Focus Meeting

Our Focus Fiber Art group met this week and as usual it was an inspiring and interesting meeting. I want to share some of the pieces that were brought for show and tell.

Marge continues to work on her king-size piece. The images represent crystal that have been photographed with a macro lens. Marge is such a wonderful technician. I don't know anyone else who could piece this on the machine. I'm taking photos as it progresses and when it's finished I will post all the photos for you to see the process.

Judy has come up with another beautiful collage and this will be in an exhibit come Sept. I'll be talking more about this exhibit and other interesting exhibits coming in Sept. at a later date.

Barb's piece "Growth Rings" will also be in the exhibit. We can always count on Barb to come up with something different and interesting.

Dixie showed us this piece that she made several years ago but just finished hand quilting. We always laugh at Dixie because she apologizes for not having something artistic. Yea right!

Focus Meeting

Diana's sisters family visited her recently and her niece really liked Diana's quilt. So nice auntie that she is she made this happy green quilt for her niece's dorm room.

Veronica is the only member of our group who works at a full time job. Yet, she somehow manages to have more than anyone else to show at our meetings. On top of that she does a beautiful job.

The boat is a project she started last year in my class, although I can't really take any credit for it. She did a complete turn-a-round on the background from what she started with. I really like this one so much better.

The square is one she has been playing with and wanted some help with choosing a fabric to go with the square. We all decided that this piece looks as if the fabric is showing through from the back.

The top piece is titled "Good Neighbors" and will be an exhibit soon.

Working in the Studio Again

I haven't been working in the studio since my return from vacation. There were several reason. The second day we were on our trip my husband fractured his fibula while tubing down class five rapids. Yes, class five and no he won't ever do that again. We waited until we were back in the states to see a doctor so he walked on it for a week. He is now in a boot and he is mending.

The weather last week was awful, we had rain and gloom all week. I was gloomy he was gloomy and I couldn't make myself go into my studio to work. This week the sky is bright and I'm working again.

I've been working on Uncle Dave. His eyes have bothered me ever since I started working on the piece. I decided today that I needed to redo them and I think I have finally got them right.

I actually made three different eyes before I got to this point. I did a little hair trimming and I think he is looking just about right. Tomorrow I work on his clothes.

The Colors of Costa Rica

I loved the colors the residents of Costa Rica use to paint their houses, and decorate the furniture for the out doors. Wanted to share some of these with you. The sky photo was shot from our hotel room in San Jose the last night we were there. Loved this place.

Costa Rica

If you've been reading my blog you will know that my husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary in March. While our children gave us a dinner with close relatives and few special friends in March we decided that we wanted a special celebration with our family.

On Sunday Aug. 8th the whole family, thirteen strong left for Costa Rica. We flew from VA, NC, CA and SC and met up in Costa Rica. We spent seven days experiencing such things as tubing class 5 rapids (not me), zip lining the world best, highest and fastest zip line, (I did the first two baby lines), horse back riding, river rafting where a viper fell into our grand kids raft, to staying in the Rain Forest and seeing poison dart frogs. We visited a pineapple farm, a coffee plantation and rode through a banana plantation. The high-light of the trip happened the night before we left. We went by boat through the rain forest and debarked some twenty minutes later, walked across a small runway to the ocean. There with guides to lead the way we saw the Green Sea Turtle lay her eggs. What an experience.

I could write for days about the trip but I want to share some of the things we saw. First I want to make this comment about the people of Costa Rica. I have never felt so welcomed by the people of any country, and I have been to many, as I was the people of Costa Rica. They thanked us for coming and helping them make advances in their country. We were told that the guides donated their earnings to the little town of Tortugero to build a small home for the teachers so they didn't have to sleep on mats in the school room. Now the money goes to help save the turtles.

I'll have more comments as I post photos. My art work is on hold for the time being as life has taken over but I will post progress in Uncle Dave's piece as I have time.

Asheville Quilt Show

Last night the opening of the Asheville Quilt Guild show held at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC was held. I had the honor of receiving an honorable mention ribbon for my quilt "Love".

The reception was scheduled to be held outside under a tent. However, the weather did not cooperate and it was held inside. It was crowded but nice. My DH, who was sweet enough to drive with me to the show, and I left to walk over to see the show as soon as the presentations were over. Because of that I missed seeing Judy Simmons, who was a big winner. Judy was presented a judge's choice award by Priscilla Hair along with several other awards. Judy Hayward who was also a big winner, winning best machine quilting as well as other awards. Diana Picken's won an Honorable Mention for her large bed quilt.

I'm proud to say that all of these ladies are now or have been members of my Focus Art Quilt Group. Somehow I missed getting a photo of Judy Simmon's Judge's Choice award and a photo of Veronica Moriarty's quilt which was also in the show.

We had a long drive to get back home and the weather was threatening so I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked to see and take photos.

I also posted a quilt by Maggie Hunt who won the first place in The Art Quilt Category. I believe the center of Maggie's piece was painted and pieced around the block.

It's a good show and if you are in the area I would suggest you have a look. The dates are Aug. 6-8

Grand kids visit

Just a quick post while the kiddies are still asleep. We have had our grand kids from CA. visiting for a few days. Our daughter in law, Allison brought them along with her sister, Leslie for a short visit while they were in AL. visiting her parents.

Our family is going on a week long family vacation soon so our son Michael was unable to leave work for the first part of their visit. He arrives today.

As always we have days filled with boating, swimming, tubing, skiing, and swinging off the rope swing. We can never have a visit from the kids without a trip to Sweet Treats the local ice cream parlor. Sadly they must leave today but we will see them again soon. Love having those grand kids.

Beauty in Disaster

This morning my husband and I were enjoy a brief cooling down in our weather by sitting out on our porch for our morning coffee. This part of our day is treasured by both of us as we take the time to sit an enjoy our surroundings.

Yesterday was overcast and it looked as if today would be the same. Around nine O'clock the sun started peaking out and we both notice this beautiful color in the water just at the edge where the water meets the rocks.

We both noticed it at once and looked at each other as if to say "do you see that"? I've been getting some pretty great photographs of water reflections lately so decided to grab my camera and head down to the dock. As I neared the water it was obvious to me that someone had spilled gas in the water.

My grandchildren are coming next week and I worry about the safety of the water. Then my thoughts wonder to the Gulf and the oil spill. While the little gas in our lake provided some beautiful photographs for me the oil spill provides nothing but death for animals and loss of jobs for the people of the Gulf. My thoughts are with you.