Spring

It is beginning to feel like Spring around here, even though there are no buds and flowers like these, from Mrs. Mel's blog, Fibermania, . . .



. . . nor wildflowers, like these from Rian's Pages . . .



In fact, when I drove to a nearby park, curious to see if a walk was possible, it really didn't LOOK like Spring at all.

But the main path was clear, if sometimes wet or icy and even if it didn't look like it, it sounded like Spring–the songs of birds filled the air–so, I walked.

It was a short one, only about a mile and a half--the unpaved paths turned out to be too muddy/snowy/icy for me and I turned back. I nearly had the place to myself: just me and the birds, the river, blue skies and sunshine.

More snow is in the forecast for next week, but today, it seemed that Spring ihad arrived, even if I was all bundled up and walking among bare trees, snow and ice.





Closer to home, a pair of geese stopped by to check on the state of the still-frozen pond.

Doll Quilt Swap II Quilts

Today, I received Twinkle, Twinkle, this fabulous quilt, made by Debbie.



And Bonnie received the quilt I made, Baby Steps--named for the 4 inch Stepping Stones blocks.



Twinkle, Twinkle is 18 inches square; Baby Steps is 18 x 24 inches. They are both made from 4 inch blocks.

This was a great swap . . . all the quilts have been wonderful and I think all of us are ready for DQSIII.

National Quilting Day

Saturday, March 15, is National Quilting Day.



This is NQA's logo, click it to go to their site for more information about the day and their quilt day activities.

If you are a quilter, will you celebrate? How will you spend the day? A local quilt show is in my plans for this weekend as well as time spent quilting with Pat Sloan and her friends for a SeW AloNG Quilt Day Retreat Weekend. (Check out the button in my sidebar.)

Is it the Thought . . .

. . . that counts? I tried to organize a comfort quilt for a friend . . . and failed. And after being attacked for my failure, I confess that, to me, it feels a little more like "No good deed goes unpunished."

Here are Kate's Pineapples, made by her friends last fall. I thought this comfort quilt effort needed about twice as many of these 9 inch blocks as these and once thought I could make them . . . but my health issues stood in the way.











They are in Kate's hands now, at her request, and a few people have rallied and sent her some more. If you'd like to help, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.

Doll Quilts

Yesterday was the mailing deadline for Doll Quilt Swap II on the forum on quilting.about.com. My quilt is on it's way. I named it Baby Steps, a reference to it's size and the traditional block on which it was based. Here's a detail showing the quilting and batik fabrics I used . . . the last hint before revealing the quilt. The small squares measure 1/2 inch.



I haven't yet received my quilt from the swap, but a doll quilt from another of the swappers did land in my mailbox.



I think Peni was one of the first to finish and mail her quilt. Afterward, she shared an in-progress effort of an earlier, abandoned idea. I offered to give her teeny weeny basket blocks a new home and use them in a different design. Peni was inspired to re-hab them herself and this was the result. Isn't it incredible? The feather wreaths in the alternate blocks are 2-1/4 inches across.



Peni said that "these little guys said they wanted to g live with you because you believed in them all along. You knoew they could become more than a failed project." She hoped they would bring a smile to my face when I looked at them. How could they not? I love these happy little Party Baskets.

Art & Life & Walking in This World

This is my check-in for week 8 of Walking in This world.

Morning Pages: every day

Walk and Artist Date: didn't happen. This week zipped by and, although I had a plan, before I knew it, I was out of time.

The Rest: The reading and exercises turned out to be more about work than art for me, which surprised and intrigued me. My creative monster was based on people from my professional life--I created it a la Flat Stanley and ran it through the paper shredder . . . and thoroughly enjoyed that task ;-)

In Progress

My sewing space still looks a little like Santa's workshop.



Altering some of my Christmas swap blocks has become a slippery slope . . . and now, all except 8 of the original blocks that I made or received have become Dewey's Victory blocks like these. A couple of these have new centers pinned on, being auditioned.

Another of my blocks from Kate's Birthday blocks swap arrived today, from Christine.



The only progress I've made on the alternate appliqué blocks is photocopying the pattern.

The block lotto this month has made great progress; more than 100 blocks have been entered already this month. Here are mine.

It's All About MEme

Sara, of Odd Dotty Dollmaker, tagged me with the 7 random things meme.

1. I gave up eating meat with feet over a year ago and have never looked back. These days, it's veggies or meat without feet.
   
   
   
   
2. I start most days with a glass of freshly juiced green lemonade. Yes, that green lemonade.
3. I've never really had a favorite color for more than a season . . . there are just too many great colors in the world, you know? Lately, it's bright lime green . . . do you suppose it's because I am yearning for the bright green shoots of Spring?
   
   
   
   
4. I am fascinated by how things work and how they are designed and made. My undergraduate degree is in Physiology–the study of how we work–and, for fun, I have made hats and boots, stained glass, paper . . . and sewn lots of things.
5. I have always been an accessories girl. Currently, I am infatuated with the shoes with the funny-looking soles by BMT . . . because when I wear them, they make me (and my back and hips) feel so good.
   
   
   
6. I've lived on both coasts, Northern (Michigan) and Southern (Texas) borders of the US and in France. Now I don't live close to mountains or ocean . . . sometimes I miss them.
   
   
   
   
7. I enjoy the meme-thing, but I never tag anyone. If you haven't yet shared 7 random things about yourself on your blog and feel like playing, please add a comment to this post and link it.