About Me

I have been an educator, and school counselor for 32 years. This allowed little time for outside interests. However, many years ago, I needed a couch cover for a large couch combination. Not being able to find one, I decided to make one like a pillow I found with a design I liked. So I purchased fabrics of my choice and then tried to duplicate it. I tried to make the blocks different, combining them for a throw cover. I later learned it was a log cabin pattern and I had done a sampler quilt. I also learned that you do not have to use a yardstick to draw ink lines selvage to selvage and then cut out the strips with scissors. Unfortunately, it was a HUGE quilt. (I hear you seasoned quilters chuckling, as I do myself, now that I’ve discovered the tools of the trade.) BUT, I was hooked. I loved the fabrics, and the creative process of design.

The next 11 years, I was a part-time school psychometrist for my district. During those years I joined a quilting club, made bed quilts, read books, took workshops, and created a “stash”. Thirteen years ago, two of my quilting friends and I organized a smaller group of twelve that meets once a month. Each month one of the members is responsible for a topic of interest to demonstrate and we do hands on. During this time, I began to figure out what my style is, and what speaks to me…

…And what speaks to me is NATURE. I love the outdoors and I love photography. Before I get to work on nature-inspired quilts, I spend a good deal of time observing the subject I’ll include in my work. I can spend hours walking through nature, taking pictures. I take trips to special places just to do photography, but most all my photos are taken at my property while taking walks. I especially love birds, dragonflies, and butterflies. I have a fascination with “the tiny” things that are difficult to see by eye and I do a lot of macro-photography. This is very relaxing, rewarding and fulfilling for me. This aspect of my quilt making process is as rewarding to me, as is representing them somehow in a quilt. Hopefully, my photo images and quilts will make people more appreciative of nature, and will help convince people that nature and the earth need to be respected and valued.

About This Website

September, 2021 Started this website.

It’s a work in progress. I add a little each day. I hope to share quilting tips on my nature inspired quilts and share my love of photography of nature. One of my favorite quotes is “Take time to smell the roses.” Enjoying nature is relaxing and good for mental health. Instead of reading about the absurdity of today’s politics and getting upset, I find that nature and researching nature photography on-line, done by others, to be soothing. I hope that my photography will do the same for others. We need to each do our part to preserve nature and our planet. Too much of nature is endangered. For example, statistics show Monarch butterflies have declined by 90% in the last 20 years! I’m currently working on a quilt showing the Monarch butterly with this concept in mind.

I have made a pair of mixed media pictures shown below to hang that show two other of my favorite quotes:

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” by Anita Desai

and

“Take only memories. Leave nothing but footprints.” by a Native american chief, Chief Seattle

The photos and quilts help me take the memories, and both help in bringing back the memories of the things in nature that I’ve enjoyed.