Friday Fiber Arts Carnival

I've finished a few projects and am posting photos. My apologies to my swap partners because I am, woefully, late in mailing. All of us were late in the exchange but that's still no excuse and I apologize to my textile post cards folks. Next time, I'll have the cards made and *then* join in the exchange.

This post card is encased in plastic wrap, ready to be mailed. There's an opening on the backside for the stamp so it can be hand cancelled. It's entiled M is for blue Monday. Frankly, I have few blue Mondays but the exchange was "M" and I liked the way the blues came together. I especially like the rainbow ribbon around the card. Like Dolly Parton always says, "I figure if you wanna have a rainbow, you've got to have the rain." She recently released "Backwoods Barbie", for sale at Cracker Barrel, and I figure it's got to be great. It's Dolly, right!? I absolutely know she'd make a fabulous Galfriend, doncha think?
The rotten truth be known...? Basically, I'm self taught, using magazines and the i-net to teach myself. The rural area of Appalchia where I live is lacking in classes in the textile arts. There are some quilting classes and I love the little group that has taken me under their wing. They are Teachers, one and all. There's no competition, no rivalry, no oneupmanship. Jut a very real and very basic desire to pass the craft along. I've been to other quilting groups that were a tad "frozen" in their approach. Their words of "praise" were, somewhat sadly, lacking in real enthusiasm. Somehow, "that's nice, dear" lacks the ring of conviction of what we hear in our little group, "HOW BEAUTIFUL! Look at how those colors are put together." Or, "just look at that stitching, how tidy!" These women can find beauty in the simply fact that someone t-r-i-e-d. What a gift, the gift of enthusiasm, of kind words spoken in season. How Very Real!


It's obvious I was on a Blue Monday kick, haven't any idea why, really, but here it is. But, back to the rotten truth. My textile postcards aren't like the textile post cards I received. Those are stunning. They have this stitched edge that's even and goes all around the card; there's, probably, a word for that stitch and a special sewing machine that does that stitch, but I haven't a clue what either is.

My work is, to put it nicely, primitive. Maybe not even that; it's "me" though and I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I just hope the other women enjoy them and, hopefully, have kind words to bestow.

The post card with the yellow felt bird is for my friend, Mary Lois. She and I have been friends for almost thirty years, have seen good times and difficult times, but have been friends throughout. She's a wonderful person and my life has been greatly enriched by her friendship. I know she'll be pleased to receive this little card; she has a grateful heart and is genuinely appreciative.


The bottom card is the M series and this one is for mask, moon, mirror, me in the mirror. Gosh, I was really on an M kick there, eh?

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, aka Grandma Moses is probably one of the best know folk artists and she began painting in her seventies. Few people know she already had a career in embroidery that she gave up due to arthritis. She was self-taught and that gives me courage to keep in the direction I'm headed. I love fiddling around with textiles and fibers and I love seeing how I can take a bit of cloth or sweater and make something useful and pretty. Grandma Moses is a pretty woman, even in old age, and reminds me of Dave's mother. They both have that "grandma" look although Mrs. Bricker wasn't keen on being a great-grandma, however she was proud of having taught hard science at the college level. Both women have that early to mid 20th century "look"...black pillbox hat with veil, gloves and both have that spark that translates to a love of life, what the French call joie de vie.

Here's to LIFE; may you live it out loud with a grateful heart!

Blessings ~ life ~ laughter ~ the work of our hands ~ love ~ rainbows ~ Grandma's ~