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| Thanks to Daniel Mennerich for this beautiful photo of the Northern Lights. |
Learn more about the sun, the Lights, and upcoming solar events here.
When nature and art meet.... See more of Susan Bauer's leaves with crochet additions at her website.
What do you think? Agree or disagree? The Biggest Mistake Quilters Make.
I love upcycling, especially when found objects become creative folk art. See more of Kirsty's art on Instagram.
There are fads among teen orcas? Probably. But they're not much fun for humans and their yachts.
I hope you find at least one interesting post.
--Nancy.
I saw the Northern Lights in our area last spring. We were in Oregon during this year's recent event--and while my daughter's neighbor saw them, we couldn't get a glimpse from where we were. Back home on the farm, our son got some great photos and sent them to us. My first time seeing them was as a child out playing night games in the neighborhood one summer. That was the best view I've had, with the dancing ribbons of green light. I've seen them 3 times since then, but it has just been the green glow, or green, fading to purple. I am hoping to catch a better view in Norway this fall, but we'll see what happens. The time of year that is best to see them can vary from place to place, and doesn't mean you won't see them at other times.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to come back and look at your links when I have more time to enjoy them.
You've had lots of views of the Lights, Janet! I think green lights are most common but when I saw them they were green and red/rose. I hope we'll have another opportunity to see them soon or soonish. And I hope you'll see them in Norway. You'll have a wonderful time on that trip, won't you?! Will it be a family history trip?
DeleteI went out to see the Northern Lights earlier in the month but was unsuccessful.......Re: creativity rut -- the work of many quilt designers is immediately identifiable, from Carol Breyer Fallert-Gentry to Bonnie Hunter to Janet Stone and Judy Niemeyer. When is that a style and when is it a rut?
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting question about style vs. rut, Nann. I have a few thoughts but no answer. In the creativity/rut post the author gave her opinion that we need to work outside our comfort zones, do new things, and challenge ourselves. That seems like a personal decision about what's challenging. For one quilter it might be the use of color or color combinations, for another might it be matching seams or even sewing 1/4" seams, and for another it might be creating a new pattern that's different from one she's made before. (I don't think of sewing and matching seams as particularly creative but it could be a challenge for some.) But I see what you mean about some quilters have an identifiable style which may look like a rut (or boring) to others. Interesting, interesting....
DeleteI've been thinking a lot about the "Biggest mistake quilters make" article. I've always wondered why so many people find a niche or a pattern or a technique in quilting and contentedly make quilts that are similar. I thought maybe something was wrong with my attitude of trying new things and new colors all the time. But, lately my passion for quilting has cooled down. I don't really know why but I've wondered if the novelty of quilting has reached it's limit in me. Maybe I need to try something that will challenge me more. Ahhhh! it's probably just the fact that I've been ill (respiratory flu) and can't collect my thoughts long enough to pursue a new project. I'll just wait and see.
ReplyDeleteWhat has got me thinking is the fact that I was in my sewing room everyday when it was upstairs but now that everything has been moved back downstairs . . . I haven't been in there in over a week except for getting a new spool of quilting thread.
I'm so sorry to hear you've been sick, Robin. Any kind of flu (in my opinion) will do a person in for most activities, especially creative ones! I hope you're feeling better. It takes a while....
DeleteI can identify with what you're saying about wondering if there's something wrong when you keep trying different styles of quilting. I do, too. I get bored too easily and have to change things up or I can barely force myself to do them.
I hope your desire to quilt returns! I love seeing your beauties!
Always interesting links. As for THE mistake quilters make, I agree, but she started by saying her quilts had evolved and changed and she hates her early work. So the writer HAS tried new things and seems pleased by her current focus. But she isn't seemingly aware or respectful of her entire body of work. [I often don t like the quilts I make, witness current bugaboo, Silent Night, but I have to say I still love the first two [actually second and third, but those were discarded] that I made when I was able to quilt again. A batik square in a square and a flannel Log Cabin. Before internet and rules and quilt police.
ReplyDeleteI rem my mom waking us kids up and taking us out to the nearby fields to see the Northern Lights. I am thinking it was summer, but she'd also wake us up for snowy full moon hikes in the winter, so who knows. I recall the Lights being green, and cobalt blue, no red.
I enjoy these posts! Thanks, Nancy.
lizzy
I'm glad you enjoy the links, Lizzy.
DeleteI wonder if most quilters' opinions about their own quilts change over time as they learn more, become more proficient, are exposed to more options, variety, techniques, possibilities.... Maybe that's all part of growing creatively?
Fun memories of the Northern Lights. It seems like the colors are really varied. The ones I saw had no blue but, instead, bright green and reds/roses.