circles are taking over

I have been working and working on the circles, here is an updated photo. Maybe my goal of being done by the end of the summer is actually attainable... as for now I am going to keep on sewing and cutting and making them.

pillows and jitters

Today is my friend Meri's birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MERI! Above are some photos of a pillow I made for her present, it is constucted out of old sugar cane bags and the beet is a meri-ism. The construction of it looks simple, now that it is done, but there are about 20 differnt pieces of fabric pieced together around the edge to make the border fit. I was pleased with the final piece, it is super soft, since the cotton is so old.

I finished HP7 this week, it is hard to be done with those charcters but I was pleased with the end. I have started reading "The time traveler's wife" I am not that far but so far I am hooked.
"Everything seems simple until you think about it. Why is love intensified by the absence?"

I have been accepted back into VCU, which is so exciting- the idea of going back and getting a degree in something that I now know I want to do is exciting.... but there are some jitters, like the idea that I have to take those "real" classes this time not just studios... actually I do not really get to take studios except two that I put off for a reason the first time around. Parts of me wonder- how I finally came to this conclusion and knowing that this is what I wanted to do. Last year I decided that I wanted to take a year off of heavy duty work to think and play and see what I might want to do. About every two months I had a breakdown of wanting more but I could not put my finger on it- and now here I am going back to school to get another degree... to become a teacher... Maybe what you want to do at 10 is really what you end up doing. Just like maybe you meet your soulmate at 11 without even knowing it. There is something about the innocence of that age that makes things so clear to us, it is experience that makes us so blind to our hearts desires. The reason that comes with age. Anyhow aside from the jitters I am really EXCITED and can't wait for the new school year, maybe I will even get myself a new box of crayons.

retirement

My sister sent me this postcard from portugal, and when I saw it I could not help but laught.... Being that I am only 4'11'' tall, I have the fear that in my old age I will shrink to be very small... The woman in this postcard could be a window into what the future has in store for me, tiny and hobbled over a loom squinting to see the tiny threads. It makes me smile in a way.

making myself take it slow.

I promise I will not be one of those mean people that tell you the end to the seventh harry potter book, and I probably will not post too much more on it, but I must state that it is worth all the thousands of pages that I have read already. I got half way through the book last night, but am making myself take it slower so that I do not finish it too soon. It is very dark and sad already but it is worth it. I am obstimistic about the end being a bit more resolved, but I have a feeling this might just be a wishful thought. anyhow... if you are reading them or have read any of them, and liked them... bear it to the end, it is worth it!

all the pieces

A quilt by definition is material sewn together with ornamental stiches, giving warmth in the end. While working on this quilt/coverlet that I have been making it has made me think about why I am stiching material together, why I have the urge to make more and more of them. The rest of the ones that I have ideas for are mostly from fragments of fabric from more "sentimental" fabric. The idea of making quilts has become a bit seductive to me... I guess it is the next step from layers.... fabric/textiles sewn together to make a whole. Sewing togehter or weaving together fragments of memories are making the whole up. Anyhow, I will spare anyone that reads this more rambling, train of thought giberish. Above are updated circle photos.... HP 7 at midnight!

collections and circles

There was only one twin sized fitted sheet in this pattern, but I wish there was a king size set I love this fabric!!!!







they circles are multiplying...

The past week I have been adding to some collections, I found these great metal strainer, and frying thingy at the thrift store. I was running out of small containers for my shells so these worked out well. I love that they look old and used and the shells look so nice in them. I have continued looking for vintage sheets and have a few ideas as to what I want to do with them next. I am by nature a collector, of things... I love finding new things to add to these collections, the sheets, old containers, sewing things my favorite. I always have better luck finding sales in the summer because there are more estate sales and things, but lately it seems that the best things I have been finding have been in thrift stores. The estate sales people are getting very ambitious with their pricing. It makes me a little sad however, because I love actually going into a house and seeing where people kept things and how they did it. I must say that Martha Stewart puts out a beautiful series of magazines, but they have ruined collecting certain things because they present them in there. Lately she has been freaturing a lot of vintage linens, tea towels things of that nature, which are on the uprise in pricing at sales. Hankerchiefs are another thing that seems to be getting very pricy I saw some at a store here in richmond at $8 a piece recently... a little crazy for a 4 inch square that was once covered in snot... anyhow I am ranting about this..
I have been putting some piles of fabric on my working table, to cut for my circles and also some are vintage things I have washed recently.... having them sit there the ideas are flowing... I am thinking more quilt-like things, and definetly more bedding.

vintage, new, and even some hankies...

The hatteras lighthouse.









I spent another lovely evening at the beach, down in nags head. It is gorgeous down there, it makes me think that it would be fun to live at the beach...besides that whole hurricane thing. Anyhow, I made a trip to the barefoot quilter down there, and got some new fabrics to use in my circle coverlet... or pillows or whatever it ends up being. I also went to some antique shops and found some sugar cane bags and hankies (in the photos above). I think that after I am finished with these circles I might piece some of these other things together. I am on a "quilting" high at the moment, and all I want to do is take bits and ends and sew them together. I guess I never got the lure til now, but there is a sense of putting pieces of a life or memory togehter when sewing all these things into one big thing.

the circles and HP are taking over

I have been making circles any free moment I have. It has somewhat become a form of therapy which is great. Maybe this is why quilters quilt, the repetitive motion lets the mind free. So this week I had a meeting with an advisor at VCU. I have not written about this yet because I wanted a little more information and thinking time before I went public with it. I am going back to school this fall to work on another batchlor's degree in art education. I have decided that I want to be a high school art teacher. I am not crazy about small children but there is a certain lure to the high school aged ones. The idea of being able to help a handful of people continue their art is a great thought to me. I filled out my aplication and sent it in already so I am hoping to be re-admitted soon so that I can sign up for classes. I am excited about this!
I love the way that the circles are coming together and I think it is going to be a really great looking coverlet-quilt when I am done. I have another stack of circles to work on this weekend at the beach. I have still been posting things on etsy so make sure you check it out. www.anaslayers.etsy.com.
Currently I am reading HP (Harry Potter) 5 for the third time at the moment, before the movie comes out next week, and will read 6 before 7 comes out because there is a lot of build up in these two for the last one... I am sad this is the last one but can't wait to see what happens.... ok ok I give you permission to call me a dork here.
I am off to the beach again this weekend, maybe some more birdhouse photos, to maybe turn into a book eventually. Enjoy 7/7/07 this weekend, there is a lot of hype going on about the luck in that day,... we will see.