“Urgent Housekeeping Chores…” Let the giggling commence.

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Beth Markel

I’ve been word-herding (collecting words) since January, and I’m not sure what exactly I’m going to do with all of the words I’ve collected, but something will come to mind, as I’ve created numerous, interesting phrases with them…

The turquoise bent in the afternoon silence..

Spilled crimson streamed laughter and hope…

Birdsong remained after the whispering fog lifted….

Quiet and winsome, sorrow sad by my side..

A single word called my name, so obediently I listened…

 

OK, you get the picture.  I’m just taking what I’ve heard throughout the days & weeks, and running the words together.  Maybe they will become a poem.  Maybe they will inspire quilt blocks.  Maybe they will inspire a complete quilt.  Maybe I’ll keep them in my back pocket until I have a project that needs words or writing.  The possibilities are endless!

I’ve gotten some great words in the past couple of weeks:

Dizzy                          seamless                   unnoticed                 loping

Sudden                      primed                      tertiary                      pixel

Fairy                           impossible                stardust                     truthfully

Ceremony                implode                     watchful                   continuum

Why                           annoying                  changeable              cringe

Abhorrent                lacey                          taunting                    endless

Wonder                    truthful                     cryptographer        trustworthy

Still                             plumage                    vibrant                      neon

 

Next, I finished a Mapping Michigan Memories piece for SAQA last week, and will just give you a sneak peak.  This project turned out to be wildly therapeutic for me, as just weeks after moving to Michigan my sister was diagnosed with Leukemia.  The favorite phrase around my house for a long time was, “Leukemia Sucks.”  My first couple of months living here was filled with boxes stacked in the living room, dining room and basement, while I took calls about her diagnosis, then treatment plan, all the while sitting on packed moving boxes.  The SAQA piece was quite wonderful to work on, as both my Dad & darling husband were born here in Michigan.  I began sifting, sorting, and swimming through the thousands of pictures I’ve taken in our beautiful state, which allowed me to process a lot of feelings, history, memories, and dreams.  Sorrow and joy, tears and laughter, all in an afternoon.

Work continues on the endless restructured piece.  It’s a line-study (#38), but I’ve restricted the colors to use, so it’s been a challenge.  The funny thing is that I already have at least 3 more projects in my head, so it’s a matter now of finishing this busy, interesting piece and starting the next.  I wonder if most artists work this way ~ one or more projects being planned in their head as they finish the one at their fingertips.  My Grandma Broyles was always working on 3 quilts at a time…she was Cutting one, Piecing one, and Quilting one, and always sewed after the dinner dishes were finished.  I often wonder how much more she could have done with a rotary cutter and electric sewing machine.

Finally, the cold weather has broken here in Michigan…YEA!  For the first time this year I was able to open some windows and let a warmish breeze in yesterday, and although they have not popped their heads up yet in my own garden, hyacinth are blooming in the produce department at our local grocery store.  Just the gentle, wafting scent of these spring heralds is enough to make me giddy!  It means that Spring Cleaning is just around the corner, and this includes my sewing room.

Here is some advice from 1940’s Singer Sewing Machine Manual:

Whoa, “urgent housekeeping chores,” isn’t that an oxymoron?!  Just sayin’

Find ways to be creative,

Beth

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