Life Upside Down (& slightly off-kilter) is the full title of this piece.
The challenge title is ADAPTATION. I didn't have to think very hard about what that has meant in my life for the past 9 months! Nine months ago our son and his family moved in with us "temporarily". They have three babies all under 3 years old and because it is a blended family, on weekends we have all the kids. This makes 7 kids in all and 4 adults. It has been a major adaptation for me. I was used to having my days all to myself. I could be in my studio and skip lunch or whatever I wanted to do. I was responsible to or for no one but me during the day. Now we have a house full of people all the time. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having the babies here especially. They are a constant source of entertainment and love and hugs. They are wonderful. It's just that it is so different and therefore required much adapting. That is where this art quilt comes from.
This situation has turned my Life Upside Down and thrown so much slightly off-kilter. The number cascading off the clock are symbolic of the fact that I no longer have a schedule I can count on. Many many times, my plans go out the window due to other things that come up. The flower upside down on the slanted shelf though is significant of my flourishing in the midst of all the chaos. The four front petals are my 4 grandchildren that make it all worthwhile and the three smaller petals are the 3 additional kids we inherited to be kind of like grandparents to them. The big comfy chair and the rug are similar to the ones in my studio. My studio is one of the main things that help me stay grounded and sane (or at least in my life what passes for sane!!) The window is my sometimes slanted view these days....yet the view is pretty and wonderful.
It was a long process and I'm so glad the deadline for this piece was pushed back from earlier in the year to the end of January. It has been a labor of love and a journey of understanding all at the same time.
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