Saturday, July 19, 2014

Better Floral Dreams Finish Pictures

So I had a soggy morning and first part of the afternoon sitting at the Folk Fest Booth at the Farmers' Market.  Eventually it dried enough and the sun came out, bonus, for me to walk over to Lakeside Park to take some outdoor shots.

Talk about timing.  I turned onto the park path at the end of the street to see a flock of turkey buzzards on the ground at the shore!  Usually they are floating high up on the thermals.  They are HUGE, chicken-sized birds, black with a red head.  The only other time I have ever seen this many on the ground was this past winter in Florida close to our condo. We think there was a carcass nearby they'd been feasting on.  This time?  No clue.
Two or three more circled in for a landing as I watched. So glad I had the iPad with me and not my iPhone!
Up until early spring, this used to be a weed and rushes-filled sandy marsh for birds, turtles at one time, and who knows what other wildlife.  I've seen groundhogs several times here too.  For some reason, one which annoys me deeply, the town has seen fit to raze the grasses here this spring and summer.  I've heard they are planning on putting a pier here, and continuing the walkway along the lake.

I turned the corner from here and saw the spot for picture #1, under a giant cottonwood tree.
Okay, this quilt, Cynthia's June Scrap-a-Palooza Bricks quilt, is 52" wide.  Kind of gives you an idea just how wide a diameter this ancient tree has...
I think if I lay down and had a nap on this quilt in this spot, I just might wake up 100 years from now à la Rip Van Winkle...  Trees hold a special place in my heart, always have done, especially since driving through Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island.

Close-up showing some of the texture of this oh-so-fun spiral surrounded by feathers pattern from Cheryl Malkowski's Doodle Quilting:

Did you notice the "magic" bridge in the first photo?  That was where I was originally headed to photograph the quilt, well, there and the flower gardens.  Fairies and gnomes live here, they do....
This is Mill Creek, so cool because in Edmonton, where I grew up, there was a Mill Creek close to our house!  The creek flows into Lake Erie right here, but in this shot the creek flows into the lake flows into the sky!

One last quick shot here (sniff) as someone else had designs on photos at this 90-year-old bridge...
Look closely, near the top of the pic.  You might spot some actual "fairies"!
Yes, a wedding party was headed for the very same spot, a popular one for wedding photos.  I'd have loved to snap a pic of four of the (downright stunning) crystal-blue-eyed little ones, who followed me, an unwitting Pied Piper, for some time!

Two shots of the back.  Lovely texture on the lovely and soft brushed flannel backing.   I liked the shadow-play too, not gonna lie...


The handmade-by-moi label, sewn onto the backing this time, but quilted through:

I made my way to the flower gardens, on which the Horticultural Club is working so very hard this year, adding a multitude of plants to them, as well as sprucing them up with new cedar chips.
Just had to include this magical shot of Floral Dreams
By a late-blooming hydrangea
Rolled up.  Love a striped binding.


When I got back home (had to take the long way since the bridge was slightly unavailable, which is what led to the shot above!) I took one last photo to show off the texture.  I haven't washed this baby yet, not sure if I should before selling?  What is the protocol?
I am linking up to Sarah's (Confessions of a Fabric Addict) Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?  You should  check out her Friday post, which tells all about her Christmas in July fundraiser to help bring a special needs child from China to the US for her daughter's family to adopt.  Quite the wonderful story.

Upcoming project!
Whaddaya think?  Bella approves. This cat ADORES new-to-her fabric.  Well she also had a grand old time with the paint chips until, much to her annoyance, I pulled them out of her mouth...but not before she chomped a couple of tooth marks into the one corner.  Terrific. as the paint chips have to be displayed with my quilt.
Just what is going on here anyhow?  It's our paint chip challenge for the September show.  You got the fabric (fat 1/8th) and 3 paint chips for $8.  You make a small quilt that incorporates the focus fabric and three fabrics that match your paint chips.  You may add as many other fabrics as you like.  I am hoping to do a kaleidoscope.  It's been some time since I have done one, à la Paula Nadelstern.  The brown and the orange on the outside are extras; the centre 3 are the fabrics I think closely match the paint chips.  Bella has moved my row apart slightly; they were lined up nicely.  See? another reason to have an ample stash, as there was no need to go to a fabric store to pull matching fabric!  Yay!

5 comments:

  1. Love your photo shoot! The texture on this quilt is lovely.

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  2. haha, Bella looks up for the challenge!

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  3. Love the photos! I have done a couple of commissioned quilts and washed both of them. I soak the fabric with starch prior to sewing so thought it was a must. . . I have seen on other people's sites that they say washed or unwashed so I think it must be personal preference? Can't wait to see your new project come together and I agree, Bella looks up for the challenge - she already helped with the paint chips :)

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    1. Good info. Thank you. I personally prefer a quilt washed, as I love the crinkles you get and if it's a gift, it also takes away the fear the recipient often has of washing it, once they know it's already been washed. :-)

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  4. Oooooo love all the photos, great shots "on location" lol. You should have photo bombed the wedding party's photo shoot LOL!!!!!!! How DARE they encroach upon your territory when you are in the midst of such an important task - pics of your quilt!! They could have taken their wedding pics any other day lol!
    I LOVE the colours of the fabric Bella reclines upon, and the paint chips, just gorgeous deep Earthy colours. And I read the story of the adoption - touched my heart, of course :)

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