Art Retreat on Whidby Island

Our 'STITCH' art group enjoyed a retreat on Whidbey Island at Ann's Island home, what a restful and productive holiday from our busy lives. Our group loves to quilt and to do it in a artful way, each month we set a challenge and it is amazing what one idea given to twelve art quilters produces.  Our diversity and imaginations creates wonderful pieces of colorful  art quilts and sometimes not a quilt but no matter what the art is  wonderful colors oozing out of each finished piece.
So we sewed, sewed and talked, eat wonderful meals and walked the beautiful beach not to mention we slept in wonderful down comforts; yes it was a lovely time.  Oh did I tell you I forgot the cords to my machine? ,A MINOR SET BACK, as it turned out Barbara's cord interfaced with mine and while she napped and slept I sewed.  I had some hand work with me and all in all I did make four totes, two bowls and I put together my baby quilt and started quilting it by hand.  So I survived the mini crisis of no cords.

STITCH goes to Whidbey Island

 

Our art group STITCH traveled to Whidbey Island for a art retreat, actually it was a rest and sew  four days of great food and fellowship with a artful bunch of gals.  

We had a wonderful time Ann R opened her beautiful island home, what a lovely spot right on the water at Strawberry Point, the weather was damp at times but the sun came out just in time for long walks on the beach and the moon on the water, wow a visual delight. 

I forgot the cords to my machine but Barbara's interfaced with mine so when she was napping or sleeping I sewed like crazy, actually I did get four totes and two bowls finished, and I was able to worked on my baby quilt by hand all in all I was very productive to my satisfaction anyway.

The first picture is of Edward the great American eagle, he was sitting so close right outside the window; I finally got camera out and almost focused and whoosh he was off to get a fish anyway I did get his wings and it was a thrill he is a regular at Ann's he has a perch just off the deck; the neighbors put up a fancy perch for him but he only comes to Ann's what a lucky gal.  Anyway the beds were down comforts and everything was Five Star at Anna's  we had a lovely time. Thank You Ann when can we come again?

 

The wild roes were so fragrant

Baby quilt on the cutting board

Pink, grey and white interesting colors I have no idea what to make since I do not  do patterns it will be something different....I was not sure of the grey I was surprised to find three shades of grey flannel at the quilt Barn in Puyallup.  I did not think I would find any grey flannel let alone three shades, well that left me with a decision, and it was not easy I choose a dark charcoal it seems to go well with the hot pinks.  We quilters are blessed with such a rainbow of colors and I mean colors; the quilt barn has the largest collection of batiks I have ever seen they are gorgeous If you have never gone there, do, it is well worth the journey.
It has been a long day, made a lemon tart or "curd" yummy they really do taste great with vanilla ice cream we are going to our daughter Karol's for dinner tomorrow, the kids always have fun even if it rains.  I also made hamburger buns they look pretty good the taste will tell, my bread machine surley did howel not sure what was wrong anyway I had fun making it.........Well I am ready for bed, I am going to start writing more in the coming weeks one has to hown ones gifts after all...So until the next write.   Here are a couple pictures of the budding quilt on the design wal, as you can see I do not know which direction to go, surely I will get it done by August.
 Be Happy Delaine

I SEEK THE POET WITHIN

RIGHT! and where is that poet?   I create in fabric, maybe that is where my true poet resides, my ability to write seems to have weakened the words no longer flow, but my goodness I am creating textile art one right after another. I am enjoying every minute of the process.  I ignore the call of my yard, it is calling but I am only able to work a few hours a week, my body is wrenching in pain after each venture into the dirt, weeding is just plain painful...Not just while I am doing yard work but for days after, I guess this is why as the home owner gets older the weeds get bolder. 

The New Season

Their little heads droop
Only five days without rain
And the pretty little buds have begun to droop
This is  the beginning of a long summer
One day of sunshine and the rain is forgotten
We forget how the rain keeps our yards so green and crisp
After five days the weeds begin to look down trodden
Five sunny days and the whole yard looks sad
I begin looking for clouds and dragging out the hoses
The watering season has begun

Okay there is a poem now lets go back to the sewing room I am hooked on quilting

I used to fly fish with my father.  I was a young lass.  My father wanted a son ever so much so I was his son until my mother said no more, I was about twelve and I was schooled in decorum,"how to be a lady".  I surely missed those days with my Dad, we still fished but I never went hunting with him again.  As I made this quilt it was to be Fishing the Snake, a river I always wanted to fish with my Dad, but never being there it just was not right..   I could not name this one Fishing the Snake,  the name is Sunset on the Hoh, a beautiful river in  Washington on the Olympic peninsula.

 

  The visor on the fisherman's hat was like the one Dad had extra long and wide.,  I was the third daughter so I always felt like I was a bit of a disappointment to my father.  When I married he took my young husband under his wing and off they went doing all the fun things I wanted so much to do with " My Dad".

 All that changed once my first child was born I forgot all those silly wishs because I was a woman and being a mother was the most important thing I could do.

 My dear and very special friend gave me this little 6 inch square of a beautifully embroidered dragon fly and flowers I have had it bouncing around my sewing room for at least ten years and I finally put it to use in this crazy quilt, I made to remember my dear friend Marilyn.

 Dear friends are really so important in our life walk, they hear our cries, share our laughter and are there when words can not make things better, their hugs makes a difference, yes true friends are treasures worth more than gold.
To have a few true friends one, two, three or more s a blessing they are the frosting on ones cake of life.  Thank you dear ones, you know who you are, and I know who you are and I thank you for being there for me, my life is better for having each of you in my life.  My family and friends have made me a rich woman, rich beyond my dreams.