Since March 13,2020

March 13, 2020  Friday.  This is the day the world stopped, school had been cancelled for the next two weeks because of the corona virus (Covid-19) and no one knew what this meant.  No one knew what to do with themselves. I had just finished up my first week at my new job - a nanny for a 16 month old little boy.  At the end of this two week period the governor announced that the school systems in Virginia would be closed through the end of the academic school year (but they would still continue to do school work via the computer).  WHAT?!
 
My quilt guild meeting was supposed to be held Saturday, March 14,  where we were to enter our guild challenge quilt that I had been working on since November.  Actually I had finished mine in December but I was so excited to show everyone what I had done... and to post pictures here!

It has been 3 1/2 weeks now and I know this will go down in history AND I know I should be writing about it but I am still dumbfounded by it all.  For introverts like me I LOVE this time, I don't have to interact with people and I can sew all day.  But then I watch the news and it scares me, no it terrifies me! I worry about my parents in WI and really wished they didn't live that far away.  But I check on my mom daily to make sure they are wearing masks when going out... not that they should be going out except for groceries and medicines.

And if anyone is reading this years later, YES we had to wear masks in public.  There are a lot of tutorials on how to make masks with household items but when you are a quilter like me you have fabric for the entire world!  But it takes time.

My sister-in-law asked me if I could make a total of 19 for her and family and friends.  I was hesitant at first only because I had never made one and it made it seem that more real. But I did and I'm glad I did.  I dropped them in the mail yesterday and felt good that I had given 5 people a little hope for not contracting this disease.

Stay safe and stay at home everyone.  What they keep saying on the news is that we need to "flatten the curve."

My parade of masquerade masks

One of those fun things I just had to try... then of course I got a little carried away with myself, and my feathers!

And my very favorite:

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!

And this is what they all look like in my studio space at Olde Towne Art in Portsmouth, VA.  Please stop by and feel free to try one on!

Updates, updates

This past week I could not wait to get started on my new endeavor: Chain Mail Jewelry!  After my last post I decided to go in a totally different direction and make a ring instead of earrings or a bracelet.  I used Rebeca Mojica's book Chained and made the Japanese Diamond Ring found on page 60.  It was rated as a mid-length project (it did take a few hours to complete) and rated as expert.  (There's nothing like aiming high on the first project!)It does state though that the reason for the expert rating is because one makes it out of stainless steel and titanium which are two of the strongest metals and working with them is tough.  Given this information I made mine out of a softer metal so I wouldn't get discouraged but knowing that it won't be as durable as if I had used a stronger metal.  I am absolutely thrilled with the results!

For this ring I used gold and pink jump rings for the center design and blue and green jump rings for the outside design.  The possibilities are endless when working with colored jump rings.  I believe my next project will be a helm chain bracelet in silver and black but don't hold me to it.

My second update is my Mardi Gras masks.  I have feathers flying all over the place here!  I have a total of 10 in the works, two are full face masks and the other eight are half masks.  I wanted to post a picture of my white and cream colored one because it is the first one finished and it's my favorite.  My goal is to finish all 10 by tomorrow and take them to my art gallery on Thursday so I can focus on my next endeavor: altered books and art journalling.  I've tried this in the past with not a lot of luck but I keep getting drawn back to it so we'll see.

Sometimes cheap isn't always better

While looking through my Oriental Trading Company's catalog I noticed some white masks... inspiration struck... "That would be so much fun to paint a mask and bejewel it".  Sounded very whimsical which is right up my alley!  I hadn't even looked at my local craft store for masks, I sat down and ordered them right then because when I have an idea I want to execute it right then and there, although I had to wait for shipping time.

When they arrived I wasn't impressed with the quality of the plastic but I pushed forward.  I went to my local hardware store and bought "plastic primer" which worked fantastic.  My problem was that the masks were still too flimsy.  I ended up going to my local craft store and found exactly what I wanted.  I wanted to do a full face mask but then I also wanted to do a few half face masks too. 

While I was at Olde Towne Art discussing my idea with other artists one of the ladies reminded me that Mardi Gras was coming up.  Wow I couldn't have timed that better!  So my ideas have shifted a little to now include feathers and and sequins.  My first thought was to do a full face white pearlescence mask with white feathers and lots of pearls. 

Here is my work table.  The champagne colored pearls laying across the mouth of the white face ended up outlining her lips.  I can't wait to post some finished photos!