Wine Over Water

A taste of the university...save the date April 8. Quote as printed in the March issue of our very own Delta Style - "The attire is Dressy casual (no denim or shorts please); tickets can be purchased at the ULM alumni Center for $50 per person and are available now!" How kindergarten is this? Did no one proof this ad before it was printed?


So, my question...what's wrong with denim? I'd rather see denim - lots of denim - than fat midriff - lots of fat midriff! If the university is getting $50 a head, who should care if the payee prefers denim over silk. Of course the quote wasn't signed or I would personally write this snoot who obviously knows more about dressing for a dressy casual event than Ralph Lauren!

And why was (in parenthesis, of course) the statement omitted (no drugs please)
or (also in parentheses) (no obnoxious cellphones please.)

In Louisiana, in April, in a small town, at the local university, open air, early evening, strolling the bridge across the bayou, sipping wine and sampling finger foods. What should a person wear??

Local events, local people - Okay....ranting is over. Sorry I awakened you. Go back to your Sunday afternoon nap!




Are these two outfits not just the best of the best in denim? I see no breasts, no fat midriff, no butt cracks. I'm good with this dressy casual attire!

I've been out back

I've just come in from the garden...been watching my corn grow!

Dabbled in Photoshop Today

Oh, Joy....the quilt show is behind us for another two years. So much work, so many compliments, so much joy! I helped make all the demonstrations come together. We had 13 over the course of two days and they were all spectacular. Each demonstration was unique....rug hooking, smocking, stained glass, cathedral windows, free motion quilting, bobbin work with beautiful decorative threads, back-basting applique technique. Oh, and the vendor's booths were full of fabrics, beads, pottery and sewing machines (new and vintage...what a treat.) Seeing the beautiful hand crafted quilt frames and racks and ladders took quite a bit of my free time. Oh and patterns galore and handmade treasures, and did I mention fabric!

Was nice to relax this morning and sort through my purchases...where do I begin? When will I be finished? What am I going to sew first? Oh, the stress of it all!

You are right....the picture has nothing to do with the quilt show. I played in Photoshop for quite a while this morning....haven't had that freedom in quite a few days. Was nice. I visited Washington State and Canada's Vancouver, BC a couple of years ago...visited a few wineries. This is just a combination of pictures taken at the Ste Chateau Michelle. Acres of beautiful secret gardens and patios and paths to stroll while sipping one their wines. Was a very happy afternoon!

Pretty Things

I worked at our quilt show all day yesterday and did not get the first picture. I'm hoping I can get the camera out today.

It rained all day so I was glad to be inside with pretty things and pretty people.

I brightened my morning by looking at flowers from my past. Hope these shots brighten your day also.

Flowers from the garden... flower cross stitch in a sofa cushion...flowers in art quilts....always a good thing!

Face Sketch #3

"Meek Man" looking at the day!

Face Sketch Challenge

This could just be the start of something good, for me anyway.

My first thought upon completion of this face sketch was to entitle this one

"What part of the word NO do you not understand?"

Or how about "Didn't I just answer that question?"

or
"One too many phone calls"....

then I decided "Fried" would be an apt title....

I really liked "You Did WHAT?"

But finally decided "Just Humor Me" best interpreted my wacom pen input!

I wish for you a happy day that's full of humor!

PS...I Love You

Oh, happiest of days.....dear friend Mary-Ann in South Africa found the PDF for cats and moon appliques to complete the Stairway to Cat Heaven quilt instructions.

Thank you...thank you Mary-Ann.

Here's the link Stairway to Cat Heaven

Pencil Sketch

I added a new folder to my pictures library today....Face Sketches....that means I have to begin filling it! Blue man is the first.....This is actually my first man sketch....He actually started out to be a woman - even added the hat. Then the more I sketched, the more man-like his features became. Imagine this...I'm ambidextrous!

My Wacom Bamboo tablet has become my newest best friend.

I wonder if I challenge myself....if I could do a sketch a day?? I wonder if this might be my next note card series??

Just musing...Marty

Cotton Corner Quilt Show's a coming.....

When my mama yelled out to me....better get on your little horse and ride....I knew it was time to get busy. That meant I was running out of time, 'cause she was running out of patience.

Well, this morning, I decided I better hitch the horse and ride. The Cotton Corner Quilt Show is Friday and Saturday and I'm doing a "Make It and Take It" segment. That's where we have sewing machines set up and when all the chairs are filled, each participant will be given a project to complete and take home. I did this at our last quilt show and it was fun to get some folks in our non-quilting community involved.

I've already done a lot of the prep work, but have not quite finished. Let's see, today is Tuesday...that leaves Wednesday and Thursday...quilt show is Friday and Saturday! Holy horse, I'm running out of time.

We'll be making a whimsical bath mat this year and each one will be unlike the others.



Part of the project calls for free motion quilting so I figured some folks would like to have an idea or two about what that looks like! Here are just a few easy quilt designs. Here is a swatch I'll take to show of just a 4-corner grid.

I love this quilting style on little quilts. I think it makes a statement on one color quilts.

Free motion flowers are always a good thing!


As are wiggly (but almost straight) lines. That's what I did on my art quilt entitled "Knee Britches." I'll take this one to the quilt show as an example to show the group that we don't have to have a degree in quilt design to complete a fun project for a little (or big) child!


Outline quilting is always easy peasy and really punches out an applique quilt block. Since most of the bathmats are raw-edge applique wonky houses, this style might be the cat's meow to a beginning quilter.


Oh, and one of my favorite ways to quilt sashes and borders, especially on doll quilts or baby quilts - hearts. My horse is tired, my prep work is complete...my heart is singing. (And, no doubt, my mom is looking down with a huge smile on her face.)


Happy trails.....Marty

Calligraphy??

What a fun day I had browsing through our public library....found several light reading books and one self-help??? book. Hey, I love look at the quilting books, the knitting books, the home decor books, the flower making books....so why not the calligraphy books? Brought home The Calligrapher's Bible...100 complete alphabets and how to draw them! The reference to 100 alphabets (and how to draw them) should have clued me in to some trouble ahead!! I only have one alphabet....and it's not very pretty.

Did a little bit of practice when I got home and have already abandoned calligraphy!
Too much patience required - too much practice. I've learned enough for today. I'll rush that book right back in the morning - just in case someone else needs to learn a little bit about their personal alphabet.

I'm thinking Bob Seger

It was back in the 80's....I was a huge fan of Detroit born and bred, Bob Seger. He sang it then and I thought it was a good thing to do... I don't remember the words to his song...or even the title...but when I would get bogged down in life I would mentally "Turn The Page!" Just that little phrase in his song has hung with me all these years.

I'm going to do some page turning today. I'm thinking positively - the doctor will give me a clean bill of health after the dreadful sinus surgery. I'm mentally telling myself that I will focus to complete a project today. For the past two weeks I haven't been able to concentrate for any length of time (you say...what's new with her)! Just 'bout time I would get focused, a sinus issue would develop....head would hurt, eyes would hurt, neck would hurt...oh well, you get the picture. Hallelujah! I woke up pain free this morning.

Then, I will go to the library to get some fresh reads.

Just finished McCullough's 'John Adams' and loved it even more than his '1776'. Both good reads, especially if you are a history buff. Only problem I found with both tombs was the weight. I get dinner completed, finish routine chores, get a warm bath and settle down (in bed) with a book....and both these books were so heavy. Okay, since I'm mentally turning a page today....what I mean to say is that the weight of these books really built up my biceps....or is it my triceps. Either one can stand a really big build-up so I guess it's immaterial which muscle is being toned.

Happiest of days to you and remember to turn the page with me!

Marty

P.S. - the notebook was a free download from someone....the artwork and script is all Marty Mason original.

Living High On A Dream

Song of the River

I find the most delightful blogs when I browse....an exceptional find today was Roxanne's River Garden Studio

Roxanne has just published a beauty of a book and in it's honor....she's giving one away!



Scoot on over there and add a comment to be eligible for this one.

Thought for the Day

Watercolor Note Cards and a Cat's Meow

Two of my one-of-a-kind, watercolor note cards sold overnight....thank you Felicity.
Etsy.....it's a good thing!

I'm thinking Spring....and so are the two abandoned cats that adopted our back garden as their new home. Sure they are welcome here! But, we are hoping they don't bring in any babies....We think they are both male(?)(!) but can't be sure....not going there...they both have long, sharp claws, so are hoping if they aren't neutered that their female feline friends stay in their own back garden. The house HuMAN has had a man-to-cat conversation with both of them. He imposed a "no-visitation" rule! In other words, mama cats....keep yourselves and your kitties over yonder!


Big Yellow Cat's winter home. Does this look like a homeless cat's home...or what! Never mind it's appearance. It was a warm home for him on cold nights. When it was so cold and windy out, we just threw extra towels over his home to help ward off the chill. He loves it!

And Little Yellow Cat found the warm concrete bench to watch the garden grow! Or has he spotted a red breasted Robin tugging on a big fat worm?



Even Cat That Licks My Toes came for a visit. Sorry, Toes Cat....still too cool for sandals. Wait 'til May, then we can giggle together!

"Let My Little Light Shine"

We had snow...unusual for the Deep South. This is the kind of snow I like...no ice or sleet associated with it. No major safety hazard on the highways and byways. So, since I saw no safety issues, I asked the other huMAN of the house to step outside the back door to get a few snow shots. Here's the lantern hanging from the pergola all snow covered and cold!
And I played......


And played and practiced......

'til I was pleased with experiments using my new Wacom Bamboo tablet....sure I recognize that it's not a spectacular manipulation, but what! I finally figured out the color picker. No, I'm not holding my breath while waiting for the folks at People Magazine to ask for my help in making Julia Roberts' teeth whiter or reduce the size of Angelina Jolie's waist!! But, at least I now know how to make a simple note card. Doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy!

A Church in Keatchie, LA

This piece of art is beautifully displayed in my friend's home in Natchitoches, Louisiana. When last visiting, Judy, the artist's sister, I took this picture.

It's an artist's rendition of a church in Keatchie, LA. Peggy painted this one many years ago....I'm not sure if this beautiful little church still stands. I hope so.

Where is Keatchie? You ask...In DeSota Parish, South of Shreveport. The best information I can find on this church was that it was originally Mount Carmel church c 1840. It burned, relocated, etc....and is now Keatchie United Methodist Church on Hwy 5 with 7 members as of 2003!! I sure hope this church building is on some historical registry and can obtain funds for preservation....'cause I don't think 7 people can tithe that much! Or, maybe they can.



This morning I blended a wispy cloud layer, then added a golden layer to let more sunlight come through the trees. I loved using Peggy's painting for my daily lesson in altering memories.

Peggy died of breast cancer at a very young age but her beautiful paintings are an everlasting tribute to her talent.

Bob Marley Sang It

But it's worth repeating....every day. "Don't worry, be happy...every little thing gonna be alright!"

Especially after adding a few ink splats to the sheet music, then fading in a Modigliana portrait.

Update! Update! Stairway to Cat Heaven

Quilt pattern is still available.

Since I've been posting pictures of my "Stairway to Cat Heaven" quilt, I've gotten numerous questions about where to find the pattern. It's an older one in the October, 1997 McCalls Quilting Magazine. I took a minute and found this link online.

This will give you the piecing instructions along with the printable PDF patterns of the cats and moon applique pieces. Aren't pattern archives a cat's meow. Enjoy. OOPs....the pdf is not available...but I'll bet with a little freezer paper, those cats can be sketched. Go for it!

PS....ADDED 2/24....MARY ANN FOUND THE PDF LINK - APPLIQUE CATS AND MOON PDF PATTERNS

I've slaved in the kitchen all day....and if you believe that???

Red beans with a Heavenly Ham bone for seasoning....served over rice. I'll make cornbread too. I put the beans on to cook early this morning and the pot has been slow cooking all day. Ready to serve when we're ready to eat! I love serving soups and stews and big pots of beans as a cold weather meal. Puts an extra layer of fat on to keep the body warm!! I'll deal with that layer come April...perhaps May. Could even be June this year!

Stairway to Cat Heaven

Thank goodness I took lots of pictures of this quilt before it was sold. These cats are so photogenic. Stairway to Cat Heaven...it's a good thing!

Here's the original picture.....
























The first alteration. I still love this moon beaming down on these playful kitties. They have no clue that someone may be watching their antics!




















And here is this morning's rendition of my original quilt. No computer glitches so far....what a day it will be!

Church Art Quilt

My head is spinning. When the hardest part of altering a photo is finding it after it's been saved, then it's time to shut down the computer!

Finally worked through some issues and combined my art quilt with one of My Dear One's pictures. He got out the other day and got some beautiful shots of a church steeple across the river. Just loved the outcome....but oh my head is spinning.

Dinner is easy. He's gonna grill a steak....he gets 2/3's and she gets the other 1/3. He's already stuck the potato in the oven. Since potatoes come in such large sizes, we split one 50/50. Add a baked onion and dinner will be served up in no time. The au jus from the baked onion is soooo good drizzled over the steak...Yum.

A salad would have been nice, but I thought about that too late. Perhaps tomorrow we'll go green...that is if I don't have a mid-week computer crisis.

"I Love That Wool"

Don't you just love to find Freebies! Especially if it's a freebie pattern of something you love to do..a freebie purse pattern, a knit freebie purse pattern. The name of the yarn is not really an eye-catcher..."I love this wool!" but the picture on the yarn wrap was! My completed purse looks nothing like theirs! Imagine that!

The pattern calls for a knitted rectangle that measures 60" x 20"...that's a big hunk of wool. I stopped at 40" length....hoping I was doing the right thing when I bound off. I did continue to follow the pattern instructions (to some degree) in folding down the sides and stitching each side. Wet felted and then dry felted my flowers, added a magnetic snap closure, monks cord straps and voila...a new purse. It finished out at 9" x 12", not including straps. A perfect size to accomodate purse things...it's not a diaper bag!

Of course, it's for sale...just email me for details martymason@bellsouth.net. I'll list it on my Etsy shop later. Or, if you don't need it for an urgent gift, just knit your own purse.... A fun and easy freebie pattern.

Hey, I live in Louisiana....not a major cold weather state....not many exclusive yarn shops around....I buy my yarn online...or at Hobby Lobby! Whatever works!

Before and After Valentine Day Card

It took me all afternoon.....but, I finally got the other huMAN in the house his Valentine's Day card. I hope he knows that the belated hour of the giving doesn't mean that I love him any less...it's because I'm still kinda slow with this photoshop stuff! He's so thoughtful, my beautiful store bought card was awaiting me on arising this morning. Oh, well....He suggested that I go ahead and print another one for next year!! I chuckled...('cause I already have.)



I first took the picture of my "I heart Ewe Too" quilt, then added layers and layers of stuff and finally topped it off with my personal message! Yay, I'm learning to write and doodle with my Wacom pen.

Dinner will be easy tonight...BLT's with oven fries! I'll just drink water with my dinner to ward off any calorie gain from the fries. Hope it works!

Trains Rolling on the River

Happy Valentine's Day