Tour De France and Tour De Fleece

This is the month of Tour De France!  While I'm not much of a bike rider, I got on the band wagon for this adventure this year.  It is also the month of Tour De FLEECE!  As in fiber, lots of fiber that needs to be spun and the motivation to dig out the wheel and spindles; dig into the stash and begin the treadling! 

 

I volunteered to be team captain for our January Spin-in group.  At first, participants were reluctant to sign up but before long we had 25 members!  Wow!  what a team!  Members are willing to spend little time each day of the Tour De France Race to  spin their wheels for our Tour De Fleece challenge!  We don't have lots of rules--just spin a little or a lot each day, any time of the day of the race.  We can rest on rest days if we wish.  There is just one slight problem.....................................

I Forgot! that I would be traveling some of that time I was to be captaining--(is there such a word?)

WHAT SHALL I DO??

It hit me--like out of the blue!  I can still spin, even on a plane, even on a train, even in a car--I'll take my handy dandy little bag with me.  You know when my former sister-in-law gave me this little bag--I wondered "how will I ever use this?"  Of course, she just bought it because she liked it==alas, I found the perfect things to go in my little bag......................

 

My spindles! and my silk fiber sliver!!  We are set for travel anywhere, any place

Here are my little spun singles that I've wound from my full spindle--all neat and ready to be plied.

In the meantime and before I hit the road, I can still Captain the team as I spin away on this hunk of Bombyx silk brick!

There is a lot of silk here!  and it is perfectly aged too--Silk leftovers from my daughter's wedding dress--yes, I did spin the silk for her dress, wove the fabric and made the dress--that was 25 yrs. ago!  So, you see, this silk is well aged and needs to be spun.

I'm hoping to spin and spin, then weave yardage for pillow cases--I think that would be the absolute best thing for my head! 

Okay, I'm off to cheer on the team!!

Quilt Doodles................

Sometimes, I'm so late to the party!  And this party began in January and I didn't realize it till May--Wake up Little Me!!  It's a fun party too.  So, how to play 'catch up'?  Visit Quilt Doodle Designs on Craftsy website and see what's cookin'.  come to find out, you can purchase the past patterns if you missed it the month it was posted.

Purchase January--small amount to pay

worked up my snowmen--look funny without their noses and eyes--but all will be better soon!

print off the other ones that I missed, gather fabric, cut and assemble

here is the row of stars--one of my favorite blocks to make

There is a little tree to build

and a big tree!  Now, where is that cabin the woods I made? 

there is also skate row and who knows what July will hold!  I'm behind only two months now and I guess that's okay--I'm still having fun at this party!

A Walk Through A CHIHULY Garden...............

There isn't any better day than one when the temperatures are pleasant; Skies are partly cloudy and we found a parking place in the Botanical Gardens lot!!  Of course, we are there 10 minutes before  opening time--there is already a line forming for entrance--but, we are here!  What's the occasion?? The Chihuly exhibition set up throughout the Denver Botanic Gardens.  We had tried one other day to visit, but alas, all the lots were full. 
We are in-- and what a wonderful greeting........................................!

"Blue Icicle Towers"

Let's Walk.....................

Glass globes blend in with the plants...................

"Summer Sun"

warms the soul.................

Water features "Monet Pool Fiori"

A view of all three of the exhibits in the lily pond area

 

"Float Boat"

Let's continue through nature grasses garden

 

"Blue and Purple Boat/Walla Wallas"

"Polyvitro Crystal Tower & Blue Crystals"

 

"White Tower"

"Persian Towers"

Nature sits above the glass petals...............

"Turquoise Reeds"

"Perennial Fiori"

along the walkway...........

the lovely sights continue

Inside we see "Ikebana"--what a fabulous walk through a Chihuly Garden! 

 

Where Does The Road Take You???

Where does your road take you?  What if we take this path?  What will we find along the way?

What will your eyes spy? 

What colors will you see?

What will your ears hear?  Trickling waters?  Songs of birds? or just quietness of the day?

What textures will you feel?

What shapes?

What delicate features will you experience?

 

What will your sense feel as you wander along the path?

 

Take a walk along any path

experience the breeze in the grasses

smell the freshness of the air

Love every ounce of your surroundings

 

Enjoy the delicateness of Natures' Queen Anne's Lace and

walk through that tunnel of darkness to the light--

Enjoy that walk you take and absorb every sense of being!