Thursday, January 31, 2013

A bad day for this owl...

Dale was doing dishes and noticed a lot of activity around a power pole visible from our kitchen window.  There was something big there.


Binoculars revealed a big bird, but we couldn't tell from a distance if it was a hawk or owl.  It was an owl indeed.  Poor thing, and he didn't get to eat his bunny breakfast.

The wind continues to blow, and before we got up to the pole, we thought the owl might still be alive.  It was just the wind moving it around.  The ravens trying to get at it were smarter and didn't get too close. 

 

Monday, January 28, 2013

My first 5X7

I took some pictures of the setting moon yesterday.  They fall short of the actual scene.  I need to either learn better photography or play with it in Photoshop to fix the round, white dot that does not resemble the beautiful moon I saw!

 I used this photo as inspiration for my fiber art.  I've been a longtime admirer of Monika Kinner-Whalen's work.  I'd love to take a class from her.  True, I didn't spend a great deal of time on this.  Maybe I'll keep trying until I'm more satisfied with the results.
I cropped my finishing zig-zag out of this picture.  I didn't care for the rainbow colors--too distracting...but I can trim it off and do a different finish.  It's all about the practice of art and working out solutions.

And here is a morning sunrise picture--it had been a while since we had a colorful morning.  "Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning."  Wind warning for sure, as it's blowing like crazy out there!
 

Saturday, January 26, 2013

More production and an art challenge

After Pat left, I got another of her homespun quilts quilted and bound.  I just realized I haven't taken a picture of it yet.

I was inspired to make the same pattern with some precut batik squares Pat had bought to use for Dr. Kaufman quilts.  I'm liking it too much and am thinking of keeping it.  

I'm planning on trying out the really dense Mayan Glyphs pantograph, and then I'll really want to keep it.  I've been auditioning borders for it--and am likely going to go with a big 10" border so I can do the palm trees panto that is part of that set.

I've been looking for a challenge to make some sort of art at specific intervals.  I really didn't want to do a daily challenge--that's a little too overwhelming.  With some help from a member of the About.com quilting forum, I found this 5X7 challenge.  It seems to fit my needs.  I didn't start at the first of the year...but that's okay.  

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Company and the sweatshop!

Pat was here for a long weekend.  She amazes me every time with how much she can get done.  

She made three of these homespun tops.  I got two quilted so she could send them off to her sister.
 
As always we had a great time.  I got a top for Dr. Kaufman started and almost finished.  I'm amped up to get to work now.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Christmas finishes in the New Year

So, after we got back from Colorado, I still needed to make stockings for Jackie and Justin.  



I finished them up and also made a few little house ornaments.

I won't be rushing to finish stockings for Christmas 2013.  But given my nature to procrastinate, I imagine I'll be hurrying to finish something for Christmas!  Making these now, I was really procrastinating cleaning up my sewing room before Pat's visit!