Quilt Festival Long Beach 07-25-08

The Quilt Festival in Long Beach seemed to be very well attended. I spoke to Karey Bresenhan who said they were very pleased with the first day. I think there are a few wrinkles to iron out - apparently there were only four people selling tickets at the beginning and the line appeared to be three blocks long. Of course, if one was wise and order tickets ahead of time one can walk right in. Something to think about in the future - less time in line, more time looking at quilts. And there were fabulous quilts to be seen.

I could not take a straight on shot of the labels because the lights glared on the shiny print, making the words in the center portion invisible.

These two quilts were in the special exhibit "The Sky's the Limit - 2007".

Having tried to depict lightning myself, I know how difficult it is. This is beautiful lightning!

I am an admirer of Bodil's work and have two small pieces in the TCQC. This quilt shows beautifully.

Mary and I came home very tired and ate scrambled eggs w/toast for dinner. Mary is asleep and I will soon also be asleep. More tomorrow evening if I have the wits to type anything!

Every time I see this ad on the side of the See's Candy shop in Fullerton I want to take a picture of someone standing in front of it. These huge chocolates are so tempting - I just want to burrow in. Today I had my chance! I'm sorry it was so late in the afternoon that the sun reflected off the wall. I'll have to try it again some morning when the sun in coming from the right.

Here is Mary. She arrived about 3pm and after a little settling in and visiting I took her on some errands around my "stomping grounds". She was reluctant to have her picture taken, but finally agreed to pose for me.

However, the trade off was that she could take a picture of me!

As we were taking the pictures there was a lot of traffic waiting at the signal and we heard loud cheers and laughter. Finally we turned to locate it and saw two young guys in a pickup clapping their hands and hooting at us. I don't know if it was a show of support or a razzing of two old gals and giant chocolates! I'll file it under the former!

We had dinner at "Fish in a Bottle", my current favorite restaurant, and Mary concurs - the food was fabulous. I don't know what we will do tomorrow night - I might have to cook!!!

Quilt Festival in LBeach 07-24-08

No blog posts for the past two days because I couldn't get online. Seems to be okay today - I'll keep my fingers crossed.

My friend Mary Leakey from San Juan Bautista arrives this afternoon to stay with me and attend the Quilt Festival in Long Beach. This new venue will be in addition to the Festivals in Houston and Chicago; we hope it will be a permanent part of Karen Breshenan's "Empire". All of the SCalifornia quilt makers are excited and ready to go first thing in the morning. I will, of course, post pictures and information about the event, as long as I can stay awake in the evening. These things always wipe me out.

If you are at the Festival I would enjoy meeting you. I will be working at the Alliance for American Quilts booth on Saturday from Noon to 1:45p and also at the SAQA booth Saturday from 2p to 4p. Or you can call me on my cell phone - send me an e-mail if you don't have the number and I will send it to you directly!

BMW ad + What is it? answer

A reader sent me this URL for another comment about the mysterious billboard ad I saw on Friday. When I drove past yesterday I looked closer and saw the BMW web address in the lower left corner. But I still don't understand what it means! Of course, I will never buy a BMW, so I guess I don't really care.

http://ktzpage.blogspot.com/2008/04/beemer-specific.html

What were the pictures in my blog for 07-20-08? They show marks of tires on the center barrier of the San Diego Fwy south of Orange County. They do look like snowdrifts w/sand or the sky with wildfire smoke, but also like desert dunes. Last year I was driving back and forth to San Diego to be a gallery guide at the exhibit "Quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection". I spent a lot of time in very slow, stop and go traffic, so it was easy to snap the pictures as I burned up gasoline while sitting idle. The trip could be anything from 2 hours to 3-1/2 hours depending on freeway conditions.

Mysterious views 07-20-08

I took these pictures this same week last year. I thought I might try Thermofaxing them, just to see how they might print. But I haven't found the time, yet.

They look like some place in the desert.

Smoke?

Blowing sand?