Quilt Season in the Bay Area

These are pictures from last year's Quilting in the Garden. It's a wonderful event that I look forward to all year long. And guess what? It's happening again tomorrow!! I hope the weather holds, because a lot of work goes into hanging all of the quilts up in the old oak trees. The show is two days, but I'm going tomorrow hoping to meet up with my quilting buds, Holly, Pat, Nancy and Debbie. With a little luck I'll also run into Alex Anderson (and if I'm really lucky her parents too), Elizabeth from Late Bloomer and Pam her sidekick (Pamkittymorning). One of my favorite shops is also in Livermore, InBetween Stitches, of course I will stop there. Here is the back of their their tent at QIF last year , Alex signing t-shirts and some quilts hanging.

Other happenings include a local guild quilt show. a stop at another favorite shop "Quilter's Inn" and then Thimble Creek where Joanna from Fig Tree Quilts will be signing her new book.

Next month PIQF is the big happening ! It seems we go for months with no quilt happenings and then... It's THE SEASON! :-) More tomorrow. nite nite

Pumpkin Auditions Are Now Closed

Oh my, what a process this has been. I know, you're wondering what the big deal is, it's only a green pumpkin. I honestly can't tell what takes me to these lengths. Call me the manic quilter I guess. I thought I would show you some of the auditions. They will all now turn into bit players in my stash. This first batch tried hard, but they just didn't make the cut, too brown, too blue, too green? I label these the pumpkin wannabes. Next the next picture is a group of what I have named the Great Contenders. These three greens are from Benartex's William's Inn by Nancy Halverson. Have you seen this line? Queen B's out in Antioch has the whole line. Yummy stuff! It's a huge line and has beautiful prints and colors. Well just when I thought I was going to use that little William's Inn plaid, I ran into This awesome woolie! It is a Maywood Woolie. It's flannel with a woolie look, too cute and it played the part of the pumpkin perfectly!

This will be my contribution to the pumpkin patch. As of right this second there are 3 pumpkins left that are looking to be picked. If you would like to join us please check it out and respond ASAP!!

http://www.pumpkinpatchprimitives.com/Newsletter.html

Another Day, Another Green (yuck, yuck... Green Day!) Well, the 3rd times a charm thing didn't work, that green faded into nowhere land when I put it on my tan background. Tonite I brought home another green, it's in the dryer, we'll see. I have no great expectations, I'm goin with the flow, if it works - AWESOME, if doesn't work - AWESOME, I'm stash building. So now I'm appliquing the haunted house again and ignoring the green situation. I just got this in an email, have heard it yet? It CRACKED me up!!

MY LIVING WILL

Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.

"She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine.

She's such a bitch.....

:-) nite nite

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN! I had never considered myself to be green challenged. At one time green was my favorite color. It kinda got pushed aside because of my love of RED. But I still like green. I have green all around me.

I even have a green bathroom.

I have green glass in the window sill and a green stash in the closet! I realize that it isn't a huge green stash, but keep in mind that my repros and Christmas greens aren't represented. I never thought I could relate to Kermit, but I kinda enjoyed his little song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco Why am I so challenged by green? It's all about the perfect pumpkin. I want Pumpkin #34 to be the perfect pumpkin. I know I worry too much!!! So what I really want to know is... at what point does blue turn green and green turn brown? The right is the first green I bought, is it too blue? the left is the second, too brown? I think the top one is just right, it was the third and you know that saying about the 3rd being the charm, it will make a charming pumpkin! I'm gonna use it and be done with it!!!

Details you ask??

I too was amazed when I saw this particular coffee pot. Silly me I didn't even bother to look up reviews. Still haven't. It may have drawbacks that I haven't found. This is the link to the product at Cuisinart: http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=376&item_id=472&cat_id=3

It is a 12 cup coffee brewer. You fill your cup with the lever. There is a series of baskets that contain it all, I'll try to show you since the link above is useless!!

Picture one is the insides taken out. The larger black receptacle (which has a handle) is what your coffee drips into once it is brewed. The smaller basket is the filter/coffee holder (it also has a handle) and nests inside the larger.

Picture 2 is where it all sets, picture taken from the top of the maker. You pour water in the opening on the right (there is also a replaceable water filter there) The water goes up thru the lid and drips down. The heating element is the round lighter spot. This picture is taken without the coffee receptacle.

Picture #3 is the inside of the coffee receptacle. You see it also has a round metal disk that matches with the one in the machine. That is what keeps it hot. The only down side that I have found so far, is that I have to remember to turn it off. I think I can program it to turn off too, I haven't gotten that far. So how we doin? Any questions?

I'm Rev'd Up and Rarin To Go

I've been hearing about this "Retail Therapy" and saw what it did for Vicky. I decided that I could use a little therapy myself. Yesterday the only thing I accomplished was this beauty.

Wow I love this contraption! No carafe to get busted, no coffee burning, no thermal carafe that doesn't keep your coffee warm enough. All I have to do is put my cup under there and press the lever. It even has a little gauge like the fuel gauge in my car.... It actually has an "E" & "F" LOL!

Gotta love Cuisinart. It was pricey... but I'm worth it!

I was able to stop and get a batik for the turtle quilt. I ended up going brighter. It's in the wash. The coffee's working, I'm buzzed, gotta go... Toodles.... later..... :-)

SNAP OUT OF IT!!!

I'm in some sort of funk! I think it's called overload. I can't decide which way to turn. I even tried climbing back in bed! It started with me making a pot of coffee and forgetting to put the pot on the coffee maker. If you would have told me I'd be cleaning under my sink today, I would have called you a big liar!! Funny thing is, it's all my own doing. I took the trip to Sew Ewe Quilt shop yesterday. The shop is looking good, they've expanded and have more fabric and have a nice little $5 a yard area. I only came home with two pieces of fabric and no GREEN!!! Actually I supervise a gal who is having her first grandchild. I want to make her a grandmother's quilt because her daughter won't let her purchase stuff for the baby unless she approves. Well, Mary loves turtles and mermaids. They make her so happy. It's nice to see Mary happy, Mary's 19 year old son was murdered about 6 years ago and she is still grieving. She breaks my heart. My hopes are that this grandchild will help her move on to a happier life. ANYHOO.... here's the pattern I want to make . Cute huh? The two pieces of fabric I picked up were for this, but now I need one more. Aww gee I gotta go fabric shopping again! Ok the blue will play the role of the white fabric and since this little one will be a girl, I'm hoping to find a nice clear pinky pastely floraly batik to play in the red role. I fell in love with this pretty blue it's Jelly Frost by Andover. It reminds me of sparkling water. Of course the back is going to be this Laurel Burch Mermaid Print. So now this is another project to occupy my poor little overloaded brain. You tell me, should I work on Pincushions? Still have 40 of those. What about Pumpkin blocks? I'm gonna need 36 of those and need to decide which fabrics to use. Maybe I should go looking for fabric or should I sit and applique on my Happy Hauntings? What ever I do, I need to get going, the day is wasting away!! added note: I'd better go buy a coffe pot so I can get something done tomorrow!!