Time spent on the road gives me time to think and plan. I've seen so many grand designs that I've decided to create the images in quilting as the background for the two rhinos….

Albert Durer the original artist lived in the late  1400's so I will take some images from that era and transform them to make a quilting design….

I'll use some of the images I've photographed as a base and add to them. I plan to quilt about every 1/4 inch.

I'll draw it all out first on the pattern I created on vellum and then trace it on to the fabric with a pencil. It will be quite intricate but will add to the overall effect of the quilt. The rhinos will be quilted quite heavily….the illustrated one more than the applique one, however, I'll be interested to see if I have to add more quilting to the applique one to balance the quilting.

Yesterday I spent time at a Museum….. sorry I can't remember the name, I've been to so many in the past few months that I've lost track…

I looked at portraits… both painted and marble statues… look at the way the artist drew this woman's shawl…. You could quilt a pattern like that.

It would be interesting to try anyway.

Photos of statues gives you interesting shading.

I've often taken photos of statues from 4 or 5 different angles to get the best light.

This one is a plaster cast of a Roman statue… I've seen another cast in the V&A in London…. the decoration on her clothing has a wonderful pattern.

OOh I just noticed a hole in her bosom… hope it isn't a bullet hole.!!!

We visited Peterhof, the great Palace here in St Petersburg this afternoon… the beauty and magnificence takes your breath away.

I'm interested in the 300 year old hand painted silks on the wall. The magnificent inlaid wood floor.

We had to wear dinky slippers so we didn't damage it…. however, they were darn dangerous on the marble staircase.