Red is in love with me.

Yesterday's dinner plans got laid by the wayside for a good deal on craigslist for a computer desk for the workshop and a metal locker style chest of drawers for my son...my energy level and mental focus wasn't up to cooking anyways so it was not a battle for me to push it to the side and go pick up my items.  Long John Silvers and Kroger's deli rescued us from growling stomachs.  Today it was tuna salad, carrots, and grapes...another easy fix after being in my workshop from noon until 7pm.  I took a break for light lunch and for 3 breathing treatments which take less than 15 minutes each.  The remainder of the time was spent putting bead embellishments on Red Sea (working title). 

When I first started today, the bead work made me think about fossilized plants and animals like I have seen at the Falls of the Ohio...when I had placed a good number of beads on one section, the idea of a quilt being sculpture came to mind.  When I wrapped up the day I placed Red Sea around my neck (it measures 10"x36") and I thought of wearable art.  A quilt can be so diverse in the art form it takes.   

The bead work feels really right for this piece and the more I add the more it speaks to me.  What I discovered about random beading is that it isn't really random at all.  The color of the bead, the shape and size, the spacing, the line they create, etc.  have a right place.  I found myself taking beads out, redoing them so that the thread lines and the bead lines talk with each other.  These images are scanned because it doesn't photograph well but since it is my current beloved I wanted to show him off.  He is subtle with his come on but I still swoon when he whispers in my ear.

I'm going to add 2 cabochons for a soft focal point...they are red also...one is smaller than the other and it will be the "eye" of the piece...right now, I'm thinking the eye of God.  The larger one measures about 2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide and has a slight curve.  I've never encased cabochons before but I'm looking forward to the challenge. 

My parent's neighbor wants me to let her know when I start selling my quilts...I knew she meant bed quilts and instead of me taking the opportunity to talk about what I'm trying to achieve I just nodded and said "sure".  She'll be the first on the invite list when I hold an open house.  It will be easier to show her than tell her.

Peace,