woohoo!

I received an email late last week, from M-AQF Mancuso, regarding my quilt, "Sunset Stroll."  woohoo!!  It was awarded Best Handworkmanship at last week's show.  I am thrilled!

The entry deadline for the Best of the Valley Challenge, "Seasons," is March 15.  I've started mine, it features a little bird.  I'm basing the quilt on a picture I took at Asilomar, at least 5 years ago.  I heard this LOUD bird song, and looked around and around.  There was a tiny little thing on a hedge, singing for all he was worth.  He was definitely worthy of a quilt.

This picture doesn't do the blue justice.  It is really spectacular.

Okay, well, this little piece is not quilting itself.  I'd best get back to work.
Happy Quilting!

Mermaid Retreat

 I spent last weekend at Scicon, in the foothills of Tulare County, quilting, quilting, quilting. 

I made the most of my workspace, which consisted of an 8' table, my SewEzi table, and all the space above and beneath said tables.  I came ready to work, and work I did!!

 By retreat's end, I had completely finished a baby quilt, finished all but the last 12" of binding tacking on a second baby quilt, pieced a third baby quilt, finished the quilting on last year's unfinished challenge (it still lacks a tree), and quilted a piece of fabric to reupholster a footstool.

whew!

All three baby quilts had been started at the March Mermaid Retreat.  Thank you so much to Calico Mermaid for offering this opportunity to put my head down and sew until I couldn't see straight.  It was PERFECT.

Not only was the sewing space amazing, but there was nature everywhere.  (I wasn't very good at finding it, but I could most certainly hear it!)  The squirrels were chattering,

 the turkey was dancing,

 and gobbling,

 and puffing his chest,

 and doing everything in his power to impress the lady.

She was not impressed.

 Not.

 At.  All.

 I'm guessing that maybe this California Red Salamander cared more than she did.  Oh wait.  I don't think he cared either.  That turkey was making a turkey of himself.  ;)

All in all, it was a lovely weekend.  Relaxing, restful, restorative, and productive.  Now, if I can just keep some of that inspiration and tap into it.  Frequently.

Happy Quilting!!

Thwarted By A Cat

Way back when, a long time ago, like back in November, my daughter requested monogrammed towels for Christmas.  She didn't want just any towels, she wanted the top of the line plush bath sheets...and matching hand towels and washcloths.  I bought two sets, one for her, one for her husband, and set them aside to embroider in December.

Well, December came, and unbeknownst to me, the cat found the bag of towels.  This is what he did to them:

I broke my ankle before I was able to get to the store to replace them.  I guess that was Providential, since at Christmastime, my daughter added that she wanted a set for Penny, too.

I think it was March, before I made it back to Bed Bath & Beyond.  By then, the towels had been clearanced out, and replaced with a different brand.  A very helpful manager was able to track down two replacement towels for me, but washcloths and handtowels?  No longer available.

The next step was to try to figure out how to do angled monogramming.  I studied the manual and studied it some more.  It took me two hours this morning, but I finally got it right.  woohoo!  Then I picked up a washcloth, and found this:

 One of the remaining handtowels had this.  Doggone it, Watson!  I am SO glad we had you declawed!  This was actually not what pushed me over the edge.  It was the gouges in the new leather chairs that were the clincher.

 Anyway, back to today.  I have one complete undamaged set of towels purchased in November and March.  And I have figured out the program.

 Here is the towel...

Here is the washcloth and handtowel...

 And that's as far as I can go, until I go back to the store and invest in two more sets of towels, etc.  The goal is to have them finished and ready to deliver this Friday.

 Penny is here until then.  She has been keeping Gramma VERY busy.  Yesterday we had a welcome play date with another Grandma and her granddaughter.

 She has frequent feathered visitors, and I got this pretty cool shot as we sat watching the girls.

The only quilt-related exercise I've done has been to learn how to print a tiled photo on the printer.  My 4x6" photo translated quite easily to a 25 sheet printout.

Oh, and I also signed up for an online workshop with Katie Pasquini-Masopust, that begins in early July.  I am ready and willing to quilt, all I need is some time!  :)

Grey Days Away

I mentioned that I headed out to the coast.  Here, June Gloom has been in full force, though it's only May.  When compared to the valley's 100 degrees, I have no complaints, whatsoever.  I've been asked to share pictures, so here are some images of Laguna Beach.  The umbrella is on the brick patio, right outside the door to our room.

 Yesterday, there was enough of a breeze that a few sailboats ventured out in the afternoon.

 The flag flies daily on the point.  I've yet to see a sunset, so I've only got daytime pics.

 Tsunami zone?  We don't have signs like this at home!  :)

 The trees here are all extensively manicured.  I've never seen anything like it.

 Palm trees are chopped into conformity.

 Eucalyptus are stripped of peeling bark.

 Weird wind-blown trees are groomed like giant bonzai.

And the birds!  This had to be a raven, because it was three times the size of any crow I've ever seen.  That is a rooftop, with full-sized shingles!

 There are also hummingbirds, right on the coast.  This one was looking out to sea...

 And the Art!  There is art EVERYWHERE!

 I'll leave you with this, the best photo I've snapped so far.  Hope you find it inspirational!

Inspiration

Nothing like a change of location to catch one's attention and inspiration!

 I don't think my husband could handle a backyard overgrown with violets, dandelions, rabbits and more.

 Then again, the color is spectacular!

 And evensong is beautiful.

We're to head home tomorrow, but now the airline warns of "inclement weather."  What does it mean?  I have no idea.  oh.  Where are we?  Here's a helpful hint...

Odds and Ends

There hasn't been much sewing going on in the studio, but I've been thinking about it.  I thought about it when I saw a nifty table at an estate sale yesterday.  I went away with sand dollars, but went back today for the table.

 I think it's made of walnut, though I'm not certain. 

 Once I'd cleaned it, I put it right to work.  I've topped it with an ironing surface, and oh, look!  There are the white-on-white prints that I bought from Calico Mermaid on retreat.  They are all washed and pressed and ready to add to my stash.

So, ummm,yeah.  The place is a MESS.  I tried to fit it all into one frame, and came up with this:

 The pile of strips on the floor has been transformed into a few string blocks on the wall.

I even went so far as to sew one group together.  yay!  It only measures about 32", so I think I will add borders.

 I made a birthday card for my baby.  He's an engineer, whose current job consists of lots of measuring.  Some of the fabrics include numbers and measuring tape and gears.  Oh, and coffee!  :)

The seasons are changing.  There are three things that really make this obvious.  First is the gingko tree, that is finally beginning to turn.

 Second, the buzzards are back.  The trees at the end of our block are filled with dozens of these red-headed creatures.  I believe this is the fourth year they've come to visit.  They creep me out quite thoroughly.

 And last but not least, the butterflies are on vacation.  Every winter we get butterfly visitors to our swimming pool.  Maybe this is normal?  But if you asked me what normal was, I would never identify winter butterflies or visiting buzzards as a candidate!

And I guess that's all I've got for you this evening.  There is more on tap.  Let's hope I actually get enough done to have something to show you soon!