Back from Asilomar

Just back yesterday from my week in California at Asilomar with Empty Spools and Dale Fleming (of 6 minute circle fame). Due to the flights returning to the Midwest from the coast, I always stay over the last night in San Jose, the come home on Saturday. I didn't get back home until close to 11 PM, and then I had a small crisis to handle with mother before I could turn in.

So, a few notes on the trip, with more promised later. This is another version of Dale's Butterfly quilt that is on her book, but it is in a different colorway. Everything is sewn on the sewing machine - no hand work at all! Isn't it great? (sorry for the angle, but it was on a work board and I just don't have the time to work on it in Photoshop)


This was our classroom. I'll tell you more about Asilomar and the buildings in the next blog post, but for now, you can see my work space. There were 24 of us in the class, and in addition to this working area, there is another smaller room with a fireplace behind where I took this picture where we sat while she discussed color, and techniques.
The grounds are so beautiful! This is what greeted me just outside my door when I went out in the morning to breakfast on the first day. Mule deer are just blending in the scenery everywhere!


This is probably one of my most favorite pictures I've taken while I've been at Asilomar. It was on the way to the beach early one morning. I looked over to my left from the boardwalk, and all I saw was the light fog leaving it's moisture on the grasses on the hill. I tried to get some of the birds (and couldn't) to stay still on top of some of the grasses so their silhouettes could be seen, too. It was so peaceful and beautiful with the day starting fresh. I hope that when you click to enlarge this picture, you can see the moisture, too.

Today was a quick trip to Mother's, and then a check around the yard. Hubby had been busy weeding while I was gone, and also worked on my last year's anniversary present that has been boxed up in the shed until warmer weather came. (Our anniversary is in December) Here's what he wanted me to see:

It's a kinetic sculpture we had seen when we traveled in Santa Fe and Taos NM last year. It's about 42" across, and about 6' or more from the ground. It turns with the slightest of breezes, and when it turns, the two sides turn opposite each other, and it also turns around and around. It's almost mesmerizing to sit and watch it. And watch it I will! I can see it from our eating nook, the hearth room, and my swimming pool area, too.

Next post will be my class projects and learning samples. Happy Spring!

Another little quilt

Just a quick entry today. We've woken to the NOAH weather radio warning us of storms with quarter size hail, so I couldn't get back to sleep. Just a normal morning in KS in the springtime! For Margaret - the Welcome Spring wallhanging is 44" long by about 40" wide.

I haven't been feeling too "maverick" lately with all the finishing up projects I've been working on. Here is the 4th of the 6 charity quilts promised to Caritas Clinics by June. This quilt is 44" X 60" - a nice small lap quilt.


I also have a piece due by May for my annual Kansas Art Quilter's work, "Altered Views". (If you go to the web site, I've three pieces in the Covers Blown exhibit.) I've been toying with an idea with my mother's, my daughter's face, my grand daughter's face and mine all jumbled together. I'm leaving Saturday for Empty Spools seminars for a week with Dale Fleming of "6 minute circles". I'm thinking that some of the techniques I'll learn there will lend themselves quite nicely to my thoughts of "altered views". Empty Spools is at Asilomar State Park near Monterey CA (Pacific Grove). A wonderful retreat for me each year, too. I almost didn't go this year because of my mother's illness, but she insisted that I need to the time. Isn't that sweet of her?