Fire

This is the picture of the fire that was right next to the place my daughter rents.
She heard an explosion next door, saw the flames and rushed out the door and locked her doors behind her around 10 pm. It seems someone next door had been using a gas grill for dinner. The firefighters broke her doorframe to get in after she left and we had to call someone in to board up the windows that had cracks and to reinforce the door frame around midnight.
The vinyl siding on the side of her house looks terrible in daylight. They say it is structurally sound but there will be lots of work left
to do at her place as well.

She said the firemen arrived very quickly.
Luckily everyone in the neighborhood is fine.

She had a skunk that loved to live under her front porch. The fire smell got rid of the skunk smell!

Fabric microscope covers

Made 11 fabric microscope covers for the Cytologists at St Joe's Hospital, Ann Arbor. The occasion is National Cytotech Day on Wednesday. Ten and the same fabric and one is a golf fabric for an avid golfer.

Check out this article about my friend, Cyn Geist in the Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090508/METRO04/905080376/1409/METRO/Genoa-Township-resident-paints-her-politics-on-garage-door

I feel the same as Cyn about the government spending .
My Journal Quilt about it is on my feb blog.

Way to go Cyn for expressing your views so publicly!

Recycled Art by Jean Shin

Saw a great exhibit of Recycled Art by Jean Shin at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC at 8th and G St NW. She used many items one could consider garbage such as old ties, pill bottles, computer keyboards, unravelling yarns.
we were not allowed to take photgraphs.
check out her work online..
http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS311&q=jean+shin&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=1ncBSoG8I5PkNbbdmPwC&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title

It is definitely worth a visit if you are in DC . It is available till July 26, 2009

Bottle collection

A new home for my bottle collection.
Love those colors and shapes.

Embellished Top

Originally, this purchased top had too many beads and stones. Removed about half of them, and added them to my embellishment stash for future projects.

rugs from placemats

Zigzagged two striped placemats along the long edges while butting them side by side.Then zigzagged the floral placemat in the center for a quick kitchen rug!

All 3 were finds at a garage sale.

Guitars: A Study of Colors, and Actual Transparancies

Detail, A gift for my music loving daughter

Autumn Textures

Created for a class on Textures : Quilting Unlimited for GAAQG this summer. We will be working with over a dozen techniques including burning holes in sheers, layering with synthetics , mini scraps under net, steam shrinking threads and heating Tyvek.

The Seasons ..Quilts x3

The girls and I each worked on a separate quilt background. Each of us cut leaves and shared them to create 3 wonderful quilts.

I found this mat after we made all 3 quilts..what a coincindence!

International Fiber Collaborative (W.R.A.P)

This the my leaf contribution to the International Fiber Collaborative.
Participants will create a full-sized tree for display in April 2009 at Big Springs International Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Here are some of the other leaves.
http://www.internationalfibercollaborative.com/html/gallery.html

south carolina trip

A beautiful sunrise!

Enjoyed the art museum with an interesting exhibit of Tools.

The Wild woman is for a friend.

This fiber postcard is for Kim Ritter's art car. She would like symbols of Peace for “The Peace Expedition”. For once I finished before the deadline!

Journal Quilt 2009 detail, economy

detail: Credit is tight, the housing market and the downward directions of banks, stock market, autos is creating the recession and our depression. Emotions sink as we view the negative values of our 401Ks.In a rush to do something to fix the economy, elected officials pass an unread 1100 page bill which is grossly padded with pork! The debt climbs into the trillions with the addition of each bailout as they are printing more money to cover the costs.

Gee, I wish I could print more money to cover my expenses the way they are handling the financial crisis!

Materials: Beads, charms, cottons, hardware cloth, ribbons, sheers, ties, Tyvek, and washers.

Jai Ho, Jai Ho Quilt

The faces are shisha mirrors and the text is windowscreen. I love Bollywood songs and AR Rahman's song has a wonderful beat from the Oscar winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire. The meaning of the words:

Jai Ho, Jai Ho, Jai Ho, Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!) Aaja Aaja Jind Shamiyane Ke Tale (COME ON MY LIFE, JOIN ME UNDER THE BIG ROOF)Aaja Jariwale Nile Aasman Ke Tale (COME JOIN ME UNDER THE GLITTERING BLUE SKY)

Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Aaja Aaja Jind Shamiyane Ke Tale (COME ON MY LIFE, JOIN ME UNDER THE BIG ROOF)Aaja Jariwale Nile Aasman Ke Tale (COME JOIN ME UNDER THE GLITTERING BLUE SKY) Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Ratti Ratti Sachi Maine Jaan Gavayi Hai (NIGHT AFTER NIGHT I TRULY DIED..)

Nach Nach Koylo Pe Raat Bitayi Hai (SPENT THE NIGHTS DANCING ON HOT COALS..)Akhiyon Ki Neend Maine Phoonko Se Uda Di (I BLEW AWAY THE SLEEP IN MY EYES..)

Neele Neele Tare Maine Ungli Jalayi Hai (I BURNT MY FINGERS TRYING TO TOUCH THE STARS..)

Aaja Aaja Jind Shamiyane Ke Tale (COME ON MY LIFE, JOIN ME UNDER THE BIG ROOF)Aaja Jariwale Nile Aasman Ke Tale (COME JOIN ME UNDER THE GLITTERING BLUE SKY)Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Spanish: Baila! Baila! (Dance! )

Ahora conmigo, tu baila para hoy (Now with me, you dance for today) Por nuestro dia olvidas, (For our day, just forget..)

los problemas que sean (whatever problems there may be) Salud! (Cheers!) Baila! Baila! (Dance! Dance!)

Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!) Chakh Le Ho Chakh Le Ye Raat Shahad Hai Chakh Le (TASTE IT, THE NIGHT IS HONEY, TASTE it) Rakh Le Haan Dil Hai Dil Aakhri Had Hai Rakh Le(KEEP MY HEART, IT IS THE LAST LIMIT, YEAH KEEP IT) Kala Kala, Kajal Tera Koi Kala Jadoo Hai Na(DARK, THIS EYELINER OF YOURS, IS LIKE A MAGICAL SPELL)
Kala Kala Kajal Tera Koi Kala Jadoo Hai Na(DARK, THIS EYELINER OF YOURS, IS LIKE A MAGICAL SPELL) Aaja Aaja Jind Shamiyane Ke Tale (COME ON MY LIFE, JOIN ME UNDER THE BIG ROOF)Aaja Jariwale Nile Aasman Ke Tale, Jai Ho, Jai Ho (COME JOIN ME UNDER THE GLITTER BLUE SKY,.. IT ROCKS!IT ROCKS!) Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)Jai Ho Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Kab Se Han Kab Se Jo Lab Pe Ruki Hai Keh De(FOR SO LONG, YES FOR SO LONG, WHAT'S BEEN KEPT FROM YOUR LIPS, SAY IT) Keh De Ha Keh De Ab Aankh Jhuki Hai.. Keh De(SAY IT, O SAY IT, NOW THAT YOUR EYES ARE SHOWING IT..SAY IT!) Aisi Aisi, Roshan Aankhe, Roshan Dono heeray, Hai Kya(SUCH, AH SUCH LIT-UP EYES (OF YOURS), BRIGHT AS DIAMONDS, AREN'T THEY? ) Aaja Aaja Jind Shamiyane Ke Tale(COME ON MY LIFE, JOIN ME UNDER THE BIG ROOF)Aaja Jariwale Nile Aasman Ke Tale(COME JOIN ME UNDER THE GLITTERING BLUE SKY) Jai Ho.. Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!) (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Baila baila (Dance! Dance!) Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)Baila baila (Dance! Dance!) Jai Ho (LET VICTORY BE YOURS!)

Miami Art: Banana Batik

The artist called these figures collaged on banana leaves, Banana Batik..

These zebras were painted on banana leaves...

While on a Miami, Fl snowbird trip, we enjoyed an outdoor art fair

India E Postcard received

This beautiful postcard was created by Robi Ganguli, the recepient of my postcard.

Postcard Swap with Artists in India

Back of Postcard above.Keep Cool, hot pepper roof

This is the Front of the postcard I mailed out. It was Machine sewn with a Pepsi can, charms, beads, trims, fabrics.

Dreaming of warmer weather during a long, cold, snowy Michigan winter

Cannot wait to see the postcard I get back.

A Celebration Of Model T

As Detroit's Auto show comes to a close, here is another car I built in fabric that marks the events of another decade in the twentieth century, the 1910s. It took almost 3 years for me to complete this quilt. It was hard to work with just black fabrics for the model T, so i used black and whites instead, added lots of embellishments and I love the way it turned out.

Medusa, snakes hair detail

Medusa

Medusa came home after traveling for a couple of years. It was so much fun to create her hair full of snakes!

Passion and Fun

On snowy days during the winter, I love to quilt. It has been my passion and fun for over 28 years. I could spend hours quilting and the time just flies by.In this quilt, the head is a rotary cutter, The limbs are rolled metal tubes.
the heartbeat is rattail cord woven thru a metal grid.
The feet have locks and the key is elsewhere in the quilt.

Originally, I made the background of this quilt for the Tsunami. After it travelled as apart of the Sacred Threads exhibit, I cut it apart and reworked it so it applies to my passion for today.
Last week I thought about entering my Seven Steps Around the Sacred Fire quilt to the Sacred Threads exhbit this year but decided against it for two reasons. It has many fragile embellishments and it is already framed.

My Block for GAAQG worker's quilt

Celebrate Life Daily

detail

Full View

Wedding Quilt: 7 Steps Around the Sacred Fire

All auspicious beginnings include a havan, or a sacred fire which is symbolic of Agni, the Fire God. It is through fire that our prayers are said to reach God. During a Hindu marriage ceremony, the couple exchanges garlands of flowers and take 7 steps, Saptapadi around the fire, and each step represents a vow. My actual wedding chunni(veil) is used as the wedding sari in this quilt.

Wedding Quilt detail

The 7 steps around the fire and thier meaning: Step 1: May the couple be blessed with an abundance of food
Step 2: May the couple be strong and complement one another
Step 3: May the couple be blessed with prosperity
Step 4: May the couple be eternally happy
Step 5: May the couple be blessed with children
Step 6: May the couple live in perfect harmony
Step 7: May they be the best of friends forever

Chile Argentina memories

Travel Chile/ Argentina

Dec 2008 Santiago, Chile . Very warm city..with parks all along the main street in the center of the entire street! Wonderful weather, too! Saw the textiles and pottery at the Museo Chileno De Arte PreColombino. Saw the castle way up the hill called Cerro Santa Lucia and enjoyed a great view of the city. It had lovely gardens on top. We tried an Empanada...like Karangi but with cheese filling. Santiago had a fountain that was a lot like the Bellagio in Vegas. The main street has parks continuously down the center including this fountain..the only thing missing was the music! Enjoyed meeting fellow passengers at the Welcome dinner .

Santiago City tour. Saw some galleries, and the Presidential Palace. Their current president is a woman who passed a law that gives a pension to housewives at age 60!

Trip to Via Del Mar and Valparaiso
Via Del Mar is a resort town with Casino. Palm trees line the river on both sides.
Valpraiso’s houses are very colorful and on top of steep hills. The early settlers built houses high up on the hill and painted the crimped aluminum different colors so they could identify their home from a distance. Went up a Feniculare for lunch and had a fantastic view of the city. A man and his pregnant wife entertained us with his guitar and sense of humor.

We flew 600 miles south to Puerto Montt and went to the town of Puerto Varas..our hotel room overlooks a huge, beautiful lake. Visited a ranch and saw many horses and their show with Gauchos..their cowboys. They teach the horses to walk sideways for shows...it takes them 4 years or more to learn and then a couple of hours a day practice. The horses we saw won 4 microwaves and ribbons for their owners at the last show! It is a sense of pride for the Chilean"cowboys". It is a resort town and has small shops as well. The weather is cooler as it is further south.

Cross the lake into Argentina's Patagonia..it took all day with a bus-boat-bus-boat-bus-boat-bus. First we took a bus to Petrohue and then a catamaran on Lake Todos Los Santos, a very green lake.The rides were very scenic as we admired Osorno Volcano. From Puella, rode to Puerto Frias and took a second catamaran and crossed Lake Frias . The bus took us over crushed black lava to Puerto Blest. Our third boat ride was across Lake Huapi, also green in hue and we had a picture perfect day. Arrived in Bariloche, Argentina. We can see 2 volcanoes from our room across the scenic 40 mile Lake Huapi. We could sit by our picture window all day! Went to a Patagonian Ranch where they raise sheep. Also visited an amazing Patagonian Museum where a knowledgeable Mr. Fixit had awesome displays. This small museum was packed with wonderfulinventions.

We went to the top of Campanario hill by chairlift and saw the most breathtaking views of this area..the Andes and all the lakes and fir tree covered islands are so spectacular.....that is by far the highlight of the entire trip! Wow!!!!!! Buenosaires..very hot , with tall buildings and European type architecture. Some buildings were palaces and brought here after being disassembled and reassembled here. Saw a beautiful Cathedral where ordinary folk confessed face to face to the priests. Attended a home hosted meal by a divorced mom of 4. She lived in a very small apartment with her high school age daughter loved everything American. We also saw some filming a movie/Tv show right near our hotel with lots of pink and purple confetti. City tour including impressive La Boca’s colorful buildings, impressive Recoleta cemetery and got Tango lessons! Attended the local antique market and also the craft markets where they create wonderful jewelry with silver and assorted stones, even changing stones on request as you watch them work. An amazing artisan carved a matchstick with an Xacto knife of a couple doing Tango. Parana Delta Tour..interesting how they have so many houses on stilts as their vacation homes. They had grocery stores on boat , a lot like Venice with lush greenery. Our guide, Luis was wonderful and the trip was great!

Chile Argentina Trip