Well, I experienced an abrupt end this week. The artists collaborative 10-4-10 that I set up dissolved.

Timing is everything

That is one of my favorite sayings…..and boy does it apply to this experience!

It was a great opportunity and concept and still is.

The link to the [...]]]>

Well, I experienced an abrupt end this week. The artists collaborative 10-4-10 that I set up dissolved.

Timing is everything

That is one of my favorite sayings…..and boy does it apply to this experience!

It was a great opportunity and concept and still is.

The link to the site is still active; however, this will take you to a single page where you will see my single piece.

So for now…..I have a solo act; and that is fitting.

1-4-1

Stay tuned, re organization may be on the horizon.  Until then I plan to enjoy the freedom and will spend time relishing in it…where else?  I my studio of course!  Sounds good to me.

Second in my collection of 10″ pieces

Passion Tree 10" x 10"

Co-incidentally I was [...]]]> My studio has been selected by Morna Golletz to be featured in an article in the next issue of Professional Quilter.  My studio is my hang out.  I am in it everyday.  There is so much I could say about it; certainly more than the article had space for.

Co-incidentally I was going through my images searching for something and came across some views of my studio when I first set it up.  This was about eight years ago!

My studio is in the basement of my home.  The basement was totally unfinished with pipes, wires, bare cider block walls and duct work randomly snaking around the ceiling.

My husband tackled the huge task all by himself except for the plumbing and tile work.  He planned the layout and moved some of the duct work using some angles as if they were part of the planned architecture.  He was very ingenious.  Our home has beautiful tongue-in-groove wood on the ceiling of the family room and foyer.  He decided to include this feature on the ceiling on the central area.

He did a fabulous job!  It took months of arduous labor.  Have you ever tried to hand dry wall on the ceiling by yourself?  Well, he did just that.

The downside is there are no windows.  So lighting was crucial.

The most charming feature is an antique stained glass window that he mounted in one wall.  This sort of gives the illusion of a window and light.  I took this picture this week for the article.

Next come the old images.  What a difference from today.  The main difference is it is how tidy it was!  And look at all of those trash cans….empty ones too.

This area is the largest about 20′ x 20′.  I use it mainly for storage and design walls now.

The lighting did not prove to be efficient enough so I use a second room for sewing and detail work.

Have you ever posed sitting at your sewing machine?  It is obvious I am NOT doing serious work at this moment.

Now I am posing in front of a design wall.  Wow! I haven’t seen the surface of that table so clear!  The piece on the design wall on the lower right is Madame Butterfly in progress.  This quilt went on to win first place in Art=Quilts=Art for Pictorial a few years back.  It now belongs to my daughter.  She claimed it even before it was finished.

You will have to read the article to see the other room.  I wasn’t even using it at the time these images were taken.

Miki, Milo and Simon

As I reported earlier, my oldest cat Milo is no longer with us.  It has taken a while for all of us to adjust to his absence.  My other cats, Simon and Miki (short for Mikomoto) are now getting to know each other better.

Simon has been [...]]]>

Miki, Milo and Simon

As I reported earlier, my oldest cat Milo is no longer with us.  It has taken a while for all of us to adjust to his absence.  My other cats, Simon and Miki (short for Mikomoto) are now getting to know each other better.

Simon has been looking for Milo everyday.  Simon is a Ragdoll; this breed is rather new and rather uncommon.  He is a sweet guy all 18 pounds of him but sadly, Simon is….well, as my son Paul has qualified, the best term to use is “special”.  Simon is now 9 years old and a “little slow on the uptake” as my husband would say.  The first clue was that it took him six months to learn his name.

Milo was our only cat when Simon arrived as a 4 month old kitten.  Simon immediately attached himself to Milo; they were inseperable.  Consequently, he did not pay any attention to us and had virtually no interaction with us at all.  This was distressing for me; but I finally resolved myself that there was nothing I could do about it.  Now that Milo is gone Simon is trying to regroup….this is quite a challenge for him. We are trying to reach out to him and low and behold he is giving us eye contact and coming closer now.

Miki, our 3 year old Snow Shoe, on the other hand is happy go lucky, mischievous and loves everybody including Simon.  He didn’t bother Milo much as he was the boss.  His playfulness antagonized Milo and Simon but provided them great exercise.

The Snow Shoe breed is not very common.  This breed has the markings of a siamese with white feet minus the siamese personality.  He weighs 8 lbs and has beautiful periwinkle/blue eyes and a “pearl” (a small white marking) on his forehead between his eyes.

Every evening around 11 p.m. Simon wails; we think he is looking and calling for Milo.  I was going through photos recently of our pets we had over the years.  I came across some of Simon when he was a kitten and as he grew up.  He was ALWAYS with Milo.  I have come to the conclusion that Milo was his FATHER figure.

Gradually, Simon and Miki have begun to snuggle together; after the Romper Room session of course.  Simon is calming down and actually becoming more aware of PEOPLE.  He is afraid of hands but will let you pet him with your foot.  So, we play footsies when he will come close enough.

All in all, things are settling into place here.

Miki and Simon are new "best friends"

Milo when he was a kitten.

A tribute to Milo

June 1999-November 2008

My cat Milo became sick suddenly last month.  He had to be put to sleep.

He was ten years old.  He was the most “normal” cat I have owned out of five; if there is such [...]]]>

Milo when he was a kitten.

A tribute to Milo

June 1999-November 2008

My cat Milo became sick suddenly last month.  He had to be put to sleep.

He was ten years old.  He was the most “normal” cat I have owned out of five; if there is such a cat.

Everyone loved Milo.  He was gorgeous and he knew it.  He would greet everyone and plead for affection.  He had this cute mannerizm of using one paw to stroke your arm; which meant “pet me please”.One Christmas I put out a pretty globe shaped antique glass bowl half filled with water and floating peppermint candy candles.  Milo immediately thought this was his special drinking bowl!  He jumped to the table to check it out.  He is looking right at me as if to say, “This is really pretty but how do you expect me to get my head inside this bowl?”

Next thing you know he gave it a try!  His head fit okay but his tongue couldn’t reach the water! This was so funny.

He will be remembered fondly.

]]> http://studioquilts.com/goodbye-my-furry-friend/feed/ 5 http://studioquilts.com/indian-summer-continues-another-day-on-the-creek/ http://studioquilts.com/indian-summer-continues-another-day-on-the-creek/#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:54:52 +0000 admin http://studioquilts.wordpress.com/?p=188 Today the temperatures continued to stay in the 80′s.  Usually by this time, our boat has been winterized.  This year we listed our house for sale; it has not sold yet.  We plan to take it off in November and start fresh again next year in the Spring.  Our home and property [...]]]> Today the temperatures continued to stay in the 80′s.  Usually by this time, our boat has been winterized.  This year we listed our house for sale; it has not sold yet.  We plan to take it off in November and start fresh again next year in the Spring.  Our home and property is exceptional and we are confident that a wise buyer will come along eventually and realize this once in a life time opportunity is available.  For now, we are taking advantage of this glorious weather and optimistically thinking that this may be our last opportunity to embrace the creek; especially under these conditions!

Yesterday we took the boat out around 5 p.m. This is when the creek has the most dynamic lighting.

The light was a bit low but I still was able to get some good shots.

St. Leonard Creek-looking south/east

We always head South East first as we live near the end of the creek.  This direction leads to the Patuxant River which connects to the Chesapeake Bay.

When most people think of a creek, they imagine a narrow passage of water.  This creek is not typical and is quite wide.  The British used this creek as a port in the 1800′s for goods such as tobacco and corn.  A battle in the war of 1812 was fought right in this creek!  A few years ago the Calvert Marine Museum conducted a search for evidence of this battle.  They discovered a sunken British Frigate and qualified the identity of this ship which is sunk in the mud near our pier!

Trees along the edge of the creek

The depth of the water on the creek varies.  Our pier is located towards the end of the creek, nearer to the town (port) of St. Leonard.  This town has one intersection; a “Mayberry” type setting.

St Leonard creek North/West

This is my FAVORITE shot!  It makes me think of a painting by Constable.  My new Canon EOS Rebel performed excellently.  I have to admit, I would prefer a more powerful zoom lens.  This is a factor to consider about this camera.  There are so many features to consider when choosing a camera.  I don’t think there is ONE that has everything you want; at least one that you are willing to pay for.  For now, I am quite pleased with this one.

Now you may be asking: Why would we want to move from this paradise?  The decision to sell was a very tough one.  Mainly the home is too large for just the two of us and we are approaching retirement age.  Where would we want to settle and ride out the retirement years? Florida.  We have decided that Florida offers the most variety and of course, the type of weather, that we love.  This decision was highlighted this year by the relocation of a very important part of our family.  Our daughter, son-in-law and three precious grandchildren moved to Seattle.  We purchased the home with the plan to have plenty of space and things to do when they came to visit.  Now we rattle around in the house and now it feels empty.

So, if you are in the market for a beautiful home in Southern Maryland, contact me!

View of our home as it faces the creek

Title: Loving Frank by: Nancy Horan

It is historical fiction and is based on the true story of the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick.

What a wonderfully written story! Poetry, art, travel and of course love and romance [...]]]> I have just finished reading a great book!

Title: Loving Frank by: Nancy Horan

It is historical fiction and is based on the true story of the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick.

What a wonderfully written story! Poetry, art, travel and of course love and romance are intertwined with the frustrations of the era. The time frame is between 1907-1914. The cause for Woman’s Suffrage was on the rise in the US and abroad. Frank was struggling to establish himself in the world of architecture in ways that had never been seen before. The love affair was quite the scandal.

Loving Frank