Fiber Sisters for Hope

I was asked to join the Fibers Artists for Hope which made me happy. I know this group well. They originally began by making Obama quilts. I interviewed many of them for Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories, an oral history project of the Alliance for American Quilts. They had begun working on a new exhibition called "The Unspoken Truth About Color: A Dialogue in Art Quilts About Racism" which deals with racism. I had less than 10 days to make my quilt. Sometimes it takes a quick deadline to get me from over thinking and just creating. This piece makes me happy. You can visit the group's blog to learn more details about the exhibition--Unspoken Truth and Hope blog. Now it's back to writing for me!

Making Cards

I've been making greeting cards for a while now. My focus is on writing. However, it cannot be me entire  life. I also need something that does not take a lot of time. Making cards seems to be a nice way to balance my need to be creative without taking too much time. I try to make a card each morning while I am waiting for my oatmeal to cook. This means I have eight minutes to accomplish my mission. This also means I cannot over think during the process.
Here is the Halloween I made for my friend Barbara. She is my partner in crime. For the last couple of years, we have gotten together on Fridays to create Christmas gifts for our family and friends. The background paper and hand were from a trick or treat bag. Wish I had bought more than just one package. The bird and happy Halloween were from a package of stickers from JoAnn's for a dollar. Again, why didn't I buy more than one? I love the crow. The stars were from a punch and paper from a mail insert. The swirl is also a sticker. It was a fun filled 8 minutes! And more importantly, Barbara liked it.

Quilts Around the World

It just arrived! I can't wait to read it and share it. This amazing book, Quilts Around the World: The Story of Quilting from Alabama to Zimbabwe, by Spike Gillespie has two sections written by me. It was such an honor to be asked to contribute. I have one section on my travels to Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan and another on my work with the Latina community. I am in great company with Laurel Horton, Carolyn Mazloomi, Charlotte Pateria, Marsha MacDowell, Margaret Rolfe and Wendy Lugg also having written for the book. From first glance, this looks like a truly incredible resource. There are even quilt patterns. Another outstanding job done by Voyageur Press. Check it out!