If you’re like me, you’ll hear Bing Crosby’s voice as he sings to Rosemary Clooney on that one…. For those of you who don’t love the old movie White Christmas, Bing and Rosemary are the older of a pair of war buddies (that would be Bing, to Danny Kaye’s younger corporal) and sisters (with actress Vera Ellen of the impossibly tiny waist and very fast dancing feet).   Theirs is a somewhat rocky courtship, aided and abetted by Danny and Vera’s characters.   Rosemary goes to get a sandwich at the inn, and Bing shows up to make her a liverwurst sandwich with buttermilk (BLEAH…how could anyone think that tastes good?????).  She says she can’t sleep, so of course Bing breaks into song about counting your besslings instead of sheep, and the refrain ends “you’ll fall asleep counting your bleeeeeeesssssss-iiiiiinnnnnnngggggggggs”.

So I decided I should count some of my blessings:

1.  My family is alive and well, and we are blessed to be together.

2.  Mom agreed to move to Maine, and now lives 5 minutes instead of a continent (or more as it has been in years past) away.  Best of all, she has become nice again, and I have my mommy back.  The dementia is getting worse, but she is much kinder,  she gets my sense of humor, and best of all she seems to be happier!

3.  Joshua is alive, well, fully recovered, and seems to have (we think/hope/pray) passed through some of the more tumultuous moments of the teen years.  He is a responsible employee at his job, and is bright and learning.

4.  Eli is a stupendous student, cool kid, devoted son and brother, and great dog-parent to Pigwidgeon.   He is (hooray!, we’ve bred two of them) an inveterate reader, curious, polite, kind, interesting… OK I’ll stop now.  I know I’m biased.  That’s my job.

5.  Paul and I celebrated 25 years of marriage, and we’re still bubbling along. As in all marriages that last, we are always there for each other, and he is my best friend and the first person I go to for most anything (well, except for quilting advice!).

6.  Pigwidgeon (the pug) and Thumper (the 26-toed calico cat) follow me around the house and bring furry love, joy and hair to my life.

7.  Pigwidgeon makes EVERYone, and I mean EVERYONE, smile.  Just last night, when I took him out for nighttime walkies, he had me laughing out loud as he cavorted and chased a snow clod!

8.  Joyce came to visit; my late half-brother’s wife, Joyce is like a sister to me.  I remember her from when my family and I returned to the US when I was six, and she has been a part of my life ever since.  T.J. gets major bonus points for bringing the best person in the family into it.

9.  The Frayed Edges:  Kathy, Kate, Deborah and Hannah make my life and Maine a better place to be (even tho Deborah  is currently in the wilds of Texas).  They are friends, artists, confidants, and just plain FUN and interesting and wonderful.

10.  Marie is one of those friends that will last through the ages… you know how maybe six or seven times in your life you meet someone and you know you will be friends forever, no matter where you are?  Well, Marie is one of those!   Even tho she is still in Washington State, and I am in Maine,  we are still close….and even tho we can sometimes only keep up by visiting each others’ blogs (hers is here), we are always in each other’s hearts.

11.  The Coastal Quilters:  my local quilt chapter is filled with wonderful, fun, diverse, interesting women (no men yet in the group).

12.  QuiltArt ( click here for the website) is the most wonderful online group (like an extended family spread ’round the world) of kindred (and not so kindred) souls, all of whom love art quilts.   QA was my door into art quilting, my master’s degree, my continuing education, the source of untold friendships and inspiration and ideas…. it’s a great place to be.  Thanks to List Mom Judy for creating such a home, to all who make it the best place in cyber-space….

13.  Kit Robinson, on both the QuiltArt and Janome 6500/6600 groups (the latter is a yahoo group), who invited me to write an article for Machine Quilting Unlimited magazine.  In talking over the proposed subject, tension, I mused that really I needed to write about needles first, because you need the correct needle to get the correct tension.  One article turned into two, then….

14.  Vicki Anderson, publisher of MQU and the sister-magazine for long-arm quilters, Unlimited Possibilities, asked me to be a regular columnist for them… WOOOOHOO!!!! For the first time since 1997, I have predictable income with each quarterly article.  Best of all, I get to write about quilting AND get paid for it… life is truly wonderful.

15.  Quilting Arts magazine accepted two of my ideas for short lessons in their e-Newsletter, Embellishments; not only was I paid a modest sum, but they put my name under theirs and in front of something like 50,000 subscribers!  WOW…. THANK YOU Pokey Bolton (top editor and big kahuna, even tho she is a tiny little thing!) and Cate Prato (editor) . For info on how to subscribe to the e-Newsletter, click here.

16.  Quilting Arts / Cloth Paper Scissors  invited folks to submit ideas to participate in Open Studio, where you get to demonstrate a technique, at the large Quilting Arts zone at quilt festival in Houston; they invited me to participate!!!!   I am thrilled at their confidence in me, and I had a blast.  I hope to be able to do it again.

17.  Festival in Houston:  I get to see great quilts, meet old and new friends, see folks I have originally “met” online mostly on the Quiltart list.   Thanks to Karey Bresenhan and her hard-working cast and crew for all they do for all quilters…. Karey is truly in the business of making dreams come true for so many of us!

18.  Iris Karp of Misty Fuse has been so kind and generous, and I had a ball demonstrating in her booth in Houston….. would LOVE to do it again!   Thanks Iris!

19.  SAQA, the Studio Art Quilt Association. Despite the somewhat steep annual dues, I decided a while back that I needed to join.  Boy was I right!  I’ve had at least one exhibit opportunity thanks to being on their site, and think that at least a couple of the work opportunities that have come my way have been due to being in SAQA (and on their website).  Then, last Christmas Marie (see #10) sent me a copy of Portfolio 14, a SAQA publication that is aimed at galleries, museums and collectors.  I knew within about 20 seconds of seeing it that I needed to upgrade to Professional Artist Member status (if they’d take me) and be in the next one.  Well…. I was accepted as a PAM, and got into Portfolio 15 (now available for sale here) and (drum roll) a thumbnail of my quilt even made the back cover!

20. As a result of adding some information to the SAQA wiki (an online information data base for members), I came to Lisa Chipetine’s attention, and she very kindly invited me to be the fifth person in an online Critique session with quiltartist Sandra Sider.  WOW!   I can’t believe how much I learned, perhaps even more so from listening to the comments and discussion about other quilts being critiqued.  If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming critique sessions, click here.

21.  The manuscript is nearing completion!  More on that when I can!

22.  I was FLOORED when I pulled up Creative Quilting with Beads early this year on Amazon.com  looking for a publication date…as longtime readers know, I have two projects in the book, and Kate (1), Kathy (1) and Deborah (3!) also have projects.  The COVER was MY pomegranate notebook! Talk about a pipe dream come true!

23.  About this time last year, I wrote a quick note to Bonnie Browning, who is a big kahuna at the AQS quilt shows, related to a posting she had made on the QuiltArt list.  She must have clicked on my signature links and visited my website, and she invited me to apply to TEACH for AQS!  The kicker:  this was Sunday, and applications needed to be in her office Monday.  I quickly turned my brochure into a PDF and e-mailed her all the info.  The result:  Bonnie and AQS took a chance and hired me to teach in PADUCAH (Paducah and Houston are the two biggest, most prestigious quilt shows in the US and honestly, in the world!).  I had a ball, student reviews were good, and I did it….hoooray!

24.  Lowell Quilt Festival (Massachusetts) also hired me to teach, and I had a ball there, too.   That show is only about 4 hours from me, so I was able to take LOTS of extra goodies since I could drive.  I had the most amazing time, and they treated the teachers like royalty!  I learned so much from so many amazing teachers…. Nancy Prince and Joanie Zeier Poole were incredibly generous in sharing tips and tricks of teaching on the road…. all of us who ate dinner together… totally fantastic!

25.  Blogging and the internet and all of you!  One of the joys of my mornings is checking flags…. I use a couple of sitemeters, and I LOVE looking at where people are who visit my blog… the sitemeters don’t tell me your e-mail, but they do give a location (more or less… depending on the company, my address in Camden shows up as Camden, Rockland, Tenant’s Harbor….at least it is a general location).  I’ve now had visitors from over 129 nations and every state in the US and almost every province in Canada.  WAY COOL!   I love how the internet has brought us closer, how I can e-mail my friend Lisa in Sydney (literally almost halfway ’round the world), hear back a moment later, reply, and carry on an instant conversation.  I love how those of us who worked in isolated splendor can now share and learn, so THANK YOU for being out there and surfing in to here!

I could go on, but I will stop here, or I really will put all of you to sleep.

Thank you and blessings and peace to you and all of yours,

Sarah

A few weeks ago a most wonderful thing happened, Lisa Chipetine (active and an asset to SAQA, the Studio Art Quilt Association) invited me to be part of a quilt critique session with Sandra Sider.  I had heard of these before, but had never even listened to one of the on-line critiques, let alone thought of participating.  But when opportunity knocks on your door, it pays to answer!   Lisa’s website is www.threadplay.com, and through the quilt critique page (click here) you can sign up to participate, be a silent observer, or access the archives.   I wasn’t sure which quilt to offer… Lisa had seen both The Wall and Naiads at the SAQA site on my Professional Artists Member’s page.

This one is the wall…. about the size of a poster.  Below is Naiads, which is 18 wide by 45 long (49 including the longest branch):

I also suggested Koi, because I wasn’t sure which to pick:

In an exchange of e-mails, Lisa suggested one of the first two, as there was more to them.  I chose Naiads, because there is more in the way of technique and composition.  I will say that I was quite happy with this piece, and wondered what she would say.

I was, fortunately, second on the list of the five quilts being reviewed–that gave me a chance to sit through one before my turn.  You need to have a live phone line (as in, not tied up with dial-up) and internet while the one-hour critique session takes place.  After you sign up, Lisa sends each participant an e-mail with a special code which allows them in to the restricted online page where you can view the quilts being discussed.

When the session begins, you also dial in to a special number and are conferenced in to a multi-way call with Sandra, Lisa, and the five other quilters, and perhaps a few others.  Our session began with a work in progress… an unfinished top.  Sandra begins by asking the quilter (who is identified as Quilter (or was it artist?) 1) what is his/her intent, goals, and a bit about the quilt.  Sandra continues with good points, suggests changes, and other participants may also offer comments.

For Naiads, Sandra was very kind, commenting that I had managed to capture the feel of moving water, which is hard to do in textiles.  A photo of Naiads appeared on the left of the screen.  Then a slightly photoshopped version showed Sandra’s suggestions.  A moving cursor identified specific areas under discussion so that other participants (silent and otherwise) can easily see the area being discussed.

Sandra’s first comment was that the seated Naiad’s leg was too long, so she moved blue over the bottom of it.  In fact, tho I will check to make sure, I am pretty certain the proportions are accurate, but because she was viewing on a screen, she couldn’t see that it is also her foot..in the picture the heel is hidden under some sheer fabric, but that may be something I need to modify or accentuate so that it reads better.

Sandra’s other two comments were fantastic…so much so that I wished I could dash upstairs and make the changes NOW!  Instead, Christmas will have to happen first, an article get written, THEN fix before sending in an entry to Paducah.  Anyway, Sandra suggested shortening the branches on the right side, where the river flows into the quilt.  By lifting these branches out of the way, you get even more of a sense of moving water….way cool!  (and an easy fix too!)

The final suggestion was to somehow cover up the lower portion of the swimming naiad’s body.  In the photo, the shape appeared distorted, but I explained that the problem is actually a technical one:  I didn’t quilt the water (sheer fabric) over her body (when you quilt part of a body and not the rest weird stuff happens and it looks worse), so the sheer kinda bubbles.  It is the one technical issue for this quilt which I really don’t like.

Sandra used the cloning tool (or something like that) and covered her left hand and the body from about the waist down with blue…. as a result, the focal point shifts up to the other two naiads, the swimming naiad’s right hand points up and leads the eye to the one walking into the background… it just totally works!   I don’t know that I will completely cover the lower half… when one is swimming in the river, you can see parts of the body underwater; however, I think if I cover parts of her with cotton and more with a dark blue/green sheer, I can keep the realism and still get the effect in Sandra’s suggestion.  I promise I’ll share pics!

The next three quilts, including some that were finished, was at least as educational as  the critique of my quilt.  Because I was looking at new (to me) work, with fresh eyes, I could see where Sandra was going.  It was fun to participate in the conversation, too.

Would I do this again?  ABSOLUTELY!   I don’t know that I can afford to sign up for the regular monthly access (which is a bargain if  you listen in or go to the archives for all the sessions), but I will definitely be back as both a silent participant and, when I need it, in the critique session.  Lisa and Sandra are taking a short break, but the sessions resume January 26th.  I’ve got it marked on my calendar…and hopefully by then my changes will be made and my quilt will be better.

I have a few Christmas traditions….. putting certain ornaments in certain spots on the tree (mostly high up for safety from the cats and dogs–some of these babies are now more than 45 years old, but were new when I got them), watching White Christmas, listening to The Night The Animals Talked (becoming problematic…. none of our cassette players works any more except for the one in my car… had to sit out there last year, and can’t find my box with the old 33 rpm records to get the record copied into digital) on Christmas eve, and for the past decade or so, listening to the Peter, Paul and Mary Holiday Concert.  For a girl who was baptized a Protestant Christian and went to 10 years of Catholic schools, I don’t know if it is odd that one of my favorite songs is “hayo, Haya”,  about the miracle of the lights and another is “Light One Candle.”  Since today is the first day of Hannukah, when the light in the temple should have burned out but lasted for eight days, I’d like to share it with you.

I couldn’t find Hayo, Haya by Peter, Paul and Mary on You Tube, but here is a California high school chorus singing the song (in Hebrew I’m guessing, since it isn’t in English)… but the melody is just as haunting:

As with  so many wonderful things, you can find it on the internet, and in this case on YouTube, so here you go  for Light One Candle (with, I think, Korean subtitles!):

So in the spirit of peace, joy and equal opportunity faithfulness, go in Peace to love and serve the Lord, whichever and whomever you choose, for there are many paths to what is good and right.

We got a light snow last night…maybe 2 to 3 inches.  When I took Widgeon out last night at 9, it was almost like a frozen mist coming down it was so fine.

Here is what we saw on the upstairs weather station (yep, hubby is a gadget guy….) when we woke up today:

Yes…it was 3.6 degrees (F) outside… that is way below 0 (zero) Centigrade (32 F = 0 C) for those of you outside North America.  Inside, it was 56 (we keep the heat upstairs at 50 unless the boys are home during the day as on the weekends).  Downstairs, we have a fancier weather station (remember what I said about hubby):

As you can see, the timer-thermostat had kicked on the inside temp is up to 63, outside was rounded up to 4, but windchill is at ZERO.  BRRRRRR!  I’ll bet little Widgeon’s little parts nearly froze on morning walkies!

And the Lo temps for the night:

Yes, that is a wind chill of 7 below.  I am very grateful we live in a fairly new, TIGHT house that doesn’t leak cold like a seive.  I don’t know how folks in chinked log cabins survived the winters.  I expect the warmth from the  cows and horses helped…… Fortunately, we have a seriously less stinky alternative:  the wood stove.  As the former voluteer firefighter, Paul is in charge of buidling fires.  So first thing this morning he was chopping kindling on the back porch and getting the banked coals back to a warm toasty fire:

Believe it or not, I also quilt.  It seems like it has been FOREVER since I have had time to make art.  I am still working on the manuscript (and actually got excited yesterday… I appear to be making headway on the tedious “finishing up” stuff.   And, this past week, I had a PHENOMENAL opportunity:  Lisa Chipetine invited me to have Sandra Sider critique one of my quilts.  Never having heard or been in on such a thing, I was only a tad apprehensive.  I knew they would be kind, but I had NO idea how incredibly useful the process would be.  I promise a blogpost soon on that, plus an “after” shot when I get a couple of edits done.  For more info, go here:

http://www.threadplay.com/critiquing.htm

Anyway, that’s it for today…more soon!  And I promise, eventually I really will get back to art and quilting!

Deborah and Hannah…do not look!!!! to the bottom of the post until all packages have arrived in Texas!  There are mid-stream warnings….

Yes, I am still alive, just really busy!  Between (among) Thanksgiving, Mom’s birthday, getting ready for Christmas and whatnot, I’ve been too busy to read let alone write let alone thing.  Sleep?  I remember it fondly.  I’d like more.  LOTS more!

But I did have a wonderful Monday.  Alas, the ice storm that hit the northeast got Hannah….she had been without power for three days, with FOUR daughters ages 3 to 12 or so…. then to add insult to injury, on our meeting day the elementary school in her area closed because (drum roll, sob) there was still no electricity!   So it was just Kate, Kathy and me, and Deborah by phone!  Hannah we missed you! You were certainly there in spirit.

AND, thanks to Kathy, we remembered to take pictures (that cue used to always come from Deborah…now we sometimes forget!).  Here is Kathy’s tree:

and the prezzies under the tree:

And the lovely table Kathy prepared, including critters and a fun plate for Hannah’s youngest daughter, who also didn’t make it since she and mom were home with the three older sisters (wahn! but we understand…been there, done that! and if the power had been out in Camden, I would have been home, too)

Kate’s mother-in-law has a recipe for a fabulous peanut curry soup, and I’d been hankering for it, so Kath made it:

I made scones (didn’t turn out so great…rosemary salt, but they were too close to the bottom of the over and got tough on the bottoms…tasted good, but…), and Kate made Deborah’s steamed cranberry pudding for dessert (sorry, no pics)…..

We opened gifties before and after… we started with Deborah’s (Hannah… you need to stop here!); her bag was so cute, sewed shut with little felt leaves, that I opened mine from the bottom:

It’s such a hoot… Deborah made Judy Coates Perez’s ornaments from this years Quilting Arts Gifts magazine, and Kate and I had planned to make Judy’s ornaments from LAST year’s issue, but didn’t have the time or couldn’t get the materials in time! I’ll take a picture of my new Frayed Edges ornaments on the tree and post later…..  Here is Kathy looking at the zine Deborah made for a swap;…. I totally love it and am planning an indulgent hour alone with it later this week:

We took a lunch break, and I spotted Kathy’s photo holder:  a string of beads with clips interspersed.  Since we have one of those AWFUL stainless steel fridges that don’t hold magnets but DO hold every fingerprint that ever passed through the house, I think I shall make one of these hangers for next to the fridge:

DEBORAH:  you need to stop here!

After lunch, I fell off the photo wagon and forgot to take pics of Kate’s gift, and mine… so you’ll have to do with a photo of the ornaments I made … took the photo (obviously) before gift wrapping… they are inspired by some cool lobster buoys I saw at Marriner’s (a local diner)…will try to get photos of them, too… but for now here you go:

That’s it for now!