Holiday Spirit

Cubby's been into cookin' lately.  At first he was content with just the pots and pans. But then he realized that it was much more fun if there was actually food to cook.  Imaginary food is much easier for grandma to clean up.  When he cooks bananas and gold fish and crackers and whatever else he's fast enough to grab, grandma actually has to wash the pots when he's done. (Note the hat from Halloween). - especially when Gennie tries to help with the clean up.  I suppose I could teach Cubby to wash his own but that would involve water and soap bubbles and a whole new set of challenges.

Last night, Cindy and I braved to cold to go see Jen Sygit and Friends at Stage 1210 in Old Town. Lots of friends, music and singing. It was excellent. I came home still in the spirit and sat in front of my Christmas tree listening to my new Songwriters Anonymous CD and handquilted until after midnight. The quilt behind the tree is a block exchange from one of my first years in the group, could it possibly be 1992? It's still a top but I hang it up anyway.   

These are Gorham crystal angels from Germany that my parents bought me many, many years ago. I don't feel like it's really the Holidays until I get them out each year. They absolutely sparkle in the light from the piano. These may be the last pictures from my cell phone. Santa might be bringing me a new camera and I'll be able to take real pictures, we'll just have to wait and see...

Quilts Not Snow

Unlike several other blog postings today, mine does not include that white stuff that started yesterday and won't quit. Coming home from work tonight was a challenge. I passed several fender benders at 20 mph and was very grateful  I made it home in 40 minutes, double my usual time and up my steep driveway intact. I read Frieda Anderson's blog tonight and she talked of her love of trees. I guess I've found my niche in leaves. There are so many ways to express leaves in quilting. This is the quilt I started at the Retreat by the Lake.

Here is a view of a block exchange quilt. The blocks were dated 2001. I guess it's about time it became a top. I'm planning Jane Sassaman LEAF fabric for the border. Could be wild!

Linda has posted this music quilt on her blog but I like the way the light hits it hanging over the rail. OK, new skill. This is the first time I've inserted a link into by blog. What's next? Slide shows, music. I feel like I'm way behind but one step at a time. 

About Time

I thought it was about time I put some quilts on my blog. Last weekend a group of us went to the Quilt Retreat By the Lake.  You can see my latest quilt tops on Linda's blog. The long weekend was WONDERFUL!!! and provided quality uninterrupted time with fabric, friends and food (of course)!

Here are two quilts that have already gone on to new homes:

This is my circle quilt from the Mary Bajcz workshop: Drawing with your Rotary Cutter. "Let the Sunshine In" would have been a good quilt for the Quilt A Song Challenge currently on display at the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame but this quilt has gone to a silent auction for the Women's Center of Greater Lansing.

This is the back of Cubby's birthday quilt. It's a companion fabric to the front. I had originally planned to give it to him on birthday #1 but he got it on #2. How did he get so big so fast? I've already started collecting fabric for his next quilt. It's horses and cowboys but don't tell him!

This is the front of his "Transportation" quilt. The vehicles (his favorite fire engine is in the middle) were a printed panel but not printed straight on the grain. Using the "twist and turn" method let me get them all included without going crazy and gave the quilt more visual interest.

Thursday am I'm off to visit my sister for her big birthday. I'll be looking for beads for my newest leaf quilt top which I finished at the retreat and probably some Jane S fabric since it's easier to find on the west coast. No matter what we do, it will be fun to celebrate and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather with my sister.

Happy Halloween!

Cubby wasn't into this thing called Halloween. He thought he was going to see the ducks. "Where are we going? The ducks are that-a-way!" Bib overalls and flannel shirt and farmer John hat. Next year I'm sure he'll definately tell grandma what he wants to be for Halloween!

We stopped to see Cyndee. The weather was so nice she was out on the driveway handing out treats.  Not like last year when we were all bundled up in the rain!

We hit a few more houses along the way. Eileen was on the road with her crew and Daisy and Carol weren't around so we didn't get to see them. One house had someone on the porch playing the accordion which fascinated Cubby . Cubby kept trying to take his treats out of the bag and give them away. I'm sure he'll have other ideas about that topic too by next year. When we got to Ruth's, he was more interested in the Ghost Dogs (see the glowing eyes in the door!) than the candy. We got back to Grandma's and played with puzzles until after 10pm. What a night! 

Saturday - On the GO!

On Saturday, Claire and I and Cubby went to Van Atta's Fall Festival. Under blue, cloudless skies and Cubby fresh from his nap, we were all set! They had a number of activities for the little ones, including an inflatable obstacle course. Still a little small to make it up the ladder, Cubby gave it a try. There was also a bouncy tent, a clown and some slimy-type animals from the Potter Park Zoo.

Cubby found a wagon used for hauling  plants and was off so fast I could barely snap the shot.

The wagon was bigger than he was! He loved looking at the flowers.  I bought a grass plant and he carried it around for me. Working in marketing, we're always discussing how to keep the next generation involved in gardening. This event is a great idea.

Mystic Shake, one of my favorite local groups played on an appropriately decorated stage and there was also a craft show too. What a wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon!

Fire and Rain

Yesterday, I braved the rain to go to the Lansing Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert at Plymouth Congregational Church. After 4-plus inches of rain, I probably wouldn't have gone if I hadn't already purchased a ticket. I wondered how many others would show up.  I wore my knee-high barn boots prepared to splash through the puddles. It turns out there was a good crowd to listen to the Beaumont Brass.

Beaumont Brass is the faculty brass quintet from MSU. They are all EXCELLENT musicians and each play in the GLSO or Grand Rapids Symphony.

They played two pieces with "Fire" in the title hoping to 'evaporate' the rain.  One of the other featured pieces was "Seasons", written by John Stevens in 1984 (the year my son was born). It was very modern (I guess I expect brass quintets to play more baroque music). The piece was very interesting and enjoyable and painted a vivid picture of the four seasons.

The Beaumont Brass closed the program with John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever". It was definitely  not a march.  I have never heard it played any faster. There was no piccolo so the trumpet had to take over that part.

A gloomy, rainy, sodden Sunday afternoon with exciting music filling a church with incredible acoustics. I'm glad that I didn't let the weather keep me hostage.

Happy Wheatland!

Last weekend, I attended the 35th Annual Wheatland Music Festival with my friend Irene. I had a WONDERFUL time! Everyone camps. Some have RV's and camp in large fields but we found the perfect spot in the pines for our little tent. Irene's son Ben came from Ann Arbor and her son Nate and his friend Veronica came all the way from upstate New York.  The guys also had a group of friends with them, one had even come from Seattle!  They created their own little "compound" of tents in a different area away from the moms but we ran into them several times during the weekend. Ben even danced with his mom until 2am on Saturday night - Sunday morning?

There are three stages, the Main stage shown here, the Centennial Stage and the dance stage.

Some of the acts that were on the Centennial Stage were lesser known but just as good as the main acts.  We even got to see our own Jen Sygit and Jeremy Kittel. The dance stage was always hopping from early morning yoga, afternoon dance classes (I took 3 dance classes), and evening dances that went well after midnight. In addition, there are activities for children and teens and two other workshop tents where you could learn how to play different instruments.

I took a beginning Bodhran class and since I didn't have a bodhran, we learned on a pizza  box with a dowel for a tipper.

One of my favorite parts of Wheatland besides the relaxed family atmosphere was the impromptu jammin that went on. Many people bring their instruments and just get together and start playing. Here's a group playing in the picnic area.  Both nights there was a Stringband playing in the clearing near our tent - great to fall asleep to. The Fabulous Heftones from Lansing kept popping up here and there. Even little kids would get out their fiddles (I even saw a little girl on a camp stool with a cello) and leave their cases open hoping you'd show your appreciation. I was only gone two-and-a-half days but I feel like I had a real vacation.