Learning: Field trip!

A couple of weeks ago, my son, mom and I went on an outing to Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma. The gardens are set up like an art gallery, showcasing different landscape architects and designers.  Here are a couple of my favorite pieces.

Trees with crystal leaves.

These crystal and metal mesh trees were so
lovely in person.  The photo doesn't do it justice!

Garden Play

Ah, winter in California.  If it makes you feel any better, it will be horribly rainy and wet here for the next week!

Making: Free Bee - February

Another month gone, another Free Bee block turned in late.  I think I have a hard time following the rules when it comes to quilting.  The instruction for the block (given by Mari Haak, herself a VERY inspiration quilter herself!) was to base your inspiration on an urban photograph and use neutral, darker tones.  Her suggestion was to study the work of Elizabeth Barton, to see how she interprets landscape in fabric.  I think that's where I went astray...instead of focusing on a photograph, I decided to take my inspiration from another textile artist, Karen Goetzinger and a piece of Marimeko fabric.

Free Bee Block for Mari

Here is what I came up with.  You can see how others interpreted the challenge over on Flickr.  I'm not crazy about mine and wish I had more time to play with it, but even though February gave me an extra day, I've run out of time and must send it off!

Shopping: I'm blushing like a...

...girl who's napkins have been spotted in a bridal magazine!  Yep, those are Peppermint Pinwheels napkins sitting at the table of honor with the Kate Spade dinnerware!

Thanks to Rachel Hollis of Chic Events, my gingham napkins were featured in a story for California Wedding Day magazine.  Her idea for the design is Modern English Garden, and I think it looks gorgeous!

String Thing Along

My Collaboration Quilt is on the String Thing Along blog today.  Head over there and check out the wonderful things quilters are doing with their scraps!  My favorite so far is the Spider Web and Stars post.





Thank you, Brenda, for coordinating such an inspiring site!

Making: A Collaboration

A friend and I have been collaborating on a baby quilt.  The baby celebrated her first birthday months ago.  It's really time we finished this thing up!

Collaboration Quilt

All that is left is to do is the quilting and then to pop it in the mail.  But, wouldn't you know...my sewing machine has suddenly decided to be a diva.  So, I get to spend tomorrow searching for replacement parts as opposed to quilting.  BOOOOO!

Making: The Embers Quilt

The Embers Quilt is finished!  It's the latest sample for my Confetti Quilts class, so I rushed it down to the shop and hung it on the wall.  I barely even had time to take a picture of it!  I think it photographs nicely next to the blazing red wall of the New Pieces class room.

If you are interested in learning how to make your own Confetti Quilt and live in the SF Bay area, I'm teaching the next class on March 7 & 14, 2012, 10 AM - 12 PM at New Pieces in Berkeley, CA.  It's fun - I promise!

Stitch Modern - The Opening Night Extravaganza!

What makes Stitch Modern a better quilt show than any you've ever been to before?  We served wine!  Oh, and all the awesome people who helped make this show possible and the amazing quilts they put in it!

Food as Craft (thanks to Kristen Takakuwa!)

For those in the SF Bay area, the show will be up until the end of February.  Catch it Wed, Friday, and Sunday from 12-3 at the Piedmont Center for the Arts.  I'll be there this coming Wednesday night (February 8, 6:oo pm) helping to lead a public conversation exploring the topic of Modern Quilting.  There will be door prizes!

For those not in the area, you can catch the photos on Flickr.  I'm working on making a full gallery tour available online, but that hasn't happened yet, so stay tuned!