Chickens

I've been trying to post these fun photos of my mom and granddaughter but the phone has been temperamental. 

Patterns exhibit at Houston Quilt Festival

"The Innkeeper Wore Black" is at the International Quilt Festival in Houston now, in the Dinner at Eight special exhibit called Patterns.

Halloween highlights

Val and Cia ready for Halloween in Encinitas!

Sammy the Squirrel in Waterville, NY.

Lily makes an adorable pumpkin.

Valentina photos

I have been having problems posting blog posts on my phone. Fingers are crossed that I can succeed via the iPad! These are photos from a recent visit with Warren and Valentina, plus a dress that I recently sewed for her. Val is turning one in about a week!

A last fond look at Heirloom Meadows Farm

The last photos from our visit to Central NY in August. I loved this photo of Sammy holding a chicken! There is a photo of my mother holding a chicken as a girl; I will try to add it later. 

Here Sammy us modeling a dress that I made her. It's the Oliver and S Jumprope dress. Years ago I made one in size 3, and I liked it so much I made it in size 6. 

One of their beautiful chickens. I used to know the names of the varieties. 

Ducks of a feather stickin' together. 

Quilting in the Garden

Quilting in the Garden is tomorrow in Napa, with a tribute to über quilter Yvonne Porcella organized by Pokey Bolton. I have a quilt in the exhibit:

I call it "A Toast to Yvonne - and to Strong Women Everywhere. "

August in central NY

Hopping a "ride" during a walkabout in Hamilton, NY. 

A visit to a very special petting zoo. This camel adored Martine. 

Lots of hungry, docile animals to feed. 

One more group of photos to share from this trip. 

Lunch at the Lotus Cafe

We had lunch with Warren and Valentina recently. 

Visit to North Brookfield

Just a few photos from our visit to central  NY in mid-August. 

Oyster boil. 

Hike and mushroom hunt. 

Fungus up high. 

So nice to spend time with Sammy and gang! More photos to follow. 

Yvonne tribute

This is the quilt I made for the Yvonne Porcella tribute, organized by Pokey Bolton. I call it "A Toast to Yvonne (And to Strong Women Everywhere)." It was inspired by the toasts made at Dinner at Eight dinners. 

And here's a detail. 

Patterns Quilt revealed

I don't believe I have posted my Patterns quilt on my blog yet! Here it is. 

It's called "The Inn Keeper Wore Black." It's a fanciful riff on a real visit to a colorful B&B, with bold patterns everywhere, except for the talkative innkeeper, who wore black. 

This quilt will be seen at the Quilt Festival in Houston in 2016, as part of the Patterns exhibit curated by Dinner at Eight Fiver Artists. And perhaps the exhibit will go to other places like Chicago in 2017. 

Macro Photos

These photos were all taken today with my Easy Macro Lens, which I bought recently at Photojojo. $15. It's a lens embedded in a sturdy rubber band, which wraps around my iPhone, but it works! What do you think?

A tiny clover blossom, a weed (Spurge, I think), eucalyptus bark, Ginger's hair, part of the M in the "No Parking at any Time" sign. Guess which is which, lol. 

A time to weed

Now that our little senior doxie is too old to go on neighborhood walks, I am spending more time with her in our back yard. While I make sure she does her business, I also have been doing some trimming and weeding. I've become a little obsessed with oxalis - it's overwhelming when I look at the whole yard, but if I take it one weed at a time, then a handful of weeds at a time, I can keep at it. Maybe someday it will look like I made a dent. ;-)

I have also been able to go on longer walks on my own, not slowed down by the dog. It feels good, although I miss my walks with Gingie-Baby, really I do. 

All the weeding outside has spread indoors, to my art studio. The fabric from recent projects has been mostly put away, and the remainder is in a basket rather than the floor. I was going to show you a photo of the basket, but it might tell too much about my last quilt, so I won't. 

I am also trying to organize my sewing and knitting patterns.

 

I know, it still looks messy, but at least they're not all over the floor. And they'll be easier to finish organizing now. 

And I put a bunch of yarn, ribbon and selvedge remainders and put them in containers. They look better than where they were, and maybe I'll toss them or pass them along eventually. 

I am working on a small quilt, too. Handwork now, machine quilting soon! I will show it soon. 

Recent photos of the littlest Cooksey

Swimming lessons already! What a winsome smile. 

Such a happy girl. 

Garments

I finished the two quilts I was working so hard on and have been sewing some clothing. Matching granddaughter dresses for Sammy and Val. 

Kaffe Fasset fabric and Oliver and S patterns. I also made a top for myself with Alpha fabric. I thought the vintage fabric was so happy! It makes me smile. But not sure how successful my top is. 

Here's just a peek. 

Farm photos

These were taken during our trip back east, which included a stay in central NY. The chickens and goats were out and about!

Sweet Sammy with daffodils from their garden. 

Ducks on their way to the pond.