With Fall officially here we have installed the pool cover netting over the fish pond to try and keep the fallen leaves from clogging the filter. It’s not beautiful but it helps!
The mornings have been cool but the afternoons get pretty warm, still. I love walking this time of the year through showers of falling yellow leaves. It’s very dry though, so I hope the predicted rain for tonight happens. Then maybe I can get something done in the garden.
The brown dog is getting sleek and fat.
He has been coming up missing , leaving our fenced in yard and at one point I thought he had perhaps met with disaster as he was gone for going on three days. But then there he was again, looking for his supper. Our neighbor said he had been over there visiting with his outside dog. That dog has an outside fenced area with a doghhouse and we were having rainy weather so apparently brown dog was bunking in with him. Scaling the fence, no problem. So now we know he can dig under a fence or go over it, quite an escape artist! He is still afraid of people and growled yesterday when I went out and sat on the deck where he was hiding underneath.
The little quilt that I got from the SAQA Benefit Auction has arrived and I love it! It is called “Perfect Storm Jazzy Dance” and was made by Joan Sowada. I have admired her work for a long time and really like her use of fabrics, so was happy to be able to get his one! Her technique is raw edge fused applique with inked details and machine quilting.
My donation to the Auction, “Iris” comes up for bid next week. It is entirely pieced from hand dyed fabrics and heavily machine quilted. This picture is a little too dark.
Well, I knew it had been awhile since I posted, but I didn’t know it had been THAT long! I have been busy, though!
On the business side of things, I have been shipping and receiving quilts, meeting deadlines, entering shows and filling orders. I’ve even given some time to working on the book keeping and you know how much I hate to do that! Busy is good!
On the fun side, I have joined a group of plein air painters who meet weekly to paint outside in various locations. I told them I wouldn’t be painting but would sketch or photograph, and it has been fun. I have also joined a couple of friends auditing an Art History class at Washburn U in Topeka which meets twice a week and am thoroughly enjoying that.
On the quilting side, I decided to pull out an old UFO (unfinished object, for you non quilters) and get it finished. It was already layered and basted and I had even started to hand quilt it, way back when, but I took those stitches out in favor of finishing it quickly by machine. This was made when I first started quilting and was still interested in using other people’s patterns. It was in some magazine at the time.
Good news, this week, “Bignonia” went out to AQS Des Moines,
and “Snow Buddies” to LaConner in Washington; 
also the little Yorkie 12 x 12 quilt was sent to Houston for their Benefit Auction. Can you find the changes I made?
The SAQA Silent Auction starts next week; check it out at www.saqa.com/memberArt.php?cat=34
My entry, “Iris”, comes up in the third week, I believe.
Bad news this week from Houston, “Fur Family Portrait” did not win anything in “Raining Cats and Dogs” and apparently “Jesse At The Lake” did not either as I have not heard anything about that. Well, it’s good to have at least gotten work in and hanging there!
It’s been rainy and cooler here and I’ve dug a bunch of Surprise Lily bulbs to get them out of my flower beds. They need a place of their own. They were especially beautiful this year, but they crowd their neighbors too much and just have to move! I have lots to do outside now with cooler weather.
All of the quilts are put away from the last trip. What a job! I have too many quilts and need to sell some!!
Today I must ship two contest quilts; “Harrier Hunting” to Asheville, NC
and “Eagles Soar” to PA National.
If you are in the vicinity of either of those shows, enjoy! Yesterday being a holiday set me back a bit, but I think I can still make it. Tomorrow “Bignonia”,”Majesty”and “Colorado Kids” should arrive home from Aullwood and “Bignonia” and “Snow Buddies” will go out next week to two different locations. This is all very time consuming, but I keep track of it all on a spreadsheet, and even so, I miss deadlines occasionally!
Yesterday afternoon I un-sewed the problem areas on the Yorkie and hopefully today I will find a minute to fix them, but it’s looking like a busy day as I will have to go to town to ship and shop for ingredients for a dinner that I am hosting later in the week.
Progress on the Yorkie piece,
It wasn’t until I got things all sewn together that I saw some places that I need to change. Perhaps today I will do that. But I DO like the new background better.. Once it is layered with white batting, and quilted, those seam lines will not be so obvious.
I’ve been dragging my feet since arriving back home! Don’t EVEN have the quilts all unpacked yet. I spent the afternoon yesterday outside reading the newest Stephen King book, Mr Mercedes. It was hot out but with a nice breeze, not bad in the shade. I was also trying to make contact with the stray dog. He seems to sort of enjoy being talked to now. At least he doesn’t run away.
We got a really nice rain last night, several inches and no run off. It all soaked in and not a moment too soon. Everything was withering away.
This weekend SAQA’s “Seasonal Palette” including my “December Dawn” is showing in BRAZIL!! What a milestone; this is the first time my work has been shown in South America. Hope they enjoy it!
