mmm.... coffee.....

anything that we can afford to lose, see that it's lost

i was sitting here on my couch thursday evening when i was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to embroider an octopus on one of my quilts!  so (instead of eating dinner) i scurried into my studio & got to work on a sea of blues, greens & blue-greens.  i cut & pieced most of it together that night & added the long strips of silk & green edging this afternoon. 

now i'm sketching swirly stylized cephalopods while watching Pirates of the Caribbean, trying to decide what looks just right...  earlier today i watched an episode of Lobster Wars -  i am still feeling influenced by my recent trip to maine & missing it dearly (especially with this hot & humid weather that makes me want to shave my head) but all i need is to look back over my photos for inspiration:

uh, that's a horse with a sword on his head & he guards my hopes & dreams

aha, there it is: three little quilts all in one afternoon signals the beginning of holiday sewing season!  perhaps it was the trip to maine, the trip to Point Judith, locating a misplaced pile of fabric, eating an entire plate of eggs, toast, bacon & potatoes at the diner this morning & not being hungry for the rest of the day or maybe it's just the gorgeous weather we're having... 

which ever one it is, i don't care, i'm just happy to be sewing quilts in my studio again.  it's been too long, dear studio, i am sorry to have neglected you & your beautiful stash!  i'm considering moving all my fabric out of that room & into the middle room of the apartment. does that sound crazy?  i've got a huge blank wall that all my shelves of fabric would fit nicely along...

that first one (which is actually the last one) started with a strip of woven ribbon, the next grew from a piece of "abby" fabric (i often buy fabrics that i think my friend abby would like just because i think she'd like them) and the last one is reminiscent of a larger quilt i made for my sister to give as a wedding gift.  i'm gearing up for the RISD Fall Alumni Sale Oct. 6 & (hopefully) the Foundry Artists Show in Dec.  i also just realized that the application for Craftland is almost due so if you're thinking of applying, hurry up!

"i'm sorry i thought you were someone else." i said, "i am."

wait, did that just happen?  it all went by so quickly, 6 nights in maine, 5 days working in the coffee shop.  sigh, now i'm home & that's nice & all, but when i wake up tomorrow morning i won't be greeted by all this warm & furry cuteness:

i'd better get to bed, i'm still on the wake-up-at-6a-schedule.  good night!

let me just, uh, put the axe away...

there's a little peek at a quilt i've been working on for quite some time now.  i finally finished up the hand-quilting & binding, but haven't given it to the person i made it for yet...  i'm packing, updating my ipod, doing the dishes & leaving for maine today!  etd is noon & i've got a lot to get done before then so:  hello!  goodbye!  see you in a week!

it makes me think of a magical place that becomes less comfortable over time

this past saturday teresa & i visited with tara, drank delicious coffee at Amherst Coffee, bought gorgeous fabric from Valley Fabrics, ate classic diner food at the Bluebonnet Diner, bought sweet papers from essentials & played with the Wii for the first time.  it is always fun to visit tara & her cute house!  here are my fabric purchases, they seem rather dark now that i'm looking at them - perhaps i was influence by all the rain:



hopefully these new fabrics will be the inspiration i need to accomplish more quilt sewing...  i have so many ideas in my head & not nearly enough energy to get them all out - the couple days i spent handling the panorama at work were suprisingly exhausting.  it fell on me at one point, too, i have a huge bruise on my shin, but an unimpressive bruise considering one of the longest paintings in the world bashed into me.  (don't worry, the panorama was unharmed)  my plan is to do a little cleaning after work tomorrow & friday then sew a few little quilts to bring with me to MAINE!  i can do some embroidering in the car & perhaps while lounging beside a lake...  Art & i are going up for a week to help out at Coastal Coffee in Searsport, do a little yard sale thrifting, lobster eating, some swimming & a whole lot of relaxing!  i am so very excited, here, look at these photos from last year & daydream with me...