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About the Artist

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.

Sadly she passed away in 2003 at the heart-breaking young age of 34. This is part of the reason I've always devoted my free time to my own creativity. You never know how much time you'll have in life for your art.

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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