I'm back from one of my favorite parts of the State

Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach and Stuart.  All are relatively close to each other to the point you can't tell when you have left one and entered another as you drive south or north on US 1 as I did last Thursday.  I got off the Interstate 95 at the Vero Beach exit because I say a formation of jets flying over the area and was intrigued.  Turned out, as I stood looking up, standing next to my car from a shopping center parking lot I chanced to turn into, it was the Blue Angels practicing their routine.  I learned later for an air show they were part of that Saturday in Vero Beach.  They are amazing.  I am not very fond of flying as my friends and family know.  I've gotten better over the years, but to see a plane fly, take off and land, ranks right up  there with seeing red fire engines, the ones with ladders and the firemen standing on the back, heart flutters and ah.
     Now back to the reason I was in Port St. Lucie and Stuart on Thursday and Friday.  I was there to present a program for the Martin County Quilters Guild, a repeat for me.  I feel good when I am asked back to teach.  And there is nothing better than seeing familiar faces in your audience and classes.
     This time I taught the painting on silk with soy workshop.  There were 18 in the class which was help in a meeting room at the hotel where they put me up, which was very convenient.
     Here are a few of the pieces that were finished.  I forgot my camera again but used my smart phone to capture these images from a few of the students.

 They had a choice of two pattern to paint

of the 18 most chose the above pattern.

 I am home for a week and then I am off to Brandon,  near the Gulf side of the state. 
In the days between now and then I plan to get at least one largest painting done.
 

May.... where did April go

Was the thought I woke with this morning.

I could tell that the year was moving on by the look of the wooded are at the back of my place.  Each morning as I open the blinds at the window and pull back the blinds I can't miss the greening of the growth.  I noticed that there is a magnolia tree in the woods, but it took the zoom lens on my calendar to bring the blooms into focus

The Nile Lilies, I believe they are called is sending up stalks with heads that will burst forth in purple blooms soon.  That will make me happy seeing them from where I stand to iron.

I've been working on replenishing my small quit inventory as I look forward to the upcoming local quilt shows I plan to vend at.  I used my hand dyed cotton to make this piece with a narrow strip of commercial cotton.

 

 I tried using a liquid fine art watercolor paint manufactured by Ph Dr. Martin to see how well it behaved on cotton that had not been pre-treated with soy milk.  Found there was more bleeding or movement of the paint when used without the soy milk already in the fabric and for diluting the paint.

I conducted my first small group workshop in my studio space last Tuesday.  The sleeping chair went to my bedroom. The Love seat  and the pots of plants to the garage.  I did not move this stuff  myself.  I had the grandsons do that and bring in the four, four feet fold up leg work tables.   

Just as I figured,  four is definitely  the maximum I can handle when sewing machine are involved.  I enjoyed  the day and hope my students did as well. 

I am off to Port St Lucie on the Atlantic side of the state next week to teach. 

Love that part of Florida.

I plan to get started on a large watercolor painted piece tomorrow.  Will let you see my progress.