Early Collage

This was in with the pictures that my brother sent me earlier. It is another of those "unknown but fun" pictures and I have absolutely no idea of who made this or where it came from. This morning I was going through some of the pictures and I really looked this over well. It is way cool. Dated April 13, 1921, someone put together a collage for her birthday. She was very creative! No photoshop back in those days but she cut and pasted the old fashioned way. This could be a forerunner of art journals. It seems like her name must be "Beany" and that it was her 34th birthday--judging from the baby carriage in the middle where it is noted "lst of 34." Hope you enjoy looking this over. Don't forget to (Click to enlarge)

A Cool Blog on Machine Quilting

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

I did a post on Pass the Tiara for this blog by a young lady named Leah Day. She is featuring a different filler stitch (machine quilting) for each day for a year - kind of like "Julie and Julia". I have had a chance to look into it deeper and think it is really good. She does a little video for each stitch. Her voice is very pleasant, the videos are short, and I feel you will like it. If you do and you are in Q2 (our quilt guild) why don't you leave a comment over on Pass the Tiara? Julie and I are looking every day to see comments - and so far only one. I know you Q2 ladies are good at talking (as they say it takes one to know one!!)- and while you are at it, sign up as one of the followers of the guild's blog. You can get there easily by clicking on the little yellow duck towards the top of my sidebar.

For my other than Q2 friends (you are more than welcome to go look at our baby blog also!!) you can click on the link above and see what Leah is doing.

The Inchie and a Half Swap

Julie http://justtickety-boo.blogspot.com/ stopped by yesterday to bring me my Plus Sized Inchies from the summer challenge swap. I didn't make the guild meeting since I was busy celebrating the marriage of my oldest granddaughter. I knew instantly who did the sock monkey! I think I will put them on a pretty ribbon to display them. (Click to enlarge)

Digital Magazine

This morning while reading blogs that I follow, I was reading Tozz's Corner

http://tozzscorner.blogspot.com/

which belongs to Vicki, a very talented lady from Australia. In her post, she was so excited about having the lovely bag that she designed on the cover of the Down Under Quilts, and she also mentioned that you could go to the website for a subscription. I did that and found there is a free six month online subscription for their digital magazine. I think it is a great magazine! And her bag is beautiful - the instructions are there for it. Back issues can also be viewed, I believe. Haven't looked into it too closely yet. That is evidently the way magazines are going now, and it might be a good way to get the overseas publications. Here is the link----

http://www.downunderquilts.com.au/

(I had a note from one of quilting friends that there seemed to be a problem with this link. If you do have troubles, just put "Down Under Quilts" in the search box and you will find links to follow there. Sorry for any trouble)
You might want to give it a looksee. Ditto, for Vicki's blog - there is a collaboration of designers going to post free Christmas patterns soon. Sounds like fun.

Red Delicious - Next to Last Block

This took a while and took some figuring out how to do it. I love the teapot but my cup and saucer are a little shakey. That sort of thing is what keeps one humble. Actually, it doesn't look too bad and when it is in with all the others it will blend right in. I do like the strawberries, too. Now on to cutting out lots and lots of plump, pretty little cherries. I have some fabric that I think will be great - a really pretty piece of blotchy red batik. Yum, yum!! (Click to enlarge)

The Second Quilt I Ever Pieced

Back in the late 1970's was when I was smitten with quilting. The first two quilts were from blocks given to me - ones that Ray's grandmother had made and some from my neighbor in Overland Park that had been pieced by her mother. That picture is on my sidebar along with the one below and a baby quilt that I pieced for Norah. These were all taken to a quilt shop I found in Rogers, Arkansas, that made arrangements for their quilting. This picture was in the local paper down there and was given to me by the lady who ran the quiltshop. The cost for having quilting done included the batting and I think the backing, too. I can remember that one of the quilts I had done was $50.00. Unbelievable - and the quilting is neat and very nice.

This is a little bit bigger picture than on the sidebar and you may be able to enlarge it. Of course, it is not digital!!! I have always loved this quilt and the bedroom at my house has always been red since this one was made. When I pieced the top, there were no rotary cutters, mats and plastic rulers that would make this a snap. I used cardboard squares, a ballpoint pen and scissors to cut piece. Naturally, you had to keep making new cardboard templates as they would wear out. In sewing the rows of squares together, if a seam didn't fall where it should, I would just take a seam in until it fit. Therefore, there are probably more rectangles than squares in the piece. All in all, though, you just can't tell!! How everything has changed! And a added comment - on the wall are two needlepoint pictures of flappers that I did in my needlepoint days. I was addicted to that for a lot of years, too. (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

The first lady has been in several of the pictures that I have posted. How wonderful she looks in her shirred and gathered skirt that seems to be made of a chintzlike fabric. A pretty white blouse and short jacket complete her outfit which is topped off by what appears to be a straw hat. From the writing on the top of the picture that is partially visible, I think her name is Elizabeth. The next girl photographed is dressed very similarly but not quite as ornately. She does not have a jacket and her skirt is much plainer, but she is nonetheless very stylish and looking very sweet. Nelle, with her certain air of sophistication, is wearing a really pretty hat with a feather plume, and a lovely light colored coat with a lapel and self belt. Her skirt has horizontal pleats. All three girls look lovely and ready for their outing. Wish I knew where they were going! And I hope they had a lot of fun! (Click to enlarge)

A Tisket A Tasket for September

Here's the September block for A Tisket A Tasket. Three more to go for this one - these have been fun and easy to applique. I have also started working on next to the last Red Delicious. Those take more time. (Click to enlarge)

After Visiting the Colonial Villa

This is one of the quilts that I took to share with the residents of the Colonial Villa when a group of quilters from Q2 were asked to come for National Assisted Living Week. I have made an entry a long time ago on my quilt - From There to There to There to Here - but I took some photos of some of the blocks and thought I would post them. This is hand quilted and machine appliqued - in the satin stitch. It hung in Paducah in 2002 and I am very proud of that. It started with some very ugly orange print fabric which I teamed up with fabric from my stash and also some newly purchased. Over the time it took to complete the quilt, we moved from Illinois to Michigan, I lived in four different homes and I lost my husband of 48 years. So this quilt has a lot of memories for me. It is bright and pretty despite the ugly orange fabric which you can see good sized pieces of in the right hand block in the second row below. My patterns came from everywhere - and some I designed. The border is very wide and has lots and lots and lots of feathers in it. Took a long time, but it is pretty. I no longer hand quilt - however, I am so glad that I did. Wish I could learn to machine quilt as well. That is coming along, though.

I just discovered that I put in the ring of grapes twice! I should take it out, but it is so hard to move things around on a post and takes

such a long time that I am just going to leave it!! :-) (Click to enlarge)

I Love Vintage Graphics

If you like vintage graphics as much as I do, you will like Graphics Fairy - I just put a link to her blog on the Fun to Visit Blogs on my sidebar.

Red Delicious

Here are pictures of Esther Aliu's final two Red Delicious blocks of the month that I have left to do. Esther is a very talented designer from Australia. I had been keeping up in a timely fashion until last month and so want to get to work and do my version of her beautiful designs. The basket of cherries looks challenging and will take a while doing all those plump little pieces of fruit and their stems. This one is the final block and I think it is wonderful. The teapot uses a portion of the earlier month's block - there is enough of the striped background to cut off the needed amount for the this block so that one is partially done. In thinking about doing the teapot, I imagine I will embroider the curved lines by hand - ditto the lines in the coffee cup (should have said teacup!). I have all the blocks up on the flannel wall in the basement - and it is going to be a very stunning wallhanging. So, I plan to go downstairs and start digging through my bin of reds and seeing what I can come up with. I love red anyway - so this has been lots of fun for me. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can post at least one of my version of these great patterns. Thank you Esther!

Fashion Friday

Today I post this picture of Maggie Pearce, my grandmother, on the left, and two of her friends that I cannot identify. This was most likely taken on a lengthy trip out west the Pearces took a long time ago. All three of the ladies are fashionably dressed in chic suits. The lady on the right wears a fur stole and it looks as if Maggie carries one over her arm. Their hats are lovely. There is no doubt they are in Portland, Oregon - it is written on the bottom and also on the side of the picture. Molly (my granddaughter in Portland), do you recognize the building in the picture? It would be ancient now, but it could be a building in the business district. It looks too large to be a private home. Pretty place. (Click to enlarge)

Old Motto Pictures

I love these old motto pictures from the 1920's .

This is the start of my collection - my daughter gave it to me for my birthday sometime after 1972. I love the art, the poem, the frame and the person who gave it to me. Whenever I would go to antique stores or shows I would buy any of these that I could find and afford. I was also on the lookout for chamber pots, some of which I have posted in this blog.

I especially like the poem on this little picture. Will post more at a later date. If you look on the sidebar for Antique Pictures under labels, you can look at some more of these that I posted earlier (Click to enlarge)

Listen to This Without Laughing

Last Christmas when I was at my son's in Kansas City, he played this song by these two funny people and it is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud and long. Here is Phyllis Diller and Jim Backus (remember Mr. Magoo) in "Delicious". Enjoy!! Click on the link below -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN1ionssuAQ

Q2 Sit and Sew Day

Yesterday was our monthly day to gather at Chapel Lane Presbyterian Church and "Sit and Sew". Pictured above is Nancy, our new president for this year. Behind here is Marsha, a long time member of Q2, both of whom have chosen to bring along embroidery projects to work on.

Here is Deb looking very pretty and ironing fabric to use in a beautiful quilt she is making in the bargello pattern.

The ironing board is a popular place - the other Carol in the group is pressing some blocks for her wallhanging.

Free fabric!! Caroline brought along a pile of fabric for anyone who wished to come take what they wanted. What a great idea! I found some that I can put to use in Birds of a Feather - and I think one day I will bring along fabric to share, also.

Here is Caroline, the fabric donor, hard at work on her project.

Linda makes the most gorgeous paper pieced quilts - they are so intricate and awesome. She also designs them on her quilt computer program.

There has been a good turnout for this third Tuesday of the month gathering and we urge you to come join us for a day or part of a day with some very nice gals. You can bring your lunch or get take out, which some of the members do. Machines are welcome, as you can see, and this is also a good time for finishing the binding on quilts or numerous other hand projects. Many of us are doing embroidery. Even if you just want to sit and chat, that is fine, too.

Now, my fellow Q2 members, there are more pictures posted on the guild blog - Pass the Tiara. If you click on the little yellow duck on my sidebar, it should take you over. While you are there, why don't you join? It requires joining Google which is free and also easy. And, if you have any pictures to share or any ideas, contact Julie or me. (Click pictures to enlarge)

The Quilt on My Bed

I don't think I have posted this quilt which I made in 1989. "Feather Fenced Flowers" is its name and it is machine appliqued (satin stitch) and hand quilted. The background is a satiny finished fabric called Polished Apple that was popular back then, and it was wonderful to quilt. This quilt has a "pillow tuck" which is a wide area over the nine blocks and under the design on top of the pillows. I would not put one of those on a quilt anymore since it's so pretty to have lots of pillows and therefore no need to tuck the quilt under. The baby clothes hanging from the shelf belonged to my husband - and the little shoes, book and baby dish (partially hidden) were also his. (Click to enlarge)

Ephemera

o2 ephemera plural : paper items (as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were riginally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectiblesCan you imagine prices like this? But you also have to imagine how much people made at the same time. It's all relative.

I had never heard of ephemera until two or three years ago. Started noticing it in regard to ATC's, scrapbooking, etc. I love looking around on the internet at really old stuff and have "right clicked and saved as" many really neat pictures, advertisements, etc., that I have just kind of put together as ephemera. Thought I might share some with you every once in a while. I am pretty sure that all of these things would not have any copyright problems since they are very old. You are most welcome to "right click and save as" if you enjoy this sort of thing. And you should click to enlarge.

Balloons Over Our Street

A little while ago I could hear a swishing noise outside - it came and went. Eventually, it got closer and it dawned upon me that it sounded like a hot air balloon. Out the door I went and sure enough, over the woods was a pretty balloon. Came back in and grabbed my camera and was quick enough to take several pictures. I had no sooner uploaded them to my computer and there were more swishes - so I went out again and there was another pretty balloon coming over the houses across the street. So I got some more pictures. It's a perfect evening for them - the air is calm. Going up in a balloon looks like a lot of fun. (Click to enlarge)

There's a New Blog in Town

Have you Q2 members been to the new blog that Julie (http://justtickety-boo.blogspot.com/) has designed for our guild? It's just beautiful and will be such a helpful tool for us to communicate with each other and to get all the news out about one of the greatest guilds around. I will be helping her with pictures and posting, but she has put this lovely blog together and up there for us to enjoy and use. I just put a link on my sidebar - the little yellow duck. Click on that and it should take you right to Pass the Tiara. You can look it over, join and come back to it again and again to see what is going on. If you have anything you would like posted, you can get in touch with Julie or me and that could be arranged. Enjoy!! And it would be so nice if you would leave some comments, too.

Fashion Friday

Nan sits on a bench in Glen Oak Park simply dressed in a pretty lacey, white blouse and a skirt. This photo has been tinted with oils - it also is stained in a couple of places and flawed, but still a sweet picture of Nan. (Click to enlarge)

What a Wonderful Weekend

What a gorgeous weekend we had for Norah and Chad's wedding! You could not have ordered more perfect weather for such a happy event - something so special to look back upon and remember all the lovely moments, laughs, love, and all that is so special when you are with those you love the most. The bed and breakfast where we stayed and where the ceremony took place on the verandah was really just the perfect spot. The picture above is my daughter taking pictures on the ferry going over to Mackinac Island.

Norah's dress was beautiful - and the little pearl flowers in her hair perfect. What a beautiful couple.

The wedding party - my three granddaughters, my new grandson, his very pretty sister (best girl) and his best friend. I think they are a handsome group!

Will post a couple of family pictures later, but wanted to get this up for you to see. Bill and Ann just left to go back to KC so now I will get the laundry done and back into my routine which I was so happy to be away from for a while. What a good time! (The last picture is great when you click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

What the young bridal couple wore for their wedding on this date 60 years ago. Carol is lovely in a toast satin suit that featured quilted pockets. Her skirt had a pleat in the front. An off the face feathered hat and pretty toast suede shoes with a lacey strap completed her outfit. She also wore a lovely corsage, pearls and little drop pearl earrings. Ray was handsome in his new suit, white shirt and good looking tie. The newlyweds were happily facing the start of their journey through life together - and it was good and lasted 48 years. (Click to enlarge)

The Upcoming Weekend

Usually, I consider myself pretty calm at what I do especially when I am using my dear old Bernina. However, shortening pants can sometimes be a pain in the posterior especially if they are jerseylike. Slip and slide - that's what that fabric does and anymore things like that drive me bonkers. So, it was time for a break and some ice cream and then I will get back to the task refreshed - I hope.

The said pants are for the outfit I bought to wear this upcoming weekend. Friday morning, we will be on our way to Mackinac Island, the entire family from all directions, to celebrate the wedding of Norah and Chad on Saturday, September 5th. Also there to join in the fun will be Chad's mom and her husband, his sister and her boyfriend and two couples who are best friends. We will all be staying in the same place and tomorrow evening my daughter and her husband are hosting a pizza party in the parlor at the hotel. So looking forward to this happy occasion....which

is the day after Ray's and my 60th anniversary. I wish them so much happiness as they start out on this wonderful, though occasionally bumpy, road of married life. Bless you both!

Now back to the unfinished task of shortening the darned pants!! (Click to enlarge)

Bag of Stuff Challenge 2006

Today I was cleaning up the guest bedroom since my son and his wife will be staying with me for a few days after we all are at the wedding of my oldest granddaughter--going to be a fun party! I am so looking forward to being with everyone again - and we will be on Mackinaw Island! How neat is that. Back to the cleaning - which doesn't happen very often around here anymore - I have this cute little quilt on the table by the bed. It is from a summer challenge in 2006 where the participants put all kinds of "stuff" in a bag and the bags were traded. Each one had to make something from the bag of stuff. I put some really old quilt blocks, some lace, and at the last minute threw in some yoyo's that really had no connection with anything. Lori got my bag and this is what she made me which is adorable. It came with a letter talking about the "damn yoyo's" which she ended up not using. It was so funny - she is just a peach of a gal. Anyway, I love this little piece and thank her so much for my "Damn YOYO Quilt".

I drew the bag that Claire had put together. It was filled with bright fabrics, buttons, sparkly tulle, etc. I decided to take a folk art block and color it wild. It turned out kind of cute. The bowl was covered with the tulle so it looks rather pale but it actually looked nice. A fun challenge. (Click to enlarge)