A Winter Snow Story, and some 12 x 12 quilts

    1. It snowed, snowed, and rained. There was more snow and the tree branches held the snow. Again, more snow, bigger snow, more layers. Finally, the biggest snowdrops of all. I re-read Rayna Gillman's book, but this quilt should not reflect on her. These are my first strips, a story which I sewed while listening to NPR. I painted snowdrops on the trees with Jacquard Super Opague White 220 OP. French knots may have been more appropriate. Black fleece doubles as batting and backing. I quilted in the ditch and on some of the branches. Snuggly, but how to show the snow cone tops on all the bushes.

   2.  The birds in the front of the house were making such a mess, like a copy of a Pollack painting;  so we moved the feeder to the back yard. It was not easy for the feathered ones to find their way west. I quilted an arrow. This was definitely a journal quilt...a memory of a special event. I could still paint some shading or use netting to shadow a side of the bird feeder. Beeds are the seeds flying everywhere.

 
     3. Trying to use up my stash, I had earlier tried a blue quilt that almost made me give up quilting. Jo Diggs uses dots so much better. I learned that it is probably good to join pop or graphic fabrics with each other and realistic prints together, but not to mix the two. I read that one should think about what one likes in a quilt to know what to do to yours. I like hand stitching, but it didn't save this piece.

     4. and 5.  Then there are the two quilts that really needed help. Winter Palette with padded paints needs a brush as well as a photographer; and Erika's 8th soft birthday card needs a redo. But both are ok and were part of the process. You win some and lose some. Click to enlarge photos.

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Reveal Day at Material Mavens: Canyon

      Today was Reveal Day at Material Mavens, the international art quilt group. Our topic was "canyon." I am sort of embarrassed by my effort. I should have looked at a photo of The Lighthouse in Palo Duro Canyon, but I am always in a hurry. I have learned my lesson: be patient, think, make many sketches, don't run with your first idea. You can visit the site to see more than a dozen interpretations of "canyon" in a 12" x 12" quilt. Yes, I hope I have learned. Below is my presentation at the MM site:

       Palo Duro Canyon drove my work this time. The canyon is thirty minutes outside of Amarillo, Texas where I was born. Only Grand Canyon is larger. Georgia O’Keefe painted images inspired by it; and my friends who are marrying June 1 developed a romance on the ranches in the area.

       The Grand Canyon has an Eagle structure and Palo Duro has a rock formation called The Lighthouse. My lighthouse looks more like a bottle, unfortunately (champagne for the upcoming wedding?). I made two futile efforts. My first “Canyon” is tamer. I used fabric paints and Sharpie’s Rub a Dub pen. I always felt it needed crows or blackbirds that O’Keefe put in her painting of Palo Duro. My second “Canyon” has stronger colors and shapes are simplified. It needs some yellow beaded flowers. I layered mostly batik fabrics, and stitched all over.

       I had the best time stitching trying to learn something. It often takes more than two tries to learn new techniques. I just have to keep trying. I can begin another for a wedding card.  I have now learned I must slow down, observe better, make many sketches, and THINK. I always wanted a theme to work on and maybe canyon or home could be a start.

       I like the idea of a lighthouse, my home as a light, an assist in navigating life. The warm colors of the Panhandle, yellow (in Spanish, Amarillo), orange and red are in a marbleized fabric on the back of the 2nd quilt. This makes me think of old books...tales of the Apaches and Comanches who once roamed here and the sad histories shared by all people. CLICK to enlarge the images.

Journal quilting and stitching on the road

      Returning from a trip there is always a period of adjustment. Not only does one have to return to exercise (ho ho) and work routines, but this time to get out spring and summer clothes, check the yard, and rejoin real life with busy work  galore. Thus, this tardy blog.

      On the way to see grandchildren, I finished a white and blue sashiko that Ellen gave us to work on in our winter workshop for the Quilters' Connection. I will put it with the other sashiko pieces I have blogged on before, pieces to turn into pillows and coasters. Sashiko is by far my favorite road trip craft. It is so portable. Joe puts a book cd in the car;  I have scissors on a cord around my neck with a small sewing kit in the console; and we are ready-to-roll.  See other sashiko projects by typing that word in the white search area in the top left corner of this post near the Blogger icon. Hit return.

      

      I have just finished some journal quilts to complete with hand stitching, the next time we hit the road. The first is a bed to refer to that awful flu (notwithstanding the shots) which exhausted and grounded us for a month, it seemed. Also, I created that memory while also thinking of the doll beds that Joe is making for Hannah and Erika. This is a two-in-one journal quilt, almost. But it needs more quilting and truly refers to us.

     The second journal quilt is about the busy week of Easter and Passover, and the memory of how I obtained a huge pot of the best matzo ball soup for my big crew. I traded teen Lloyd his portrait (scroll down to see the painting at my April 19 blog) for his big silver pot of incomparable soup. The matzo balls are painterly eggs and the paint brushes allude to the exchange. It really needs some embroidery tidying up.

      The third unrelated quilt is older but it was an experiment in weaving fabrics too close for contrast. I kept adding puff paint and beads and even framed it to try to save it. I just tossed it in for history. Click to enlarge photos.

Journal Quilts for memories

    Except for one tv segment on Boston's The Good Day Show, I don't believe I ever quilted until I saw an enticing sign in the Cambridge Quilt Shop advertising a journal quilt workshop. Geri Barr from Australia had our group layering fabric backing, batting and top to commemorate a memorable or significant event each week in our lives. If you type "journal quilt" in the search area in the top left of this page you can see I have written many times about these. Better still, my website has two very long pages of these journal quilts.

     I missed making these small, 2- hour 8" x 8" quilts that start out as 10" x 10." I hope to get back to them...one a week. This week I am remembering 8-year-old Hannah's asking me fairly recently if I got my ears pierced:
"No, Hannah, but if I ever get up my nerve, I'll have you and Erika go with me."
"Oh never mind," she said. "Don't worry. You only have about ten years left and it would just be a waste!"
"Only ten years?" I asked.
"Oh, or twenty," she recovered, a bit red-faced.

      After layering and adding ideas, I pin the three layers together to quilt them. Next, I place the "sandwich" under a posterboard frame, the center of which is 8" x 8," draw and sew along the markings. I then cut off the edges with pinking shears. Fiskars work very well. After making do in the past, I finally got good markers: Sewline yellow fabric pencil for dark fabrics and The Fine Line blue marker for light fabrics. Both markers rinse out immediately and beautifully with water. Remember to only spend 2 hours on these. They are "sketches" or fodder for something else. If you spend much more time on them, you may cease to create one a week.

        I wanted 3-D flapping ears and the flying clocks. I use multicolored thread for the writing hints. I have two suitcases full of these soft quilted memories and am starting a third.

Dance recital gems: a journal quilt

     Springing forth in May are recitals and commencements. We drive 4 hours to watch the grandchildren perform.  Two recitals in the same day elicit funny reactions. I made a small journal quilt to remember two comments, because journal quilts help one remember not only significant events but amusing moments you don't want to forget:

     Erika performed in the first recital. The family was seated around a big table for lunch in a local restaurant. As we ate, different ones heaped praise on this second child in the family. Finally, it was too much for the first born who exasperated, blurted out, "I don't get it! What is all this carrying on about Erika!" We pointed out that after her three dances in the afternoon, she surely would receive similar accolades. I free-motion quilted this and another gem on the small quilt.

       Later, on the way to Hannah's recital, after some frustrations of lost crayons, Hannah was disagreeing with her mother and told to "put on a happy face" to get ready for the performance. Hannah, noted for her pretty smile, responded, "I am really not a smiley sort of person." That struck me as so endearingly straight forward and self-assured. I didn't want to forget that moment or that small journal quilts (8" x 8") are more fun to make than 12" x 12"s).   (Click photos to enlarge)

Journal quilt additions

     Catching up on a few journal quilts while Joe sanded the kitchen floor, I remembered to also document our time last week and before with the children in NYC. Since journal quilts are sketches, I stitch them quickly. If I had more time, I would embellish more profusely;  but before I know it, another week has passed. Maybe after I am gone, the girls, and even David, can take them to a higher level with their additions. Also, I would like to start journal paintings once a week. Some people paint one a day.

     That cute little rabbit I saw in my neighbor's garden  last summer is bringing forth other emotions now that he has eaten many of Joe's new sprouts, especially the sunflowers for Erika. Joe asked the children if he should make a stew as Mr. McGregor did and they said "No."Maybe we need a scarecrow like my cellist neighbor's!  Click to enlarge.

      Also, there's the alphabet fabric with which the girls made quilt hangings. I added cupcakes to remember Hannah's pre-party picnic down on the Hudson. A hint of the water is in a remnant on the quilt.

       

       

    

      The days before Memorial Day, Jim and Colin treated the children to adventures in NYC. I read tales in family trees and caught up with relatives. Then we watched the PBS Memorial Day program. 

Mystery Quilt for the Material Mavens Journal Quilt Reveal

The Keys in Hiding ~ Again!

     It’s an increasing MYSTERY where I have placed things! 

      In the midst of creating my first attempt at this mystery quilt, Que Sera Sera (below), the puzzle of children’s development, I needed a crystal ball and finally made one that doesn’t photograph as good as it looks. At the same time, I re-read Art and Fear, which gave me the nerve to paint the rabbit.  I Googled Alice’s rabbit, Images, and sketched a composite, however anatomically challenged he is.  I dove into my Lumiere textile paints and was surprised how slowly they built up compared with my other paints. I added a black permanent marker in spots. My background fabric awaited.

      To make the crystal ball, I traced a saucer onto freezer paper and ironed the freezer paper to fabric. I folded in the edges (Katie P-M suggests spray starch) and blind-stitched it. I opened the backing and added polyfill. It needed more. In my stash I found this sheer fabric that doesn’t fray. I cut it out and used a spray glue to the edges. Next, I began to quilt things to batting. I took silver embroidery floss to stitch around the globe, after inserting a felt key. I also used embroidery thread on the clock.I needed bubbles for thoughts. I first photographed the piece and added it to Comic Life software to test bubble shapes and colors. Then I cut out fabric onto which I had ironed Wonder Under and printed the thoughts with Fabrico, a permanent marker. The fabric for the backside was too small,  but I hastily glued it down and stitched over all with invisible thread to suggest the speed of the frantic rabbit. Perhaps some hands or fingers are needed to hover over the ball, but it’s late, it’s late!

        Neither is perfect, but I made so many mistakes and learned several new techniques.That is a special bonus of art journal quilting!

Joe's Red Garden: my return to Journal Quilting

      Tornado parties, deep snowfalls and trampolines are favorite childhood memories of my life in Amarillo. We didn't do gardens there in the prettiest dust bowl you might imagine. There is a mini Grand Canyon after all. But we did have irises, hydrangeas and little yellow tomatoes in my yard. Croquet and football took over, mostly.  Joe's dad grew lots of roses in Little Rock, but Joe and I have never gardened except for his digging holes for bulbs in the fall, our planting around the house wherever there is a vacancy, and my one time successful herb garden.

       I am so glad Joe decided to make a garden in his retirement, however too early it may be. I will call it his little red garden for he edged this sunny slope with big red paving stones and grass for a new direction. Altho he tied strings and built trellises, he mainly wanted flowers. I wanted food. So he allowed for that as well.

      Missing my journal quilting, I made one this afternoon. I had fabrics of seeds but chose a batik background since I think that is a good contrast with strong graphics. I grabbed some narrow strips that suggested trellises left over from the Round Robin. I laid these out and secured them with a glue stick. I needed more life and created an award for Joe, just grabbing ribbons from an open drawer. I needed to bead the center of the badge but there was a sticky rhinestone left over from a grandchild's craft and I stuck that on. I would have continued if I could have found my puff paint, but you know how cluttered an craft person's work areas can get! (I finally found it!...in a box, carefully put away.)

     After sewing this collage, I cut it down to 12 x 12, added a batik backing  and sewed the edges of the quilt sandwich (top collage, batting, backing). I added some red bias tape for edges, reminiscent of Joe's red edges to his garden. Forgetting the quilt was finished, I went back to sew in free motion Joe's garden 2012 on the tomato and embellished the award. This showed up on the back. Duh. I colored it out with a blue-green Sharpie. I REALLY have missed journal quilting.

      

Elements: a Material Mavens 12 x 12 quilt

     The Material Mavens publish a 12 x 12 inch quilt the 15th day of every other month on their Reveal Day, each member's dealing with the same theme. This time the theme is Elements. I wrote:

     In ancient thought, Fire, Earth, Water and Air and sometimes Spirit (something beyond the physical world) are the classical elements, the root units from which the world is formed. Hopefully the elements work in harmony!

    Today these early descriptions are used in writing and graphics, paintings, tarot and astrology. In my stash, I found fabric to represent each physical elements and separated them by curvy quilting. The gold represents the spiritual.

     I cut gold fabric to which I had ironed Wonder Under. I punched a hole in the center of the square piece of fabric and cut a spiral from the center all the way around and back again. I fused the spiral  on the front and what was left on the reverse of the 12 x 12. I squeezed puff paint to edge the activating spiral, sprinkled gold beads atop and on the bottom, and used a hair dryer to secure.  

Monument Men: a Journal Quilt

     Quilters and other artists often buy materials that speak to them because some day they will be of use. Early this year, I was attracted to a book fabric and one of Impressionist paintings. Having no idea how I would ever use them, I bought a half yard of each.

     I cut a door in the front of the journal quilt to reveal the paintings below. Click to enlarge to see the keyhole made of puff paint on middle right side on the front book panel You can open the "door" for a view of the Van Gogh.  Open the entire front cover to reveal more paintings.

       Last month I hosted my book club which had chosen to read Monument Men. It is about how Hitler's men went about pillaging the finest art in Europe and declaring other art "degenerate." The Monument Men had a mandate from FDR and the support of Eisenhower in a race against time to save some of the world's greatest art treasures from destruction at the hands of Nazi fanatics. Much of the art was hidden and some found in salt mines. I had not wanted to read the book, since I had already finished The Rape of Europa and seen the documentary of the same name. However, I was thrilled by all that I learned. Also, George Clooney, reportedly will make a movie of the book.

    

Memories and Remembrance: two journal quilts

   Yesterday, our fortnightly Journal Quilt Connection was to meet and I was behind! I decided to make 5 quilts too fast. I made a list of the events in my life I wanted to remember or mark. I thought of the roundup/reunion of our 13 best girlfriends (like sisters) from childhood in Amarillo, Texas back in October and the recent wrenching losses of two special people.
    The Roundup is made of the fabric I used to create souvenirs snap purses for my dear old pals; and to attach their names to the piece, I created brands using gold puff paint. I took their initials (either maiden or married names) to mark them on this journal quilt.

     The other quilt I made quickly on a fabric that I felt only hinted at the anquish involved in loss and I made two hearts of blue tear images floating above and off. A satin stitch surrounds the hearts; and I used iridescent puff paint to float over the hearts' borders. The backing and quilt edge are silver.

Hearty Beating: a journal quilt

Click to see naughty errant heart waves.

   

      I belong to an international 12 x 12 quilt group, The Material Mavens. Every two months we have a new theme chosen by one of the members. It was my turn and I chose "surprise," having no idea what to do. Not one idea came to me. I do love surprises. One should have them at every gathering, dinner party or meetings up...even in blogs and journal quilts. Today was REVEAL day when all show their quilts on the theme.

     Life intervened to save the day, somewhat. I had some wild times with my heart and some good news as well, each happening, positive and negative, a complete surprise to me. I won't bore you with details, but the loud colors, the brash conflicts and softness in the quilt show the two extremes. Previously, in times of Afib thinking, I had quilted and beaded tiny rectangular heart quilts; and this assignment gave me an opportunity to display them. Across the center of the 12 x 12, I sewed some fusible thread in an EKG chart similar to an irregular reading and placed foil over the stitching to iron the iridescent waves.

     The 12 x 12 quilt content is purposefully irregular and needs some balance and resolution but the topic has none. so that is appropriate for my "Surprise" journal quilt. The backing comes over the sides of the front to make the binding or edge.

Harmony on the Homefront: a Material Mavens quilt

    My friend, Alice, founded an international 12" x 12" art quilt group blog, Material Mavens. I had given her a book for her birthday about a similar group which lit a fire in her. She is quite the organizer.

     Our first challenge was to make a quilt about "harmony." On September 15, we all revealed our quilts and a new theme was chosen for the next two months.

Home Harmony

        My journal quilt design developed this way:  Three things happened at once. My accuquilt cutter arrived. Joe and I were babysitting the grandchildren while their parents moved their home to another state.  I needed to think "harmony."

       I was excited to try the cutting machine and placed an inexpensive blended roll of batiks into the chopper to get numerous triangles and many squares of two sizes. In creating the quilt, I limited myself to what was available in this particular stash of batiks.

       Off and on, the children concentrated to make houses of squares and rectangles. They had "house" on the mind and organized a tabletop of multi-colored homes (small square and triangle on big square as in the center).  Harmony, however imperfect (I put the house on in the wrong direction) prevailed in several directions. This two-sided quilt is an homage to that time, the youngsters' design, and my new helper, the fabric cutting machine.

Roundup Time: a Moving journal quilt

click to enlarge

    The grandchildren recently moved four hours from us. We were able to assist by keeping a 7, 5 and 2 for a week. Hannah learned to cross-stitch. They drew, painted, wove lanyards and worked on a journal quilt with me. Joe the saint, played with them in the pool almost daily. Crafts and swimming are symbolized on this background of not tears, but lots of water splashing.
     The vehicles stand for the many rides to the pool and Joe's driving the little angels and Emmit their dog to their new home. At the end and the beginning, the grands had been so well prepared for the move that the giraffe security blanket, left behind, has not been missed. Ooops, I free-motion added Hannah, Erika, David, Joe and LinLin's name to the quilt with Summer 2011...but forgot both dogs, Emmit and Farley. The names are barely visible but I wanted to record.
      Perhaps I could have added more interest to the quilt by framing or projecting the memories trompe l'oeil. Once again, I used the half-century old hem binder.

Old friends and new friends: a journal quilt

     Sometimes one can get busy and out off shape. We were so busy helping the grandchildren move, that I got off schedule in producing my one-a-week journal quilts. I don't know if I can go back to create them all, but this is a start...somewhat anemic, but a start. That is what is so good about a blog. It makes you get back to work!

click to enlarge
We need old friends to help us grow old and new friends to keep us young.   ~LC Pogrebin

      Several things come together in this 12" x 12' journal quilt.  I found some fabrics I like for bags and bookmarks, neither (like friends) of which I can have too many. I like inspiring quotations and have shared them recently in birthday thank you's. But mainly, this journal quilt is about new friends. I introduced Trilla and Alice in the Southwest recently who found that both their fathers were journalists for the AP and that the two couples have much in common. I have had fun making new quilting friends and traveling down some challenging new paths that will get me back to painting I am certain: Donna Jean, Andrea, Susan. and Ann. 

        I joined the fabrics in pillow case fashion, using a black and off-white spider web backing. It seemed witty and wise. I free-motion stitched the names and blanket stitched everything else, but so help me, I cannot figure what else to do.  I guess I could pump it up with black and white bead trim...and that could stand for dear old weekly friends. I have affection for the subject but need help on the quilt. Enjoy.

   

Counting 72: a birthday Journal quilt

   On July 20th I will have my 72nd birthday. How can that be when I feel an enriched 22. To emphasize the years past to myself and my grandchildren, I cut out 72 birthday icons, either cakes or ice cream and put them to a 12" x 12" journal quilt. 

Click to enlarge

    I alway make a soft card for the girls for their birthdays. Five-year-old Erika said if I gave this to a boy he would throw it away, but a girl would like it. Beth said it was her favorite because of the colors. I thought it a total failure, but I wanted to do it. Joe said it needs some black. I am going to sew red beads on the cherries tomorrow at beading and embellish some more. It needs black and white to absorb color.

    Four different fabrics are in the piece. I ironed Wonder Under to the back of the cake and ice cream fabric and cut them out as I listened to the news. I ironed them to the 9-patch block, squares of which I cut out with my new Accuquilt. The yellow fusible binding fabric fills the back of the quilt. I made fusible binding with that same yellow fabric which I both ironed/fused on and sewed after overlaying some maroon tulle. I am returning to do some more sewing atop the block in yellow. I tried to slow down, to be more careful. However, I wish I had used the yellow tulle that I had forgotten about rather than the maroon which I quickly grabbed.

In the Beginning...a Journal quilt

     When the Journal Quilt Connection met, they decided to let each member choose a theme for a month of the year for members to quilt. We decided to start in July, and members pointed at me to choose a theme. I said, "That is my birthday month." "We'll do 'birthdays' then...birthdays apply to lots of things: people, nations." Later I suggested "beginnings" to avoid cliche.

       Although the "Beginnings" theme starts in July, this is my third in June. I seem to compulsively enjoy making one a week. This too will pass, I feel certain.

In the Beginning...

        Joe and I went to New York City this weekend where I always get so many ideas, I hardly know where to start. We get our Metro Card and hop on and off the buses and trains at museums, book and crafting areas. This weekend we hit the Morgan, the Folk Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Met and MOMA, and Montclair Art Museum on the way home. I also got to The City Quilter 3 times and the beading area on 6th Avenue near the New York Public Library. The Strand and the book store in Grand Central were not missed either. Plus, I discovered near Rein's Deli, on the drive down, another fabulous quilting store where I got the pencils. It is Quilting by the Yard on the Hartford Turnpike, in Vernon CT.
        I think this pinwheel journal quilt with no area to rest the eye shows the exhaustion, chaos and excitement of searching out new ideas from books, places and art before I finally get to work in many new directions! In the beginning is chaos, stitched in the ditch, bordered and backed by the wrapped yellow brick road. The dots are my brain and the subway lines you see as well if you click to enlarge.

     

Oh Sleep It is a Blessed Thing: a Journal Quilt

      After teaching English and history to 7th graders and becoming enamored of art history along the way, I decided to go to art school on my 50th birthday. My feet were like lead in cement, walking across the street from the museum to apply to the SMFA. I painted and painted, dawn to dusk, and the best time for dreaming up ideas for my canvas was in bed after everyone was sound asleep. So quiet...I could think.

click to enlarge

      Dreaming up new ideas became a habit but that is not good if everyone in the house awakens at 6 a.m. to go to work or be walked (dog). Nevertheless, I still love to think late at night, and then when there are lots of new adventures and beginnings as there are in our family now, I really need to sleep more to keep up with the crowd. 

       This is my second 12" x 12" journal quilt for my new group in Massachusetts, the Journal Quilt Connection. For July, birthdays or new beginnings is the topic. I was planning this as an extra quilt, but the Ohm and Om fit right in with the idea, if the website I found is correct, which explains the meaning of OM. I saw the fabrics with letters and pictured them and images coming out of my head as my head was on the pillow. I made the binding by pulling the backing over the sides to hem. I used a batik fabric for the face and machine stitched absolutely everything.

         First I sketched the idea, then gathered the fabric, scissors, glue stick and Wonder Under. I was off!

Hannah's 7th: a quilted card

    Hannah turned seven and celebrated with friends at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.  After creating a birthday banner, the group broke into two groups and the princesses sashayed off to look at four entirely different areas of the MFA which touched on royalty, returning after the tour, questions and answers to make copper pendants, have story time and dessert. Guests left with big 3D plaster royal cupcakes and paint palette in a bag. Some parents chaperoned and enjoyed the museum afterwards.The interns were fabulous and the project age appropriate. I was staggered by the new museum.

Hannah is seven and a sewer (click to enlarge)

    If I remember, I try to make the girls a journal quilt for their birthday. This was a close call. I am making challenge quilts involving Alice and Wonderland, and Hannah has that long blond hair. I fused "her," cut out the figure, and took her to my stash. The two background fabrics fell into my lap. I lightly quilted all, placing a bright erratic pink polka dot on the back after the batting. I free motion wrote, "Hannah is seven and a sewer."

     Hannah is proud of the sewing she has learned this year, embroidery and Sashiko. She wants to make a quilt. Alas, she is moving.Whereas I was going to make "her" with wings, carrying my heart, I sewed the heart onto the pocket here and we drove it by to her tonight with CDs of her birthday party to enjoy and send to her other grandmother.  I also included a CD of her making the origami bird available at YouTube. For her birthday I gave her A Book of Artageous Projects by Klutz in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art that I bought locally.

    

Life with Snow Cones: a 4-in-1 journal quilt

   When it rains it pours; and in Boston this year, when it snowed, it kept snowing! However, we kept moving and the roads were clear, though tight. Driving at night, one found landmarks obscured by snow cone after snow cone. These snow cones did make a great roof atop bushes for all those sparrows outside my door.

    It seemed, as I have said before, we were all a little bit off-kilter. Our lives were a little off-center and there were probably more journal quilts I could have made on events, but I will summarize to these four:
1) I lost my iPad...thought it was at the mall after an Apple lesson;  but the next morn found it on the snowed-in passenger side of the car, 2) In the middle of all the snowfall, the trusty Toro snowblower died after 25 loyal years; but we found one of the last snowblowers in Boston at Home Depot by another name. 3) I had to have some skin surgery that "didn't get it all" and went back in for another cut and stitch. 4) Too much sun meant I need to have more surgery on the lower and upper lids of the right eye; and this was postponed, when I was ready to go, at the last minute. All a bit discombobulating :*)
     Since a journal quilt captures a "significant" or memorable event in a week, you can see I have been negligent not to get these made faster. Another event yesterday was that after I dropped my iPad in a case in a padded purse at my One to One lesson at the Apple store, and it was dented, Apple replaced it. I love Apple. Let's loop that story in with the upper left iPad symbol,