Quilting Spirit

PIQF Preview

2010-10-06T05:53:00.000-10:00

Tonight my friend Keri Duke of Keri Designs and I are doing the final check and pack of the Maui Art Quilters special exhibit for the Pacific International Quilt Festival. Our exhibit, "Colors of Maui," will be on display in the special exhibits section of the show next week in Santa Clara, California. If you are in the neighborhood, I hope you will go to the show, see the exhibit, and stop by Keri's booth in the vendors mall and say hello.

My contribution to the show is this quilt, "Naupaka."

I wish I was going to the show as well!

First Feature Show!

2010-08-27T13:16:00.002-10:00

I have been MIA for a long time...

I'm returning to blogging as I am coming up for air after getting my quilts done for a show that opens this weekend. My work, together with that of three other artists, will be featured at Viewpoints Gallery through September 21. If you live on Maui or are visiting, I hope you will stop by and see the show.

This is an incredible thrill and honor!

In "Road"

2009-12-18T16:04:00.002-10:00

Just got the confirmation email that my "Breakfast Ti" quilt arrived safely at the Road to California offices today. Whatever did we do in the days before all of this electronic communication? Certainly there was no comfort level - you simply packed up your box and sent it on its way with a prayer.

Hopefully, 2010 will be a good show year, as 2009 has seen quite a quilting slump for me.

I'm pleased to be a part of this exhibit. Word on the street is that the entries in "Road" get better and better every year. A friend of mine said of last year's show, "The quilts were so beautiful, it made me want to cry." Sounds like excellent company!

Checking In

2009-10-08T11:55:00.002-10:00

I was gently reminded by a friend the other night that I have not posted to my blog in months. She is tired of looking at that "damn pincushion" every time she checks my blog. I suppose that you, too, feel the same way but figure you don't know me well enough to smack me around and tell me to get back to work. LOL!

I have been in a quilting slump for the past few months. I came back from the SAQA conference in May rejuvenated and ready make half-a-jillion quilts, but the summer leaked away and here it is, October.

This spring and summer I was swept away by physical fitness. I was going to enter an offroad triathlon at the end of this month, but decided I needed at least a good year of training, so I will enter next year. I've discovered yoga.

I have been concentrating on training and eating healthy (mostly organic, no processed foods). I'm absolutely smitten by Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," and loved Jillian Michaels' "Master Your Metabolism," and have become very conscious of where my food comes from (and where it SHOULD be coming from). I will go on my first hunting trip for deer this month.

I managed to enter my "breakfast ti" quilt in Road to California. Photographing silk is extremely difficult, so I hope my pictures were at least good enough to get me in. I'll find out in December.

I did not get "Sunday Morning" finished in time to enter, but am still appliqueing like crazy and shooting for the Viewpoints Gallery "Celebration of Hawaii" in January.

I am working, working, working my day job.

I have been occupied with other things for a short while, but feel the creativity beginning to swell up inside, and soon it will be back to usual for this blog, with lots more quilting.

Thanks for sticking around and checking back! I hope to have something fabulous to post very, very soon.

Deadline...

2009-07-19T15:39:00.002-10:00

I finally finished basting the blossoms on the "Sunday Morning" agapanthus quilt. All one hundred twenty-seven of them. I used some of my precious Japanese basting thread that one of my former customers, Bette Nomura, gave me a long time ago. I love this thread, all pre-cut lengths, which glides through fabrics with ease.

I've been procrastinating on this quilt for a while now, and I don't know why. HOWEVER, I just got the Road to California packet in the mail and now I have a firm deadline. The entries have to be in by October 1. Those who know me well know that I work best with a deadline.

Here is a glimpse of the final burst of blossoms that I basted down. Did I mention I am hand appliqueing all one hundred twenty-seven blossoms? I'm looking forward to the hand applique, which is a good thing, because how long does it take to hand applique one hundred twenty-seven blossoms?

One blossom at a time.

So off I go. I figure I can finish the applique if I stitch four blossoms a day for the next thirty-two days, which will give me a good 2-3 weeks to quilt and finish the quilt before I need to photograph it and send in the entry on time.

Four blossoms a day does not seem quite as daunting as the overall visual of this 6' wide quilt when it is spread out. The good thing? I know I can get more done on the days I have more time which will make up for the days that I don't.

It will be a joy to see this quilt finished...it's a work in progress SIX years in the making!

Box Checked

2009-06-23T07:36:00.003-10:00

Bruce's new quilt, Late Summer Garden, is finished - I now have an empty sewing table, so I can get onto the next project!

I used the new bamboo batting for this quilt. I really love the drape and weight of this batting for "family" quilts. It's lightweight and soft, perfect for summer use. So far, its only drawback is that it is very "linty" and gets all over everything until you get the binding on. It doesn't appear to beard, though, which is good.

Here's a closeup of the quilting - simple. I love the way quilts pucker when they are washed.

Yearning...

2009-06-11T09:22:00.003-10:00

Getting myself into trouble by visiting the Art Quilt Tahoe page and reading about Sue Benner's Landscape class. Realizing that I already have all of the class supplies in my stash and wouldn't need to cart my machine (hence, more room for fabric!). Figuring that I could probably go "on a shoestring" for $3,000. Wondering where I can dig up that amount in this impossible economy (no gallery sales as of yet, this year), and whether I could actually get the time off, since I've already used up/accounted for my vacation time this year. UGH.

I was the very lucky recipient of the AQT scholarship award in 2007. It was a fabulous experience - so much so that I'd love to go back some day. And in that regard, I encourage all of YOU to apply for the scholarship HERE.

Sue Benner is such a dynamic person and teacher! Everyone I know who has taken her classes raves about them. She was also one of the jurors for Quilt National this year.

Counting my pennies...

I Have Plans

2009-06-08T08:40:00.002-10:00

I find that title slightly amusing, since I can't remember a time when I didn't have plans, but I feel like these are different!

I just got home, a week ago today, from attending the Studio Art Quilt Associates conference and opening of Quilt National, in Athens, Ohio, and from a brief, restful vacation in Cody, Wyoming. I hit the ground running on Tuesday because I had to go back to work, and this weekend was spent catching up on the household stuff that doesn't go away...vacation or not!

I have tons of inspiration to share from the SAQA conference, which will take me in new directions this summer. Now, if I can just find the time to sit down and quietly gather my thoughts.

One of the biggest plans is to take the focus of this blog in a more artistic direction, keeping the family and cooking and other miscellany to a minimum. But because I like to write about those things, too, I think I may need to create a "homey" blog to pick up the slack. I'll see.

I hope your summer is off to a positive start!

OMG!

2009-05-10T18:50:00.002-10:00

I am getting ready to leave on vacation. It's still a week away, but I'm a sort of "plan-in-advance" girl, so I'm getting everything ready.

I'm so excited to be attending the SAQA conference in Athens, Ohio! If you are a SAQA member and going to be there, I can't wait to meet you! I can't tell you how great I think this adventure is going to be...I don't get to travel to these kinds of things very often, so it is SPECIAL. I am most looking forward to meeting the folks I feel that I've gotten to know through the web, blogs and the SAQA list.

After the SAQA conference I'm off to Cody, Wyoming to meet up with my darling husband, who has been there since April 30. I MISS HIM LIKE CRAZY. We will have a week there with my uncle (and many outdoor adventures) before coming home on June 1.

Packing has been interesting. I am trying to go on this trip with one carry-on suitcase and my laptop bag. HMMM...packing for 70 degree weather and 50 degree weather is definitely a challenge. I am sending my cold weather clothes to Wyoming and my "nutrition kit" to Athens, Ohio via USPS so I can be warm AND adhere to the training program I am on while I travel. It has been a fun challenge to see what all I can get in these two bags without toting around 100lbs. I think I've done very well.

I'm not taking any handwork on this trip, despite a lot of travel time. I'm taking three books: "Notes from Montana" and "Wapiti Wilderness" which I plan to leave at my Uncle's in Wyoming, and the new bio about Dara Torres, the Olympic swimmer. For a guilty pleasure I downloaded "Top Chef Season Three." I'm sure to keep myself occupied.

I am taking my laptop with me and plan to post along the way - sure to be some quilt-related stuff in there somewhere, especially the first part!

Late Summer Garden - Top Finished!

2009-04-20T19:48:00.003-10:00

First things first...I have to add a picture of my NEW MAT. Believe it or not, this is the first new mat I've bought since I had the shop! I still have my two old shop mats, which are larger than this one, but they are getting worn out and "groovy." I experienced a little sticker shock, though, when I initially priced them. God, it's hard to buy things at retail when you still have all of the wholesale prices in your head. Thankfully, I still have a connection and managed to get this one inexpensively.

I took this photo as I was piecing "Late Summer Garden" because I thought it looked pretty. Thank heavens for chain piecing. I managed to put the top together fairly quickly. I counted how many 2"x3.5" rectangles it took to make it, but I was so overwhelmed by the number that I forgot!

Preliminary arrangements below. When I got the initial blocks done, Bruce wanted something with a little more "interest," so I added the sashing strips in between the blocks, trying to blend the light to the dark a little more. I added black Bali cornerstones.

Here is the finished top! Now just dreading the quilting, which will be fast and simple, but still a lot to move around my dear Janome.

I really love Batiks. As I was working on this, I got inspired to start another turtle quilt. New pattern. Stay tuned!

Physical Fitness Challenge

2009-04-08T15:08:00.001-10:00

Remember the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge back in elementary or junior high school? You had to do so many things: push-ups, chin-ups, 50-yard dash, etc., and to pass you had to do a certain number of reps and run in a certain amount of time.

Although it’s been a long time, I remember bits and pieces of this test, especially the fact that I couldn’t do a full chin-up. Not even one. Hence my latest training goal, which is to be able to one and then some!

I’m working through the program in the book: The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I sort of limped through Stage 1, not exactly motivated, but started to pick up speed toward the end. Now, near the end of Stage 2, I am feeling a LOT stronger! I mapped out the seven stage program on my calendar, which will take me through summer. I’ll finish Stage 4 in mid-May, which is perfect timing, since I’ll be able to take a break while I’m on vacation. Stage 7 finishes in early August, at which time will be my test. I wonder how many I’ll be able to do??

At least 5 – that would be outstanding!

Cooking for Family

2009-04-05T20:57:00.009-10:00

This is a shot of my well-loved special cookbook. It is a binder full of successful recipes from magazines, friends and the internet. I have all of the pages in sheet protectors and they are sorted by chicken, soups/stews, pasta, fish, dessert, etc. It is a great addition to my cookbook library.

I used to have years and years of Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines. Even though I had an uncanny ability to recall the issue for a particular favorite recipe, I got tired of storing so many issues. Hence, the binder.

One of the all-time family favorites is a recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie, which I made on Sunday, starting with fresh lemons purloined from my SIL's lemon tree:

The lemon filling is perfect, finished with fresh lemon zest and butter. It rests in the best-ever all-butter pie pastry (the recipe is in Apple Pie Perfect - I no longer use any other crust recipe).

I love TONS of meringue on my pies, so I use six egg whites.

Voila! Just before it goes in the oven.

FINISHED! There was only a tiny piece left...perfect for Bruce's lunch box.

Late Summer Garden

2009-04-05T20:53:00.004-10:00

A couple of progress photos from Bruce's new quilt, which I've decided to call "Late Summer Garden" because of the dark, rich colors.

He especially likes the dark green blocks, so I'm going to make more of those. Only 25 more blocks to go.

Orange...

2009-03-29T14:51:00.005-10:00

...is one of my favorite colors. Especially the beautiful blush on these fresh mangoes! We are lucky to have them because it is very early in the year, but this woman's tree in Kihei has produced its first crop. Can you believe we got these beauties for about a $1 apiece? I've already eaten two. These are destined for a mango shrimp recipe my mom sent me and, if I can eke out enough, for our favorite mango salsa recipe. Delicious on grilled fish.

One of my favorite kitchen pieces is my orange Le Creuset Dutch oven. Bruce and his mom gave this to me for Christmas a few years ago and it gets A LOT of use. From caramelizing onions to browning meat or making stew, this pot has see it all. Last week I wasn't feeling too great, so I made an easy batch of homemade chicken soup:

Funny thing about the soup, though. The recipe called for two cups of noodles. I added the two cups, which didn't seem like enough, so I tossed in the whole bag. Well, I was definitely out of it because I forgot how much they swell up - 10 minutes later I had a noodle casserole in my pot. Nothing that adding a LOT more chicken stock wouldn't fix. It made a ton of soup - enough for two dinners and two lunches. I've had my fill of chicken soup for awhile.

Lei Project

2009-03-25T17:24:00.004-10:00

My art quilt group, Maui Art Quilters, is preparing for a special exhibit at PIQF in 2010. Rather than make a signature quilt where everyone works on part, we are each making individual lei to hang together. The vision was that the finished quilt would be reminiscent of the lei stands you see (although, sadly, less frequently) here in Hawaii.

After a couple of false starts with another idea, I decided to create my lei using a version of the "lokelani" or Maui rose.

I finally finished mine, which was due last week. I just couldn't seem to find a chunk of time to work on it, but last weekend my time opened up. Here is a close up of the finished piece:

The rest of the lei from the group are really stunning. For a preview, visit the MAQs blog HERE.

Quilter's Spaghetti...

2009-03-23T19:25:00.005-10:00

...or what my friend Keri and I call "shards." The little trimmings from straightening up your cuts. Most are 1/4" wide or so, some up to 1/2", all batiks, from Bruce's quilt below. Can you use these? I hate to throw such a pretty pile away. If you can use these in a project, post a comment (make sure I can email you through a link or post your address). If there is more than one person interested, I will do a drawing this Friday and will happily pop them in an envelope and send them off!

Loss of Commission = New Quilt for Bruce

2009-03-23T18:55:00.009-10:00

"Loss" probably isn't the correct word...polite "decline" is more accurate. I recently declined a commission when I felt that the persons vision didn't really match my style of quilting. Rather than have a client who may be disappointed in the completed work, I suggested they contact someone whose work more closely matched what they wanted in a quilt.

A quilt in the colors I proposed was destined to be made, however, because Bruce really liked them. SO - here is the initial palette of batiks (above), then I added a bunch more to fill things out:

All the pieces cut:

Have you ever used a June Tailor "Shape Cut?" It is a big piece of plastic(?) used to cut strip and other unit multiples. It saved me a TON of time cutting all of these 2X3.5 rectangles. I think the pattern said I needed something like 1600 pieces(!!), but I didn't count...it would have made me CRAZY. So a tool like the Shape Cut is a wonder:

There are grooves at each measurement that guide your rotary cutter. My friend Robin introduced this gadget to me years ago. I hesitated for a long, long, time, but I find that I use it A LOT on the rare occasions that I make patchwork quilts. After the monotony of cutting hundreds and hundreds of rectangles, I realize again why I like applique.

It takes me an hour to stitch four of these blocks, each with 18 rectangles:

Here are the 12 I made on Sunday:

By the way, the pattern I am using is from Successful Scrap Quilts from Simple Rectangles, by Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe.

Sorry about the picture quality. The light in my "studio" is not that great and I was more interested in getting the pictures on the blog that going for quality. I'll try to get some photos that are more true to color for the next progress pic!

In the Beginning…

2009-03-13T13:12:00.001-10:00

It was just a pile of fabric.

Now, the background is finished and it’s time for the appliqué.

I’m getting back to work on “Sunday Morning” as soon as I’m done with the workshop I’m teaching this Sunday.

I can’t wait!

Cody Boy

2009-02-27T07:05:00.004-10:00

I wanted to see how to upload a video from my camera, so here is a quick look at our Lab, Cody, reacting to sounds from Bruce's iPod.

Life as an Art Quilter

2009-02-06T08:04:00.003-10:00

I've had a couple of conversations with quilting friends of mine recently. Seems as though they are going through a similar phase right now - realizing how many skills it takes to be an art quilter these days.

It's not enough to spend time perfecting your style and techniques as a quilter - you also have good skills in (not in any particular order):

Marketing
Writing
Design
Photography
Computer Software
Research
Persuasion
Inventory Management
Time Management
Accounting
Administrative Work

I'm going to stop at 11 because I'm already tired from making this list.

You have an idea for a quilt - you take photos, sketch, research, and create your pattern (if you work in that way, which I do). You gather your materials. You use your Time Management skills to figure out when you are actually going to get into the studio to do the work. You do the work. Sometimes the project flows freely; other times you work in fits and starts. Then you do the mundane stuff - binding/facing/sleeve/label. You use your skills in persuasion to get your fabulous carpenter husband to make your hanging slats (which may necessitate a trip to Home Depot to get the boards and clear polyurethane along with whatever else may catch his eye) which need to be cut, drilled, sanded and sealed. The quilt is done.

Then what? Unless you are happy to simply hang it up in your house and enjoy it yourself, this is where the real work begins.

Is it for a show, sale in a gallery, a teaching sample? Measure the quilt. Take photos for documentation, publishing on the blog and/or website (make sure they are properly framed, lit, clear and square). Take detail shots with equal care. Upload to computer. Post to website. Prepare CDs for marketing and for show entries. Decide which shows to enter and fill out mounds of paperwork. Make sure show entries arrive by deadline. Make notes as to when jurying and notifying decisions are made, and the dates the quilt will be out of your hands for the show if it gets in. Make sure your show dates do not overlap with any other shows/exhibitions/commitments. Send your quilt off to the gallery and hope that it sells.

Then you can write articles, prepare teaching materials, pay bills, pay your taxes, file paperwork, preparing shipping labels, buy more materials, get more ideas, make more quilts. Oh, I forgot read and answer email, exercise, work your day job, do laundry, spend time with family and friends, cook and eat. Love your husband and take good care of him and your pets.

Sleep.

Good thing we love what we do.

You Are Invited - Celebration of Hawaii 2009

2009-02-01T13:06:00.004-10:00

From Viewpoints Gallery:

Once a year, Maui’s heritage is honored as Viewpoints Gallery hosts one of the most anticipated events of the year: A Celebration of Hawai'i – featuring inspired artwork from the island’s premier artists. Over fifty artists explore the essence, power, and allure of their island home through art: The results are extraordinary, culminating in an exhibition of historical significance.

This exhibit offers a rare opportunity to become immersed in the culture, the people, and the heart of the island, as they are immortalized through hand, spirit and talent. The entire gallery is dedicated to this event and is transformed into one of the most comprehensive displays of contemporary Hawaiian art in mediums as diverse as the culture.

The exhibit opens on February 5th, with an Opening Reception on Sunday the 8th, highlighted by Hawaiian chants, instruments, and dance performed by Kamehameha Schools’ Maui Hawaiian Ensemble under the guidance of Kumu Kalei Lorenzo-Aarona. Throughout the exhibition, workshops related to Hawaiian culture such as quilt making, lei making, medicinal plants growing on the island, and more will be offered.

Viewpoints Gallery is located at 3620 Baldwin Avenue, at the Courtyard in Makawao, and is open Monday – Saturday 10 – 6, and Sunday 12 – 6. For information, call 808-572-5979, e-mail artinfo@viewpointsgallerymaui.com, or view a vast majority of the collection at www.viewpointsgallerymaui.com, as well as for listings of all artist demonstrations, events and workshops.

Please join us for this inspiring event...

Work In Progress

2009-01-28T07:32:00.004-10:00

Attempting to get one more quilt done before drop off day, next Tuesday! This will be a jacaranda themed quilt, again using silk.

Although I will undoubtedly keep making quilts with cotton, there is something very beautiful and exciting about using silk in quilts.

Top Chef - How Could You Send Rahdika Home?

2009-01-22T08:05:00.002-10:00

Top Chef was a little bit of a disappointment last night. The content was great, as usual, but I do not know what compelled the judges to send Rahdika home over Carla last night!

I understand that she didn't perform well in the front of the house, nor as a general manager, but I think she was completely overwhelmed by the whole thing. She is a chef, first and foremost, who may be content to remain an executive chef in someone elses organization. Carla, on the otherhand, is just not cutting it as a whole and is becoming more belligerent about it!

I don't think either one of them has what it takes to make it to the final, but to send home a talented chef who has a unique take on food over one who continues to blunder is beyond me.

Unfortunately, I think Stefan is the one who is going to come out on top, but Jamie could take it if she gets down to business and kicks some but.

Go, Jamie!

Morning Bamboo

2009-01-20T19:18:00.004-10:00

I'm getting work done in little bits. I guess my theme this year should be "persistence." I'll have to think about that one.

"Morning Bamboo" is approximately 16"x16" in the beautiful koa wood frame that Bruce made. I wish you could see this lovely wood. I'm going to have to sharpen my photography skills this year, too, so you can see the fine details.

This uses one of the last pieces of the beautiful golden silk that my friend, Robin, hand dyes. It is quilted with silk thread.

It is available for $650 through Viewpoints Gallery.

Day Job Happiness

2009-01-12T17:00:00.002-10:00

I have a new friend at work.

Over the holiday break I had an opportunity to play pool and ping pong with some of the kids at the club. Keep in mind that I remain somewhat of a mystery to most of the kids since I usually stay in my office all day with the "accounting stuff." I don't have kids of my own and usually feel awkward when interacting with them - but I guess I made a good impression on one of them!

My new friend gave me this card she made for New Years. I was really touched!

I usually pass through the day seeing the kids as a blur since I don't work directly with them; now I take a step back to see them more as individuals. I think that's a good new year's resolution, don't you?

Christmas Posts

2008-12-24T11:25:00.003-10:00

I have a Christmas memory post I want to write, but in the meantime, here's a little Christmas MeMe that seems to be floating around:

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Egg nog thinned with a little milk. I don't like it thick and gooey and don't really like it homemade. One time a junior high school friend made homemade egg nog, which I thought was great until she took a sip of hers and the little string from the egg white was stuck to her lip. EEUUWW!!

Colored lights on tree or white?

Colored, please, and NOT BLINKING. I am the official light stringer in our family - I have a very TypeA approach (or perhaps it's the artist in me) - each branch has to have lights all the way to the center and they must be evenly balanced.

When do you put your decorations up?

Depends on the year, but usually the first week of December.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

A couple: sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows, toasted to a nice golden brown; Bruce's grandma's jello salad; and now, a new favorite - Turkey Roulade from the Barefoot Contessa's "Back to Basics." It's the best way to cook turkey, IMHO.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

I think it was just one of those gradual understandings. Nothing dramatic or traumatic.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Sometimes.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I like sparkly decorations and balls (you already read about my light fixation). Some keepsake ornaments. A nice variety. I used to like tinsel, but not so much any more.

Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Love it! Wish we could be in it right now!

Can you ice skate?

Have in the past when I was a kid, but not so sure now.

Do you remember your favorite gift?

Hard to remember the kid gifts - wether you got them for Christmas or your birthday, but usually anything Barbie was fine for me.

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Spending time with family. Wish there could be more of that.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Anything as long as it's tasty.

What is your favorite tradition?

When I was a kid Santa always put an orange in my stocking, and sometimes nuts in the shells. This year I started a new one with my mother-in-law - a cookie "throwdown." This year we made Snickerdoodles; hers from the classic recipe and mine from my Baking Illustrated, highly scientific, chef-tested recipe. She won - hands down! Now we have to think of what to make for next year!

Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving?

Giving, especially when it's just the right thing.

What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Burl Ives, "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas." It always makes me smile.

Ever recycled a Christmas present?

No, but definitely recycle the gift wrap! This year is the first year in about five that I actually had to purchase a roll - but it was only one roll! Now if I could just figure out something to do with Christmas cards.

New Work - Breakfast Ti

2008-12-17T08:14:00.003-10:00

This is one of my pieces for the upcoming "Celebration of Hawaii" show. "Breakfast Ti" is inspired by the variegated Ti leaf plants in our yard. It's 24"x44", created in silk, and quilted using silk and polyester threads. Available through Viewpoints Gallery - $2900.

A Shootin' Good Time

2008-11-30T18:29:00.005-10:00

Today was the Oliver Ricketson memorial trap shoot at Maui Trap & Gun Club. There were about 25 shooters overall, and I competed with another lady for the Ladies Championship. Last year was the first year I shot in the tournament and I came out with a dismal 50 out of 100. This year was a different story all together!

With a score of 86, I won the Ladies Championship and I beat all of the guys in C Class to win the class - 16 yard trap. Even more exciting...I shot my first 25 straight!

Last February was my closest - a 24 - and I really haven't seen much of the upper 20's for most of the year. In fact, during the last couple of months I've been lucky to hit 20 at all. Today it was one target at a time, with 21, 21, 25 and 19. WHOO HOO!

It was a great way to finish the weekend.

Way to go, Ina!

2008-11-26T13:30:00.004-10:00

Ina Garten is coming to my house tonight to help me with tomorrow's dinner. Ha! I wish, but she WILL be visiting in the form of this book:

I bought it as a gift recently and, after thumbing through the pages before I wrapped it (I didn't USE it, I swear!), I ran right back out and bought another copy at Costco FOR ME.

I think my SIL bought me my first Barefoot Contessa cookbook and I have steadily added nearly every one she's published to my library (I don't have "Parties," and apparently that is a HUGE oversight on my part after what I've been reading on the Internet, but that's another story).

Keep in mind that you do not buy Ina's cookbooks for their diet-friendly recipes (although there are a few that are passable). I buy them because no matter what recipe I try, it always comes out delicious (with the exception of Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic, which was downright nasty, but I'm sure it was something I did, though I have no idea what).

Last night I made "Baked Shrimp Scampi" for dinner, because Bruce loves scampi and I've never made a truly successful scampi. Not only was it easy (despite quite a bit of prep and chopping), but it smelled delicious and tasted equally so. Bruce said it was the best he'd ever had and my MIL said it was better than going out to dinner! I served it on spaghetti drizzled with a little olive oil. And like Ina says in the cookbook, that last little bit of lemon spritzed on just before serving was the magic touch!

Tonight we're having Roasted Pear Salad, and tomorrow for Thanksgiving we're having Roasted Turkey Roulade as our entree and Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream for dessert. Last week we had Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Apple Cider Vinaigrette. That particular salad has become the house favorite - and we're having that tomorrow, too.

If you love to cook, I highly recommend this book. Now, if I could just find pancetta on Maui, I'd be set!

Fun with Jane

2008-11-25T07:23:00.013-10:00

Finally! A few spare moments to sit down and post a little bit about our class with Jane Sassaman. Jane was here for a three-day workshop on "Abstracting from Nature." I'm a long-time fan of hers but could never get to the mainland for her classes, so I brought her here instead!

We had a full class with 20 students. Our first day was at the scenic Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao. The children's studio building was just right! Lots of windows, fresh air, and Jane's stunning quilts to admire. Many in the class brought fresh plants and flowers for inspiration. After stumbling around a bit, I chose Naupaka Kahakai or "beach naupaka." It is a flower with an interesting Hawaiian legend attached (more on that in another post).

Here is a look at the work in progress. I still have a lot of fine tuning to do, but I'm very happy with the results!

Jane went back to Chicago yesterday. I miss her already!

Huelo Hideaway

2008-11-19T16:46:00.005-10:00

My office pal, Gina, lives a short trail away from this lovely little bay on Maui's remote north shore.

You can scramble down the hill and walk on the little beach (on the left) below.

Just looking at this view is relaxing!

Quilting World Rock Stars & Top Chef

2008-11-11T11:45:00.002-10:00

Jane Sassaman arrives on Thursday for a 3-day workshop and lecture! I am a long time fan of hers and ecstatic that she will be on Maui.

I was trying to explain the significance of her visit to my non-quilting co-workers and left it at this: She is simply a "rock star" of the quilting world. I hope I don't wear her out with my enthusiasm - I'm going to have to kick it down a notch. Thankfully for her sake I personally know a little bit about teaching and a LOT about accommodating visiting teachers, so she can rest assured of a great visit.

I have TONS of pictures in my camera and will try to share some of the backlog over the next two days, including the utter chaos my studio is in right now. Since I am coordinating the workshop and taking it, too, you can just imagine.

And finally, a new season of TOP CHEF starts tomorrow! I really got into it last season and can't wait to see what they cook up next.

PAUSING

2008-10-21T16:52:00.002-10:00

My day job has been taking a great deal of my time lately. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and I'm not complaining since I'm happy with where I work and what I do, but it isn't leaving much time for anything else! That will all change at the end of the month when my quarterly reports using the new accounting system will be done and I can finally PAUSE and take a breath.

I plan to attack the aganpanthus quilt border this weekend. I was able to visit my friend Joan (who has a fabulous, spacious studio) and square up the background, getting ready for borders. I will cut them out and sew them on this weekend and start the hand applique with the blossoms. How I MISS the peace, quiet and steady rhythm of hand applique! I am really looking forward to this next step, which needs to be completed NO LATER than the end of November so I have time to quilt and finish it, photograph it, and get certain show entries on their merry way. Something to look forward to in the new year!

Our art quilt group meets tonight - Barbara Douglas from Stone Cottage Designs will be giving a demo with Presencia Threads. We are all waiting with patient excitement to see what she will bring! Then, next month, the incomparable Jane Sassaman will be here for a 3-day workshop AND a lecture - just the thing to kick off the holidays in my opinion!

So, I am hanging in there, shoveling through the numbers. I'll be back soon!

Back to Work!

2008-09-11T07:28:00.011-10:00

I finally got the agapanthus quilt back out to finish! Because this project is so large, I couldn't stand back far enough to get in the whole pattern, but you get the drift. I only have that last portion on the right to finish for the background.

Once I finish piecing the background, it will be time to add the border and do all of the hand applique. I plan to applique all of the blossoms for the flowers - lot's of work, but I think it will go quicker than the piecing! Plus, I'm really looking forward to doing some hand work.

Here's some of the array of

fabrics I'm using for this quilt. It has been fun to collect different fabrics to get the variety I wanted. Now I have a TON of black and whites. I really had to search high and low to find white fabrics with just a little bit of black.

The last picture shows the quilt in progress. The color is terrible (I'm not sure what's up with my camera!), but you get the idea. This quilt is big and doesn't fit on my small design wall. Once I get the last piece done I'll move it out to the big design wall in the garage for a better pic!

It feels good to get back to a project. I really enjoy working on this one. More soon...

I'm Still Here

2008-07-20T19:34:00.007-10:00

Are you still there? It has been a long time since I've posted, but I've sort of been in a quilting "funk" since I got home from the mainland.

Things perked up again this weekend, with the completion of a UFO:

It was good to see fabric scattered on my worktable again! The quilt pattern is from the book "Scrap Frenzy" by Sally Schneider (That Patchwork Place). It's called "Woven Star." I started this quilt several years ago and I was surprised and pleased at how much of it I had already prepped. Here is the quilt in progress on the design wall:

And the completed top:

That's all I have for now, except this one little tidbit:

It's the start of my "One Foot Square" donation for the SAQA auction. Hopefully, I can get it finished in time.

This week I'm off to Washington, D.C. for a work-related trip but, joy of joys, I get to stop in LA over the weekend to see my mom and go to the IQF quilt show in Long Beach. Whoo Hoo!

I'll report when I get back. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Going on Vacation

2008-05-30T06:09:00.003-10:00

I'm leaving tonight to meet up with Bruce in Cody, Wyoming! He's been on the mainland for three weeks and I MISS HIM LIKE CRAZY! I cant believe tonight is the night to fly out.

I'm leaving you with a picture of "Huelo Sunrise" - a quilt I finished this week to take to Viewpoints Gallery. It is approximately 50"x24" and is made with silk that my friend Robin hand dyed. I have a new love, and it's name is SILK!

Hope your summer is off to a great start. I'll post when I get back!

Side Projects

2008-05-30T05:58:00.008-10:00

I've always wanted to print some cards using images from my quilts, and I finally got to playing around with it. I like how these turned out. The pictures are printed on photo paper then spray glued to the card stock.

I'm taking an online quilt class with Laura Cater-Woods right now. She asked that we have a sketchbook and a notebook for the class, so here are mine:

What kind of quilter would I be if I didn't make a couple of book covers? The one on the left features scraps of my Kaffe Fasset collection - I knew I was hanging on to those tiny bits for something! Besides, I love those colors and just looking at the fabrics makes me happy. The one on the right is made of leftovers from my November class with Carol Taylor at Art Quilt Tahoe. That reminds me, I'm going to have to finish my quilt from that class - SOON.

BEHOLD!

2008-05-23T16:26:00.005-10:00

A new tool! No, it's not for rolling Fimo clay...it was actually purchased for its intended purpose: pasta making.

I must say, I am quite pleased with myself for locating this exotic tool on our quaint little island (do you detect the sarcasm?). After I discovered the delicious recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne in THIS fabulous book, I was on the hunt for a pasta machine.

I originally thought I would buy the pasta rolling attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer - alas, I did not want to spend $149+ in the event I was once again discouraged from a career in pasta-making. Let me back up a bit...

Many years ago I found a recipe for tri-color pasta ribbons and thought they would make fabulous Christmas gifts for friends and family. Over the course of a very long weekend, I cooked the vegetables for the colors, mixed the pasta, rolled and cut it (using my hand cranked pasta machine much like the one pictured above), and lovingly laid it out on the kitchen counter to dry. We came back to the kitchen several hours later only to discover that our very fluffy Persian cat decided that the pasta made a wonderful bed. EEUUUWWWW. After a good cry, the pasta was dumped in the trash and the machine unceremoniously tossed onto the garage sale pile.

Fast forward 15 or so years, and here I am again with the urge to make fresh pasta, but not at considerable expense just in case I am thwarted again. I found it at Ross for $16.99.

UPDATE: Pasta turned out great! Although I don't intend to make a career of it, I'm glad I have the machine.

The Process for Hana Sunrise

2008-05-20T06:43:00.009-10:00

I'm back! It's been a LONG TIME since I've posted. Seems like I just haven't had a single spare minute to do this. I've really missed it!

The last quilt I finished, Hana Sunrise, was 42"x56". It was one of the largest pieces I've worked on in my tiny studio, so I thought you'd like to see some of the process.

First, I needed a new, larger design wall. There wasn't room in the laundry room, so we came up with this:

It's in the garage, but I have a sheet that I can drop over the entire wall to keep it clean. Plus, I don't leave anything up in there. I just needed a place to SEE this quilt and stand back from it.

After I fused the bamboo pieces to the background, I stitched them down:

I do this kind of stitching on a layer of batting so I don't get any puckering. When I go to quilt, I add another layer of batting, then quilt. My friend Joan turned me on to this concept. It makes for a nice, sturdy wall hanging. She discovered after using a single layer of batting that, over the years, the wall hanging tends to lose it's "freshness" and can hang limp.

Then it was time for the quilting, which required a lot of THIS:

Thank goodness we have our own espresso machine now!

The intricate quilting took many, many hours. Thankfully, both of my machines behaved beautifully during the process. I was under a very tight deadline to get this completed before the clients returned to Canada, so I was very happy everything worked as it should.

I opened up my folding cutting table to support the weight of this quilt as I sewed. The silk and two layers of batting were very heavy and the quilting process was exhausting physical work!

Here's a detail shot:

I'm working on one more bamboo piece for the gallery, which I hope to get finished this weekend. I wanted them to have it before I leave on my trip a week from Friday. Good thing I have a three-day weekend coming up.

Hana Sunrise

2008-05-02T06:21:00.003-10:00

Quick peek at the latest commission: Hana Sunrise.

I'll post a whole lot more this weekend!

Commission Complete

2008-04-06T19:14:00.004-10:00

"Maui Fire" was delivered last week to my client in Wailea and they loved it! I am working on a second commission for them right now. I'll show pictures of that piece (bamboo on silk) as soon as it's complete.

Commission Sneak Peek

2008-03-11T15:32:00.003-10:00

I'm currently working on a commission! Here's a sneak peek.

Art Maui Opening

2008-03-11T15:09:00.008-10:00

"Unconscious Convenience"

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from the Art Maui 2008 opening. Without going into a lot of detail, suffice it to say that last week was no bowl of cherries around here. Thankfully, this week is looking a lot better!

Many of you are probably looking at the quilt and saying, "What the ????" Well, this quilt has been on the drawing board for a little over 2 years now. I am a big proponent for the reusable bag cause, brought on by the distressing way our island is suffocating under a layer of this useless tool of convenience. You can see the real life version of this quilt if you are on Maui and drive up (or down) Pulehu Road in front of the dump. The quilt is stitched to a background frame of pipe and chicken wire to imitate a plastic bag blown up against a chain link fence.

It's quite outside the usual box for me. It's not pretty, but it's not supposed to be. It's something I feel very strongly about and wanted to translate into a quilt. There's no denying that my work is inspired by my environment; this is just a different perspective.

Two other quilt/fiber friends are also in the show. At left is Kathy Kastles' "Young Leaves" quilt. It has a commanding presence in one corner of the gallery. I don't have a close up, but the center medallion features beautifully painted Geishas - many translucent layers give it incredible depth and richness. The outside background is artfully machine quilted with bamboo and palm leaves.

Nancy Meyer's quilt, "It Could Happen to You" tells the story of the many "faces" Nancy wore during her bout with breast cancer. During the opening there were three little girls, probably ranging in age from 9 to 12 or so, who were standing in front of Nancy's quilt arm in arm as they looked at it. I tried to get a picture of them but they hurried off too quickly and I missed the moment.

We finished the evening off with dinner at Mama's Fish House and were treated to this spectacular sunset view:

Got a Date for Me, Dad?

2008-03-05T09:02:00.002-10:00

Please don't get the idea that this is a regular occurrence at our house!

Bruce recently finished this great little kitchen seat and table, and I finally got the cushions done last week.

This morning Cody hopped up on the seat and sat himself next to Bruce uninvited. The little computer cursor caught his eye and this is what resulted!

We're going to have to sit on the ends of the seats for awhile to discourage this from happening again but, you have to admit, it is cute!

More About Art Maui

2008-02-28T10:56:00.002-10:00

The Maui News printed a quick recap about Art Maui in today's paper. Turns out that 566 pieces were submitted and 125 were selected for "the island’s most prestigious competition and installation of its artists’ work." Read the article HERE.

Be sure to read the Fact Box for more information on the juror, Wayne Levin, and his thoughts about jurying. One of his comments that makes me feel especially good to be part of the show this year is at the end: "Some art may work on two or three of these levels, but for me it need only communicate articulately on one level to be successful.”

The opening reception is on Saturday afternoon, so I will take pictures and report back later.

I'M IN!

2008-02-22T09:49:00.003-10:00

What do fabric, plastic bags, chicken wire and galvanized pipe have to do with a quilt? They are all part of "Unconscious Convenience," a piece I entered into Art Maui this year, and I GOT IN! The back of the quilt features newspaper printed on fabric that I showed in the blog post HERE.

I don't have any pictures to show, yet. I didn't have a suitable place to hang it to get one before I dropped it off on receiving day. The show opens on March 2, so I'll post pictures then.

This piece is far off the usual path for my work, but it's something I've had in my mind to make for over a year now. It's not pretty but makes a serious statement about our environment suffocating under a layer of plastic bags. It has a lot of personal meaning for me, so I am thrilled it was selected.

After I finish more "pretty" stuff, perhaps I'll pursue a few more environmental pieces.

I Want to Change My Header!!

2008-02-13T12:57:00.002-10:00

I made this new header for my blog and I can't get it to work! I thought all I'd have to do is upload a new picture to the header. It's not working! Can anyone help?

Roots

2008-02-04T12:48:00.000-10:00

I had a very productive weekend in the studio. My Art Maui entry is coming together and I had time to make (and finish!) two more gift quilts.

I started quilting 20 years ago and my first project was a Dresden Plate wall hanging. I'm proud of my roots in traditional quilting, since it's through these quilts that I honed my skills as a quilt maker. I'm happy to have that "toolbox" of skills to fall back on when I need them.

Baby quilt #2 using the disappearing nine patch pattern. I love that pattern for quick and easy quilts.

As I was cutting up various pieces for this quilt I was left with some very small scraps, including some strips that were only 1" wide. Since I couldn't bear to throw them out (another traditional quilter value!), I decided to whip up a little doll quilt for the baby's sister, who just turned 4.

This mini log cabin is made with that assortment of 1" strips and just 12 simple blocks.

Although my art quilts have taken me down a completely different path, I still get a thrill when I see a beautifully made traditional quilt, especially an old antique. Doing these quick gift projects satisfies my "traditional" genes.

And speaking of scraps, here are some leftovers from a recent project:

And what does chicken wire have to do with quilts? Stay tuned and find out!

Viewpoints Gallery Opening

2008-02-04T12:29:00.001-10:00

The Celebration of Hawaii show opened on Sunday, January 17. I managed to get this shot of Honu III before things got too crowded. There were a lot of people there!

This is third year for the show and it keeps getting better and better. One interesting thing I noticed this year is that there were many more large scale pieces than in previous years. I don't know if that's necessarily true or just the way the show was hung, but that's how it appeared to me.

Honu III is swimming away at the close of the show - he sold on January 31! Turns out that January 2008 was the most profitable month for the gallery on record. With all of the beautiful art, it's hardly surprising. There were several pieces I wished I could have taken home, including this lovely pastel from Kit Gentry. The photo does not do it justice...it is framed by a mat of lovely green raw silk that changes from gold or green depending on the angle.

The opening featured Hawaiian prayer, chant, and dance. Here is a shot of the crowd from outside the gallery. The day started out raining like crazy, but it cleared at the last minute and everyone had a wonderful time.

We ended the evening with a sunset dinner at Kula Lodge. Nice!

Sneak Peak

2008-01-28T14:35:00.001-10:00

Another little snippet of something I'm working on right now - all thanks to the "Disappearing Nine Patch" I posted about earlier. This works well in a small format too; these blocks are about 2" square, finished.

I'll show you the completed project next week!

Back of New Quilt

2008-01-28T13:56:00.001-10:00

I'm working on a new quilt for an upcoming show. Although I can't show you the front, I can show you the back - this is "newspaper" fabric that my friend Joan printed for me. It is interspersed with a black and white "chain link" fabric. It is fused to muslin, then I zigzagged over all of the raw edges with white thread.

I love this! It is so fun. It has me started on an idea for a whole series (of maybe two or three quilts).

Celebration of Hawaii Show at Viewpoints Gallery

2008-01-02T18:31:00.000-10:00

I received the email version of the postcard for the upcoming Celebration of Hawaii show today, and guess who's on the back?

Honu III! The show opens on Sunday, January 20, in Makawao, at Viewpoints Gallery.

I've decided that Honu III is going to be the last in this design, but not the last of the series. I have other ideas for sea turtle quilts - I just have to take more pictures and do more sketching. I'm also working on a second quilt for the show - a single flower version of my Night Light quilt - but I've got a lot of work to do in a short time.

If you are visiting Maui during the show, please drop by for a visit. It runs through Tuesday, February 12.

Quick Baby Quilt

2008-01-02T06:54:00.000-10:00

I needed to make a baby quilt for a boy, and fast. Thankfully, I stumbled upon Dying to Quilt's blog with easy instructions for creating a "Disappearing Nine Patch" quilt.

I used an assortment of red, blue and gold fabrics and started off with 5" squares to create this quick little quilt.

A suggestion - for a cohesive look, keep the same color in the center of your nine patch blocks - that's what makes the little gold squares seen here. I think it would be great to go completely scrappy, too, but with smaller squares, maybe 3"?

Thanks, DQ, for the inspiration and instructions!

Christmas Day

2007-12-27T06:42:00.000-10:00

Well, I knew you wouldn't believe it until you saw it! Even Bruce says he figures there aren't that many quilter/hunters out there.

On Christmas afternoon Jeff, Bruce's brother, took us pheasant hunting up on Haleakala, with my nephew, Keoni. It was a beautiful day - cool and a little cloudy, just perfect for the rough hiking.

Keoni took this picture of Bruce and me while we took a short break in one of the ravines we had to cross.

We only saw a total of four birds - two roosters and two hens - and Keoni was positioned to get the roosters. They were long shots but he got them like a pro.

Here is a picture of the guys with De-Man. He is an awesome dog and it was neat to watch him work. He was doing his job and having a great time.

Is this a picture of a happy dog, or what?

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas.

Best wishes for a happy new year, too!

DELISH!

2007-12-20T06:40:00.000-10:00

We tried this Sparkling Ginger Cocktail for a dinner party on Tuesday, and it was great! It's featured in the December issue of Gourmet magazine.

I've never tried Prosecco before, so when I saw this I thought it would be fun. The ginger syrup adds a nice, refreshing zing to the drink. The recipe says it makes enough for 10 cocktails, but we actually came out around 8. So if you are making this for a party, plan accordingly.

Finding Prosecco on Maui was a challenge, because it's not available at any of the local grocery stores. Asking for it only resulted in blank stares. I lucked out, though, at Hawaii Liquor Superstore in Kahului! When a man approached me and asked if I needed help finding something, I asked him for it and I thought he said, "We have Port." I said, uh, no, "It's a sparkling Italian wine." He laughed and said, "Yes, I have four." Oh. I guess I need my hearing checked! He was very helpful and went on to explain the highlights of the four he had in stock. When I said it was for a cocktail, he said to go with the least expensive since the ginger would overpower some of the more delicate nuances.

I'm looking forward to trying them all by themselves in the future.

Paying it Forward

2007-12-17T07:31:00.000-10:00

I caught this on Susie Monday's blog and the giving spirit is growing on me, so I'm offering this:

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. (Actually, you will receive mine before the end of February!)

When you leave your comment, please also do one of two things: leave your post address or e-mail it to me.

I will send small textile hand-made-by-me gifts to the first 3 people that leave a comment requesting to receive the gift and are willing to continue the Pay it Forward tradition on their blog.

Christmas with All the Trimmings

2007-12-17T06:52:00.000-10:00

I am going to make THIS for our tree next year. Scroll down Kristy's "Two Lime Leaves" blog and check out her peppermint yo-yo garland. I think it's darling. I KNEW I'd find a reason to buy that damn yo-yo maker after all.

Oh, right. In my spare time. Turns out there probably won't be much of that next year. Looks like 2008 is filling up already!

Mischief Afoot

2007-12-12T18:28:00.000-10:00

There are some interesting goings-on around here! I can't reveal them right now, but will in the next week or so.

Besides, what would the holidays be without a surprise to mull?

Quilting Arts Magazines for Sale

2007-12-08T11:33:00.001-10:00

I'm taking a cue from Robin and selling my collection of Quilting Arts Magazines on eBay (click to take you to the listing).

Since I work in such a small area, I am constantly moving stuff around. Well, I'm tired of moving this stuff! I've got a collection of art, quilting and fiber books for sale on Amazon.com (see post below), and a fabric/fiber collection for sale, too (see previous post).

If you're interested in adding to your collection of Quilting Arts Magazine, this is a great way to do it!

Gorgeous Jewels for Your Next Project - SOLD

2007-12-08T11:25:00.003-10:00

I am cleaning out my studio this weekend in preparation for the new year (be sure to see my other items for sale at Amazon.com in the previous post). This is the fabric and yarns/fibers I chose for my class with Carol Taylor, but I'm not in love with the project. The next best thing (I thought) would be to offer this grouping for sale. There are 18-9"x11" squares (approximate), three skeins of gorgeous hand dyed fibers, and a set of 1" strips in coordinating colors.

Penny, I see a fabulous project in your future!

Quilting Books for Sale

2007-12-08T10:35:00.000-10:00

I cleaned out my studio this morning and have several things to sell. I've listed a huge pile of art, quilting and fiber related books on Amazon.com in my storefront:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/index.html?ie=UTF8&sellerID=AAFONPXQR6Z6E

On most of the listings I am the lowest price seller. Check it out and see if there's something on YOUR wish list!!

Here's an alphabetical listing of titles:

Artists Journals & Sketchbooks (Perrella)
Beading on Fabric (Van Horn)
Collage for the Soul (Harrison & Grasdal)
Collage Sourcebook (Quarry)
Creative Correspondence (Jacobs)
Creative Habit (Tharp)
Diamond Quilts & Beyond (Krentz)
Everyday Matters (Gregory)
Fusing Fabric (Beal)
Mixed Media Explorations (Taylor)
Pieced Curves So Simple (Fleming)
Thinking Outside the Box (Cummings)
Thread Magic (Eddy - original Fiber Studio Press edition)
Twelve Secrets of Highly Creative Women (McMeekin)
When Quilters Gather (McDowell)
What Color is Your Slipcover (Daikeler)

Thanks for checking it out!

More From Art Quilt Tahoe

2007-12-07T06:26:00.000-10:00

One of the best things about taking a class from Carol Taylor is that you get to work a lot on value. This is an area that is so important, and one I don't think anyone can get too much of!

This is the start of one of our class projects, with my fabrics sorted out. I eventually added more of the very dark fabrics on the left and refined the other piles as I went. Not every fabric here made it into the quilt. I moved away from the blue accents (like the fabric at the bottom of the second pile from the left), and more into the purples, which I loved with the browns and blacks.

You basically work from light to dark as you go along. Here's a snapshot of the start with the lights into the medium lights.

I think I mentioned it in a previous post, but this whole process really makes me want to reorganize my fabric according to value. I know I have real gaps in the very lights and very darks (like most quilters do). And since my work requires good value emphasis to be effective, I think it would be helpful. The only real problem I face with the reorganization is that I really don't have the room to spread out and do a good job with it. That and the fact that it would probably take me at least 2 weeks of valuable studio time to do it.

More lights into mediums and medium-darks. Although this quilt is fairly small (about 18"x54") it is a long process to get the value placement correct. As a class, we took most of a day to get our pieces in place on the foundation.

Here's a look with the third and fourth pieces, nearly finished. After I had the four base pieces up, I went back and added a lot of accent pieces to further enhance the look of the quilt.

I started my couching in class on the last day, and have about half of it completed. I need to get it finished this month, since I am giving a PowerPoint presentation at our guild meeting next month on my experience at Art Quilt Tahoe and I want to have the projects there for everyone to see.

If you have a chance to take a class with Carol Taylor, grab it. She is an inspiring, patient and knowledgeable teacher who will encourage you to make your best effort!

Stormy Weather

2007-12-05T11:08:00.001-10:00

And I'm not kidding! We are getting some heavy rain and wind up to 60+ mph. We are huddled at work waiting for it to pass. Power is out on most of the island and ours has been flickering.

See the red? That's over our head right now. Looks like we have a flash flood warning in effect until 12:00 p.m. today.

We're waiting it out. Look out Big Island!

BINGO! Wins!

2007-12-04T10:41:00.001-10:00

Remember when I posted about working with the book "On the Surface"? Well, this was the project I was working on at the time.

The theme for Art Quilt Tahoe's challenge this year was B-9, or Be Nine, or Benign, as it was their 9th anniversary. As soon as I heard the theme, I immediately thought of BINGO!

The title of this quilt is "B9=BINGO! Everybody Wins at Art Quilt Tahoe." The background checkerboard is woven and embellished with silver, black and red decorative threads. I stamped the BINGO card and the red markers are hand painted stainless steel washers. I couldn't find round clear glass or plastic markers, so I improvised based on a suggestion from my friend Joan. Thanks, Joan!

I had to Google BINGO to find out what the correct number layout was - in case you are wondering, it's 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 45-60, and 61-75. Did you know that the mathematician who developed the bingo cards actually went crazy?

My quilt won first place and $100 in the challenge at AQT!

Art Quilt Tahoe - Three Things to Ponder

2007-11-28T10:41:00.001-10:00

The sign outside our door at Art Quilt Tahoe. The freakish organized person inside me really liked the way everything was labeled so nicely! I thought about snatching the paper sign at the end of the program as a memento, but someone beat me to it.

Here are three things (there are more, of course) I learned while I was there:

Overheard from Libby Lehman, Thread Goddess: If you are a fan of Sewer's Aid for difficult threads, you'll really like Tri-Flow Bicycle Lubricant. It actually bonds to the thread and doesn't gum up your machine like Sewer's Aid can do.

From Carol Taylor, Color Goddess: To tame unruly couching threads, use a straw, taped to the top of your sewing machine, to feed the thread. It's hard to see in my picture, but the couching thread comes around the back of the pin where you pull your thread to wind your bobbin, then trails over the end (near your flywheel). This will free up your hands to guide the fabric under the foot. Make sure the tension on your couching thread stays loose - if it pulls tight you will get puckers. After much serious discussion in class (ha, ha, NOT!), we decided that the best straw to use is one of the fat Starbucks straws, the one you get with a Frappuccino. However, make sure you get a smaller one, too, so you can poke unruly threads through the straw easily.

Heard from one of the teachers and now I can't remember: Think about sorting your fabric by value instead of color. Hmmm...this might actually work for me, but is going to take a long time for me to reorganize my fabric. A long time ago I used to sort my fabric by type (solids, batiks, florals, etc.), then I mixed them all up and sorted them by color because I frequently intermix them in my work. But sorting them by value might even be better! I'll have to think on that one myself.

What I've Been Up To

2007-11-27T10:35:00.001-10:00

I'm home from Art Quilt Tahoe, which was FABULOUS. I will post more very soon about the experience. In the meantime, THIS is what I've been up to:

LOTS OF WORK!

Actually, this picture doesn't look as bad as it feels. Organized chaos, I guess.

More soon.

Art Quilt Tahoe - Day Two

2007-11-13T18:23:00.001-10:00

First, a glimpse of last night's dinner. It was Libby Lehman's 60th birthday. She looks terrific, by the way, and is sporting a darling new short haircut. (Notice Honu III on display behind the podium - WOW - how did I luck out with that??)

Today was the first full day of work and I made good progress on the first project. It was fun learning how to couch various yarns and threads. I have a nice new SMALL collection of these yarns that I can use for various projects. I already have some ideas.

Here is a play-by-play of the piece I worked on today:

I'll post a picture of the finished project tomorrow. In the meantime, check out this jacket that Mary P. from Upland, California made (Aly, here's an idea for your fabric!!):

More fun posted tomorrow!

Tahoe!

2007-11-12T06:23:00.000-10:00

I arrived at Lake Tahoe yesterday, a little tired from the red-eye flight, excited about the week ahead and a little nervous. This is the first time I've taken a trip like this by myself! It feels a little bit odd to be in such a beautiful place without Bruce, and he said it feels odd to be home by himself, too.

This is the view from my room, which is lovely. Snow on the mountains and a bit chilly outside - I don't think it got up to 50 degrees yesterday.

I settled into my room and had a massage, which was desperately needed after trying to sleep on the plane. They had a sanctuary room with comfortable couches, relaxing music, lemon water, tea and apples. I had two cups of this wonderful cinnamon tea, the scent of which reminded me of the fiery taste of cinnamon bear candy (one of my favorites), and an apple. I realized as I ate the apple that I'd had very little to eat and I was starving!

After the massage I felt relaxed and rejuvenated, but not perky enough to explore, so I ordered room service (I think for the second time in my life) and had a wonderful grilled chicken sandwich and a bowl of mixed fruit. It was funny, I was expecting a little side cup of fruit, but it actually came in a good-sized bowl which was filled with cantaloupe, honeydew, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and pineapple which were all fresh and sweet. I was especially surprised with the pineapple, which was the best I've had outside of home (and better than some of that)!

This is the view this morning. It snowed last night!! There is a thin blanket of white covering everything and it is SO PRETTY. You have to walk outside to get from the building where the rooms are to the main building where the workshop and restaurants are which is neat because you get to experience the COLD air. I love it. I'm just thankful I have a good jacket, gloves and warm shoes. I might even take a walk outside later. There are trails everywhere. If I had warmer running clothes, I'd probably take a spin outside, but I'll be happy to workout in the fitness center which looks out on the valley. Who needs TV on the treadmill when you've got a view like that!

I am enjoying the peace and quiet and the ability to choose whatever I want to fill the day. I am reading a wonderful book that I borrowed from my friend Joan called "A Three Dog Life." It's a memoir about a woman whose husband is injured and suffers a traumatic brain injury. It's beautifully written, poignant and funny. I didn't think I would be able to relate to it, but I read the cover flap and was intrigued. Turns out there's something for everyone to take away from this book. I have to keep reminding myself as I read it that it is a true story - this woman is remarkable. A must-read!

Lastly, I have to show you the little bag I bought for traveling. I needed a small purse just to carry my ID, credit cards, phone and camera, plus my boarding pass. Who wants to dig through a huge bag at the airport? I looked everywhere on Maui, but could not find what I had in mind, and I had NO TIME to make one up. The I literally stumbled onto Linda Dunn's blog via the SAQA web ring (the link for the ring is on my sidebar - they are all Studio Art Quilt Associates members). She makes these FABULOUS bags from bits of recycled fabric. Here is a picture of mine:

It is beautifully made, opens at the top with a zipper, has a front pocket that fits a boarding pass (see the gold silk edge near the top), and a zipper pocket on the back that you can't see, which holds my camera and phone perfectly! To top it all off, all pockets are lined in silk. And, it is my current favorite color combination - brown and blue. What a great Christmas gift! Thanks, Linda, for having exactly what I needed!

That's all for now. I have to finish sewing the sleeve on my quilt for the challenge. I will post a picture of it after the exhibit opens. More later!

No Mo Plastic Bag

2007-11-06T10:50:00.000-10:00

Check out this effort by the Paia, Maui merchants to become the first plastic-shopping-bag-free town in Hawaii: www.nomoplasticbag.com

I caught a press release about it in Maui No Ka Oi Magazine.

Are YOU using reusable bags yet?

Trouble with Fabric Choices

2007-11-06T07:20:00.001-10:00

This is the central fabric I picked for the last part of my class. I'm not sure I've done the right thing! I may scrap the whole bit and go with something completely different tonight after I talk with my friends at our guild meeting.

I'm just not sure I'm getting the pizzazz I want from the color choices. I've always wanted to do a brown/neutral quilt, but I'm not sure if this is the right combination.

Here are the other fabrics I've pulled so far:

What do you think?

Project Two

2007-11-06T07:13:00.000-10:00

These are the fabrics I chose for the "sensuous lines and curves" part of my class next week.

It's a good thing to get everything prepped early. As I was getting these fabrics ready to go I realized that my central piece was only 18" wide (makes sense, since I usually buy half-yards) and I needed 22". I was lucky to find it at the fabric shop yesterday and bought another yard.

One more bummer - my Tutto tote is not the "crafter" model. It's the office model, so my sewing machine does not fit. ERG! I'm going to have to post it back on eBay. Thankfully, my mother-in-law has a variety of suitcases and one carry-on size just happens to fit my machine perfectly. Crisis averted.

Honu III

2007-11-01T18:47:00.000-10:00

Here's a first peek at Honu III!

He's done, except for the sleeve, which I am going to stitch on tonight.

I finished this one with a facing instead of a binding, which I prefer for this quilt, because it gives it a more "open" look since it's not confined by a traditional binding. You can't see the detail in this shot, but I will take better (and more color-true) photos this weekend with my new photography set up.

Thanks to one of my blogging friends who referred to Kathy Loomis' article in the September 2007 issue of AQS magazine - who was it?? It's Kathy's instructions I followed for the facing - great job!

Secret Project

2007-11-01T18:32:00.000-10:00

The other day I pulled out a book I haven't referred to in a long, long time: On the Surface, by Wendy Hill. I fell in love with this book when it came out, and it was one of the first titles I purchased for my old quilt shop.

I wanted a fun, thready background for a quilt I'm working on, and On the Surface was just the ticket. I wove the background, and here you can see how I've used every pin from my pincushion to secure the layers for quilting.

I first zig-zagged all of the raw edges to tack everything down, then went to town with several threads a la "on the surface." Here's a picture of the thread embellishment in progress.

My trusty 160 did well with most of the threads, but kicked up a fuss with the Superior Threads Hologram thread and one other decorative thread. I trudged on, though, and it finished up nicely.

I'll unveil this project and its purpose in a later post.

Getting Ready for AQT

2007-11-01T07:43:00.000-10:00

I am going to Art Quilt Tahoe in just over a week! I have been slowly getting supplies together for my class with Carol Taylor. I am so excited about this trip I can hardly stand it! I've wanted to go to Art Quilt Tahoe or Asilomar for years and my dream came true in the form of a scholarship to AQT.

Here are the fabrics I've chosen for one of the segments of the class. I still have to add threads to this one. Finally a chance to use these finicky fabrics I've had for a long, long time. I threw in the packet of beads just because they "go."

I have to get out the suitcase(s) this weekend and figure out how I'm not going to freeze my tail off! I don't have any "winter" clothes, outside of a snowboarding jacket I bought last year for our trip to Lake Arrowhead. The average high temperature for Lake Tahoe in November is only 49! With lows as cold as 20. Oh boy. Let's keep in mind, however, that I won't be hiking in the woods or skiing. I will be going from airport to car to hotel. I'm mostly concerned with staying warm and comfortable in class.

I'll post the other two fabric packets I'm putting together so you can see the progress during the week. I can't wait!

By the way, if you are going to AQT, please drop me a note. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone and making new friends.

Long Overdue

2007-11-01T07:12:00.000-10:00

Here is a picture of Janey with her "get well" quilt. She had hip replacement surgery so our little group got together and made her the quilt.

These quilts are fun, because they are kind of like a pot luck where you end up having all of the right dishes. We had minimal guidelines (flower theme, Bali fabrics, and one matching sashing strip). Ta - Da - this is what you get!

She was really surprised! She had no idea what we were up to even when I was getting it out of the bag to hand it to her.

And, of course, she's healing up fast, no doubt because of the quilt! :-)

Bernina...BAH!

2007-10-31T08:54:00.000-10:00

I purchased some new feet for my "old" 160 this year, in anticipation of my Art Quilt Tahoe class with Carol Taylor next week. One is a #21 couching/cording foot, which is the cause of my frustration.

I haven't had a need to use it this year, so it has been sitting in my sewing box, waiting for class. Last night I was working on my challenge quilt for AQT and, low and behold, I needed to couch something! I was so excited to use my new foot and clipped it on the machine. My excitement dimmed, however, when I realized it is not the correct foot for my model. ERG! Instead of the needle lining up with the zigzag hole, it lines up with the hole the couching thread goes through. Thankfully I noticed this BEFORE I began sewing and busted a needle.

WHY DOES BERNINA DO THIS?

I've never liked the fact that their machines come with so few feet included, and each additional foot is SO EXPENSIVE! And why make feet that are so similar but aren't transferable? Think of the investment you make in feet over the years, then you get a new machine and WHAM - your feet are not transferable to the new machine. If you are changing the design, change the numbers so you don't think they all fit the same.

So, I am off to our Bernina dealer today to buy a NEW #21 for my 160 - hopefully they have it. Thankfully I discovered this error before going to class! I'll have to test my other feet tonight.

And I'll have to put my old #21 back on eBay where I got it. RATS!

Lucky Number 35

2007-10-25T10:06:00.001-10:00

A random fact: I have taken up the sport of trapshooting! Bruce and I have been going to the range regularly for the past six months or so and are progressing so well we will be shooting in a tournament at the end of November. In case you're curious, I shoot a Remington 11-87 semi-auto with a 28" barrel. :-)

Last night we were shooting trap doubles and I shot a 35! It's 35 out of a total of 50 targets, but I'd only been hitting about half up until now. Hopefully I can maintain that consistency and keep getting better. In the tournament you shoot 100 singles at 16 yards, 100 handicap singles (19 yards for the ladies, and up to 27 yards for the men), and 100 doubles.

Another 35 - that's about the number of readers I get on my blog each day. I don't know if they are the same 35 people, or a different 35 each time. Anyway, I appreciate the visits, especially since I haven't been posting regularly. Thanks for hanging in there!

Quilt-related news: Honu III is complete (except the sleeve, which goes on tonight). I will post photos ASAP. He is traveling with me to Art Quilt Tahoe in 2 weeks, along with "Night Light" and "Croton Chorus" for a special display of work by the scholarship recipient...ME! I'm also working on my challenge quilt based on the theme "Benign" or "Be Nine" aptly named for AQT's ninth year AND prepping my supplies for class. I will post photos of some of these things, too.

Stay tuned!

Red Ginger Banner

2007-10-14T11:34:00.000-10:00

I MUST...

2007-10-09T09:37:00.000-10:00

Do something creative today
Finish two baby quilts (before they grow up!)
Finish Honu III
Make my challenge quilt for Art Quilt Tahoe
Make another special small quilt for AQT
Get back to work on the agapanthus quilt
Start the Reef quilt

...and get back into the studio for some quiet creative time. Does someone have an extra two weeks I can borrow?

Postcard Update

2007-09-28T13:13:00.000-10:00

HA HA! If I had a piece of clipart with a tongue sticking out, I would post it here. Despite the trouble at the post office, I know for a fact that 2 out of 3 of the postcards I mailed made it to their destinations unscathed!

Susanne in Switzerland received hers on Wednesday (even though her website is in German, I still got the gist). Nellie in Michigan also received hers this week. Both went sans envelope! Nellie said it was the first one she received in that manner. The one to Switzerland arrived simply with an international postcard rate stamp.

The interesting thing is, I haven't heard from Postcard Recipient #3 - and she lives on Maui. It wouldn't surprise me at all if that one takes 3 weeks to arrive. :-)

What about the Quilting Content?

2007-09-28T09:01:00.001-10:00

OK, I know. I've been surprisingly lax on the quilting front. The only thing I've done recently is get Honu III ready to quilt, which I plan to do this weekend.

I only have 6 weeks before Art Quilt Tahoe, so another thing I am going to do this weekend is tape up a piece of paper on the sliding glass door of the studio (my only available vertical surface) and write my TO DO list and schedule things as best as I can. I really do better with a visual!

I have been SO tied up with my day job and my new fitness regimen that I come home and drop at the end of the day. I work out in the morning, so it doesn't impact my creative time which is usually in the evening, but by the time I get home at night, do dinner, clean up and prep for the next day I am beat.

I am once again faced with the need to re-evaluate all of the areas of my life to try to omit and simplify some things. I just have too much on my plate.

Killer Cat Attack

2007-09-26T14:16:00.000-10:00

Cody and I take our morning walk, usually before the sun comes up. I enjoy it because it's quiet, there are no cars, no barking dogs, etc. Cody enjoys it because, well, he's a dog. It's nice. Usually.

This morning we started out and, as we were cruising up the street minding our own business, we saw a cat stroll into the middle of the street about 200 ft in front of us. Then, out trot three kittens, probably about 7-8 weeks old. Momma is sitting in the middle of the street looking at us, then pops up and starts to stroll in our direction with kittens in tow. She's prancing along, tail up, like a friendly little kitty (a lot how Ginger acts).

Cody is in a sit, watching patiently. He's not a cat attacker (he's a Lab, for heaven sakes!), just curious, but he stays still better in a sit. I think to myself, "OK, let's not bother the kitties, we'll just go out and around them on the other side of the street." Right.

Just about the time we become parallel with momma kitty, she freaks out, bares her teeth, and runs hissing and spitting at Cody and me. She's darting in and out, coming closer and closer, flattening herself on the ground, teeth bared, claws out. Then, she rushes Cody and jumps on his back, going absolutely crazy. I'm freaking out! This damn cat is attacking my dog! Cody yelps and sprints around me on the leash and finally the cat jumps off, which gives me just enough time and room for a squirt of pepper spray. I push the button and a tiny squirt, followed by *sigh*, and there's no more pepper spray, but she got just enough of a whiff to chase her off.

We trot up the street, then she comes back at us again and I have to throw the empty pepper spray can at her (and miss) and she scoots off into the bushes.

HOLY CRAP! Talk about a wake up call in the a.m.

I have never seen a cat attack like this unprovoked. She had kittens, so I understand her need to protect them, but this was unbelievable. We gave her a wide berth, but she had it planned all along. She was probably scoping us out before we even saw her coming.

Cody and I got away relatively unscathed - I was mostly worried for his face and eyes - but she didn't draw blood. Thank goodness for his thick coat!

I have a mind to find out who this cat belongs to and give them a piece of my mind. I would have done it this morning, but I was so afraid of being attacked myself, that I didn't go back. If she's a feral cat she needs to be picked up. She's a menace!

*&@%^$ Post Office!

2007-09-19T14:09:00.000-10:00

I have three very important postcards to mail and I got nothing but static from the post office. I should have known (and did, but decided to try anyway) that Kahului would be a nightmare.

I handed over one to the clerk and said, "I need a stamp to send this postcard to Switzerland." She said, "Don't you want an envelope?" I said, "No, thank you, it's a postcard." Mind you, it was only fabric - no beads or glitz of any kind - it was a POSTCARD, only it was made out of fabric. She turned around and asked another clerk if she could send it and they said, "only in an envelope." So I said, "Nevermind," and took it back from her. Then she says, "We have regulations, you know."

HMMPH. Tell me about it - AND IT'S OK TO SEND IT! I didn't have the time, energy or patience to explain to her about the number of people on the QuiltArt list who have researched this in the post office regulations and found it to be OK TO SEND A FRICKIN' FABRIC POSTCARD WITHOUT A DAMN ENVELOPE.

Can you tell I'm a little peeved? I wanted to say, "It's not like I'm sending a bomb or anything," but they probably wouldn't have been amused, called the cops and had me hauled out of there in handcuffs. Not worth it, so I did the next best thing.

I went to another post office, asked for the stamps I needed, stuck them on the POSTCARDS and mailed them from another post office.

My friend Robin actually mailed a postcard with a $20 bill attached to it. Believe it or not, it made it to it's destination intact.

I'm sure she was just jealous SHE wasn't getting one. And with that kind of attitude SHE WON'T!

Food Break

2007-09-04T16:02:00.000-10:00

I've been on a fairly rigorous diet and exercise program for the last four months or so (more info on that HERE). I've lost nearly 20lbs and gained more stamina, optimism and energy than I could have ever imagined. I think it's been easy for me because I love to cook, so I've been open to trying all kinds of new, healthy things. So here's a peek at a couple of things I cooked this weekend.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Garlic and Basil
(this is the healthy one)

Roast about 2lbs tomatoes (cut in half and squeeze the seeds out) and garlic cloves (unpeeled), drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for one hour. If you like more garlic, use more. Saute (in a soup pot - I use my lovely Le Creuset!) one whole onion in a couple of tablespoons of butter along with a good teaspoon full of dried oregano until the onion is translucent. Add 2-15oz cans of chicken broth to the onion, add the tomatoes and their juices from the pan, and squeeze out the garlic from the skin into the pot (discard the garlic skins). Bring to a boil, then simmer for a half hour or so.

Do you have a VitaMix blender? If so, puree the soup until it's smooth, then add 1/2 cup of milk for a little creaminess. (If you don't have one of these beauties, get one... in the meantime, use an immersion blender or your ancient Osterizer, but it probably won't be as smooth and you might need to strain it through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids).

Sprinkle with grated FRESH parmesan and chopped basil. If you think you don't like tomato soup, you haven't had this before. YUM!

For dessert:

Peach Cobbler
(definitely a special treat!)

You can find this recipe HERE from Paula Deen. With one KEY substitution (keep reading)...

Yummy ripe peaches with a bit of sugar in my favorite pot. The recipe calls for water, but you need to substitute the SECRET INGREDIENT....

HA! I was only going to use a quarter cup of Jack with a quarter cup of water, but my mom suggested using ALL Jack, which is fantastic! It lends a subtle, earthy, smoky flavor to the peaches as they simmer. YUM!

Pour the batter into the pan, then spoon the peaches on top, then pour the remaining juice gently over the top. The picture on the Food Network's recipe of the finished product is much nicer than mine, plus we ate some before I took the final photo, but here's a look:

Be sure to serve it warm with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. YUM!

Home Again

2007-08-17T09:41:00.000-10:00

We're home, safe and sound, but dog tired! We arrived about 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening and, after a quick recap with Bruce's mom and lots of pets for Cody, dropped into bed.

I worked on Thursday, came home, ate dinner, then dropped at a little after 7:00. I'm feeling much peppier today and should be back to my regular routine by this weekend.

There is lots to share about our trip, but I'll parcel it off in small doses! Lots of quilt activity it coming soon - deadlines are looming and it won't be long until I'm off to Art Quilt Tahoe. Don't kid yourself, the holidays will be here before we know it!

We're in Jackson

2007-08-10T02:53:00.001-10:00

We've been through Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks and seen tons of wildlife!

Bruce shot a picture of this buck as we were leaving Wind River Canyon on the way to Cody at the beginning of the trip. A beautiful 5-point, still in velvet.

We are having a good time although find Jackson to be a very stuffy and kind of obnoxious town as far as the people go. However, we did have dinner at a family restaurant called The Virginian last night, which was friendly and delicious and reasonable!

We're on our way back through Utah today, then on to Dad's in Bullhead.

Will post more soon.

No Pictures...YET!

2007-08-03T18:06:00.000-10:00

We are in stunning Park City, Utah, tonight, staying at the Lodges at Deer Valley. What a terrific place! Our drive from Las Vegas was smooth and uneventful. Las Vegas was...well...Las Vegas. The hotel, Green Valley Resort, was very nice, but it would have been even better if there were no other people there. But that's a story for another day.

Park City is wonderful. We had dinner at Butcher's Chop House and ate on the outside patio in the fresh mountain air. Our room is great and has a king size sleigh bed.

We're leaving tomorrow morning for Cody after a quick stop for breakfast in Park City. Hopefully we can pick up lunch for the road...all there was today was McDonald's, Burger King and Dairy Queen at truck stops. Yuck. We ate a Clif Bar instead.

We're off to a great start. Will post more soon.

A hui hou!

Away We Go!

2007-08-01T07:42:00.000-10:00

We leave tomorrow morning for our trip to the mainland. We'll be taking lots of pictures and will try to post as we go. Our trip will take us from Las Vegas through Utah, to Cody, Wyoming; then back down through Utah to Bullhead City, Arizona; then back home.

Two glorious weeks!

Aloha!

New Profile Photo

2007-07-31T10:09:00.000-10:00

Art Bag for our Trip

2007-07-31T09:36:00.000-10:00

One of the reasons I've been so lax about posting is I have been busying planning our trip. We leave Thursday!

In the past couple of weeks I did manage to get one last Honu quilt ready for threadwork, but he will have to wait until I get home for finishing. But last weekend I worked on making a totebag to haul my drawing goodies as we travel. What kind of self-respecting quilt artist would I be if I used a store-bought tote bag? Besides, I had certain requirements for size, color, pockets, etc., so that demanded a custom made bag. And here it is:

Many thanks to Aly for loaning me the book (which I will have to post about later, because I can't remember the title!) that got me started! She also happened to be with me when I bought that luscious Bali fabric (background of bag and strap).

I needed it to hold my new colored pencils, a small sketchbook, a pad of watercolor post-cards, a couple of charcoal pencils, assorted paint brushes, my eraser and sporty new pencil sharpener. Not to mention my cell phone, sunglasses and small travel wallet, and maybe one magazine? OH, and my new copy of Danny Gregory's "Everyday Matters" for inspiration and an article torn out of either Cloth Paper Scissors or Quilting Arts (I can't remember which one) on sketching by Jane LaFazio. I love her stuff.

Sounds like a lot, but it will work in this bag. Here's an inside peek:

See all the room in the center on the inside? Plus it has two outside pockets.

It's nearly packed and ready to go - just like me. I can't wait!

About Beeswax

2007-07-31T09:11:00.001-10:00

I was reminded about the benefits of beeswax when reading Caity's post the other day. She was talking about the new Clover Yo-Yo maker (which I want but have avoided buying - what on earth am I going to do with yo-yos? But that's another story.) and shared her tips for using beeswax.

I too, use beeswax for all of my handwork. A light drag through the wax keeps thread from tangling and makes it much easier to thread the needle. I also doesn't leave any residue or otherwise interfere with the fabric (unless, of course, you use too much).

I do have one strict rule about beeswax, however. You really should use the real thing. Years ago I started out with the nasty pale yellow stuff in the plastic case in the notions department, because that was all I could find. It was frustrating to use because it crumbled and broke and little bits leaked out of the plastic container all over my sewing box and elsewhere. YUCK. Do you know why it does that? Well, it contains very little beeswax - it's beeswax mixed with paraffin to extend it.

Now paraffin won't hurt anything, but why go to all that trouble and mess? Natural beeswax has a gorgeous honey hue (see above - pure Maui beeswax!) and even has a light honey scent. When I had my quilt shop I bought a couple of pounds from the local beekeeper, melted it down and poured it into candy molds for easy (and pretty!) handling. I kept a big jar of it near the register and sold it by the piece. Now I have just a few pieces, but a piece like the one pictured above (approximately 2" across) will last you several years and won't break apart. It will just wear down to nothing, like a bar of soap.

Word of caution: if you buy your own beeswax and melt it down, be SURE to close your doors and windows! It will bring a HUGE swarm of bees who want their honey back. Ask me how I know. Despite that, it's fun to do and makes great gifts for your sewing friends.

Vacation Planning - Quilt Shops?

2007-07-23T15:52:00.000-10:00

As we've been planning our trip, I've been searching for quilt-shop-stops along the way. I've found a few, but I'm considering not making some stops. Why?

Well, I'm not much of a quilt shop binger (is that even a word?). Usually, when I take trips (few and far between), I am working on a particular project, so I have specific purchases in mind. Mostly it will be a particular color of fabric I need and can't get at home. But right now, I don't need any project-specific fabric, and I certainly don't need any more fabric period. I've gotten away from book-buying, and have even sold a bunch at the amazon.com marketplace. I pretty much have all the notions, scissors, needles, pins, etc. I need.

So other than a stop at Superior Threads (in St. George, as we are passing through), because one can never have enough thread, I may not stop at all. Unless, of course, dear reader, you can give me a darn good reason why I should. And if you happen to know of any must-see good shops between Las Vegas and Cody, Wyoming, let me know.

P.S. This doesn't include the shop somewhere in Wyoming or Montana that my Uncle Jim has personally picked out for me to visit, of course! :-) How nice is that?

UH-OH

2007-07-18T13:55:00.000-10:00

I have a serious case of short-timer's disease. This mainly affects people who have given their two-week notice at work and are leaving their job (not me!), but has been known to infect those who are getting ready to go on vacation (me).

I have an extremely long to-do list at work, which I am trying to desperately stay focused on, but my mind keeps wandering to my extremely long "get ready to go on vacation" to do list at home. Another insidious side effect is the distinct craving for junk food, which was fueled by the distribution of glazed donuts to the kids at work this morning. I'm trying to quell that craving with a diet Coke and handful of nuts. Good friggin' luck!

It's exhausting driving all night (many nights, in my dreams!). I know all of this nocturnal activity will culminate in a dream about missing our flight (or something equally frustrating) the night before we leave. Do you ever dream stuff like that?

Anyway, it feels good to get this off my chest! Now, back to work...

More About Bags

2007-07-13T15:08:00.000-10:00

Seems like the reusable bag trend is really taking off! I posted my rant about this a little while ago and, since then, have found two more links to share with you.

The first is Terry Grant's blog - Andsewitgoes - where she will share her pattern for her classy-looking bag.

The second is from the Whip Up blog - Proud to be a Bag Lady - which lead me over to...

Morsbags and their Sociable. Guerilla. Bagging campaign. I think this is a FANTASTIC idea am going to try to coordinate something with my local groups toward this effort. Another little known fact is that I work for the Boys & Girls Club of Maui and I think making and distributing these bags would be a great community service project for our teen groups. I'll let you know if anything comes of it.

Guilty Pleasure - Hell's Kitchen

2007-07-10T14:32:00.001-10:00

I love to cook. I love cooking almost as much as I love quilting, so you can kind of get the picture.

I love cooking magazines and read Bon Appetit, Gourmet and Food & Wine regularly. I sometimes get Cooking Light and Vegetarian Times. I enjoy reading cooking fiction and non-fiction (my recent favs are Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, and The Apprentice: My Life In the Kitchen by Jacques Pepin). Cookbooks are wondrous things: all of the potential inside of one...mind-boggling! And a good one is worth its weight in truffles.

So, all of that being said, I'm addicted to Hell's Kitchen! Bruce and I are enjoying this season immensely - in all its screaming, crying, tantrum throwing glory. I was especially pleased that Melissa was voted off this week without a blink from Gordon. If I had to see her flying, crazy cavewoman hair for one more week I'd have to turn it off. What was the deal with that anyway?

My prediction is that it will come down to Jen and Rock at the end. We'll see!

Gratuitous Pet Photos

2007-07-09T16:18:00.000-10:00

It's been a long time since I've posted pictures of our pets, so here are a couple of good ones Bruce took:

Our darling boy, Cody. He'll be two next month!

Our rascal, Ginger, who just turned two. Our other kitty, Ruby, declined to be photographed for this entry.

More quilt content coming soon. It's been crazy around here!

Lura Schwarz Smith Workshop

2007-06-28T16:13:00.000-10:00

Last month Lura and her husband Kerby were here on Maui for a team workshop. Kerby taught "Demystifying Digital Photography for Quilters" and Lura taught "Designing Art Quilts." Both classes were fabulous!

In Kerby's class I learned more about my digital camera in two days than I have in the year that I've had it. I feel much more comfortable using Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and more confident in being able to send digital images to shows, exhibits, and for other reasons. Kerby is a patient and informative teacher. He sent us a questionnaire prior to class to gauge our experience and get and idea of what he was in for. I don't have a lot of pictures to post for this class but I learned a lot and will definitely keep using what I've learned into the future.

For Lura's session, I worked on re-creating one of my favorite pictures of Bruce with our old dog, Maile. Here is what I did:

I fell in love with using the Prismacolor pencils (I have a giant (128 pc?) set that I've hardly ever used, now I will use them more often!) and the Tsukinenko inks and Fabrico markers. I learned a LOT in this class and will keep using what I've learned to add more dimension and life to my work. I recently used the prismacolor pencils on my latest "Honu" quilt for the eye and I am so pleased. I will try to post a good shot of it when I've closer to completion.

I have a couple of other projects to finish in the meantime, but I hope to get this finished in time to take to Art Quilt Tahoe in November.

One of the exercises Lura did was have us draw a face. This was a great way to loosen up - she goes at a fast pace and expects you to keep up so you don't overthink what you are doing as you go through each step.

You will take away a lot of tools for your toolbox in this class. If I have one piece of advice, it's this: Break the spell and touch the fabric with your ink!! Once you make the first mark, everything else will come together. In every art class I take (drawing, painting, etc.), the hardest thing is for me to "break the spell." I look at that damn surface forever! But once I touch it, everything starts to flow.

Opportunity Quilt - LAST FEW DAYS!

2007-06-27T10:59:00.000-10:00

An internet friend from the QuiltArt list has a post on her blog about an opportunity quilt drawing. The two quilts are being raffled in a drawing to raise money for a woman and her husband who have some astronomical medical bills to pay. For more information CLICK HERE. The last day to purchase tickets is June 30. Just thought I'd pass the word on. Linda Minton, on whose blog this is posted, is a reputable quilter in Texas. It's not a scam.

Fun with Trip Planning

2007-06-26T08:50:00.001-10:00

Bruce and I are taking a trip in August! We'll fly into Las Vegas and drive through Utah and Idaho, eventually arriving in Cody, Wyoming. Then we'll drive back down to Arizona and fly home from Las Vegas. All this over two glorious weeks!

We are having fun planning our stops which, right now, include St. George, Escalante, and Moab, Utah; and Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.

Last night we were talking about where to stay in one of the towns along the way and Sheraton was noted as a good one. Bruce said, "Are you sure you want to stay at a Share-It-Again?" EEEEUW! Guess not. We'll try a bed and breakfast instead!

If you have any suggestions for must-sees along the way, or helpful dos and don'ts for driving in the area, I'd love to hear about it!

Scissors

2007-06-26T08:30:00.000-10:00

There is a neat discussion going on the QuiltArt list about scissors. Apparently, one of the list members had a professional organizer come to her house and actually told her to get rid of some of hers! Why you'd let a professional organizer into your studio, I have no idea. I'd think that area would be specifically off-limits.

However, it got me thinking about how many pairs of scissors I have, and here's my list:

Kitchen/House

Herb snips/strippers - for their intended purpose only
Wustoff all-purpose shears (cutting chicken and other kitchen stuff)
Crappy old fiskars shears for anything I won't cut with the Wustoffs
My old 5" gingher scissors that my husband appropriated for mustache trimming

Laundry Room

One pair cheap shears for cutting loose threads, etc.
One other cheap pair for gift wrap and tape

Studio

Classic Gingher shears for all the "big stuff" (my very first pair of "quilting" scissors, BTW)
Gingher 5" "craft scissors" I bought for Hawaiian quilting, because you can cut through 8 layers of fabric with some precision
Gingher 4" embroidery scissors for my hand sewing kit
Gingher 4" curved tip embroidery scissors for machine embroidery/sewing
Fiskars soft-touch Micro-tip clippers (a gift, and my new favorites)
Olfa 60mm ergo cutter
Olfa 45mm ergo cutter
Olfa 45mm standard cutter (my first one!)
Olfa 28mm standard cutter (a gift when I first started quilting)
Olfa 18mm standard cutter (purchased for workshop and LOVE IT for small, detailed trimming)
Old fiskars shears for cutting parchment and freezer paper, patterns, etc.

So I guess that brings me to a total of 17! There are very few I would part with since each one I only use for a particular purpose. If one pair did it all, I wouldn't need so many.

And isn't it interesting...I don't know about you, but buying GOOD scissors seems like a special event to me. Funny how I can drop $30 on fabric without blinking an eye, but hesitate at a pair of $30 shears.