Kicking Around Today

After facilitating the last Creative Writers's meeting for the Fall Season at the library in town today, I picked up mail, and stopped in at one of the fabric stores in town. Tomorrow is the big cookie cutout bake, and tonight is movie & popcorn night. Once I got home, I just couldn't get re-started on my current quilting projects.

It takes courage to live a life of spontaneity, and almost avoid the self-imposed concepts of should. I should do this. I must do this. Now. I know that its healthier for me to walk the path of choice. Time is part of the gift of life, and its all I ever want more of...

There was a couple entering the fabric store as I was leaving it. Before moving to this small town, I would have hurried on my way. This day, I stopped to chat. They were from a town almost two hours north of Tehachapi. 

My gray hair is a real change for me. It used to be so thick and quite curly. And long. Clearly, it is one of the qualifiers for my status as an elder, and as you can see, its cut in a non-traditional way. Elder is as elder does, or so some saying goes.

People chat with me much more easily than when I was younger. Its got to be the gray.

The guy clearly came with his wife to the store, and was very prepared to be bored. Yet, in no time, he told me of all her accomplishments and bragged how many very good sewing machines he bought for her over the years. 

He told me that they had one 43-year-old son and no grandchildren. She told me the holidays were always silent for them now. He told me where they had worked, where they had lived, and what they were doing in town. She said she was the kid during the holidays and didn't mind buying presents for herself. He smiled, and then he looked at her with the kind of love most people hope to see in someone's eyes.

I told them I was delighted with our conversation and hoped they would visit Tehachapi again. I told them it was a great place to live. 

All this standing in the entry way of the store without ever exchanging names. We left each other feeling somehow connected to the spirit of the season.

My purchase was a pattern for a retro apron I want to make for my eldest Granddaughter. Its such a cute thing for a very cute grrrlie-grrl. And my fabric stash is just begging me to use it up. I learned from the other aprons I made earlier that I NEED this pattern. 

Today was a good day. Monday is soon enough to quilt again. Or Tuesday.

Hot Pink Quilt and a Donation Button

I was surprised at how many 5" squares I found for my Granddaughter's Hot Pink Quilt. One hundred and sixty of them are pieced and the borders go on next. I love how the photo gives me a new perspective on how the squares went together. The color values are different for my naked eye. I am loving how it looks! I was concerned it would be too dark for a young teen (she turns 13 on this birthday!). Its got more light values in it than dark.

The photo reminds me how I walk through my world and see things differently than others do. I saw this quilt differently than how the picture shows it. Not better or worse, just different and darker for whatever reason. 

When I was a child, I used to wonder if everyone saw the same color. I wondered if we simply name some thing a particular color--say grass-green, and no matter what, it is the name of that object. We all call it grass-green and no one objects, even though if there was a way to measure the color waves and each person was, in fact, seeing different hues or intensities. No one says, this grass is purple. 

Kids who color grass purple in their art work are told they used the wrong color. 

And then there is Dmitry Raguimov with Artist Rising. I found this work online just by keying in 'purple grass'.  Makes me wonder how this artist found the permission to see it in his mind, and show us grass named purple rather than green. 

I am not sure I could walk through a grassy field of purple grass with any sort of ease. I am conditioned to see it the green-grass color I've known all my life. I am not ready for this big a change.

Next: The PayPal Donation button. There it is and if you ever feel so inclined to support my work in a financial way, this is the way to do it. I've been struggling with putting one up for awhile. However, its more about my openness to receive. By putting it up here, I am declaring that openness with a grateful heart. Thank you in advance.

December Calendar Block Swap

I am always richer than I think. 

Rex (from http://crowcallingwoman.blogspot.com/) & I send our calendar blocks within a day so that we open them about the same time. When her blocks come, I feel like I've won the lottery. We both experienced a change of our original plans for this month's block.

I was overjoyed to see this beautiful Star of Wonder. She also sent me some of the leftover pieces so that I could do a border that includes the same colors for my finish.

By the way, Rex, I love your new Blog background!

My first December block started out with a pattern that the pattern-maker converted to the 12" finished block, and even though my pieces followed the pattern, it turned into a 14" block. It was back to the drawing board for me. This block had no pattern. I just cut and put it together as I went. 

I keep a digital file of the blocks sent to her and what she sends me. It works as a design board. I've made three traditional patterns and three self-designed blocks since July. Time to return to a traditional idea.  Having this 'design board' lets me see the overall picture for the quilt blocks for both our quilts.

This swap helps me realize how rich this work is, how creating a partnership brings something to my life that I had not conceived myself and expands my creativity. 

Not all swaps work. Some exceed one's expectations, and some can harm the feelings we have for our artistic expressions. When we find swap partners who are as committed to the swap as we are, then that is where the joy can be found. 

I am richer than I think. I want to think outside the patterns in my life and open myself up to receiving even in challenging moments when things do not go as planned.

I am richer than I think. There, I've said it three times and like my Gram used to say, "Three's a charm!"

Just Ask

One of my Granddaughters called last night. She got a box in the mail and didn't know if it was ok to open. It was one of the boxes of cookies. She called back after she ate one of each of them, so we talked about the season, school, hockey (she plays that very competitive sport quite competitively), and how the remaining boxes from me are shipping out.

And of course, her Mother brought her milk as she ate another cookie and talked about her holiday want list. Her birthday is the end of January, so the gifts pile up for her this time of year.

As we chatted, I thought about how important it is for a child or an adult to taste the sweetness in their lives. These sensual experiences are part of the privilege it is to be human. It was a sweet experience for me to hear her voice, and to sense the pleasure we both had in this moment.

It surprised me that she wanted me to make her a quilt. Then, I realized that all she's had from me were more those younger child-size comforters. She told me about the yellow-orange-brown one with horses riding across the horizon. She said if she covers her feet with it, it only goes up to her tummy. She said she wanted a hot pink quilt from me for either Solstice or her birthday. Solstice is nine days away and her gifts are wrapped and ready to ship out on Monday.

This morning, I gathered pinks and cut them into 160 - 5" squares. I saved out a couple of the larger pieces of fabric for borders. I do have batting but might look into getting a flannel for the back. Winters in MN are cold.

Suddenly, I am making a new quilt that wasn't on my plan for the month. Oh, its still December, right? 

I worked on Tony's WINTER IN THE WOODS yesterday, from pressing and cutting to pinning and piecing. Its coming along, but is taking time.  And I also worked on a new pattern for the January Doll Quilt swap. It is also a time intensive piece.  There are two other quilts machine ready.

It all reminds me of the beauty and power that flows through the universe every minute. I am surrounded by pieces of fabric, that on their own may hold some of this beauty. Interestingly, some of the fabrics are plain and hold little attraction for me, and yet, when they are joined with other pieces, I am reminded of all the relationships that can work together to make something extraordinary. 

I think that its not so much about liking a fabric or a person as much as it is being open to including them. If pretty is as pretty does, can we then say that unpretty just needs a chance?  

I found a flannel online and ordered it. Seems that its going to have a heart theme...my love to her heart.

More pictures to follow.

Season of Beauty

Even though my quilting projects are finished for the year, I chose to engage in a number of traditions. This is an enchanting time of year for me, and one I dearly love. Nature here shuts down more every day as the days grow shorter. When I open my eyes to the night, there is always a blanket of stars. I learned some of their names when I was a child, and rejoice to see them again each year. 

One of the traditions I carry forward is sending out holiday cards. In fact, the topic for the Creative Writer's Forum class I teach this Saturday is writing letters and including notes in greeting cards. 

My list gets shorter each year. In some ways, the economy prohibits a lot of us from sending them out. More, however, is the changing methods of communications. Younger generations simply do not see the value in them. I cannot do them all in one sitting, My hand is not used to writing. I got envelopes addressed, return labels and stamps added for about 25. Enough time to sign and add notes later.

I also brought my Great-Nephew's quilt out. Its driving me crazy to work on because the pattern for making those triangle points is not well-done. I like it enough to work on it and re-do them, but it will take more time.

Also got out to buy more shipping supplies for the cookies and gifts going out next Monday in time to get to the midwest before Solstice. 

Then I threw a pot of faucet hot water into the pond I put in last summer. The bubbler moves the water 24/7, however, the colder nights froze a layer of ice over it that I just want to make sure stays open for the birds. They love bathing in it even as it gets colder. Its been the most delightful garden accessory!

Oh, and I re-did the blog background. It changed for me so easily last time and this time, took way more time than I have for such things, so it is what it is for today. I am surprised how much work it takes. Its me. I want the color, layout and design. Me. Yet, that means I need to have a better understanding of what it takes to work with the software. Ah well, back to quilting I go!

Secret Santa Rides AGAIN!

I am amazed at all I see today. Daylight is wonderful for me because it gives me an opportunity to see everything from the rising sun, birds at my feeder, frost on the next door roof and my cup of coffee. I chose a tall green cup today with Dragonflies on it. 

Dragonflies are surrounded by folklore because of their iridescent wings, so some cultures believe they travel between the worlds. My life is like that some days. Its not that I have one foot in reality and the other in some dreamtime. I just feel more in touch with the layers of reality lately. 

In MN, my home state, Dragonflies are studied as much as Frogs to see how pollution effects their little bodies. They are two species from the Animal Nation that react more quickly to the damages. Such brilliantly colored creatures. I am in awe of them.

My life is more open to possibilities and colors because I quilt. 

We've had a lot of icey storms and very cold weather here in the mountain valley. I got the mail today and was so surprised to get another gift from my Secret Santa. I know it was she because few people are in on my love of the old Patchouli and it was on my list of secret passions.

This comes from Botanical Labs and the scent is simply divine. 

AND it came at a perfect time. The front faucet had not been covered quite enough for the freeze that is here right now, so it broke and leaked onto the main shutoff. It was just fixed and I have running water again after two days. 

So, I am stepping into the shower as soon as I finish posting.

Thank you Secret Santa. You have more than fulfilled my wildest dreams with these two gifts. (the first was the cozy sox!)

While I was out in the still frozen streets, I stopped at one of the fabric stores to purchase a few light fat quarters for my next project. Its also a swap with one of my very artistic friends. She knits and also weaves, among her many talents. She asked me to make a couple of table place mats. Not going to say too much here because I know she reads my blog from time to time.

Everything comes back to quilting. And I love it!!

Not Made to Measure

Thought I would try something different for my quilting experience, and its become a mini quilt going to the Infant Center here in town for babies to wrap toys in. I tried and am not quite at the stage of quilting that is ok with this sort of piecing.

Its hard for me to hold onto my confidence at times when I do something new. There is no judging about this particular pattern and how it turned out other than if I like it. So many quilters tell me that they will not work on something they don't enjoy. I guess we all have so many different preferences that its ok to release and go onto something we do enjoy.

It was a pattern I found in the 12/12 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. Its another example of scrap quilts. After I get the batting and back sandwiched, the plan is to quilt it diagonally in relatively close lines. It will hold up to a lot of washing in the center. I learned that they toss most washable things in at least weekly and more if a baby throws up on it.

It looks the way the pattern calls for it to turn out. Its a piece I will finish because its small. I wonder what I learned about myself while doing it. Right now, I just don't know. Maybe its about release and moving on.

The other thing I did was to bake one more kind of cookie. Chocolate and coffee make the very dark brown dough, with those Andes peppermint pieces, which is a very strong flavor to it. All the cookies are in containers now and will be packaged for shipping in the morning. The recipients of what I sent already have expressed their pleasure and look forward to getting more in the mail.

Also going out is the December Calendar block to my swap partner Rex in WI. 

Its going to stay at freezing temps through the week, so I've left a drip running in the last bathroom to keep the pipes from freezing. This is California, and the housing construction industry has yet to allow for such overnight chills. 

This last year, I put in a small pond in the west part of the gardens which is going to run through the winter. I laid the electrical wire underground through some PVC so the motor goes 24/7. Its enough to keep the small pond bubbling. 

It amazes me that the small birds come to bathe in it with snow covered rocks surrounding it. They blend in with the stone and so attempts to photograph them with my little Kodak are unfulfilling. I've been seeing some birds who rarely come this far south from Canada. There must be a shift in weather up there too.

Birds release and move on in their own ways as well as some humans. I see the different kinds of birds and how they share the resources.  The bigger birds swoop in with large wing spans that would seem to chase the smaller ones away. However, they--and these are the Mourning Doves, will roost on the roof next door and wait awhile. Their usual numbers are at 10-16, and I am still unable to count the smaller birds.

The expense of seed is going to be a part of my Winter season this year, and is quite worth it for all their presence gives me in return. I've taken to adding seed twice each day now. Nothing gets wasted by them as they feed off the floor of the porch when the tray empties.