts.  This one was no exception.   
 

 I loved getting back to work once I was declared cancer free.  I could not have had a better choice but these poppies to work on.
 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  It certainly renewed my spirit and my energy after my treatment.

Time, Oh Where Have You Gone?

It is almost an embarrassment as to how much time has past since my last post.  Yet, there are good reasons.  Not only has my marriage ended, but I found out I had cancer and needed not only surgery, but radiation and chemotherapy.   Do not worry, the results have been that I am cancer free however the journey was eye opening and enlightening.  I am very glad it is over for the most part .  I will still need frequent checkups for a while but that is the least of it.   I feel good and am back to work on my craft and that is most important.

Now I am living in Sheboygan Wisconsin, right on Lake Michigan.  This is about 1/2 hour drives from where I used to like and I am enjoying the change.  I am with a retired teacher/writer/ musician and we hope to purchase a new home in the next few months.   I have never been happier.   I guess it is true that you never know where life may lead.  Mine has led me to joy, love, and creativity.

So above is the Poppy quilt I am currently working on.  It started like this:

Then it moved on to this:

Now it is coming close to being completed.  I am very excited to work on one of my most favorite flowers.

 

"SILENT FAREWELL"

17 1/2" X 30"

Available for sale in my Etsy Shoppe ( See link in sidebar.)

I feel so remiss in not sharing the journey of this quilt as I went along with it with you.  It just seemed there was not time these last few weeks to work on it and still have time to post here with the process so you can go to the journey down below .

Here are the detail shots.  I enjoyed this piece as barns are near and dear to my heart.  i love the warmth of the red in the coolness of the winter snow too.  I also love how the shed shows many layers of repair in the owners attempt to keep it functional.

I hope you enjoy it too.

 

The Journey

BARNS

 I love to travel around the area I live in and take photographs of different  farms and wildlife.  I took this photo of an old wore out barn with many repairs that have been made over the years now also falling apart.  I love the texture in this piece and it will be what I make next.

It all starts with a sketch.