Out and About: A Quilt Adventure

Friday afternoon, my friend, Jim....you all have heard me mention him many times...well, he drove over to Searcy from Morrilton to pick up a carload of my quilts.  Well, it seemed like a carload to me!
He is doing a program on my quilts for the Arkansas Quilters Guild on Monday night in Little Rock.
He and my friend, Sharon, evidently cooked up this idea that seeing my quilts might make a good program and they talked me into letting them 'borrow' however many I would let go on an 'adventure.'
So, off they have gone.  (And, in case you are wondering...I was asked to go and observe the festivities, but I had to decline that invitation for reasons I'm not going into here...but rest assured, I'm sure I will get an earful from somebody on Tuesday!!! Probably and Jim and his shenanigans!)  I ended up sending twenty-three quilts....and so, today, decided I would show you a handful of them.

Now, none of these quilts are anywhere near new.  As you know, I haven't made a quilt in at least three years....but evidently, my friends at least, have not forgotten the ones I have made and I just chose some at random to send along.  You've seen these all on this blog before....but I hope YOU and the quilters on Monday night enjoy seeing them 'one more time.'  All are handquilted....as I am a dinosaur when it comes to quilting...still preferring to do them all by hand...well, except this Log Cabin which was pieced on the machine...and I DO love Log Cabin quilts!  My son chose the setting for this one, and named it "Virtual Log Cabin."

This one is my silk ribbon embroidered crazy quilt.  It took me nine months to design and make it...my favorite thing - the basket of roses and something you can't see here....the border has beads quilted in it...they are barely visible even in person...but I know they are there!

I'm sure if you click to enlarge you can see more detail, but these photos aren't that good, really.

That favorite basket.                                                                                                 

 Here is a sampler quilt I made for a week long class I taught at the Ozark Folk School in Mountain View, Arkansas, one year.  I wanted to make a quilt modeled after a cross-stitch sampler, only in embroidery and applique.  It's about two feet square.  (By the way, these photos were taken before the quilt was finished, so you see them in various stages of completion.)

I love the chickens.  A story:  in 'real' life, I am terrified of chickens.  I was attacked by a large white rooster when I was three and still have scars.....I'm ok as long as they are in front of me where I can see them...but I don't trust the ones behind me or to the side.  Weird, yes, but true!  These little appliqued and embroidered ones I can live with!

This quilt I made for a personal challenge.  I had to use only fabrics, threads and embellishments I already owned...I was to only use what I had.  Scraps from other quilts, etc.  It's one of my favorites.

 I used a permanent pen to draw the flower centers....a big vintage button on the large flower center.

This is the first quilt I ever made using my own design......so long ago.  My friend, Mary, hand-dyed the sky and the blue/teal colors.  My favorite thing about this quilt (other than Mary's fabrics, is the pinafore.....it has a pocket you can actually put something in!

It's called "Memories of Laura" as I meant it to remind me of Laura on the "Little House on the Prairie" tv show.

 I wanted this quilt to look vintage.  I used nine vintage blocks, taken apart and re-pieced, with a new handle added.   And, I wanted lots of quilting on it....as I like to do.  Never using much white fabric, when it was done...it was TOO bright for me....so I dyed it in my washing machine....on advice of a friend.  While it did tone it down a bit....it was not an over-all toning down, but kind of splotchy....which I didn't like.   Oh, well, live and learn!!!  I did manage to get a lot of quilting on it, however!

See in this lower right corner....the background changes color a bit.  I really did like the quilting though.

I embroidered a little design on the bottom of each basket.  Now, I really DID like that!

And, so, here we are.....twenty-three quilts in these bags in the back of my little car.  I took them to the downtown studio, where Jim picked them up and off they went on their little adventure.  What do you think they will say when they get home? 

Sure hope you all enjoyed seeing these....hope to post something completely different in a few days...meantime....stay safe, warm and cozy and have some FUN!  pat

Busy as a bee today and wanted to post something on my blog...so ran through some photos in my iPhoto and realized I didn't post one Christmas photo!  So, ok...better late than never!  This is my daughter, Kelly and her son, Tyler.  You can barely get a photo of these two as they are NEVER still!

Love the tree!  We spent Christmas Eve at Kelly's house....this is her tree.   My one and only grandchild, Tyler standing there with Lindsey, my granddaughter-in-law.

 And, here we are.  The old folks!  The old navy man, Richard and me.  What a pair!!! 

Kelly with her hubby...Rick.  He's a really good cook.  Not only did he cook the meat for our Christmas Eve dinner, but he cooked a chicken for me to take home for Christmas dinner!  Delicious!

Here, dinner is almost ready.......and we are all hungry!  There is room for several cooks in this kitchen....but these two have everything under control!!

Tyler, the old navy man and Lindsey hamming it up by the tree!  I like this photo...and love the way the tree looks up close.   By the way...Kelly loves lots of color!!!

The overhead lights are off in this photo...the better to admire the tree lights.  Yes, the tv is on, but the sound, at this point, is off.  No joke, my whole house will fit in this living room/kitchen....a huge open room.

Our favorite spot is out on the patio.......and on cold nights sitting out there with the fire going is a wonderful treat.  Yeah, the photo is too dark, maybe it's a 'mood' photo.  Kelly, Rick, Tyler and Lindsey are out there.  You can see the tree inside and I'm taking the photos.  It's cold and cozy at the same time!

Another photo of the tree...well, sort of.  OK, what's the 8 for?  Well, it's Kelly and Rick's lucky number - they were married on 8-8-98!

Kelly and her daughter-in-law, Lindsey.  Two cute girls!  Actually, getting them to be still for a photo is also quite an accomplishment.

And, there you are...a few Christmas photos for me to remember all year long.  Well, you know, as fast as time goes by...Christmas 2013 will be here soon!

Hope your new year is going well.......stay warm and have some FUN!!!  take care, pat

Sharing Something Pretty

Happy 2nd of January 2013!!!  Already!  Just thought today I'd show you something pretty.  Well, more than one thing pretty....so, let's start with the flowers.  Bought them on a hurried trip into WallyWorld on Saturday...you know, one of those fast trips to buy all the stuff you had run out of during the blizzard!  I supposed I was in a 'flower state of mind' because I just had to buy these.  You can watch them grow right before your very eyes as you scroll down the post.  They don't look all that remarkable right here....but watch....

and while you watch, notice the little pitcher they are in....it's so cute.  Can you see the little English cottage?

and the crocheted runner?  I bought them both at one of the local flea markets recently.  Little pitchers always catch my eye....and crochet like this...who could leave it in the store?

 Can you see the flowers growing?

 Here is the back of the pitcher....it's pretty too!

 And the handle....as you know...I think everything is in 'the details'......

See...the flowers are getting bigger.....look at those little 'pods'....they open up into the most delicate, 'ruffle' flowers...they look green here.

And then, there is this gorgeous flower..........so beautiful......what great flowers to have in your home when there is SNOW everywhere!!!

And, these little green/yellow ones.  No idea what they are....but they are sweet.  You know green is my favorite color!

The pods are opening and look very pretty now....they will open even more.

 A close-up of the pitcher....see the cottage now?  There is a bird....is it a stork of some kind, a heron?  Trees and flowers that match the ones on the back of the pitcher.

Now do you see how big they have become...fully opened.....and gorgeous.

 Look at the center of this one....it's amazing!

 Flowers are such fun....and these so pretty.....lovely to look at on a cold Winter's Day.....

Here are the markings on the bottom of the pitcher.....well, I guess that explains the Thatched Roof Cottage then.  Love it!

  Last, but not least, here is something very special:

 This is a photo taken by my favorite son several days ago....on his iPhone.  He was just getting home from work, driving down this street in his neighborhood and there was that rainbow!  Isn't it just great?  Nothing prettier than a street in San Francisco.....all nice and shiny with rain...and a beautiful rainbow. Well, unless it's a vintage English pitcher filled with beautiful green and white flowers!

Hope all is well with you this new year, this new day.  Take care out there.  pat

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  Hard to believe it's 2013....really, already?  2012 seemed to fly by, so my one wish at the moment is that we can catch our breath in this new year and feel slightly less rushed through life.  With that in mind, I thought a quiet moment at my antique writing desk might be in order.  The old navy man bought this for me quite a few years ago.  I keep some special keepsakes in it's little drawers and the rest holds my growing collection of greeting cards...I need to send more of these out from time to time....one of the things I'd like to do more of in this new year.

So....does looking at this photo bring your blood pressure down?  It does mine...the soft light of the candle...some handwritten pages....so calming.  Ok, some might call it boring, but not me.  That photo is of me and parents.   Myrt and CJ Williams....taken in early 1946.  That little kid is me...we are awaiting the birth of my oldest brother, Mike.  I am sixteen months older than he...so in this photo he is 'a little bun in the oven' as they say.   The only photo I remember of the three of us.  

I have an old book from the flea market...well, I have many....but this one has become one I draw in and write things in...right over the printing.  Now, why I don't know....just something I play around with.  So, I chose three little thoughts to use for this New Year's Eve post and wrote them.....for you to see.

They aren't that clear...so I will type them for you.....much easier to read 'in real life.'  

It's the thought that counts, isn't it?  

You will be able to read them at the end of this post.  But, if you are like me...you like real handwriting...even when you can't really make it out.

This candle is one I've had for a while and has seen 'better' days, but late at night, you work with what you have.  It has a wax coating over it, so I took a toothpick and drew these leaves on it, then removed the leaf shapes...leaving leaf-shaped holes....I figured when it was lit, it would look kind of 'fancy' especially in a low light setting.  I like it.

Actually, I took these photos last night...Sunday.....and it really was 11:25 p.m. when I took these photos!

Yeah...there we are!  Dad in his army clothes.....Mom in a 40's dress....wish I had it now and the little coat I am wearing.  Mom from McGregor, Texas....Dad from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He was stationed at Ft. Hood, not far from McGregor...that's how they met.  I was the first kid of four.  He was 34 when I was born...she was 23.  He lived until age 63, she 81.  And, me, well I'm 68.  Yes, time does fly...and somehow memories are made.

And, here are the writings....for your enjoyment:

#1, by William Arthur Ward

Another fresh new year is here..
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest...
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And, sing more joyful songs!

#2, by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.

#3, by Henry Van Dyke

Hours fly
Flowers die.
New days
New ways
Pass by;
Love stays.
 

From my house to yours....a very lovely, safe, warm and cozy evening and a very Happy New Year...2013!!!  take care, pat