36 Quilts in 12 Months

No Leash No Chain

No Leash No Chain

Went to a concert last night at the Boot Barn Hall. We can start with the terrible idea that the main performer was Billy Bob Thornton. Not exactly what to say about it other than it was... probably... what I was guessing it was going to be, disappointing. However, I came across someone incredibly amazing, lyrically, musically, amazing. He might, well, I'm pretty sure it was a wig, but regardless I would of never found him if it wasn't for Billy Bob Thornton, so I am thankful - in a weird sort of way. 

So, point being - No Leash No Chain. www.RoughCutsBand.com Ryan Chrus & The Rough Cuts. 

Read, Listen, absorb exactly who I am. 

Music, piece maker and above all DOG LOVER! 

1, 2 ,3, 4...

"I've been around and I've got scars and I've seen a thing or two I've had my heart ripped apart. I may get down, but I get back up and I get out of bed. I can be depressed, waste my time but I'll have a drink instead. 

HANGING OUT WITH MY DOGS, JUST CHEWING ON BONES, I EAT AROUND IN THE DIRT, I DON'T FEEL ANY HURT, NO SORROW NO PAIN -

NO LEASH NO CHAIN!

Well this time I think I've had enough and they will be no more loving for me. My DOGS keep on Willy and Hank and the only tails I want to.see, they never get mad and never get sad they just want to have a ball. 

They want to sit on my lap and lick my face.

NO LEASH NO CHAIN"

I did obtain his guitar strings in a form of earrings - time to hang out with my boys chewing on bones. 

As always,

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

 

And WINDY has stormy eyes...

What happens when you realize you actually matter. When you become the change you want to see in the world? What I do is sew, little tiny pieces of fabric into quilt... it is what truly makes me happy. 

There are a lot of things that are thrown at you in life. Question is, are you capable of catching it?

I'm awake, again, at an unnecessary hour. This happens too often. However, I did finish this... not perfectly perfect but perfectly imperfect. 

I need to say THANK YOU to my sister! She sent me Markers! 

Today's forecast, 100% CHANGE OF SEWING - with a 0% change of Housework. 

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod & Cooper

 

 

Learning to breathe...

I watch the birds. Robins - I have a new one and he's working so hard, he's persistent, he knows he needs to take care of his woman, who is most likely pregnant. The winds out here this spring have been undeniable but he won't give up. Not only he is manhandling the wind he has to deal with Tod and Cooper. I'm on his side, unfortunately I can't help him. What I can do is block the doggie door as much as I can... If I touch his nest I mess with nature, I'm not sure that I want to mess with nature, I do believe he can do this, he has to!

Sorry, not the best picture...

 

I'm actually hoping that he's one of these three... from last year.

They eventually flew the coop - I guess we all do, but eventually we all go home. 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is try and enjoy the beauty in all things AND always listen to the music. 

"I'm still learning to love, still holding my tongue, still playing where it's safest and I'm still trying to be strong, still stumbling along to people and to places that will take me where I need to be, find out who I'm calling me. Life has only begun and already I'm not sure if I can make it, but it's fine, I'm learning to fly - I'm saying goodbye to people and places that make me less than I can be."

DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE. 

Anson Sebra

What we can learn from birds. 

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

x + y = z

x plus y doesn't always equal z. As a student we finally figure out to pull out all the unnecessary equations - the words that don't matter just put there to confuse us. So many words today that make no sense, often times I think my words don't make a drop of sense. 

Then - I come back to this... an incredible calendar from 1912. It speaks words. Longfellow.

Success

The talent of success is not more than doing what you can well, and doing well whatever you do without a though of fame. 

After I go to that - I always come home... to this.

Moving a little slow on this one - it has a lot of passion in it even though it's just a nine patch. My heart is currently heavy and I'm not sure there is a diet for that. However the truth is, this is the daily dog and I have two very beautiful amazing dogs, unbelievably beautiful.

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

In the end, everybody talks to GOD...

My roommate tells me I scribble. That may be true, maybe my brain just scribbles as well, I'm not quite sure I agree. I listen to everything, what I don't want to remember I make myself forget. It takes me a minute to forget, but I have to believe in forgiveness. 

I need to continue working on Ethan's quilt so I'm not going to use pencil and paper today. 

I'm listening to this song by Aaron Lewis - 

EVERYBODY TALKS TO GOD...

He was sayin' Grace over a Tuesday blue-plate special. 

When the man in the next booth said, "Don't you watch TV? Don't you know that God is a myth? I hate to see you waste your breathe cause there ain't no use to talking' to a ghost that don't exist."

This prayin' man said, "AMEN" and looked up from his plate. And said you might not talk to God right now, but there's gonna a come a day. 

Cause whether you're a farmer in the field, praying for the rain, or you curse Him at the gravesite cause He called a loved one's name. You can blame Him, either way, you're gonna face HIM. Whether you believe in Him or not 'cause in the end everybody talks to GOD.

The man in the booth went quiet 'cause he didn't have a comeback.

So he shrugged it off and paid his tab and shuffled out the door and the praying man prayed for the man who drove away, hoping he would see the light before it got too late. 

But how he was to know he touched a non-believers soul. He got that conversations two red lights down the road.

Whether you believe in Him or not, in the end - EVERYONE TALKS TO GOD. 

 

So Thank YOU AARON LEWIS - I appreciate and am very thankful for you. This song hits so many triggers in my life. I hope one day to see you live. Not only are a lyrically awesome, you know the power of strings. 

 

 

My Gift - which is my curse...

I absorb energy. The past few years, actually the past several years the energy I have absorbed might actually be killing me. The winds out here have been incalculable, the sound of roofing, siding, construction - my ears literally bleed. I had just got use to the ridiculous noise and sound of the cars. All I can see and hear is negative energy. Unicorns do not exist, rainbows were stolen. Lay next to someone and feel their heart. Know their blood pressure, their angst, their fears, their joy - and absorb it, and figure out how you can be you again. Some say this is my gift - I say, it's my curse. 

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

I Found KINDNESS...

I found kindness in a box of crayons. They were a $1.99, the best $1.99 I've spent - because I learned something. I learned the colors of kindness. 

I think the most I learned about today was the color orange. I think it's often neglected or sometimes just ignored. What it represents in all of our lives - we should never ignore the color orange. Truth is, we should never ignore any color - but orange, we take for granted. It's the sunset, it's the juicy fruit, it gets mixed up between red and yellow. 

JOY, WARMTH, HEAT, SUNSHINE, ENTHUSIASM, CREATIVITY, SUCCESS, ENCOURAGEMENT, CHANGE, DETERMINATION AND FUN. 

I do know a little bit about color. CMYK, RGB, Pantone. I guess maybe I left out orange. Maybe I never really appreciated it. 

I have a quilter's wheel for Pete's Sake. It does seriously serve a purpose. 

This is now my favorite color...

A warm hug. Wish I could pinpoint the exact breakdown of this particular color - I so wish I could. How exactly can I break down a warm hug. A WARM HUG - believe it comes from a dog. 

I found kindness in a box. 

That's How We Roll.

As Always,

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper.

HUGS!

My Uncle Don...

He is definitely the son and the grandson of two amazing quilters. He is also the son of an amazing man. Probably not the most amazing man - but he was to me. He liked his whiskey and poached eggs and oh my GOSH his truck and the smell... he was my Grandpa and he was perfect to me. 

I received this in the mail...

It is imperfectly PERFECT. Walnut and maple. It's like a quilt, only it's a butchers block. One that I won't use -  I will always treasure it - AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. This one is mine - no one can take this from me. 

I also received a letter from him. 

It is "said" that you can determine a person's qualities through their handwriting. We are talking about a man who loves to fish, hunt, and works with wood. Not quite sure you can figure him out through his handwriting. However, it's cursive... and I love it!

It's old school cursive - the L and the G - the A... 

Guess what - I love him.. 

Always have - always will -

He's my Uncle Don. 

He's right up there with my Dad. 

"It wasn't long after Don finished Christmas dinner he realized he ate too much turkey."

One of my most favorite cards that I designed - 

So thank you Uncle Don. 

However, whoever said diamonds are girl's best friend never had a dog. 

As always, (the daily dog)

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

 

 

Grandma D...

I don't talk about her much. She was always indifferent to me growing up. She had a magnet on her refrigerator that said, "I'm not overweight, I'm under tall." However, she served an incredible purpose in my life. Still trying to figure out how her hair was white. I suppose if I was to make her a quilt - it would be white with sprinkles of silver. What's crazy... is she loved silver - but somehow thought gold was better. 

It is on all year long. When my Christmas Tree is no longer shining - I might as well not shine. 

The stories of my Grandma D., are actually priceless. Her way in this world was not anything that I am. She had a sense of vanity that I never understood. It doesn't much matter - I loved her. She found art in things that most people would of never understood. Look at that frame - look at it. The ridiculous jewelry. The lights. Did I mention how much she loved Jello? 

Yes, I was never the Granddaughter she would of wanted. Well, maybe she was not my ideal Grandma, but she was mine. 

What happens now is she has inspired me. With GOLD. What the what?!

The yellow tones, the greens, the browns, merely that fact that Jesus is back where he belongs. 

Another one of my many blessings and findings in going to antique malls... I found Jesus, not only in a gold frame - but with a light.

For my Grandma - I will design a quilt made with GOLD... and sparkly things (so not my thing) Truth is, she matters. 

DO NOTE - I'VE GOT SOME SERVICE-TALENTED SALAD TONGS!!!!! Jealous much?! 

What's even better, I have this...

Traci,

In 1942 my mother, Dad, Dolores, Rex and I drove to Cleveland, Ohio to see Uncle Raymond (in the Navy) and Aunt Hazel.

On the way over Dolores and I saw a gift shop where we wanted to stop but Dad wouldn't stop. On the way home we watched for the shop and we did stop!

Rex bought this frog and gave it to his mother. After we were married she gave it back. Rex kept this down at work and when he cleaned out his things he brought it home. 

This frog is at least 55 years old so take good care of him.

Love,

Grandma

Guess what kids, I take very good care of him. No worries Grandma. I got this!

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

Lack of Perception...

Miss Carol, Carol, meanie pants... I don't remember that much about her. She had dark hair, pixie cut - what I do remember is I was 18 and was told I was not capable of being an artist - because I had lack of perception. I'm sorry - how much did my parents pay for you to tell me that I wasn't good enough, that I lacked depth. Is this what happens to women as we get older - we get angry, old and mean?

Again, I'm sorry - I'm not going to waste my time painting a piece of fruit or a square - I'm going to create what I want to create, when I want to. 

Always have, always will. I was in 5th grade not knowing what life was really about. What it had in store for me. To me at that time it was colorful. There was no end to it. It was beautiful. When we needed to be in the house before the street lights went off. Where my sister and my brothers would sit at the table have a home made meal. When my Dad sat at the head of the table and my Mom at the other end, where human Todd and I would glare at each other in despair as if we were going to just hop over the table and attack each other. Crazy thing is - God has an interesting way of teaching us lessons. My niece, just like me. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA - sorry human Todd, karma? paybacks? Or maybe, just maybe - the proof, that God does exist. 

Did you know there are COLORS OF KINDNESS? And even better, you can find them at the grocery store.

24 colors of KINDNESS! 24!!!!! If only people could be kind like a box of crayons. 

It's interesting what can happen when you finally accept who you are. That you can feel the beat, when you stop being embarrassed, when you start listening to the words and start feeling them. All the while knowing maybe your art professor in Drawing 101 at Iowa State University was right - you're not an artist because you lack perception. 

But wait! Is there perception in this art? Or precision?

The left piece is Sharon Lewis I believe Acoma and the right is D.Lewis-Garcia Acoma. 

That my love is not only art - it's patience, which I'm terrible at. 

So, what happens now?

I continue to be the artist I was created to be - no perception, with no precision. Just me. 

Always listen - to the beat, to the words - to the music. 

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper

The GO TO COLOR - or lack of...

Meet one of my many boys... Ethan...

Yes, I love my nephews more than life itself. I skipped ahead, I still have Oliver and Caleb's to do - I will get them done. My heart is heavy with my boy Ethan. Guess what - the go to color, or lack of, is gray, it's between black and white, so in a CMYK break down this one is 12.5% K. I suppose we all have a go to. Mine is gray. Ask Google or Siri the difference between gray and grey. To me it has a shimmer of silver. It's perfectly perfect. 

I don't want to go to dark, just a small show of depth. Almost white, but not. It's the creamsicle color I want to POP! I LOVE that fact that my boy loves orange! Think of all the great things that are orange! The sunset, a juicy piece of fruit, caution signs, my scissors, my favorite pot - it's a color that often gets ignored. Not my boy Ethan - at 14 he sees something great in the color orange. 

This quilt will be 20 9 patches across, 21 9 patches down. 420 9 patches, 3,780 pieces sewn down to 3/4". Not including the gray patches in between. Haven't gotten there yet - but this one is going to be awesome. A nine patch with a kick of a sunset. 

And of course, a shimmer of silver. 

As always, 

Traci(ee), Tod and Cooper