June Is A Busy Month

I usually lead a very quiet life, spending most of my time designing and quilting in my studio.  I certainly do enjoy getting out though, but look forward to getting back to "work".  It's not really work.  It's an inner drive that I have.  There is inspiration all around and I want to translate it using fabric into quilts.  From a pattern I may see on a building to the colors of a beautiful flower - there are just not enough hours in a day. So here I am , it's not  even the end of the first week in June, and l have spent more time out of my studio than in it.

I was invited to go to the Devon Horse Show.    It is right in my backyard, located on the Philadelphia Main Line.  It is a huge event in the horse world.  I had never been before and decided to go in recognition of my new daughter-in-law's mother, Char.  Char is a horsewoman, who is a very active rider/hunter in CT.   When I found out that I could bring my buddy, Bailey, as long as she was on a leash, that really sealed the deal.

We got seats in the grandstand to watch our first event.  The ring was set up with all these different jump type things.  (Do you like my technical terminology?)  As they announced that it was 7 and 8 year olds, we all thought we were going to see children on horseback.  Silly us.  They were referring to the age of the horses!  The riders were all adults.  The horses did not look that big from a distance, but as they got closer, wow!  And to watch these beautiful animals use those rear, powerful legs to fly over those jumps, was just amazing.

Then we went to check out the Budweiser Clydesdales.  My normally shy and aloof puppy, Bailey, decides that she needs to befriend one.  When I sent this photo to one of my sons, he e-mailed me back.  I quote:  "I guess it does make sense that a dog named after a liqueur is making friends with a spokes-animal for beer."

The next outing was to  The Gallery Walk in West Chester, PA.  This university town, full of restaurants and little shops was packed with people.   Not only are there galleries packed with artwork, but local businesses also showcase local artists. Wine and cheese/hors d'oeuvres are served at most venues.   "Layers", our art quilt group, was lucky enough to be invited to show our wok in the offices of Morgan Stanley.  We decided to showcase the quilts from our 4 challenges.

The quilts looked great hanging on the walls and in the windows of the individual offices.  It was a new medium for people to see quilts as art and it was very well received.

Coming up on Wednesday, June 9th, I will be lecturing in the Pocono Mountains, at the Pocono Mountain Quilt Guild.  Located in Stroudsburg, they will be meeting at the Senior Center that night at 7 PM.   The topic of my lecture is "Inspiration From Squiggles and Dots".  It brings me back to wanting to spend time creating and sewing and translating all those thoughts into quilts.  If you're in the area, come and hear about how my overactive brain thinks.  You'll either walk away looking at the world in a different way or thinking that I look at the world through an unusual pair of glasses.