More gifts

Not all of the gifts exchanged at our quilter's party were quilts. Here is a picture of the table runner Joan made for Pam. The pretty scalloped edge is actually giant rick rack sewn into the seam. Below is a picture of the charming table the runner was made for.



Joan also included some redwork napkins, napkin rings, and a lovely red wooden serving bowl.



Also some wool applique kitchen towels in the same theme.


And here is a view of the table runner from the back, a nice toile print that includes, you guessed it, roosters.

WIP Wednesday

This is the last Christmas gift quilt I have left to finish. The binding will be in the same dark green of the inner border. (Don't worry, the quilt is not as wonky as it looks flung over the sofa.)

The close up shots are so that you can see the stipple star quilting and also get a better look at the great border fabric. So cheerful and kind of retro. I love it.

The back is made of a bird print panel, bird print fabric, and the same green as in the border on the front. The mystery person who gets the quilt has a special love for birds.

I have one more quick project to get in the mail, by Monday for sure. Hope you all are finishing up your Christmas projects and enjoying the season. Sometimes these deadlines can create a little stress, but if I feel that happening to me I take a few deep breaths and focus on the happiness I am creating for the other person. That usually works.

A few more quilts

Carla's Indiana Puzzle quilt, made for Diane.


Andine's Fall quilt, made for Pam B.

Pam's spool quilt, made for Carla.

Here are a few more quilts that were exchanged during the quilter's Christmas party. I love the color in the batik quilt, the movement in the Indiana Puzzle quilt, and the whimsey of the spool quilt.

Goodbye

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a 1,000 winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sun on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled light
I am the soft star that shines at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there; I did not die.
Anonymous

We will remember your easy laugh, your warm smile, your thoughtfulness and your generosity of spirit. We will remember your courage in the face of adversity, your gentle ways, your quiet strength. Goodbye, Anne, we will hold you close always in our hearts.

A Wonderful Day

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Our hostesses set a festive Christmas table to welcome us.



My friend Sheryl really loved the quilt I made for her.


And I really loved the quilt my friend Barbara made for me!

Thank you all for your kind comments regarding the quilt I made for Sheryl. It was wonderful to give it to her and see how happy she was with it. The very best part of giving a quilt to another quilter is that they fully appreciate what it means.

The cheerful quilt I got from my friend Barbara is pretty wonderful too, don't you think? I forsee many an afternoon or evening curled up under it while I read a good book or watch TV.

We had so much fun today my face hurts from laughing. We ate amazing and delicious food and exchanged thoughtful little gifts, things like scented soaps and candles and Christmas ornaments. Then we had our thrilling annual quilt exchange. Not to take anything away from family, but this is the best Christmas party I attend each year, hands down.

There will be more posts in the days to come showing the rest of the quilts that were exchanged. May you all feel the joy of the season.

WIP Wednesday

Here is the quilt I will be giving at my favorite Christmas party of the year, the one for our small quilter's group. (I can't wait to see what someone made for me!) The colors and traditional style will suit the person the quilt was made for. I need to get busy and attach the binding so I can work on it a little each night after work. Our party is Dec. 10th.

Kid's Quilt Fabric Decisions

Debra posted a call for fabric that will be used in this charity quilt she designed on EQ5. The tennis shoe fabric will be the backing, that is a given:



Debra (and anyone else who may be interested), here are the fabrics I have enough of the specified amounts to donate:



The black, white and blue are the same in both groups. The black is very slightly mottled (it is RJR handspray), but it is dark and reads pretty close to solid. The white is tone on tone with small squares. I don't like the texture but it is just fine used wrong side out. The blue is bright royal with small dark dots and some darker areas that look like shading.
Group A has a bright solid, slightly orangey red with a gold that is closer to cheddar. Group B has a scrappy mix of reds that have a slightly more subdued tone, and the golds are also a bit darker. Opinions? Debra. I especially want to hear from you. If you like any of these, they can be donated to the project.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It's been a heck of a week, work wise. End of semester is a little crazy at the library, procrastinators rushing to get materials for last minute projects and everyone else returning their books all at once. I am usually well behind the scenes and working at a sane pace, but this week I have been helping out elsewhere. At day's end I am done in.

I do love a house "dressed for Christmas", so I am sharing a few pictures. Most of my decorating gets done the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but the "tweaking" and arranging goes on for a while.

I guess this is as good a WIP as any. I do have an actual quilt I am trying to finish, a gift for someone who shall remain unnamed. That person will be completely surprised if all goes well. The Christmas exchange quilt is still at the quilter's, so that remains to be bound when I get it back. It's a little crazy, but I love this time of year.

An Early Christmas Present

Look what the mail brought! I ordered these books for myself from Amazon, kind of an early Christmas present. The Emily Mason book was something of a surprise since I ordered it so many months ago that I forgot about it.
Both of these books are a delight, and I can't wait until I have time to experiment with some of the techniques in the second one.

Happy Monday!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.
Believe it or not, some people didn't make it into the picture and neither did all of the food. Everyone got leftovers to take home and Jerry spent Friday making delicious soup.

After the feast day we had shopping day, followed by decorate for Christmas day, followed by put the house back together and rest day.

It has been a happy, busy weekend, and now it's time to go back to work.
Happy Monday everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving Prayer
Samuel F. Pugh

O God, when I have food,help me to remember the hungry
When I have work,help me to remember the jobless
When I have a home,help me to remember those who have no home at all
When I am without pain,help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,help me to destroy my complacency
Bestir my compassion,and be concerned enough to help
By word and deed,those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.

Today is my favorite day of the year. We will have about 25 guests, mostly family and a couple of my son's friends we are adopting for the day. I have had great fun setting up tables and decorating in the harvest theme. The hardest work is mostly done, today will just be food preparation and enjoying the company. Everyone who comes will be bringing something, so we will have more than enough for the Thanksgiving feast (and snacks later). After the meal, we usually end up having several groups doing different things. The restless will be outside throwing or kicking a ball around. Some will be watching football, playing video games or cards. Most of the women will be catching up on the latest family news and planning the big shopping day tomorrow.

I am blessed to have a home, family and friends, and plenty to enjoy and share. Every day is Thanksgivng if you give thanks every day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lazy Saturday morning

It's a beautiful day today, blue skied and sunny already. I love "fall" here in So Cal, the weather is not too hot during the day and it's downright cool at night. A couple of mulberry trees in the yard are turning yellow and the little liquid ambers are putting on their best show. Some of the orange trees have fruit that is changing color but won't be ready to eat until March. I have been relaxing outside, enjoying my coffee and reading. I have too many chores to name facing me, but at the moment I am ignoring that little nagging voice. Jerry also has a good book and he is doing the same.
I was going to put up some pictures from my last group gathering, but Blogger isn't letting me right now. Maybe later. Have a great weekend!

WIP Wednesday

The working title for this piece is "November". So catchy and original, eh? It's just a little larger than a journal quilt and I used my usual combo of commercial, hand-dyed and thrift store fabric. I haven't decided if I am going to finish it with threadwork, or if it is just a study. I have a possible series in my head using these abstract tree shapes, and may work at this a bit.


This second piece is a wallhanging to decorate for Christmas. I just loved some of the new Christmas fabrics and couldn't resist. (I didn't buy them from this website, but they have LOTS to look at, so enjoy.)

What I really have been spending most of my sewing time on are quilts for Christmas. Our quilt group draws names each year and each person makes a quilt for someone else. It sounds like a lot of work, but you do have a whole year to get it done and it makes the best quilter's Christmas party ever. I mean, as quilters we always give quilts, how great is it to get one? Last year my friend Carla, new to our group, burst into tears because it was the first ever quilt she received as a gift. She has probably made and given hundreds.

I just finished my exchange quilt top, a very traditional log cabin in the "barn raising" layout. I added a row of friendship stars at each end so the quilt would be longer. My quilter friend will like the subdued colors I used since they are her colors of choice. No orange in sight. I sent it to be quilted, so I will share pictures at a later time. While I love doing the quilting and threadwork on baby quilts or small art pieces , I am not too crazy about working on anything larger. So I help keep my longarm quilter friend in business :)

Another Artist and decorating blues

This painting is "Orange Sunflowers/ Red Cellophanes by Janet Fish.
I thought some of you might enjoy seeing a slightly different kind of art than what I usually show here (representational vs abstract). Even though this depicts very recognizable and realistic objects, just look at the color, motion and play of light. For a "still" life, these are pretty animated, wouldn't you say?

Hard to believe it has been a week since my last post. I enjoyed a "sewing day" with my quilt group on Sunday afternoon and came away inspired, not to sew but to decorate. My friend Pam purchased a lovely small house with a "cottage" feel and she has refurbished and decorated it to perfection. Her home is so welcoming it feels instantly comfortable and comforting. She served us a wonderful soup with chicken, wild rice and squash, delicious and very "fall". We also had a terrific salad that included those carmelized pecans, and a pumpkin cobbler for dessert.
Back to weight watchers today, but it was worth it. On the decorating front, I looked at lots of internet sites and magazine pictures. Then I looked at my budget and ended up just buying a new tablecloth.

Why Look at Art?

Jean Arnold's "Upward Descent". See more work here, and read the artist's statment.

I am a great believer in looking at art, feeling the effects, and thinking about it. Sometimes I have to separate those two processes (too much analysis can get in the way of the experience.) I try to absorb as much as I can. Best is going somewhere and seeing work in person, but second is looking at books and online images. I try to use my imagination.

These little "excursions" into color and texture enhance our creativity. For a while we may look at light and color and shape in a different way and then bring that energy to our work, whatever it is. Art benefits everyone. If you haven't seen them, check out the whimsical guitars that Jane Ann blogged about. Don't these make you smile? Public art is a wonderful thing, even if it's temporary. Whether you are an "art quilter" or not, take the time to look at art. Feed your spirit.

Just a couple more...

Here, as promised, is a nice picture of Jane in her "mother of the groom" dress. I like the tailored look, and it was very elegant on her. She's standing with Lou (her husband, groom's father). If you can believe it, he is 72 and she is 61. I think they look very young for their ages.

The corsages are made of tiny orchids, which to tell the truth did not hold up very well. The bridal bouquet (sorry no picture) was stunning though.

Here is a shot showing Jean's pretty cover up shawl. The next one is of Jeff and Jean with Clyde (my FIL and Jeff's grandpa.) I blogged about his 91st birthday in July. Gotta love the tie.

Thanks to the people who had Blogger advice. I think I'll wait for a while and see if my little blue button for switching to Beta shows up. I'd rather keep the old blog and just update features instead of starting all over.

And, since I haven't shown any quilting for a while in this space, I will leave you with a picture of my friend Sheryl's warm and cozy flannel quilt. Very easy to make and perfect for this time of year.

I need Blog Advice

I have been having a few "blog" problems lately, and maybe some of you can help me. After reading Blogger "Help", I realized that I did NOT have a handy "switch your blog to Beta" button anywhere, so I just went to Google and signed up for an account. Now I have a password and a Google account with the option to set up a new blog. The old blog did not follow me there. So how do I set up a new blog and transfer the old archives? Is it even possible to do that?, or should I just drop kick the old blog and move on to Beta. If I do start a brand new blog, and I paste the ring codes into it, is that enough or do I need to reapply to join my rings? Help is appreciated. (Note: I know some of you have something other than Blogger that has worked well, but I want to keep a free service and am hoping to work it out.)

Oh, and FWIW I am having trouble posting any pictures from home. I don't know if it's Blogger (as it has been in the past) or if it is something related to recently updated virus protection software.

Let the pictures begin

Ok, Jane Ann, you asked for it. (Not that I really needed encouragement). Here are a few pictures. I wanted to show you the wedding gowns (yes that is plural). She actually had three of them. One traditional and two at the Chinese banquet (one red, one gold). I wish I had full length shots, but maybe someone else who was there will send me some. I think the red and gold symbolize luck, happiness, and prosperity. I found this all so interesting.

I probably should clarify that the groom and his brother are my nephews, which makes their wives my neice-in-laws? I have no idea. We are close with our extended family and have spent a lot of time together. My husband and I were married for seven years before we had any children of our own, and we used to "borrow" our neices and nephews to fill the gap. We had a lot of fun decorating our Christmas trees with homemade ornaments, baking cookies, going on outings, camping etc. The wedding couple are grown up professionals in their thirties now, but I guess they will always be "kids" to me.

The last picture shows Jeff and Jean with his uncle and his mom, Jane. You can't tell by the picture, but her dress had a beautiful swirly skirt, knee length. The flower design had an Asian feel with a subtle sparkle of silver that doesn't really show in the picture. I'll try to post other pictures that show the "mother of the groom" dress for the actual wedding. I thought Jane (Jeff's mom) looked really beautiful all weekend, although she must have been exhausted with everything that was going on.

Jeff and Jean

We have been home for a few days now and are back at work. I have had a terrible time with Blogger not allowing me to post or upload pictures, and when I tried to switch to Beta it got worse. I still cannot access my blog in Beta. I hope I can get it all straightened out and post a WIP next Wednesday.

Here is the engagement picture of the happy couple, Jeff and Jean. The wedding was thoroughly documented, so I may bore you with a picture or two in the not too distant future. I love Portland, it is such a beautiful city and very art friendly. We stayed the the Hotel Lucia, a gorgeous and contemporary place filled with art. Gerrie said she would put the word in for beautiful fall weather and she didn't disappoint. The sky was mostly clear, the air was crisp, and the colors were beautiful. I so enjoyed getting a little taste of fall. I only wish I had been able to stay longer.

The church was beautiful and the bride was a knockout in her sleekly modern wedding gown. The satellite feed worked out more or less and Anne and Mike got to see the wedding on their computer. Anne was only able to stay awake for about five minutes, but she was happy about being able to be "with us".

We attended a rehearsal dinner and two receptions, one of which was a traditional Chinese banquet. We had many delicacies and special dishes I can't remember the names of just now, but it was a culinary adventure to say the least. I enjoyed meeting Jean's gracious family, and also spending time with some of my neices. Everything went so fast, it almost seems like it never even happened.

The shoes and other details

Well tonight is the night to pack and get ready to head off to Portland for the wedding. It will be a whirlwind trip, and sadly, no time to explore or contact anyone outside the family. We will attend a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, and on Saturday a late morning wedding followed by a traditional reception. There will a second Chinese style reception in the evening, held at the restaurant owned by the bride's family. I am sorry that I won't get to meet some of my cyber friends or go to any great art spots...maybe next trip. If I am lucky, I can glimpse some fall color on my way in from the airport.

Thanks Deb H for your story about the fallen jacket, I will be sure to double check that mine is on the hanger! I am so unused to wearing heels that I have been "practicing" walking around the house in them. What I think of as my "hippie girl" shoes (clogs, sandals, mocs) are more my usual speed. For this weekend's festivities, I finally found two great pair of fancy shoes at Nordstrom's. I am not above patronizing the bargain basement stores, but sadly just didn't find anything that would suit.

Sweet Anne is still with us. Jeff (the groom) is trying to arrange a "live internet" feed so she and her husband (his brother) can watch the wedding from her hospital room. My son Andy will be manning the camera, which is making him a little nervous, but I think he will be fine.
I'll be back to post in a few days.

Terence La Noue

The Papaver "Poppy" Kingdom, mixed media on canvas, 77 x 72.5 "
by Terence La Noue.
Lots to see out there by this artist. I liked this group.

From Art in America, Feb, 2002 by Edward Leffingwell. The tessellated passages of Terence La Noue's abstractions emerge from dense matrices of material riven into shards and exuberantly reassembled into complex, layered fields. (emphasis mine)
Remind you of anything? Imagine, cutting up material and reassembling it. Just thought I'd share.

Thanks Jane Ann, Gerrie, and Barbara for your comments. I have not been good about replying, but I do appreciate your good thoughts.

I have been laid low with a dreadful flu/cold/sinus thing this week but am back to work and feeling a bit better. I managed to find a nice jacket to wear to the wedding in a lovely swirly teal pattern that will look nice with my basic black sleeveless dress. I no longer go "sleeveless" if I can help it, but I like the way the dress looks with the new jacket. Now, if I could just find some shoes that won't kill my feet...

Ordinary Things

Waiting in the line of cars on the freeway onramp, I looked up at the beautiful clouds of early morning. The sunrise was so pink today (rain coming?) that the color was reflected in the west as well. I wonder how many people in their cars looked up for a moment to appreciate the sky.
It made me so happy to be right here, right now. Life is just so fleeting, I don't want to waste a moment. Even a mundane morning commute can be something to appreciate.

We had a scare this week when our little dog Nikki got very sick. She has some kind of doggie flu and couldn't keep anything down. At her fairly advanced age (13 next month) we always wonder if her health will suddenly take a turn for the worse. Two hundred something dollars later (worth every penny) she seems to be fine. Her anti nausea meds are working and she kept down the chicken and rice we cooked for her. We are so relieved, something pet lovers will understand.

I tinkered around yesterday with some small star blocks to add to a quilt I am working on and ended up with a mess. A small adjustment to paper pieced half square triangles fixed the problem. I just don't handle those tiny pieces well without some kind of paper piecing.

Tomorrow we will visit Mike and Anne. I don't know if she will be feeling well enough to talk with us, but we want to show our love and support.

Update

Colors like this are what I miss most here in California, even some thirty years after moving here. Thankfully our weather has turned a little cooler, becoming downright chilly overnight.

It has been a busy, busy time. We gave the wedding shower this weekend, and it was a great success. Determined to make it lovely and fun and special, we decorated, planned, and prepared food. I made two fabulous cheesecakes, pumpkin swirl and oreo cookie. I only tasted the tiniest bit of each one since they are the stuff of diet sabotage. I got to know my nephew's fiance Jean a little bit better, and she is delightful. She loved the quilt we made for her, and it made me so glad that we have that as a family tradition.
Our other nephew's wife Anne is in the hospital and things are not going well. We are heartsick about this, words just fail. Short of a miracle, we pray for peace and strength.

Carpe Diem

"A La Playa", by Margaret Fitzgerald. Artist's statement and more work here. I like this artist's work and I thought I would check in here to share it with you.

What have I been up to? Lots of planning for family activities, a wedding shower in early October which I am co-hostessing (is that a word?) and a big family party the next day. The gift quilt for the bride is back from the quilter, and I am working on the binding a little each evening.

In a stunning juxtaposition of joy and sorrow, one nephew is getting married at the end of next month, and another (his brother) is coping with the news that his wife's chemotherapy is not working. The family party is to bring our family and hers together. We will enjoy good food, each other's company, and the fine weather outside on the deck. Gatherings like this are her favorite activity, and what no one is saying out loud is that she may not be well enough to attend the wedding.
Carpe diem.

Another Artist to Share

"Engaged Conversation" by Sharon Booma. I really like this artist's work. If you do too, go see more.

Thanks so much for your supportive comments on the last post. Most of the time I try to keep it on the lighter side here, but once in a while it gets the best of me.

I had a really nice weekend and entertained my quilting group on Sunday. I was way too busy preparing to sit around feeling depressed. Jerry and I bought some "color" for the yard and spent a couple of hours sprucing things up outside. Later I hauled out all the indoor fall decorations and had a great time arranging things. Despite the 90 degree weather, I am trying to get in the fall spirit. At least the nights and mornings have been a little cooler.

There is nothing like time spent with friends to help you get perspective. The sad things are still there, but you remember to count the blessings.

Reflection

You may recognize this piece as one of Andy Goldsworthy's "Twig" sculptures. Here you can't quite tell the "real" twigs from the reflected ones, yet they are all part of a whole, transitory and beautiful.

It has been a sad week, making me think about the brief nature of our lives and what they mean. Monday was Sept.11th. Sad news of a more personal nature this week; two friends each facing bad news in their struggles with cancer, also the death of another friend's child during birth. When I got to work, I just closed my office door and wept. Then I went online to look for words of comfort.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." (Ps. 46: 1-2)


and this:
From the Daily Om:

Denying Your Feelings
Dealing with powerful emotions can be challenging, especially when we are going through chaotic, sad, or cruel experiences in our lives. .. Acknowledging your feelings can help you better understand them and help you recover naturally from change, stress, and grief. If you find that facing your feelings head on is proving too difficult during times of emotional distress, you may want to explore alternative ways of expressing them. ...Expressing your thoughts to friends or family can be helpful. ..You can also funnel your feelings into a creative outlet, physical exercise, or chores. Even just accepting and speaking your feelings out loud to yourself can be a healing release. In releasing intense emotions, it is most beneficial to acknowledge the feelings, allow yourself to feel them, and let the feelings go. Those who are willing to experience and release their feelings without judgment also find that their lives become less stressful. Breathing deeply, going for a long walk, or doing a constructive task can help you respond to your feelings in a healthy way. While burying negative or uncomfortable feelings can numb the pain, it also may inevitably dull your ability to experience your more positive and pleasurable feelings. ..In learning how to express your intense emotions in a healthy way, you are giving yourself the freedom to fully experience the more joyful emotions that come with being alive

Interiors/ Exteriors

This beautiful monotype is called "Interiors/Exteriors #5" , and was done by Katherine Chang Liu.

If you can believe it, I have started to post here on three separate occasions with no luck or cooperation from Blogger.

Life is busy and just flows along day to day. As far as I know, everything is fine, no sign of the big C. I am feeling good and making modest progress on my weight loss/ fitness goals. I'm not nearly brave enough to post one of those little charts, but someday in the far, far distant future, maybe you'll get a "before and after" set of photos.

Let's see, last time I posted I was about to go the San Diego Quilt show. I had a great time with my friends and only bought a few batik FQ that
I couldn't live without. That and some paper from "Golden Threads" to mark with quilting designs. I've never used it, but my friend Pam B. swears by it and she has lovely quilts to prove it works for her. About the show, it was a little underwhelming, but I keep in mind that it is a non-juried exhibition. It is a place for local quilting classes to share their work and for quilters of all levels, so what you get are a few knockouts but mostly what you have seen dozens of times before.

I finished quilting the blue, red and yellow quilt I was working on (see previous post), and now I need to bind it. Last Saturday I hosted a sewing day for some family members (sewing and non-sewing) and we made a "Turning Twenty" quilt as a shower gift. A few years back I started a family tradition of making a group quilt for every wedding, and I have learned that it is best to keep it very simple. The fabric is lovely, and I trust my longarm quilting friend to make it into something beautiful.
I chose a rose and vine pattern that I think will be perfect.