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.

What is it?

Now that Christmas is over, I can share photos of gifts that I made. Can you guess what this is? This is what it looks like flattened.

Here's another view. I gave it to my friend Linda.

This is the one I gave my daughter. She had no clue what it was!

Okay, it's a pie carrier. I used the cute pattern in the latest Stitch Magazine, except that I changed it a little. I didn't use bias tape as they had suggested, and I used shoe laces instead of twill tape, their suggestion. I dyed the shoelaces green for the green one, because I thought it would look better than the plain white. It's Color Silk, the same stuff I have used on silk and wool.

Honest, I am still making quilts. "Sweet Dreamy Dreams" is almost ready to machine quilt. My head is spinning with ideas for two more, due in March. But I can't show any of these for a while, sorry.

oh happy day

I received an early gift, a couple of days ago. My daughter is pregnant with our first grandchild, due in late June.

Then I found out today our niece is pregnant, too. How cool is that!

Of course, one of the first things I thought of was: must make baby quilts!

Fine Arts and Craft Faire at the Muckenthaler, Fullerton CA

Sunday, Dec 20th from Noon-5pm; Fine Arts & Craft Faire at the Muckenthaler
Cultural Center's Annual Holiday Festival; Stacy Hurt, Terry Waldron,
Peggy Calvert, Jamie Fingal, and I will be selling our fiber artwork at this
show. Vendor booths, art exhibits, children?s art activities, music and
dance performances, and tours of the facility on the 8.5 acre grounds of the
Muckenthaler Cultural Center, an historic 1924 estate and cultural center.
This event draws about a thousand people each year. Admission is free.

*Please come by and say hello!*

* 1201 West Malvern Avenue, Fullerton.
http://www.themuck.org/



and while you are there - check out this exhibit

Contemporary Quilts - Oct 11th to Dec 31st The Muckenthaler Cultural Center,

1201 W. Malvern Ave, Fullerton 92833; Museum Hours: Wed-Sun - Noon to 4pm;

Artists: Charlotte Bird, Loris Bogue, Joanell Connolly, Cindy Cooksey, Jamie

Fingal, Melissa Frankel, Sumi Foley, Carol Henke, Susan Hart Henegar, Rose

Hughes, Stacy Hurt, Jeannie Moore, Cindy Rinne, Julie Zaccone Stiller,

Deborah Weir, Susan Willen

Christmas Goodies

Well, the house is decorated, I've started shopping, and I've run out of Christmas cards. So I'm feeling relatively secure, although I still have lots to do. Here are some photos that show what I've been up to.  I gave away my cookie stocking at the ornament exchange, but I made another one to keep.

This is the cute Santa that I received in the ornament exchange, made by Darla. I just love him.

The tree's up. I go for the eclectic look, so there are lots of wonderful homemade ornaments, many made by friends, mixed in with ornaments that my kids made when they were little.

Small ornaments get lost on the tree, so this year I hung my favorite little guys on this branch in the dining room. It looks very cool. You may recognize a few of the felt balls I made last year.

Here are a few of the felt business card holders I've been making. I made some similar to these to give to my Cut-Loose friends. I'll have some available at the Craft Festival at the Muckenthaler on December 20 (more info in previous post). I dyed white wool felt with Silk Color and other silk dyes that I had. It's fun to make each one a little different.

I was so happy to get my "Go With The Flow" quilt back after its trip to Quilt Festivals in Long Beach and Houston in the "Detours" exhibit. I hung it up, and it looks great with my Christmas stuff.

My "Fifteen Selvedges" quilt also recently returned home, and I happily hung it up also, in the midst of my Christmas decor. It was part of the "Edges" special exhibit that also went to Long Beach and Houston Quilt Festivals.

Fine Arts & Craft Faire at the Muckenthaler

Sunday, Dec 20th from Noon-5pm; Fine Arts & Craft Faire at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center's Annual Holiday Festival; Jamie Fingal, Terry Waldron, Peggy Calvert, Cindy Cooksey and Stacy Hurt will be selling their work at this show. Vendor booths, art exhibits, children’s art activities, music and dance performances, and tours of the facility on the 8.5 acre grounds of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, an historic 1924 estate and cultural center. This event draws about a thousand people each year. Admission is free. 1201 West Malvern Avenue, Fullerton. http://www.themuck.org/

I will have notecards, felt business card holders, fiber art balls and art quilts for sale. Maybe other things if I get my act together! Mark your calendar if you are in the area.

Also, remember that Muckenthaler also has an art quilt exhibit which includes two of my pieces; this exhibit continues until December 31.