Rough start

Getting back in the swing of things has been rough.  The last while has been spent reviewing and revising my Machine quilting class for early April.  A few days ago, I decided that enough was enough, and put it all away until a couple of weeks before the class.  Instead, I felt the need to do something just because I wanted to, not because I felt I should be doing it--not a chore.

Tuesday of this week I was speaking with a couple of friends about an upcoming show.  I wasn't intending to enter, but they convinced me that the item I had was quite fine.  So I plopped my money down and am now committed. One of these friends is in charge of a second show later this spring, and I offered an older piece, but one that has not been shown.  It was a soft sculpture reliquary, one I spent a great deal of time on. 

It was accepted and my mind turned to reliquaries.  They are my secret pleasure.  Something I love doing, even if each one can take two to three months of hard, fussy, detailed hand  work.

These thoughts lead to an unfinished one that has been around for almost two years.  ( Thinking of the Celtic Cross discussed in a previous post probably started this train of thought)  This poor thing has encountered just about every disaster I can think of.  The pattern ( my own drawing) proved inaccurate in a strategic area, I lost the fabric I was working with, and couldn't replace it.  Then I tucked it away in hopes of finding more fabric, and forgot where I put it!  I found it a couple of months ago, quite by accident.  I decided to finish it as best I could.

The fabric on the very bottom is not shot silk, but the colour is right and who's going to see it anyway.  I altered the doorway at the back of it, so it would fit better, and added a firm insert ( foam core) to the base for extra support.  The actual construction is not my best work, but I'm very pleased with the embellishment.

I have also pulled a few UFO's out of storage to work on over the next couple of weeks.  I sometimes forget that creativity has to be fed, or it shrivels up and dies.  I need to make things just for myself once in awhile.