Day 170. Further obsession with the melting ice continues

Today I took a beautiful walk through the woods and over a golf course and took many photos.  There are so many that I like, but I thought these icicles made me the happiest.
Hope you all had a happy weekend too-

Day 169. Oops a day late

So I went to Michigan this weekend.  I was having so much fun I forgot to make my post on Saturday! Oops! But here are some pictures I took from our window.  I was totally obssesed with the ice, it was everywhere-same with snow (strange when Chicago had none of these) I think it was so beautiful and so alluring because it was quielty melting, hoping it could just shrink away, one drop at a time.

Day 168.

My day started when I woke up in a cage suspended over a large body of water, there was a bridge only a few feet away.  As I came-to I noticed the cage was rocking slightly, but with every rock, the movement increased until it was a steady sway.  As I approached the nearby bridge it dawned on me that we were going to collide.  What was I going to do?  As soon as a collision occured I would be cast down in to the water, trapped by the cage.  The cage and I, as visualized, crashed into the bridge and broke the suspension that held us.  Here it comes I thought,  so this is how I will die.  I braced myself for the impact, for the water, took one last deep breath.  The water hit and I frantically moved around the cage looking for a gap big enough to fit my size or a side which might give way.  I could stick my arm through one opening and possibly my head- could this work?  The water was blueish green and the further down we went, the more peaceful it began to look.  Suddenly there were schools of small tan fish avoiding us-there was life down here, life where my death was going to take place?  Would these fish eat on my decomposing flesh?  Of course they would.  I had to get out of this cage.  The final impact against the river bed was soft really, like a pea settling on the bottom of the soup pot.  I had to get out of this cage.  I slowly realeased some air so that I would be thinner.  I stuck my right arm through, managed to get my head out, and then in a kind of blur, contorted my body bit by bit.  Then I was free.  I was free.  Free.  But oh geez, I better get out of this water.  I don't really know what happened after that, don't really know how I got back here.  The fatique and shock must have really knocked me out.

Day 167. In the blink of an eye

I was thinking today of how much time I waste doing things I'd rather not be doing and I realized how much of my time has passed already, sure I'm young still- but before I know it, it's going to be all over.  Will I have lived the life I wanted?  Thus this short video serves as a reminder, because like they say; It's over in the blink of an eye.

Day 166. Applique Demonstration Day!

Today I had my quilting class.  I got to tear some strips for the new quilt I'm starting and got some math figured out.  But the best part of class was the applique techniques demonstration. Here is an image of me practicing the button-hole stitch for those pieces I can't turn under.  So excited, now I can start appliqueing the pathology piece I cut the other day.

Day 165. Migraine

Day 164. Look this one up in the dream dictionary

Last night I dreamt that I went down to the water and saw these dolphins, they were sticking their heads out of the water, one of them came all the way out - I was shocked, then I noticed it wasn't a dolphin at all, it was a teenage mutant ninja turtle. Hahahahahahaha...so funny I had to make it into a drawing.

Thanks to Nico for his awesome Raphael

Day 163. Design for New Quilt Project

So for the next half of my quilting class, I have to work on a larger piece.  I want to make a quilt for our Queen size bed.  I acknowledge that this is a tall order, but in order to be able to work on such a large scale, I'm going to simplify my design (no small triangles or points to piece.)  The center rectangle will be what lays on top of the bed and the outer perimeter will fall over the sides and bottom. I already have the fabric and was trying to work out which way I'd like to place them.  I can't quite decide, but I think I'm leaning more towards the 2nd image with the tan perimeter.

Day 162. OMG I finally finished

Front

Back

Day 161. Halfway done with the Binding

The binding is the edging that looks like it was magically attached.

Day 160. Vivre

Pregnant with the possibilities of life while illness disolves away.

Day 159. Binding Begins!

Started the binding process tonight, shouldn't be that much longer until this piece is finished.

Three things I am grateful for today
1) The beautiful and warm weather..I had lunch out of doors!
2) That today is Wednesday, because I love going to my quilting class
3) Edy's Slow churned ice cream - 1/2 the fat but you really can't tell

Day 158. Binding Material Pieced

103 inches of binding material

Rough estimate of how they will look together. although it won't be this wide

I finally finished the hand quilting, removed the basting stitches and sewed together 103" of binding material, tomorrow's class is a lesson on binding-so had to get prepared.

Today I am so very grateful for 1.making my work deadline-it was cutting it close, but I did it! 2. taking a chance on the show, Friday night lights...surprisingly good and 3. finishing work, my artwork & post all before dinner, so I have a chance for real relaxation tonight

Day 156.

STILL hand quilting my star piece.  I won't bore you with another image-anyway it's kind of hard to see.  Thought I'd be done by now, but still working on it...getting close though!

Today I am so very grateful for 1) my squeamish husband-thanks for taking a fall for me today! 2) Kashi frozen pizza..surprisingly so very good 3) those extra few hours of work that will make a nice addition to my next paycheck

Day 155. The pathology project goes fiber

Full size pieces cut, but maybe put on different larger background

Detail of one cell

The Digital Blueprint for Fiber Piece

So I worked for a long time today on finding different ways to turn this digital piece into a fiber piece, my original plan for painting on fabric didn't have the look I was after-so after much thinking, I decided to do appliqued piecing.  So far I've just cut and arranged the pieces.  I think it needs more space than the background I have now-feels too crowded.

Today I am grateful for 1)finally learning how to spell grateful-I always thought it should be greatful (makes more sense to me) 2) The beautiful daffodils my husband brought home, they're pretty, they remind me of spring, and they're potted so they will last a while. 3) Having a good amount of time to work on artwork.  Time is always such a gift!

And, I'm nearly done with the hand quilting on my star piece.

Day 154. Still Hand Quilting

Got too tired today to start that project I wanted to, so instead I'm quilting stitch by stitch. Stitch by stitch, but I could do it blindfolded.

Today I am thankful for having lots of quiet time to myself, that veggie spree at the grocery store I went on, and finally I am thankful for I-go carsharing, not only did I get to those errands I wanted to get to but I also got to test drive the Honda Fit (the car of my dreams).

Day 153. So as not to bore you

So as not to bore you, I've decided not to show an image of the continual quilting...Tomorrow, I will most probably do something besides quilting. But as for tonight, I'm a little too tired to start a new project.
So quilting it is...and is...and is....and is...
Maybe next time, I'll machine quilt?

3 things I am grateful for today:
1)mmm that delicious godiva chocolate I just ate...Yummy
2) The wonderful package from wonderful friends! Thanks guys you are AWESOME
3)I am so, so, so grateful it's Friday

Day 152. Hand Quilting goes SO slow!

I'm just doing a simple pattern, teacher said mine was a little too much work for what was really required and for the first time doing it.  Boy was she right, this is time consuming. So I added the arrows so you can see what stitching I'm talking about.  I spent about an hour and half and didn't even finish one star...yikes!

3 things I'm grateful for today:
1) Cheesy, bad, tearjerker movies..at least they make me laugh in their rediculousness
2) That I got a lot of work done today, despite all the interuptions
3) That my husband continues to confuse zucchini and cucumbers, because at least it makes me laugh and the truth is sauteed cucumbers aren't really all that bad!

Day 151. Class on Hand Stitching

Front stiching

Back Stitching

Today in quilting class we learned the methods for hand stiching which includes hiding your stitch knot.  I practiced a lot before attempting at my piece, and was looking pretty good, but then I started on my piece and well-looks pretty wonky. But you can barely see it so I don't really care.  I keep having to remind myself that I am learning and it doesn't have to be perfect!

3 things that I am grateful for today:
1) My class, I love it and the people
2) Canned Salmon (it was my first time and I have NO complaints)
3) My new haircut, I just keep loving it!

Day 150! Two paintings from 1861

In the spirit of brotherhood, I was thinking of how I could merge (what may appear to be) opposing cultures.  In 1861 two paintings were created, one in the west, highlighting opulence-a showman's ship of proving wealth, and the other painted to inspire others to relinquish monetary possessions and to give their lives over to service of spirithood.  Here these two worlds crash, but anyway they seem to be at peace with one another.

Happy 150 days of artmaking to me! Way to go! Keep it up!

3 things I'm grateful for today:
1) A Brilliant Haircut-Looks so great, feels so great. Thanks Maryanna!
2) Caramel Ice cream
3) That Chilly walk home, so refreshing!

Day 149. For the Love of Music

Today was an exciting day.  After living in Chicago for 10.5 years, I finally was able to attend the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  It was wonderful! Music filled my soul!  I felt that I wanted to capture this feeling somehow, of course viscerally it is nearly impossible to reproduce.  But I feel these ladies seem somehow filled with soul-full satisfaction and are as close as I can get to it tonight.

3 things I am grateful for today:
1) Hope
2) Love
3) Satisfaction

Day 148. Edited these snow days photos

3 things I am grateful for today:
1) A gorgeous walk in the snow, so beautiful and so necessary
2) A delicious healthy meal
3) wonderful company-it's so good to see my mom!

Day 147. Valentines

Thought our front door wreath needed some valentine decorating and so I made these boy and girl hearts.  Aren't they cute?

3 things I am grateful for today:
1) Bowling; it's so much fun and possibly the only real sport you can drink beer during
2) Cheerful, Happy Friends
3) That a lot of the snow has been cleared away from the sidewalks-makes walking around the city much easier to deal with!

Day 146. Ideas for the Hand quilting design

I think I'm going to go with the top one with the blue arrow, although my instructor might tell me it's too complicated for my first go.  I guess we'll see.

3 things I am grateful for today:
1) I walked 10,000 steps (my goal) and burned 456 calories! Yay for me!
2) Lunch with a co-worker, brightens my day
3) Dinner & beer with my husband, makes me so happy I can't even explain why...

Happy Friday!

Day 145. Basting Stitches

Yup, nearly done basting the stitches, worked on it a bunch today and yesterday.  I've also decided to use navy blue quilting thread and maybe have worked out a design, although, maybe I've designed a difficult pattern-or at least time consuming.

3 things I am grateful for today:
1) the time to work on artwork..I worked on designing my next project (gulp. A Queen size quilt)
2) healthy eating (I made yummy spagetti sauce filled to the brim with spinach and cabbage)
3) feeling not so tired today. It made all the difference in getting work accomplished.

Day 144. Snow Day!

On route to the lake

Promintory Point looking south

Promintory Point looking East

Sleeping Deer Statue

Couldn't resist the early morning oportunity after last night's blizzard.  Had to walk in knee deep snow to get to the lake.  And it's still snowing!

Day 143. Begin Hand Quilting

Cut Basting and Back Fabric larger than top piece

Insert Hoop, Begin Basting Stitches

Well I guess it's the perfect time to sit in front of the boob tube and baste some stiches on to my quilt.  1st the ugly baste stitches, then 2nd the quilting stitches.

3 things I am thankful for:
1) getting to leave work early for the blizzard warning
2) getting that email that said, "if you're not a caregiver, don't come in to work tomorrow"
3) My dad who keeps calling with survival skills, just in case our electricity goes out.  Thanks Dad!

Something I'm not thankful for today:
opening that empty juice container with week old apple juice remnants which contaminated our entire apartment. Yuck!