Father's Day

My father as a young man.

After 28 years, I still miss my father. 

YUM!!!!

Divine!!!

Blueberries  have been outstanding this year.  My DH buys at least two pints. and a quart of strawberries. from the farmer's market at the bottom of our street at least twice a week.   We're stocking up while the fruit is primo!

To freeze:  Line an edged pan with waxed or parchment paper, place a single layer of washed and dried berries in pan, freeze for 2-3 hours.  Pour into freezer bag, removing as much air from bag as possible.  We love to eat these frozen - for a sweet but very healthy snack!      

Thrifting Monday

Bernina Feet - my best thrifting find ever!

I sold the walking foot on ebay.

I just learned one of my favorite bloggers, Selena Cate of Apron Thrift Girl posts a recent thrifting find each Monday. Since I just happened to have written about my latest item earlier today, I've decided to adopt/adapt this idea.  Some things shared will be recent finds; others will be from my collections.

                                                     

The lovely frock above was purchased because my DIL wamted it for Halloween.  Turns out, the waist is probably sized for an 8-year old!  Don't you just love it on the Best Buy NASCAR driver?

Recent Thrifting Find

Thrifting Fun for $2.98!

This little Guatamalen bag was found amongst the children's accessories at my favorite thrift store.  It bears the original tag from Ten Thousand Villages - a free trade zone store in Charlotte.  My DIL found an authentic Coach bag for $14.99!  She researched it online on her iphone before buying.  Pretty swift.  My niece, who works for Coach, verified Suzie had found the real thing!

Gardening Rewards

I love perennials.  I love the way they grow larger each year, eventually forming lovely masses of color.  For my DH, it's veggies and herbs.  Here are a few of the things currently blooming/bearing in our gardens.

Raspberry Bee Balm

Black and Blue Salvia

I don't know the name of this rose.  It's very much like the yellow knock-out rose purchased this year.

Soon and very soon!

We've had fresh green beans several times.  Divine!

Blue Ridge Quilt Festival

Gimme Shelter Workshop

Friday, June 18, 10-5

Wacky Nines Workshop

Saturday, June 19

Next week I'll be teaching in Blacksburg VA for the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival.   I'm so excited about being there.  In addition to workshops, there will be a vendors mall, quilt show and other activities.  For more information, click here:  http://www.brqfestival.com/

Today finds me busy with all the big and little details of travel teaching.  My lists include those for workshops, what to wear, food, directions, GPS settings, camera, cell phone, battery charging as well as counting patterns and hand-dyed fabrics.  Hopefully, I shall leave no tern unstoned.

Be Still My Heart!

This awesome old VW bus/truck with fold-down sides (OK - I don't know the proper name for this type of VW) was spotted on I-277 Monday.  My DIL was about to pull along side so my son Matthew could get a better photo.  To see it, go to his facebook page and scroll down to May 7.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/matthew.guerrant

Lacey Blossoms

This lace cap hydrangea grows in the yard of a home for sale on our street.  When we moved here many years ago, the house was occupied by its original owner.  Although it has sold two or three times since then, it will always be "Mrs. Lake's house" to me.

Garden Gate

A charming gate opens to this lovely garden.

Love the purple coneflowers.

My DIL Suzie and I took advantage of an open house yesterday.  The house (for sale on our street) is beautiful, but we were enchanted by the little garden out back.

Constructed of bark-covered posts and fencing, the small garden has two raised beds divided by a path.  A wonderful Boticelli bird bath greets those who enter.

Light on the garden was too harsh for good photos, but I shot these anyway.

NCQSI Best of Show

A tiny portion of Release Your Light

by Leah Day

You must go to the website of Leah Day, a phenomenal young quiltmaker from Shelby NC.  Her piece, "Release Your Light" is spectacular!   It won first place in Studio Art Quilts, large, as well as Best Of Show at the NC Quilt Symposium.  Congratulations, Leah! 

To read about Leah and her creation process, click here:  http://www.daystyledesigns.com/releaseyourlightquilt.htm

NCQSI

Salt Water Taffy

2nd place - NC Quilt Symposium

1st place - Party on Duval Street - Detail Shot
by Kim Frisk

Charlotte is home to the NC Quilt Symposium, going on through Sunday at Johnson and Wales University. The campus is beautiful, just west of uptown.  In addition to classes and lectures, you'll find a beautiful quilt show and a great array of vendors.   http://www.charlottequiltsymposium.org/

My piece "Salt Water Taffy" won 2nd place in its category.  First place went to the stunning "Party on Duval Street" by Kim Frisk.  I'm only sharing a detail shot.  The quilt was started in a Carol Taylor class.  Carol is another whose work I really love.  Congratulations, Kim!

Finished!

I replaced the broken beads on my DIL Suzie's sundress with patchwork. 

I've been working on this project for most of the last four weeks.  Well, I've been thinking about how to work on this project for most of that time.  My quilt work is abstract and usually does not require exact matching.  So this was a challenge!

I tried several things before acknowledging I'd need a curved edge mirror-image template which matched the formerly beaded area.  Once I drew the template, I marked it for paper foundation piecing.  About half of the piecing was done on the foundation.  I used a different method on each quarter-inch cream colored strip. 

Once the patchwork was sewn, I resorted to dressmaking techniques. The inner neckline was sewn with wrong sides together and the seam allowances understitched.  To finish the straps, I used wide bias tape, sewing it to the patchwork and straps which were then understitched and hand stitched to the back side.  This is the same technique one would use in facing the armhole of a  sleeveless blouse.  Seam allowance for the center front of the patchwork were pressed under and then hand stitched in place.

The blue tie-dye like fabric was left over from the kids' wedding quilt.  The chocolate linen was formerly one of Suzie's blouses.  The mottled cream cotton was in my stash.