The Eye of the Beholder

I belong to a wonderful group of quilt artists who participate in the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge. The last Friday of the month we are presented a challenge. Similar to many challenges with a twist: we have just one week to finish the challenge! We have to think out of the box and we have to work fast.

It was the working fast that tripped me up last month. I lacked inspiration for most of the week then got into a creative frenzy. The challenge was to take or a quilt and then deconstruct it. I had a small project that I had done for another group and disliked it so much it almost went in the trash. Instead, I took my cutter and had great fun cutting it apart. The reconstruction was a series of "what if?" What if I did a loose weave? What if I experimented with different threads? What if I added an inside border?

Lots of fun and I rushed to get it finished. Problem is, I rushed too much and made a horrible mistake. One that couldn't be corrected. No way. No how. What to do? I decided to go ahead and finish the quilt. Could someone see the mistake? Doubtful. Could someone feel the mistake? Possibly. Do tell ...when was the last time you saw someone go into a home and take art off the wall?

As I usually do, I took the quilt into my office to be admired. All artists like to get ego-stroking and I can rely on my co-workers to give me appropriate stroking. No one said "hey, I see a mistake!"

Now that you have admired, it's time for me to confess what I will use forever as a "teaching moment" with my students. I had dutifully spent a few minutes practicing my free mothing quilting. Being rushed I wasn't quite as careful as usual. I didn't realize I had very neatly quilted a section of my practice piece to my top! Ouch!

I cut as much away as I could then fused on a back and applied a binding.

Now you know the secret. Can you see it?

-- Joanna

Do Not Disturb!

It's Saturday and I'm having a lazy day. With the temperature outside at 103 degrees at noon the energy level is pretty low. Here in Tucson we claim it's a dry heat but when the temperature gets over 105 the inclination is to simply relax. There's something magical about 105 degrees. Below that, we cope. Above that we are sluggards.

Our daily blessing is the morning. As hot as it was yesterday and as hot as it will be today, the early morning is cool, often 30-40 degrees cooler than midday temperatures. That's when we are active. Thus it was that I woke my usual time (5:00 am), relaxed a bit, then put on Sargeant's harness and headed to Udall Park for a walk. We usually go there for concerts and the dog park. This morning the objective was a bit of dog park for Sargeant and a mile plus walk for both of us. I've decided to rededicate myself to losing more weight (a visit to the doctor and getting some elevated lab results is an incentive!) so weekend mornings are being dedicated to walks.

We did a tour of the walking path then headed to the dog park. Sargeant ran around for a few minutes then we headed out to explore the park. I've decided I really don't enjoy walking along a formal walking path. I'd much prefer to wander. So this likely won't be a regular destination, especially with gas prices as high as they are today. This morning it was $35 to fill my little Hyundai's tank!

Once home I watered the garden and caught up with email and the Saturday morning quilting programs. Inspiration to get my muse going! First, however, I have to unpack my machine. Yesterday I taught a photo postcard class and, naturally, forgot to take photos of how I was geared up with my Tutto machine case, Laurel Burch bag with all the supplies and, for this class only, laptop computer and printer.

Clicked on the studio light and there was Sargeant, sound asleep, at least until the light came on, in one of his favorite sleeping spots. He looked up as I quietly retreated and I hoped he wouldn't move until I grabbed the camera. For those not familiar with Miniature Pinscher dogs, they are often called "alarm" or "security" dogs. Small they may be (but not Sargeant, he's a trim 18 pounds for his over-sized 14" height) but loud, alert and territorial. Let someone try to come to the back gate or front door and he'll make you think he's a 200 pound terrior!

After our morning walk all Sargeant wants to do is nap. The studio is dark and cool and the best sleeping spot is on top of my cutting/ironing center. That's the surface I forgot to cover yesterday when I dashed out for class. Before I can wake my muse I need to remove the dog and cat hair!

That's a small inconvenience for the companionship provided by Sargeant TopGun and Miz Paws.

When I finish this blog entry I can go to the studio and not feel guilty shooing him away. He's sound asleep on the bed now, head resting on my pillow. It's definitely a good day to be a dog!

-- Joanna

Lessons from the Death of Tim Russert

Some people simply aren't meant to die. They're icons, with us for decades. We expect them to keep on keeping on. When a icon dies, there's always shock. Especially when the icon is someone younger.Boomers are the generation that's going to live to 90.

Tim Russert died at age 58 of heart disease. Like many of us he was overweight and under exercised. He loved life and when life offered up good food he ate it. When life didn't offer good food he did like most of us and went to junk food tables and snack machines. Stress eating, many of us call it, though we deny we are stressed.

Politics makes strange bedfellows and so does journalism. I've been involved with both. Both are incestuous. On one hand there is the competition to be first, to be the best. On the other is the understanding that the only people who truly understand your work and life are those who experience the same frustrations and triumphs. Your best friends can be your most intense competitors.

On his death Tim Russert wasn't lauded only by his compatriots at NBC. Every news network, broadcast and cable, devoted huge chunks of time to reporting his life, his passions and his accomplishments, the greatest of which was his love for his family. There was even mention of him during Sunday's NASCAR race. He'd never gotten to the Saturday night races at Richmond "because he had to work on Sundays".

I remember the whiteboard with "Florida! Florida! Florida!" written on it. More than that I remember his exuberance. He had a fire in his belly for the things he loved and politics was dearly loved.

Most of all his love was for his family. His son Luke said on the Today Show, "There was always a lot of love from him. We would always hug. There’s not a day that goes by that I have not known my father loves me. For that, I’m eternally grateful.”

Lessons Tim Russert left for us:

-- Love your family, show them you love them and tell them you love them.

-- Be passionate about your life. Have a fire in your belly to do the best and be the best.

-- Resoect your health and care for it. Don't fail your body for it will give you the life you want.

Godspeed, Tim Russert. Thank you for your passion and your lessons in life.

-- Joanna

8210 Photos

This is the last photo taken with my Nikon 7900. I bought this almost three years ago as my "Grandma" gift to myself. My grandson was my excuse to upgrade to a top of the line compact digital camera. At the time, and perhaps even today, the Nikon 7900 was an exceptional camera. I carried it with me everywhere.

See the rock in front of the fountain? I was in the Mill Avenue area of Tempe, Arizona, with my son, doing touristy things. We came across this beautiful fountain in the middle of an office complex. Unseen in this photo are the very large jackrabbit sculptures that surround the fountain.

Here in the desert any water is welcome and a fountain is especially welcome. I took this photo then my son told me to stand in front of the foundtain so he could take a photo with his camera phone.

I had my Nikon in my right hand, lens extended, while he photographed me. I told him to change positions so I could take his photo. Not realizing I had moved behind the rock, the one in the front right of the photo, I stepped forward and fell flat. Quick as a wink I was on the ground and trying to telll my son I was OK while trying to decide how un-OK I really was.

My Nikon, extended before me, broke my fall. Fortunately the Tempe Fire Department was next to this complex and my son insisted on taking me there. The EMTs checked me out and bandaged the large patch of "rock rash" on my leg. I wasn't as worried about myself as my camera. It is destroyed. My son says if the camera hadn't slid, and the lens hadn't been forced back into the camera, I might have broken my arm.

We had a great time in Tempe. I'l try to embed the slideshow of my photos.




Visit to Tempe