Enjoyed a one day workshop 08-27-22

Friends who belong to the group "Quilts on the Wall", which promotes member quilts in various venues, but is apparently now a ZOOM meeting group, convinced me to join them for a one day live workshop on carving and printing with linoleum blocks.  There may be a new modern name for that, but so it was called sixty years or so ago when I did it for the first time.  The teacher, Tara Ritacco, provided blocks and erasers to carve and a carving tool, along with other materials, so it was easy prep.  We ran out of time and the printing part was a demo by Tara in possibilities to do at home.  She is very imaginative and gave us a lot of inspiration to try different paints, inks, fabrics, and experiments.  I carved two blocks in the class and did a little printing with textile paint at home.  I enjoyed the day and even hit a gas station with gas for $4.99 a gallon - something I haven't seen for quite a long time.  Since then I filled my tank at $4.79, so things are looking up for a less expensive road trip to....   somewhere!

This is the first block I carved.  I was amazed that the technique came back to me after so many years.  I think I did some blocks for a project in mid-1980s, but haven't even thought about it since then.  I must have some old blocks in a box some place in this crowded house. 

Then I tried some trees and my classmates thought this looked like trees with a bird house.  I didn't intend that, but I agree.  The large white triangle was a mistake, a problem that comes with thinking in reverse and carving away what you don't want to print.  I am thinking of ways to put a couple little branches to fill the space a bit. 

So, this is what I had to work with, including a commercial leaf stamp from a box of miscellaneous art stuff, the only stamp I could find when I wanted to try printing.

This was a first print.  Need to do this so that corrections can be made to the block.  I had to carve away some layers in the upper right corner to make a clean print. 

Then I did a more "serious" test print combining the blocks.  The fabric was a scrap from a previous dyeing class, I have a box of those leftovers.   As You can see the prints are in reverse, something planned for when the carving starts.  I think an opposite carving of the bird would make an interesting border with the birds facing each other.  

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Beach Views 08-26-22

I have received complaints!  Well, just a few.  But I have wondered if anyone is still reading this blog which I haven't posted since the 5th!  I will post for a few days and see if anyone comments or otherwise indicates they are checking in.

About a week ago I went to Dana Point for the Surfside QGuild board meeting.  It is about 10am until Noon and I need some sustenance before the hour plus drive home.  I swung through the nearby Starbucks,  parked in the first row handicap parking at Doheny Beach and watched the beach goers while I ate.  So interesting to see the loads of paraphernalia those beach lovers carried down to the sand.  Lots of surfers in the water and on the beach.  I know that there are teachers with student surfers, but also singles and pairs, families, old people and even a few dogs on leashes. 

  

There is a lifeguard station and just to the left a volleyball net.

The grassy area at lower left is marsh grass and a small pond.  Egrets flew in and out, but I wasn't fast enough with my cell phone to catch any of them.  The dark area at lower right is my sideview mirror. 

They have set up their umbrellas and even small tents, coolers, picnic baskets, and beach chairs.  The bird in the sky is a brown pelican. 

A guy (left) and a gal haul their surfboards down to the water. 

The sandy path goes down a little slope and then up again to the actual beach. The guy is loaded down with beach chairs strapped on his back and totes in either hand.  She carries the umbrella and has a tote bag in front of her.  Whew! 

I am parked in the shade under the eucalyptus trees and there is just a gentle breeze off the ocean.  Lovely day. 

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Friday Food 08-05-22

 TOMATOES!

My San Diego friend Andrea went wild for tomatoes after buying the 2022 "The Whole Seed Catalog" early this year.  The pictures are amazing and inspiring and the tomatoes look delicious.  She ordered a variety of seeds and planted them, resulting in a bountiful crop of tomatoes.  She shared some this last week and these are the ones I brought home.  They are all tasty and I have enjoyed my annual BLT feast. 

I especially enjoyed the two red ones at the top, but all were good. 

A neighbor down the street used a local mulch which contains sewage sludge, so volunteer cherry tomatoes come up everywhere.  She doesn't pick them and they have started to clamber over her driveway.  So, we stop and pick a few when we walk in the morning. 

These are quite small, see the dime I put down for sizing!  And they grown in convenient clumps so I can pick a bunch with one clip.  

I buy the bags of six tiny avocados at TJoe's because one is just what I need for just me.  They have been quite good this year.   Just a few grains of salt and a squirt of olive oil.  If I only had some fresh basil.  Next time. 

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Quilt from Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection - Jean Ray Laury 07-31-22

I have posted this quilt several times in the past and it always thrills me to have it hanging on my wall.  The late Jean Ray Laury was a very special person in the quilting world .  She moved us away from the traditional quilts and innovated many techniques that are still used today.  Many quiltmakers and art quilters have expanded on her work, but her style will always remain distinctively hers.

"Lowanda Does Hollywood" Jean Ray Laury 2001 30.5W x 33.5L

There is a striking resemblance between Lowanda and myself, but Jean Ray did not use me as a model, even though we have known each other for years. In this quilt Jean has used many of the techniques she has taught over the years -- silk screen printing, Thermofax printing, hand drawing, hand painting, foiling, piecing and machine quilting.

A very special quilt for me, made by an artist I have always respected.

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Out in the World - Part 2 07-27-22

 I have never been much of a shopper, usually just find what I am looking for, buy it, and leave.  Even before the pandemic a trip to the mall was rare.  Of course, in my much younger days I shopped with the best of them, haunting South Coast Plaza whenever I could.  Anyway, my exposure to current retail trends is almost not existent.  Groceries, pharmacy, See's, and the Farmer's Market are about it for me.  So, going with Carol to the Brea Mall was an EXPERIENCE.  She went on to the shop she needed, leaving me in front of See's (not the one I usually visit).  When I was done there I walked along and two doors down was a shop that sells socks - ONLY socks.  I remember decades ago when I discovered shops that sold only sunglasses and I was amazed then.  But SOCKS?  Quite a small space, but they must have thousands of socks, but no plain ones. 

Pick a subject, they have a sock for it.  

Some are pretty sassy.

But I suppose children these days are exposed to just everything.  In my sheltered old age I think sass has gotten completely out of hand. 

What, I wondered, are shoe charms?  There were several tables covered with plastic bins full of little cartoon characters and different motifs.  They fit in the holes of Crocs shoes,

On the back of each charm is a raised black button to fit the holes. 

Here is a shoe showing how to use the charms.  

I suppose I may be the last person in the world to know this, but I find it fascinating to discover such a finely tuned shop selling one product. 

They do actually sell something else - strange puffy slippers that look like athletic shoes. 

And notice the display cubes made of interlocking floor tiles.  Interesting adaptation. 

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Out in the world! 07-26-22

Not much to talk about when all I do is mask up to go to the grocery, Starbuck's, or guild meeting.  Or unmasked to walk the loop with KoKo twice a day.   Fortunately I have friend Carol to tempt me out to lunch once in a while.  We went on Friday to Toast in Brea.  I have talked about this place before and this is the third time we went there.  Could not pass up the fabulous eggs benedict served with chipped French fries and/or arugula with Myer lemon drizzle.  Some day we will taste something else.  Maybe.  

This location is quite large and was at least one other restaurant.  It is cavernous and very noisy.  I find the decor strange - sort of things set out for a garage sale.  The items don't have anything in common and they are not artfully arranged.  

It was quite full on Friday morning and next to our table was an extended group of young ladies, plus one young man and an adult man.  This lady seemed to be in charge of all these young women, perhaps it was a graduation party.  I was fascinated by the clothing they were wearing.  Surely this gal was wearing palazzos from the 70s.

Unlike when I was in my early twenties and ladies mostly wore the same type of clothing, these gals were all over the place.  Jeans (faded and torn, of course), short shorts and spaghetti straps, full slacks and sleeveless top.  Note also loooong hair. 

And then there were short dresses and long, tiered dresses.  Sandals, heels, tennis shoes (or whatever they are called these days). 

They seemed like nice young ladies and they had a great time taking pictures in groups and singles.  When I stood up and hooked my long necklace on the chair back the beads when flying.  Everyone hustled to find them all and put them in a take out container for me to carefully take home.  I do have them all and will need to find someone to do the repair since my hands can no longer to that sort of thing.  

Carol needed to go to a shop in the Brea Mall so we continued our adventures and I will write about them tomorrow.  I hope I can get on line then.  

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A grumble about cars! 07-18-22

Thirty plus years ago when we moved into this house one of the things that made it attractive was how clean the neighborhood was and how few cars were parked on the street.   It seemed so tidy and "upscale".   Now new neighbors move in with complete wall to wall garage shelving or just piles of stuff in the garage and few park their cars in their garage.  Instead they park on the driveways and along the curbs.  Every other Monday the street sweeper comes by and tickets are given to any car parked in the street.  Don't know where the vehicles are parked on those days, but they all quickly returned.   I feel sometimes I am living in a parking lot.  Our house faces into a cul de sac with six houses.  They have a total of seventeen cars and two motor homes!  Admittedly there are twenty people living there, but almost half are under driving age.   Of course, in thirty years most of the original owners have retired, moved, or died, so the new people who move in are younger and have children.  (Oddly there are about eleven widows in the tract now.)

We are going on our morning walk when some neighbors have gone to work.

But the motor homes/campers are there ALL of the time and have been for decades.  There is a law in Placentia that one cannot park these vehicles in this manner.  But I suppose that if nobody complains there is no reason to obey the law.  

In mid June the two families went traveling and on a Sunday afternoon our view was this.  Lovely, huh?   There is a Facebook group "View from my window" with pictures people all over the world post pictures from their window, door, porch, patio, wherever.  I enjoy looking at what is posted and am tempted to post a picture, but in truth I would have to post what I see most of the year and I doubt that anyone would enjoy that.  

Thank you for reading this "rant".  I just needed to get it off my chest.  

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