A New Year

Here on the island the day is bright, full of sunshine and bitter cold. I began the new year with 8 days of silence and solitude. The retreat was so wonderful that I hated to end it. I was able to slow way down, take or make time for meditation, daily walks in the woods, beautiful salads, steamy soups, journal writings. But what surprised me the most were the dreams. They came tumbling on top of each other making an epic dream by the end of the retreat. And because they were so "real" they appeapred to go on whether I was asleep or awake. I remembered most and was able to jote down notes on others. I had chosen the word attention for this year but along came a second word integration both showing up in dreams and Tarot readings. Was a bit unnerving on some levels....

I thought this 8 day retreat was going to be full with paint and visual images. That did not happen but in fact the path was made for me to follow that ended there later. By the end of the retreat I was looking over some bits and pieces of fabric, looking on line and stumbling into the slow cloth movement. From that point I went through all my trunks of fabric and unfinished objects and began a journey with small Valentines...

This one is made from vintage chenelle pieces, and cotton sewn onto flannel,

with some Sashiko stitches and a Valentine made with continuous beading.

 

This small quilt has a fabric image , vintage whose leaves reminded me of Valentines. The leaves are placed on top of a tea bag and then becomes a part of the quilt.

My plan is to post more often in this new year and integrate more of what it is I do, whether in paint, wax, or fabric.  Diane