Quilts,Wharton Center and Friends

I spent a great deal of time this week working on quilts.
I tried using the new camera again. I am not entirely happy with these pictures. I still need to do some studying of the instruction manual, but here are the quilts:

This is Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. I still need to add the binding and the embellishments, including the soles of her shoes. This is my first quilt for the Quilt A Song project and it will be on exhibit at the MWHC show.

This is Tangled Up In Blue. Remember the Dylan tune? It will be my second quilt for the Quilt A Song project. I think I will price this one to sell.

I made this small wall hanging in a Mary Bacjz workshop. I have titled it, On Target. It will be part of the Curves and Circles exhibit at the MWHC show.

This is Jackson's Dinosaur quilt. I made it for his 5th Birthday. It is only a few months late. My friend John did the machine quilting. I can't wait to give it to Jackson this coming weekend.

John machine quilted Jackson's name on his quilt. I know Jackson is going to like this quilt.

A close up of Jackson's name on his Dinosaur Quilt.

This is the Habitat Homes quilt that I made to hang in the board room. I hope the staff and board members like it. All the walls are currently blank and they need something to add life to the room.

A close up of the Habitat Homes quilt.

A close up of the wonderful machine quilting that John did on the Habitat Homes quilt.

On Wednesday evening, Lisa, Irene, my coworker Carol J. and I went to the Wharton Center to see the West African Music and Dance Ensemble. It was wonderful. The music was quite interesting - sort of mid East or Indian sounding and the dancing was terrific. I don't know how the dancers move so fast. The percussion part of the music was my favorite especially the drums. The instruments were all unique to Mali and all looked hand made. I also liked the costumes. Two of the women singers/dancers wore dresses that were batik dyed. I kept trying to figure out how they were dyed to get the design. The show lasted 2.5 hours. Quite long for a mid week show at the Wharton Center.
On Thursday, we had our GASP meeting and we had a visitor from far away. Phyllis, who lives in California came for a two week visit and she joined our GASP meeting tonight. It was so great to see her again. I really miss her. She is tanned and looking good. California and being married certainly agrees with her. We were all so glad to see Phyllis. We have really missed her.

Phyllis is looking great!!!!

The GASP gang, from the left front, Carol Sc, Barb, Melissa, Linda, backrow, Lisa, Cyndee, Phyllis, Carol Se. Missing are Ruth, Daisy, Marty, Eileen and Sophie.

Phyllis is happy to get her final block exchange block from Lisa.

At the GASP meeting we showed our Quilt A Song quilts and other projects we have been working on. Linda showed some quilts that have been entered in our exhibit at the MWHC. Linda's Quilt a Song, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head.

Linda took lots of pictures too.

We always have a good time. Melissa is looking through my scrap basket. I still have a lot left over................

Some little scrap quilts made by Ruth F. They will be displayed at the MWHC show.

Another one for the Circles and Curves exhibit.

Linda made this from parts left over from another quilt.

This one too.

This one is a cat looking into the mouse hole.
Melissa shows a jacket she is making for her mother for Christmas. Beautiful!!!

Very nice Melissa.

Lisa, Eileen and her daughter Anna, look on during the Show and Tell part of GASP.

Melissa, Carol Sc. and Phyllis admiring Carol's applique project from a retreat at Thunder Bay Quilt Retreat.

Barb showing her Quilt A Song quilt.

One for the Circles and Curves exhibit.

Lisa shows her leaf quilt from the Mary Bacjz workshop. She will show this as part of the Circles and Curves.

Lisa's quilt for the Quilt A Song project. Blue Hawaii.

Eileen and Anna. What a nice mother and daughter!!! Anna will come to trick or treat at my house on Friday. She is going to dress up as the young Laura Ingells Wilder.

On Friday evening I made a pot of my special Potato Leek soup since Lisa asked me when I was going to make it again. She said she really likes it so that was all I needed to be encouraged to make a pot. I picked up my favorite organic leeks at the Allen Street Market on Wednesday and even bought some extra to freeze. Lisa made a small salad and we enjoyed the soup, salad and rolls for dinner. It always tastes best the next day and so I gave her a container of soup for the weekend. Soup is appropriate this weekend since it has turned very cold and rainy.

On Saturday, I treated myself to a pedicure. What a luxury. My feet are so happy and smooth now. Later on Saturday, we all went to Daisy's house for a potluck party to celebrate Phyllis's visit to Michigan. Phyllis told us all about her life in CA, the expressways that she is still afraid to drive on and her new neighbors who moved from North Carolina so that their 8 year old daughter could start an acting career. Tim and Phyllis are smitten with the little girl and were really surprised to find out that she landed a part in an HBO produced movie with some really famous actors. I am sure we will keep posted on the happens of the new starlet.

Sunday was a day of chores, cleaning, laundry, raking leaves and adding the protection for my hydrangea.

I found Muffin sleeping circular in the quilt room chair. He looks all tuckered out, poor thing, he gets to sleep all day and night.
My kittie, Eleanor, has not been feeling well lately. She has been favoring and limping on her back leg and she cries when I touch her hip joint. I hope it is just a gentle injury and that she gets better soon or else we will be taking a trip to the vet. I checked out one of my cat books and it could be a real serious thing. I am hoping for the best. Eleanor has become quite a friendly cat who loves to watch me cook in the kitchen and always wants to be petted in the morning before I leave for work.

The colder wetter weather has come too quickly for me. I miss the sun since it gives me more energy. Hopefully, the coming week will bring some warmth and sunshine after we get the early snowflakes the weather reports are predicting. This coming week brings a tough anniversary for me and I am hoping to get through it despite the sadness.