While we were in Jacksonville at Quiltfest we also visited The Olde Green Cupboard quilt shop.  Not only did it have thousands of bolts of fabric and patterns and books and great samples and excellent sales people – it also had fabulous displays of home dec items in a seasonal theme.  Since I LOVE fall I was just captivated by all the beautiful eye candy and inspiration.  I highly recommend a visit to this shop if you ever have the opportunity.  I’ll be back later this week with some quilts pics from Quiltfest. 

In just a week I am off to California with Corky, Frances, and Joanne.  We are ultimately headed to Asilomar in Pacific Grove for the Empty Spools Seminar (Session IV).  I’m taking a class from Janet Fogg called Innovative Traditionals.  I’ve always made traditional or folk art style quilts and I love them and always will.  But I’m feeling the pull to also try art quilting and I thought this would be a good class for me. 

But of course there is no pattern – we are to just bring fabric and maybe a germ of an idea.  Man does that produce anxiety in me.  And it hasn’t helped that I’ve been so busy and focused on some other important projects like the QSC Spring Meeting that was held last weekend. 

One night I woke up and realized I was thinking about three colors: red, gold, and black.  I decided that had to be my subconcious sending me a message.  I’ve also been walking a lot and during one long walk my mind “saw” a quilt.  So that is my germ of an idea.  I’ve tried to put some of it on paper and I have big doubts that I can ever render it in fabric but I’m going to try. 

So I’ve been pulling fabrics from my stash and Corky’s stash and of course, also shopping……..made a run up to Gastonia in the rain last week to Mary Jo’s.  The color pallette has been refined and expanded and here is what is traveling to CA with me:

If that was all I had to take I wouldn’t be worried!  We are renting machines there, but have to take the notions, the iron, the cutting mat, the light, the power strip, etc etc.  Last night I crammed it all into a suitcase and then weighed it.  It felt like a ton but the scales said I was under the 50 pound limit.  I think tomorrow I’m going to cart the suitcase up to my friendly ACE Hardware store and get them to weigh it on their UPS shipping scale.  I don’t want to get to the airport and have a rude awakening.

We are going out a week early to do touring in San Francisco and then Monterey area.  So I also need to pack enough clothes for a week.  There are laundry facilities at Asilomar so the first thing I will do when we get there is wash clothes!  And I need to leave room in that suitcase for purchases.  You know I will make some.

I am excited about the trip as I’ve never been to the West Coast.  And I’m thrilled to be going with some of the TTT gang.  We have an all day bus tour planned for the first day.  We’re going to rent bikes and ride the Golden Gate Bridge one day.  And we’re planning to take a Segway tour of San Francisco another day.  Pretty cool for some old ladies!!

I added some bling to the quilted mirror and it’s ready to get wrapped up and sent out to the lucky birthday sister.  In addition to being a nice little wall ornament it can also be laid flat and used as a candle mat with a pretty pillar candle.  I’m going to shop for one to go with it this week.

My sister Carla gave me this beautiful wine rack for Christmas.  She had found one that sat on the floor but I told her I really wanted one that would fit into the niche in my new built in hutch in the kitchen/dining area.  The one she found is just perfect.  I love the glass details in it. 

This week  I put up all the snow people decorations so it was time to “redo” the niche.  I even had some wine to put in the rack from a trip to the Cumberland Plateau of TN in the summer of 2007.  We visited Stonehaus Winery while we were there.  The beautiful piece of pottery on the right was also a gift from Carla for my birthday.  She has wonderful taste and her own house (and her Kindermusik studio and office and new guest house) is decorated to perfection.  The table runner matches my placemats – I found the fabric at Mary Jo’s in Gastonia – backed them and bound them with fabric that matches my window treatments – quilted them on my longarm – so they are also reversible.

I’m not sure I like this new theme/format for my blog but I’ll try it out for a bit.

It’s finished – well, it’s quilted – still needs to be bound – and I love it.  Purchased the kit in Houston in Nov. of 2007 and done by February of 2009.  Might be a record for me!!

So here it is.  I think the flowers are peonies – I’m going to say they are – so I’m trying to think of a name for it that includes Peony.  Anyone want to help me out?

The colors in the  close up pictures are a bit off as I didn’t use the flash so the quilting would show up better.  And then I posed it on the red love seat in the dining room. 

I made a few extra blocks and have some extra fabric so I think a table runner and/or some throw pillows need to be made.  Maybe by this time next year?

Some snow flurries came down here today!  Just a few but that’s twice now this winter.  And it is COLD!!  I grew up in cold winters but after 28 years in the South I’m just not used to this.  But I did get out and walk today anyway. 

Tomorrow Lucy Lawless the new kitty goes to Doctor Glenn to be spayed.  While she’s having surgery I’m going to the library, to Sew n Sew and People, Places, & Quilts (quilt shops in Summerville) and then to Massage Envy for a 90 minute massage.  I think I’m getting a better deal than poor Lucy.  I had to put up all the food and water at 7 PM and both she and Callie Cat were stomping around and telling me about it so I gave up trying to do anything in the studio and left them to their griping.  I think I’ll go back up around 11 and shut Lucy into the back bedroom and bathroom and let Callie Cat have something to eat.

Merry Christmas to all!  I’ve been remiss in posting and will post about that later.  For now here are some pictures of my holiday decorations.  The den gets the snowmen and the tree in the den is decorated with ornaments that are fun and represent our interests – fishing, bird-watching, snowmen, flamingos, quilting, pets, etc.  The snowmen get to stay out until February.  The dining room and foyer showcase my sleigh collection (which also stays out thru January) and the tree in the dining room is my special tree – angel and heirloom ornaments.  I finally got the window swags hung at the dining room windows – they are from the quilt fabric line Porch Swing which was popular a few years ago and I also covered the dining room chairs in another piece of that same line.  Seasonal window toppers in the breakfast area and kitchen.  And of course, Christmas wallhangings and quilts.  I don’t have Christmas quilts for the beds yet, but that is on my agenda for 2009.  I have one ready to be quilted, one that needs borders and backing and then quilted, and one that is still being planned.

My sister and her hubster live outside of Clarksburg, WV in a little spot that definitely qualifies as “almost heaven.”  Years ago Steve (BIL) found a log home and purchased it, dismantled it, and moved it to this piece of property.  Over the years they have turned it into a gorgeous home – wonderful antiques and family pieces and collectibles – Carla really has the knack of decorating and Steve is an excellent wood craftsmen.  Here are pictures of the outside living areas and landscaping.  On my next trip I will try to get pictures of the interior.  I arrived at the house before Carla and Steve and had taken all the pictures.  They arrived with new hanging baskets for the front  – Carla was mortified to think I had captured her dead plants for posterity.  I said I wouldn’t publish them – but hey – see if you can find the dead plants and the new pretty petunia baskets!!  LOL  The guard dog is Tootsie – a sweet tiny miniature Daschund,  She is smaller than my Rudy’s head!  The construction picture is a shot of the location of the new guest house being built.  Enjoy the tour!

My formal dining room used to be the “living room” of the house.  But I always wanted a dining room and when my father passed away and I inherited the dining room set that had been my parents I decided to use that room as it adjoins the kitchen as a formal dining room.  When we renovated we added hardwood floors, crown molding and a chair rail on two walls to define the eating area of the dining room.  I hung a new (to me – it was a hand-me-down) light fixture over the table and had recessed lighting installed around the other two walls.  I love the light and airy feel to the room and can’t wait to host my first dinner party.

Click on each picture for a larger shot and more information!

In the late 90’s we added on to our house – converting the carport to a den and adding a second full bath and a sewing room (what is now my den) .  Here are some pictures of what I refer to now as “The Ref’s Den.”  If you look closely you will see evidence of some things we love.  There are some fishing items – the most prized being a display of the Ref’s father’s old fishing lures.  There are numerous birdhouses as we both love birds and birdwatching.  The plates over the window have both birds and fruit.  Years ago I was given some old plates with fruit motifs.  I started collecting them and have an extensive collection – still trying to figure out how and where and if I’m going to display those in the new kitchen and/or dining room.  There are also some turtles as they are also a passion of mine.  And of course, QUILTS!  The big changes that took place in this room during the most recent renovation were the hard wood floors and some different furniture.  I moved the sleeper sofa that was in the studio down here, the recliner was one we had purchased for my father for Christmas the year before he passed away, and the rocker came from my mother-in-law.  There is a low bench in front of the big window that was made for me by a neighbor when we lived at the lake.  And of course the Ref has his computer (command central).  Click on each picture for a larger view.  

I’m finally ready to start showing the great house renovation.  First up on the tour is my den.  We added two rooms and bath on to the house in 1997-98.  This room was my sewing room – it’s approximately 14 by 14 and used to house everything for my quilting and my computer – except the longarm.  It has big windows on two walls and a slider out to the covered back porch.  The slider is behind the recliner.  That is a great recliner – I love to kick back in it and take a snooze!  The sheer window treatments are actually aabout the same color as the chair but the light coming through makes them look so much lighter in the picture.                          This is the computer area – the hutch I’m using was made by my Daddy.  He used it to house all his media components in his den.  Beside it is an antique Singer machine in a Martha Washington cabinet.  The wallhanging was made by a group of NQA certified judges while at their retreat in Cedar Lakes, WV.  I won it at the NQA Little Quilt Auction two years ago.  It has wonderful quilting on it with a WV countryside scene and the blocks look like the mountains.  This is my new chair – extra wide and it has a twin sleeper sofa in it.  In front is my new ottoman with a little quilt on top of it.  I didn’t get a picture of the table behind the chair – but it is the base to a treadle sewing machine and my father made a drop leaf top for it.                                                 The TV is sitting on top of an old TV cabinet that belonged to my mother-in-law.  When the tv in it went bad she had someone turn it into a storage unit with shelves inside and doors on the front.  I made the magnolia wall hanging years ago – my FIRST paper-pieced project.  The other two pictures have inspirational sayings.  One says Give Love, Gather Love and the other one says Life is a Promise…Fulfill It.    My CD, cassette tape, and “record” player with more inspiration/motivation hanging above it.I found this area rug on sale and managed to get it marked down even more.  The colors look a bit washed out in this picture.  I just love it – has a quilty look to it.

Hope you enjoyed the tour – come and sit a spell and stitch with me someday soon!

Next up…………in a day or so………….the Ref’s Den.

 Yesterday was just about a perfect day – sunshiny, warm but not hot, and very little humidity.  Just a wonderful day to visit a beautiful spot in the Lowcountry of South Carolina known as Bonnie Doone Plantation.  The property is owned by the Baptist Association and used as a retreat and a camp.  Eight of the TTT gang drove over this morning and had a tour and then lunch.  Wonderful Southern hospitality surrounded by nature and a fantastic mansion.  The original property was a land grant in the early 1700’s and was a rice plantation – rice being one of the main crops along the coast.  The plantation is in the ACE Basin which is a special part of SC fomed by three rivers, the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto (all Indian names).  Much of the land has been put into conservancy and is home to many indigenous species of flora and fauna.  The original house was burned by Sherman and the present home was built in 1937 as a second home.  It has 12 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms!!!  The interior is simply stunning with intricate moldings and wonderful tiled bathrooms – one was even lavendar!  There is a camellia garden with a serpentine brick wall all around and ornate wrought iron gates.  You can learn more about Bonnie Doone by clicking on the name and visiting the website.

After a wonderful lunch complete with Bonnie Doone Pie – a chess pie base topped with cranberries, pecans, and coconut – we drove back into Walterboro, SC to visit the South Carolina Artisans Center. So much eye candy! We have many talented artists of all media in our state. I purchase two pieces of pottery for my new kitchen.

Today and the next few days I’m in the studio with Prince Charming. I have six quilts here for customers and need to get cracking. Lost some quilting time to putting the kitchen back together and healing from the injuries I obtained when the dogs had their disagreement. On that front everything is working out very well with the new feeding procedures in place.