Corky & dog flowers 01-15-10

I took Corky with me to see Dr. Debin this morning. He always cheers up the nurses, patients and, of course, Dr. Debin. They just can't get over how well behaved he is and how patient with their attention and pats - he, of course, just thinks that a Poodle Prince deserves to be admired. Dr. Debin gave me a sort of "release" from my coughing ailment, but told me to take it easy for a little longer. I don't have much choice - I feel exhausted about half way through the afternoon, even if I haven't done much of anything. Today after the doctor's office I drove Corky to LBeach, had a sandwich, carried him upstairs once, arranged the "dog flowers" and then I needed a nap! The "dog flowers" are something I started doing not long after I became Corky's nanny in 1997. This cement dog with a basket in his mouth sits on Corky's front porch and the empty basket bothered me. I tried live plants, but the exposure is not good for whatever I planted, so I switched to silk flowers. I do them seasonally, so these are for Valentine's Day. They add some color to the porch which is rather plain. Corky likes to watch me work and keep track of who is going up and down the street. He waits until I am done and then rips up the damp paper towel I use to wipe off the dog - it has usually dried to the perfect ripping texture for him. What is it with dogs and paper towels and TP?

Sweet grandchildren 01-14-10

Since I have no children and, therefore, no grandchildren, I do enjoy receiving pictures of those of my friends.

In August Diane Collins' Grandgirl Vanessa was very brave to get up on this horse in Amish country.

And Diane's Grandgirl Charlotte, Vanessa's twin, had arms full of pumpkins in October.

This image is Izzy Ota with her little brother Alexander, born on December 26, 2009 , in the wee hours of the morning. Correction! Alexander was born at 2:54am on Christmas Day - sorry, Alex!! What a sweet picture it is.

Miscellaneous 01-13-10

Every year the Book Group ladies exchange small gifts at the Xmas dinner. This year Kathy gave everyone a lovely Xmas tea towel wrapped around a box of this fantastic tea.

It was just the right time for me since I was ailing, but Carol is allergic to cinnamon so she gave me her box also. I have not been to TJ's to see if they still have any, but I'm sure it will be/or was a seasonal item. If they still have some I'm going to stock up.

TJ's packaging is always imaginative, but a narwhal with Xmas baubles on a tea box somewhat stretches things. Narwhals don't drink tea and they don't really have anything to do with Xmas, other than being a cold weather/water creature. She is cute, though!

Christine who lives in the Sacramento delta sent me a connection to this great display of Origami: http://picasaweb.google.com/DELQLTS/OrigamiMaster011310_files?authkey=Gv1sRgCOX9_pn-tpXjVw&feat=directlink

When you have figured out how to make these minuscule treasures you can make a precious little box to store them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ2kcOjxznQ

Surfside QGuild meeting 01-12-10

Whew! I am so sleepy tonight I keep falling asleep with my head dangling over the keyboard - and all I'm trying to do is finish editing today's pictures. Guess I'd better give up before I erase something I want to keep.

I don't know whose original idea it was to use these little plastic surfboards to designate tables, but they are very colorful and add a lot to the appearance of our meetings. As you can see we had an fabulous selection of goodies for our coffee break - as usual.

Our Hospitality Chair Bev Weibel has mandated "Bring your own mug" in an attempt to cut down on the waste we leave behind. Too bad we can't do as barber shops once did and have shelves of cubbyholes each containing another customer shaving mug. No matter what group you belong to, if they use disposable cups/utensils why not make an effort and at lease carry your own mug. Mother Earth will thank you and maybe your grandkids, too.

New Camera!! 01-11-10

I made a decision! I had no choice, even though my brain is still a little soggy I need a camera for the Surfside Quilters Guild tomorrow... err 12:41am, I guess that is today! My lovely Nikon has traveled with me everywhere for about five years, but the flash will not work and the fellow at the camera shop convinced me it is not worth the money to have it repaired. They just don't make things with the idea of having them repaired - in this disposable society when something breaks you just throw it away. How did we get this way?

With my new camera still in the box I stopped at Starbucks to familiarize myself with the Canon SD960IS Elph. First I plugged the battery recharger into a Starbucks socket, then I ordered a latte (I figured that was my 'payment' for using their electricity and their 'facilities'), and then I started reading. It was not as difficult as I feared, certainly not as confusing as my first digital camera (the Nikon) was. I can't help but smile at the tale I heard then of a lady who called the store to ask if she had to change the memory card in the dark so the pictures wouldn't be exposed. It had crossed my mind also. Recently I asked someone if the memory cards ever wore out, seems a logical question, and the answer was not that that person had ever heard of. When I had enough charge in the battery I took a few pictures to be sure I knew what all the buttons did - scared these two ladies who smiled when they turned and saw me with the box, camera, book, etc.

All the electronic stuff is so foreign to me and, I imagine, to lots of 'old ladies' who are trying to keep up with the modern world. I was delighted when a young woman clerk (although I suppose they are not called clerks these days) came up to me at Best Buy this evening and asked if she could help. I don't remember saying a word about quilting and I was not wearing any quilting "gang signs", but before long she asked if I was a quilter! Maybe I act or look like her mother, who is a quilter and teaches at 'city college', though I didn't ask which city. How did she know? Pheromones? Are there quilting pheromones? I know this is going to bother me until I seek out the same clerk and ask her how she knew. Maybe she could help me with a DVD player - the only one I have is in the Lexus and that isn't really where I want to sit and watch DVDs of quilting teachers. I suppose if I have a DVD player I will then have to get Netflix and then will acquire some DVDs of my own, which will need a shelf or something for storage. Then a new technology will come along and I'll put the DVDs in the garage in the same boxes as all the video tapes I don't know what to do with. And the color slides and the 8mm films and..... well, you get the idea!

After taking the two shots above I tried the telephoto (X16) with this result. I was sitting in exactly the same spot, so I could see the results of the enlargement - really amazing. And the image is quite clear, I think, for the distance. By this time Starbucks was ready to close and I came home to complete the battery charging and install the software in my computer. I managed it all without a hitch. Maybe I am not so dumb after all.

"Hollyhocks on Black & White" 01-10-10

"Hollyhocks on Black & White" Ruth B. McDowell 1999 19"W x 52"L
This quilt is one of the samples from Ruth's 1993 book "Pieced Flowers". I don't know what happened to the samples she has made for her other books, but those from Pieced Flowers were offered at her website store as "Specials" and there are some still available there.
http://www.ruthbmcdowell.com/clients/rbm/holidayspecials.cfm

Ruth has a great sense of whimsy; I especially enjoy the "non sequitur' fabrics she includes in some of her quilts - "cave paintings"? Notice the dark outline she has used about 1.5 inches from flowers and leaves, accentuating the shape of the plant, which is so distinctive.

Since it was an illustration in her book Ruth has machine quilted in the name and method on the quilt. All of the quilts in this book have this labeling.

Here you can see her precise piecing, elegant color choice, the quilting, and the hand detail on the flower centers.

Whenever I show the back of a quilt I remember a lady at a quilt show who, when I offered to show her the back of a quilt, said, "I didn't come here to see the back of a quilt, I want to see the front." She was rather arrogant about it - obviously one of those who thinks the backs are unimportant. I, on the other hand, am always interested in what is on the back! This is a piece of Marimekko, probably from a Crate and Barrel outlet. Looking at the back shows the dark double needle outline Ruth used to highlight the plant shape.

Also, when you look at the back you recognize the zigzag bobbin thread of the double needle stitching. Also showing Ruth's modest label and the TCQC label above it.

Ruth has posted an elegant new quilt on her website. She has managed to give it the look of the ancient cave paintings and yet make it a distinctively Ruth McDowell quilt.