Challenge quilt done...and...the year in review,

We are in the middle of creating our challenge quilts for our annual guild challenge. This year's challenge was called "This Was Then....."  based on the year you were born.  Nobody reveals until January when they are submitted.  Sometimes we give teasers....here is my teaser,,,,for which you will garner nothing as to the finished product.   

Surprisingly, I am done...early, most are completing the week they are due, sometimes even the morning of!!!   I was totally uninspired until a chance photo sent by a friend intrigued me enough to do some experimenting to see if I could convey it In fabric.   It just happened I decided to turn it into a challenge.   More next month!

My friend Martha  always posts what she accomplished during the year.  I decided I would keep track.   I lost track of it part way through, but think I have remembered most.

-   2 birch tree art quilts...."Then...the Crocus" - for RAFA show, winner of art quilt award at GVQC               "Autumn Candles" - winner in art quilt category at Old Forge quilt show

- 2 quilts for Gem and Mineral show in Rochester.   "Footsteps" & "Where I "Stand" 

- "Inflorescence" - digital printed and quilted, hung in GVQC show and RAFA show

- guild challenge - "Butterflies and Bottlecaps", literary challenge

- ice dye challenge, stained glass windows for ArtCGirlz!

- 2 Mandela challenges. - "Where Words Fail...Music Speaks" and "Butterfly" For ArtCGirlz.

- 2 pulpit banners for Church

- quilt for a  very good friend in Florida - a portrait quilt of his mother

- "Out on a Limb" from Wendy butler Berns workshop at guild

- row by row guild project....yet to be a finished quilt.

- silent auction donation , quilted tulip panel 

3 mug rugs,  3 purses, 3 fabric cards

- made blocks for and did the machine quilting on a comfort quilt for a very dear friend going thru chemotherapy....one of the highlights of my year.

- took part in Iron Quilter at GVQC.  Finished quilt in 3 1/2 hours.

Whew, I think I accomplished quite a bit....and there might be a couple more I didn't remember.

Here's to another successful year in 2014!

Merry Christmas! From me and Longwood Gardens

One of my "favoritest" places ever!   Longwood Gardens, decorated at Christmas!

Merry Christmas Blog Readers!

It's an Icy Day in Batavia!!

We've had an ice storm overnight! I love my Japanese Maple Tree.....here is stark contrast from Last Sunday to this Sunday!

The dogwood in the back yard.

And, the new little redbud tree trying to stay strong!

The neighbors tree before it went down.

Mr. Snowman is supposed to look like ice cubes with his white wicker dressing.   He looks even more icy.....icicles dripping from his hat!

Vox Lumine concerts

My husband belongs to a singing group called Vox Lumine.   It is a lovely choral group, small and madrigal sized that sings all different varieties of concerts.   Right now they are in the midst of their Christmas concerts and it is a very lovely "get you in the spirit" type of concert.   Because he is still on driving restrictions after eye surgery, I have had to drive him to all the rehearsals and concerts.   

Here is part of the group performing last night.

They also performed on WXXI.org classical radio station in Rochester yesterday morning,   You can hear the concert at 1:00 pm on Sunday December 22 if you go to WXXI.org click on radio and click on "listen live".

Tonight, Dec. 20, they are performing in Batavia, NY and Saturday in Orchard Park, NY.

So.....not much quilting the past few days, but hope to get back to it soon!

.....and still it snows! It's pretty, but.....

We have had snow almost every day of the month.   And.....it is cold!!!   Last night, this was the temp at midnight!

These are pictures of our property!   I always think Christmas lights look the best with a dusting -or more- of snow!!!   

Mug Rug exchange in guild!

Yesterday was our guild Christmas party.   As part of the festivities, Chris, our program person, arranged for a mug rug exchange.   Most of us had never made such a thing,   Coasters.  Yes!  Placemats?  Yes!   Mug rugs?   Not so much.   Described as larger than a coaster, smaller than a placemat!   Large enough for your mug and a snack!

This is the one I made for the exchange!

These are the ones I received!   The Christmas star mug right along with a mug full of chocolates, a Christmas ornament and a deck of playing cards were my gift in the exchange!   The tulip mug rug was  a gift from my good friend Martha, who had really gotten in the spirit and made many extras!   I love them!   One sits next to my recliner, the other in my quilting room!    I am now making a few for gifts!

It's very wintry here..... There is at least 12 inches on this bench in my front yard.   My lighted snowman is quite buried also....he sports a lot of attitude!

My winning gift has arrived!!!

A couple of weeks ago I posted that I had won a give away from Connections by Karen Musgrave, a blog I consistently read and follow!  I feel a real connection with her and was excited to be the winner of one of her journals!!!

Front and back!

Inside ready to insert my own notebook!

Thank you Karen, I will put this to good use!

Happy Retirement Day!

Yesterday was my husband's big retirement day after 30+ years in the insurance profession, the last 27 years, 6 months and 25 days as an insurance adjuster with New York Central.   They will sorely miss him as his work ethic is unparalleled these days.   He has been a faithful, loyal, conscientious and dedicated employee.  

I am so glad I arranged for a retirement "card bombing" idea for him because the party was small and because he had had a miserable week with the eye surgery etc.   It. has given him something very fun and positive to think about.

These are a couple of photos of Longwood Gardens right now....my favorite place and it is lovely at Christmas.   We were supposed to be there next week.....but that won't be happening after my husband's eye surgery.   Best case scenario, maybe we get there right after Christmas but that is very iffy unless he is able to drive by then.  <<big sigh>>

What a week!

This week was supposed to be so much different than it has turned out so far!   This is how it started!

I planned a party to get the family together to celebrate my husband's 65th birthday,   We had a great time and it is always fun when we are together.

My gorgeous granddaughter, Samantha!

My middle grandchild, Aaron,

My youngest grandson, Jcob!

From there it all went downhill.   Monday, the actual date of his  birthday, we spent in doctors and specialist offices because it was discovered my husband had a detached retina,  at 5:00 he was taken into surgery for repair.  A gas bubble now sits behind the retina, on top of the optic nerve to hold the repair in place.   Other than shapes, colors and forms, he sees nothing out of that eye.  As the bubble dissipates on its own (a 4-6 week process), he will gradually see more and more, to where we hope original or close to original vision is restored,   The days are now filled with keeping his head down at 90 degrees for 30 min, of every hour, and a bizillion eye drops at varying times throughout the day,  we both had a full week of activities,,,,All cancelled.   Vacation next week....cancelled!  Amazingly, he is in good spirits....probably better than mine.

Tomorrow.....Friday.....is his retirement day.   This was supposed to be a week of excitement as he winds down his 30+ year career in the insurance field.  He is still excited,  but it has taken on a whole different tone.

It's a "niveous" day in the neighborhood!

My favorite little Japanese Maple tree...in all seasons. !

My friend Patrick and I have been playing a word a day game for the month of  November.   We give each other a word to interpret with a photo or art or a quote.  Recently my word was "niveous".   It means "white" or of a " snowy" nature.  Being in the northern part of the U.S. I've used the word a lot....he being from the warmer southern half of the country.  Anyway we have had our first measureable snow and it is pretty.  This is what I like for Christmas Eve and day...and them it can be gone 

I won, I won!!

I follow a lot of blogs.... It is a good way to connect with other artists and see what new things people are doing.   One of my favorites is Connections by Karen Musgrave.   I have thought for awhile now thwt we share many common thoughts, feelings and ideas....   This week many have been a part of a "blog hop".   You can see all new kinds of things and people and register for their giveaways.    Karen isn't new to me but I registered for her giveaway because I like her stuff, and......I like to win.   And so, I won, I won.   It is a journal with a butterfly on the cover and anyone who knows me, knows I love butterflies and what they mean.    There is a photo on her blog, but I will wait to post a pic when I receive my prize.    (The picture above is NOT the journal....just a butterfly photo that I like)

Saturday I went to see the RAFA show in Clifton Springs,   It is awesome and I don't just say that because I'm a part of it.....it showcases everyone's work to a really high level.

While there, my husband fell in love with a Beautiful wood table crafted by a local artist.   We now enjoy this table in our living room.    A wonderful day!

RAFA opens a new show in Clifton Springs, NY

Rochester Area Fiber Artists show opens this week in Clifton Springs, NY.   I will have 3 pieces entered along with 27 of my artist friends.     The reception will be Saturday November 9 from 4-7 and we will be doing a trunk show on December 6 as part of the Festival of Lights display.   Come and visit our show if you are in this area.   I promise you will not be disappointed.

Out on a Limb - Wendy Butler Berns workshop

Wendy came to Batavia a couple of weeks ago to do workshops and a lecture.   I took her Out On A Limb class. This is my completed piece...I think I am done!

Wendy uses a freezer paper, gluestick appliqué method that was great fun.  We also worked with texture magic for the tree.  

A close up showing some beads I added for leaves.   I say I "think" I am finished because with me and beads...you never know!

My Art Quilt Show winner!!

I found out late last night that my quilt "Autumn Candles" is a winner at the national quilt show held at Old Forge Arts Center.   I entered for the first time in the art quilt category!   Awards are tomorrow, but alas, too late for me to plan to attend that event.   The show runs from November 2 - January 5.   I saw the watercolor show that was there before this show, and that was excellent.   I hope to get back sometime to see my quilts hanging in this show.

This quilt was my second quilt using the birch tree theme.   The green rectangles are fused mosaic style onto an autumn print batik.  Birch trees were cut from appropriate fabric and raw edge fused...some fraying of threads gives texture to the trees.  Snippets of red fabric are machine quilted to give the appearance of falling leaves.

The best part was when we were driving to take the quilt to the arts center we kept going by forests of trees and I would exclaim - Look - there's my quilt"!"   It was neat to see the effect after the quilt was done instead of before as for inspiration!

Salsa clarinets!

I attended the Old Forge watercolor art show a week ago!   This was one of my favorites....... Clarinets....hot and spicey!  Being a clarinet player, and a lover of color, this really appealed to me.

Old Forge

A small vacation to Old Forge after a busy guild week with national quilter Wendy Butler Berns!!

This is my Friday Workshop...Out On A Limb!

After guild meeting we took Wendy to a local diner for the infamous Beef on Weck for which we are known for in this area 

This is one of the lakes we saw today!   It is either White Lake or Round Lake. There seemed to be confusing signs in the area. 

Then we ate at Walts Diner.... Well known diner in the area. 

This is one of the displays in the famous Old Forge Hardware store.  It was so pretty but I really just loved the rhythm of repetition.

Beautiful autumn day.....more Letchworth Park pictures

It was a gorgeous day for a drive today.   I went on a hunt for more pictures of the trestle bridge in Letchworth Park.   There is talk of outting a new bridge for the trains, which could mean this one will be gone, or at least obstructed with a new one beside or near it.

This is the infamous shot from the infamous vantage point.   Almost everyone has a photo from this angle.

Further up the hill we saw one of the rare trains that cross the bridge now.   It was a long one and we never did see the end of it.   A really close look will show the conductor waving at us.

I'm always interested in lines and geographic shapes they make and find the structure of the bridge very interesting.

I was riding along with my husband on insurance claims and at one of the house se saw this guy,   I think he know "his time of the year" is near, and even closer if you are in Canada.

Rushford Lake was also pretty with lots of low lying clouds.