Saturday, January 15, 2011

A Lazy Day with Sunshine 01-15-11

There are always flowers in the deck boxes at Mary's house.  This is the view looking east.


This is looking west.  There is a deep canyon below with the road up the mountain tracing the bottom. .
This is the first time she has tried Calendulas and they are growing very well.  The brightness of the orange against all the green surroundings is startling. 

Mary is an excellent cook, probably the best I know!  Even lunch is an "event".  This is chicken, apple, avocado, celery salad.  Mmmmmm!
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Friday, January 14, 2011

Friday Feet 01-13-11

This is where my feet were walking yesterday.  I don't know if these tiles were in the sidewalk before the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles moved there.  They aren't all exactly quilt designs, but I suppose they all could be.  There are several museums on this street the quilt museum entrance is at the top left of the image. I had thought to take a picture of the doors, but construction is underway, creating a real mess at the entrance.

Drunkard's Path - it is hard to see at first because of the white chips in the background - something to watch for when one is constructing such a block in fabric.

Tumbling Blocks.  The colors are a bit brighter, but the fresh rain reflects the light and makes them lighter.

A horse with the head of a calf?  These grey chips make a better background than the white chips above..
You might notice that I usually wear the same style of shoes - maybe "Friday Feet" will inspired me to try some new styles.
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A Day in San Jose 01-13-11

Here is a post from the past that was never posted!  I have no idea why not.  I was just cleaning out some old stuff and came across this one that I wrote in 2011!!  I still like these particular quilts and am glad I can share them with you - even 8 1/2 years late!   Del
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Written 01-13-11
I am still trying to learn the "new" Blogger, so I have done this post three times and still am not able to post all the pictures I planned to.  Maybe I'll compose something more tomorrow. 

The trip t o San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles was an easy drive and the exhibit is just great.  I hope that some of you can squeeze it into your schedule before the end of January.  "Quilts from The Marbaum Collection" and "A Retrospective of Yvonne Porcella's Quilts" are both showing.  The Marbaum Collection was put together by Marvin Fletcher and the late Hilary Fletcher who directed the Quilt National exhibit for about twenty years - Marvin continues to preserve the collection and add to it.  I have these few images of quilts that were included in the Marbaum selections.

"Sink or Swim"  #21 & #23  Sue Benner 1994 QNational '95 (Approx 41"W x 60"L)
Silk fabric, dyes, paint, fusing, machine quilted.
Sue's silk quilts are so vibrant, as if the light were coming from the colors themselves.  The dangling threads across the bottom are trademarks of her work.


"Kuba Kosmos, Too"  Charlotte Patera  2006  QNational '07  (34"W x 35"L) 
Cotton, machine piecing, direct and reverse hand applique, machine quilting.
When I went to Ohio to the opening of QNational '07 I was disappointed that some quilts were already sold, before the opening!  Later I discovered that there is a special showing for collectors and important people in the art quilt world.  I coveted this quilt in the worst way - I am somewhat mollified that it is in the wonderful Marbaum Collection and will, hopefully, be shown in other venues.  It is a masterpiece.  

"Light Comes from Inside"  Beatrice Lanter 2004 (43" Square)
Cotton and silk, dyed, machine pieced, hand quilted.
Long an admirer of Beatrice's work, I hope someday to add one of her quilts to TCQC.  This quilt is composted of zillion tiny log cabin blocks  - 3/4" to about 2".  When seen in-the-fabric the light does come from the inside and almost pulses on the wall. 

 
"Dance #2"  Caryl Bryer Fallert 1995 (24"W x 17"L)
Cotton.  Hand-dyed, hand-painted, machine appliqued, embroidered and quilted.
I wish I could should you a detail photo of this one - it is on Caryl's website, but I don't know if you can enlarge it enough to see the thread painting that gives the vibrant color.  Caryl is always growing and developing and discovering, making her quilts into almost an overview of quilting at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st Centuries.  This was a study for a larger quilt and is quite astonishing for its small size.  



 
After spending two and a half hours at the museum we were hungry, so drove a few blocks over to a restored hotel to have lunch.  This was one of the streets I drove down.  The bright leaves still on the trees in the middle of January were striking.  I imagine the wind blew down the cross streets where the trees were leafless.   Notice the grey sky, just recovering from a downpour.
 
This is a view down the corridor that leads to El Fornaio at the Hotel Saint Claire in downtown San Jose - it is just a few blocks from the museum and if it had not been raining while we were admiring the quilts we would have walked.  This enchanting hotel was built in 1926 and has been restored to the elegance of that period.  The El Fornaio restaurant is located to the left of this image.  The corridor is deceivingly long - there is an enormous mirror at the far end.

 
Elegant service, good food, lovely decor and the price wasn't too much.  The bread is some of the best I have ever eaten. 

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Thursday, January 13, 2011

We are off to San Jose 01-12-11

Arrived at Mary's about 10pm last night, but couldn't get online.  Okay this morning.  I'll have a museum report this evening, but no pictures inside the museum.  I'll try for something else.

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Weather 01-11-11


Maybe I should title this post "Why I Live in Southern California"!  I worry about all of you who live in snow country - tonight the TV weather guys are talking about a tremendous snow storm ready to roll into the North Eastern states.  Right on the tail of the one that is still flaying the South.  I don't know how you all cope with the snow and the ice and the cold.  I check these cities where friends live and get the chills.  I hope you are all keeping warm and dry tonight and that you don't have to go out in the storm tomorrow. 
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Monday, January 10, 2011

A Visit With The Poodle Prince 01-10-11

Corky's parents were gone on Sunday morning so I paid a visit to the Prince.    Corky was a wild man - who knows why?  He would not stay still and kept demanding SOMETHING, however, I no idea what he wanted.  Finally, I took him for a walk, something he always enjoys and I can always use.   It was a gloomy day with some periods of sunshine and I had to wear a sweater when outside.  There was hardly a breath of wind so the water in the Bay was a mirror.


It was the right "cure" - we got back to the house about the time his parents returned and Corky was ready for a long nap. 

I'm so crazy about this little guy, I even enjoy watching him sleep.  I am amazed at how he goes from awake to sleeping so quickly; he hardly closed his eyes before he was dreaming of chasing after something.

 
But he keeps track of what is going on around him.  He isn't a cuddle dog.  He is loving and wants to be petted and massaged and he gives kisses willingly, but he doesn't want to cuddle with anyone except his mommy.   I won't see him for a few weeks, but then he will be at Camp Del for a weekend. 

My friend Patty sent this URL and I thought some of you might enjoy it also:
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A Quilt from my private collection 01-09-11

I do have quilts that are not part of the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.  Not many - some were gifts from friends and some are quilts I purchased before I started the Collection which I consider too traditional; several are bed quilts that I actually use on my bed.  And there is the matter of temptation I cannot resist!  I purchased this one slightly more than a year ago at the Virginia Quilt Museum online auction, because I think it is lovely and beautifully made.   I like to look at it!  And with the purchase I helped to support the Museum.  It is always a good thing to support quilts of any kind.

 
"Angels We Have Heard On High"  Donna Bensey - Charlotte, VA  2009 
17" X 17"
Hand applique and machine quilting.  
The quilting around the angels is done with dark blue thread and really cannot be seen on the front - nice job.


 
Nicely coordinated fabric as the backing and a crispy computer generated label - very nice.
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Family and a great quilt exhibit 01-08-11



I can't resist posting one more of those old pictures .  There I am front and center.  The lady is my mother Colleen and my curly-haired sister is standing in front of her.  I haven't a clue who the other children are.  There are two names written over their heads - Lee and Mary, not our family names.   I think Ellamarie and I are in our California dresses made by Aunt Vernice.


The Quilt Show posted images from the current exhibit of quilts from the Marbaum Collection of Hilary and Marvin Fletcher at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. 
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/3411
The exhibit ends Jan30th - go to see it if you can. 
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