the blessings found in very cold weather

Trying to find some good in things can be challenging.  Since we avoid going out as much as possible, I'm getting a lot done in the studio.  Bonus! Today, the clerk at Micheal's and I chatted about there being very little snow falling when it's so very cold. ?bonus?

Yesterday, I finished the McGrath Family Reunion 2000 quilt. (picture pending)  I might have finished it sooner, had I not stitched 3 of 4 corner blocks up side down.  David thought I should just unstitch the one that was right, but my soul wouldn't let me do it, so I spent hours unstitching 3 blocks and redoing them.  I've been working on hexie bags again.  Foolishly, I thought that I could re-use the beige lozenges I made for Oreo Inspiration, and just sew a couple together to get the piece for the hexie bag.  Not that easy!  Especially since I was sewing them by hand.  (I like to have a bit of hand sewing to do while watching tv,  but this was a PINTA, and just too much.)  So the second group of lozenges will be sewn together by machine, starting today. This means that David has to make me another set of wooden "handles", and we stopped into Micheal's this morning to pickup the supplies, on our way home from the dentist.

While out with Gail on Friday, we talked about how we organize and inventory our work.  I spent time thinking about this over the weekend, and finally came up with some long range, SMART goals for organizing, mainly, my inventory process, but I know there will be "spin-offs".  Like many things, once I set up the system, it should be simple to manage, with a little self discipline. lol

The opening reception was well attended.  There was some very nice food.  It was the first time Gail had been to the gallery, and I think she was impressed.  She spent some time going through the gift shop section, and I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to get some of her jewelry in there.  There were several fibre pieces in the show.  I was disappointed in a couple of them, one in particular.  Gail, however, loved it.  It's challenging, and invigorating to discuss a particular piece with someone whose view differs.  You are forced to deeply examine your feelings, and to then justify them.  In the end, we agreed to differ.  

Behind my problems with the piece was my belief that, with fibre being an emerging medium, and subject to controversy,  I worry that any piece that is poorly planned and/or poorly done diminishes the medium, as a whole. 

There was a second fibre piece we differed on, but it turned out that Gail knew the maker, and was more impressed at her moving in a different direction technically, than what she had produced, previously.  It can be a scary thing to try something new, and then put it out to the public.

 I can't remember if I mentioned that I've arranged for my piece to be included in a series of one-on-one critiques, with a respected local art critic, next Saturday.  I confess to being both excited and apprehensive about that.

 I saw one piece that I would have loved to own. A pottery trip-tych (sp.) made by the same woman who made all of my special coffee mugs.  At least my taste is consistent.

Tomorrow we may try to go to see Jumanji.  We found the local theatre so much less expensive than the fancy one we're been going to, that we may just try it again.  I'll still be on Phase one of my dietary regimen, so am a little nervous about buying popcorn.  I gained a couple of pounds with it last week, which disappeared as soon as I took my diuretic.  Not necessarily a good thing. Unfortunately, I can't imagine going to a show and not having popcorn!

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