I resolved the problem of the fawn fabric by going back to the stash, finding this piece that I had dismissed earlier as being too orange with indistinct spots.  It had areas of less orangeness, though, that I thought had possibilities.  I cut the body from an area that had nice sized spots, but on the wall they were not showy enough.  I decided to try bleach discharge with the Clorox Bleach Pen on the spots, first playing around with an edge of the unused fabric. Bleach direct from the pen ran and made the spots too big, but applied with a Q-Tip, I was able to control it and I think I got really nice spots!  I neutralized the bleach with Hydrogen Peroxide, then washed it thoroughly with Synthrapol. You can see lower on the belly, the original spots before bleach, I felt like that was good for that area to leave them alone.

I am not happy with some of the background fabrics and am in the process of changing them.

The fawn fabric arrived and was disappointing. Some of the stuff I already had may be better, but fabric will always find a place eventually!

Never mind that seams are not lined up, it will look better when they are sewn.

Progress has been slow, but I HAVE gotten some Christmas shopping done during the several trips I’ve had to make to town.  As I await the fawn fabric, I have laid in some of the darkest darks,

and decided that I could possibly proceed with the fence posts.  I hope that the colors I have already placed in the face will go with whatever comes for the body!

It’s been crazy busy around here since my return, putting away and generally trying to keep up.

I’ve spent several days designing the next piece which will be a picture of a fawn for “Celebrate Spring!”  It’s fairly complex so I’ve struggled with the planning stages a little more than usual.  After searching through my stash for ‘fawn’ fabrics I discovered that there is not much there to choose from and I do not want to piece the spots.  So that meant spending more time shopping, both online and locally.  The online order is in transit so in the meantime I have laid in some of the darks and have done a little piecing in areas in which I felt comfortable with the fabrics available. When I get “in the zoneâ€�, piecing,  I really don’t want to be bothered to do anything else, but yesterday I was scheduled to teach a machine quilting class, so I had to be gone all day.  The class went well and I had a little time after it to do some Christmas and grocery shopping.  Today is not looking much better as it involves another trip to town to get my flu shot and do some more shopping.

Oh, my goodness!  I’ve been home several days and have not caught up yet! So much to do, so little time.  Much is put away but not all.

It was such a good trip!  The Omaha Guild is a wonderful, welcoming group who turned out for the lecture with lots of quilts and my two workshops - here’s a photo of them hard at work on their Coneflowers wallhangings.  They all did an amazing job!

My fears of snow did not develop for which I am VERY grateful.  We did have a couple of rainy days and decided to spend them inside dying fabric; that was a great way to pass the time.  I don’t generally use a lot of hand dyes in my work but occasionally I do, and especially for skies. so I concentrated on dying some skies, mostly.

These are some of the better ones. keep in mind that for the way I work they will not be used as a whole piece, but cut apart so I think there are some very usable sections here.

I was specifically trying for not your typical blue skies.

While I was away I had occasion to look at my website on two different computers and was dismayed to discover that my pictures were extremely dark. I had adjusted them to look good on my monitor which I now think needs to be calibrated. I am posting the dyed fabric pictures un-adjusted. They look light on my screen, but I would be interested in feedback as to how you think the pictures have been looking, now and in the past. I realize that you don’t really know, not having seen the real thing! But do you have the sense that you have been unable to see detail due to darkness?

The real reason that I was on my hostess’s computer was to check on the progress of the SAQA Auction.  I am thrilled to announce that “Don’t Piss Off the Fairies” was purchased in the first minutes of the auction by the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection!!  Thank you , Del!  I am so happy that the fairy has found a good home with you, now perhaps she will get happy, too.

More good news — during the time I was gone I received word that “Mon Grand Pere” has been accepted to the “Form Not Function: Quilt Art At The Carnegie” exhibit in Albany, IN. There were 276 entries and only 39 were accepted so I feel very fortunate!

These last pieces of dyed fabric were done in a different method. I love how the crinkles and the blended colors add texture.  I think that dying could become addictive as one gained mastery over the effects that can be achieved. For me, I had no clue what I would get, but it was still fun and exciting to see what we got!

I will leave today for my drive up to Omaha to be with the Omaha Quilter’s Guild until next Wednesday when I will head home. I am really looking forward to the trip. I especially like to go places that are within driving distance so I can bring lots of quilts and this drive should only be around 3.5 hours.  The weather looks to be better than predicted, though snow is still not out of the question!

Most of the market mess is put away but now there are piles of quilts everywhere, as I try to put  them in order for the lecture and workshops.  I think folks don’t realize just how much work goes into these trips before and after the trip itself!

Just a reminder - the SAQA auction starts Monday and “Don’t Piss Of The Fairies� will be amongst the first group to go. They all start at $750.00 the first day and drop in price each day after that. It should be fun to watch the progress and I hope that I will be able to check in occasionally from Nebraska.

Until Wednesday ………..

If you didn’t go to Houston and want to get a glimpse, go to Quilt Festival at Home. Click on the side bar “Quilts, World of Beauty” to see the judged show winners, “Special Exhibits” to see selected others from the show (a couple of mine are in there), “On the Show Floor” for candid shots ( in pt 3, there’s one of two ladies looking at my “Just Dandy”!)

Yesterday I got the binding sewn on Poppy and about half of the hand work done, the accounting done for Houston, the patterns and samples put away and started getting ready for my next trip - Omaha, leaving Friday  and coming back on Wednesday, I believe.  I hope there will not be snow!

A couple of shots from yesterday.  It was warm but VERY windy and today it is cold and rainy so I don’t expect these leaves to last long. As you can see most of the trees are already bare.

Burning Bushes

Ornamental Pear Tree

Houston and surrounding areas are still recovering from the big storm. This building with boarded up windows was very visible from the convention center.

There were many trees down and not yet cleared away.

One day we visited Bayou Bend, an elegant historic home surrounded by 14 acres of beautiful gardens featuring Azaleas, Magnolias ( a few, disturbed by the storm, blooming out of season) and Camellias, just starting to bloom. Unfortunately we arrived shortly after the last house tour of the day had started so we just did the gardens. There were many uprooted trees which, if history repeats, only means new garden spaces! This beautiful place right in the heart of Houston will surely be a spot to revisit on another trip! It would be amazing in the spring time!

Houston has a huge number of museums and over the years we have visited many of them. This year we revisited the Rothko Chapel to see it in proper light as last year when we went it was too overcast to get the full effect.  Quite amazing!  We also visited the Menil Collection a vast display of art and antiquities and special exhibits. The oldest item I remember was dated 22,000 BC - can you imagine?

We always visit the Houston Center for Contemporary Crafts which featured a potter this year, but also had on display an exhibit called “Unifying Threads�, fabric, fiber and thread pieces by various artists.

The rest of our “off” time was spent shopping and eating!  We have over the years found special shopping opportunities that we enjoy repeating. It’s fun to explore some of the older, unique communities within the city. Antique shops and malls, used book stores, fabric places and quilt shops, bead shops, home dec, ethnic restaurants and sidewalk cafes beckon.

Some years we stray far from Houston, but this year we stayed close, glad that we had done Galveston last year!

Here’s this year’s quilt shopping haul:

You really can’t see all of the books, but I got some good ones! And plenty of thread, invisible and otherwise. See the free batting samples? The pale green one is made from pop bottles!

All 29 yards of fabric were washed and ironed yesterday, I still need to put it away. Also yesterday I finished the quilting on that Poppy quilt so now today it needs to be bound. Perhaps I can sit out on the deck this afternoon and do that as it may be our last good day!

We made it back safe and sound last night, after another fine Houston trip. My good friend and assistant, Rose, was an enormous help as usual! Thank you, Rose!! We always have a lot of fun on these trips.

As I expected, probably due to the economy, Market attendance was down and sales were not as good as usual, but better than I had thought they would be. While I did not see some of my regular customers many were there, and I even picked up some new ones! Also made some nice connections that I hope will develop into something good in the future!

The quilts on display were many and wonderful. I found all six of mine and discovered some new contests to consider  entering next year if time permits.

Shopping at Festival was overwhelming as always and I returned with way too much stuff! Fabric and thread and books that all need to be put away now in an already crowded studio.  I do remember saying I would not shop so much this year, but best laid plans, and all that…….!

We had several days to just “play� and perhaps I will tell you about that tomorrow. Now I have LOTS of unpacking to do!

I’m leaving in a few minutes for Houston - International Quilt Market and some of Festival, so I will be out of touch til my return on the 31st. No orders will be shipped until I return home.