Sunday, November 14, 2010

Matisse

Just love the use of line and color in the work of Matisse.
Would love to create a quilt in this style using my own drawings.
Will let you know when that happens!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

EVOO Quilt

Ok here is a photo of my latest Quilt .. EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil... When I was watching Rachel Ray I had no idea what she was talking about.  So I came up with this silly idea that shows where the extra virgins are.  Look closely and you will find two virgins in the olive tree. Since this is an extra special tree it produces extra large olives. Enjoy my silliness!!
Can't wait to show you the projects I am working on after the 3 day Hollis Workshop
For now it is top secret.. no peaking until its finished.  We learned how to work with the dyes to create picture quilts... I am currently improving my techniques and combining what I have learned from Hollis with inking & color techniques learned from Lura Schwarz Smith.  So far, so good, it is turning out well but I'm just not quite finished with it yet.  So you can look forward to my next post.
Toodles for Now
Barbara

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Summer's Over

Well summer is over, now begins the rush to finish projects before Christmas.  In the meantime you will find posted a few pictures taken on our various trips this summer.   The pictures are taken not just for family but also as a resource for future quilts.  I am looking forward to taking a class from famous quilter  Hollis Chatelain this month. Check out her web site, www.hollisart.com.  She does a beautiful job of combining her vision in her quilts, I hope to learn how to use some of these photos in my work.
Let me know which pictures you like and which ones should be made into quilts.

Quick trip with David to Fort Bragg, Capillio Lighthouse




























Please Check out the Photo Gallery to find more to make your selection of which photo should be made into a quilt.  The class is on Oct 8 so please let me know which photo you think deserves to be considered to become a quilt!
Thank you for your choices!! I look forward to seeing which one you have chosen!!

Enjoy!!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Wonderful 4th of July Surprise


Yes! We had a very special fourth. We went to Oak Harbor for our vacation to visit our son Charles who is in the Navy.  We arrived on Saturday and met the wonderful girl he has been dating.  On Sunday they announced that they were engaged and - Oh by the way, we are getting married tomorrow! They had planned the wedding so that we could be there on our vacation, and we had no clue!! It was all arranged all we had to do was help her look for a dress. What great fun!  Everything was all set, the whole island helped to celebrate with fireworks galore!! We now have a new daughter in law, Noel.  Just for fun here are some photos from the Wedding!! Enjoy!! 



Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Busy Busy June

     Yes, This month has been a busy one!! Have been working on a mariner's compass quilt. It is going well but it is taking some time. So don't hold your breath who knows how long it is going to be to finish it!!
     Meanwhile I have been spending quite a bit of time away from quilting.  I have been out and about in this beautiful weather taking fun photos. We have as a family been taking some beautiful drives, the one to Butte Meadows where we came across a field with Wild Canadian Geese.  Check out the photo gallery of some of the photos taken.
     Then my son David and I have been taking some short hikes just to take photos.  The other day we started out taking photos of some beautiful ducks on the pond in a local park.  We decided we had time to take a short drive to the coast to take some photos of the waves. Well it was a beautiful drive, just a bit longer than we planned.  So we stayed another day! What fun!! We were able to hike to the Lighthouse, explore Glass Beach, and check out the bluffs in Mendocino.  While standing on the bluffs a whale came right up to the shore and I jumped so high I forgot to take the shot!! Some photographer I am! We did manage to take some photos of the little town but somehow David managed to schedule our time there to avoid when the shops were open! We had a wonderful time even if I did not get any shopping in, except to get what we needed because we didn't plan for more than a day trip!
     We will post more photos in the Photo Gallery of this trip and of previous trips soon.   We have more excursions planned for the summer so it will be a busy summer!  Hope yours will as fun as mine has been!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Big Blue Bird Quilt

  
      The Big Blue Bird with Bells on her Toes and Rings on Her Fingers was made for the Banners of Hope Project (2-1-2010) for permanent display at the Enloe Cancer Center Healing Arts Gallery on Cohasset Road in Chico. Twenty quilts were made by quilters who were effected by cancer in numerous ways, most of the quilters are also members of the Annie Star Quilt Guild.
     I made this quilt not to memorialize all the family members who have died of cancer, but to rejoice in those who have survived! Specifically my niece Cheryl who not only is alive but thrives!  After several surgeries and numerous treatments, after being told she could never have children, she now has three beautiful healthy children, and her cancer has been in remission for several years.
    The main thing that got Cheryl through it, and the thing that gets so many through it is to say, "Lord help me through it." Part of hope is having faith, and part of hope is having love and being loved, and part of hope is being able to laugh.  So I made a silly bird to make people at the cancer center laugh.  She's the bluebird of happiness with bells on her toes and rings on her fingers, bursting through the frame because she is ready for a sunny new day and she is ready to play!  Poor little bluebird doesn't have a name, so you are each invited, children big and small, to name her whatever you like... and to ring her bells and hear her happy sound.











Thursday, May 6, 2010

Mothers Day

It has been longer than I had planned for this next entry.  During this time we have taken a quick trip to see our son in the Navy and reluctantly home again. How do I express the events of the last few weeks.  Mothers Day is this next Sunday and all I can think of is my concern for my sons.  I guess that is what comes with the territory.  Grown sons or not, once a Mom always a Mom.

I can only shuffle through some fabric as my mind is elsewhere.  Quilting has been my release yet I cannot concentrate.  I need to find some mindless stitchery to do, yet I have several projects line up that need attention and am unable focus on them.  Someday soon
I'll get back to work on quilting and the several quilts I plan to share with you.

Today instead of quilting I find spending time with God my only relief from stress.  For now and always, all I can do is lean on Him and Trust that all things work together for those that love the Lord.

Remembering Always that We are In His Hands

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Welcome

Well here we are! I have been wanting to get this done for some time now! I hope you find this interesting and get a feel for what I do. Obviously I quilt! This is my passion and would rather quilt than cook clean or eat!!! However in the process I love photography as well, so you will occasionally find some of my photo work here as well.
Part of the process of quilting involves several stages for me. I begin with an idea and sometimes a rough sketch or photo. Then a more complete drawing or sometimes I just start fiddling with the fabric. Sometime I will go all the way and create a watercolor before starting on the quilt. Yes, my process is a bit messy as I never really know which method I will decide to use until I begin to work. That is the fun of it! Watching the idea come to life and change into whatever it was meant to be. I hope you enjoy the discovery as much as I do!
Please be free to check back now and then to share in my discoveries.