I started quilting when I was nineteen years old. I had taken a class at a local art center, it was great. I was still living at home and there was a great local quilt shop in my home town. I would go there and pull bolts off the shelf, think about how to mixContinue reading “Facing my fear”
Tag Archives: cancer
A little of this, some of that.
I have been happily printing away over here. I am now even piecing a simple quite made of the printed samples like you see above. I adore printing in repeat, creating repeats, seeing the pieces of cloth come to life. And now, they are becoming a quilt! I am simply sewing these squares together, photosContinue reading “A little of this, some of that.”
Love and Happiness, filling the well.
My creative efforts are paying off in more than just the physical manifestation of cloth piling up and asking to be pieced. Making stuff calms and centers me. It helps me to remain true to myself, and it gives back in numerous and often, immeasurable ways. Having been diagnosed with cancer, going to doctors appointments,Continue reading “Love and Happiness, filling the well.”
Printing up a storm
This week has been great by way of multicolor printing. I am working out the kinks of putting images in repeat, carving rubber, cutting foam and making stencils. I love upholstery yardage sheets, whenever I see them, I nab one. I love the tiny drawings of chairs, chaise lounge, sofas, sectionals. Such great shapes culteredContinue reading “Printing up a storm”
Breasts, and then no breasts. Year 2. Two years.
Two years of soul searching, deep, personal work. I am healing. My body is changed. I have experienced a calyx of emotion, intellect and bodily presence. Everything feels different. Two years ago today, I had bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction due to breast cancer. I am now a flat chested woman. For the first half of myContinue reading “Breasts, and then no breasts. Year 2. Two years.”
Nothing is black and white
Earlier this week Angelina Jolie wrote her op-ed piece about her decision to have bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction due to a positive test for the BRCA1 gene. I admire Angelina for her bravery and honesty in being open about her choice. I am sorry she needed to make it, of course. But happy that sheContinue reading “Nothing is black and white”
A New Day
In the Many Mellys post, I stepped quite squarely into a hornets nest. I would like to apologize if I have upset or harmed anyone by my use of the words gender queer. While I think there are many similarities and points of connection between being a flat chested woman (as a result of breast cancer)Continue reading “A New Day”
Many Mellys
Brace yourself, this is a long one. In the above photo I am wearing a Handful Bra with padded inserts and the camisole I am wearing says, ‘Well-behaved women seldom make history’. This week, I read Stephanie Forsyth’s post called, ‘I Yam What I Yam‘, where she talks about being a potty mouth, beer guzzling,Continue reading “Many Mellys”
working out the kinks
I am working hard behind the scenes here, at Studio Melly. A few months back, I was printing some birds from The 20 only to find that my wash out rate was too high while printing with Procion MX dyes on cloth. I wasn’t getting the intensity of color, or the bold, bright colors IContinue reading “working out the kinks”
Strong Curves
The week I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I realized the only thing I wasn’t doing to be the healthiest person I possibly could, was exercise. When I told my breast surgeon that it was time to start, she laughed at me and said, “you get diagnosed with breast cancer and you think it meansContinue reading “Strong Curves”
Melanie Testa 