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I also spent an exciting day visiting the "trinity Site" In White Sands Missile range.
I shared the day with a group of visitors from Los Alamos and a couple of journalists writing for the British Newspapers...
I hope you like the colors and textures I captured...
It's pre dawn, still dark and everything is quiet, so with little distraction I can now put down in words why I was unable to express myself last night.
There are times in your life where you begin on a journey and you never know where it will end.
A commitment to giving my name, time and energy to this community here in New Mexico last year has had a deep affect on me and I'm thrilled with the results.
The fabulous organizing group held a pot luck tea last night. We shared ideas and congratulatory dialogue and delicious green chili.....
The final wrap up.... goodness, $10,000 was generated, I could hardly believe it.... and we hope it will ensure an annual event to continue the idea that -
"Quilting can make a difference - just for the asking."
The ladies made me a visual diary with photos and words, notes from the participants, organizers and bank staff.... and I will treasure it for ever.
They know me well.... I also received a fabulous bright orange hand bag and a new journal to take on my travels. Thank you, thank you, Thank you.
For once in my life......I was speechless...!!!!!!
Textures..... shapes...... color.....simplicity
This is the original photo, I took it here in Alamogordo.
The image above was illustrated and manipulated in the computer... (actually partly in my ipad)
If you enlarge the cactus picture, you will be able to work out layers of color.
Take a look at the background. If I decide to make a quilt from this picture, I will layer the background in two parts and build the other colors on top of them.
If you enlarge it and look closer, there are texture lines which you could use as quilting lines.
Batiks would look wonderful or some of McKenna Ryans graduated texture fabric.
I would quilt the background quite densely and then the cactus would stand out...
The prickles, I think they would look great as one long piece of hand stitched thick thread. They would look like a halo around the cactus.
Both of these images are simple and uncluttered..they would both make great quilts.
The day was delightfully hot....
I don't know if there is a word for people who like to be warm all the time... but the hotter the better for me.
The buildings have been empty for many years, the timber is weathered, the iron has turned a rich rust color over the years and the shapes of the buildings are wonderful.
I just photographed a few, (considering that I may have been trespassing)
The old mill stands as a reminder of a colorful past. It served as the primary means of support for many New Mexico families.
The old water tower is an Icon in the city. It stands right in the middle of the road next to the railway line. I've always loved the shapes and color. This old tower simply glows in the evening light.
Somehow, I will work them into a piece of art... I need to work through the process... and I will let you know.
The pork roast is being smoked on the BBQ, it's hot and sunny with huge thunder clouds building up in the distance.
The mountains are blue and silhouetted against the sky... they look stunning.
I'm going to introduce this American crew to bread and butter pudding so we will have a truly international menu for dinner tonight.
It's hard to know just where to start to be honest.
The Event is over and I think everyone is feeling a sense of satisfaction.
A year or more ago, a casual discussion after a "brown bag seminar" hosted by 1st National Bank, brought forth the idea of a quilt event to raise money for the young people here in (Alamogordo)
You know how these things happen, ideas grew into an ambitious course of action.
Could we do it? - well, here we are after the event and ....Wow, we did it.!!!!
I talked about it at home. It was hard to make people understand, then again to they need to know?
Well I figure they do, because this was a unique experience. In this "Whats in it for Me" generation its remarkable that a large financial Institution, let alone a Bank would support the efforts of a small group of adventurers to take take a leap of faith.
The community pulled together with selfless commitment. he young people of FFA were there from the beginning to the end and I was pleased to work along side them.
Classes were full to overflowing and the participants enthusiastic... almost half of the class took all three classes and attended the dinner and presentation on Friday evening.
The dinner allowed the vendors and the general public to be part of the experience as well.
The area outside the classroom was set aside for the vendors who had faith in us to come from other States, and the general public were able to view a wonderful display of quilts and spend their money at the same time..!!
I am now a fan of Green Chili burgers.....!!! thanks to the efforts of the FFA group. Their catering along with other groups was outstanding.
One of the other unique things is that the LLoyd Curzon fabric company from South Australia, donated 90 yards of fabric and it was delivered free to us from the Maywood fabric company here in the USA... so there was an International connection other than ME.....
Each student and committee member received one of these handmade badges made by a local Artist Carol Johnson.
Hand dyed fabrics drying.
Our young helpers.
