WOW! What A Day!

Hey, Hey!
I told you about my trip to Houston. On Tuesday, while there, I accompanied my friend, Crayola, to the Dr. She has had a rough two years, battling cancer. While I was waiting during her check up, I started drawing on my calendar. I liked what I saw.
Crayola's check up was good and we spent the afternoon driving down to Edna, Victoria and Port Lavaca, Texas. Crayola and James are planning on retiring to Victoria, perhaps next year. We just wanted to get a lay of the land. Very flat, for the most part.
Downtown Victoria has been ruined. There is a beautiful nineteenth century court house in what was the Town Square, but Wells Fargo built a monstrosity of a huge bank across the street as did some other bank on the opposite side of the Court house. Somehow, a lot of charm was lost. Just blocks from downtown, are beautiful antibellum homes. White with huge collums, great brick and wrought iron fences and, in one instance, a chicken coop and lots of fat Chickens. Martha Stewart would be proud.
Anyway, back home, I started drawing the same thing on my Sunday School book. A sort of fern and added a bloom to it this time. I never have drawn this sort of thing before, but it seemed to be a lot on my mind. At some point, it struck me.
"This needs to be on a Quilt"!
I could not wait until Monday morning. Sometimes everything just falls into place. I walked into my 'Studio', and pulled one of my teal green fabrics. No big decision, it just fell into my hand. Grabbed my 'Wonder-Under' and I was off. Pressed it on the back of my fabric and drew, once again, the 'Fern'. Only this time, 'life-size'!
It took a couple of hours to draw all the leaves, tendrils, stems. But, finally, it was done. I loved what I saw and so did EC. (Although, EC had no idea what I had in mind.)
Now, for the "Fussy Cutting".
I spent the rest of Monday and all day yesterday (Tuesday) cutting. Tiny little leaves, little bitty holes. I got the Fern free from all that fabric late last night. I could not rest, it had to be placed.
Three or more years ago, I began a large "Quilt By The Mile". I have helped students for years to make and I have designed their work, but had never taken the time to do one for myself. This was to be my own Masterpiece, just for me.
Well, life got in my way. I had just finished the "Quilt By The Mile" when I was asked to do a Comission Piece. I did the Quilt, learned my lesson and started back to work on the "Masterpiece". I spent days and nights "fussy cutting' my way through lots of red, orange, green and blue fabric. I cut out one huge, beautiful under-water sea bush from one piece of fabric. It got lost in the blue of the background. Moving right along, I fussy-cut, fish, coral, grasses. Then I set to work top stitching. Since it was such fine little fussy-cutting, it had to be fine, little stitching. I worked myself blind. I had to set the "Masterpiece" aside. I was way too close to it.
In fact, I was burned out.
The Masterpiece has been shuffeled, folded, covered up, moved and re-shuffeled. I just could not get re-inspired. But lately, it has been calling to me. All Spring, I've heard it calling me. At first, just a whisper, but recently it has been hollering. With this fern, it has be a full "YELL".
It was time to miter the remaining two bottom corners. It was time for the "Fern"!
I stayed up last night arranging all the hundreds of fern leaves. Moving, un-twisting, placing, smoothing, re-arranging, patting. Finally satisfied, I stuck the iron to it. No turning back now.
It is in its' place. It is beautiful. I can't tell you the difference it makes. I am so happy with it.
However; I really think it needs more. I'm going to look at it for another few minutes, but I really think 'more is more'.
We'll talk again about this. Isn't making Quilts the most Wonderful thing? Probably not a question, more a statement of fact.
See ya,
Carol Ann, Quilter