Getting ready

Up to my hands in dye. Working with my mother's linens. Got a show Thursday night at Chroma. Can we say procrastination?
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a thank you for a great break the fast.

We have some great friends who, year after year, take pity on my sweet husband and always invite us the most amazing evening. As usual, I ate way to much. I made her some hot pads for the next time. The large one will be perfect for that amazing blintz casserole. Gut yontif a day late.
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Lark's Leaving the Nest

Moving Out my Baby!

Just letting you know I am helping my daughter move into an apartment. Going to be a busy weekend. A little excited...a little blue.
She already wants to paint the walls...her mother's daughter!

xoxo
Lori

Current

The process of interpretation.

a new direction.

One of my oil paintings

Hey everyone. Been in the thought process for months about my work. thought I'd share it with you. I am currently a professional artist in Savannah. Luckily my work has always been well received. I've painted southern landscapes for years. But, last year I stopped working to take care of my mom. She passed away in November after 11 months of fighting the cancer that was taking her away. I regard that time as the most special, difficult, nurturing, loving and revealing time in my life. Would not have missed a minute, because she knew, without a doubt, how much I loved her.

Now to why I am blogging. When people ask me what started me as an artist, I say a poster contest in kindergarten. "Keep North Carolina Clean and Green - Don't Be A Litterbug". That was the first time I was recognized. I won. But now I realize something else... In all the packing unpacking and such, I have discovered memories I long forgot -quilting. My grandmother Emma, a seamstress, lived with us until I was 11. As I opened closets to pack, bits of yellows or blues would remind me of sitting with her and my mom, cutting up my dresses, and rearranging small pieces to make the most beautiful things. I remember her fragile hands sort through my outgrown hand-me-downs (the youngest sister!!!). As I recall this exposure, I realize that these simple acts are what actually shaped me as an artist. Things that I saw as domestic tasks were actually artistic processes. My grandmother and my mother were artists! Of course. And I am an artist.

Mama Grooms' Hanging Out

With this beautiful realization, all I want to do is connect through the process. My artistic drive is changing. I KNOW in me somewhere is the fruition of embracing my past and my current work. I am currently trying different things: cut fabric, cut paper, fabric and painting, collage and painting... OVERWHELMING! Because it is new to me, it is taking some reflection and many attempts.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.
Lori

Nana's way

 

Lark is learning how to sew the binding by hand. Much to her dismay!!! But of course that is the way my mama showed me so...  She Is so close to finishing her first quilt. She's excited about giving it as a gift to a close friend. We've been a little off schedule- rob just had his wisdom teeth out and I have been starting a Blog for my paintings. Too much at one time. We are thinking about starting her an etsy account so she can sell a few things. Did I mention that she wants to have a retail store that focuses on handmade vintage and re-purposed items.
Sounds good to me. I'd shop there. We may be a little slow this month. She starts back to school mid September. She and a fibers classmate are moving in to an apartment together and rob moved out last month. Whew! Hallelujah! Freedom.

Gulp. Gulp. I'm really gonna miss them.

i just can't stop sewing

Another change. The bars felt busy. The albers style squares seem like a better match. Hopefully.

taking a nap

As usual. In the middle of things. Changing directions on the design.

process of the product.

We made the pledge, so I am trying to keep you a part of the process. I need to put together a back for a quilt. The front is busy, so I want to keep it minimal. The only problem is that I would like to use what I have on hand. Makes it challenging this is where I started.

Lark finishing up. Late night again.

'Baby Who's' finished quilt

Baby Who Quilt on Wassily

Well, it's Saturday night and what am I doing?... I know. Sad! But I am having so much fun doing this with Larkin. I finally got my images uploaded (of course, we had to choose a few from, say 150 or so. This small lap quilt was my first project. My stepdaughter is having her first baby...a girl. And I wanted to make this for 'Baby Who'. Did I mention that my current resolution is to make all my family members a quilt. HA. Of course the newness hasn't worn off yet. I find myself leaving my studio and going straight to my fabric stash! It's like a secret addiction. I settle in to sew and all of a sudden I am having to balance a 10 lb. fluff in my lap, cut a strip, iron a seam and sew it together...all without getting out of my chair. Ta Da!


Oh yeah, the 10 lb fluff...let me introduce you to Bella. She is our 4th dog, a rescue, the only girl and she rules the boys. And sometimes me. She is completely content as long as she is right in the middle of whatever I am doing. Taking the photos proved to be her debut to posing for the camera. She loves to sit, lay, snuggle, and/or squirm on any little fabric heap.

Don't let that sweet face fool you.

 

This is fun ! (and yes I washed the quilt after this)

Whew! Big job posing for mom.

Anyway, getting late. Got stuff to do (I haven't even made the bed yet... oh well, kinda a little late now).

This has been fun. I know Mom would have loved this.

xoxo Lori

my first quilt

Here it is. Took a while to figure out how to take the photo. I like this one best. Simple.

xoxo
Lori

This is the beginning.....

Hello!! Let me tell you- this is exciting! The first post! So what do most people talk about? I'll just start rambling and see where it gets me. Gardenseed Blessings is a blog that my mom and I started. At the moment, we are obsessed with quilting! Ok, here's some background info. Growing up, my mom was taught how to quilt by my amazing grandmother, Jane. She recently passed in November of 2009. I wish you could have known her with her big heart and easy smile. She always said I love you. So, when starting this blog we both thought it would be awesome if we could somehow include her. The brainstorming began. "Gardenseed" was the word that my nana would say instead of cursing. She really was the sweetest thing so of course she wouldn't curse! My mom and I both knew that "gardenseed" would be in the title, but it still needed something- "gardenseed... what?" We had thought of some other options, but it didn't have that ring yet. Oh, let me add that this was at 3 am! So, after racking our brain for that special word, I just sat back and let my mind stop. "What about Gardenseed Blessings?" The second the words came out of my mouth, it was done. That was it! Gardenseed Blessings. It's sweet and southern and tributes my nana. It's perfect! Having this be the title of our blog makes me smile. Every time I say it, I get a great memory of my nana!

So with all of this said, I hope you will continue to check back! You can expect to see great photographs of amazing work. Whether it be a quilt, a dress or a scarf, you just never know with us! My mom just finished a quilt a few days ago and the pictures will be up asap! You definitely will want to see this!

love&hugs

Lark