think-quilts » Work in progress

Clean-up time! – or Making Little Things

Lisa — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:45:24 +0000

Cleaning up the work table is NOT always a chore, – it gives me to surrender to another little love: to make little things.

Scooping up scraps, thinking of “what could that become”. . .

…a memory piece fabric postcard of a quilt I donated to Block Party Quilters’ small quilt sale.

The quilt was made mostly from my own hand-dyed cottons,
plus a little bit of cotton lame, silver sheer and interesting, corresponding threads.

The design and the quilting lines symbolize frangrance, how it unfolds, swirls around invisible, until you catch a tiny swift that reminds you of something in an instant…

I also love to make:

ATC

a little baggie

a pouch

a “holder” for no matter what: eyeglasses

name tags

pots and pans

a small mobile ironing board

a miniature as a pin or brouche

or just fabric covered brick-weights

What color is your shade?

Lisa — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:50:38 +0000

(Photpgraph © by Eva Stoerch)

This picture shows exactly what I’m trying to explain to many aspiring artists: Shadow during daylight is BLUE – here is the proof!
The color of the sunlight is not very visible to our human eye, but it is sligtly orangy-yellow in winter, ergo the shadow is the complimentary color.

If you could take the same picture in the midst of high bright-yellow summer sun, the shadow would be much more purple.

Experiments with light in a dark room will show you the same result. Use a projector and slides in primary colors yellow, red, blue and a object to cast a shadow on a white background. The object will show the shade in the complimentary color.

Try it, you’ll be surprised.

The daily struggle to get creative

Lisa — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:12:52 +0000

Deadlines, lurking in the future, some still far away, some are drawing dangerously close to the point of delivery. Avoiding the upcoming panic feelings, writing down a plan, track life line is probably a good idea.

I’m back in my studio…

Lisa — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:47:04 +0000

…which is still unorganized, but I decided not to get distracted by clutter and not yet perfected furnishing solutions. If I’d wait for the perfect studio, that might take a loooooong time.

Now, I’m making silk scarfs, beautiful scarfs, and small items like baggies and mini-pouches. Some of my silk scraps, kimono silks and second hand garments will fall victim for these projects. It all comes down to texture, color, pattern combined by threads. I feel revitalized and excited by the possibilities.

A new book…

Lisa — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:35:17 +0000

…about painting on fabric or quilts arrived today. Great inspiration, so many different ways to apply paint to materials. - Makes me run upstairs and mess around with paint.

But, hold on,
- first I have to make a clean space for new creativity. Oh, what a chaos lives in my studio! I better get going to clean up this mess before I start a new one.

Plenty to do…

Lisa — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:51:46 +0000

…after so many months of sickness and treatments.

Yesterday, I tried to have ”naked” look into my room which I call studio. Not too promising and inviting for creative work. It’s a world away from being my favorite space. I suppose, it’s time to to serious planning of all the space . Get out the paper, measuring tape and pencil! First, clean up the tables and start weeding out stuff I lost interest or are just not “my thing” anymore.
I’ll need window coverings, – at times there is too much direct sunshine in the room. Don’t get me wrong, bright and light is good thing, but I need a little bit more control about how much.
Next: a double-wide design wall from acustic boards, fabric covered.
I got to work out a plan for the cutting table, which is also supposed to provide storage the most fabric plus all cutting tools.

Way to go. Let’s start.

The next step…

Lisa — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:10:34 +0000

… is getting back in shape and loosing weight. Both of my oncologists highly recomend to get truly skinny, it’ll push my chances for survival over the long run way up. But in sharp contrast to people who get immediate “rehab” treatment in case of a heart attack or sports injury, there is no “Cancer Rehab Program” available. ZERO. Basically, you are on your own. Never mind of the impact of chemo or radiation, and despite the trouble many patients have going thru surgery(-ies). There is nothing beyond verbally expressed good wishes, and recomendations for a “healthier” lifestyle. What kind of lousy short-cut care is that, considered that the best long-therm outcome would very much be in the interest of patient and insurance.

So, I wasn’t happy with these vague guidelines. After looking around, I found a good special program at my local top-notch fitness club. It’s a fitness and weightloss program, mainly targeted to people with heart trouble, are overweight or obese and must loose weight.
Two weeks ago, I started excercising and diet change, and my pounds are dropping rapidly. And for the fitness: I walk straighter and feel better, I surely get much easier rid of all the remaining drugs and their side effects, I have so much more energy, and -actually- utterly enjoy my workouts. This body feels so good after months of bedrest, pain, drugs and tiredness.

Hey, – and I’m working on a small art quilt which I started months ago with no energy left to finish. It’s coming back! Energy, it’s me, remember?

It’s over…

admin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:59:12 +0000

…radiation is over, – June 17th is the big mark. Although, my skin and the tissue underneath is still heavily “cooking”. I can feel it. But, being finished with major treatment is a huge relief for me.

It’s time to get back into creative mode.

A new honor for me…

admin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:25:54 +0000

… as one of many survivors of cancer, to walk the first round of Relay for Life! This is a truly grand and emotionally moving experience. My slightly sprouting head hair doesn’t let me forget: this came with a hefty price tag.

Honor of walking the first round

Next Sunday June 7th, I’ll walk the 5k Race for the Cure at Seattle’s Alaska Hwy, above the Waterfront with a georgous panorama of the Olympic Mountains.

Best of all, my husband and many of my friends will walk with me!

Getting rid of those bad cells…

admin — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:31:50 +0000

… means to lay on that radiation table every day! The good news is, after now half of all radiations, my skin is holding up nicely, – so far.

And since my skin is still fine, I’m back at the fitness studio for walking and weight lifting. Little weight, many repeats. This seems to work for my lymphedema as well, the muscle work pushes the protein and it reduces the great tention in the tissue and under the skin. It’s not gone, but doesn’t get worse either. Weight lifting also strengthens both arms, shoulders and upper body muscles, also stretches the under-arm tendon on the left side, which was very much impacted by the two surgeries.
And the best is, it leaves me with the great feeling I’ve accomplished something important!

Can’t wait to be allowed to go in the pool for swimming.