Silly Me!

I got a new phone-an iPhone 5. I've been trying to upload all my apps and, for some reason, the Blogspot app didn't show up. "No problem", I thought. "I'll just post from my computer".  I've been busy going to a workshop with Paula Nadelstern and then off to Boston to care for my youngest after major knee surgery. I've taken pictures on my phone but couldn't figure out how to email the pictures to myself. Long story short, I finally found the app and now I can try to catch up!

I had the pleasure to attend The Hudson River Valley Art Workshop with Paula Nadelstern. This was the second time I have attended to take a class with her. She is a great teacher and a wonderful person. The first day we warmed up by making a relatively simple Nadelstar.

My Nadelstar

Class Nadelstars with one kaleidoscope block

Paula shared some of her quilts with us...

Snowflakes

A print of one of my favorite blocks of hers. 

The process is not always pretty!

After 5 long days I finished mine!

I am very pleased with the results!  It's almost 30" across. I think I'll probably add setting triangles, frame it and use it as a wall hanging.

I really enjoyed the process and would love to play for a few more weeks making more blocks but life goes on. More on that later. 

Until then, 

Happy Stitching!  

....While I Was Gone....

So I'll give you the Reader's Digest version:

Left on March 18th for Albany, New York where I met up with my buddy, Ricki, for 2 weeks of creativity!  After I went to the wrong hotel to pick her up (she flew in from Hawaii the day before) we drove down to Greenville, NY to the Hudson River Valley Art Workshop.  We spent 5 glorious days taking classes from Paula Nadelstern!  She is such a lovely woman, phenomenal artist and inspiring teacher!  The first project we did was the Nadelstar.  It gave us the opportunity to grasp the idea of making a kaleidoscope using fabric.

Mine is second row center.

We then went on to make a full kaleidoscope block.  Took me 3 days to get this done!  I did start another and have yet to finish.  Another UFO!!!

My kaleidoscope block.

I didn't take a lot of pictures of the inn, which was charming but here is a picture of the little cottage Ricki and I stayed in.  It has 2 rooms-Ricki and I were in the room on the right.  It was cozy-had a fireplace, big bathroom and just the perfect sized room for the 2 of us.  The food was OUTSTANDING!  I know I gained weight-something I was trying to keep under control while traveling.  Dinners were unbelievable AND there were fresh baked cookies every afternoon at 2:30!

 Over the river and through the woods to our cottage!

After 5 days of fun with Paula, Ricki and I packed up, drove back up to Albany, boarded separate planes and met up in San Francisco for round 2 of quilting and creating at Empty Spools!  We drove down to Pacific Grove and spent the first night in a little inn across the street from Asilomar, where the next class was to be held.  We lucked out in that they had a washer and dryer we could use to wash our clothes!  I was not looking forward to spending quality time in a laundry mat!  After the laundry was done we drove down the coast to the Big Sur area!  HOW GORGEOUS!!!  We had lunch at Kaffe Fassett's family restaurant.  The BEST sandwich I've ever had!

Sandwich + View = Wonderful

We drove back up to check into our rooms and get organized before class began with Ursula Kern at 4pm.

Fireplace in room!

Ursula's class war INCREDIBLE!  I've never had "art" classes, except in grade school and jr. high so I was blown away by Ursula, who was a professor of textile color and design at University of Basel in Switzerland.  It was a creative blur for the first 2 days as I absorbed the information.  I had brought a picture of the Lotus Temple in Delhi as my inspiration piece, not really understanding what we were doing.  I worked on that for the first 3 days until I had my "Color Dream".  It's difficult to explain but it was of a woman I had seen in Pushkar, India.  There was no picture taken of her but I have "seen" her in my head since my return.  I have put those colors on a page using Ursula's "Chop Suey" method and will make it in the near future.

My Board for the Thursday Walk About.  The Lotus Temple work is the upper left side, my first "Get Acquainted with the Process" piece is mid-way down on the right and my Pushkar Dream piece is the center bottom.

One of the views from Asilomar to the ocean.

Ricki and I on the boardwalk.

We went into Carmel after Empty Spools and this was a view down one of the little alleyways.

We then drove up the coast back to San Francisco.  The waves were crashing and it was SO AWESOME!  (Thanks, Ricki)

The adventure came to an end on the 31st as I boarded a plane back to Michigan.  It's been difficult getting back into the groove.  I want to stay in my creative bubble!  I made an overnight trip to Grand Rapids to visit Colleen and deliver her dog, Guapo, to live with her.  She has a great apartment and seems to really enjoy GR.

On a brighter note, I got my Mustang convertible on Monday!  More on that tomorrow!  (I have a sore throat and not feeling so wonderful today)

Happy Stitching!

Mid March!

Gosh, I was really going to try to post more often but I guess I'll just post when I can.  Just as I was thinking I was getting things under control, they're not!  Had a tough time with my SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) the end of last week and I think that a lot of emotions from my mother's death and Joe's surgery.  I was kind of useless for a few days.  I did quilt a little but not a lot.  Colleen and Bryn both headed back to school on Saturday and I spent the next 2 days getting caught up on laundry.

Let the folding begin!

With temperatures in the 60's and now in the 70's (in mid March!) I thought it was time to put the winter decorations away.  I give myself a few days to gather things on the dining room table before I box them up and take them to the attic.  If I did it all at once I would find things and have to traipse back up to the attic.

Winter getting ready to get sent to the attic

Then I had to focus on packing my supplies.  First I packed up my supplies for my Paula Nadelstern class in Albany.  I was going to try to pack all the supplies in my big suitcase and my clothes in the smaller one (priorities) but the big suitcase weighed too much!  I'm so glad I have a luggage scale-great investment ($10).  So I put all the fabrics in the smaller suitcase....

 And will pack my clothes in the room left in my big suitcase.  That is the travel scale sitting in the upper left.  And yes, that is a flattened box on the bottom.

 I am going right from the Paula Nadelstern workshop outside of Albany, New York to Ursula Kern's workshop at Empty Spools Seminar in Pacific Grove, California!  DH will ship my supplies for Ursula's class to Back Porch Quilts in Pacific Grove so they will be waiting for my and I will ship what I no longer need after Paula's class back home.  I have been checking the weather and it's going to be in the 70's for the week in Albany so I'm thinking of packing some shorts and capris in my luggage and some of my long pants in the box to be shipped to Cali then ship my shorts home when I leave Albany!  

And the BEST part of the trip.....I'm meeting up with my Deer Friend, Ricki!  (yes, I meant to spell it with 2 e's)  She's coming in from Hawaii (wait...why is she leaving paradise to go to upstate New York in March?...Oh, yea, Paula Nadelstern AND me!  LOL) and I haven't seen her since Empty Spools last spring!  We just "get"each other and enjoy each other's company.  I'll let you know how we feel after 2 weeks.

I painted the front of my big suitcase so I can spot it right away as it comes down the carousel.  I'm checking both bags so maybe I'll paint something on the smaller bag as well so I can spot it right away.

I did get some piecing done today.  Most of the top is done.  I got the blocks squared up and sashing put on.  I started this about 3 years ago and it was one of those I was going to make as a sample of what you can do with a Cinnamon Bun precut s (1-1/2" strips).  Apparently, I was going for speed and getting it done quickly as opposed to accuracy.  Let's just say, if you ever see this quilt up close, don't look too close!  I still have to put on the borders. 

Tomorrow is workout, bank and finish packing.  DH is out to a fundraiser with a client tomorrow night so I think I'll take my dad out.  Saturday is nails and date night and off on my Quilting Crusade Sunday morning!

Time for bed!

Happy Stitching!