Ojos De Dios

Ojos De Dios

Completed January 31, 2009

39" x 35"

$750

As you can see, I actually finished this a few days back, but my calendar has been filled to bursting, so I finally got to posting this pic today. I set myself a goal for finishing the quilting before the end of January, and there I was, Saturday night, stitching the last two blocks and signing my name.

And what has been on my dance card since then?

Two choir practices, one potluck, one gastric endoscopy, one colonoscopy. And a partridge in a pear tree. Whee!  I don't have anything scheduled tomorrow, and since I got through the large pile of dirty dishes before dinner (phew!) I think tomorrow will be a mental health day.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Alouette

Several months ago, I made a chicken using this pattern, and the chicken was used as a toy drop for The Toy Society.

My daughter was appalled that I could let such a cute thing go to strangers, and so I told her that I would make one for her.



Well, during a break from quilting yesterday, I finally obliged her. She had actually wanted a chicken in blue fabrics, but I couldn't find any that inspired me.




But the combination of these fabrics really got my creative juices flowing. And it's nice to have something quick and easy to turn to when the hours and hours of quilting begin to pile up in sore muscles in your shoulders.

However, now that Alouette is finished, I really am going to get back to quilting...

Life Moving Too Fast

All I did was add one little activity to my schedule, and things went haywire.

Do you know what I mean? Actually, I've added three activities, but two of them I do at home, so what's my excuse.

Ok, the new activities are:

a Bible study.
a language course (German) - these are the ones I'm doing at home, by myself, at my leisure. Neither one takes more than a half hour, and I don't do the German study everyday.

Where does the time go?


Ok, I'll admit it. The third activity is by far my favorite activity.
I became a member of the American Women's Association in Singapore and joined their choir! We have practice on Wednesdays from 10 to 12 and then my section (altos) meets Mondays from 12 to 1. Just three measly hours a week, plus travel time (I don't have a car) and suddenly everything is in an uproar. But it's making me so happy. I haven't been in a choir since high school, but it's all coming back to me. And it's a lovely group of women - Americans are in the minority, funnily enough.
We will have several performances this spring, including a formal affair at the American Club in May. Why didn't I do this sooner?


But do you remember this?
I do. It's been sitting in my studio, taunting me since before Christmas. It needs to be quilted. But I have jumpstarted that task and hope to get it done before this week is over.

With more scheduled items in one's life, one must be deliberate about how to spend the remaining time. So I am going to be deliberate - that's my watchword for January 2009. I wont say resolution because that has too many negative connotations.

More Crochet

This is one of the projects I've completed lately. It's a scarf made of light gray mohair in a lace pattern. The pattern is from a book called Crochet Designs by Tess Dawson. I'm having difficulty photographing it properly. Seems like having Singapore as a backdrop doesn't really work. Hmm...



And this is fun! Can you believe it? I crocheted a mitten. Pattern from Lion Brand Yarn site.


And as you can see, it fits! Of course, I intend to make the other one very soon.



This is a neck warmer and I made up the pattern myself. No, don't ask me for it. I wasn't paying attention. Ok, I think it's 90 stitches long, and I used single crochet except where I wanted the hole to be. There I did 10 slip stitches and then when I returned I did 10 chains, and that was done at 5 rows in, so I think it's 10 rows total. And then the fuzzy yard was added to the edge, and I did 2 sc in each space to make it wider than the other part.
How's that for a pattern?

So, you must be wondering what I am thinking, making all these cold weather items in Singapore. Well, it looks as if my family will be leaving the island this summer for good, and wherever we are going, they will have a winter there. So I'm just being prepared.
Plans are not definite yet, so forgive me for being oblique. When I know for certain, I'll let you know.

Another Set of Pot Holders

Lisa C. sent me these pictures of her latest project - made from my pot holder tutorial.



Apparently she's joined a Gift of the Month club and made these pot holders for one of her exchanges.

I'm sure it goes without saying that I am thrilled to pieces to find that people are making these pot holders and sending me their pictures. It's so nice when one life touches another. Thanks to everyone who has sent pictures or comments in, and if you are thinking about making these pot holders - get on it! Time's awasting!

Crochet Shenanigans

For Christmas, I crocheted my husband a brain.



Not because he doesn't already have one, but because his interests have turned toward the study of the brain and its functions. It's all pretty egg-heady to me.




Obviously, it's not anatomically correct. Nor is it the right color. But since it's a work of art, none of that matters.
Badge by Nut and Bee.com

And then suddenly, I was taken by the crochet fairies and had to make something else.


Crochet belt, from Lion Brand Yarn's free crochet catalog.


And here it is, modeled on some lovely young lady I know.

Family Craft Time - Part Deux

For Christmas this year, my family bought me the materials to make this candle set.

It was a tube of lilac scented gel wax with wicks and the three jars and stand. And they also included a bag of small river rocks.

We each took a jar and put whatever we wanted in it. I contributed beads, sequins, glitter, and paint pens.


I chose a very simple, uncomplicated design. Just some square purple beads, some glass beads, some few sequins and some glitter sprinkled on top.
My husband decided to use the river rocks, some of which he painted with a silver paint pen, some sequins and some glitter on top.


Can you see the smiley face?

Here's his from the top.


Of course, my daughter really outdid us all. She added so much stuff that I was worried it was going to be, well - really busy.

 You see, I suggested before we started that we might be able to layer the "ingredients" within the gel, and so we put some gel in, added some bling, added more gel, and so on. But the gel wasn't thick enough to support the beads and sequins, so they all just piled up on the bottom.

Here's the top of her candle. As you can tell, she was having a glitter overdose.

And being the mother that I am, I figured that hers was always going to be more flashy than mine or my husband's.


But she proved that her way of doing things was really the right way! Having all that stuff in there to catch the light when the candles are lit makes her candle the most interesting, the prettiest one of the bunch.

I think it was such a nice idea for my family to get me a present for Christmas that would allow me to express my creativity - and them to express theirs right along with me. I hope they think to do this for me another time. We had fun.