Friday, May 16, 2008

Finally, time to PLAY! and a Mother's Day Surprise....

After a bit of a hiatus -- we are returning to the workroom as it's girl's weekend - once again - we have the house to ourselves for THREE WHOLE DAYS. The sewing machine is fired up, the paints, pencils and pens came out of hiding and we're gettin' busy. Sabrina is in school today so I'm working on a project that I've had lying around for a while - some placemats and a table runner (a gift for someone?!?!?!?) I'm not a fan of "pieced" placemats so I found this nice little example and have
modified it to suit my needs. Instead of fall colors and a pumpkin, I'm using a folk art crow/flower print for the center, complementing colors for the edges and am going to use a floral print for the backing so they are reversible. "Piecing" is not my forte' however I am enjoying the designing process along with combining colors and patterns. I'm using commercial prints, hand dies, tea dyed (that I dyed myself) and some really cool homespuns I bought when we went to Schoolhouse Fabrics after visiting the Mountain Comforts Quilt show a while back in Virginia. I should have these done by the end of the weekend and will post more pictures.

A Wonderful Mother's Day Surprise....
Finally, I just had to share with you what I received from my precious girl for Mother's Day. It seems my daughter has been following my blog and decided that the perfect gift for me would be (and how right she was!) this amazing Van Gogh -- A Self Portrait in Arts and Letters, coffee table book - wrapped in custom made wrapping paper and delivered with a lovingly made card.

This fantastic gift contains about 400+ pages of photographs and translations of the actual private hand written letters from Vincent to his brother, along with page after page of his private sketches, doodles and paintings. I know I've said this before -- knowing the background of an artist or writer or history behind a work of art or piece of literature makes the experience so much sweeter, the connection so much deeper.

Thank you little girl for your oh so sweet and thoughtful gift from the heart - you know me soooo well!! XOXO

7 comments:

Vicki W said...

What a perfect MD gift! I really like your placemats. I need to make some for myself. I too have a few days alone this weekend and I can't wait!

Anonymous said...

Love the Mother's Day present and James Taylor. Have a great weekend.

Jeanne

Anonymous said...

...I absolutely LOVE that print you show here with the crow/bird on it! Can't wait to see what you make..
and I'm drooling over the Van Gogh book!Happy belated Mother's Day!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cathie!I just checked your blog and love the fabrics you're playing with this weekend; but I forgot to mention the wonderful "Circle of Life" piece you put on the side bar! The Native American Indians were SO smart and good to our/their environment and the earth! I must have been an Indian in another life; their ways and words and handwork have always fascinated me! Thanks for sharing that piece!Phyl in Warrenton http://phylliskingartworks.blogspot.com/

girlgonethreadwild said...

How thoughtful a gift from your sweet daughter! Cathie, you have been such an inspiration to me lately- I sit my creation you made for me (with Freckles) by my desk and smile each time I look over at it. You're the best, Monica

p.s. piecework is not my thang either, perhaps because it's too precise. I started tearing strips of different fabric and sewing it wayward, the results were much more fun and CROOKED which is how I like it. ;)

Unknown said...

Hi Cathie, sweet Cathie, looks as if you are having a great weekend! Is this John Denver I'm hearing here? Makes me feeling sooo comfortable!
Enjoy you day, and a hug for Sabrina de Bleu
love
Andrea
What a paradise you are living in:)

Pursuing Art... said...

It sounds like you girls are going to have a fun three days!!! Your project looks wonderful! You always do beautiful work!!!

Sabrina did find the perfect gift! What a sweetheart! And, what a lucky mom! ;-)

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