Dog Days

I've been away. It's summer, what can I say. These days are too short and when you try to get every last drop of goodness out of them some things slide. BUT!! I've got LOTS of great things to share including quilts, a fun project I did with kids (and grownups too), a tasty and novel idea for cooking omelets for a crowd, and my workshop with PAMELA ALLEN! As soon as I get my pictures in order (along with my thoughts) I promise something good for those 30+ readers my sitemeter tells me I have daily.

Super Sunday- Part Two

After the visit to the Gallery in Wiscasset we headed up the coast to find two new (2 years old) wineries in Union, Maine. TWO! This was all the signage for the first, Sweetgrass Winery. They produce fruit wines as well as gin and homemade vanilla. Wish I'd taken a picture of the beautiful copper still from Portugal. No tasting here because we were all tasted out from our first stop here:

Wine from hardy grapes. After tasting wine from 7 different bottles, I was SO HAPPY! It just sneaks up on you, those little tastes of wine. So the sun wasn't out, but it didn't even matter! And because I was so happy and maybe a LITTLE BIT less reserved, I did something I would never do under normal circumstances, but proved to be one of the biggest gifts of the day. We passed a beautiful old center chimney cape I've admired forever, and the shed door was open, (as if saying, please come in...) and in the center of the shed, visible from the road, was a dress form with a beautiful white dress on it. So, of course, I had to stop and intrude on this home. I just walked right up there and the man came out, who it turned out was the seashell artist from Maine, Brian White, and the dress was actually made of seashells. Sound ugly? Like something you might find in a tacky tourist trap? Not even close. No picture of the whole dress, but I did get this picture of one of his new works, a series of lobstermen...shirts.

Copper strips and cut shells, over a wire form. He uses found objects like shells to create ingenious pieces that are stunning in their complexity. Next time you're in Rockland Maine, the main entrance of the Farnsworth Museum has one of his incredible stylized dresses.

No full view, (too much sun), but this is the 'skirt' of the dress. Copper again, with shells. And a close-up.

The center of the flowers are small periwinkle shells cut in half. And that leaf is made of two different colored shells. Brian will be having an exhibit of his work at Ten High Street in Camden, Maine this September for the whole month if you happen to be around.

Super Sunday!

This rainy day has turned out to be one of the BEST days this summer. I had wanted to go to the James Patrick Gallery in Wiscassett to see an exhibit by Gayle Fraas/Duncan Slade:

WATERMARKS

an exhibit that did not disappoint. This is one of the 26 pieces, about 24"x24". Some were larger than this and all were done using the international signal flag alphabet as the "basis for exploration."

For instance, the quilt above is based on the S flag, and titled, 'Watermark-S-Sierra'. And this one, my favorite, is titled 'Watermark-M-Mike'.

As with any show, there were some stunning pieces and some that were just ho-hum, but I attribute that to personal taste, not design. Fraas and Slade are using using computer digital images in a lot of their work, though from the handout one is to believe they are images they've painted first. They say:

" the designs for several of the unframed quilts in this exhibit were assembled on a computer monitor from original drawings and paintings executed in our studio. Two commercial printers were used, both in North Carolina where the textile industry is both academically and physically active. Three different commercial quilters each with different skills and equipment were used to stitch quilts to our specifications, two from Maine and one from Indiana. In Indiana, we were able to produce the completely digital quilt, the sewing machine was computer controlled, doing exactly as we would. While it proves a point and has advanced our technical horizons- for us, computers and printers are just tools."

Huh??? Comments?

Handwork

Found this piece of fabric at the bottom of a pile of handpainted fabrics, done quite a while ago. I always thought I could do something with it. I also thought I could make it fit with the theme of HOME, our show which will be at the Camden Library in August. So the title is "Home To Spawn", commerating the yearly running of the Alewives as they make their way back to their beginning.

It's hand painted and hand stamped. The fish are a store bought stamp but the wavy lines of blue and greenish are thick cut foam stripes mounted on a piece of foamcore. The tops of the fish backs are machine quilted with metallic green thread and the underbellies are shiny with beads.

We're on vacation in beautiful PRince Edward Island and have another gorgeous weather day in which to play. Today we'll be doing some letterboxing AND geocaching. One of the letterboxes is at the only winery on the island, so I imagine a little blueberry wine will be tasted in the hunt. UMMMM!

Oh, Yeah

Random sighting at the ball game on Father's Day:

In case you can't make out what's in this wonderfully dedicated Dad's pockets, here's a close-up:
I think it's safe to say that's Barbie in the bridal gown and could that be Ken in bridesmaids blue?? Love it!!

What What??

Where have I been? For the first time since I started this blog, I haven't THOUGHT about a post, I haven't even REMEMBERED I had a blog to post to because I've been LIVING summer and LOVING it!!! Gardening, ocean, family. That's where my head and body are. But I'll try to focus once in a while this summer and show some works in progress and quilting content, because I have some of that too.

We've been playing with rocks,

and taking silly pictures.


and going to the Sea Dogs game on Father's Day.


Top bleacher in the hot sun. Lots of water and sunscreen.

and this is my Dad's idea of multitasking...watching the Sea Dogs and listening to the Red Sox.

Beach Bags

I've made a birthday gift for a friend. The pretty purple hat sticking out of the top of the bag was the inspiration for the colors, and since she now has a new beach hat, I thought a bag would be nice too. And I don't think a person can have enough bags, frankly.
I had a few little scraps feft over and some of these beautiful beads that Hannah shared with us so I made another little bag for Loel's little granddaughter who will undoubtedly help her open her gifts, so a surprise tucked under the big one. I used Sarah's easy method for sewing up the sides and having the lining material show.
And the button. Love it!

Shrinky-Dink??

Shrinky-dink!! Isn't that some craft substance from the 70's? And notice how Deborah coordinated the handmade pin heads with the ribbon. Nice touch! And a heartfelt thank you for this simple pleasure-giving gift!

Lucky us!

Morning coffee....doesn't this picture of Deborah say it all? Lazy, take your time getting the day started morning coffee. Friendship. Too long since we were all able to get together.

Seattle

We're on our way home this morning. Early. Our flight leaves at 6:45 for the trip back to the east coast and it's VERY early considering the late nights we've had. Having fun of course. But I wanted to post some pictures of things that made an impression on me. Unfortunately, Mt Rainier was not one of them since we've had mostly cloudy or overcast days.

Dungeness Crab Cocktail for lunch. Wine for lunch. Perfect.

Pike's Place fish market. This is an amazing city. Fresh fish, fresh food, fresh flowers, healthy looking people...could there be a connection???

Check out the price on these beauties... and they lined at least 2 blocks.

Walking back from dinner last night we found this beauty. It's covered with little animals, an art car with wild animals inside and out.

I've Been Tagged

So here are the 7 habits/facts about me:

1. I have to have my morning coffe in the presence of nature. If i can't go outside I have to be in a window with a view. I think it's my form of daily meditation.

2. I would get so upset when my kids would leave cupboard doors and drawers open. My kids have been gone for 10 plus years and the doors and drawers are still staying open...oops.

3. The older I get the more I need organization. Is it the virgo in me or the need to create an environment where it's easier to REMEMBER where i put things?

4. I can spend days working on a piece of fabric art, but please don't ask me to hem a pair of pants.

5. In a large group I tend to gravitate towards the kids, preferably under the age of six. They are so entertaining. Me and Art Linkletter think so anyway. (And you say,"who's that?")

6. I read/listen to more than one book at a time. Right now I have 3 going. I always finish them and I always seem to keep the stories straight, though in other parts of my life multitasking doesn't come as easily as it once did.

7. I am blessed. With good health. With a patient and loving husband. With incredible kids. With a family that gets bigger and better with every new baby.

But not with 7 blogger friends that haven't already been tagged for me to pass this on to. Oh well.

Art Quilts Maine Exhibit

It is a beautiful show in a beautiful space. The Saco Museum is a mixture of the old and new...old , traditional quilts followed by a new space and new artquilts. The first few pictures are interpretations of the log cabin square.


Kate's piece done with scraps of fabric donated by the family of one of our members who passed away a few years ago.

Home is Where the Hearth Is, by Pat Halpern. Wish I had taken a real close up showing the embellishments.

Water, by Annette Houston. the colors were stunning, (because they're blue?!) and the quilting lines were gold thread. Really nice.

Our own Sarah Ann Smith's trees. You may have seen this on her blog at one time or another.


This one is by Julie Weaver and I was so taken with it, I never got the title. I thought she did a fabulous job iof integrating the photo with the fabric.

Ginkos on a Moonlit Pond, by Sue Gehrhardt. The ginko leaves and dragonflies were made using water soluble stabilizer with threadwork on top of sheer fabric.

It's always so interesting to see a group of quilts in one place, to see how the makers themselves have progressed in their work. This show will be up till the end of June, I think, for anyone living or traveling in Maine who wants a treat. Saco Museum and Dyer Library, Main St., Saco.

Coffee and Chocolate

Staples.

First Bouquet of Spring

...nothing more to say.

G Street Fabrics

Yes, for all my quilting friends who understand the quickening of the heartbeat as you get close to a fabric store, you'll certainly understand how I felt as I approached, for the first time, G Street Fabrics. I thought for sure I'd come out with bags and bags, but as it turned out I had two little pieces in hand. I think I'm liking and using my hand painted/ hand dyed fabrics these days, so commercial fabrics are taking a back seat. For now. Anyway, it was nice to finally get to see firsthand this huge landmark outside of Washington.

And since we had a whole day to play before our flight left at 9:30pm, we spent a big part of the day at the National Arboretum. The sun was shining and the azaleas were in bloom, and there was REAL GREEN GRASS that needed to be cut! Lovely place.

Azaleas.

Lilacs.

Dogwood. Oh my.

McManus/Flatvoll Wedding

Spring in Virginia surrounded by family and extended family can only mean one thing...wedding! And to make this one even more special the groom and his family are from Norway. There were a lot of people who came a very long way to participate in this momentous event. And several of them wore traditional dress:

These are called bunads. Your bunad shows what part of Norway you identify yourself with. There are hundreds of different bunads, each district, valley or town has its own, some in several varieties (colours). One of these ladies is in blue and the other is in green. There are many appropriate times to wear a bunad, one being a wedding. Considering it was a very hot day, these women not only handled it with grace, but danced up a storm at the reception.

Love it!

The bride and groom , though, wore traditional american wedding attire and were stunning.

And of course there were cute kids at this wedding. Keilly, Bridget, Seamus and Ella are all sporting their new tattoos:



Two hearts. What a great idea.

This is the beginning of my project proposal for the new Lark book on embellishing with beads, coming out next year (?) My Frayed Edges group was asked to submit ideas and all of us had at least one of them accepted, some 2 or 3! I've started out with hand painted fabrics and in the end will use lots of beautiful fibers and beads to top it off. Actually, it's done and ready to be mailed off, just waiting to share at our next meeting before it goes.

On another note: series. I've never done one. I'm thinking about it. Everyone says you learn a lot from doing a series, but I flunked perserverence in grammar school. I didn't even know what it meant then. I'd like to think I have more staying power in these adult years. And I think I'll choose a subject that's not about blue. Stretch a little out of my comfort zone.

Little Persian Rug

Twenty years ago my mother was creating beautiful hooked rugs. At least that's what I always called them, but I think the correct term is punched needle rugs or sheared punch needle rugs. She sometimes used commercial patterns, but there are several we collaborated on, me being the designer and her making the actual rugs. Traditional quilt patterns lend themselves very well to hooked rugs. Nearly seventeen years ago she was diagnosed with alzheimers, and it will be 2 years this October that she's been gone. Physically. When she was losing some of her motor skills my dad and I were grasping at straws, trying to keep her 'present'. So I contacted one of her old instructors and we put together this Little Persian Rug kit. Needless to say, it was an exercise in frustration for her. She couldn't make her mind tell her hands where to go. The kit has been in the back of my closet for years, and now I'd like to give it to someone who will make this beautiful little rug and send me a picture of it completed. Yours for free. If you're not interested, maybe you know someone who would be. Size: 2'x4'; 100% wool. Please just leave a comment saying you're interested or you can email me.

I've just finished reading The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer. It was given to me by my sister, Maureen, who is in a reading group and this was one of their choices. I was in a group once, but I didn't feel like I was carrying my weight: I'd rather listen to what others had to say, unless of course I felt very strongly about something. At first I felt awful about not contributing, but then I didn't care; after all, it's not about me. And in that frame of mind, this book echoes that feeling for me. It's the fictional story of Henry Stuart, (a real life character), who moves through life trying to "perfect the soul awarded him". A philosopher poet. There are lots of little tidbits to chew on at quiet times during the day, like "the more we think we know the more we think we matter. We become obsessed with our own cleverness...and with a constant desire to prove that we matter." If someone else read this book, I'm sure there'd be a different part that spoke to them. It was hard to hold in mind the fact that this was a work of fiction, and I finished it shaking my head in awe that Sonny Brewer (or anyone) could write something so real? Heavy? Poignant? Deep? I guess it's no different than creating a piece of art and people saying how did you do that?!
Speaking of art, that's my direction for today. That and finding a pair of red shoes to go with a new red skirt for a wedding this weekend. The art part will be easier, believe me.

Wildlife Everywhere

Home from our mini vacation in Florida with lots of new birds to add to my lifelist:


Little Blue Heron
what a gorgeous beak.

Sand Hill Cranes
never even looked both ways before crossing the street and walked right in front of us. Guess this is their neighborhood.

Limpkin
and the roseate spoonbill, Great White Egrets, little ones too.
And then there were some other characters along the Myacca River:

It was a great trip.