The ART of death

Yesterday was a whirlwind day. While I was trying to get caught up with quilting - I had to zip around town to attend a meeting about incorporation (for a guild), make calls about insurance, and on and on with errands. I must look at what errands I do in a day and see how they can be eliminated. I am not even talking shopping - this is going to the library, the bank, get the bottled water refilled, pick up a couple of things at the grocery store, and all of it takes enormous time.

Yes - I know, I should get that kid of mine to help, but she couldn't yesterday as she was downtown all day - getting her hair dyed and then highlights. That is for a show on Sunday, then off to a fitting and a show later in the day. I think she had fun, but I keep telling her she needs to take up knitting to fill the day because it must be boring as heck to spend the entire day waiting between the time they spend with you.

And I do not know what they are teaching them at Ryerson, but it sure isn't how to sew. OH BOY - you should see the way the students "sewed" the clothing. Honestly - the hem of the sleeve was GLUED down. YES - GLUED DOWN. Even M was kind of taken aback!!!!!!!!    I told her she needed to get her butt in the studio and learn all the little details that make a garment a true work of art. Hopefully she gets the message - I have a cute little iPad bag that maybe she will want to make. I want to make it for me!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am not sure what the focus of this fashion show was, but some of the girls got sewn into their garments and they cut the garments off them at the end of the night and tossed them!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I KNOW!!!!!   But the fabrics had been printed/stamped by the students so I gather it was JUST an assignment.

I also went to the funeral home for a visitation of a wonderful woman who belonged to our guild. She was a bubbly, happy, cheerful - always had a smile on her face woman. And she made some neat quilts although they did not have any quilts at the funeral home.

On the way to the funeral home, I passed a cop (opposite side of the road with lights flashing). Only one car stopped, but the front was crumpled - I wondered why and then noticed a dead deer lying on my side of the road. A buck. So sad and it was BROAD daylight. Not sure what happened, but the deer was DEAD.

After leaving the funeral home, I wonder what my visitation will be like. Of course - that will be in a LONG LONG LONG time - well - let's hope anyway. But I want the room filled with my quilts, or my bicycles or whatever that will remind people of who I was. I definitely do NOT want an open casket. Oh my - I want people to remember me how I was, not an unsmiling body in a box. I hate open caskets and could not bring myself to say goodbye to Marina because I didn't want to see her like that.

To end the day - we had a class on "art quilts". Oh boy - the girls went wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelley brought in this piece which was from the curved piecing two weeks ago. She had it quilted and placed crystals on it. Can you figure out the significance of the patterns of the crystals?????   She has made constellations from crystals. It is gorgeous. She just needs to trim and bind. VERY VERY VERY impressive. 

Judith brought in this piece that she had worked on at home. She took leftovers from a quilt and randomly pieced them together. Then she found a couple of gorgeous pieces of jewelry that belonged to her mother in law and is going to place them on the mini-quilt. She also had a string of beads that she is going to attach. WOW - Judith - you have come a LONG LONG LONG way from the first time I met you. AWESOME job. 

Jane brought bits and bobs including some hand dyed "cast off" fabric.  Rather than cutting the hand dyed, we suggested that she use them as a background and this is what she came up with. Now she added a LOT more to the piece and I did NOT get a picture. But she had threads and other stuff on it and it looked awesome. Now she has to get everything tacked down. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it - VERY CREATIVE!!!!!!!

These were some of her "little" jars of beads - so very cute. 

 Katheleen made several samples - playing around with couching, using netting and I didn't' get a picture of any of them. SHOOT!!!   And then she made a super base to bead and I forgot that as well. Just got so excited!!!   I am sure I will see them again so I will get a picture.

And Flo couldn't come as she was enjoying a chili cook off. I think she should have brought us samples!!!!!


Anyway - the girls loved what we did in the art class. Now here is a challenge to YOU. I am thinking of hosting ONE evening a month where we can get together to MESS with ART QUILT stuff. Is anybody interested?????   We are NOT doing challenges, we are NOT doing exchanges - we will focus on building stuff for ourselves. But after seeing the transformations last night - sometimes all we need is the friendship of others and some dedicated time to make that happen.   If you are interested, let me know - we will start in January. It is going to be at my house to get us started and we will cover/talk about EVERYTHING and I have ENORMOUS resources/books in that field - so let me know.

So yes - Kaylee is here. Her first thing is to grab a toy and then see if there is any stuffing left in it.

Yep- Kaylee has been here!!!!

And Sparky - well she is on guard!!!!   Not sure if she is protecting the squirrel feeder from Kaylee or to prevent the squirrels from feeding. Anyway - she looks pretty official!!!!!

But they are all having fun and getting along quite nicely.


On that note - I have to get moving. Another class to teach today - Christmas Club and we get to check out the new location of Cockadoodle Quilts. Can't wait to see the new store.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!