almost home

In just a few days, I will be on a plane heading home. It's been two months and I can't wait for that flight, but still I will miss it here. It's quaint, rustic, quiet and has views to die for. And I've come to know this little village pretty well. Like when you're walking down the cobblestone road, avoid the smooth rocks. You're just asking for it. And don't leave your windows open at night or you will have some animals cuddle with you in your bed. Yes, that happened. I honestly don't know who was more scared, me or the cat.

But, it's been a long journey here. Lots of smiles and laughs with a few screams and tears along the way. It's my last quarter of college, so there has been extra stress, but I made it through. There were people that thought that I couldn't do this. People that thought I couldn't be away from home for 2 months. Including me. I cried every night for a week before I left. I didn't think that I could do it. This was a huge step for me and I'm so proud of myself. Who knows what else I can do.

two weeks

That's how long I have until I leave this sweet village. Two weeks. I will be on a plane home to my family and I will have finished college. It's hard to wrap my head around that last part. Some days, I feel like these 4 years have completely passed me by, and others they couldn't go fast enough. But, I am so excited that they are almost over. 

It's been a stressful four years. Art school may seem like a cake walk, but it's really hard to put your work out there for people to so easily knock down. I put so much of my heart in each piece, and I want everyone to love it and respond to it like I do. When they don't feel the same, it's hard to swallow. Clearly I'm very excited that after these two weeks, I won't be graded anymore. I can make a quilt and not obsess over all the seams lining up. Although, knowing me, I will.

Wish me luck in my final days. We both know I'll need it.

lauris

Today we visited Lauris, another small town in Provence. We came to see the Jardin Conservatoire de Plantes Tinctoriales. It was such a beautiful trip. The garden is absolutely stunning and this isn't even in full bloom. We got an early tour since we are leaving before it opens, officially. Can you imagine how amazing it will be in a few weeks? This conservatory grows plants and flowers and then uses them to make natural dyes. Can I work here?

in a week

 Chef Fabrice held a cooking class so we could learn how to make some traditonal Provençal dishes.

::::::::saturday::::::::

 I came across this hunting store, and it obviously made me miss Bradley. He would have loved this.

::::::::sunday::::::::

 I pass by these beautiful pansies multiple times, everyday. They always cheer me up.

::::::::monday::::::::

 Today, I slept in. It was wonderful.

::::::::tuesday::::::::

 Today, we dyed with woad. And then the rain started.

::::::::wednesday::::::::

 We found this poppy field on the way to a fabric store. A great little moment.

::::::::thursday::::::::

Today, we went to Nîmes, and then to the Pont Du Gard.

::::::::friday::::::::

roussillon

Roussillon is a nearby town that is known for their ocher mines. We visited the conservatory to learn all about it. Ocher makes exquisite natural colors. The conservatory sells small jars of pigment that can be used in many different mediums, such as watercolor and oil paint. The colors made from the ocher are so stunning that you can't even believe they come from the earth. 

lourmarin

These photos are from when we visited Lourmarin. What a beautiful little town. I'm starting to see that everything is better in France. It just is. Below is my professor, and this photo is just one of the many reasons why I love her. Wouldn't you?

les olivades

This has to be one of the coolest experiences so far. We were able to visit Les Olivades and watch them screenprint some of their gorgeous scarves. They allowed us to stand right beside the printing table, which never would have happened in the states. This scarf design has 4 layers, 3 of which we saw. In school, we take screenprinting, but we are hand pulling the screens. Here, everything is computer driven. This allows for way more production at a faster pace. Watching the squeegee pull across the screen without someone doing it was crazy. 

 

bella's bed

Last quarter I was in a class called "Studio Production." I gave you a little info on the class and told you that I would do a post on the dog bed that I made. Well, I lied. Sorry about that. Here is the post, oh only 5 months later! :)

With the project, I was assigned a word. There were 3 words: eating, sleeping, and relaxing. I got "sleeping." I had brainstormed many ideas, such as, a sleeping bag or some curtains that would block out the light. But, I know when my idea is not quite right. It doesn't click. A few days and some heavy thinking later, I decided to make a dog bed. And not just any dog bed. This would be a dog bed for poor Bella, my mom's almost completely blind dog. She was having a lot of trouble finding her bed because the colors closely resembled the color of the floor. She needed her bed to have contrast so that what little vision she had left could find it easily. I chose to do a chevron pattern because it also helped give contrast.

This is how I laid out my stripes. I first grouped colors and then sewed the squares into half square triangles.

All of the half square triangles leaves you with a lot of dogears, but I think it's a beautiful mess. 

     

At this point, I realized that half of the stripes were going to be on the front and half on the back, and this is not what I wanted. So I split the colors and put some on the front and some on the back. Problem solved. Next both the top and bottom were quilted and then sewn together with a side panel and an invisible zipper. I wanted to make this washable, so the zipper was a must.

And here it is! All finished! The best part is that it actually works. Bella can find her bed so easily now. No more wandering aimlessly around the room hoping to stumble upon the bed for this girl.