My niece, Alexis, spent a good amount of time with me when she was younger. We went on some amazing adventures together. One day in 1988, when she was about 4 years old, we spent the day on the beach in Carmel, CA building sand castles. I photographed her when she was unawares, as she began her castle. It was a bright, sun-shiny day, quiet and peaceful. We had tucked ourselves up in a cove, protected from the ocean swells. This journal quilt that I made for her birthday this year - she'll be 24 - is a memory of that small journey, proof that time is fleeting and definitely going quickly by us.
Alexis' photograph is printed on silk and attached to some lovely batik fabrics that were in my stash that are remindful of the sea. Other embellishments include over-dyed rick rack and trim, fresh water pearls, beads, shells and charms along with metallic thread and free-motion quilting. The back of the quilt has a poem about sand castles and a commemorative quilt label. Click on the photos for a king-size view and read the wonderful poem.
I included the image of the seahorse on my quilt label because it is truly my favorite of all sea creatures. The seahorse is the only species on Earth where the males give live birth to the young. After the female is fertilized she squirts the fertilized eggs into her mate and then swims off and away - no doubt for a quick trip to Nordstom's. My kinda' gal. The male seahorse is left to the gestation and birth of the sea-ponies. Fitting.
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