Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Double dose fun: beading and quilting on the road

    Today I drove south to see a dear friend, Donna Jean Downer, who both quilts and beads. Last year I took a winter workshop with her. She has stacks of heavily beaded pieces that amaze me.


     Today when I walked into her house,  I found she had continued work on curvy quilting that we workshopped with Diane Hire last week. She took a left-over block, quilted it and then did some hand embroidery and beading of the fields in this memorable landscape below right. Unfortunately you can't see the fields of flowers but you can get some idea if you click to enlarge. I was SO inspired! She said it took no time at all and was so enjoyable to work on.
   

     You remember I reported on the Chan Luu bracelets using leather and beads. Donna Jean does not let grass grow under her feet. This time she has created another bracelet using giant beads.


   
     Of course we had to drop by Pflora Beads in Canton for more leather and the wonderful help the store offers. Harry or Hairy the resident dog is very welcoming.

    After we had lunch at One Bistro in Norwood, I left to do some Valentine shopping and came home to find Joe had added built a shelf to raise his computer screen. He is feeling smug because he also took 40 years of files out to the shredder to make more room in the attic. He is one productive good man deserving of a Valentine!

(click on photos to enlarge)
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7 comments:

  1. AliceFebruary 8, 2012 at 7:53 PM

    Your's friend's work is incredible! I love the beading and the hand embroidery, not to mention the lovely fabrics. The bracelet is stunning. Love the dog's photo, and Joe and his shelf. What a guy! Super fun post, Linda.

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  2. RosemaryFebruary 9, 2012 at 12:09 AM

    What a fun day! Can't wait to see the bracelet you'll make with the giant beads. The quilts are most interesting. And, Joe is a super guy! :-)

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  3. TrillaFebruary 9, 2012 at 4:12 AM

    The giant bead bracelet is gorgeous. So is Joe! Let those old things go. Smart move. I have my monitor at a standing table. You can spend lots of money on one that is powered to change the height, or you can buy a cheap drafting table at Ikea and use a bar stool when you want to sit down.

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  4. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2012 at 4:28 AM

    Hey Linda,
    One of your best posts yet, and great images. -Ellen

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    Linda, I love seeing ALL of these pix. Joe is having such a great retirement. He thinks and then he acts! ---Somehow, seeing the embroidery and the beading together make me want to go out and find a gorgeous piece of fabric and play with it. You know me, though --- unlike Joe, I think - and then I forget :). I sort of covet that bracelet! ss

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2012 at 1:24 PM

    MAKES me want to... ( correction ) ss

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  7. Nancy MFebruary 11, 2012 at 9:28 AM

    Forty years of files! That's what we have boxed up hither and yon about the house, and I don't want to waste time shredding them. What we need to do is to put the shredder in the livingroom and shred during commercials while we watch the news or some such thing. Love your quilts and bracelet. Thanks for sharing!
    NM

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