Thursday, March 23, 2017

Hiatus and Hibernation

Ah!! Success!!

It's been a long time....sadly, months....since I have been able to manipulate the digital devices to do as I need, transferring photos and making posts.  Today has had much frustration getting these few photos to this blogger spot. But here we are....

I finished a quilting project that I thought I'd share here. It is another charity quilt or "comfort quilt" as the guild is calling them. At the November meeting I picked up another bag of scraps for a child size (crib) quilt. This is what the bag contained:

 The picture blocks were apparently something someone else started and abandoned. I used the scraps to do a simple patch design, as always making it up as I went along. This time I tried not to bind myself with symmetry rules. I used block sizes as they fit and as I had fabric. It actually is not that easy to come up with patterns based on random amounts of scraps in random sizes. I had fun with it and was pleased with the folky results that kept with the style of the original blocks. I turned it in to the guild at the February meeting. Another volunteer will put batting and backing on it and machine quilt it. I do wish I could meet the little boy who will use it though....








We had a family of eight living with us for three months over the winter so were a bit crowded here for any other projects. After they finally found their own home it became so quiet here so I had a strong desire to start painting again and decided to warm up with a landscape. I found a photo on the internet of Mt. Hood and Trillium Lake. I had a lot of enjoyment painting it and do not hate the end result. (But also don't love it. It was a learning exercise. 93 more to go...) I painted the mountain over and over and it only vaguely looks like Mt. Hood but I decided to just stop even though I am not very satisfied with it. Time to move on. My favorite part is the dark water reflection.



Our winter was long and brutal. Here is one photo to represent-

It started snowing in early December. Over three months we got more than 100 inches of snowfall (we lost count). The temperatures stayed below freezing so the snow never melted until March. Even old timers in the valley have never seen such a winter here.

We finally have spring now with rain, warmer temperatures and crocuses blooming. The birds have also arrived and their sunrise songs are delightful to hear! The orchardists are working hard to catch up on all the pruning that needs to be done before buds appear. I couldn't resist bringing home some blooms for my porch to help bring on spring.




3 comments:

  1. Welcome back!!
    So nice to see all your projects, in diverse variety.
    Your painting turned out well. I like the improvements in your sky and tree highlights. The reduction of height in your foreground worked out well so as not to be overpowering or "tickling." And I agree with you that the dark water reflections are very lovely and a strong point.
    And that quilt! It is darling! I would never have thought to pair red and aqua, but it works. Lucky little boy. It will be in his bed when he is in his twenties. (I know some boys (ahem) that still have special things from their younger years, though said items are sadly Velveteen Rabbitish.)
    Congratulations on surviving your winter. Flowers cure all.

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  2. Ah, that quilt is lovely! LOVE the painting!

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  3. I just love that little quilt! Adorable. And your painting is lovely, as are your flowers (sigh).

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