Snowy mountains 01-14-08

The series of storms that came through Southern California left lots of snow on the local mountains and yesterday, being Sunday, was a wonderfully clear day allowing us to enjoy their distant beauty. Today the temperature was in the 70s and a great deal of the snow had melted. And, though balmy, it was not very clear.

I took this picture from the transition ramp from the 55Fwy to the 91Fwy, with the Anaheim Lakes across the middle of the view - the lightest area.

Color Bowls 01-13-08

While I am waiting for my thread I went back to another project which is part of a series I call "Color Bowls". I've made several quilts based on this idea, but only one other with this exact design. So, I suppose this is "Color Bowls" #2. I'm having a terrible time choosing a background, but this black/white print might do it. I need a few more bowls and then I will put it up on the design board and move things around. There is usually a point that I get stumped and it takes lots of thinking and looking to solve the problem. I don't think I'm the only one, but it is frustrating.

Still not done! 01-12-08

I thought I would be able to post a picture of the finished quilt this evening, but I had a thread crisis. I ran out of the thread I was using and thinking another color was close enough I kept quilting. In the morning I could see it wasn't close enough, making a definite division where I changed. So, I picked that out and ordered another spool of the correct color from Sew Thankful. Tracy Chapman is so helpful and conscientious she put it in the mail immediately. Unfortunately it is the weekend so I won't get it until Monday. Woe is I! Meanwhile I am working on something else - I ALWAYS have unfinished projects that need work.

Ruth Powers 01-11-08

My friend Ruth Powers in Kansas has finished "Just Dandy", the quilt she started from scratch nine days ago - she is amazing! This quilt (approx 43" square) is entirely pieced the 'old fashioned way' by placing the cut out pieces face to face and sewing a seam. Just figuring out the piecing is a complicated and time consuming job. Check out her blog at: http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/weblog/

Living Green 01-10-08

I have a mailing list of people to whom I send "E-lint". This is my label for the stuff that goes around on the Internet, stuff that one can either ignore or deal with - like dust bunnies and pocket lint. I don't send everything that comes my way, but things I think are funny or interesting or helpful in some way. And I don't usually get much feedback from the "E-linters", so I was surprised to have about a dozen replies after I sent this URL out this morning. None of the people who responded have ever had a clerk refuse their bags. One friend in San Francisco reminded me that markets can't use plastic bags in her city. If anyone has refused to use your bags you might post a comment on Green Daily.

http://www.greendaily.com/2008/01/07/have-your-reusable-bags-ever-been-refused/

I have two bags that I ask the clerks to use for my groceries (or any other type of store that I patronize). This one I made from a Nancy Ota pattern www.nancyota.com. One thing I like about it is that will stand up on its own. It is very spacious, but sometimes I need an additional bag.

Nancy Mastroianni, a member of the Book Group, made all the 'Bookies' a tote for Xmas, with fabric keyed to the interest of each individual. Mine, of course, is a dog print - pretty cute.

If I don't think these two will be enough I also take in a couple of used paper shopping bags.

I didn't post yesterday because AOL wouldn't let me online!

Skinny strips #6 01-08-08

The skinny strips quilt is sandwiched, most of the quilting finished and I am just stitching in the little twigs. Since I knot the thread ends and pull them into the batting it may take me forever to finish this part of the quilt. I can't seem to get the color in the pictures to match the actual colors of the quilt - is it the camera or is it the camera operator?

I named the quilt "Woodland- Early Winter"

Red sky in the morning.... 01-07-08

I don't see a lot of dawns, because I have always been a night owl. But for some unknown reason my sleeping pattern has changed and lately I am early to bed, early to rise. The sky was quite beautiful this morning with a jet trail picking up the early light. This picture is from the back yard over the deodar trees in the park behind the house. After a night of soaking rain everything was washed clean and the air smelled fresh. I have been sewing most of the day, which seems to go slower and slower, but I like to tie and bury the knots - it looks so neat.

Oops, 10:15pm - past my bedtime!