Far, Far Away

On August 25, my husband and I drove to San Francisco.  On the 26th, we boarded a plane, and on the 27th - which coincidentally was his birthday - we stepped off our plane into Wonderland.  I mean Scotland.

But if you are from Central California, where the air is brown, the dirt is brown, and the grass and trees are dying, well, Scotland just blows the senses.  Wet, green, cool, wet...did I say wet?  It was a 180 from what we have come back to.  And with the Rough Fire still burning aggressively, well, the air today  is chewable, and we're being warned not to breathe it.  Like I said, Scotland was a Wonderland.

I have about 3000 pictures, and it's hard to know what to share and what to keep to myself.  I mean, really, you DO want to see a pretty, green place, don't you?  I've posted a few pics on Facebook, but mostly I've kept them to myself.  Each day I look at about 200 or so.  They bring a smile to my face.

We stayed until we had to board a plane on Sept 5, back to SFO, and now, back to home.  It's a memory that's quickly fading in the hustle bustle of home life.  But I'll share a story with you, if you're not already bored.

We retraced many of our steps from a family trip taken in 1996.  One of the places that we visited was Linlithgow Palace, in Linlithgow.  A story I've often told, is of the patchwork shop that I spotted as we were running up the hill to catch our train.  They had closed 5 minutes before we ran by.  It was the only patchwork shop I'd seen on that trip.

This time, we again traveled to Linlithgow.  On our way to the palace, I stopped to admire the architecture of a particularly intriguing building.  When I walked to the front of it, it was the very same patchwork shop from 19 years ago.

 Look at that!  A quilt store!

 We went inside, and I found some tartan-printed cotton yardage.  (Or is it metre-age?  They sell it by the metre.)

 It is a cute little shop, and under new ownership (compared to 1996).

 My husband was pleased to buy fabric for me.  (He'd almost left me behind at the train station, with my tickets in his pocket...but I'm not supposed to talk about that.)

Fabric in hand, we walked to the palace.

Palaces are where the monarchs live.  Castles are defensive structures.  There are no cannons in Linlithgow.  I'll probably get this wrong, but I think it was the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.  My husband is the Scot-o-phile, and can quote dates and names for just about everything.  Me, I prefer poking around, exploring, and enjoying how it is now.

I'll leave you with this last castle picture.  Do you recognize it?  Think, think hard.  Doesn't it look familiar?  Didn't you see it in a movie once?  Weren't there Frenchmen in it?

It's Castle Stalker, a privately owned residence that played a memorable part of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  I really got a kick out of it.  Hubby was excited about seeing it, I looked at it and said, "That's it?!!"  But when he gave me the Monty Python connection, I started laughing, and this is one of my favorite memories of that particular day.  Can't you just imagine the cow in the trebuchet?

And with that, I'd better hit "publish."  Hope you enjoyed the narrative!

Still Kicking

wow.  I can't believe it's been 10 days since I posted.  Sorry about falling off the face of the blogosphere.  Believe me, I've been busy, busy, busy!

I finished my final entry for the quilt show in time to enter it online.  woohoo!  I love it.  Simply love it.  My son designed it, his wife chose the red, and I sewed and added borders.  whew!  They just showed me the wall where they plan to hang it, rather than put it on the bed.

"Pascal's Reflections"

Suzanne Kistler 2015

Last week was the World Ag Expo, in Tulare, CA.  I went all three days, to work on our guild quilt.  Wanna buy a ticket?  ;)

I also attended the Groundwater Control meeting, but I won't share the experience here.  Let's just say that it was almost a week ago, and my blood pressure hasn't gone down yet.  Yes, it was that bad.

Entries have closed for Best of the Valley, but there's still time to get in a challenge quilt.  The theme is "Valley Life."  I'm going to give it the old college try - minus the all-nighters - and see if I can get one done.  I've had my idea for quite a while.  It should be a quick project.

In the meantime, Spring seems to have sprung.  It's been in the upper 70's, which is ridiculous for mid-February, even though it is quite enjoyable.  Knowing that it shouldn't be this warm can make a person anxious.  Especially in conjunction with the information shared at the water meeting.  Bad news if you like to eat.

 We'll enjoy the local beauty while we can.  These were seen as we walked the dog over the weekend.

I know it is still winter, because the butterflies are hanging out around the pool.  They're always here this time of year.

The itty bitty kitty seems to be adjusting to life here.  At least he's adjusted to life with the dog.  He's not so sure about the out-of-doors.  It makes him very, very nervous.

Today we went to Bakersfield, to select the quilts for the Featured Artist's booth.  The visit with CeCe was followed by a visit to Strawberry Patches.  Fun, fun, fun!  I didn't know I needed so much fabric.  I didn't buy nearly the amount that begged me to take it home.  It was hard to maintain any semblance of control.  Look at all this luscious color!

And with that, I should probably get back to work.  I have much that needs to be done, if I'm going to finish that challenge and have a quilt show in April.  :)  Happy Stitching!

A Lovely Day

On Thursday our Itty Bitty Thursday group took a field trip to Porterville.  Our first stop was the guild meeting of the Porterville Quilters.  Their February meeting was given over to honoring one of their own, Lois Hummel.

Lois began quilting a year or so after I did, only Lois started doing her own thing immediately.  She joined the Porterville Quilters in 1983, and helped found Valley Oak Quilt Guild in 1986.  I joined Valley Oak in 1987.  That's when I first met Lois.

At 91, Lois is no longer quilting.  She may not be active with needle and thread, but she still attends the Porterville meetings and has a lot to give.  She was the first quilter I met who didn't need permission not to follow a pattern.  Design your own quilt?  Not a problem.  She was an art quilter, before there was such a thing.  Such an inspiration!

I felt her special day was in need of something tangible, so I made her this postcard:

 Silly Blogger.  It shouldn't be tipped like that.  :(

The card was made from trimmings of my "Texture" postcards made in early December.

From the meeting, we went on to Calico Mermaid.  I would say it's a new quilt shop in Porterville, but I think it's already been there 2 or 3 years.  I was so busy digging through her button collection that I forgot to take pictures.  Lovely store!

From there, we went to Totally Tina's Fabrics, another "new" quilt shop in Porterville.  She's also been in business for at least a couple of years.  In fact, she's been in business long enough to relocate!  It was there that I saw this on display:

 Isn't it fun?!  Tina said that it was an on-going art project for her kids when they got bored.  They were handed the button box and a hot glue gun.  Love it!

She also had a selection of loose buttons for sale that I had fun digging through.  I came home with lots of new-to-me buttons from both shops.

All in all, it was a delightful way to spend the day.  Thank you, Itty Bitties!!

More Fabric

Who among us is powerful enough to resist the lure of a store labeled "Quilt Shop" and pass right by? Not I, apparently.

It's good to be home. Some of Pete's tomatoes turned red while we were away. yay!!!

We may not have the lush vegetation of WA state, but what we do have, we can eat. :)

Shop Hop Weekend

First off, I'll admit, I'm not much for shop-hopping. Crowds are not my thing, even if they are super-excited quilt show crowds. I know. I chair a quilt show. Don't say anything, it's part of my enigmatic personality. ;)

Anyway, this weekend is the Central Valley Shop Hop Weekend. woohoo, party! When asked if I was going to participate, I assured my friends that I have done some serious shopping over the past month or so, and I really don't need to add any more personal stimulus to the economy.

I was urged to swing by Thimble Towne anyway, just to see what Jeremy had up his sleeve. hmmm. When I walked in the door, Greg was taking mug shots.

Okay, so maybe they're not mug shots, they're pictures taken with Thimblina, the store mascot. She was really clowning around today, yuck, yuck. ;)

Sales were steady, and I actually came back a second time. (And walked out with a bag each time. *sigh*)

Barbara was serving up frito boats, and it's been a long time since I've had one. mmm. MUCH better than the nacho cheese sauce at the ball park, these were made with real shredded cheese.

But the real thing that drew me back? The snowcones. I am a sucker for snowcones, red and red. I chose cherry/watermelon, and it was terrific!

What's that? What am I doing quilt-wise? I finished sewing on my labels, and this morning, I filled out and mailed my entry for Houston. Fingers crossed, notification comes out by late July.

And now I've got some quilts-for-hire, just waiting for my attention.

this n that

I walked outside this morning and was greeted by yet another new iris. I believe this one is "Moon River," described as "yellow self, darker beard." I like the maize-colored stripes. :)

Show me your stuff, babe!

I was taking a break from my current project. I've been beading since August. I have this much left to go. I hope, I hope, I hope I finish it tonight.

This morning I went to Fresno, ostensibly to take my son's computer to the Apple Store. I actually spent more time at the quilt store.

And the bead store, which I just heard about on Monday. I think I liked it.

My wallet didn't like it, but I liked it. A lot. A lot, a lot.

Yes, it's hit. The final "whew! The quilt show is over, I have four months to sew!" realization. You don't have to tell me that my brain is creating much faster than my ability to sew it out. I am well aware of my time limitations. I refuse to squash my quilt dreams, sorry. ;)

And with that, I'd better get back to beading. This year's Big Dream is to enter Houston. If I meet the deadline, I will most likely receive a rejection letter, but only one thing is certain: If I DON'T meet the deadline, for sure my quilt won't get in. ;)

Happy Dreaming, everyone!!!

A Little Bit 'o Shopping

While I was in San Carlos, I took a few minutes to duck into The Laurel Leaf, a few blocks from Penelope's abode. How thoughtful of her to live so close to a quilt shop!!

I didn't find what I had in mind, but I came out toting a bag anyway. Not exactly the "light lights" or "dark dark" that I was looking for, but they might work for another project.

This morning, I spotted yet another new-to-me iris, blooming for the first time. I am guessing, when I identify it as "Inyo." Inyo's description is: deep smoky violet self Beard – violet/blue
Finally, I've had sweet peas on the brain, since visiting Sweet Pea last week. I even went to the Farmer's Market yesterday, looking especially for them. To my dismay, there were sweet peas in every booth, but none were for sale. Apparently all of the farmers bought them from the farmer who actually grew them!

I lucked out this morning at the strawberry stand, and purchased his last two posies.

When I climbed in the car, my husband said, "I thought you were going to get sweet peas?" "yes." "Well, where are they?" ???? "Next to the strawberries." "Where?" "Sweet peas are FLOWERS." OHHH. He thought he was getting an extra veggie for dinner.

ahhhh, isn't that sweet? ;)

And now for my baby fix...I'm almost out of pictures to share!

Sleep tight, little Sweet Pea!

Thimble Towne 3.0

Good news for Visalia! Though our local quilt store owners decided to retire and move to Colorado, Jeremy was there to save it!

What? Huh? Old news? Well, okay, so maybe the transition was made on November 1, but yesterday was the ribbon-cutting/grand opening ceremony, and today it was party on, all day long!

I stopped by at 4pm yesterday (and forgot my camera!) and experienced my first Ribbon Cutting. (psst! guess what?! Those big scissors? They're fake. Jeremy used little scissors, behind the big ones, to do the job.)

I didn't stay for dinner, but I heard rave reviews. "Come back tomorrow for lunch!" Seriously? I might just do that.

And so I did.

We got there in time for the 12:30 drawing. They had a drawing every hour, on the half, must be present to win. Here is the first one we witnessed. boo hoo. He didn't pick me. :( (That's Jeremy, in the black with the basket.)

I did some shopping, I should have taken a picture of the yummy bag of batiks and assorted fabrics that I brought home. Here, hang on just a minute... The oranges and the purple really light my fire. :)

We were 20 minutes away from the next drawing, so we took him up on his offer for lunch. The next drawing came and went, and he didn't call my name. boo hoo.

I'll just sit by the phone at 4:30, because it's not necessary to be present to win the Grand Prize. I can't wait to sit in my winning Horn quilting chair. Call me, Jeremy, I'm waiting. ;)

And there you go. Thimble Towne is still in business, and is still located within walking distance of my home. It's a happening place, and I am one lucky quilter. Welcome to Visalia, Jeremy!!

I'm Still Here!

I got a shout-out from a local friend, mentioning that I've been a bit lax on blogging. *sigh* I know. I apologize. I get caught up in doing this or that and I get out of the habit. Besides, I haven't done much worthy of note. It's worthy in my notebook, but is it worthy in yours?

Let's just see...

First I've traded cars with my son, and now have my sporty little red car back in my possession. My husband spent Memorial Day weekend cleaning his things out of my side of the garage (it took 3 days), and then I cleaned my things out. "My things" are primarily quilt show things. My side of the garage now looks like this. The shelves against the wall are loaded with drape and assorted quilt show paraphernalia.

Same son is returning from Davis this week, and might be here for more than a day. He might be here for the summer!! That means clearing out my quilt show "office," in which my paperwork was strewn from one end to the other. My office is now confined to the desk in the corner. Once I move the end table, the room will be ready for him. The basting tables will stay. Sorry, Adam.

I've done a bit of online shopping. I'd been lusting after Vicki's hand-dyes and finally succumbed. They are more scrumptious in person than they are on your monitor. I suspect I will be stroking them for a while before cutting into them.

I've also shopped at Kim's Etsy shop. She designs cute holiday patterns, and when I saw one accompanied by the wool necessary to actually make the pillow, well, it looks like a great project to me. Am I right?

Hancock's of Paducah has kept me on their email list, despite my lack of orders. I usually just hit delete. But this one said "batiks," so I called up the screen. oh my. They had quite a selection of markdowns. Yesterday I washed the blues that I ordered. They are now hanging outside to dry.

All the quilt show cleaning means that my Studio has been a low priority. Purchases from the quilt show (early April) are still in the bag on the ironing board. A quilt-for-hire is in the Bed Bath & Beyond bag below. My rafting quilt is rolled on top of everything. Boxes of clean sheets are below the quilt-for-hire. A hint of my Hoffman Challenge peeks out in the left corner of the photo.

My sewing table is equally bad. My chair is filled with more clean sheets that need to be folded, boxed, and put in the garage. I'll get to that today.

In the middle of all the cleaning, I quilted this little piece. It measures about 10" square. I'll probably add some beading to give it a little more oompf. It's hard to tell, but the trees have been thread-painted. A batik elk and bear show up better in person than in the photo.

This was put together from leftovers of a fish quilt (along with a few of the other quiltlets you've seen in the past few posts). My husband saw it pinned to the design wall and was drawn to it. May as well finish it up and give it to him for Father's Day, right?

I think that's a plan.

Hopefully I'll have something of greater interest to post by the end of the week. Hang in there, don't give up on me yet! ;)

What a Weekend!

ohmygoodness, what a weekend!

I left you in a hurry, on my way to Colorado. I had a hot date with Sharon and the Rocky Mtn Quilt Festival. I can't believe how much we fit into the 66 hours that I was there, but we did. It was absolutely amazing. A blog can't convey how much fun we had, but I can give it my best shot.

I arrived in Colorado Springs, shortly before noon on Friday. After a quick lunch, we visited Ruth's Stitchery, one of Sharon's favorite quilt stores. I loved the way some of the fabric was displayed. For some reason a show I'd heard my kids discussing (was it really called Pimp My Crib?) came to mind. If I were going to fix up my crib, this would be a great start! :)

Ruth's was followed by High Country Quilts, another great place for inspiration. I was starting to wilt (after all, I'd left the house at 3:30am), so we drove to her home. Talk about inspiration, how do you like the view off of her balcony? This is Pike's Peak.

Her husband Jeff cooked dinner for us. (And breakfast on Saturday, and dinner on Sunday!) Here they are just before we ate.

I didn't realize the picture had turned out so dark. Here's a better picture of the meal. Isn't it pretty? The pot roast was mouth-wateringly amazing!

On Saturday morning we were up bright and early, headed to the

We were among 2000+ people there on Saturday for the debut of the 2009 Hoffman Challenge Collection. Several of my friends were represented, and I thought you might like to view their pieces.

"Annunciation"
Karen Taber
Woodlake, CA

"Woodland Spring"
Lisa Ellis
Fairfax, VA

"Aethelinda"

Kristin Eilers
Lemoore, CA

"He Leads Me Beside Still Waters"
Sharon L. Schlotzhauer
Colorado Springs, CO

and my little lion

"Tradition Visits Heidelberg Castle"
Suzanne Kistler
Visalia, CA

While there, we were not only getting a chance to view some awesome quilts, we had the opportunity to meet some exciting people as well. I think I surprised the group who sat next to us at the lunch table when I asked if I could take their picture. I recognized Christine Brown, (the Executive Editor of American Quilter magazine), but didn't realize that she was accompanied by Sherri Bain Driver (the Editor of McCalls Quilting magazine) and Gail Valentine (the author of Mirror Manipulations). wow.

Christine Brown, Sherri Bain Driver, Gail Valentine

The day kept getting better, and ended with dinner with Kelly Gallagher-Abbott. Her son Ryan was dog-sitting Lucy, and she was definitely the center of attention. She's a King Charles Spaniel, and I hear that you do have to pay for all that cuteness. ;)

There is much more to tell, but Pete is waiting patiently for me to finish.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of my purchases.........



And a bird'seye view of a California dairy.


It's good to be home!!!