The second part of this three part project I am currently working on is without a doubt the most difficult. It may well be the most difficult project I have ever done.

It starts here.

This is a Syrian table cloth. The embroidery is amazing. It was difficult to photograph, because it is black on black and it is stunning. These cloths were always abundantly available in the market place. Not so any more. They have been come increasingly difficult to find. And I needed this black cloth for my project. It took me a long time, I didn’t want to cut it, I didn’t want to part with it, but then I would think of the stories. The stories needed to be told, and I needed this cloth to tell them.

 

When preparing for this project, I had contacted  Collateral Repair Project   in search of some items to work with for my project. I was able to purchase what I needed for the project (more on that next time), but also included were biographies, horrifying stories of what these refugees had endured. It took me months to read them all, not because there were so many, but because of the stories themselves. The stories that needed to be told.

 

This was not a part of the original plan, or design. It became important to me. And as I worked with their words, to place their quotes on the quilt, it remained horrific, but it was their reality. I couldn’t turn away. Real experiences, this is their life.

I needed the quilt to look war torn. I burned it.

Then I filled parts of it with mixed media

 

But the words. The words are the most important part of this story.

I have cried, ached and been inspired by these stories. These amazing woman. Their status is refugee, but their persona is brave, courageous, and for me, they are inspiring. They carry on, they do what they have to do to protect and provide for their children. They are wives and mothers who have left everything behind to get their families to safety.  And everyday that I am honored to work with their stories, I am grateful to know of their unbelievable trials and their ability to overcome and I am humbled.

 

For more information about Collateral Repair Project, click here

 

 

Last week I was reading a blog about creating. I can’t find it now, or I would share it with you! The idea was that we get a great idea. We get excited about it and begin to act on it. Then, we stall, quit, stop, put the project on hold. Then we get a great idea. And so on and so on until life becomes one great big idea, but nothing is getting done.

I have experienced this phenomena!

Here is a once upon a time great idea!

This was a piece of fabric I had previously surface designed. The grid reminded me of trellis.

I had lots of fun adding sunflowers and color.

Then, it all stopped. I need to quilt this piece. The quilting completely changes the look of the piece. I am going to go back to working on this once great idea. I’m not really feeling like it is as great as I had originally envisioned, but I’m going to take it a little further.  Stay tuned for an update!

Do you have any great ideas hanging around?

 

 

 

I recently spent some time in Barcelona admiring the works of one of my favorite architects, Antoni Gaudi.

Much of Gaudi’s work was inspired by nature.

One of my absolute favorite pieces is this door grill.

Which was inspired by this!!

A honey comb!

The columns in The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia were inspired by trees.

 

The Basilica was being worked on at the time of Gaudi’s death and work halted for three decades and began again in 1954. The current estimated completion date in 2025.

He used a variety of materials in his work.

Mosiac

Iron

Wood in this staircase is used to resemble dinosaur vertebrae.

Cement

Casa Batllo with its balconies that remind me of  Venetian masks

I find looking at Gaudi’s work, just at face value, totally inspirational. Now I am delving deeper into what inspired him, how he used his inspiration in the designs of his incredible buildings. Curves and glass and mosaic, at times it felt so original and so inspired, yet almost Seuss like. I loved spending time in his creations. It is worth checking out the amazing architecture of Antoni Gaudi if you are looking for inspiration!

And of course, we still found a little time to cheer on the German Football Team (yeah!)!

It was a wonderful trip.

I am inspired!