Back on my laptop again. 04-07-21

It has been a struggle, but after much gnashing of teeth and many hours of hither and yon and lots of phone calls, I finally (I hope) have my laptop up and running.  I haven't tried everything, but the e-mail works and I seem to be able to access all the pictures.  I wish I could find someone who works with people who don't understand computers and is available most of the time.  I have had several "computer gurus" over the years, but they all go on to other jobs and don't "consult" anymore.  Now I go to Micro Center in Tustin, as I did this time, or make an appointment with the Geek Squad.  It is all so frustrating.  

Our art quilt group met "in the flesh" in SDiego on March 30th.  The first meeting since last February, although we have been ZOOMING weekly since the summer.  It was so exciting to see our friends and everyone did Show & Tell with work they have accomplished in the past year.  We have shared at our ZOOM meetings, but everything is so much better "in the fabric".  Ellen was the champion with her exacting work and everything bound and labeled.  I took the quilts I have purchased from the SAQA auction and website. I have been working on a 12X12 quilt made from scraps, but it isn't quite ready for posting.  KoKo stayed with Cherie, his lovely keeper, because I couldn't leave him alone for the eight hours I was gone.  

If that wasn't enough excitement I went out to lunch on Friday with my friend Carol.  First time since last February at one of our favorite spots, Fitness Grill in Yorba Linda.  In celebration we had dessert - chocolate "volcano" cake for Carol and limoncello cake for me -MMMMM! We enjoyed it so much we have a date for this Friday at a different place.  We have both had two vaccines, but wear our masks coming and going.  I have seen very few people without masks, guess they are wising up.

On Saturday I picked up my friend Verna so we could visit a quilt shop in Garden Grove, about a 20 minute drive.  We thought it was new, but they told us they have been there for three years!  It is a very tiny shop - five people would be crowded!   A small selection of unusual fabrics and lots of accessories and doodads.  They have two long arms which apparently keep them quite busy.  I did buy a yard of fabric and some tiny brushes to clean a machine.  It is called The Sewing Escape and is on Garden Grove Blvd, just off the 22Fwy.  

Soooo glad to be back and I have a stock of images to share.  Hope you are all well and busy and vaccinated so you can get out and about. 

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Book Group Christmas 12-18-19

Today was our annual Christmas Lunch and we didn't take a picture!  We usually forget because we are so busy talking, eating, exchanging gifts, and just generally having a great time. 

So, here is a somewhat formal image from March 2019 taken at Placentia Library. 

Book Group  March 2019

Teresa, Nancy, Carol, Verna, Ann

Del, Marlita, Kathy, Joann

Book Group Christmas 2010

Marlita,  Carol, Nancy, Verna, Del

Kathy, Teresa

[I did a typo and had the wrong date here, this image is from December 2010 not 2019.  Sorry]

Book Group Spring Tea  Circa 1990s

Teresa, Verna, Carol, Del, Ann, Kathy

Second week at Empty Spools w/Ruth McDowell 04-05-12

This second session of Empty Spools Seminars started on Tuesday instead of the usual Sunday.  So, I, and a bunch of other people, keep getting confused about what day it is.  Day three should be Tuesday, not Thursday.  Anyway, yesterday was the day that Ruth went over the process of drawing a piece-able design, looking at each student's photo or drawing and making suggestions for how the design might be drawn.  Today everyone (except I) settled down to develop their final drawings.  I always do a class list, which takes longer each year and includes a schematic of the room, who is sitting where, and what they are working on.  Somehow, this week it took me almost an entire day.  Of course, I stopped to have an massage by the wonderful Heidi Diouf, who provides massage service to many quilting seminars and retreats in this area - she has gifted hands.  And then I took a long lunch sitting with Verna Wheeler, my Book Group friend from Placentia.  And then ....  well, you get the idea.  I can find a zillion things to do other than what I should be doing!  But I thoroughly enjoy just being here and absorbing the creative energy and the beautiful surroundings.  Beautiful blue sky, but a wicked wind whipping up the whitecaps on Monterey Bay and trying to steal my hat.   I have signed up on Ruth's "HELP" list for first thing in the morning to have her check my completed design for any dangling lines or unsewable intersections.  Once she has her say and I have corrected any errors I will start numbering, ticking and transferring to freezer paper.  I did not bring a machine so will not be sewing.  But I can do some fabric selection from what I have purchased and what I culled from Mary's fabric library.  There is a lot to keep me busy.  And there is always the world's greatest fabric shop......

 

 

 
This was taken from in front of the shop looking at the Bay with whitecaps. 

Dinner out tonight at a restaurant that opened last September and is wildly popular with locals and tourists alike - reservations are necessary.  Il Vecchio serves fabulous fresh, mostly local food in a slightly funky, slightly sophisticated, wonderfully warm and cozy atmosphere.  I had the sea bass in tomato sauce - cooked perfectly - a crisp, fresh salad, and for dessert melt-in-your-mouth cannoli.  I might even have had a glass of wine, but I was driving.  Il Vecchio is just two blocks up from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and subscribes to the Aquarium's sustainable fish program, so I was comfortable eating the sea bass! 

Not keeping up

Several months ago my friend Verna suggested I join her in participating in a Calico House challenge - "Ugly Fabric".   As usual, I thought I would have lots of time to finish the challenge, but, as it turned out, I didn't.  I took the project with me to Washington State and may have finished in time, but my sewing machine refused to cooperate.  I called Calico House to apologize and told them my project would not be completed. 

These are the "ugly" fabrics, which I don't think are ugly!  We could add fabrics, but had to use some all of the original five - a yard of the focus fabric and four coordinated fat quarters.  When I spread the fabrics on my work table there were fabrics nearby and one of them jumped out of the pile and screamed "Use me!"  So, I decided on the design, added the screaming fabric and solid black, cut a paper tree shape and fused the tree to the background.

 

As I have done for years I started quilting the background before doing the fused applique.  But that is when my machine decided to break the top thread.  I tried everything - changed needles, changed threads, cleaned/oiled the machine, kicked the cat and rode my broom around the room.  Nothing worked.  Too much stress - I packed everything away and it stayed in the car until I arrived home.

I'm hoping that I will be able to finish the quilt soon.  My friend Verna turned her quilt in long before the deadline and so did a bunch of other quilters.  You can see the quilts displayed at Calico House in Placentia until the end of September.  

Calico House, 1243 E. Imperial Hwy, Placentia, CA 92870  714-993-3091 www.calicohousequilting.com

 

Visions - the Int'l exhibit in Oceanside 01-25-11

Another trip to Oceanside today with three friends from the Book Group.  Verna and Teresa are quilt makers and Carol is a quilt admirer, so sometime when the exhibit is on we like to go down and talk about quilts and techniques. 

 
The sky was pretty clear as we drove down and the Oceanside Civic Center is as white as always!  This view is looking at the back corner of the museum building. I didn't notice the flag on the left side center, too bad the wind wasn't in a different direction.

 
Right now the Bird of Paradise flowers are everywhere, they are a great addition to the winter landscape.  The camellias are starting to bloom, but I got sidetracked and didn't take a picture.

It was very nice to look at the quilts without the crowd that was there on Saturday, but I missed Charlotte Bird's comments on the quilts.  I wish I had been able to tape them to go over in the peace and quiet of home.  But I know a number of the artists' work and am familiar with many different techniques, so I gave a pretty thorough spiel.   Two ladies, neither of them quilt makers, joined us here and there and seemed to enjoy seeing the exhibit.

Afterward it was a toss-up between Sammy's Wood-Fired Pizza a few miles south on I-5 or Ramos House Cafe in San Juan Capistrano for lunch.  They insisted I make the choice, so we went to Ramos House.  It was delicious, as always.  One of us ordered the sweet potato fries and I almost ripped them off her plate - yummy.  We all enjoyed the meal and the visit and the rustic atmosphere.  Where there was a small parking lot there is now a small park, so it is imperative that one park in the two level garage on the opposite side of the RR tracks.  I forgot and had to make a circuitous trip back to park after dropping the others off at the restaurant.    And then the drive home as the rush hour(s) traffic was starting.  Nice to have three carpool buddies to allow driving in the reserved lane.   Lovely day. Lovely company. Lovely lunch.  Thanks, my friends, it was a treat.

Book Group Xmas meeting 12-15-08

I don't remember when we added dinner to the Book Group December meeting. We haven't done it for 35 years, maybe 25? As with all of our meetings someone volunteers to have the meeting. She also makes the main dish and asks the members to bring different things. The meal is usually okay, but this time it was very, very good. We also exchange small Xmas gifts - always an interesting and eclectic selection.

Our hostess Carol Bednar serving salad. Notice the bottle of wine? There are always two bottles and one never gets opened - we are just not drinkers.

Verna Wheeler and Teresa Malinowski worked together at the CSUF Library - along with Carol, and Kathy Frazee who couldn't be at the meeting last night. Notice that Verna is eating a bowl of soup - she has been on a medical diet and lost over thirty pounds since the first of October. We are all cheering her on.

On the other side of the table were Ann Morgan, Nancy Mastroianni and Marlita Bellot. I guess Nancy was just sleepy because in both the pictures I took she has her eyes closed!

Isn't this a lovely plate? So colorful and so delicious. From top right: green and wax beans, carrots w/parsley and a very light sauce, apricot halves in a cold salad, stuffing, and a fabulous butterflyed turkey breast - cooked to perfection. For dessert we enjoyed a Tiramisu cheesecake. Yum-O!