Speaking of Gifts 12-23-10

It is the season of giving. Take some time to make a dress for a girl somewhere in the world -

a girl who doesn't have a dress.

Surfside Quilters Guild Philanthropy is participating in a worldwide project called "Dress a Girl Around the World" http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/

Around the world people who sew are converting pillowcases into dresses for girls who do not have a dress. The very simple pattern is available on the website:

http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/pillowcasedresspattern.htm

Or you can dip into your fabric library and start with yardage instead of a pillowcase. Although a pillowcase with more tightly woven fabric might be more durable.

They have even come up with a pattern for "Boys Britches" made from a colorful T-Shirt. Of course, I think the girls should come first. But whatever you might decided to make you can contact the central office for directions on where to send your creations.

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Stormy Weather 12-22-10

Yes, it did rain early this morning (Wednesday) - and I mean RAIN! I think it woke me up a couple times; I usually get up several times during the night, I was up about every hour last night. Although I live in the "flat lands" there is a slope on the back of the property - it goes down to a dirt road that provides access for the Golden State Water Company and the flood control channel on the other side of the road. Sometime before we moved here (1986) the slope went down in a bad rain storm and I always wonder if it will happen again. So far, so good.

While I was in physical therapy there was rain off and on, but afterward when I stopped for lunch at Kimmie's Coffee Cup in Orange the sun came out and it was glorious.

It was raining when I got home; I started to back into the garage as I always do, and the sky opened up with rain so hard I couldn't see the opening to back up. I just sat there until it let up enough to back into the garage. I checked the back yard and found only a little standing water, but there is that tale tell mark on the wall that shows how high the water backed up in the last few days.

The rain stopped long enough for me to bring in the trash cans, but then it came down like gangbusters again. This is the view west - which is where our weather comes from.

This is a view to the northeast toward the mountains which have received both rain and snow. But these have not been cold storms, my recording thermometer only went down to 51 one night and has usually been about 60-65 during the day. I imagine that it will be a colder storm when it reaches the Midwest. The TV weatherman says we will have showers tonight and in the morning and then it will clear up - for a few days anyway.

Gifts #2 12-21-10

Many of us know the spirit of giving, learning from our childhood how much we get back when when we give to others. Christmas brings out this spirit even more than any time of the year. I don't think either of these items were intended as Christmas gifts, but they are special things that the givers knew I would enjoy - holiday or no.

"Maxine #1" 59"W x 63"L Made and given by Ruth Powers http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/

Ruth knows I get a laugh out of Maxine's warped outlook on life. The comments make even more of an impact since I learned the cartoon is drawn/written by a man - a very perceptive guy.

This square is especially apt as I forget things with more and more frequency. There were enough panels for two quilts, so Ruth made mine and another for herself. She made a point of saying this is a napping quilt, but I wondered if the wildness would keep me awake - the backing fabric has 1-1/2" white polka dots on a black background - but a couple days ago I napped just fine under it. I think it will make a great travel companion, as I always carry a bed quilt with me when I travel.

This is a lovely glass dish sitting on a black cloth background - it is 4.5" square and concave. Perfect for catching rings and/or earrings on a dresser. Corky's mommy gave it to me on Sunday - she had been out Christmas shopping and thought of me when she saw it. Isn't that the way gifts should always be? Something brings a certain person to mind and one cannot resist buying it for them.

That is the way I like to give gifts - something for exactly the right person, regardless of the season, reason or holiday. Of course, handmade gifts are even more special. I hope I can get back to sewing soon and have some special gifts for some special people.

I can just tell the gift givers "Thank You" and express how much I appreciate their gifts.

Gifts 12-20-10

I've explained in the past that I don't "do" Christmas. But I enjoy giving gifts at other times of the year and this is an excellent time of the year to find really different items that someone might enjoy. Today I was 'surfing' the Internet and found a few interesting sites.

The first is Fred Flare.com. They offer serious and not so serious and downright ridiculous gift items. DO check it out, but don't miss the special tea infuser good for an early Beatles fan:

http://www.fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=6043&cat=316&bf=cto

Another site I found interesting is wearpact.com. which features underwear for a cause. I was intrigued by the innuendo in the wording of this ad. It is very current - notice the "on your junk" phrase - or was that in common usage before the TSA crackdown?

Nice print on organic cotton. You can see the ladies undies at: http://wearpact.com/shop/category/fit/women/ A little pricey, but imagine how great you would feel in your special undies thinking about lighting a light for a family in Haiti. The website offers an explanation of their "green" policies including a request for suggestions on what to do with the underwear when it wears out - other than putting it in the trash.

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Elizabeth Barton quilt new to TCQC 12-19-10

Here is a quilt from the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles recent "High Fiber Under Five" Benefit Art Sale. All of the pieces were priced $500 or less. I purchased three of the small quilted works - this is the first I have posted.

"Village Street #1" Elizabeth Barton 2009 15.5"W x 13.25"L

Hand dyed shibori fabrics, machine piecing, applique and quilting.

I am very fond of Elizabeth's work - there are five of her quilts in the TCQC. I think this piece is an "excerpt" from a larger quilt that didn't work. Elizabeth is fearless when she feels something is not what she wanted it to be. Out comes the rotary cutter and zip-zip, it becomes a different quilt, or several different quilts. OMG how I admire that ability in an artist. I especially like the colors in this quilt.

She always signs her work on the front with hand sewing.

And she usually hand stitches the name of the piece on the front.

Her machine quilting is very free motion and flows over the surface of the quilt like... well, like music. This quilt is a little gem that I am happy to have in the Collection.

www.elizabethbarton.com http://elizabethbarton.blogspot.com/

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Pink Roses 12-18-10

This rose bush was already growing in the backyard when we moved to this house in 1986, however, the seven foot wall is only about five years old . The blossoms have almost no fragrance, but the bush makes up for it by blooming like crazy all year. Usually I prune the roses between Xmas and New Years - except for the years I don't get around to it until Valentines. So, soon all these blossoms will go in the garden recycle - sad. I will pick some and take them to someone who will appreciate them for a few days.

The buds start out a deep pinky red.

As they open they reveal the bluey pink of the interior petals.

And finally, full open, only the very outer petals are the darker color.

SCalifornia is in the midst of a series of storms, so it has been raining lightly since yesterday and the TV weather guy tells us it will continue through the weekend and most of next week. It is an Oregon rain - drizzle, drizzle, drizzle - however, the guy says it will get heavier. I pity the people in the burn areas since the hills have not had time to grow much vegetation since the last round of fires. All those folks are just holding their breath, hoping that the other shoe doesn't drop. If we have any gully washers there could be more homeless people in the foothills. But, the good news is that the snow pack in the mountains is now at 110% - meaning that we will probably not have any water rationing next July/August.

License plates 12-17-10

Before there were vanity plates I enjoyed checking for out-of-state plates, when I traveled across the USA I would do a checklist as I saw each additional state on a license. Of course, vanity plates are more of a challenge. Sometimes they are easily read and sometimes they are mysteries. Some years ago I was driving on I-5 and kept passing and being passed by a car with a plate I couldn't figure out. When I stopped for gas that car had also stopped. I jumped at the chance and asked the fellow, "What does your license plate mean?" He looked down his nose at me and said with a sneer, "It's my name." I have rarely asked anyone about the meaning of what is on their license plate.

I saw this one on Kraemer Blvd, a main north-south street here in Placentia. I wonder if the owner works at Calico House not far away. I think I'll check around in the lot next time I visit.

This isn't about the license plate, but the footprints in the rear window. I wonder what the halo means, hovering over the fourth set of prints. I'd hate to think that one of the children died and is now wearing a halo for real. Maybe it has something to do with autism. Does anyone know?