Finally, I have a credential. I just found out a few weeks ago that I was awarded artisan status within the IGMA It is something that I have been actively working on for over two years and among my mini friends it brings some serious street cred. To my non mini friends it ilicits a polite smile and a vague look of confusion..."IGM...what?" they say, "IGMA, its the International Guild of Miniature Artisans and to be awarded my artisan certificate is a really big deal!" Of course how big a deal can it be if you have to tell people its a big deal...so It's a big deal in the mini world, a small deal in the real world, but that seems oddly fitting since its a miniature guild. Still it is a big deal to me, and that is enough because that's the whole reason I did it in the first place; to prove to myself that I could. I did not do any deep soul searching before taking it on, I just wanted the challenge. If I had bothered to think about it I might have discovered what Steve had to point out to me. He did it inadvertanly recently while talking to someone. I can't recall the specifics of the conversation but he pointed out that I had been a stay at home Mom and homemaker for the past 20 plus years, and now that our one and only has left the nest I was finally free to work on my own achievments. I liked that very much for lots of reasons. Primarily it seems to give me Steve's blessing to continue what I have been doing since Zach left and that is crank out quilts both big and small. Secondly it dulls the edges of the self loathing that is the unique pervue of the stay at home Mom " What do you do?" "Nothing...I am a Stay at home Mom" I know Its the most important job in the world, or so they say. It sure does not pay like the most important job in the world, in cash or prestige...still I know it is important...yet it does have a whiff of underachiever about it that is hard to shake. I have tried to get up wind of it by tentatively laying claim to the title "artist" but that always seemed like a sham to me, but now that I have my Artisan certificate, and a few blue ribbons under my belt, I will say it loud and say it proud I AM AN ARTIST!
My IGMA Submissions
Please to enjoy
FYI "Please to enjoy" is some Engrish I picked up somewhere and it has become a permanent part of my vocabulary
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Provencal boutis
The squares in the grid are one inch
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Prim Four Patch |
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Crazy Quilt |
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English paper pieced quilt with Pud |
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English Paper Pieced quilt Sans Pud |
