Sometimes my curiosity about artists gets the better of me, and I go in search of information on them. In this case my search was spurred by the second panel of the tote that I was making from a vintage curtain for the March edition of my calendar project. While I was embroidering the panel I saw a copyright stamp on the fabric, and later decided to do a Goodle search on Cheri Blum, the artist.
Cheri's work lives on in the home decor industry; her art has a timeless, effortless style that I think will continue to appeal for a long time. I was certainly swayed by it to thrift the curtain I'm using for this project; it was her painting on the edges (of narcissus, as it happens, not paperwhites) that caught my eye.
I decided to get my butt in gear and finish this project in a much better frame of mind, to pay homage to an artist gone too soon.
Once I finished hand-quilting, embroidering and appliqueing the two side panels I cut up the rest of the curtain to finish the tote. I used the rod pocket to make the handles, and lined the interior with the solid fabric from the curtain. As it's linen it came together beautifully.
I just read this morning that Dash Crofts passed away a couple of days before I finished the tote. Most of you are probably too young to remember Seals & Crofts, but their song Summer Breeze was one of my favorites growing up. It still plays in my head whenever we go to the beach. So I have Cheri and Dash to thank for reminding me that life is too short to fret over limitations.
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