I had a nice note this morning from Karey B. director of the IQF show in Houston, saying that if she had been the juror “Longhorn Splashdown” would have been in, so that was good to hear. I’ve gotten lots of nice responses including “your non-acceptance makes my non-acceptance less painful” which is one way to look at it! Glad to be of help!!

The painters are coming Friday so this will be a busy week of moving furniture and appliances, removing baseboards etc. The tilers, hopefully will start Monday. I have been busily shopping Overstock.com for an area rug for the living room and finally settled on this one which I ordered today.

I hope that I like it when it arrives – it was only one dollar to ship it here (special price) but returning it would be a different story!! It was not my first choice, but by the time I got back from CO that one was gone.  I could have spent all day tromping around Kansas City and probably not found one I liked better, so I took the plunge!

Late Thursday I arrived back home from my trip to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Guild in Fort Collins, CO. They are a great group and I had a wonderful time there; they took great care of me! The two day “Coneflowers” workshop was a lot of fun for all of us, I think. Some beautiful work was started and I hope to get finished photos to share with you!

Yesterday I had another commitment so I don’t even have all of the quilts put away yet – that is on the agenda for today.

Bad news arrived while I was gone – “Longhorn Splashdown” was not accepted to go to Houston this fall. This will be the first time that my work has been rejected there, and since they send their cattle up here to get fat, it’s not very nice of them not to take one back!!! Oh well, it will go somewhere else, I hope.Click on Longhorn in the side bar to see a photo.

Monday we had an appointment in town and Tuesday I drove up to Lawrence for the Kaw Valley Quilt Guild meeting so very little was accomplished here on the goat quilt. I was pleased to find out that I got TWO Viewer’s Choice awards at the Kaw Valley Quilt Guild show this spring! they were for “Lazy Afternoon” and “Watermelon Wine”. I showed “Longhorn Splashdown” during show and tell and quite a few people came up later to have a closer look!

On the way home I saw a 50% off plant sale so of course I had to stop. It was mostly annuals and hanging baskets but tucked away in the back were a few shrubs so I got a Black Lace Elderberry which has lacy black leaves and pink flowers. Very cool!

I have to go to town AGAIN today – so I’d better get off the computer and sew a few seams!

“Longhorn Splashdown” 47.5 x 33.5″ Done at last!

It’s been a busy weekend, starting Friday afternoon with a trip to Lawrence to deliver quilts for the Kaw Valley Guild show. That’s over 90 miles, round trip.

Then Saturday I taught a Coneflowers workshop. I always look forward to the workshops as there are always enthusiastic students excited to learn a new technique! After that, a nice visit with a hospitalized friend before heading home to unload the workshop stuff and crash.

Sunday afternoon, back to Lawrence to see the show, shop the vendors and collect the quilts to return home. It was a lovely show with lots of interesting props reflecting quilting over the past century or so, numerous vendors where I spent more than expected and a silent auction and boutique to tempt more spending! Not to mention a wonderful array of quilts from antique to brand new. I have not been able to show there, or even attend the last few years due to my busy schedule so it was fun to be there once again. I showed “Watermelon Wine”, “Bittersweet Memories” and “Lazy Afternoon”.

Between these activities and rain showers I’ve fitted in some weeding which is getting out of hand with all of the rain lately – but the moist earth makes weeding easier so it’s a mixed blessing. As I get the weeds out I apply the Preen mulch and cross my fingers that it will help!

I hope to get started on quilting the Longhorn piece very soon and have been doing a little on-line research as to how the growth lines appear on the horns. Around and around apparently, as opposed to linear.

It took all day, but the top is done and the paper is removed, ready to layer and quilt.

This is a scene that I saw driving to Arkansas last summer. My camera was not handy enough to grab a photo – really, it was only a second in time- so even if the camera had been already in my hand, the moment would have been past. So this is from a sketch from memory, and captures the scene as I remember it.

I had been searching for a speckled fabric for the Longhorn for awhile, even bought a piece of hand dyed  in Lancaster but the one I ended up using was already in my stash! A combination of 5 or 6 different fabrics make up the water.

At this point the piece measures 51 X 36″. I’m having a hard time coming up with a name and decided to read Prairyerth for inspiration – nothing yet!