Stock Up! Don't Forget the Milk! A Storm Is Coming!!! A Storm is Coming!!!

     The photo above shows a section of the top half of the art quilt that I have been working on. Stacey at Heart in Hands in South Weymouth had asked me to speak to her group about how I take one of my photos and turn it into an art quilt. I had spoken to an evening group at this quilt shop back in October. In my Oct. 15th blog post I described the process that I use and posted step by step photos. It was my intention back then to work faithfully on the piece doing a little bit each day. That didn't happen. I got busy quilting other things for Christmas. That's why I'm glad I was asked to speak today. It motivated me to add trim to the balcony, put in some more windows, and start on one of the gondoliers.

     Actually, with the stormy weather forecast I was certain my talk would be postponed. The snow wasn't too bad early this morning, so I did present at the quilt shop. It has been snowing steadily ever since with predictions of twelve to fifteen inches in my area! The bulk of the heavy snow will come overnight guaranteeing kids a day off from school tomorrow. The snow has been accompanied with bitter cold. Just a while ago I called my friend Donna G. to see if she would like me to bring Emma to her house to keep her company for the next few days. It was a totally sincere, kind, generous offer on my part, but Donna just laughed. I think she thought that I just wanted to get out of taking Emma out during the storm. Imagine that!

A Busy, Busy Weekend

     It was a jammed packed wonderful weekend. My friend Laurel came on Friday for a day of quilting. I worked on my Venetian landscape and finished preparations for a talk that I was giving that evening at Heart in Hands on how to create an art quilt from one of your photos . I'm happy and relieved to report that my presentation was well received.  Thank goodness! It was great fun to once again to be in full teacher mode. Speaking of my quilt piece, here is where I am with it now. You can see that one home finally has windows and a bridge to get from one side of the canal to the other. :-)
      The Herring Run Quilt Guild met on Saturday morning. You should have seen all the wonderful quilts and wallhangings that were shown during the Show and Tell portion of the meeting. (The same could be said about the Heart in Hands meeting the night before.) There are some extremely talented quilters in both groups.
     After the meeting, I dashed home for a bit before heading to Watertown for a birthday party for a very special little five year old. There is always a cacophony of joyous noise when all seven of the little cousins are together.
     On Sunday afternoon, I went to a birthday dinner at the Mill Wharf in Scituate Harbor in honor of my Aunt Joan's 90th birthday. I took a photo of her standing surrounded by her five sons. . . "Joan's boys." I don't recall any of them ever calling her "mom;" they have just always called her with affection by her first name. When I was young that seemed strange, but of course by now it seems totally natural. Aunt Joan is doing well and still lives in the house that my Uncle Buddy built for their young, growing family in the fifties. I'm going to get a frame for the photo and perhaps Emma and I will stop by for a visit later this week. Yes, Emma loves visiting Aunt Joan, too!

Summer Sherbet Bag

     A few weeks ago I attended a delightful talk/demo/trunk show by Carol MacLeod at Heart in Hands Quilt Shop in South Weymouth. This bag which I finished yesterday is one of her  Aunties Two bag designs, the "Bailey Island Hobo." Her pattern allowed for two sizes, and I know I'll sound like Goldilocks when I say that the small was a tad too small for me and the big was much more than I wanted. It was simple enough though to adapt the pattern; I simply made fewer strips and cut them shorter than the pattern called for. My "mommy bear" size turned out just right. Doesn't it look like a cool dish of sherbet for a hot summer day?
     I will add one more thing about Aunties Two patterns, they are all extremely well done from the ample color photos of the pieces in process to the very clear written directions. If you are looking for patterns for bags or totes, definitely check out her website.
     The bag is resting on the back of my current project which has taken over the dining room table. Yes, I am finally beginning to machine quilting my Old World Santas quilt. I've only been working on it on and off for five years. :-) Wish me luck!