Inaugural Day

Inaugurations always bring out the best in our country.  We all join hands, whether Democrats or Republicans, to share a celebration of hope for the future.  God bless America!

Today I decided to share a special quilt with you.  I made "Visions of Inspiration" about a year and a half ago.  The Alabama Eye Bank requested this piece to help encourage organ donation, particularly eyes.  It's amazing how a simple donation can bring sight to another human being.  I can't imagine life without my sight!

I was diagnosed several years ago with Fuch's Dystrophy, an eye disease that causes the cornea to deteriorate.  It's a hereditary illness that my father also has.  So far, so good for both of us though; it has not affected our vision thus far.  There is no treatment for this, but if one's cornea does deteriorate drastically, a cornea transplant can be performed.  So you can see how important promoting eye donation is to me.

The Alabama Eye Bank gave me list of people they wanted depicted in the quilt.  These are individuals who have been important in these issues or have participated in ad campaigns for the Eye Bank or who might need a cornea transplant.  Helen Keller is in the center of the quilt.  Starting at the top and moving clockwise, others depicted are Bob Hope, Bo Jackson, an anonymous baby (who happens to be one of my babies), Charlie Boswell, Bear Bryant, George Wallace, my father (Dudley Cheape), and Heather Whitestone.  It was a pleasure to make this quilt.

Have you figured out yet that I never made it up to my studio today?  Some of the projects we worked on over the weekend needed to be completed.  So I reorganized my china cabinet, spackled several nail holes around the house, cleaned a bathroom, changed the sheets on a bed, primed a wall, and filled a bookcase with books.  Oh, and yes, I started the day with my exercise video.  I'm pooped!