Another use for my stash!

In my quest to grow gray, I've been accumulating homemade hairbands to distract from the transition stage. I've delved into my fabric stash and came up with several beauties. Here are just a few.

The best ones are silk. Slinky knit fabrics work well, too. This one is silk organza.





This is one of my favorites. I haven't finished any edges. I just fold the fabric over to the desired width and tie in back.

This one is different, because I made it from some fancy trim that someone gave me. I finished the ends and sewed on snaps.

The hairbands are doing a pretty good job camoflaging, but the gray is coming in fast. I may have to jump to hats sooner than expected! I saw this one at Target. It's really cute, but it doesn't go with one thing in my whole wardrobe. Luckily, it was on sale for only $2.50.

So I guesstimated pattern pieces in this style. I'm in the process of cutting out pieces for my first hat now. Hope it works! I'll post photos when it's done.

what I'm working on

I am happily at work on three quilts these days - one for a special exhibit, one for my grandchild, and one for myself. I'm machine quilting the first one, and doing handwork on the other two. I wish I could show them all, but I can't. But here are a few of the blocks I've done so far for my grandchild's quilt. It's gender neutral, since I don't know the gender yet. My daughter wants to raise chickens for organic eggs, and she's thinking of green and blue for the nursery. I might add a few chicks.

Road to California photos

Here I am next to my quilt, "Summertime Cat." Shy Olive is finally in the limelight. This is part of the "Noble Seasons" exhibit, which just debuted at Road to California in Ontario.

This is my "Hope is the Thing" quilt, part of the "Unfettered Letters" exhibit from Quilts on the Wall.  It's nice to see it again - last time I saw it was at Pacific International Quilt Festival in October.

Unfettered Letters at Road, too!

I just heard that the Unfettered Letters special exhibit from Quilts on the Wall Fiber Artists will also be at Road to California this weekend. Woohoo! My "Hope is the Thing" is part of this exhibit.

Summertime Cat at Road to California

The Summer exhibit, which includes my "Summertime Cat," is making its debut this weekend at Road to California. Here's a list of all the places the exhibit is going this year.

Road to California
January 14-17, 2010
Ontario Convention Center
Ontario, California
www.road2CA.com



Denver National Quilt Festival V
April 29 - May 2, 2010
Denver, Colorado
www.quiltfest.com



Quilting, Stitches & Crafts Expo
Reno NV
June 24 - 26, 2010
www.qscexpos.com



Quilting, Stitches & Crafts Expo
Cincinnati, OH
September 9 - 11, 2010
www.qscexpos.com



Pacific International Quilt Festival XIX
October 14 - 17, 2010
Santa Clara, California
www.quiltfest.com



A stint of 2 months - date TBD at Soft Expressions

Belated Birthday Wishes!

I've never been an Elvis fan, but he would have just turned 75. I thought this would be a good time to show my Elvis quilt, made in the mid-90's. It won the Elvis challenge at Flying Geese Quilters.

My prize was this Elvis doll. He's still in the box.

Artful Tour of Points North

Here are some photos taken on our trip up the California coast after Christmas. This is the sunrise as seen outside of our hotel room in Yountville. Wouldn't you love to live here?

Second view of same spot.

When we went nearby for breakfast, they were launching hot air balloons from the parking lot! What an amazing sight.

Up, up and away!

We stayed one night at a B&B in Capitola, just outside of Santa Cruz. It is a funky little town with some unique shops and a pretty beach.

One of the cypress trees on the beach in Carmel on New Year's Eve.

A view up into the arms of another cypress tree in Carmel.

This nearby oak caught my eye, too.

Pretty flowers seen in Carmel on New Year's eve.... It's been a a time to think of New Year's resolutions. Mine are: to get better organized; to make more time for art; to go gray. These will all be tough resolutions to keep, but I'm determined to do each of them!

Noble Seasons: "Spring"

Reception for Noble Seasons - SPRING will be at Soft Expressions on Saturday the ninth of January from 1:30 until 4 pm. The exhibit is in the upstairs gallery now through February 2010.

SHARLA has again provided the final exhibit venue for Noble Seasons - SPRING 2009 at

Soft Expressions
1230 N. Jefferson Street, Suite M
Anaheim, CA 92807
Phone: 714-630-7414

My quilt "A Dance to Spring" is part of this exhibit. When I get home from our trip on Sunday I'll download a photo of it. It's the one of my mom as a little girl, dressed up as a flower for May Day.