Friday Feet 11-01-13

 

Cycas 10-31-13

This is a  plant known as:
Cycas revoluta - also called sago palm, king sago, sago cycad, Japanese sago palm.
I talked about it just a month or so ago on this blog post.
http://www.delquilts.blogspot.com/2013/08/wordy-wednesday-08-28-13.html

Now it has bloomed and set fruit.

 

I suspect that the fuzzy blooms will make me itch if I get them on my skin.
 

 

See the fruits nestled tightly inside.

I've never lived next door to one of these plants, so I don't know what comes next.  Does the plant die?  Does the gardener remove the bloom and fruit?  More later.

Wordy Wednesday 10-30-13

Miscellaneous 'stuff'.

Charles Chocolates - http://www.charleschocolates.com/online-store/

I don't remember when or where I heard about Charles Chocolates.  It was a time that I wanted a special gift for special people. How special are you to receive a box of ten chocolates costing $24?  And each piece is about half of a See's chocolate.  As it turned out my friends and I agreed that See's doesn't have exotic fillings, but we like See's best!  Chuck wasn't doing so well and had to close his shop.  But he found a spot on a crowd funding site and I pledged some money against his 50K goal.  He made the goal and opened a new shop in San Francisco where he seems to be doing better and has expanded into offering afternoon teas.  As a reward for my donation I was entitled to over $200 in chocolates.  But the requirement was ordering the entire amount at one time.  Fortunately this month Visions Art Museum was having their annual fund raiser Sip, Savor, Stroll + Chocolate.  So, I ordered up the entire amount and we used them in the raffle baskets, each one had either chocolate or a certificate for buying chocolate.  We had chocolates from many sources including the little shop across the street from VAM.  Their offerings, like Chuck's, are expensive and delicious - a special occasion treat.

 

 

"Songbird in the Pumpkin Patch"  2013  Del Thomas Postcard 4" x 6"

Fused and edge stitched.

Yes, I am sewing again, but I'm going to need some practice, especially on the edge finishes.  Guess it has been so long I have lost my touch.

 

Motorcycle with a sidecar!  I thought they only had these in WWII movies!

This one was on the I-5 just going into Camp Pendleton yesterday. 

Exhibit Entrance Vision Art Museum 10-29-13

I don't think it is right to show a lot of pictures before the exhibit even opens.  I showed a few installation shots the other day and tonight you are seeing the entrance to the gallery. 


"Red Gate" Elizabeth Barton - Athens, GA 2003  39"W x 63"L
Here is the copy from the Gallery Guide:

"Based on her pictures taken in Whitby, an old fishing village in Yorkshire, UK, near where she grew up. The inspiration photo haunted her - it was 30 years before she made this quilt.  Elizabeth uses her own artist created fabrics and has a unique style and technique that make her quilts easily recognizable.    Hand dyed cotton fabrics created by the artist.  Hand and machine applique, piecing and quilting."

Hope you can see the exhibit, it is fabulous!

Monday Browsing 10-28-13

Lisa Congdon is the daughter of Geri Congdon of Portland, OR.  See Lisa’s work:

http://lisacongdon.com/blog/category/365-days-of-hand-lettering/

Lisa’s battle for copyright protection:

http://lisacongdon.com/blog/2013/10/my-art-was-stolen-for-profit-and-h
ow-you-can-help/#

Funny anecdote:

http://madmanknitting.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/i-was-questioned-by-the-police/

Dogs in quilts:

http://margaret-cooter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/dogs-in-quilts.html

 Poodle picture of the day:

http://lapaylor.blogspot.com/p/p-pod-poodle-pic-of-day.html

Hanging small quilts:  http://www.alzquilts.org/paqdisplay.html#FFTs

New online shop with modern and funky fabrics:  http://quiltsandwichfabrics.com/

Testing sugar replacements in choc chip cookies:  http://www.kitchendaily.com/read/best-sweeteners-baking?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D397054

  

Another Chocolate Quilt 10-27-13

On October 19th Visions Art Museum in San Diego held their annual Sip, Savor, Stroll fund raising event.  This time with the addition of Chocolate.  Along with raffle baskets, music, munchies and seeing old friends there were small quilts offered in a silent auction.  This one by Kay Laboda is outstanding, I think.  And very different than any work of hers I have seen.


"Charlie, The Sweet Chocolate Lab"  Kay Laboda - San Diego, CA 2013 16.75"W x 20"L
Charlie's eyes are white, but making the dark dark also darkened the whites of his eyes.
 

Kay has used fuding with machine edge stitching.
 

He is wearing a Charlie tag on his collar.
 

The background is quilted with swirls and hooks.
 

 
Great chocolate fabric on the back - although I looked at about a thousand chocolate fabrics I never saw this one.  The chocolates are very reaslistic.
 

Oops!  Kay forgot to put a contact on her label!  Fortunately, I have it in my e-addresses.  But it isn't always easy to find an artist, if there is a website it should always include contact information.