Inspiration Swap

 It's time for another LAMQG swap and this summer we did an 'inspiration' swap. This was a blind swap where we were asked to each bring one object to serve as our partner's inspiration. At our June meeting we put all the objects in a bag and each person blindly pulled one item - without knowing who the person was, or what the object meant to them. This is very different than most swaps I've been in, where the partner can have a lot of input into the item you make; often they create an inspiration mosaic or specifically tell you their favorite colors, fabrics, what kind of items they would like, etc. I've enjoyed the freedom of letting the object speak to me and being able to put more of my own creativity into the gift. At tonight's meeting we will have our big reveal and swap exchange!

So here is the item I pulled - a small crystal cube with an etching of a dolphin playing with a ball. This made me think of summer time, the beach and ocean. The only time I have seen a school of dolphins playing in the wild was during a vacation to Hawaii five years ago - we were sailing off the coast of Kauai and spotted dolphins jumping in the waves near our boat, it was such an exciting sight! 

So here is what I created based on this inspiration. I wanted to make something that would represent the playfulness of the dolphins and the colors of the sea. I call this "Ocean Play". I picked a palette of sea blues and greens, all Oakshott shot cottons, and I began cutting strips and improvisationally piecing them together.

I used a sand colored Essex linen/cotton blend for the binding and backing. Finished size is 16"x20".