Chickadee art, planning a quilt

Well, yesterday we had another snowstorm which would have been a good day for hibernating and creating but instead I spent it at the hospital emergency and having a ct scan done. After every medical setback I talk myself up determined to not only cope but to improve. I like to educate myself and try to be pro active. I know I need to be happy that I don’t have anything fatal. It’s all chronic but I tell you it adds up and wears you down after a while. This time I started with severe bladder pain and pressure last week that worsened by Sunday, so I finally went over to the hospital where they gave me a shot for pain and put me through all their protocol over 24 hrs and found nothing. So, good, nothing serious, no masses, no infections, no stones. But still, pain.  I do have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and I believe she could refer me for further tests with the bladder and may be able to prescribe something to help in the meantime. I’m hoping.

I do need to stay off my feet a bit and modify my activities; I went into my studio and found some easier things to do. It does relax me and help take my mind off it.

This week, I’m sending a baby quilt off to a new baby girl, Harper, born to my nephew and his wife. And then I found out my husband’s niece is having a baby, so baby quilt planning time. 

These fabrics are actually leftovers from the quilt I’m mailing this week.



Then I sat at my window tabletop and cut out and ironed down the fabric appliqués for the small chickadee art quilt.

Another day day I will add a few more small flakes with my Thermofax designs and maybe a large one top left. I think I’ll add shading with fabric paint or coloured pencils before stitching. This piece makes me happy; it is my hand feeding the chickadees while snow shoeing. 

I feel lucky to be an artist and have something creative to absorb me and make me happy.

Another snow day

All schools in 3 Maritime provinces are closed today and I have kept busy in my studio. This morning, I did a little watercolor experimenting in my sketchbook - an idea for new fibre art.

This is a sample pinned on my wall. The chickadee is thread painted, cut out and pinned to the background. The hand is a photocopy cut out and pinned up. The rosey patch is left from a previous piece. It’s all percolating.

I remind myself from time to time that I haven’t been practicing much with my sketching and watercolors.  I get lazy, as I often enjoy doing crosswords with my tea. Today, I took out my watercolors and studied a bouquet of dried roses. These were purchased about a month ago for half price and I let them dry out, proof that you can really get your moneys worth!

I am not adept at roses as you can see, but I will keep experimenting.

After lunch, I was on a mission to finish a small piece that has been laying by the wayside for too long. So long, that I couldn’t even find the reference photo and had to work from memory (which isn’t great, lol). I managed to finish the stitching, back it with batting and to do a small bit of quilting. I’m auditioning fabrics for the binding which I think will be the darker blue.

My son lives in Lunenburg, NS and often goes winter surfing on the Atlantic. Wave conditions are usually better. Several years ago, I did a piece with my son in it. This is one of his friends.

If you follow me, you may know that I struggle with severe osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis along with neuropathy and other medical conditions. I work at staying mobile. Yesterday, was a beautiful day and I pushed myself to get out on the snowshoes despite fatigue.

It felt good. I had a hard time all evening to stay awake. Today, I have had good energy so I decided to sign up for a 30 day free trial of beginner Pilates. My back has been very stiff lately, I do have 3 herniated discs so I have to be careful, and I have a hard time to reach my feet to put on footwear. I need to move and stretch so thought I’d try it as a change from yoga. I did a short 20 minutes before I took my break for tea and to write this.

February guild retreat

This is the first February retreat that I’ve been to in a few years - since before my shoulder repair and hip replacement and I’m so happy to be here. I’m currently having a little rest in my single room. This resource Center was once a nuns residence. The rooms are small but simple and comfy enough for a weekend. The bathroom is nearby in the hallway.

Our home cooked meals and snacks are all provided for a very reasonable cost. It is a very warm, friendly, chatty, and sometimes  funny atmosphere. I enjoy watching the quilts grow as the weekend progresses. This is a small quilt made from a panel of animals that I’m doing for my grandson.

I don’t bring any fiber art to work on  - it would be too complicated. That’s for my studio. This is mindless (mostly, I’ve had to rip a couple of seams and recut some pieces, lol) affording time for chatter  and laughter.

 

There are 10 quilts done by the ‘quilting angels’ that are destined for Haiti.

At night I can retreat to my room at any time. I have reading and movies to watch on my I pad while I knit before bed.

It really is a nice little happy getaway even though I’m only a couple km’s from home and excellent,,ent today with the temperature at about -15C with gusty winds.

Im wishing you a happy creative weekend.