AAQI Celebrity Auction is ON!

 

"Joy Remembered"

 

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Celebrity Quilt Auction is now online!  I am proud to be part of this extremely talented group of famous quilters who have made special quilts expressly for this online auction to benefit AAQI and their amazing, and I mean AMAZING, work to help find a cure for this horrendous disease.    

 

Please do not hesitate to bid on any of the beautiful pieces, knowing you will be getting something wonderful and your dollars will be doing so much for this cause.  Click HERE to go to the auction page, it's easy, and you can browse the quilts and think about it for awhile yet.

 

For a YouTube video, click HERE.

 

 

Here is a detail shot of the approximately 19" square quilt, with a penny.  I used Gradations Benartex fabric in the center by Caryl Bryer Fallert and that's why there are variations of beautiful autumnal color.  This is a rich piece, saturated, glowing.  I hated to see it go, but I know it will go to a great home and will earn some money for a cause so close to my heart.

 

The border is gold silk dupioni.  I used Pellon Legacy Wool batt, YLI silk threads for the quilting, and a touch of YLI Sparkle (silk and metallic) to outline the central design.  The design is one I used many years ago called "Joy," and it was reduced in size for this small quilt. 

 

Artist's Statement:  The remembering joy, happiness, even the little things in life is slowly lost for those with Alzheimer’s.  I chose to fill the entire quilt’s space with an abundance of flowing designs, adding one small bird singing just for the joy of it.  It reminds all of us to embrace each moment, look for joy in life, and help work to find a cure for those who no longer can remember joy.

 This was the last quilt I made before being injured while rescuing Oliver from a dire situation.  I still am unable to quilt for more than a few minutes, but I am optimistic I will regain full use of my hands as healing takes place. 

 

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful messages and comments and emails; it has made all the difference to me.  I am doing well, Oliver is doing well, we are almost back to our old selves. 

 

I am so very disappointed that I was unable to teach my fall classes.  I know many of you planned a year in advance and I do hope to reschedule the NQM class in Paducah if they can find a time that will work.  A huge thank you to Joanie Poole who subbed wonderfully for me at Des Moines on extremely short notice.  

 

Life goes on, we are OK, I hope to get back to blogging and giving you information about quilting very soon.  Again, my heart is filled with your caring messages, cards, and gifts,  and I believe that the power of all of your thoughts and prayers helped carry both of us through this successfully.  Thank you, thank you.  You are all special to me.

 

Hugs  and love from Diane and Oliver

 

 

 

 

 

Update, Oliver and Me

We are doing fine.  Oliver had a setback this week, some infection flared up unexpectedly, and after another vet trip and more meds he is doing great.  What I think happened is he was very carefully waiting until he was released from his liquid meds dose on the kitchen counter, running off, and saving the medicine in his mouth to spit out in another room.  He hates, abhors, detests this liquid antibiotic. 

We are now wise to his ways, and he is MUCH better, almost completely recovered.  Soon I will post a photo of his new look sans fur on one leg and explain what has happened, plus some valuable tips for all cat moms out there to keep in mind when a crisis occurs. 

I too am doing much better finally.  Almost all the damage to my hands is healing well, my right hand is good but I do have one area on my left hand that needs some reconstructive surgery.  Because it is on the side of my thumb I use for quilting I won't be able to quilt for awhile but I am optimistic at the final outcome and will keep you posted about that too.  I will share my information with you.  Many of you gave me valuable advice on what to do with hand injuries, and I thank you for that.

I can't tell you how much all your caring messages here and in emails have meant to me, and truly how much they have helped.  I know you as quilters understand that my health and recovery are more important than teaching, and forgive me for cancelling classes. 

I do hope to try and have some classes next year to accommodate disappointed students.  Believe me, I would much much rather be teaching than dealing with injuries and feeling so wretched for the last ten days.

The autumn leaves are beautiful here, Oliver is chirping at me again, and better days are ahead.  Thank you all again; am sending you all a warm hug of thanks.
Diane