Monday Browsing + Portals 11-11-13

Control +Shift +T  http://www.tested.com/tech/5732-the-best-keyboard-shortcuts-in-the-world-1/

The American quilt square trail movement and Donna Sue Groves:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1126694000/pieced-together-the-story-of-donna-sue-and-the-qui

An act of kindness:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/sleeping-stranger-subway-picture_n_4228826.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D402644

Quilting in Space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0c1CijmH7o    Fascinating!

National  Quilt Collection: http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/6054 (about 12min)

Here is a site shared by Terry Grant for reduce price on Liquid Thread®, but there are a lot of interesting items  - like bird cages, eggs, nests, birds of different materials,…..  and on and on.  Check it out, you might find something you can’t live without. 

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/liquidthread.html

Here are two of Terry’s great tutorials about her fusing method and her edge finishing method:

http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/2006/04/my-fusing-method.html

http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/2007/11/another-beetle-and-little-toot-toot.html

Luana Rubin of eQuilter has posted some interviews done in Houston on her video website:

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/videos.html

And here is Alex Anderson talking to Kaffe Fassett: http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/6070

Garage door - Placentia 2013

Exhibit opening reception +Portals 11-09-13

This evening was the reception for the "Recent Acquisitions From the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection " at Visions Art Museum in San Diego.  There were about 90 people attending, not bad for a holiday weekend!  It was a lovely group of people and they all seemed to enjoy the exhibit.  One of the VAM Board Members suggested that we do a popular vote, so all the guests are handed a little ballot and a golf pencil to vote for which quilt they like best.  Several ask me which is my favorite, but I tell them I don't have a favorite - how could I?   They are all my favorite or I wouldn't have added them to the Collection!  

I was so busy talking and answering questions and explaining techniques that I didn't take a single picture, or even think about where my camera might be - in my purse!  But after my meeting tomorrow I'll go back to the museum and if there aren't many people there I will take more pictures.  



Gate with bougainvillea at Spinnaker Bay  July 2010

Dinner at Green2Go 11-08-13

I had to have my hair cut before the reception tomorrow night at Visions Art Museum in San Diego.  It is the opening for "Recent Acquisitions From the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection" and pictures will be taken.  In keeping with the theory that one should dress so as not to compete with their work (or their collection) I will wear black.  I've considered spiking my hair (it is the perfect length), but I'm afraid if I don't wear a hat, nobody will know who I am!  If you are within reach of San Diego, stop by and say Hello!  The reception is from 5 to 7pm.    


I combined my haircut with dinner out.  Right around the corner from Supercuts is Green2Go a restaurant that serves tasty, healthy food.  It was packed this evening at dinner time, but I had a magazine with me and was okay waiting.  When the waitress brought my plate I almost questioned her because it didn't look like I expected.  But, hey, she was rushed and it looked delicious and I dug in.  Then a different waitress came and stood there with a plate in her hand and a concerned look on her face.  It turned out they had given me the wrong plate - I had the Poke Tuna Rice Bowl, not the Salmon Rice Bowl.   Too late to give it back, so she boxed up the Salmon offering and I paid for it when I left.  It  will be okay until Sunday dinner.  I guess that is why restaurants have pictures of the food they serve.

My friend Mary says I shouldn't show pictures of dirty plates (as I did with the green tea ice cream the other day), so I'll just show you a few inches of dirty plate.  There were these little orange flowers among the greens on my plate.  I don't recognize them and the staff was much too busy for me to ask.  Anyone know?  I tasted this one, but it just tasted like salad.

  

The "atmosphere" was a little psychedelic and next time I think I will chose a seat that faces away from the windows.  The place is brightly lit and since it is at the end of a strip mall sort of arrangement there are cars turning and many parking lot lights (the array of little round spots).  But the discombobulating thing was the presence of the TV screen over the bar which was reflected three times in the angled windows.  It was tuned to a surfing program -
I think they were in Ireland or maybe Wales - so it appeared that the guys were surfing through the parking lots.  It was almost mesmerizing, maybe that is why I wasn't paying enough attention to what was on my plate.  However, I ate every bite and loved it.

Wordless Wednesday 11-06-13

Great Blue Heron - Long Beach  2007

Monday Browsing & Portal 11-04-13

Libby Lehman is still recovering from a massive stroke and it will be a long recovery.  In her honor Quilts, Inc. has gathered some of her quilts for a special exhibit at the Quilt Festival in   Houston.  I sent  “Silent Partners” from TCQC.  http://billarnold.zenfolio.com

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:  The only thing one can give an artist is leisure in which to work. To give an artist leisure is actually to take part in his creation. -Ezra Pound, poet (1885-1972)

Postal worker cares:  http://on.aol.com/video/new-hampshire-war-veteran--postal-worker-pays-for-care-package-to-afghanistan-517994380?hp=1&playlist=127164&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D399485

Marraige rules in India http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/india-second-marriage-ad_n_4181192.html?1383239302&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D399561

A “Feel Good” site:  http://www.upworthy.com/

Faking beauty:  http://www.upworthy.com/see-why-we-have-an-absolutely-ridiculous-standard-of-beauty-in-just-37-seconds?c=fea

Fantastic birds of New Guinea     https://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc

 

First Friday at VAM 11-03-13

Museums around the country observe "First Friday" when the public is admitted without charge.  Last Friday, the actual 1st, I went down to San Diego to act as a gallery "sitter" and to see the reactions of visitors to the quilts.  It was exuberant.  They were mostly just overwhelmed and kept saying so, even though most did not know that I am the collector. 
 I enjoyed the evening very much.

Board member Linda Chase with her husband, Doug (I think) sat the desk part of the evening.  The gift shop fills the area around the desk and there are always some sales when people come through.

There were about 450 visitors during the three hours the museum was open. This view is from the desk looking back to the door that accesses into the rest of the building and other museums.
  

One of the other current exhibits is "Birds" from Visions members.  These quilts are hanging in the alcove gallery across from the desk.  They are all for sale and quite reasonable priced.

 

 The event lasted three hours and I was starving by 8pm when the museum closed.  Beth and I went to our favorite sushi place, Ikiru, and ate our favorite rolls, followed by the delicious green tea ice cream with dark chocolate drizzled over the top.  Good thing I had a motel room because I would never have made it home to Placentia that night.

Exhibit at Visions Art Museum 11-02-13

After spending the night at an HIE near Sea World (ate TWO cinnamon rolls for breakfast), I drove back to the museum for a few photos while things were quiet - as they usually are in the morning. 
I enjoyed giving a little tour to a few ladies who came in, but I was very disappointed that the Gallery Guides have not arrived from the printer.  What a let down when we worked so hard to make them exceptional.  Hope they arrive by the opening next Saturday. 
Here are three views of the gallery showing only nine of the 28 quilts on exhibit.

On the left is Terry Grant's "Judith's Garden:, in the background is "Lizard Lock" by Charlotte Patera, "Gravida" by Karen Rips and just the side of "Flowers Grow in Stony Places" by Karin Franzen.

 

Far left is Ruth B. McDowell's wonderfully expressive "Street Corner". then "Strip Tease #1" by Mary Leakey, and on the right "Structured Chaos #14" by Beth Carney.
 

Jenny Bowker made the quilt on the left "Hot Water, Dead Sea", "Red Wave" is by Dianne Firth, and Carol Ann Waugh made "Allegro" on the right.

These happen to all be somewhat subdued quilts, one of the comments I heard several times last night was how bright and cheerful the exhibit is.   But for some unknown reason I photographed mostly calm quilts today.  I rarely see so many TCQC quilts hanging together, I can only hang one large quilt in three of my rooms - too many windows and doors.  Arranged in the gallery I appreciate the interspersed "quiet" quilts, although I doubt many people would count "Red Wave" as calm.  But with the rhythmic repeat of the lines and the limited color palette, I find it is almost hypnotic..