Beautiful one day, snow on the ground the next- that was this weekend. I was able to spend a lot of it creating,however- I got all five postcards for the QA list exchange I joined done. I had fun using my water-soluble wax pastels (on four backgrounds)- I like the effects, and who could resist playing with "crayons?" Can you tell I am winter-weary, and looking for color anywhere I can find it?
There has been some interesting discussion on the QA list about art vs. craft, who's an artist, yada yada- one of those topics that resurfaces fairly regularly. I don't usually jump in- that's one discussion that will never end, and you don't usually convince anyone of your point of view. I did make note of a couple that I thought made some good points, and food for thought for me.
And, found some interesting tidbits on Frieda Anderson's blog- she talked about being a visual person, and what that has meant. I don't think I have been a visual person, words usually come easily to me. Struggling to be visually creative, to find a voice that is uniquely mine- it has felt like I am learning a new language, and it is not easy- I sorely feel my lack of art training. But, I have no inclination to stop trying- the process is at once relaxing, trying, frustrating- how could I possibly give all that up??

Such a gorgeous day, I spent some time looking for proof that spring is actually close!! Found some lovely harbingers in downtown Provo, I'll use the images somehow in my March journal quilt and the postcard exchange. My eyes are hungry for color!
I'll have a lot of the weekend free, since DH's new job doesn't give him weekends off. I want to get more postcards done- I'll post what I finish. And, it is supposed to get stormy again- since we're on the benches, we may get more snow- arghh!!

It's a gray, windy, and cold day- but I don't think anything could dampen my mood!! Yesterday afternoon, I was playing with Photoshop and took a break to read my email. To my shock, amazement, and absolute delight, one of my 2005 Journal Quilts was selected to be in the book that Karey Bresenhan and Quilting Arts Magazine are going to publish about the entire project!! My first time having one of my creations published- I was absolutely giddy. Between that, and having a quilt in the HMQA show in Salt Lake next month, it has been a wonderful boost.
I'd been planning to work in the studio today, but couldn't concentrate on anything. I finally ended up getting in the car this afternoon, and exploring. I went up the mountain behind us, and got some wonderful pics of the valley. I ended up one of the canyons close to home, Hobble Creek- I hadn't been up there in years. It is still beautiful and out of the way- but close to the valley. Coming back down the canyon, I encountered two guys with a spotting scope, looking up the mountain. I stopped, and they were kind enough to let me see what they were looking at so intently- two bull elk, high up the mountain. I've seen lots of elk since I moved to Utah, but never any like these- they had racks that had to be 4-5 feet across. Magnificent animals.
We are very tired of winter- there is still lots of snow on the mountains and some on the benches. But if you look, there are signs of spring. New growth on the trees, grass starting to green up, just the faintest hint of green starting to show on the lower parts of the mountains. The green is balm for my eyes, that have been looking into a sea of beige and gray for too long!!

What a lousy weekend! After a week of being teased with spring weather, winter has returned- we've had three storms in less than a week,and we are back to shoveling snow. Yuck- although I guess I'm grateful it is melting off the roads quickly. We are so sick of winter!!
Then, to top it off, I felt the beginnings of a cold on Friday. So I've spent the better part of the weekend laying around the house. All the stuff I wanted to do has gone out the window- no energy to try needle lace or scrunching fabric from my current QU class with Susan Brittingham, no energy to play with Photoshop. I did get two boxes of photos sorted, and an idea for Christmas presents is percolating. But that's as far as it's gotten. Maybe next weekend. . .

After four years of design, sewing, changing jobs, moving (including a month-long stint in a camp trailer), and machine quilting myself, my first completely, entirely, all my own quilt is done. The design idea started with my daughter, for whom it was made- she decided that she wanted an African themed room. Being a teenager, by the time I had the quilt done, she had moved on to other design ideas. However, fortune smiled on me- the 2006 Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake has "In to Africa" as its theme, so I've entered it in the show. Not the first time I've entered a quilt, but the first outside a county fair or guild show. Hopefully it will make it into the "Themed" category- this quilt is just shy of the published size requirement, but it may make it in anyway. I'm just thrilled to have it done, and to prove to myself that I can FMQ!!

New post, first post- I am still trying to figure this thing out. I'm not a computer illiterate, but I'm not a techno-geek either.

I hope to use this as a venue for more consistent art journaling, and a way to keep in contact with the family and friends- most of whom are online anyway. I'm just starting this journey, who knows where it will take me.

And, what better place to post my personalized banner. Here's hoping I can get this to work. .


And, finally a new picture for my profile: as good a place as any to post it!