October Persimmons

 People in the Northeast have beautiful hillsides of autumn scenes as the hardwoods change from greens to gold, yellow, rust, maroon, orange, and I enjoy seeing these amazing pictures. Here in the pine belt, we are surrounded by huge pine trees that manage to remain green while shedding rust-colored needles in an almost solid carpet over my yard and driveway. Japanese persimmons ripen in a neighbor's yard; my tree makes beautiful leaves but no persimmons. 

Leaves on my persimmon tree

Persimmons shared by neighbor

A leaky refrigerator has eaten up huge blocks of time lately. Disconnecting the icemaker, deep cleaning underneath, and turning off the water line were temporary fixes. Shopping for my preferred features in my size requirements and learning about "supply chain issues" helped me decide I could fall in love with different features. Getting the old one moved out just before the new one arrived was tricky. 

Creating this fabric collage of a solid white cat was an enjoyable challenge. I used colored stitches to show shadows and define her shape. Nearly all cats have pink ears and nose, but white fur can't be just white. A variety of fabrics from satin to cotton helped bring her to life.

Here are a few in-progress photos during decision-making along the way. 

The MQA Gathering in Columbus was a great time getting to connect with with longtime friends. We got to display our Southern Fiber Artists Intense Color Challenge and tell the group about this project. We agreed on the benefit of studying value using Joen Wolfrom's Three-in=One Color Tool.

 My Elizabeth and Rahrah tried to get my attention while I was working on some NICU isolette covers. 

What a treat it was to get a visit from two cousins I haven't seen since they were in grade school. They traveled from Florida to Texas and came through Hattiesburg to see Linda and me. 

Eye Contact

In 2019 I sent a piece to be a part of  "Eye Contact: creating a connection" curated by Barbara Hollinger, as a special exhibit at the Sacred Threads Quilts exhibit. Barbara wrote, 

"In a time where politics, race, and religion divide us, a personal connection to those around us is hard to establish. We walk through the world with our heads down focused on daily tasks and distractions. . . . Lift up your head, gaze into someone's eyes, and make a connection." 

The exhibit consisted of 249 pieces measuring 5" x 23" and traveled to ten more venues between 2019 and 2022 before being returned to their makers. Barbara also prepared and sent a lovely bookmark showing a variety of pieces along with her statement describing the exhibit.

The quilts were suspended from wires at some venues

With Libby Williamson (her awesome eyes are right above her hand)

Some venues displayed on square towers 
I found my eyes here, second from bottom 

I was glad my donated Caladium Leaves sold in the SAQA 2022 online auction.