What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Feeling a bit under the weather today... So I'll Just Host and ask.... What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

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YOU TELL 'EM, SALLY!

 The doldrums have finally diminished, and all God's people said Amen.   Unless you live off a Great Lake you really can't get a sense of what it's like to go weeks - yes weeks  - without sun.  We'll get a sunny afternoon, and I always go for a long drive, it feels so good.  Today was not such a day though.  The last sun we saw was hmmmmmm Saturday and this morning we awoke to inches of ice.  Lovely.

But...my pile of last year's Art Page-A-Day calendar paintings were sitting there just ...

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Taking one more week off - Lake Erie Region in January is brutal What Have You Been Up to Creatively?

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Wonderland, Miriam Schapiro, 1983

 Over the years, I've written posts ranting about how nobody gets what we really do.  I'm mean sure people might understand what a quilt is.  What they don't get is the blood, sweat and tears that goes into a quilt.  Okay, so that's a little dramatic...but really have you met me?  Realistically though, it's that extra "something" that makes quilt making much more than a simple craft.  It's definitely an art form no matter if you do

detail, The Bitter Nest, Part II

traditional or modern or art or ...

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Scenes from American Life, Beach, Gertrude Goodrich, 1914 (Treasury Dept, From the Cafeteria, Section of Fines Arts Mural!)

 

Our recent trip to Washington DC also included our first visit to The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture.  It is better known as the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  To tell you the truth, until I got home and read the Wikipedia article, I didn't quite understand where one museum started and one ended.  Apparently, the way it's laid out now, it just flows together seamlessly, which is what I observed ...

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The Crosses II, Nina-Marie Sayre

This week I was reminded by Jenny Lyon that I used to a write a  Word of the Year the first post of January.  The ritual started on our Art Quilt email list of the 2000's. (Sigh, I miss that list.  Reddit is just not the same...just sayin')  The members of the list would choose a word and write their meaning why.  It was inspiring to hear the different words from so many diverse voices chiming in from around the country and world.  

Mine always were normally words that represented an aim or ...

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One of the First Rooms of the Paris:1874 exhibit

 Okay, show of hands...who here when you think of art history, think immediately of impressionist paintings?  I wouldn't doubt that out of all art movements, impressionism is by far the most known and beloved.  I know, that's where I started my art history journey. It's still one of my favorites.  I think it's partly due to the fact that it's representational (which also makes it approachable) without being too stuffy.  Plus, the colors and the subjects just capture moments in everyday life that let ...

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The Renwick Gallery, The National Museum of Craft

 So this past week, I got spontaneous.  Yep, you read that right...the princess of plan decided at the last minute to take a quick trip to Washington DC.  Two of our favorite art museums, the National Gallery and the Renwick Gallery had some great exhibitions that are going to close in the beginning of January.  We've been trying to make time to see them, but with our early winter here on Lake Erie, it's been hard to find a few good weather days.  I saw that it was going ...

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So today the sun shone in my part of the county while our lakefront once again got pelted with snow. 

Erie is easily up over 60" inches of snow and it's not even winter.  It's been exhausting and kept people from truly enjoying Advent and the Holiday season.  I have a bit of the blahs that have been continuing for about the last 3 weeks.  Sigh the joys of dark grey days.  

Anyways...

Over the years I've done a series of posts about Christmas gifts I thought were what every quilter needed but might not be ...

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Presque Isle, Lake Erie, PA

 

Living on the shores of Lake Erie is always an adventure in the winter.  You never know what the weather is going to do.  Last year, we got 25" of snow all year.  This year, we doubled that in 3 days.  Yes, there are parts of the county that got 50" or more of snow this last week.  

But we live in Erie County so we take it all in stride right?  Well you would think, but when your authorities  declare a state of emergency and have all non essential workers to shelter in ...

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Thankful this year for being able to navigate all the changes....changes in a job, family dynamics, our country.  It all seemed so overwhelming at the time, but here it is Thanksgiving, quiet and relaxed.  

 I'm traveling this weekend on the edge of Adirondacks where snow is quietly falling....

What Have You to Be Thankful for?

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You wouldn't think that living outside of Erie, Pennsylvania would be a center of culture. And it kinda isn't.  But it kinda is.  Really, we're within an hour or two of Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.  Plus 3 hrs out of Toronto. As well as 2.5 hrs out of central Ohio.  Yes, you read that right ....central Ohio.   Central Ohio, for you not in the know, is a hot bed of quilting.  Not only is there a plethora of quilt stores, quilt groups, retreat spots but also there is The Dairy Barn Art Center (home to Quilt ...

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Peppermint Reindeer by Laura Heini

 This week in my spare time, I started thinking about decorating for Christmas.  To tell you the truth, I'm not all that much into decorating, mostly because it takes so much time.  What I do like is designing the composition of the decoration scheme.  Yes, you read that right.  Your decorating has a composition just like your quilts.  One thing I've learned, is that all the elements of design I've been studying over the years can be used in a myriad of ways....like planning your Christmas decorations. 

But this post is ...

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 For all my US readers...well it's been a week, hasn't it?  No matter what your political views, I'm sure
I'm not alone to say, this week has been A LOT.  Raise your hand, if you've had enough politics to last you four years?  Living in Pennsylvania, it's been kinda like being the most popular girl at the dance.  THEN living in Erie County, just doubles that.  Apparently, unbeknownst to me, the saying goes in the political world...the way Erie County goes is the way the country will go.  We've picked the ...

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 So I did it.  I manage to get through my first rug hooking project.  Let's just say it's rough but a start and I wouldn't quite say a rough start.  Some things I've learned...

1. Taking a 3 hour starter class to get a taste of a new hobby was one of my better ideas.  It was a relatively small investment ($65 and that included everything you needed including a beginner hook) and you really get a feel for if you're going to like it enough to invest more time and money.  
2. I like rug hooking ...

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 Something that I was reminded of this week is that I have a tendency to create in one of two categories.  Either my pieces are all about technique or all about design.  I know lots of quilters who are all about technique.  They buy a pattern and then spend their energy on learning how to create it perfectly.  The closer they get to perfection, the more of a rush they get.

Oh What Lovely Smoke, Elizabeth Barton

Then there's the quilters where it's all about the design.  They work on designing a piece and then figure out how ...

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 I really think it's important to feed your inner creative soul.  I know that sounds "artsy", but it's true.  I think after preaching this so much at home, my husband has finally gotten it.  That's why I wasn't shocked when he dragged me out to the Erie Museum to see the latest exhibit, Summoning the Wind, by Qian Li.  

The Erie Art Museum was never this powerhouse in the art world.  Lately, though, I can see that it's upping its game bringing in some really nice exhibits as well as developing its own.  Qian ...

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Anybody who has been paying attention would know that the last 6 months, I've been a bit obsessed with my new job.  Let me just say that Customer Service is not for the weak at heart...but...if you love your product and you love working with people, it can be really fun.  Not to mention throw in a nice work environment and a touch of technology and its really is fun.

That all said, my creative side is slowly but surely coming back to life.  I've had this idea baking in the back of my brain for ...

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