ALL IN A DAY'S WORK.

Today I Put this photo of my red yarn up on Facebook.  I was really scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as adventures to GW go.  This is that picture.

It is a rather nice picture, but nothing to get excited about...
           UNTIL YOU NOTICE THE CHAIR.

DIVORCE CHAIR?

  This is the chair that almost got me a divorce.  I mentioned in my last blog that I hid it from my husband in my sewing room.....

The chair was in my sewing room, not my husband.

IT TURNS OUT THAT SOMETIMES MY HUSBAND DOES READ MY BLOG...BUSTED!

I can't understand why Husbands don't want us going to Goodwill.  Betty's hubby Jerry doesn't love it either.  With him it's not chairs, it's PURSES.  Right Betty?

I try to tell my Jerry that it is my job to go to GW.  It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it.  He's not buying.

         (oh, but he is, he just doesn't know it.  I'm thinking the reading the blog thing was just a fluke.)

 This chair that I dragged home was a real steal...$2.99

I used a rather pricy finish on it.  I used Silver leaf. but it looked great.  The fabric was not cheap either.  It was $49.00 a yard, but it was well worth it.  It is silver leaf on a burlap-like linen.

Jerry didn't like the fabric either, so I really hope he doesn't read this. 

 

 I found another chair, but I paid a high price...$4.99.

I got another yard of the fabric and more silver leaf.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
MY CHAIRS.

I use both of them in my living room and my Jerry doesn't go in there...NO TV.

2's COMPANY, 3's A CROWD

 I wonder what you call it when there's five?

I HOPE IT'S NOT DIVORCE...Redfox

Oh well, it's all in a day's work.


 

A CHAIR IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO CHAIRS IN THE BUSH, OR AM I CONFUSED?

                  CONFUSED?  ME TOO.

I didn't need another chair.  I don't have room for another chair.  And my husband really hates that I have another chair.

                         BUT IT SEEMS THAT I HAVE ANOTHER CHAIR.....CONFUSED?

A CHAIR IN PARTS

   I didn't go to Goodwill looking for a chair.  I never go to GW looking for anything in particular.  But there it was... a swivel chair in dirty white fake leather.  I forgot to take a picture when it was dirty and in one piece.  I was too excited to get working on it, you see I thought it had POTENTIAL. 

I didn't see the potential on that first trip to GW.  In fact I left that dirty chair there in the store and only went home with two purses and a hot pink jacket.  But I kept thinking about that chair.  You see it had a very heavy cast aluminum frame and I knew it had been a happy chair in its better days.

 So the next morning I drove back to the store, marched in, heels clicking, and pulled out my card...

     CHARGE

GW does not take checks.  That $4.99 went right on my card.   THE CHAIR WAS MINE.

I stripped it down and just look at those beautiful bones.

Now I needed just the right fabric to bring it into its new age.  I could barely contain my excitement as I hid it in my studio so Jerry wouldn't know there was another chair.

  Have you ever seen such perfect fabric?  The only problem is that it was $39.00 a yard.

If you know me, you know I would never pay $39.00 for fabric, but      
         WAIT.

I never pay full price, I must have a coupon somewhere.  Yes, I had 50% off.  I think I can, I THINK I CAN, I CAN.

I  CAN

  Now isn't that the cutest chair you have ever seen?  What did Jerry say?, you ask.

  " WHERE DID THAT #!!@%$^*# CHAIR COME FROM?"

        

        YOU ASKED.

                                                         ...REDFOX

WE CAN'T ALL BE STARS, BUT WE CAN ALL TWINKLE

I KNOW, I KNOW.....IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME.  And yes, I know I have used this title before...  I'm sure that I was bragging about something or other the last time I wrote, but lately I've really been tooting my own horn.

MOM, BETTY, AND I HAVE BEEN DOING A REGULAR SONG AND DANCE.

We have been doing trunk shows.  We really didn't sing, but I think we might have danced a little.  And I know we did twinkle
           ..............................A LOT!

Thursday night Mom, Betty, and I drove a very long ways and arrived to put on a trunk show for the PRICKLY PIECERS.  It was a lovely time and they were not a bit prickly....Yes Lynnita, I am talking to you.  It was a great group and I think we all enjoyed each other. 

Mom enjoyed showing off the felting pictures that she has had shown at the WEST VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL shows.

Perhaps that is where Betty and I get the urge to twinkle.  When you are 97 years young and you still have that twinkle in your eye, that is a very strong trait.

                     THANK YOU MOM.

WORDS IN THE FOREST

 
   WORDS IN THE FOREST is one of the many pieces that Betty had to twinkle about.  She had just gotten that piece back from the AQS show in Phoenix and she couldn't wait to tell the ladies that she got two pieces in and YOURS TRULY got one in.  Part of our trunk show is the back and forth that Betty and I have in our little sibling rivalry.  I couldn't resist telling about the time I got two ribbons at state and she didn't get any.  That only happened once, but .......

          I TWINKLED BIG TIME.

FRECKLES

 When it was Mom's turn to show another piece she had a story to twinkle about herself.  She told about the Phoenix Airport exhibit that she got two pieces in and Betty and I both got 
          REJECT LETTERS.   We were properly put in our places.  At least we didn't have to sit in the corner....THIS TIME!

LA FETE

 
 I had to show you the ONE piece I had in the AQS show.  This piece traveled for two years in the SAQA show SENSE OF ADVENTURE.  When I talk about this piece I don't just twinkle,  I SHINE.

I think we put on a pretty good show for the PRICKLY PIECERS.  I got a very nice thankyou letter from Lynnita Knoch, past chair.

She also paid a visit to my blog and said very nice things.  She said she felt like I was talking right to her.  I was, I am.

                                                                            

I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I AM TALKING WITH THE FRIENDS THAT DO ME THE HONOR OF READING THIS BLOG.  WITHOUT YOU READING THIS, THERE WOULD BE NO BLOG.

SO WE MAY NOT BE STARS, BUT WE SURE HAVE FUN TWINKLING...REDFOX

 

  

OKEE DOKEE

I just saw the phrase " OKEE DOKEE " on an e-mail from my friend Francie and I thought it would make a good title for a blog.  I think It kinda means going along with something.  Tfhat is how my whole day has gone.

The morning was wonderful.  I had a date with Mom to go to GW and that went great.  I picked her up and she looked very cute in a black and white jacket with an orange scarf and shirt, orange earrings and a white leather flower on her lapel.   She is 97 and yet dresses like a model every day.  I on the other hand am lucky if I comb my hair every day.  In fact I have been known to not.

But I am digressing.  Anyway we had a good trip to GW.  Mom bought books and I bought every thing else.

 WELL THEY HAD THESE GREAT SILVER AND BLACK GLASS VASES THAT WOULD LOOK SO GOOD IN MY HOUSE.....THREE OF THEM.  OF COURSE I COULDN'T  BREAK UP THE THREESOME.
 
Then we went over and had a nice visit with Betty and her new knee.  That's a stupid statement, when you visit Betty you simple must visit her knee.  That was lovely, but I cut it short as I had to get home to finish my SILVER quilt.

IT WENT DOWN HILL FROM THERE...  

RISING  7 X 10

 

 

  
This  looks good, right?  Well it didn't get that way easy.

When I got home today I thought I had better go online and check out the address that I had to send a 8 X 8 SAQA donation quilt that I had made.  Not only did I find out where to send it, but I found out it had to be 7 X 10.

                     BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

So I had to cut the width and that cut off my lady's elbow and I had to make it longer.  That was easy...ADD RED.

So I added red to the bottom and then I finished the raw edges by sewing on a facing.  But when I tried to turn it, it wouldn't look good because of bulky corners...UNSEW THAT.

After picking out those stitches, I sewed on a narrow binding... TOO NARROW.

I had cut the binding too narrow and it wouldn't go around to the back...UNSEW THAT.   

By now I am really frustrated, but I pick all those stitches out and thank God that the quilt is only 7 X 10.

I am about to try a new binding, when I notice that my left arm is aching.  And I think it has been for quite awhile.  Now I think God is maybe telling me that I am going to have a heart attack.  Now, you know I still haven't sewn an inch on my SILVER quilt.

BUT SINCE "THE FIVE" IS OVER ON TV AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK, I THINK I MIGHT AS WELL TAKE A NAP.  (AFTER ALL, IF I DIE FROM A HEART ATTACK, I WON'T NEED TO FINISH THE QUILTS).  

                                                         I SLEEP.

My hubby makes his own dinner and I sleep until 7 o'clock.  I get up and put the correct border on.  DONE!

THIS IS RISING NEXT TO MY SILVER QUILT WITH IS TITLED STILL I RISE.

 
The inspiration for the rising quilt is the big quilt that I am making for the Silver Anniversary of SAQA.  For the Donation quilt I used the same motif and all the same fabrics.  The Silver quilt is still a secret, so I just show a little bit.   OKEE DOKEE?

The inspiration for both these quilts are these simple words:

BE CALM, GO DEEP, GO SLOW.

                              ...REDFOX 

 Now I just previewed this blog and I see that my letter contrast is off for most of the story... TOO BAD!  I don't know why it did that and I'm too tired to fix it.  I used too many words anyway and my ARM HURTS.

I THINK THE TITLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 

            DEAL WITH IT!
 

OH MY !!!!!

                        

Remember the Wall Street quilt in my last blog?  Remember my saying I didn't have a picture of the bull market on the back?  Well tonite I was going through my files and deleting some pictures, when I found this..................

 
THIS IS WHERE I GOT REAL QUIET AND JUST WHISPERED THESE WORDS,
                                                          
                                                         HEDGE FUND

You have to get up real close to read them...
If you can't find the words, they are just south of downturn and east of verbatim.

                             ENOUGH SAID

I hope it won't alter your opinion of me if I say I enjoy putting a little something aside for a rainy day.  Too bad we live in Arizona where it doesn't rain very often.

In case you forgot, this what the front looked like.

Seriously, I believe when creating a piece of work, that the back is just as important as the front.  I always try to jazz it up a little.

                             TIP:  Never think that any old fabric will do for the back.  Use a good looking pattern on the back.  A patterned back will hide many little mishaps in the quilting...not that I make any. (for the judges)  If your front is a work of art, why should your back be any less. USE THE BEST. 

REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT WHEN YOU WALKED OUT OF THE LADIES ROOM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROM, AND YOU HAD A PIECE OF TOILET PAPER STUCK TO THE BACK OF YOUR SHOE?

YOU NEVER WANT TO FEEL LIKE THAT AGAIN.

                                                         

                         ... REDFOX  

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Today I spent the whole afternoon just entering another quilt show.  Why does it take me the whole afternoon?  It is because I am practically a virgin on the computer.  Well it is good to be a virgin at something, although I think you are either a virgin or you are not.  I guess "Almost a virgin" is considered an oxymoron.  It takes me longer to enter the quilts than it does to make them.
                                ALMOST.

The show I am entering is a SAQA New Mexico art show at the Hubbard Museum.  New Mexico is my second state in the SAQA organization.  SAQA stands for Studio Art Quilt Associates.  The show is called Beyond traditions and we could enter 3 quilts and 2 three dimensional pieces. 

REALITY IS ONLY A RORSCHACH INKBLOT  37x52

The inspiration for this quilt came from a quote by Alan Watts.  "Reality is only a Rorschach inkblot, you know."  It was created for a former show with a Paradox theme.  It got into that show and now I'm gonna see if it works again.  We keep these quilts busy earning their keep by sending them out to one show after the other.

Entering quilts in shows is kinda like rolling the dice.  Sometimes they get in, sometimes they don't.

I created this quilt by pouring black and white craft paint onto fabric, then folding the fabric over the paint to get the inkblot image.  I had to get it exactly right the first time because I was almost out of paint and since it was midnight there was no store open for refills.

BESIDES, I WANTED IT WHEN I WANTED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

OBSESSION 30x50

 Have you ever heard the saying...

THREE TIMES THE CHARM?

Well I sure hope it is true.  This quilt won a blue ribbon at the Arizona Quilting Guild state show, but at the last show I tried to get it in, they said, "no thank you".  At the one before that it was no thanks also.  So this is the third time since it won that ribbon.  It thought it was big time, and now it's feelings are hurt...The quilt's, not mine.  I'm learning to roll with the dice.

Wonder why they don't like it.  Perhaps it is the subject matter.  It is heavy on the mixed media and like its title, it's pretty much on the dark side.  The quilt is about the controversial  artist 
 Frieda Kahlo...
AND SHE WASN'T VERY NICE!

Frieda had many lovers, both male and female, she was married twice, to the same man, and she once painted a picture of a suicidal woman jumping from a building, and ...
      SHE GAVE IT TO HER MOTHER!
Yes, she gave it to the woman's mother...
      HOW BAD IS THAT!!!!!

Other than that she was a very nice lady.  She was an artist from Mexico, perhaps that will
give me a leg up with the New Mexico Jury...
                        NOT!

WALL STREET 37x35

 

 

This quilt pokes gentle fun at a not so funny situation...the down turn of the economy.  This quilt is currently in an exhibit Art Quilts XVIII at Chandler AZ.  If it is chosen it will come home later this month and go on a delightful journey to New Mexico.

I used inkjet printing on fabric for the animals in my cast of Wall Street characters.  They are appliqued onto a background that I painted using stencils and a hand carved stamp.  I am especially fond of this character.
   ARE YOU LOOKING JENNITA?

There are hidden elements under the ties.  There is a wolf in sheep's clothing and a sheep in wolf's clothing.

WELL THEY ARE NOT HIDDEN ANYMORE ARE THEY?


On the back of the quilt there is a bull applique.  I don't want to say this too loud, but there are the words..."hedge funds" printed in a place on that bull that the words "hedge funds", or any other words should never be printed.  
                      PRIVATE!!!

That bull represents an UP MARKET.

   AND THAT BULL IS REALLY UP!

I also entered two altered books, but I will leave them for another time.

                   IF I GET IN THE SHOW, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO HEAR ABOUT IT,
                   IF I DON'T, YOU WON'T.
                 
                                          ...REDFOX 

 

THE GIFT

LAST NIGHT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING NIGHT... Last night seven close friends got together for a wonderful Christmas party.  We had great food, great presents, and GREAT FRIENDS. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART WAS THE FRIENDS.

I think, no I know, that a more talent and amazing group could not be found.  Two of our group couldn't come to the party and I missed them very much.  And they missed quite a good time.

                                  I LOVE THEM ALL.

I don't have pictures of the party girls, we were so excited that we didn't take any, but I have pictures of the gifts they each gave me, that I took this morning.  I got to relive the fun...
                 WELCOME TO THE PARTY.


The party started at 4 pm and It took me until 3:31 to get all of my gifts ready.  I wanted them to be perfect for my friends and of course I waited until the last few days.....so
                      NO TIME TO CLEAN UP.

                                                    

AND YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FLOOR

When I work, that's all I do, I don't clean.

So here I am at 3:31.

ON TO THE PRESENTS...

 

                                           

                                        This is how I presented my gifts.  They are always all wrapped the same, but the colors of the ribbons did change to white.  This one is still waiting for Elizabeth.  Elizabeth, we miss you.  Connie we miss you too.

Mom outdid herself on
her presentation.  Each of her gifts had a different gold ornament attached.  She made each of us a special fabric dish and when we asked her how she made them stiff and formed them, she just smiled and told us of a "SPECIAL" interlining.
 Each bowl was different.  Personally I think mine is the best.  How "SPECIAL" our 97 year old Mom is.

When it was Diane's turn to present her gifts, she had us play a little game.  One person drew a name and then that namesake got to draw in the gift basket.  I drew this beautiful watch with a shiney black band and a face circled with crystals.
                       IT WAS PERFECT!
Each watch was different and each was a random pick.  I THINK MINE WAS THE BEST. 

Francie was up next and her gifts were in beautiful gold foil bags.  Francie had gone to the Houston quilt show and spent time at the venders buying gifts for us all.  A LOT OF TIME!  She got each of us a cute magnet that caught each  personality in a funny way.  GLAD I'M NOT NEEDY!  She also gave us fabric and a finger stiletto.  Now I guess I need to be educated because I thought stilettos were 
something I used to wear on my feet.  Oh the wisdom we get as we get older.   So much to learn and so many years left to learn it...RIGHT MOM?

Margaret was thinking about our fingers too.  She got us all the wonderful products we can use to keep our hands soft so we don't "snag" the wonderful art we make.  I'm sorry I use the word wonderful so much...BUT EVERY THING IS!   Just look at that cute cuticle scissors...    WONDERFUL!!!!!

Margaret took BROWN BAGGING IT to another level.  So did Betty.

    WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT...LUNCH BAGS AT THEIR BEST!

Betty gave me these two wonderful bracelets.  I happened to walk up to the check out stand when she was buying the cuff.
I told her I sure hoped it was for me.  I AM NOT SUBTLE.   I seem to recall seeing the other one at her house and telling her "so and so won't like that."
                BUT I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How bad am I?   Don't answer that.

I'll show you how good I am... Susan, our newest friend made homemade cookies for us.  As I opened mine I told her If I didn't want my husband to get them I would have to eat them all now (at the party).  Well I didn't and HE DID.... I did get a couple.  GOOD!

What did I give the girls?...

WHAT DO ALL GIRLS WANT?
Shoes, lots and lots of them.  Everyone got a different pair of shoes for mailing.  They all said they loved them, and Diane, who is a shoe horse, said, "Why didn't you give me these to wear them?  I just told her they were ... "KILLER SHOES.", and smiled.

Now I've talked about the presents a lot, but I know, and they know, the best gift is their
                             FRIENDSHIP...............

ANYONE CAN GIVE AND GET PRESENTS, BUT I CAN NEVER THANK MY FRIENDS ENOUGH JUST FOR THE SIMPLE GIFT OF BEING MY FRIEND.

  WITH THIS LETTER, LOVE IS THE GIFT I AM GIVING YOU...REDFOX