owls on award ribbons

Here is an up-to-date photo of the award ribbons I've designed for my guild's upcoming quilt show. Flying Geese Quilters' show is in September, but we're hard at work preparing for it. These are prototypes; they're complete except for labels which will describe what the award is for (applique, pieced, etc.). The labels will be pasted on the colored strips of watercolor paper.

I need to make lots more owls! But they have to wait until I finish my current quilt in progress. It's almost done, I'm just finishing the binding and need to add a little more embroidery.

works in progress

I have been working hard on my newest quilt. I am machine quilting it and adding a bit more hand embroidery, too. I'm not supposed to show it or talk about it in specifics. I can eventually. In the meantime, it's coming along. It's an exhilarating feeling to see the final stages.

Another current project is making award ribbons for my guild's quilt show. These are prototypes in the early stages, before the owls got eyes, legs, and "posts" to sit on. I'll try to take some more up-to-date photos to share with you. Earlier this month I prepared packets for people to help me with making the flying geese strips, and luckily they all got picked up. It's wonderful to have help!

Trip photos, plus snowflake quilt

Here's one more photo I meant to post from our trip to Roseville. Ronin is sitting on his quilt.

Jim took these photos of us on the bridge near their house.

You follow that windy path up to their house.

I'm happy to say that my snowflake quilt is back from its travels with the Noble Seasons special exhibit. It has been to many Mancuso quilt shows across the country as well as other events. Its real name is "No Two Alike."

One last photo from our trip, this time in Pismo Beach. While we've driven through many times, this is the first time we actually stayed here. We stayed at the Cottage Inn, and it was delightful.

visit to roseville

One day on our trip we went up to Roseville to visit my brother Jim and his wife, Kathy. They just moved up there in November. My niece Amity and her two boys, Xavier and Ronin joined us, too.

They live next to a nature preserve. They have views of this fabulous oak tree from their house.

There are vernal pools nearby, which are visited by migrating birds. We saw Canadian geese while we were there.

This was the first time we got to meet Ronin.

Amity brought the two quilts I made for the boys when they were born. Xavier has fun playing on them and making up stories about what's happening on them.

At 9 months, Ronin can pull himself up and use a walker. He likes to crawl, too.

My brother Jim with Ronin.

Jim is a talented painter! I loved their new home, too.

We gathered on a bridge at the preserve. Jim took a couple photos here, too. I'll post them next time.

Artful Tour of Yountville

We stayed in Healdsburg the second night, at H2. Yes, that's the name of a hotel. It's close to the plaza, cool and modern. I forgot to take photos there.

The next night we stayed in Yountville, where I did an artful tour along the maim drag. This unassuming building you see above is the world famous French Laundry restaurant. We were lucky enough to eat there once, maybe 10 years ago, with my dear Aunt Jean. She died a year ago December. She was fun, unflaggingly cheerful and upbeat. I thought she was the least likely person to get Alzheimer's, but alas, she did. Through it all she was still sweet and good natured to us.

Anyhoo, they had all this wonderful public art along the main street in town. Excuse the errant fingertips!

These are just a few of my favorite works of art. We stayed at the Napa Valley Lodge, by the way. Great place. We had a dynamite view of some vineyards right outside our window. I think I've posted photos of those previously.

Cool little "mushroom" garden.

We had a delicious Italian dinner at Reddwood Pizzeria,  a short walk from our hotel. I had artfully made pizza, and Dave had lasagna. The same chef has a fancier restaurant at the other end of town, called Redd, I think.

Just Coastin'

We just came back from a trip up the coast. We stopped for lunch at Penny's All American Cafe in Pismo Beach for lunch.

We stayed the first night in Cambria on the first night, actually at Moonstone Beach. I took a great walk along the boardwalk up and down the beach.

It really is beautiful here.

There are some treacherous stairs down to the beach. Maybe in my younger days I would have attempted these...

So many inspiring views from all directions. We stayed at the Pelican Inn, with an ocean view room. Just lovely! They have complimentary wine tasting and a good breakfast, too.

I brought the background of my newest work in progress, an art quilt, and I did handwork on it every night.

Havel Sewing Blog featuring Rituals Quilters

http://blog.havelssewing.com/international-quilt-market/

Jamie Fingal, Jane Davila and I are all featured today on the Havel sewing blog, with our quilts in the Rituals exhibit. My quilt is entitled "Photo Booth Hijinks."