Wow, Feburary is gone!

I've been meaning to get my pictures posted from Whiskey Flats Days at Kernville. It's amazing how quickly the days go by even when you're not really doing anything. This weekend is my guild's Quilt Show and I've been doing a few things for it, but somehow if I don't just really concentrate on something I don't get much done. The main thing I've accomplished this week is more work on my hexi quilt. It is a pretty big undertaking so I'm not gonna feel bad about the dust in the corner - not right now anyway.

Well, Ray's back is out today and I need to finish up a few last minute touches on the door prize baskets for the quilt show, so it seems like a good stay at home day. Plus, now I have to do the cooking - hehe.

But before I get to those baskets (see I'm getting side tracked) I wanted to post a couple of pic of the owl's nest - amazing!

Check out this cliff next to the road.



 Look closer at the crack.

 See the nest

 See the owls

This was so cool but the wind was blowing so hard that it was hard to hold the camera still. Cathy went back the next day, when the wind wasn't blowing and got a much better picture.

Isn't it great?

After these, the pictures of a small town parade aren't much so I'll spare you. Happy leap day!

San Diego, etc

A few days ago we decided to take an overnight trip to San Diego with our friends Kathy  & Jerry. On the way the guys had to check out this 'road kill' at the rest stop. Ray has been looking for a Jeep to replace Wiley Jeep at the lake, but they decided this one needed too much work.

We stopped to have a look at the campground at Carlsbad.

Beautiful isn't it? The weather was great.

The campsite is pretty big; the fifth-wheel will fit nicely.

Check out the oceanview.

We found a fun place to have lunch, Swami's, with lots of healthy stuff.

We found a room in the Point Loma area, settled in, then headed for dinner - Mexican food. It was a belated birthday celebration for Jerry. I didn't take any pictures until after dinner when we went for a walk on Shelter Island.

It was chilly, but beautiful.

The next day we drove to Julian and wandered through the town. It's an old gold mining town that is now a tourist spot. And of course our lunch had to include apple pie - yum!

Peaks like this almost always have a name - this one is Stonewall Peak. Notice the dead trees. There was a big bad fire here about five years ago and you can still see the damage.

We made it to Temecula right before 5:00 and most of the stores were closing so our shopping was curttailed. By then the traffic was in full swing so we found a place to hang out  and have dinner.

It was a fun two days and we decided that we need to go back to Temecula again when the shops are open and we can wander the town.

ETC.

Here's and update on some of the sewing I've been doing.

This first one is  a quilt top from my Tuesday quilt class and is designed by Lyn Brown. The pattern can be found here: 

http://lynbrown.com/category/logs-log-cabin-quilt-pattern/ 

It's called 'Logs' because it's made with lots of different log cabin blocks. I did mine with scraps from my stash (ala Bonnie Hunter). I think it turned out great. It's at the quilters now so I'll show more pictures when it's quilted and bound.

This one was made from a pack of Chrome, Cheddar & Purple 5" squares I bought at the Road to California Quilt Show. I found this purple on black fabric for the border. I think it works.

Next week my friendship group, Patchwork Pals, will be having a quilt retreat at the lake. I hope to get more finished, especially the Sister's Choice I started in Bonnie's class last month and a few things I want to sell at my guild's Quilt Show boutique.

Road to California

Yesterday I had a chance to go to 'Road' with my friend Rose. I didn't do too much damage.
I bought:
- 2 sets (16) of fat-eighths of Batik; one light and one dark. I bought some of these last year and just wanted to get the deal again.
- 2 sets of (25) fat-eights; one of solids and the other of Kaffe Fassett prints. It seemed like a good way to get several of his prints without spending too much money.
- 1 set of (60) 5" squares of vintage chrome, cheddar & purple prints. I'm gonna make a hourglass quilt with these.
- 1 pattern, Faded Glory, see it here: http://www.thevintagespool.com/store/products/details/?product=146


Here's a few of the pictures I took of quilts in the show.

I really like this one. It's called 'American Woman'.

Isn't it cool?

This one reminds me of when Ray & I were in Monterey.

Probably cuz it's the Big Sur Coast. 

Very dramatic.

I love the work in this, but would never get one done. 

Here's a huge hexagon quilt. Wow! 

A red 'Jane' quilt. 

Like this one with all the birds. 

Impressive 

This one is called 'A View From Above'.

Looks like she used lots of scraps. 

The vendor's mall had so many things. After buying several Molas in Columbia & Costa Rica these shoes caught my eye. Fun, but I didn't even ask the price - I knew it would be too much!

We had fun checking out the quilts and vendors. It was fun to see someone we know on almost every isle.

Today I stayed home and sewed. It looks like rain is coming for the weekend so I may get more sewing in before the sun comes back.

More fun With Bonnie and the Caravan Quilters

M & L - yeah baby! We went there Monday.

I love love love taking quilters (and others) to M & L for the first time. The look on their face the comments. This was Bonnie's first time, plus the Caravan quilters that are visiting from around the world and this country too.
We didn't do too much damage and I found a fabric that I want to use for Bonnie's Cheddar Bowtie Challenge.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2011/07/sisters-sisters-2011-leaderender.html

Yeah, I know she issued the challenge in in July, but I finally found a fabric I want to use (I didn't want to use the Kona solid) and I am finally getting into Leaders & Enders. I'm gonna do it as a Leader & Ender project to see how long it takes me to make enough for a good sized throw quilt.
Here's the first bowtie - isn't it cute? I love this fabric. I even got the green version of it.

After shopping we went to Knott's Berry Farm's Chicken Resturant for a lunch of Chicken Pot Pie (aka Chicken Pot Belly).

Yesterday the workshop was fun. We had lots of non-members who are just fans of Bonnie. If you want to see some of our work check out her blog here:

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/01/sisters-choice-in-la-habra.html

Today Ray & I took Bonnie to John Wayne Airport for her trip home. Afterward we went to Upper Newport Bay for a walk. We've been there before, a few months ago. It's a very nice place to hike around and there is lots of wildlife, mostly birds.

Then we headed to Huntington Beach and walked to the end of the pier for lunch at Ruby's Diner. It was clear and a bit chilly, but not too bad.

Here's a shot of the pier. 

Quite a few surfers were out today. Ray & I have both surfed in wetsuits (in our younger years) but thought the water looked too cold to go out in today. Brrr!

 Check out this pigeon getting a drink from this drippy faucet. Cute.

It was a fun week. I had a great time with Bonnie. We mostly just hung out when she wasn't doing her quilt work. (Ray was at the lake most of the days.) It was good because she had been going strong all week and she had a chance to rest a bit.

Workshop Yesterday, Lecture Tonight & Workshop Tomorrow

Having a great time hosting Bonnie Hunter while in the area doing the lecture and workshop for my guild. We've been having a great time and have been visiting lots too.

Today I'm taking her to M & L Fabrics - I love to take people there for their first time. It's fun to see their reaction to the flat fold stacks.

We are meeting the Caravan Quilters there (more first timers), they're the group who put on yesterday's workshop. What a fun group! They're from all over the world - Belgium, Germany, Australia, plus many from the other side of this country.

It's so much fun meeting quilters; they're the best!

Bonnie Hunter is in the House

Bonnie is here to do her Trunk Show and Workshop for my guild. I picked her up in Laguna Hill yesterday and then headed for PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) so we could watch the sunset. We found a place to park so we could go for a walk. A nice guy took this picture for us.

We noticed people down below and had to get there so we could walk on the beach.

Here's the path.

Cute little birds.

Standing on one leg. I wonder why - Hey Mike, why?

Here's the sunset we were looking for. Isn't it beautiful?

Today she's giving a private workshop and since I'm her driver I'm going too.

(Yay! another UFO)



Happy New Year!

Yes, I know the new year has been here a while, but not too much has been happening. After being sick for Christmas and having to postphone it, then Oscar got sick and we had to postphone it again we finally just went out to dinner a few days ago. So having finally had Christmas dinner I can now move on to the new year.

We were at the lake for New Years Day and it was so beautiful. Here's a picture of the clouds over the mountain from our deck. Cathy's interest in clouds is contagious and now I'm one of those she has looking up. You've gotta admit having the clouds in this photo make it so much more interesting.

Dad and Daisy came for lunch and then we moved outside.

Like everyone is saying across the country, "Can you believe this January weather?"

I also worked on a quilt while we were there. A UFO (unfinished object) that has been in a box for years. These were leftover blocks from some quilts the girls and I made when they were in high school (or maybe younger). I pulled them out and was gonna just get rid of them, but Ray saw them and asked me to finish it up for his friend who moved to Alaska. It's not my favorite jean quilt, but it's out of the sewing room.

So here it is, my first UFO finish of 2012!

Then with Mike & Cathy we tried, again, to go see the Trail of 100 Giants. The last time we were up there the road was closed. When we got there the road was closed again. We decided to go around the signs and get up there anyway. Well, we didn't go far until there was so much snow across the road that we couldn't continue. Next time we'll believe the signs. We took a different road and found this - The Needles in the Sequoia National Forest. A few months back a lookout hut that was built on the one on the left burned down.

You can see more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Needles_(Sequoia_National_Forest)

Before leaving I had to take a picture of the dam. It's still a big lake, but  the water is really low right now. We had wonderful weather, but if winter doesn't come it will be a very dry summer and that's not good.



It's been a great year so far and if resolutions were to be made they would be for 2012 to include lots of nature, family and friends.

Happy New Year everyone and I hope your year is also filled with nature, family & friends! And when you get a chance - look up!