fiberhart

BRRRRRR!!!!

It has been bitter cold all week- I doubt it got out of the twenties. And, because there was a high pressure system sitting over us, we also have the dreaded inversion- or what anyone who has ever lived in a large city knows when they see it, SMOG!! I grew up in Southern California, and I certainly know the stuff- I'm just not used to seeing it in winter. In California, the usual smog season is summer. Here, it's worse in the winter. But it's yucky air not matter where or when.

The cold has kept the snow firmly frozen. Our HOA has hired a snow removal contractor that does a marginal job at best, so leaving home is sometimes an adventure in slip and slide. And the dogs continue to wade through eight plus inches in our tiny backyard!

I have gotten my first five postcards from my Art2Mail group. From top to bottom, they are from Josephine Edge, Tina Marie Rey, Betty Alofs, Judi Corrado, and Carol Thompson. I love how the styles are all so different. It really does brighten a day to find one of these gems in your mailbox!!
And, since it is hard to see on the group photo- here's a closeup of Josephine's. Her machine quilting is exquisite. I learned about feathers at the individual class I had with Suzanne Hyland, and I have a whole new respect for those who can do them well. As yet, I can't even draw them well, forget quilting them!

I'm working on my February set of cards for the same group, and doing some extras for Karey Bresenhan's Heart to Heart project, sending fabric Valentines to injured servicemen and women from Iraq and Afghanistan. Whatever my feelings about this war, I do not want this generation of military to experience what my generation did after Vietnam.

Here's my backing fabrics:
And here's all the hearts I have spent this weekend making. Some are threadpainted, some are Angelina fabric. I used cotton, rayon, and trilobal polyester thread, and a couple of different metallics. I rather like the lacy effects I got!
That should make for some nice projects to work on during the week, when I am normally tired and don't have a lot of time. I'm also thinking I'll include some interesting yarns I have with the hearts.

I got a couple of very nice comments from Nellie and Vicky about the postcards I made and mailed last week. Working in semi-isolation, I often wonder what others think of my creations. Feedback that is specific is helpful, and has told me that my minimalist emerging style is working. I really do appreciate it when surfers on this blog leave me comments!

And, speaking of surfers on this blog- I like to read my sitemeter and find out where people reading my blog are from. I seem to have regular readers from Hungary, Switzerland, Australia, and several locations within the US and Canada. Who are you? I would love to know! I've encountered some interesting people and work by following comments back to the person's blog. Come out from hiding!!