So the vacation was fun and as ever I have been collecting along the way.Wet afternoons , fabric stores and beach side camping have meant much ephemera collecting.I’ll be making a couple of hangings and a new mermaid.Strangely I had a very weak moment in a quilt store and brought a Row by Row kit.One of the pieces was not to my taste so I brought a substitute piece.When we got back to the van and unwrapped it a beautiful triptych was revealed.I’ll probably work these pieces into a lap quilt.

Fishing hole Homer Spit Alaska including high glaciers

I also want to work on something around a braided river theme.We saw many of these coming from glaciers.I find these beautiful fascinating and ultimately really sad.Global warming means my grandchildren may not experience glaciers as we do so I’d like to capture something of their essence.

Yep it’s back to the studio and this unfinished piece.Had a bit of a disaster with the gluing.I used a PVA designed for bookbinding and not my regular white glue or new wallpaper paste.It’s a tactile nightmare all rubbery and uncomfortable.Happily I brought a tiny amount of  white fabric in Seward so I’ll back it and stitch over it.

I just need to work in the dragonfly and it will be set.

So we grabbed a bite to eat-messy tacos so required a restroom trip.Now I have to confess there were posters up for the Black Arts festival and I had flippantly suggested there was a Harry Potter thing on but I was so wrong.

I deviated through the festival on my return from the restroom but was distracted by a craft table full of supplies.A delightful presence greeted me.”We’re making dolls” standing the other side of the table to me was Marita Dingus.This woman is an icon to me.

I first encountered her work in my early days as a docent at SAM but our connection goes back way before that.As my graduate piece essay in 1989 I elected to write an essay on the emergence of HIV.Those were very early days and we considered it would develop into a pandemic.

Run forward 2010 and I see Marita’s piece in SAM.She had used textile dolls to highlight the issues of HIV and sexuality.

So here’s my icon offering to make a doll with me.So here she is sat on my bench with my crew.She has a cloud on her forehead jointly reflecting “the cloud” Yes, it’s yellow for obvious reasons.She is green and white ( yes I can say that).She is a child of the world as yet unnamed.OK let’s just call her Jules.

Where to start this weekend saw the Queen’s 90th birthday and we had good friends involved in celebrations in London ( well done Mr and Mrs P) Frank Williams received an OBE for services to motor sports and Mr Bottas brought the car home with support from an awesome team.

Meanwhile in Seattle we were having a regular Saturday.Popped in EMP to see the Star Trek exhibit.Yes I have always indulged in Sci Fi. Was doing fine until I can across Dominic Cumberbatch’s Khan costume.Came over all unnecessary and had to get the camera out.Had to find some refreshment so headed to the Armory.

Facebook ( yes  you can find me there) gently reminded me this morning that it’s 4 years since I installed UP at the University of Washington.Four years seems so short a period of time but the motivation for this piece is really stronger than ever.Children all over the world face abuse,the plight of  being refugees  and hunger.These are the facts of our small planet.

I always hoped ,and still do,that participatory learning and exploring of the articles to make a physical piece of art would help groups explore how they could meet the articles in the rights convention.It’s not new news but is something we all take to any setting where we find ourselves interacting with children.

I also like to re purpose fabrics during construction adding another layer to the piece.The eye’s are a special skill which I’m always happy to share.

My Mum in particular loves being in the mountains.We share a passion for plants this visit gave a chance to share the mountains first flush of flowers.Just like ducks I forget from one year to the next the flower types and have to relearn some  of their names.

We had a couple for day trips into the mountains.The flowers were stunning.Such a contrast from our first trip to the trip two weeks later.Many more flowers as the quick thaw continues with our current high temperatures.So I’m going to share some some of our alpine treasures.If you ever get the opportunity to visit Rainier Nation Park I recommend Stevens Canyon Road and Reflection Lake as awesome destinations.The meadows around Paradise are always worth a visit once the snow has melted !

These are not mountain meadows but my neighbors beautiful single peony which  greeted my Mum when she arrived.You can see on the left just how high we are on the hilltop.

I want to put more image but have as ever there have been having technical issues-one of these day I’ll learn to do this properly.