El Salvador

I received these lovely ear rings in the mail a few days ago.

They were purchased in El Salvador from a street vendor. Thank you Michael.

I look forward to seeing the many pictures from El Salvadore, where Michael and a group of like minded students worked on a project through "Habitat for Humanity".

I like how  amazingly light these earings are, there are lots of pieces ( and the closure is great) and of course my family knows my tendency to blue. Thus far I prefer to wear one ring, and leave on ear free for the phone and in case some one wants to whisper sweet somethings in my ear, or nuzzle my ear lobe there is an ear available.

I  wonder about younger ladies that have many ear piercing, yielding much metal in their ear lobes and outer ears
I wonder...where can a young man safely nuzzle the ear, without potential damage to the enamel on his teeth?  Give the guy
a break... don't make it the enamel on  his teeth.
These earrings are also 'warm weather earrings', when one doesn't wear lots of clothing to keep shoulders and neck warm....unless of course you have a long neck as these have a long dangle to them.
Thanks again, Michael hugs to you.
gudrun

Mystery Quilts

The only thing left to do is binding, on this Guild Mystery quilt.
I am looking for instructions I have for continuous bias binding. I have a stripped fabric
planned for the binding. Batik piece for the back, discovered in stash about 10 minutes before a planned
shopping trip to the LQS  (local quilt store....only 15 minutes drive away).
It's a piece I've had for a long time, since the LQS store,  a 5 minute walk, closed.  I am guessing 3 years ago. I suppose 3 years isn't a long time for a piece fabric to languish in the closet....depends how long one has been mad for fabric....and the ability to be mad for it. 

This quilt is bright, but a sense of calm, & water, sunshine, ice. It's "Ice on the Bay".
Quilting on the long arm was super simple, making it very fast,  water and ice meanders  :)

 On another note, I sure like the zipper system...take the quilt off the frame lay it out, mark spots that require more attention zip it back on...tidy up and done.  Like that done part. I treated myself to a wool Batt. It sure has a nice wrinkle release. I am planning on washing and blocking this one. The batik was washed but the top fabrics were not, don't care for the feel of the whole.

Red for Passion

  

Is this not a lovely quilt? Does it make you think a moment or two of passion could be shared underneath? Wink wink. Bring on the Champagne, and put a 'do not disturb' sign on the door.

Lynn the piecer,  informed me that the quilt shop owner thought the dahlia fabric ugly.  In the eyes of this beholder I think Lynne did a great job using 'ugly' fabric.
This quilt is a large one, has a wool batt and a lot of quilting, including the dreaded SID. The one border is 14 inches. It seemed to take forever to quilt, always the way when there is a schedule. I am well pleased with the end result. 

Here's a picture of the back. No! it's not puckered or creased, it is fresh off the frame, it is being picked up asap. 

 I need to learn more about photographing quilts, and acquire some sort of hanging system for them.

Thanks for looking,

gudrun

Spring is coming.  The morning light levels in the studio are really pretty the past couple of sunny days.  It's just plain marvelous to see sun in the morning....at a time when I can appreciate it.  I am all for daylight savings.

It's still cold in the Attic, those tulips have hung in since I had my Quilting friends over for lunch, on Feb.26th.  The tulips downstairs were toast long ago.

I tried to take a picture of the Mystery Quilt I finished piecing, it was too windy to hang to photograph and the wonderful sunshine made for a pretty picture, but the quilt isn't easy to see.  I am calling the Quilt "There's Still Ice on the Bay".  Yesterday as I was driving by the Lake, I noticed how turquoise the water was, and the  rotten  'bluewhite' ice still hanging on. 

I have added borders since, and will take a better picture. The questions now are how to quilt it, and what to back it with? Muslin? Snowflakes?

On another note I want to thank Susan L. for the Kreativ Blogger award.  I have posted it and am working on filling out the requirements.  

Wishing you all some sunshine in your Monday.

gudrun

Looking for Fabric

I am wanting (I don't need) more of this fabric. I'd like it in this colourway but would be pleased to find it in any colour combinations.  I have this on the back of the first quilt made for DH, on the longarm in 04.  I am very fond of this print, have no more anywhere, so no selvedges to see who makes it.  If anyone recognizes this or better yet, has some to dispose of I would be so happy :0   I will try posting this to other search places if I can get more information about it.

gudrun

Finished is finished

                                                   

 My  version of a quilt to re-use jeans materials,  also with previously used flannel & several smallish pieces of batting.  Heavy? a little, I also mucked about with two threads in the needle. I wanted a thicker red thread.  I use a  cone of a pink cotton with various reds,  ends of spools. 

I am feeling good 1. to have finished it, 2.  to have used up  a bit of stuff that's been hangin about the studio for what feels like much too long.  and 3. one RTO off of my 'list'.

This weekend I hope to bring my Guild mystery quilt, up to date.  My intent was to try and finish mine (quilted and all) before I quilted any from clients.  Ha!  good intentions are funny things. And I Know I will bypass making mystery quilts, in the future. Not my cuppa.

And I am off for a cuppa hot  lemon 'cold medicine' and a small pity party for one...colds aren't fun.

gudrun

Hints of Spring

 

A friend brought me a huge bouquet of tulips. I divide them up into several bouquets. Now I have a hints of spring in the house.  The sunshine was making wonderful sunbeams on the walls and I had to take this picture with all the tulips. There are a few hints  of spring outside too.  Yesterday I saw a cardinal, I welcomed them back.  The past two years we have had 2 pairs of nesting cardinals.  I am totally enchanted watching the male feed the female choice bits. (Note to self get fresh bird feed) This morning I heard birds chirping. And it is the first day of March...in like a tiger at -29ºc  brrr.  Good day for indoors.