| Debi Onken |
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| 3/13/2003 I have almost all the fabric selected. I changed the fabric on my friend Marie's shirt because I wanted to use the print (only in yellow) for her sword. I chose two purple fabrics for her dog, changed the sword hilt and hand guard (which I'm now being told by my sons that I have "all wrong for that kind of sword"), and added the two sunflowers with a variety of fabrics. I still don't have a flower pot ... working on the Taco Bell connection for the fabric..and am thinking that it might not be possible to sneak that beehive in. There just doesn't seem to be room. |
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| Lynda's note, Debi didn't like her picture so she asked me to applique something over it. LOL! |
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| This story is about my friend Marie who has breast cancer for the second time. In the border you will find the pink breast cancer ribbon as well as four hearts, two symbolizing herself and her husband, and two smaller ones symbolizing her two young children. Marie once lived here in Southern California with me. She and I attended the same church and became quite close. She was originally from Maine and was very unhappy living where there were no "seasons." Eventually she persuaded her husband to move back east and they now live in Virginia. The tree will symbolize the seasons. The top branches will remain bare, the other branches will carry Fall leaves, Summer leaves and spring leaves (buds?). Marie is a person who lives in a richly symbolic wprld, has a great sense of humor and tells wickedly funny stories, even on herself. In a recent rebellious state she purchased, without her husband's knowledge, a red leather chair. You will note that she is sitting in it. She also one year for Christmas asked that her gift be a Magic 8 Ball. She figured life would be easier if she made all her decisions based on what it told her. (She said all she ever got was "ask again".) She has a Jack Russell Terrier named Dizzy whom she adores. She longs to own a Suburban and that is what you see parked in the garage. Her husband built |
| a treehouse for their young son, but she says she very much enjoys going up in there herself and sitting. You'll notice that the house peeks out from behind the tree. She recently had a dream where she envisioned herself fighting off the evil breast cancer with a large sword. From that time on she determined she must own a real sword and has been shopping around for one. Marie always wears Birkenstocks (well, maybe not in Virginia in the winter!) and you'll note that I put them on her feet. She also really, really hates being bald from chemo and so I've given her a nice head of hair (thanks Stasi!) Finally the two flowers in the pot beside her chair symbolize myself and our dear friend Carolyn. The three of us live apart but are very close. Two symbols await for a spot: one is Taco Bell where she and I would often meet for a quick soda and some girl talk, and the other is a symbol of our mutual faith in Jesus Christ and the community of our church which we hold dear. A common cultural symbol of our church is the beehive so I am trying to stick a beehive in there somewhere. My present idea (still percolating) is to make the flower pot a beehive and make the door to the beehive the Taco Bell symbol. It might be a nice little summation. Additional symbolism will be added with embellishment: her husband recently gave her a new wedding ring to symbolize the renewal of their marriage. I will put one on her left hand. Also I will put a couple of small "earrings" in both her ears which is a kind of rebellion on her part to have more than one earring in each ear. Lastly, after her first bout with breast cancer when she lost her breast, she had a tattoo of morning glories placed there instead. I will find some kind of morning glories embellishment to add to her blouse. |
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| April 22, 2003 FINISHED! Off to the quilter later this week! |
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| The quilt came back from my quilter Lisa Harvey today and I cannot possibly tell you what a wonderful, fabulous job she did. I am SO excited. I am blown away by the beauty of her work and most especially the thoughtfulness she put into it. I can tell she read the story and put her own symbolism into her work. Unfortunately, you can't see the detail in a photo. I have to get the embellishments and binding done quickly. |
| 9 May 2003 |
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| Marie The Mighty! 2003 |
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| This is the only picture Marie would let me take. It's not a great one, but there she is sitting in her red chair with her 8 Ball. Dizzy on her lap and her son Chase peaking out behind her. June 2003 |