Giant's Causeway

Today is reveal day on the Art Quilts Around the World blog. The theme for this challenge was "Where Sea and Land Meet" This is my interpretation. I have always marveled at the basaltic rocks that form the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. I hope to travel and see this ancient place someday.

I would like to invite you to to visit the Art Quilts Around the World site and see the rest of the challenge quilts. These ladies are so talented. I always enjoy seeing all the different ideas they come up with.

Finishing this quilt was the last big deadline I needed to meet. I'm looking forward to some down time soon. I cleaned 3 rooms of carpeting last weekend and still need to move the furniture back where it belongs. By the end of this coming weekend I should have my house back in order.

It is good to be back to a normal routine. I hope to catch up on my favorite blogs in the next week or so. It was really hard staying away and I have to admit I did a lot of lurking when I had free time.

Not Playing With a Full Deck

Our Art Quilts Around the World group recently hosted a postcard exchange based on the theme "playing cards". I love ink and pen illustrations from the late 1800's and early 20th century. I decided to use the drawings of John Tenniel from "Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There" by Lewis Carroll.

I used pigma pens to recreate the outline and shading and then colored the post cards using my colored pencils. I heat set the pencil ink into the fabric and sent them off in the mail to California and Australia. I have always been suspicious of the Kings and Queens in a deck of playing cards and finally figured out why.

I really enjoy being a part of this group. The women are very diverse in their talents and I love having a deadline to meet. It forces me to break away from production for my shops and make time for myself.

I will be at the Madison Quilt Expo on Saturday. Please let me know if you will be there. I'd love to say hello.

Have a great weekend!

Chris

In Memory of Beauty, Grace and Spirit

I dedicate this post to the memory of my Grandma Virginia who lost her life today. She was born March 31st, 1904 in South Dakota. She had a long, healthy life and lived lifetimes of adventure. What I remember most about her was her warmth and laughter, a trait she passed on to her three sons. When I think of her I see her as an elegant woman, hair coiffed, makeup in place and always sporting beautiful dress or pants suit (that she had sewn) with matching jewelry. But she was also an outdoors woman. We went fishing together, collected rhubarb at the lake to make pies and made necklaces from the violets that grew in her backyard. She taught me to appreciate her love of nature and art. She will always hold a special place in my heart. Today I celebrate her life with a poem she wrote.

"God Lives"

It has been said that "God is Dead"

How can He be?

He paints vast canvases for us to see.

His knowing might our world controls

For mans enjoyment natures gifts unfolds

Earths revolutions, guided by his hand,

Expose new glories of our land.

Each seasons gifts he paints anew.

The mountains, the clouds, the rain, the dew

When snow has fallen through the night

And everything is clothed in white,

Mans disfiguring creations lie concealed

Above the horizon gradually revealed,

Appear the Masters strokes in reds & blues

Tinting the snow with reflected hues,

Clouds bright linings next unfold,

Which the rising sun has touched with gold.

The miracle of Spring, the Summer flowers,

The songs of the birds that fill the hours,

The beauty of the autumns flaming rays,

Who but the Master Craftsman could portray

Pictures from the artist brush adorn

The never ending mural begun each morn.

At days end painted with color bright

It fades into a restful moonlit night.

God is not dead, How could he be?

- Virginia Shoemaker Slaybaugh

Previous Posts about my grandmother:

Art Quilts Continued

Needlework Treasures

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