Keeping UP!

As usual… I have been busy and behind as far as keeping things caught up or current. Part of my problem is that I don’t think much of what I do is interesting… or even worth mentioning until after the fact!!! Sometimes well after the fact! Does that happen to you too?

Sometimes I see my obligations as just that -a job to accomplish… and don’t stop long enough to see that there is value in just doing the job. For instance. One of the guilds in town will be hosting a Quilt Auction as a fund raiser that will feature both a Silent Auction and a Live Auction as well as a rummage table we are calling the ‘Quilters Attic’. While my hand was resting in February I built a web page for the guild… nothing spectacular in terms of design, as it was to show some of the quilts to be auctioned. If you are interested in visiting that page…. go here: Nine Patchers Quilt Auction and of course if you are nearby… please come.

Next up was taking pictures of those quilts. It was the photographing, that I think I missed a great opportunity to talk about.

Over the years there has been lots of information shared about how to photograph quilts… so I took much of what I remember reading… about the subject… using a tripod, appropriate lighting, level camera and quilt display and distance as well as focal length. I am a nature photographer… and generally don’t have the patience for lighting a subject with artificial light.

                  

The shooting quilts went really well, even though all of them were photographed indoors! and without a neutral wall behind them at one location and pretty closed to the ceiling… several had to be pinned to a sheet. Our weather in Kentucky hasn’t cooperated with warm enough days…. to shoot outside, and not bright enough to use south facing windows for a nice natural light indoors… So I had to also play with fluorescent and fill flash. Overall I think the quilts look good.

Next I was asked to photograph a knife. That proved to be a different lighting difficulty. For this I actually wanted the dull dark grey skies!!! Metal reflects light and creates bright reflections that look like imperfections in the metal work. We decided that a new lens would help with that problem… so another small obstacle … to over come. Well after a couple of weeks of experimentation… I think I finally nailed it.

Have I been doing anything remotely related to fiber recently…NO!!!

I’ll have to explain more later… What about you…. are you keeping up?

Beth

Visitors and Travel

Well I thought I had a post started.... about a week or so ago.... but alas... must have been snatched by that pesky computer gremlin, (which I hope has been excised by taking a very old copy of Photoshop off).

I have been busy!!! Very, very busy. And I will be busy for the next week or so... and then I hope things start to settle down and I can begin a routine that has me focusing on "I Have a Notion" as my primary goal. So what has kept me from it?

On September 2 I collected 2

friends from South Africa at O'Hare International Terminal and then the fun began. We spent the next 3 days playing in the Chicagoland area. A ''quilt store" (only one of my friends was a quilter), and the rest of the stops were landmarks and traditional touristy things. We did not make it to Willis Tower, aka Sears Tower (birds eye view was not high on the list), but we did the North Shore south bound driving in, visited Navy Pier, took a 

Lake Cruise, the Chicago Cultural Center, Cloudgate, Buckingham Fountain, considered the Field Museum, walked along the waterfront, some of Michigan Avenue, and a bit of the downtown area streets as we walked everywhere after parking the car (about 6 miles). The following day we took it very easy and went to the Chicago Botanic Garden for a day of tranquility, (although many others thought to do the same thing as well).

On our way back to N Kentucky we stayed on the
smaller highways and avoided the Interstate. There is a small well established Amish town called Arthur, which we also stopped in. Once home we spent a few days.... visiting around town. Since I live on the Bourbon Trail of Kentucky, we made a trek over to the Makers Mark distillery for the the tour and to see the Chihuly Art Glass exhibit. We explored quilty things and some golf things... One of the quilty things was a visit to New Albany IN to see the "Form not Function" exhibit at the Carnegie Museum. One word Spectacular!!!

On September 12 we headed over to Paducah for the first annual Fall Show! We arrived after a meandering drive through the Land

Between the Lakes with enough time to beat the crowd at Hancocks of Paducah Fabrics!!! We spent a few hours looking and choosing just the right fabrics. I brought
some home too!!! We spent the next 3 days looking the quilts, visiting vendors and exploring Paducah. It was my first time with more than one day so I was able to see all the venues and antique stores, along with the Museum and the waterfront.

After Paducah we parted company, me for home and they were heading to O'Hare via the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains. From the pictures they have posted, Mother Nature has given them a glimpse of fall color too.

I had a blast hosting and returning the favor to visitors that showed and shared so much of their South Africa with us. Can't wait to do it again...Travel home safely my friends I will miss you.

Next.... a few pictures of the Fall Paducah show. As Always, more later!  Beth

Christmas Presents

I am told it is 4 days before it will be Christmas Day 2013.  Since I live in my own world, I'm clearly not aware of the date now when Christmas Day falls and I still have several gifts to make.  Since my embroidery machine is laying belly up without a pulse, those gifts will have to wait until the Babylock technician can revive her.

I'm sharing some gifts I have made for Christmas today....at least the one's I remembered to take photos of during these past few months.

 A large I-Spy quilt for my boys when they lay on the sofa.  It was beautifully quilted by Joanne from Splitting Stitches Longarm Quilting (she quilted all of the quilts in this post).  There are no two blocks alike and the boys will have a ball playing with this quilt.

 This quilt was made for one of my mother's doctors, at her request.  The pattern is Big Ten by Swirley Girl Designs.   

I can't say who this is for in my blog post as someone just may pop in and read the post...so I'm just not saying.... :)

This is as far as I got on the drink koozies before my machine passed out cold.  They will be nice when they are all finished.

These are the machine embroidery gifts that I remembered to take photos of....what is wrong with me?  I typically take photos of everything....my brain must need to be called back home.

A reflection of our Christmas tree in the window...I thought it looked so pretty with the snow on the bushes out front of our house.

I hope all is well in your world....I'd love to hear about your experiences during the holidays.

Smiles,
Kelly

A Few Quilts and Life Recently

I'll start with "Life" and the going's on around here and throw a few quilts in as "Life" unfolds :)

 On May 19th my younger brother, Mathew, graduated from Law School.  This in and of itself is a huge accomplishment....but during the boring commencement speech (I was tempted to stand up and scream "Time Out....you are boring and we want to see our family members get their diplomas now"....but I didn't.) I sat thinking about his life.  He has served in the Army, gotten a bachelor degree in plastic engineering, a masters degree in business and now a law degree.  It sounds like he has spent his life studying but no.....he has traveled the world and had two children as well....my little brother is one amazing dude and it sort of just dawned on me....LOL!

 

 Speaking of amazing dudes.....my oldest co-worker shot 5 bulls-eyes on the BB gun range.  We were only given 5 BB's....I was lucky to hit the paper one time.

A week or so ago, we had another cub scout event.  Our very first car race at the Toledo Speedway.

It was pretty neat to see that the racers pulled their cars near the stands and let the fans get autographs.

The youngest co-worker was thrilled to be having soda and candy....he loves sugar and his boss does her best to set limits on that stuff!

I felt a bit stupid because I had to ask the man in front of me if the car races were real or if they were like big time wrestling.  What planet am I from?  I do know about the Daytona 500 and the Grand Prix....but who knew there were people who race cars locally?  Please forgive my ignorance!

 You are looking at a photo of men following one another around in circles....yes....spending money on gas to drive in circles....not to fabric stores....but in circles following one another and going nowhere!

When they were finished and got their trophy they then did it again....this time with boats in tow.  REALLY?  I could not make this up....I'm not that creative....giggles.

It gets a wee bit more interesting when they then drive in a figure 8 in a bus....until each one is smashed to smithereens and can no longer run. 

IHAN logic says that if their was thread involved somehow it would have been much more exciting!  They could have at least tied some thread or yarn to their bumpers to they could have had bobbins or spindles wound when they were finished....but NO!  I think they need me to give them some help with their entertainment don't you?  (ROFL)

I better show you a quilt before you leave and never come back :)

Forgive the quality of the photo...but this a lovely lavender brushed cotton with hand embroidery and hand quilting.

I'd like to tell you that I made this lovely quilt....but that would be a lie.  I purchased it at an estate sale last Friday and I paid $55.  I could not buy the fabric and thread for that price.  I also purchased a beautiful quilt with churn-dash quilt made with feed sacks....I'll have to take a pix of that one to show you. Now....that is something I can get excited about and perhaps run in circles....but pay for gas to drive in a circle....not me....still giggling at my narrow life.

Between thread, fabric and sewing....life does happen here at IHAN headquarters.  While sitting at Max and Ermas having dinner one evening, Aaron looks at me and asks me, "Momma, why do they call these napkins....we don't take naps on them?  We should call them lapkins because they sit on your lap."  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree....still laughing.

One of my girlfriends lost her husband so I ran home for the funeral this past weekend.  PA is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life.....it was overcast and ye the sky and mountains were still just as beautiful.

After the funeral, we gathered at their home and our group put on a lovely lunch.  You know I loved pulling into her driveway....there was a barn and a barn quilt....my idea of  home!

Another quilt!  Hooray :)  This is Eleanor's tie quilt....it isn't quite finished but I just had to take a pix.

Appliqued silk ties one silk dupioni.  I now know what I want to do with some of my father's ties.

My spirits have been lifted by my quilting friends yet again.....stitching friends have kept me from falling apart....I guess they just know what they are doing!

Smiles,
Kelly

Oops...I left off a photo....the co-workers last day of school is today....it is officially summer here in Ohio.