Wednesday, December 14, 2005

A Winter Wednesday

This blurry picture is my Red Poppy quilt. It's on display at the library each December and looks a whole lot better there than in this picture. The quilt is hung in front of an inside window with light shining on it from behind. All the overlapped fabric cuts are shadows along the edges of the petal pieces--giving the quilt surface a very intricate and mysterious look.

A library patron and I were discussing this aspect of the quilt's appearance and wondering whether the quilt would always need to be lit from behind to look it's best. I had this quilt in a winter show and it was hung against a wall and just didn't do anything for anyone. What I like most about having this quilt in the library in December is the view fom outside on the sidewalk after dark (4 pm). The quilt "glows" and does justice to Georgia O'Keeffe my mentor in all things floral.

I just experienced a wave of blurred vision. I'm going to stay calm and not work myself into a brain tumor etc. just yet. It could just be low blood sugar or blood pressure or something atmospheric. I'll be like Scrooge and attribute it to something I ate.

I made 4 more lightbulb angels for the library staff. It was my holiday "do it yourself" ornament for the annual party which I missed because of a bad cold. So I had all the ingredients for the "do it yourself" so I did them myself. I made 12 and they got snapped right up yesterday at work. Even though my daughter- upon seeing all 12---called them "creepy". I hestitated to share them but what the heck--they were already made. The library peole loved them. (pictures tomorrow when the Hub returns from Chicago and downloads them) I needed a few more so made 4 more. Just a painted lightbulb (40 or 60 watt), fun foam wings hot glued on, a little fun foam face, some curly yarn hair and a pipecleaner halo.

The head reference librarian chose a yellow lightbulb angel and took it upstairs to her desk where it promptly "hooked up" with a yellow foam lightbulb she had gotten at a conference. They make a lovely couple. Perhaps some candelabra bulbs in their future???

I have been reading CrazyAunt Purl's blog---she sounds so "perfect" for my son in San Jose-- he needs a wild woman to lead him astray. I wonder if she would consider it?

Aunt Purl's description of "Jingle" was so perfect. Those "Christmas" people drive me mad. I don't even have a tree this year. I put out all my nutcrackers--a whole table full-- and bought a big pointsettia--that's it for the holiday cheer around here. I'm supposed to be calling and ordering the gifts my son and daughter picked from the Chef's catalog with Free Shipping today but it's 1:30 and I'm still in jammies and robe.

I may just take a nap. Or read a book. Or watch Law and Order. I could top stitch my Marigold while listening to the new Rolling Stones CD but that would mean pushing and shoving my way into the quilt room---what a PIG STYE it is in there---just to get to the sewing machine and then try and reattach the light which has fallen off the sewing table-- and I dream of a big room with a large table and nothing else in the room. Clean and empty. While reality is this small, dark ( hense the need for the light) crowded, clausterphobic PIG STYE that I call mine.

90 percent of the problem is my own fault. I can't just get rid of stuff. I have containers of fabric I will never use. Nice stuff--not the present ME, though. How do you get rid of fabric???
I think the nap is the best solution. It's what I'm dressed for anyway.

5 comments:

Deborah Boschert said...

Of course, I know and love this quilt as a library patron... but it looks so ORANGE here. Which is delightful, to be sure. But in real life, it's RED! Eager to see the lightbulb ornaments. I love how you do so many different things, Joann!

Frances said...

this poppy looks wonderful, I can imagine how it would look lit up brilliant, the angels sound fun can't wait to see them,

you are not alone in the can't throw any away fabric group,

Micki said...

your poppy is wonderful and I'm sure even more wonderful in person.
hope your hubby makes it home okay.

Melody Johnson said...

I can really relate to quilt avoidance when my studio is a mess. Pig stye sounds apt for me too, but now that it is cleaned up again, it is heavenly to be in there.
I once had a ton of fabric that was no longer me. I knew I would never use it in my work and I was correct. Eight years ago I had a big garage sale for quilters ands sold it all off. By the time it was presented to them, it was collector's item fabric and I sold it for the same price as it was purchased, as quilt fabrics had gotten much higher. I made lots of friends with this sale and found that empty shelves are almost as wonderful a feeling as overfull shelves, filled with useless stuff.

Miriam said...

I love this quilt.