Beach Cities Quilt Guild Quilt Show 06-07-08

My friend Liz Williams and I went to the BCQG QShow today. If anything it was even better than the fabulous shows they have had every other year for the past eight years. Excellent workwomanship, beautifully hung (except for pinning the tags right on the quilt instead of on the drape), good vendors, and this year in a new location with A/C. Makes a big difference when it is 80+ degrees. Also everyone makes the guests feel that they are happy to have them come. There is a nice quilt auction of high quality donated quilts with the money going to having fantastic programs at the guild meetings.

Since I have had a digital camera I find it much easier to photograph the paper label that gives info about the quilt then to write everything down on paper. More accurate, too. I have received permission to post pictures of these quilts on my blog. Please respect the artist's copyright.

Click on photos to enlarge.

"Happy Birthday to Me"

I felt fortunate to be invited to this special birthday party for Karen Kowalchuck. She did receive an amazing selection of bright fabrics and I think she did an amazing job of combining them into this very nice quilt.

"Wildfire"

Karen says she doesn't work in brights! But this is another of her quilts at the show. It is wonderful up close and far away - her color selection is 'right on'.

It is an early-to-bed night for me (and Corky, the Poodle Prince) because I am such bad shape that one day at a quilt show leaves me happy, but completely exhausted!

Color Bowls & Skinny Strips 06-06-08

I spent a little time today trying to work out the problem with this project. I thought maybe it was the color that bothered me, so I tried a dozen different colors and values. But didn't like any of them. So, I thought, maybe it is the shape of the strips.

And I tried some different curved shapes. These pleased me the most. But I always use Dorene Speckman's example, "Do you like it when it is there? Do you miss it when it is gone?" No, I don't miss it, but the spacing was planned for something to go in the lower section. I'll keep at it.

My friend Liz and are going to Beach Cities QGuild QShow tomorrow. It has always been an excellent show in the past and we are looking forward to it. It is in Aliso Viejo (south along the I-5) and this new venue has air conditioning! Hope it isn't too hot tomorrow, today was!

Color Bowls & Skinny Strips 06-05-08

I am now experimenting with the skinny strips. This one isn't bad, but I think I can do better. Perhaps a brighter, warmer color. Maybe I will be able to experiment further this weekend.

The border/binding is just folded and placed over the edges. That is something else I am thinking about, but the skinny strips come first. Click to enlarge.

Organizing/Digging Out #2 06-03-08

The more "treasures" I collect the less I am able to deal with them - find a spot to store them, keep them dusted, and, more than anything, know where they are. The time has come to DO something. My friend Liz, the most nonjudgmental person I know, has agreed to give me some days and today was the first. Boy, is she a slave driver - like the Energizer Bunny she never stops. I, on the other hand, don't have the energy to go non-stop and need a little sit down time here and there. I think we made good progress today and will go at it again on Thursday.

We started with the bookcases (and the piles and boxes of books in front of them) in the family room all of which hold fiber related books and magazines. There are Quilter's Newsletter Magazines for almost thirty years, fifteen years of Piecework, and on and on. Some of the magazines that I will need to find new homes for are piled by title on this table and underneath are books that I need to sell - there will be more of those.

These bookcases are secured to the wall to prevent them toppling in earthquakes, but a problem is created by the short 'plugs' that support the shelves and provide a way to move them at a later date. They are not long enough to hold the shelves in place when there is a moderately severe earthquake, so the shelves collapse on top of each other and all the books must be removed to put everything back in place. I am trying to replace the plugs with something longer, but may end up putting a permanent support on each side for the shelves to sit on - I won't be able to move the shelves up and down, but I haven't in about 22 years so I don't think that will be a problem. We have put some of the books back on secure shelves, but as you see there are more waiting to be sorted and decisions made.

I find it difficult to dispose of any books, I have, after all, spent about fifty years acquiring this library. However, I either have to clear some of them out or move into a larger house, which would be ridiculous for just one person - there are people who feel I should have downsized when my husband died eighteen years ago. But, my feeling now, as then, is that this is my house, where I choose to live and I am stuck with it!

At some point we (hoping that Liz will stick by me) will have to tackle the "fabric library" and if anyone thinks I have a lot of books.... well, the fabric library is all over the house and I don't even know what I have. A bad situation, yes? I don't know when I will find much time to sew for at least the next month, but I am determined to squeeze in some hours now and then, just for my sanity. Send good thoughts, please.

Fundraisers 06-02-08

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative has small quilt auctions every month. The current one ends on Tuesday, June 10th. This time there are a few by well-known quilt makers.

http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html

They also have an ongoing postcard sale at:

http://www.alzquilts.org/postcardsale.html

As the cards are sold more will be put on the site.

It is a worthy cause - after basic expenses are paid, the remaining money goes to research on curing/preventing Alzheimer's disease.

Gas Prices 06-01-08

Everyone is talking about the price of gas, maybe I should say "grumbling" about it. Me, too. Yesterday I paid over $4.00 for the first time - $4.059/gal. to be exact. And that was at the cheapest gas station I know of in my area. The last time I filled up ten days ago I paid $3.839/gal., so I had serious sticker shock. And then I read an item that claims gas will be $5 by July 4th. I don't know where all this is taking us, however I do know that I won't be doing any road trips this year and maybe never again. I do live on a limited income and I looked back to see how much my retirement check had increased in five years - $153.00. But the price of a gallon of gas has increased 2 1/2 times the $1.599 I paid at the same station on June 5, 2003. And I am not even thinking about food prices. I have cut back on some expenses already w/more to come and I have savings to fall back on. But the people who were already living from paycheck to paycheck are hard hit and it will get worse. I know that telling you all about it won't make anything better, but, somehow, I just needed to share this with others who are going through the same difficulties. I suppose the only people not feeling the pinch are the independently wealthy.

Ruth Powers has a new quilt on her blog that is priceless! Well, I hope it isn't really "priceless" because I know I will bid on it when it comes up at the SAQA auction and I am saving up starting today! http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/weblog