"The weather continues pleasant....."

I know I've heard that phrase in a movie.  For the life of me I can't remember which one.  I can hear it but I can't see it.  :-)

Anyway.  Aside from a day of high winds and storms (we were very fortunate), the weather has been extremely pleasant, though today was dreary and rainy.  I've been able to have the windows open and breezes blowing through some days.  Spring is springing!

This quilt is finally marked, basted, quilted and bound, and is at Mom's for the final hand sewing.  Yay!  A finish!

 
Thursday I went with a group of women from the Capital Quilters Guild up to the Mid-
Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, Virginia.   It was impossible to get around to all the vendors and also see all the quilts in one day!  I did manage to spend a bit of money though.  :-)  I also white-gloved for two hours so our guild could sell raffle tickets.

Here is a sampling of quilts.  This one is amazing.  It stopped me in my tracks!

I really did have to rush through but some just called to me, like this eagle which makes a strong statement about the placement wind farms.

Heh.  I have this book.  I believe the geese are the reason I bought the book!

Just imagine the hours that went into this.  Wow.  I was impressed by how many large finely hand-quilted items there were.

This one glows.

This is another one that grabbed the eye as we walked around a corner.  My companion said it made her think of Easter M&M's! 

The squirrels got my viewer's choice vote.  I just couldn't resist.  I love the combination of photography and hand-dyed fabrics.  Very clever.

Another wonderful eagle.

This is another one that made me gasp as I came around a corner.

Fun, fun, fun.

More fun!

We had a great location for selling raffle tickets for our two raffle quilts.  The proceeds are going to the Girl Scouts in their 100th anniversary year.  Everyone who waited in the long lines for lunch had to stand in front of our table!

Sunday was another lovely day and The Tramp and I thought it would be nice to be outside.  We hauled two treadle machines and the Atlas out of the garage and started cleaning up the cabinets.  It was perfect weather for it and we both got a bit of sun.  I want to sell one of the treadles, and will, for the time being, use the two other machines as bedside tables in the guest room.  The Tramp will be thrilled to get them out of the garage!

Late afternoon shadows. 

Today I put my nose to the grindstone and got the applique on these dahlia blocks done.  It took two movies and then some!  I'll be able to deliver them to Julianne tomorrow and then get on with the next project. 

Pretty!  They will be matted and framed.  I hope the client enjoys them. 

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Ha!  I remember now.  That line is from The Importance of Being Earnest!  Cecily reads it from her diary. 

Miscellany

Before I get reminded I thought I'd better post something!  :-)

Let me see.....   I've been working on the dahlia blocks.  The petals are appliqued on the first block and it's waiting for the center circle.  It's a bit weird to work on because the lavender is a light poly-cotton and some of the star points are knits backed with interfacing.

Charlie was becoming a bit too territorial about his cage so it was a good time to rearrange the inside and make him some new toys.

We also switched the positions of the cages and the china cabinet.  Even though his wings are clipped I was uncomfortable with him being so close to the back door.  If he got out there he could climb a tree in a flash!

The wild birds are eating us out of house and home.....as well as the raccoon.  (Sigh.)  I finally managed to get a photo of the downy woodpecker.

And three crows on the streetlamp.   I am easily amused.  :-) 

Today however, I got very excited when a big woodpecker-looking bird suddenly appeared at the suet.  Oh MY!   Of course the camera was nowhere in sight.  I grabbed my binoculars and my book and determined it was a male yellow-shafted northern flicker.  So gorgeous!  There was no doubt about it being the yellow-shafted version.  When it flew it's underside was bright yellow.  Pictures here.   It made my day!

We've had snow Sunday night!  Not much was left out front in the early morning.  The Carolina sun took care of it very fast.  (Shooting into the sun gave me that strange purple reflection.)

The snow lasted a bit longer out back.

Dog TV is on!

I wonder what she thinks about when she sits and stares into space.

Another t-shirt quilt done.

Kathie and I are going to a retreat with Karen Eckmeier in a couple of weeks and we had a great time shopping for our fabrics at Wish Upon A Quilt. We had so many bolts pulled out for consideration that the whole store got involved, customers included.  We are in a group of people testing the pattern for Karen's new Wearable Waves book.  Very exciting!  Choices, choices.  Well looky here....my original pink palette has morphed into something more purple.  :-)

My Christmas cacti that bloom at Thanksgiving and Easter bloomed for Valentine's Day.  I wonder how many more holidays I can get out of them!  (Anything but Christmas apparently.)

In preparation for Mom and Dad's imminent move, we're still listing furniture on Craigslist, both theirs and ours.  Tonight we sold our Ikea bedroom furniture (Yay!) which will be replaced with items from Mom and Dad's.

Of course stripping one room always means trashing another.  Sigh.

Also this week we went to The Clayton Center to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  The 600 seat auditorium is a nice intimate setting and clearly everyone really wanted to be there.  The group puts on a lively show and we all participated.  If they come your way, go and see them!

Today I finally put the borders on this Jelly Roll 1600 top.  This evening I was marking arcs on it with the metal measuring tape pinned to the design wall.  That is until all my blue marking pens wore out.  Tomorrow I'll get some more.  :-)

And last....I couldn't resist this pretty scene at the front window.  The camera did a good job, even through the screen.  :-)

I had a lovely little video of mist on the pond but it's been rejected, darn it.  Next time....if I can figure out why.