Blizzards & Hydrangeas

Hydrangea Table Runner (for sale at www.mountainjoyquiltndye.Etsy.com)

One doesn't normally think of blizzards and hydrangeas in the same thought. That's exactly what I did this week though. It was a mild fall and now we are paying for it. Last week, it -32 one night and one of our pipes froze. Luckily it thawed and we didn't have to rip up the kitchen floor. That would have been a major problem for me. I've been sticking to my rule of only half the house can be missing floors at any given time.

After the cold snap lessened a little, the snow came. We got 4-5' fresh snow and it just won't stay put. The winds cause it to move and drift like it is a living entity akin to an ocean. Sid has been digging the Scout out from where it got stuck in the middle of the driveway. Better our driveway than any where else though, huh? He might be close to the road with it now. Maybe today is the day we get out. It'd be nice, we are almost out of coffee. No Bueno!

As Sid's been digging and the snows been blowing, I've been trying to stave off cabin fever. I have been quilting and drinking lots of hot cocoa. I decided I needed to get a few new items up again on my Etsy site. I made a few cute little fabric wallets. My battle against cabin fever was led by the mighty hydrangea fabric. It is so bold and beautiful and colorful, that it put me in a better mood. Those reminders of spring are very important and I think we quilters gravitate to florals in the dead of winter. I made 2 table runners and 8 place mats. It's a good thing I have plenty of fabric in my stash to keep me busy for the next month.

Spring must return sometime so just keep quilting and stay warm.

Winter Tie Dye Woes

Tie-dyeing at altitude in the winter can be quite a challenge at times. My husband woke the other morning and found his bucket of clips looking a little funny with some snow on top. When he dumped out the contents, this is what it looked like. It was pretty funny so I snapped a photo to share with you all. It is a good thing he found it early enough to thaw outside. During the nice months, he dyes outside. When winter really sets in, he will convert his bathroom into a studio. You see, he has to keep the dyes thawed. He gets great textural effects by putting the dyed products outside to freeze. The dyes run in ice channels and look really cool, kind of like a salt effect. When they come out really good, I call them "freeze-dyed". It is always fun experimenting with dye technique up here. One time, he stood about 7 feet away from the shirt he was dyeing and let the wind carry the dye to the shirt. Well, it was better than having the dye go on the ground 7 feet further than the shirt! These aren't really woes. They are challenges that keep us learning and life interesting. Laughter is always good for the soul and art work. Trust me, we laughed when we saw the frozen bucket of clips. Can you remember your last educational mishap? If not, I highly recommend having some.

Winter Has Arrived

Well, I had a lovely winter day here at Mountainjoy. The snow finally started falling in big, wet flakes from the grey sky. I enjoyed it immensely looking out the studio windows as I quilted. Dancing along to celtic music with my long arm sewing machine is so much fun. I made a table runner and placemats out of some gorgeous materials. They are to go on my Etsy site soon. I am trying to prep for the upcoming holiday season.
With the beautiful day I was given, I also decided to make split pea soup and fresh Challah bread for dinner tonight. I guess that truly means winter is here officially. The wood stove has been fed all day and it is going to be a cozy night.
On the wildlife scene, last weekend we had a mountain lion wake us at four in the morning. It was in our yard screaming with all its might. It circled the house and came right by the bedroom door. We listened to it shivering in our skins with all the animals up in bed with us. It went on for about ten minutes and then wondered off further into the woods. Wow, that was exciting. Have you ever heard a mountain lion's scream? I assure you, that it is an unnerving sound.