April?

Those who know me well know I live life on fast forward but I would have to say that even this month has taken me by surprise.  I am currently in the last two hour stretch of 'quiet time' in a hotel in Canada that I will have for the next eight days.  Savoring it as I finally had a full night of sleep on top of it.

Since April 1st the things that have happened.  Oh my.  I have been to six countries on three trips.  Finished two caskets.  Investigated embroidery in the back room of the MFA.  Kayaked through a mangrove tunnel for miles in the pitch black to see glowing bio-luminescent water.  Gazed upon dozens of amazing samplers in a small room in Amsterdam.  Saw a bodybag at Moulen Rouge.  Explored an amazing museum of technical machines looking for something for us.  Ran out of gas talking too long with a friend while she was driving cross country and I was jet lagged.  Snorkeled for hours.  Briefly got back to town and ran a robot scrimmage in front of 15,000 visitors.   Bicycled through tulip fields.  Visited Au Ver a Soie.  And got out of a car in front the moment Norte Dame caught fire and witnessed it all and wept with the French.  (Our apartment faced the South Rose Window).

Only a few in the crowd had noticed the smoke starting.  We turned and walked to a police lady and said "I think Norte Dame is on fire" as the first police car screamed up. 

Wow.  And for me the month is only half done.  I am headed to Detroit with 35,000 kids and robots for the exciting and exhausting week of the World Championship.  Then a few trips to NYC and VT for events thrown in and I can finally sit back on the couch and work.

And in those exciting things - was something privately momentous.  I finished two embroidered caskets!  For me the culmination of over 12 years of research and embroidery.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am with the results and how they look.  And with all the chaos of above, I only have one good picture at the moment and a dozen bad snapshots on my phone.  So I will share the one good picture as a tease.

My first finished Stumpwork Casket - The Harmony with Nature Casket.  An online class for this piece is coming this
fall for new people to the Thistle Threads universe.

Let's hope the next few weeks are only somewhat exciting...