KICKED TO THE CURB

Hello to everyone.  It has been so long since I have posted.  What shall I write...

Remember when I showed you pictures of the chairs from GW? Remember , ( Goodwill )?  Well I will show you them again and then tell you a little story.

 
These are the chairs that I recovered.  Now I like those chairs, but I also like a home that is not cluttered and I have moved those zebra chairs around and tried about every room in the house and I just have too much stuff.  I have to make them go away.

I couldn't bear to take them back to GW and see them with a $4.98 price tag on them, so I decided to set them on my front curb with a sign on them...

                                 FREE.

It wasn't ten minutes later that my husband Jerry,  ( WHO BY THE WAY HATED THEM ), came in the house and told me a neighbor from up the street had scooped both of them up and hurried home.

I hope they have a nice home, and I hope that neighbor thinks I must have really great STUFF if I kicked those babies to the curb.

            Always keep them wondering
                                           ... Redfox   

OLDIE BUT GOODIE

OLDIE BUT GOODIE...REMEMBER THAT PHRASE?   TODAY I JUST ENTERED THE NEW SHOW AT THE HQ GALLERY IN SURPRISE, AZ. I DECIDED TO ENTER A QUILT THAT HAS NEVER SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY BEFORE.  THIS IS THE FIRST QUILT THAT I EVER DID FREE MOTION QUILTING ON.  I CAN NOW DO BETTER, BUT THOUGHT THAT THIS QUILT SHOULD GET ITS DAY IN THE SUN.

CLARITY,  I THINK I AM COMING CLOSER

This is a quilt that I created when I first learned how to discharge.  Discharging is when you remove the color from the fabric.  You can buy a chemical retail or you can use bleach.  Any product containing bleach can be used.  I used dishwasher gel.  The figures were all made using a sponge stamp that was dipped in the gel and then stamped onto black fabric.  This fabric discharged and turned a rust color.   I sprayed a deluted bleach liquid onto the fabric to make the streaks.

The half circles on the quilt was made by placing a wet used coffee filter on the fabric, and letting it dry in place.  When removed it left the stain.  Rolled up dictionary pages complete the quilt. 

WHEN I QUILTED THE COFFEE FILTER STAINS I ADDED SOME BROWN PAINT AND STONE BEADS.

I WAS JUST PLAYING WHEN I STAMPED THESE FIGURES, BUT REALIZED THAT 

      CLARITY,

IS HARD TO ACHIEVE IN LEARNING A NEW TECHNIQUE...

 IN QUILTING, AND ESPECIALLY

                                   IN LIFE... REDFOX

      

BACK IN THE GAME

REMEMBER  THE SAYINGS..."GET BACK ON THE HORSE" AND "GET BACK IN THE GAME"?

I MADE SO MANY QUILTS BACK TO BACK FOR THE HOUSTON SHOW THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER WANT TO ENTER ANOTHER SHOW.  WRONG!
THE CALL CAME IN FOR THE SURPRISE CITY HALL EXHIBIT AND I WAS RIGHT BACK IN THE GAME.

For this exhibition you are allowed to enter five items.  The last time I entered three quilts and three quilts got in so I thought I would do that again.  

                        ENTRY #1  POEMFISH BLUE

   
YESTERDAY I WAS VISITING MOM AND I SAW ON HER WALL A QUILT THAT I HAD GIVEN HER A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THOUGHT...THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.  SO I TOOK IT RIGHT OFF HER WALL AND TOOK A PHOTO AND ENTERED IT TODAY.  I DID ASK FIRST. 

THIS QUILT HAS A LOT OF MIXED MEDIA ON IT...PAPER, SHELLS, BEADS, ORGANZA, GLASS FISH, AND METAL PIECES THAT I MADE OUT OF COPPER.  

THIS WAS THE 3RD POEMFISH QUILT THAT I HAVE MADE BASED ON A POEM BY SUSAN WOOLDRIDGE.

I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I USED MACHINE FELTING ON THIS PIECE.  LET ME TELL YOU A STORY...WHEN I FIRST STARTED MAKING ART QUILTS WITH MY ART QUILT GROUP, ONE OF THE LADIES WAS USING A FELTING MACHINE AND OF COURSE I JUST HAD TO HAVE ONE.   SO I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ONE.  THIS IS THE ONLY QUILT I HAVE EVER USED IT ON.  IT SITS VERY PRETTILY ON THE SHELF IN MY STUDIO.  MAYBE IT IS TIME THAT I GET IT OUT AND USE IT.  WHILE I AM AT IT I SHOULD REJOIN THE SILVER GROUP AND MAKE MORE METAL PIECES TOO.  THIS PIECE REMINDED ME OF ALL THE MUST DO THINGS THAT I DON'T DO ANYMORE.

 I STILL USE PAPER ON MY QUILTS.  THIS IS THE POEM THAT I MENTIONED.  I STILL LIKE TO ROLL UP DICTIONARY PAGES AND USE THEM ON MY QUILTS. 

 

I THINK I WILL STOP WITH THIS ENTRY AND TELL YOU ABOUT THE OTHER TWO ANOTHER DAY.  I AM IN A BIT OF A HURRY. I AM WRITING THIS AT THE LIBRARY AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND          

    GET OUT THE FELTING MACHINE

                                             ....REDFOX

                                                      

 

 

 

             

  

 
 

GIVE A GIRL THE RIGHT SHOES...

GIVE A GIRL THE RIGHT SHOES AND SHE CAN CONQUER THE WORLD...BETTE MIDLER

This is a quote that I use a lot when I do my altered books.  Tonite I want to tell you a story that reads like one of my books.

Tuesdays are fun days for Betty and I.  This week I knew Betty would be doing her taxes, so I e-mailed her and told her to meet me at GW  at 11:00 if she was done.  For those of you that are not familiar with code, GW stands for GoodWill, as in resale shop.

Betty didn't make it, so I took my time and really shopped,

I MEAN SHOPPED FOR HOURS SHOPPED!

First I found these really great shoes...MADE IN ITALY SHOES.

SHOES TO DIE FOR

 

  These shoes are really divine.  Buttery leather. glass and metal beads, and wicker heels.  Very high, but very comfortable.

I SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE I WALKED AROUND FOR 4 HOURS IN THEM.

You have to try shoes out to see if they fit.  While I was walking I found a large white ceramic planter for me and an Easter
cat for Max.  He will love it because when you squeeze its paw it meows.  He will soon learn that trick.  Then I found a large grey
 leather purse and a Chico's sheer blouse...ORANGE. 

BUT I DIGRESS. THIS IS WHAT MADE IT THE HELL DAY

I checked out with my favorite cashier...SHE KNOWS MY NAME, and proudly pushed my cart to the car with my loot.

I FORGOT TO TELL YOU I ALSO BOUGHT TWO GREY AND GOLD LEOPARD PILLOWS.  I had quite a lot of LOOT.

I got to the car and reached for my keys........NO KEYS

NO KEYS, they had been in my pocket.
NO KEYS, I checked my purse again.
NO KEYS anywhere.

I forgot to tell you I bought a pair of white shorts too, AND I TOOK MY PANTS OFF TO TRY THEM ON, THE PANTS WITH THE KEYS IN THE POCKET.

I checked the fitting room...NO KEYS

HELP, I HAD TO CALL JERRY.  YOU KNOW JERRY, THE HUBBY THAT HATES ME TO GO TO GOODWILL.  His worst fear is that I might buy too much STUFF.  HE doesn't like too much STUFF, not that I would do that.

Anyway, I did call him and I had to wait in the parking lot with my very full cart of STUFF.

                 NOT A PRETTY PICTURE.

HE CAME AND SAVED ME AND MY STUFF.  I thought maybe I should put on my very pretty shoes for him after I got home...

WHAT TO WEAR WITH THEM?

 

 I COULDN'T THINK OF A THING....
              SO I DIDN'T!


WHO SAID TUESDAYS ARN'T FUN...
                                          REDFOX

PS...when I took off my ankle pants to change into THE SHOES, guess what I found in the cuff?    KEYS   those little buggers were there all the time...GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS, YES, FUN TUESDAY.
 

THE CALL

  EVERY YEAR MY QUILTING FRIENDS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE ARIZONA QUILTING GUILD QUILT SHOW.  It is fun to
compete on the state level and it has always been fun because I GET RIBBONS.

This year I am not feeling so confident.  I said that last year too and I got a blue ribbon in art innovative.  Why don't I feel good?  Well the competition is getting better  and better.  I am not going to say this outloud, but Betty saw Francie's piece and said it is really really good...outstanding quilting.  Well it should be...Betty was her teacher!  So we are wondering which one of us Frances will take as a guest.

Each year we hold our breath the day before the quilt show and wait for the phone to ring.   You see,  the award committee calls the day before the show and lets you know if you are winning an award.  They want you to be sure to be there for the award ceremony.  You can only go if you are a winner or the GUEST OF A WINNER.

THE CALL SHOULD COME TOMORROW.

SURVIVOR

This is my survivor quilt when it was still on the design wall.

Since the quilt is a cancer survivor quilt I dedicated it to my Sister Elaine and my Sister Mona...both SURVIVORS of breast cancer.

SURVIVOR DETAIL

The center panels with the figures are basic white fabric.  I used sequin waste and black paint to create the background.  I used some of the figures as a mask creating the white figures and inkjet printed the other figures.  The fabric figures were machine appliqued on to the panel.  The words were stamped on with black craft paint.

GOODWILL HUNTING

 

This is my other quilt and I entered it in the GREEN category.  It had to be made of recyled material, so every thing, from fabric to goodies is from the Goodwill store.

SPEAKING OF THE GOODWILL STORE...
I went over to Betty's house this morning as Tues are our FUN DAY.  Betty wasn't feeling very good. 

            SHE WAS HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY.
She needed to color her hair and get it cut too, so I decided to get out of her way.  Thinking of hair color, I decided to go to GW...ARE YOU STILL WITH ME?  DID YOU MAKE THAT LEAP?

Well, after the fact, I decided I needed a new Jacket for the award ceremony. YES, WE ARE BACK TO THAT.  I decided it should be the color of my hair, or the color my hair was today anyway.  Here is what I found.

MY AWARD JACKET

 

 

 

MAKE THAT LEAP NOW?  Well I hope I get that call now that I have this jacket.  It certainly can only be worn to a quilting show.

So if I get the CALL tomorrow, I will be wearing my new jacket to the ceremony, If I don't, you probably won't hear about it.

           I HOPE THEY HAND OUT ORANGE
        ROSES... REDFOX 

"WE SURE HAVE FUN WHEN BETTY VISITS"...Frances Murphy

BOY!     Frances Murphy, you said a mouthful.  
I realize that I am writing about this a couple of years late, but better late than never.  It was during the Chandler ART QUILTS XVI, November 2011 that BETTY came to town.

I'm talking about THE BETTY BUSBY.  She and her friend Holly Altman came to Sun City to play with us and in the quilting world, it doesn't get much better than that.

DIANE, MARGARET,SANDY, ELIZABETH, HOLLY, BETTY, AND FRANCES

Betty H and OUR Mom was there too, but must have been taking the pictures.  MOM is MOM to all of us kids and now to Betty B and Holly too.

Betty drove here from her home in New Mexico and brought all her STUFF here to give us a workshop on painting silk.  

HERE is Betty Hahns studio.  As Betty H has a lot of STUFF too, we were not short on STUFF.


WE HAD SO MUCH FUN USING ALL THAT STUFF.  IT WAS WONDERFUL AND WE ALL MADE MINI MASTERPIECES...

After we were done making masterpieces we changed into our party duds and we were off to dinner and then on to the ARTIST RECEPTION AT CHANDLER.  The theme of the show was  'SOMETHING TO SAY',  AND DID WE EVER....

BETTY AND HER QUILT 'MOURNING DOVES'

This quilt was on the front of the postcard invitation to the show.  Betty is all smiles in her
polka dot  jacket.  She is very very fond of polka dots and you  can almost bet that she will have polka dot socks too... polka dot underwear?  

I'M NOT THAT MUCH OF A BETTING WOMAN... but if I had to guess.  MAYBE.

MEMORY,THREADS AND BURSTS

Here is Betty next to her quilt.  Her Jacket is just as bright as her quilt.  As you can see, Betty is quite a colorful character.  Her art is like her life..  FULL AND
ROBUST!  And Betty always has something to say.

LEFT BEHIND

Here I am with my quilt.  I was really worried about whether my quilt would be well received because it was so intensely personal.  It was  the second quilt in my ROSES FOR SANDY series.  The whole quilt is based on a picture taken right after my mother's funeral.  I didn't need to worry.  After the exhibition was over this quilt had been second in viewers choice.  The viewers had felt my emotion and that was very validating.  They heard what I said.

THOUGHT PROCESS I

This was Francie's first time in the Chandler show.  I really have to tell you that PPPPPPPPP PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPERSERVERANCE really works.  For the 2010 Chandler show Francie had entered and was rejected, but she entered the same quilt in 2011 and was IN.  It goes to show what a different juror  and a different theme, can do.

                THIS TIME FRANCIE HAD 
                 SOMETHING TO SAY.

So that is the story of BETTY and HOLLY coming to town.  Since then we have gotten to know both BETTY and HOLLY better.  I've now seen HOLLY'S work and know she deserves her name in capitol letters too.  In fact we all do.....................

                    BETTY BUSBY
                    HOLLY ALTMAN
                    BETTY HAHN
                    FRANCES MURPHY
                    ANNA MARIE PETERSON
                    MARGARET GORSK
                    DIANE KUCERA
                    ELIZABETH PFEIFFER
                    SANDRA BRANJORD

 I count myself lucky to be friends with all these women.  Each of them are fine artists in their own right.  And all of you are fine artists too,  even if you can't paint, or draw, or even sew, you are ARTISTS.

                 "ARTISTS OF THE EVERYDAY"
                   
                  CAN'T PAINT,
                  CAN'T DRAW,
                  CAN SEW A LITTLE.
                                  ...REDFOX 

A TIGHT FIT

On my last blog I showed you a picture of the new rolling sewing machine carryall that I found at GW.  Now if I had been buying a new one and not one that I bought for $12.99, I would have bought a better fit.

A TIGHT FIT

As you can see, the machine just barely fit in the case.  That's what I get for having a machine with a DEEP THROAT.

                        NO PUN INTENDED

Now I am going to do something incredibly brave, or maybe just stupid.  Machine cases are not the only things that fit tight.  Sometimes our clothes do too.  At least mine do.

This is a self portrait of my middle.  That doesn't look too bad, right?

     RIGHT?

Do you want to see what is behind curtain #2?

Not too bad.....yet.

I think I must be holding my breath, or maybe these are just my roomy pants.  I keep reminding myself that I am not 21 anymore.

       HELL...I'M NOT 60 ANYMORE

Then I let out my breath and leaned over a bit,

OMG!

OMG...Where did that come from?

Well I know where it came from.  It came directly from that whole cake I ate.  It came from the ice cream treats with my friends and the popcorn that I have when there isn't even a movie to be seen.  IT CAME FROM LIFE.

EXAGGERATED A BIT?   Not really that much.  I think, I know we are all getting older and most of us are putting on a pound or two.  Or five, or ten, or twenty.

ME?

 If you believe that...there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to show you.   But really, whatever size we are NOW is just right.  Where ever we are right now is just the right place...and I'm not talking about size anymore.  Love yourself, ALL OF YOU .

        TRUTH?..... I WAS HOLDING MY BREATH, EVEN IN THE LAST ONE.
                                    ...REDFOX