PANTONE - 2018 COLOR

              YUCK!!  This is the Pantone 2018 Color of the Year......

The purple color family is my least favorite....that spills over to anything pink as well. I made the wall piece shown below quite some time ago....and always select other pieces over this one to display for sale....  Meaning I definitely need to remove it from my inventory! Any takers??  Make an offer!!  Do you have a color you dislike so much you avoid working with?

                        WOODLAND FERNS  27" X 14"
Artist ice dyed & discharged dyed cottons, machine quilted, hand embroidered.

THUMBS UP DOCUMENTARY

A notice  on Art Daily that the University of Chicago has received a gift of vintage Vivian Maier prints reminded me of the documentary film:  Finding Vivian Maier.....one of the most interesting films I've ever seen!!

It traces the life story of the late Vivian Maier, a career nanny whose previously unknown cashe of 100,000 photographs has earned her a posthumous reputation as one of America's most accomplished and insightful street photographers.  

The skill of the film maker, combined with the photographs will be worth your time to watch.  The story of how the photos came to light in itself is fascinating....the documentary link above has a ton of information online but I do encourage you to seek out the film.  We got it on Netflix in DVD format.

WHAT'S MISSING?!?

A friend sent me a bunch of nostalgic ditties.....these two helped to remind me to be grateful for growing up when I did!!

SUNDAY FUNNIES

As seen in the window of our local jewelry store.........

UNUSUAL ART DISPLAY

This falls under the category of 'having too much money' OR 'are they nuts?!'

This Porsche Design Tower is supposedly the newest & hottest property in Miami.  Auto-obsessed residents park their supercars inside their $6 to $30 million dollar penthouse apartments.  Adjoining additional garage space can be purchased for a mere $1.8 - $2.5 million!!

Sure it's a beautiful view....but where would you display your quilts?

Oh....that's right, cars are 'The Art'.

In the center of this model you can see where an elevator brings the car up from street level.  The floor rotates to face 'your personal' elevator door....open it and drive your precious vehicle into your 'home'.

Now I've seen it all!!!

RESTING.....

TIME OUT FOR A LITTLE AGE REDUCTION!!!

I'll be back before you even miss me......

A LAUGH FOR THE DAY

Totally true!!!  

(Thank you Lynn for sharing this cartoon!)

EQUIPMENT FAILURE

Oh dear......my friends have had to listen to me rant for the last several weeks as one darn piece of equipment after another has failed....combined with horrible customer service!

Besides the ordeal I went through to get a new sewing machine, in an effort to get the Packer games every week....we  were ready to give up DISH, who we've been with for 25 years.  I don't want to get started here...... but I can say I'll never deal with DIRECT TV EVER (realizing that the customer experience can be severely impacted by local providers....ours stints)!! This drama played out for well over a week, leaving us w/o any service at all!!  

Our hot water heater broke.....despite calling 5 plumbers - 2 of which advertised 24-7 emergency service.....only 1 returned our call 2 days later (not the emergency one either)!  

My Keurig stopped working.....and now my iron stopped heating....spuing water everywhere......what on earth does one do without a working iron?!?  

It's time for a big fat, calorie filled cookie!!!

NAUGHTY AND NICE

Sometimes (well...quite often) I charge through life, rather than taking sufficient time to really look at what's around me.  So, I'm popping in today to share two photos I took recently.

 I'd put this in the naughty for the body category!!

And this is definitely in the 'aww, how thoughtful category.  

ELVIS KEEPS THEM DANCING!

A friend shared this photo of her Mom, Dorothy Kachur, who LOVES to dance.  Who'd think at AGE 95 she'd still be shaking her hips with 'Elvis'!?!  

Is there a lesson here?  Yes, keep moving....what a great role model!!

TECHNOLOGY - LOVE/HATE

I have such a love/hate relationship with technology.  I go from being afraid to press a key (for instance when using photo editing programs) to slamming every single one out of pure frustration.

I'm still struggling to fix the mess that developed when I upgraded my 8 year old desk top Mac....nothing is where I want it and I can't open ANY of my zillion word processing files!!!  This 'designed obsolesence' makes furious!! 

However, as I'm dragged, kicking and screaming toward new products....sometimes there's a "how did I live without this moment'.

I now use these Bluetooth wireless ear buds during our daily appx. 90 min. 'forced march' (otherwise known as a morning walk, except ours has four 1,000 foot elevation changes). Being tethered to ear buds with long cords is such a nuisance....and since I often wear them while cooking/cleaning.....they get in the way.  

There are numerous brands on the market....these ran around $30.  The battery lasts for about 4-5 hours...depending upon what you are listening to.  It can be recharged using the black USB 'gagetity' thing you see here.  Mine can link with two devices...my iphone and my iPad. Though switching between them is not always seamless.....esp. if both devices have Bluetooth connected AND they are near each other.  There's quite a selection to choose from online....ours came from Amazon.com (where we order just about everything, including dog food!). 

I've been thrilled with them because due to issues I have with my inner ears, I'm unable to wear noise canceling wireless headphones.....which would be my preferred choice on airplanes or in the car on long trips.  

Oh yes......this is a good step forward!!

PTA FIBER GROUP - JUNE MEETING

Really, life is good when one has fiber meetings two days in a row!  

 PTA (Professional Textile Artists) member Lynne recently moved from South Carolina to Flat Rock NC.....now that she's settled we got to visit her beautiful home.  Look at this view from her living room window!

 11 of our 14 members were able to gather.....all talking at once.....sharing so much it was sometimes difficult to absorb it all.

Here's a fabulous idea!  Credit goes to Lynne for this clever way to inventory possessions.  Two moves ago, she packed up some of their 'treasures', and kept pictures of the wrapped items in the top of each box.  As things go sometimes......they were never unpacked after the move, and now they've been moved again!!  She has no room for these items anymore, so....she passed the photos around for us to choose anything that interested us.  Brilliant!!

 Connie Brown (an AQS appraiser) was sharing Paducah quilt show news.....and brought two interesting photos.  This year, the appraisers had an opportunity to enter the quilt museum's 'vault'.  Here you can see how boxes of quilts in their collection are labeled and stored in a temperature and humidity controlled environment.

And what a coincidence.....she was standing next to box #52.....which holds a quilt by our very own Judy Simmons.

Though we had an inspiring show and tell.....my photos didn't turn out well enough to share.  But, I'm happy this one did. Dort is so skilled at creating 'story' quilts....here is one in progress.

GREY'S ANATOMY FANS

SO....for those of you who where surprised when viewing the recent episodes of Grey's Anatomy.....I must admit I wasn't.  We are big race fans.....and in the race world we KNEW this was coming.....

Dr. McDreamy is no more....still Dreamy??  Yes of course.....but perhaps only to race fans.  We've seen him up and personal many, many times.....very personable and accessible to fans.......  as cute in person?   Yes!  But as most race car drivers are:  physically quite small....however the cuteness factor is still there as you can see!

Yup...this is fiber unrelated...guess that means I have nothing to report about that subject today!  Coming soon though.......

CLOTH NAPKINS

A little mental break was needed.....along with the need to replace some of our cloth napkins which we use daily.....so much nicer than paper!

 I've always been partial to plaids....esp. homespun fabrics, of which I have a LOT.  My serger has just been serviced.....so..... 

How about this for immediate gratification!!

WARNING - NOT FIBER RELATED

Okay....sorry...here's another fill in post as none of my fiber projects are at a point I can yack about at the moment.  So.....read on or not.....this is another part of my life...(hummmm whether I like it or not....)  'the husband' has a passion for a specific type of car racing.  He doesn't race himself...but follows closely. 

 We've gone to the Rolex 24 Hour Race for probably 14 years in a row......learning the tricks of how to get a good parking place in the Porsche Paddock has helped ME to be more comfortable.  Did I say this race was 24 hours?  So when it gets dark and cold.....I can sit in the car.....even if that means we have to arrive no later than 6:15 AM!!  Thankfully, we do not spend the night in the car.....but I can admit I'd like to go back to the hotel for the night sooner than 'the husband'.

We follow Porsche racing teams and were disappointed to see one of our favorite drivers, Patrick Long (an American....unusual in this sport) standing alongside his car in the garage during the race.  Though the photo doesn't quite show it.....it felt like being at a wake......clearly the mechanical issues were big and likelihood of returning to the race were small.

Fiber process coming real soon.....tx's for sticking with me.

CAR ART

I know....this isn't fiber related.....however it IS ART!!!  And to look at it puts sunshine in my heart.....esp. today as we are stuck on our mountain with a temperature at 25 degrees, howling winds, blowing snow, and about an inch or more of ice on our roads.

Fortunately we got home in the nick of time yesterday from a trek to Daytona, FL for the Rolex 24 Hour race, beating the storm by about an hour.  The Porsche Club of America is celebrating its 60 year....the largest car club in the world.  Porsche has taken 2 years in secret to build 60 special (one of a kind...or one of 60 if you get my drift) cars.  This one was unveiled this past weekend and one lucky PCA member will win it.  The remaining cars are available for purchase after FIRST winning a lottery for the chance to buy one.  $$$......Don't ask...for sure it's wayyyy beyond our financial ability!!

Other useless news....Dr. McDreamy....of Grey's Anatomy - who now also owns Dempsey Motorsports and races a Porsche.....is soon to be available, apparently a divorce is in the works.  

Okay...that's it.......back to the studio....hope to have something to share soon.

SAYING GOODBYE.....

Many bloggers use this time of the year to reflect upon the year that has passed and of course to look forward.  My 25+ years of travel teaching are now a memory....very good memories in fact, but hopefully just a spring board to what's ahead.

It's not necessary to offer a list of past or future here......instead....I'd like to wish you a very successful, healthy, and happy NEW YEAR! (OH...and GO PACKERS!)

And perhaps take time to do a little partying......

          PARTY ANIMALS  Mary Stori © 1996

46" X 46"

Hand appliqued, hand quilted, 3-D and mixed media embellished.

Private Collection - Prescott, AZ

                                                   Detail

Have you set goals for 2015?  Where will you be 12 months from now???

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

 Okay, after my many complaints about airlines.....it's time for a feel good story......and a thumbs up to United Airlines employees in San Francisco..... Thanks to my DIL for alerting me to the link.

THE PACK IS BACK.....

We've waited a long time for the return of our QB.....

 ......but tonight perhaps there will be a satisfying win guided by Aaron Rodgers.

No there won't be any Lambeau leaps since the game will be in Seattle....however....I can assure you....there will be leaping and high fives in our house when the Packers score....and score they will.....

Be watching tonight  8:30 EST.....

COFFEE ANYONE???

Hope some of you are still with me after so many non-sewing related posts.....that's my life lately......bear with me.....

Thought I'd share a wonderful gift from a thoughtful friend.... How cool is this??  The ceramic mug has a sippy cup lid too.....perfect for those one cup tasty coffee pick me ups!

Thank you Lynn!!!