Friday, March 21, 2014

Mela is a Painter!

When I went to see Mela Wednesday after a meeting, I was gifted with her first painting!
I love it. It's hanging in my kitchen already. Seeing her little finger marks across the canvas make me smile. Mela's great grandma on Dave's side was a painter. I mentioned before that Mela will be creative. Fabric. Paint. Whatever. I want her to have that comfort and desire to make things. 

The last three days of work have nudged my medicated blood pressure up a titch. Locating gas lines is stressful. I cannot edit for the final day I spray yellow paint on the ground. 

I'm not sure who's more excited about my visit to Tennessee.... Me or jenn!? 
I arrive in Nashville tomorrow at 1:30 pm. 
Michael has a couple days off snd jenn is on break all week. She's already scoped out a new junky place for us to troll!

I have learned:

     1.  Eating no bread is not as dreadful
          as I thought it would be. 
     2.  Yume Asian Cuisine is open in 
           Batavia!  Sushi. Thai. Mmm
     3.  "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer  
          is proving to be a good read. 
     4.  Not sure if I mentioned this before..
          "Sons of Anarchy " is good. 
          

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Lancaster AQS Show Adventure




TracyJ, Martha & I drove down to Amish country on Thursday, finally finding snowless roads quite a ways into Pennsylvania. We managed to get to the show that afternoon to see my Ice Crystals quilt and a bit of the show before they closed at 6 PM.

 I was not disappointed! While there were plenty of very intensely worked pieces I didn't feel like mine didn't belong. The winning quilts were spectacular. There were many entries I saw with no ribbons that I thought were equally deserving of a prize. I know judging is in the eyes of the three appointed judges. 

The show was a feast for the creative soul. SAQA had a great inspired display. The Quilts of Valor that hung on the second floor were awesome, at least two of which were made by men. A modern quilt challenge on third floor was another good special exhibit. I thought I was going to be able to see The Twntmakers of Cairo against but only their quilts were on display. 

The pic above is a time capsule diner in Lancaster. Delicious breakfast before we headed to Intercourse PA for a 2014 version of Amish country. Zooks, a well known Amish fabric store, nailed the last screw in our credit cards and a visit next door for a hot pretzel rounded out our quilty weekend. Fun was had by all!


My grandmother, Melissa's great grandmother, knit many a sweater for her when she was little. These two are still around and quite wearable! 

Melissa asked me to replace the buttons so our Mela can wear them! 
Each cardigan is missing one of the special buttons my grandmother picked for them. 
It am happy to see Melissa embracing some vintage baby style. 

Laptop still down but I realize I need to get it fixed. I prefer posting to this blog on it since the Blogger app is not all that user friendly and I cannot post links on it either. For now it will have to do. 

I have learned:

     1.  Just started reading "Grain Brain" as recommended to me by Tracy. I know I will learn much 
           about food and health. 
     2.  I found this email in my junk. I don't remember what I submitted!


     3.  An octopus has three hearts. 
     4.  A giraffe has the same amount of verteabre in its neck as a human does. Theirs are just bigger. 

     5.  A rhinoceros sweats red. 
     6.  The last three facts were imparted on us by a former South African as we were shuttled to our  
           car on Saturday. A quite interesting man. 

Sunday, March 9, 2014

More Collages

               "When You Swim with the Sharks"


                       "Flocking Together"


              " In Touch with His Feminine Side".                                                                                            


Last weekends Quilt Away in Silver Lake was all I'd hoped it would be. I posted the Improv pieced cross piece I started already. Julie brought collaging materials that I couldn't resist! I spent hours cutting and pasting with her, creating the three finished collages on playing cards above. I love them! Love making them. 
Julie makes her collages with design elements in mind because she scans them into her computer to manipulate in Photoshop for her work. It's her forte. She is masterful at design. 
I make mine more as a narrative. 

So I have the iPad up and running. Easy. It's just like my iPhone. I do need to have laptop fixed since Linda & Laura Kempshal's DMTV is not iPad friendly yet. I also can't access all emails and junk emails. 
Living and learning. The graphics on the iPad are awesome. I love that. 

Melissa hit a pole at 30 MPH yesterday avoiding a collision with a woman that cut her off. Airbag deployed breaking her glasses. Seatbelt bruised her. Cuts on knee and hand but no concussion or internal bleeding. This was at 1in the afternoon. I watched Mela while Dave met her at hospital. When I left I told her I was glad she didn't die today! This is the humor of my family. We all get it. But, truly, I was glad. Mela needs her mommy. These are the calls no mother ever wants to get. 

I have learned:

        1.  Watching "Sons of Anarchy" on Netflix. Very good. 
        2.  Going to Lancaster AQS show with Martha & Tracy Thursday! I am excited to see " Ice 
             Crystals" hanging there. 
        3.  I am officially under two years til retirement!!!!!!! Then my real life begins. 
        4.  Madison is growing! I get to "feel" her in a couple weeks!
        5.  Michael has re-upped for three more years in the Army. He has a plan. 
        6.  Diana Anderson Radley is the best massage therapist around here. Do yourself a favor and 
             make an appointment. She is on West Main St near Tully's. When will insurance companies 
             realize massage in medicinal? I am going once a month for a better me. 


Sunday, March 2, 2014

Cross Quilt Piecing @ Retreat

Great weekend at quilt retreat with great company! 
Did not know what would inspire me so I packed a very large suitcase with many things. The last minute fabric addition of snow dyed fabrics were my main fodder. 
Being enamored with all of the cross quilts I have seen online, I decided to work this idea up. My recents black/gray/ lime RIT snow dye session provided the fabric for the piece above. Loving the reddish slivers between blocks. Off to a good start I'd say. 

I have learned:

      1. Sleepy time tea gives the gift of weird dreams to me. 

       2.  New iPad in possession. Now to set it up. 

       3.  Quilters make great friends. 

        4.  Hoping my cupid's arrow is dead on right now. 
   
        5.  I want the curse word book Connie gave Vinnie. It. Is. Truly. Awesome. 

        6.  Advise me on my iPad get up and go please.