Life's Crazy Pieces

I've had fun this weekend sewing and completing this most recent quilted wall hanging. This type of quilt is called a crazy patchwork quilt in traditional terms. Since I do not do traditional quilts, but wanted to try my hand at patchwork, I am calling this "Life's Crazy Pieces".

Today she (all my quilts have been female) got her completed top stitching done; her binding hand sewn as well as a sleeve for hanging purposes also hand sewn to the back. Then I added some tiny beads for some extra pizazz. (The colors in real life are much brighter than shown here.) Double clicking on photos, especially the last three show you more detail.

This is the back with sleeve at top.
And here you can see some of the beading, top stitching...

and more top stitching. Any one think I should try to get this one into the juried show?

Bathing Beauties, Fabric Finds, and Owl on Garage Sale Saturday

Garage Sale Saturday, this habit (addiction?) I keep promising to break keeps turning out wonderful finds (to me) so... how about these 1920 bathing beauties? One of them could be my mother! (50 cents each) And then there was the big rummage sale in Leisure Town, the senior citizen neighborhood of our fair city. I found these soft cotton handkerchiefs or are they napkins 6 for 50 cents. I thought they'd make something lovely as back ground or cut up as flower parts.
And then the biggest find of all... this box full of fabric sample books for FREE! I started pouring through them, and then I asked if I could just take the whole box. Sure! Yippie! They have to be great for many things.
We of course stopped by to see if we could see any burrowing owls and this lone fellow or gal was out to greet us. My new camera did well on distance/zooming in and Picasa helped me crop it even closer. They mowed out there recently so we aren't sure where all the other owls went. Hopefully they will return or are just hanging out under ground for now. This one couldn't or wouldn't say.Happy Saturday to all.

Cousin Judy came to visit again!

My dear cousin Judy came to visit me today. She brought me this huge bouquet of Camellia's from her garden. The next time I visit her I will take photos in her garden as it is so lush and full of beautiful plants and flowers of all sorts that grow profusely and in great abundance.We spent time at my home, with Judy looking at all my art creations. Judy is like me in that she is very emotional and she gushes over things she likes. Lucky for me I heard lots of gushing, ohhing and ahhing over all she was seeing: (newest crazy quilt piece, Rose quilt, older green rail quilt, and so on.)

Then we went to get a bite to eat out. And after lunch we went to the art gallery so Judy could see my works that are hanging there. (It's the camera that is crooked here not the hanging)
Judy let me know that she was impressed with my work. I felt so honored that she wanted to go there and see it.

The black and white abstract "Ashley" piece is here in the little hallway.

And I was feeling pretty proud too revisiting my two pieces hanging here in the gallery alongside of so many other really nice art pieces.

Thanks Judy for coming down and taking the time to do this and be with me.

Thursdays' Flower Walk

Human Being said she'd like to go on one of my flower noontime walks with me, so she flew over in her "other form" as Crow! And she and I had a delightful walk today...some 3000 steps in all over 30 minutes of awesome flower finds. Come along if you like and see for yourselves.

You'll remember these elephant leg trees I am sure...

But now so many new plants and flowers are in bloom...

This mansion on the corner was recently sold to new owners.

I just can't help wondering what they do with all those rooms.

Lots of art studio space maybe?

Isn't she pretty? She resides in a different garden further up the street.

Tulips on the ground and in trees...

Today this one took my breath away!

There were several bushes just full of these.

The last an iris also on a huge bush just loaded with them.

They are like ladies dancing to my eye.

Wednesdays' Walk: Found Flowers

Today I took my new Fuji S700 camera out on my noontime walk. We found lots of beautiful flowers blooming along the way. The camera did a good job on close ups too.If you like your flowers big double click on the photo!

This one was fallen on the ground, still pretty though.

No idea what this is called, but oh so interesting.

I love Iceland poppies!

Welcome to the California Poppy!

And these just took my breath away!
I hope you enjoyed my walk with me. ;-)

Spring in California

All in a days work or play depending on how you look at it. Colors not as they are in real life exactly but the burst of color is here for you to see. This is stage one. Pieced together. There will be a binding I think in deep purple. And then top stitched yet to be determined. Embellishments? I think so, yes. Wait and see. It was fun and took most of the day.

Another Wonderful Spring Day in San Francisco

Yesterday we walked the lagoon at Crissey Fields in San Francisco. Yes, it's where we spent last Saturday too, but a week later we took the more watery scenic route. I am holding up my new pedometer to show you we walked 14,000 steps!

Dh is heading out toward the Golden Gate bridge.

This lagoon is lovely, peaceful, beautiful.

We stopped at a little aquarium and saw this starfish in a tank. The purple lupine were in abundance as were many other beautiful wild flowers.

Lots of rock artists abounded as well.

Lovely trees and rocks...

This was another little museum where we stopped to see some wonderful photographic art and art by children.







What a wonderful idea this is. These artists decided to photograph the alphabet as found in nature. I saw it as a wonderful challenge and did find some letters in drift wood and leaves on our walk.

This delightful bench holds a well done painting of jars of things.

The CA Thayer is the black ship in front. It is being restored on Hyde Street Pier. DH got to go aboard on a special guided tour of two. He was in ship heaven.

It was a beautiful sunny, warm spring day. And we had a wonderful time. I feel so blessed to be so close to this great city that people travel from all over the world to visit. I heard many different languages being spoken around us yesterday!

Art sculpture we saw upon entering the city.

Me with my new glasses and new camera!

Happy Spring to one and all!