This ‘n That
I’m glad to be back home, and there’s a lot to be done. My back finally feels better, so I have a “back”log of work to do. The house needs to be cleaned, laundry needs to be done, and the yard work is about to start.
My Fiber Art Divas group is going to have a show at the Naperville Art League in May, which I am very excited about! It means I can finally finish “The Road to Home”, the “big” quilt I am working on. With a goal in mind, maybe it will get finished.
I bought new slippers, which were desperately needed since if my feet are cold I am cold. I found them in the clearance section for $5! I’ve wondered how I can salvage the old slipper parts to make new ones or recycled ones, but it’s more work than it’s worth. It’s why I don’t make my own clothes.
My Yo Yo Flower class went really well, and I hope to teach it elsewhere if I can.
IQA Chicago is coming up and I’m getting excited. Should be a lot of fun!!!
I plan to finish up my March theme this weekend, and work on some ATCs. I am going to an ATC retreat in Indiana in June, so I have to get a bunch of stuff done before then to have “stock” to trade with.
Busy bee
I have been sidetracked with an unexpected office redesign, in that we found a great deal on office furniture that could not be refused. So we have been removing old office furniture and putting in new stuff. It’s important stuff, since I work in that one room all day.
I’m slowly getting through making the email list of folks who are getting the yo yo flower tutorial as part of my giveaway, so please don’t fret.
This week’s quilt is especially sad. It’s a hand pieced, hand quilted Grandmother’s Flower Garden that was cut up when I got it, and only a few rounds actually survive. The quilt is quite tattered. But, I found this one decent section that I could use without cutting into another round. I though long and hard about what this one was going to say. Next week’s is downright heartbreaking.
Next week, I’m moving the blog to a different directory on my website. I’ll post the location when I move it, and leave a marker to go find the blog in it’s new spot. Basically, I only have one site now, which is solely about my quilts. I cleaned up all of my directories and don’t have to have sub directories for “quilts” if the whole site is about them. More later!
Blog Action Day for Poverty
I have never been impoverished. Sure, I felt that there were times where I didn’t know where money would materialize from to keep myself going, but I always made it through. I never had a utility shut off or been evicted. I haven’t gone hungry because I had no food. At one time, my husband and I were living so close to the edge of ruin that I called a hot line for Public Aid. Because I worked, I was told I did not qualify, even though my paychecks were clearly not enough. I had rented an apartment, so I had a roof over my head, I did not qualify for help with that either, even though I could barely afford it. I guess I should have felt lucky enough to do that. I guess there were folks worse off than me. But at the time I remember being so angry that I paid into these plans and could not get help. We changed the way we looked at money and now we’re doing ok, but it took years to get to this.
But I am dealing with this very situation right now with a family member. It’s the hardest thing to watch, while I sit comfy and warm in my own home. While I throw away more food than this family member can purchase, I feel boatloads of guilt. I frivolously spend on ridiculous things I don’t need, and this person is months behind on bills.
I’m sitting by and watching, and lately, getting more and more involved. My other family members don’t understand. But other than sending my hard earned money, what can be done? It’s really sad and hurtful.
To bring this all somehow back to crafting and quilting, with the economy being what it is now, everyone is going back to “thrifty crafting” and looking back at depression era fiber art. Not only were quilts made of old sheets, clothes, or whatever you had on hand, but EVERY scrap was saved and used. In particular, the Yo Yo. (or as Project Runway’s Angela Kessler would say: Granny Circles) What posessed anyone to make items out of hundreds or even thousands of yo-yo’s is beyond me, but they are addictive. I have been saving any usable scraps of fabric big enough for a yo-yo, and making flower bouquets out of them. Cute, and fun, and fast. And certainly thrifty.