Week in Review 2014 - 12/26

 Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

My husband erected and decorated
our Christmas tree while I worked
in the studio. Note, Lola our
cat is able to guard the tree and
seeing anyone going up or down
the stairwell.

One thing I don't do often enough is take the time to watch TED talks.  The talks are brief, usually less than 10 minutes long. They are taped and available for free on-line. 

Yesterday, Christmas Day, I gave myself the present of listening to a TED talk by Alanna Shaikh titled "How I am Preparing to Get Alzheimer's." What struck me was Shaikh's third preparation. She was going to become a kinder, gentler more giving person. Why? Well, I let you watch the video to find out. 

The backside of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts
showing how much quilting I managed this week.

In this time of transition between one year and the next it is normal to review the past year and make plans for the next. It is common practice to make resolutions, sometimes very formally by writing them down and setting up a strategy to achieve them. Some resolutions are just fleeting thoughts. Imagine if we all choose the goal to be more generous, kind and nurturing. To this end I am adding one more on-going weekly goal to my list. That is to perform at least one act of random kindness during each week. 

The frontside of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts.
The sunrise photograph was printed on prepared cotton
on my home printer. It was placed behind the pieced front.
A negative applique method was done to let some of the
photograph appear. 

My studio time was naturally curtailed by the holidays. However, I did move a couple of my projects further along. Here is what I achieved:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

Detail from the backside of Sunrise over Little Lake
Butte des Morts showing the spiral quilting motif
used in the orange triangle.

a) Finish blind stitching the frog in place - Done!
b) Square up the quilt - Done!
c) Start the facing process - Not yet

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

Although I don't have an image of my FMQ practice, I did practice my spiral motif off quilt. In fact I tested an alternative motif first before I settled on the spirals. 

3) LifeBook 2014 - Bind my best mixed media work - Removed from the list

I have made the decision not to bind the pages from my LifeBook lessons. I have the video lesson should I ever be inspired to learn how to create a bound book of artwork in the future. Instead I will select a few favorites and toss the rest. I have visual records of them all on my computer as well as in my blog archives.

4) Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts (due December 31, 2014)

a) Finish the piecing - Done!
b) Quilt it - Started
c) Do the finish work - Not Yet
d) Submit it for consideration - Not Yet

One more abbreviated week to go before I am back hibernating in my studio for the winter. I am looking forward to it and my plans which are as follows:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 31, 2015)

a) Face the quilt
b) Add the split sleeve
c) Take the formal call for entry photos

Detail from the front side of Sunrise over Little Lake Butte
des Morts showing the satin stitch that was used to
finish the edges of the negative appliqué. 

d) Add the label
e) Submit the call

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) Sunrise over Little Lake Butte des Morts (due December 31, 2014)

a) Finish the quilting
c) Do the finish work
d) Submit it for consideration

4) Perform a random act of kindness


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.