Spring and summer 2014 have been a time of extremes. Emotions have run the gambit – from high to low. Happy times mingled with sad, joy with sadness. It was a time of renewal and of letting go. Since April I have said goodbye to a much loved younger brother who left us suddenly without warning. A warm and caring man, highly regarded by family, friends and neighbours; his death has left a hole in many lives. The shock and sadness left me...

The last couple of weeks have been difficult.  Not only have I been dealing with my reactions to the ‘tempest in a teapot’ but I have been doing a lot of hand stitching and, for me, stitching time is introspection time. Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate, or not, in that I have not had a lot of conflict in my life.  Perhaps it is because I was well schooled in the art of  ‘avoidance’, perhaps it is because I...

A Bully has crossed my path! With the recently increased profile of bullying in our society, I want to make a comment. It doesn’t stop with childhood.  It’s not always physical.  It can be disguised in many ways. As a person of certain years, I have not had a lot of experience with bullies for many years.  I am a straight speaking person who calls it as she sees it and people usually know where I stand on an issue. People usually respect that....

Work in progress!   This is just a sneak peek at ‘By the Light of the Silvery Moon’, my work in progress.  Although it is in response to a Guild challenge, I also have an exhibition opportunity in mind for it so won’t be showing the whole piece for a while!  The background fabric, a whole cloth, is a sunprint by Thelma Newbury, a friend from British Columbia. As usual, lots of texture added, use of metallic threads and...

Over the years my husband and I have traced our Scottish roots with varying success.  Don and ‘the lads’ have had ‘Duncan’ tartan ties, we have worked at the local ‘Highland’ Games and participated in Robbie Burns nights in our small eastern Ontario community.  In 2000, our millenium project was a family trip to Scotland that provided context for our research – and new information. I decided today to...

  Journal Quilt – D is for December Medium Quilt / Fibre Art Description 12″ x 12″  One of an alpha/quilt Journal series. Woven strips, raw edge applique, embellishment with buttons, machine quilting and stitching. Circa 2012.

   Name F is for Flu and Fog, during an Unusually Foggy Month in Calgary Medium Quilt / Fibre Art Description 12″ x 12″  One of an alpha/quilt Journal series. Technique: Pieced quilted surface with wash of white acrylic paint. Circa 2012.

   Name Journal Quilt – B is for fresh Beginnings Medium Quilt / Fibre Art Description 12″ x 12″  One of an alpha/quilt Journal series.  Random Pieced, experiment in slash and stripping.  Assembled into album. Circa 2013.

(Another delayed post due to technical difficulties) My word for 2013 has been ‘Renew’  and what a journey is proving to be.  I’ve already decided that my word for 2014  will be ‘Focus’ and that one of my primary efforts will be to explore surface design techniques in more depth.  Earlier in the fall I participated in workshops where we experimented with sun printing and fabric dye painting.  This week I was able...

After a wonderful few days of catching late ‘autumn weather it snowed today and it seemed that it would be a great day to get started on a new project for this year’s challenge in one of my art groups.  The theme this year is water and I’ve decided to work in a similar style to the Forest Surprise piece that I did last year.  This time I am painting the background and adding machine and hand stitching to create the texture and...