Looking back 12-08-12

I looked back to see if I could find pictures from early December in years past.  These two struck a cord.  Both were taken from the patio of Corky's house in Lake Havasu City, AZ.  It is a beautiful house with a fabulous view - as you can see.  I have reversed the images, the sunset shot was 2006 and the misty cloudy one I took in 2008.
Sorry the pictures didn't show.  I have gone back to my Picasa files and uploaded the 2006 picture and added one from 2005, but I cannot locate the misty view taken on 12-03-08.  I'll keep looking.  


I don't know what I was doing out there on this date.  I looked for my appointment book from 2008, but, unfortunately I was keeping it online.  Something I stopped doing when my computer first crashed years ago.  Too early for Xmas and too late for Thanksgiving.  By this time they had started building houses between Corky's house and the lake.  I much preferred the weed grown open lots.
12-03-08
 

I love this moody image taken just as the sun went down.  The shoreline is public land and off to the right there is a fishing pier.  This was on a Thanksgiving trip and, as usual, it was a gorgeous weekend. 11-29-06

Here is one from a Christmas visit to Lake Havasu on 12-27-2005.  In this image the fishing pier is on the right side just where the first downward dip is. 

 

Friday Feet 12-07-12

 

Inspiration 12-06-12

Sometimes I get this sort of thing when I am trying to watch a video.  They are interesting and make me think of trying my hand at abstract quilt design.  

 

 

Wordless Wednesday 12-05-12

 

Prayer Flags at OMA 12-04-12

I drove down to San Diego again on Saturday to serve as a docent for the "Brainstorms" exhibit.   Afterward there was a major VAM fundraiser "Sip, Savor, Stroll".  I might have named it "Sip, Savor, Spend" - that was the idea, after all.  The quilts were priced, no auction, but there were raffle baskets galore which were a lot of fun.   I even won one!  And I bought a couple small quilts - one for the Collection and the others for gifts.   I spent the night at Homewood Suites, ate their in house breakfast (okay, but the coffee was not), had a meeting at VAM and headed north on I-5.
 
When I was down with Liz last week I didn't take pictures of the prayer flag project at Oceanside Museum of Art.  Prayer flags seem to be "in" and I thought some of you might be interested in this display, so I stopped to take pictures.  The flags were made by experienced artists and school children, so the quality ranged wildly.

 
I thought they looked a little lost in this spacious foyer.  In the center of the picture is a screen and chairs where visitors can watch a film about the origins of prayer flags in Nepal.  To the right is the entrance to the main gallery where about a third of Quilt National -2011 is on display.
 

 
These flags are mainly by artistic adults.  Below are a few closeups, both of which are in this overall picture.  .
 

 
I like this one with the roots made of two layers of sheer fabric and hanging down.  I wonder if this one is by Jane LaFazio - looks like her style.
 

 
This artist painted a wonderful face and embellished it with lace and beads and rich fabrics.
 

 
These were done by school children.  I'm sure they are proud to see them hanging here.
 

 
On the wall there are three different authentic prayer flags (from Nepal, I guess).
 

 
Here is a nice one done by a child - why not an even number of flowers?  Nice work.
 

 
Another adult effort.  I wonder what the significance is and if the "JANE" on the right is a signature?
 

 
This is just the bottom of a flag - the lettering on it was "Color Outside the Lines".

When you go to see the QNational exhibit take a little time to admire the prayer flags.  Some are very beautifully done.  But they are hanging very high - impossible for a short photographer to reach high enough to take pictures except for the flags that were an the very center of the rope. 

Monday Browsing 12-03-12

Thoughts on “de-stuffing”: 

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/32010/07/12/how-to-lose-a-legacy/

Making fabric w/Robert Kaufman:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsc3y38jLjs

For those who have a lot more self-discipline than I do!

One chocolate chip cookie in microwave.    For those days you just want to make one cookie...   Mix together:
1 tbsp. butter (melted), 1 tbsp. white sugar, 1 tbsp. brown sugar, 3 drops of vanilla, pinch of salt, 1 egg yolk, 1/4 c. flour, 2 tbsp. chocolate chips ...
 MICROWAVE 40-60 SEC IN A CUP OR BOWL. single serving deep dish chocolate chip cookie

#   #   #

Anna Hergert quilt in TCQC 12-02-12

This is another quilt purchased from the SAQA 2012 online auction.  I like this quilt because of the simplicity of the design, although I doubt it was simple to make.  I wonder if Anna originally made a complete spiral and decided to cut it down so it is off-center. Perhaps she will let me know.  And she did!  Anna designed it just this way, as an off center spiral.  It is hard to show the sparkle of the metallic thread which catches the light and sparkles in turquoise and copper.  I think the sparkle is what makes this piece.  The various colored fabric snips are trapped under netting and everything is held together with the straight stitched spiral and the scribbled metallic over the top.  Some years ago someone came up with a great name for this stitching, but I can't remember it now. 

 

"Maelstrom" Anna Hergert - Moose Jaw, SK, Canada 2012  11-3/8" x 11-1/4"

Cotton, netting, metallic and cotton thread.  Machine stitched.

www.annahergert.com

 

 I lightened this closeup hoping that the stitching would show better.

An appropriately plain back with a faced edge.  I will have to take off the sleeve, which is applied with fusible, because it is too narrow for hanging with a slat.  A full 3" sleeve with an extra 1/4" slack is needed for many pole and drape shows. 

An simple hand lettered label with signature and a website to provide a way to contact the artist.