Three weeks of stress

Last Saturday there was a funeral for my Aunt Betty who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer-- only 3 weeks ago. Since I am a recovered cancer patient - my family thought I was the right person to help her. Between the medical information, the doctor visits and providing moral support to my beloved Uncle Dave-- I was wrung out. In the middle of all this I received the registration numbers for the quilt show in Somers NY -- great news- and a photo of my new nephew Nicholas laying in the baby quilt I recently made for him.
So on Sunday I went back to my sewing room and made the Journal Quilt for April. It's called flight for obvious reasons. In my sewing room with my classical music, the world goes away and I can escape. This little "quiltlet" has been sitting there in pieces and I couldnt concentrate until the other family stuff was done. The pieces were moved around and around till it felt just frustrating. Nothing looked right. My husband gave me a quick sketch of what the fabric was saying to him and I went with his idea.

There was a quilting class in the last 3 weeks which was completed last week. It utilized the fruit and vegetable fabrics which I won at the quilt retreat. That should be put together this week.

In addition there are fabrics waiting for me -- these belong to the post card swap which is now in progress. The proposed theme is Fairies"" and I do have an idea. The plan is to work a panel of layers with Angelina, silver film, sequins, beeds?? , tulle and metallic thread. My hope is that it will look like fairies wings; the next step is to sew along a grid - measuring 4" x 6" and cut them apart. These cards will need the edges to be finished off with a zig zag edge and also the backing will be applied with the name and address. In one of my previous emails I was asked how did I embellish my work. Last year I took an Art quilt class at the Country Quilter, in Somers NY. Several of the classes addressed embellishments which can be done in several mediums. --- beads, metallic thread, Angelina, stamping, foiling, overlays of tulle, filming, painting, resist dyeing, collage, applique or couching of other substances (branches, leaves, paper, yarn), iron on photo images on fabric. Your imagination can just go for it.

This week starts a formal schedule at the local hospital - volunteering 2 to 3 mornings per week.
It allows me to be helpful providing information at the front desk and using my Spanish. My hope is to one day to work there.

But quilting and sewing is my therapy. I really need this creative release. The sad part is over and now I can enjoy the spring. The trees and flowering bushes are in full bloom. My yard is so colorful with all the flowering plants that my husband has prepared.

A friend told me that it is not wrong to sew artistically on one piece per week and then go back to quilting and make something pretty and classic. Thinking back over the last month - it seems to me that is exactly what I have done. One thought is that I should take one of my creative ideas and try it again and again with improvements. My quilting ideas jump from one thing to another depending on the fabric or the latest class or the latest mood I'm in. Does it seem like flitting around? The stash is large enough - that I could run with various ideas for months to come.

I heard there was snow in Colorado this week. The weather has been a bit strange all over the US. But here in the Northeast - this has been a glorious spring. Today the temperature went up to the 70's!!