Duvet Cover

This was the hardest project I ever worked on.  A Duvet cover for Jessica and Scott.  I used an old one as the backing...but unfortunately it was stretchy.  Keeping this in shape was a real challenge!!!

There are pieces of fabric from their wedding in it and additional material bought during the family gathering at Klamath Falls.









When done I used the scraps to make a small quilt which has also gone to the Carbullido house.

NP - Great Smoky Mountains

The dreamy blur haze...that ever hovers over the mountains..softens all outlines, lends a mirage-like effect of great distance to objects that are but a few miles off, while those farther removed grow more and more intangible until finally the sky-line blends with the sky itself."  Horace Kephart circa 1904

A trip to Knoxville for the FGS conference in 2010 provided a great opportunity to see the Great Smoky Mountains.  We enjoyed a drive through the park on our way from Atlanta.  









In Knoxville Greg dropped me at the hotel and went back to the park for a few days of searching for illusive trout!  

Although the fish were scarce the butterflies were not.  He got some magnificent pictures of them and a few other creatures, as well as some great creek shots.  He also brought me back a birthday present... a great fly for the spiderweb on my crazy quilt guitar case.

Located in both Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934 in an effort to save the rapidly diminishing forests of the Smoky Mountains.  Between 1900 and 1934 nearly 80% of the lumber had been harvested.  With the founding of the park over 1200 people had to move from within the protected boundaries.

The ensuing  years between that and our visit have allowed nature to restore much of that earlier destruction.  It is a gorgeous area. well worth a visit.  The headquarters in Gatlinburg is a little over touristy, but once you are in the park ....!!!!

• More Pictures of the Great Smoky Mountains  
• Other GA KY TN pictures from 2010 
• NPS - Great Smoky Mountains
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Wikipedia 
• Trail Map - LOC 

• Light and shadow: The mystery and legacy of George Masa

• George Masa, Legend of the Great Smoky Mountains

Inspire

For Meaghan who is inspiring.  Under the spiderweb is a piece of a letter she wrote me about a cemetery in Massachusetts.

Shops - In Between Stitches

First stop for March Madness......this shop in Livermore had a great selection of material.

This was the first of ten shops I visited in one day in a nearly 300 mile loop from Livermore to Manteca, Oakdale to Hilmar, Los Banos, San Juan Batista, Morgan Hill, Cambell and back home.  I only missed Always Quilting, which I visited the next day.



In Between Stitches

Fabric selection for
March Madness challenge

Doll quilts

Complete with clothes to go with Dani and Lexi's baby dolls!

Cari's Smile

For my animal loving, softball star, ukulele playing granddaughter.

CSP - Emerald Bay

1954

1956/ 1957

Growing up we visited Tahoe a few times, camping in the Emerald Bay area.  One learned to stay up on water skis quickly as the water was so cold.  Tahoe is over 6000 feet above sea level and 1645 feet deep.  It is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest in the United States.

Like most of the camping trips we took before leaving China Lake and Dad getting too busy to take them, I remember little about the trips to Tahoe.  But I believe the picture here with Maura would be when I was five....it looks very similar to my fifth birthday picture.  

I remember another trip, this one was in 1962 and Great Uncle Tom was visiting.  I'm pretty sure it was just a day trip, I can't imagine that we camped.

Although we visited Tahoe many times after I was married, we never did camp there, instead gravitating towards more remote spots in the state.

Emerald Bay State Park

Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks - In his book Roughing It  Mark Twain describes an effort to stake a claim on the shores of Tahoe.

Emerald Bay State Park - Wikipedia

Shamrocks

Lá Naomh Pádraig

Mission - Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK #233

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded 9 Oct 1791, the thirteenth mission,  by Fermín Francisco de Lasuén.  It was named for Our Lady of Sorrows (Solitude).





Located not far off 101 near the town of Soledad, this mission seems completely isolated.  When the missions were secularized it became part of a Rancho and eventually lay in ruins.





With the help of the Native Daughters of the Golden West it was restored and the new chapel dedicated in 1955.







I visited on a misty January afternoon and found only one other person and one employee on the site....a great way to be able to wander unimpeded.

The Mission Soledad  Restoration Project has hopes of restoring the mission to what it was in its heyday.






36641 Fort Romi Road
Soledad, California 93960

CA State Landmark #233

36641 Romie Road
Soledad, CA 93960
831-678-2586

Open Daily 1-4 (except major holidays)

• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Official Site
• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Wikipedia



Plan of Mission located in Mission Museum

• Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - Images on Calisphere

 Pictures in Dropbox

Model of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
in the Mission Museum

Chair pads

I made these fruit / vegetable appliques and couldn't decide what to do with them.  First they were hangings and now they are on their second rendition as chair pads.  The newer version got much more comfortable.

Shops - Always Quilting

Everyone has a home base shop.  The one closest to home, or the one where you can find that last minute need.  Always Quilting is my home base.  Located in San Mateo, it is where I go to rent a long arm, find that missing piece of material or stock up on thread.

You'll find a great selection of material, lots of patterns, wonderfully helpful staff and a great selection of classes in a large warehouse style shop.

Always Quilting