Snowy Mountains 01-19-23

 

The San Bernardino Mountains north of Ontario, CA, where Road to California Quilt Show is being held this week.  Photo by Michalee Sloane.  It has been fairly cold (39F - 65F) so the snow cap will last a while. 

 

I will not go to the show this year.  It is just more than my body can do.  I thought about renting a scooter, but I did that at a large show in Washington state one year when I had a leg problem and, although I saw the quilts, it was rather awkward and not a lot of fun.  Manipulating around all the people and standing up to see the quilts (hung at eye level for standing people) was all very tiring.  Obviously everyone was looking at quilts and not at short people in scooters so there were some almost collisions.  And, after all, I was accustomed to driving a car, not an electric scooter!    I am hoping attendees will post pictures of the quilts online. 

We had a few sprinkles today which didn't appear on the weather sites, but they were not much.  Everything is so saturated, I hope we have a chance to dry out more before it rains again.  We usually have rain into February.  

Tomorrow is physical therapy, the car needs a smog certificate, and I will need to stop at the market for milk.  I lead SUCH an exciting life these days. 

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Friday Facilities 01-24-14

Although I have seen it year after year, I always have a giggle when I see the urinals at the Ontario Convention Center.  I don't know if they started this practice or if Road to CA did.  Most of the men's rooms are converted to women's rooms - see the sign, top center - and each urinal is decorated with a potted plant.  Primroses are nice, but I think a Boston Fern would look more elegant. 

 

 Until I looked at this picture on my laptop I hadn't realized that urinals are hung at different heights - makes sense, but I haven't actually seen that many urinals in my long life.  I guess it is a "guy thing".

 

           Yellow primroses for the shorties.

And shades of red for the medium to tall.  Rather festive.  

 

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A Walk in the Park w/Corky + Road2CA pix 01-29-11

Corky is here at Camp Del this weekend.  It has been a long time since he was here Dec 13th.  Of course, I have seen him at his house in Long Beach and his house in Lake Havasu City, AZ.  But it is special when he is here and it is just the two of us. 

  

We walked at Tri-Cities Park yesterday.  As you can tell by the long shadows it was late in the day - four-thirty or later, I think.  I don't know what this lady and her son were serving, but the ducks came running and flying in from all directions.  I thought I could capture their iridescent green heads and the bright orange feet, but no luck.  Corky has never paid the slightest attention to birds of any kind - he just keeps walking, no matter how close they get to us.  Beneath his notice, perhaps?

The lake is very full and the water laps high on the banks.  The park is surrounded on all sides by houses, but in some views, such as this one, we might be out in the wilderness somewhere.  It can be very lovely.  Except for the cormorants up in their favorite trees, moaning and groaning and flapping around - mating time, maybe?

 

Does he look perplexed?  I am the perplexed one.  He sometimes does what I have named his "vaudeville act".  He stands and stares at me until I look at him, then he starts with whining, a bark or two, moaning, sneezing, coughing, shaking his head, grumbling - still standing there, staring at me.  He had his dinner and went out to do business, had his evening meds, a nice back massage and ear rub, and even an extra baby carrot.  He wants SOMETHING, but I don't ever know what it is.  Finally he gives up, jumps in his bed and goes to sleep.  And he will stay there until he wakes me up at 6am and wants to go out NOW.  Actually, I will take him out to piddle before I go to bed - that usually will hold him until six or even six-thirty.  His parents are early to bed, but I am a night owl and rarely retire before midnight.  I've wondered if he just wants me to go to bed, but can't imagine why he cares.  He doesn't like to sleep in a people bed with people in it, always wants to be in his own bed - which ever one is closest to his person of the moment.  I sometimes wish he could talk so I would know what he is getting at, but he would probably be a terribly bossy guy! 

 Road to California has not yet posted the pictures of the 2011 winners.  There are several Blogs with pictures of quilts the Bloggers liked.  I think the best one, because attribution is given on all but one image, is a three part posting.  Check it out:

     http://occasionalpiece.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/road-to-california-2011-part-i/

http://occasionalpiece.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/road-to-california-2011-part-ii/

http://occasionalpiece.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/road-to-california-2011-part-iii/

Quilt Show Winners 11-04-10

Two sets of winners from two large, well attended quilt shows.

Road to California doesn't take place until January, but the winners have already been posted.

This quilt was also at PIQF and one of my favorites.

"Crazy Sheep" Winner of $150.00 for 1st Place: Innovative, Wall, Other

Sponsored by Material Possessions Studios

Entered by Debora Konchinsky (Breinigsville, PA United States) 53" x 49" Made by Debora Konchinsky

Quilted by Debora Konchinsky Started in 2008, Finished in 2009 Design basis: Original

Artist statement: I designed Woolly Sheep in cottons in 1998 for my company, Critter Pattern Works.

The concept for this version of the pattern came together when I combined suiting weight wool, sheep's wool, felting and hand embroidery. Check out all the winners at: http://www.road2ca.com/2010winners/road/winners.html

Also online are the winners from Quilt Festival - 2010 taking place now in Houston: http://www.quilts.org/winners.html
Since I am a pledged fan of Jenny Bowker I am amazed that her wonderful quilt was only awarded Honorable Mention.

Honorable Mention in the category Art-People, Portraits, and Figures

"Sandstorm Over the White Desert" by JENNY BOWKER of GARRAN, ACT, AUSTRALIA

Class with Jenny Bowker 01-19-08

As you can see I am, as usual, not getting very far, very fast. I am terrible in workshops as I find it hard to work with fascinating creations going on around me, plus I always seem to find reasons not to be in the classroom! I didn't take a design board because I thought we could stick pins in the walls, but they are too hard. I needed to get the squares up where I could move them around for a good color/value arrangement. So, at the beginning of lunch break I went downstairs to the vendors to find some batting, thinking I could be back in less than half an hour to attend Jenny's lecture on Egyptian textiles. WELL, was I ever wrong! There was almost no room to move with all the people, requiring some wiggling and sidestepping and butt bumping, but I finally located Hobbs booth and bought a 60" square of unbleached cotton batting. Then I had to retrace my steps back to the lecture room - this little jaunt took me 50minutes! So, I missed the first 20minutes of the lecture, but I'm glad I didn't miss the end because Jenny held up some gorgeous tent maker's hand appliqued ..I don't know what to call them... wall hangings, I guess. I will post one soon because, of course, I couldn't resist adding one to the TCQC. Later in the afternoon while I was chasing around the Convention Center looking for a Xerox machine I ran into so many people that I know, some that I haven't seen for years, that I spent way too much time getting hugs and updates. And that is why the above picture is all I have to show for two days work. This is the beginning of a triptych, but I'm not sure it is the direction Jenny intends her students to go. Guess I will find out tomorrow, eh? This evening I am in Long Beach with the Poodle Prince whilst his parents go to a symphony, but I'll be home in time to get some sleep before 6am rolls around again.

Road to California 01-18-08

Today I attended the first day of a three day class with Jenny Bowker at Road to California. http://www.jennybowker.com/ The class starts at 8:30am each morning, which means I have to leave the house sometime between 7:15 and 7:30am! Practically the middle of the night to this night owl. I can't post pictures of the class or the show w/o permission; besides, I never quite got around to picture taking today. I met Franki Kohler and her sister Christy Cutting for a lovely dinner at the Marriott before I drove home and now it is 10:15pm Pacific Time and I am too tired to think of any other pictures I might post! I'll try to do better tomorrow.