NC

Blooming.......

I have so many buds on cactus plants and finally they are starting to bloom.  This is all one flower.  It is the most elongated and large bloom that my plants produce.  I spotted a dark rose bloom last night on another one.
I know several of you watched the "Restoration Wild" program on Animal Planet network Friday night because you emailed me.  It features my daughter's family property in NC and I'm in the end of the show where all of the friends and family show up for the reveal.  It is still available on Comcast ON DEMAND until 11/9.  The producer did a great job editing all of the video.  My grandson did all of the aerial shots of the waterfall property and my son made the sign that is on the building.  My daughter's beautiful mosaic hangs inside the building.  It was all very exciting and I'm glad I was there for the reveal.  Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the waterfall as well as the building.

Lots done.........

I sat in a waiting room for an hour and a half yesterday morning while I had tires rotated and brakes repaired on my van.  I took this project along and finished the hand sewing on the binding.




In the afternoon I worked on the sashing and got this far on the quilt.  The top left and bottom right corners are sewn and one long row that hasn't been attached to the top left corner yet.  There are 2 rows left to do.  Click to enlarge the photo to see the sashing better.  This is my first audition for the border and already I like it and don't know if I should look any farther.  I have enough of it to cut it lengthwise too.  For a comparison of my quilt and the one in the book, go here to see the book. 
Back in June I told you about my trip to my daughter's waterfall property and the taping of the reveal party for a TV show.  Well, it is finally going to be aired on Friday  November 6 on Animal Planet.  The show is called "Restoration Wild".  It will be on 2 times that night, 8:01 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. Central Standard Time and 3 a.m. CST on November 7.  I was at the reveal party so maybe I'll be in it.......we don't know what they included.

Press Release.....Ciel Gallery......

Tonight is the first Friday Crawl in Charlotte, NC at the Ciel Gallery where I had my show in June.  A few of my pieces are still hanging including 2 of the batik colorwashes.  Their display this month sounds like fun with the students showing off their pieces.  The Ciel partners also are showing their new works.  Here is the press release:


Opening Reception Friday, August 3

6:00 - 9:00 PM

128 E. Park Avenue

Come see what we've been up to at Ciel!

Students and Instructors Show Off

to give you a taste of what we offer in classes and Visiting Artist Workshops,

as well as new work from Ciel Partners.

Another SOLD!

Another small piece sold at my show at Ciel Gallery in Charlotte NC.  The show will end at 5 p.m. Saturday June 30 so you still have time to see it if you are in the area.  Yesterday a blog reader and her husband from AL visited and also a NC resident who traveled 3 1/2 hours to see the show was there.  My daughter was in her studio and got to meet them.  Thanks to both of you!!  I wish I could have been there and met you too.


I decided to make another piece similar to this one.  So far I have just pressed all of the raw edge strip onto a piece of fusible batting.  I have no idea what is happening to it next.  I'll let it tell me.
Warning to greedy squirrels:  Don't go head first into the bird feeder without an escape plan!!  I was eating my lunch and glanced out at this feeder and noticed the tail wasn't moving.  I went out to investigate and he's dead in there.  I thought I could shake him out but he's stuck.  It really makes me angry that he waited until I hung a new feeder to replace the one that was worn out.  The squirrels have been doing this dive into the feeders for years and this is the first one that didn't make it out.  They are just too handy for their own good.  They know how to pop the tops off of 2 of my 3 bird feeders in about 2 seconds.  I won't be replacing this feeder.

Another student link..........

Here is a link to another student's blog post about my class in NC.  Check out her work on her blog.  She makes some great stuff!

I forgot to show this sample to my Thursday class in NC. I always have them piled in order and somehow missed this one.  It is an example of leaning toward the next colors in the color wheel.  This one is blue with turquoise and periwinkle added.  Here is a better shot of it.
We should have hung this little quilt higher for all of the attention it got.  Here is the post with the step by step of how I made it.  The show is hanging at Ciel Gallery until June 30th if you are in the area of Charlotte NC and want to see it in person.

I made a purchase............

While I was visiting Ciel Gallery where my show is hanging, I made a purchase.  A museum charges admission.  A gallery lets you browse for free and depends on purchases to keep their doors open.
I was impressed with the nice jewelry pouch holding my purchase.  It will be handy when I travel next time.
I love necklaces and especially hand made ones with lots of different elements.
There are 5 partners in Ciel Gallery with a variety of products available.  Some of them do commission work also.  If you have enjoyed a visit to a gallery lately, tell your friends about it.  If you know of an office that is being redecorated or a friend needing fresh new art for their walls, check out Ciel Gallery in Charlotte, NC and all of the neighboring galleries.  Of course the featured artists would like sales too, to cover the costs of shipping, hanging, and insurance to produce their month long shows.  Here is a link to the current show (mine).  You can check out my posts about the gallery if you go to my label list (right sidebar) and click on NC.  The photos on the website and my blog were taken different times of the day so you can see them in all different kinds of lighting, some natural daylight, some artificial lighting.

Also while there check out my daughter's studio space.  It is a dream studio and you can see her works in progress as well as items she sells.


I'm home.......

I left my daughter's house at 9:30 a.m. yesterday and got home at 2 p.m.  That would be 3 p.m. her time so a 2 hour flight takes 5.5 hours from door to door.  I was too exhausted to do more than grocery shop and fill the bird feeders.  I'm just posting 2 more photos from my show because I want to remind everyone that the show continues until June 30.  This shot shows the sales counter with the display behind it.
I accidentally pressed the  button on my camera as I was lowering it and got a tilted photo that is amazingly in focus.  It was taken the day we were setting up and still has a ladder in the photo.  This shows the neat ceiling that was covered with a drop ceiling when they took possession of the building.
Hopefully I will have some energy today and get back to my studio.

Shopping, eating....

Yesterday I decided to go to one quilt shop in NC since we had a little more free time.  I really don't need any more fabric so I wasn't going to buy any but since we had nothing else to do........
Since I love burgers and my daughter had found this new place, we ended up eating here 3 times in 10 days.  I went to the Internet and found that there is one about 25 miles from me in IL so I may have to try it out and see if it compares with this one.  Reflecting in the window is Chico's where I also went shopping twice.  I have to drive about 30 miles from home to get to one so this was a treat to have one so convenient.  I'm flying home today.  It is hot in IL, hotter than any weather we had while I was here in NC. It wasn't even humid while I was here, just beautiful weather.