INCREDIBLE INDIA

 I have been missing in action, again, in one of the most incredible countries in the world. INDIA! How to describe India...it's filled with the most wonderful people, it's so colorful and vibrant, it's a diverse mix of cultures, religions, customs, and traditions, it's steeped in mysticism, it's poor, it's rich, it's markets are filled with the most delicious foods, it feeds and awakens all your senses, and it has you dreaming of coming back for more.

The true riches of India you will find in it's people, from every walk of life, living, contributing, mixing with their neighbors in a seamless, chaotic mass that works, though it may seem like disorder to the casual visitor.

 They are the lifeblood of the country. The whole time I was in India, I felt privileged to be a part of such vibrant communities, if even for just a very short time.

We were a group of 10 women, organized by Di Wells on a textile tour of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Eight days to immerse ourselves in textiles of every kind, to visit small villages off the beaten path, to see how different types of textiles are made. We visited the areas of Ahmedabad, Little Rann of Kutch, and Udaipur, exploring the surrounding country side on safari, and in camel drawn carts. For anyone who loves textiles and crafts made by hand, it was truly the trip of a lifetime.














Members of our group were (from left to right):
Patricia, Diane, Lynn, Phil, Sarah, Liz, Di, Ann, and Janine in the front. Eight of the women came from the UK and Janine and I met up with the group in Ahmedabad.

Liz (third from right) was telling us how she had decided this year to participate in a Journal Block of the Month in her area. Each month she was to make a 10" block which could be based on any idea but 4 blocks had to have a circle, 4 blocks had to have script, and 4 blocks had to have buttons.

Janine and I were so inspired by our India trip that we have decided to also do a Journal Block of the Month, based on our trip to India. We will use the parameters of Liz's group but our inspiration would come from the things we loved and experienced in India. Because I was so inspired by the hand crafts of India, I have decided to add one more parameter to my Journal Blocks, to make all of my blocks by hand.  Photos taken during the trip and journal entries will help keep our inspiration alive through out the year.

We will work on our 4 circle blocks first. Each month I will share my blocks with you and what inspired their creation.