Monday 31 December 2012

Last look at 2012.

I like the look of this photo of the paper lanterns hanging in the tree with the Christmas lights, the clouds parted and you could just see a bit of the sun on Christmas eve.
 Yesterday my mom and I wandered around Granville Island and I saw these very whimsical bird houses.  I wonder how the birds living there would feel?
 I think Oscar Wilde said it right.
A look across False Creek towards the Burrard Street Bridge, you can see the West End and Stanley Park beyond, unfortunately you couldn't see the fresh snow on our local mountains because of the clouds.
 Looking across into the downtown area.  The little ferry in the picture above takes you around False Creek and over to the downtown area.
 Today we had a mix of rain and snow and then the sun came out for a brief visit, it's last for 2012.
 Two crow friends checking out all the people strolling along the boardwalk.
 The roses are still blooming despite the date being December 31st!
 Looking out from my deck across the Fraser River and the Alex Fraser Bridge.
My word for this year will be creativity, I hope you enjoy the coming New Year.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Merry Christmas

Hope you have a very Merry Christmas with family and friends.
                                                    All the best for the coming new year.

Sunday 23 December 2012

December Snow and roses

Tuesday morning the snow was falling but by the time I got to work there was none to be seen.  Wednesday morning we had a heavier wetter snow fall and this is what it looked like at about 0830 in the morning.  I'm standing under the awning at the front door looking up the drive.
 Looking in the opposite direction.
 Some red berries being covered in snow.  Look how big the snowflakes look when caught by the camera flash!
 Just after ten i went for a bit of a slippery walk around the parking lot and looked back at the main entrance to the hospital.
 Those red berries in the wet heavy snow.
 Some pink winter flowering forsythia.
 Appropriately one of our clerks Judy, brought us some lovely snow decorated cookies to enjoy.
 Yesterday I came across these lovely painted windows.
 What a lovely job this painter does.
 Red rose still trying to bloom on December 22nd!
 Some pink ones keeping him company.
 Someone decided to make the pampas grass look festive for the season.
The snow is still around at higher elevations, but at river's side is it pretty much gone.

Sunday 18 November 2012

Houston International Quilt Festival, on last look.

There was a lovely display of French quilts at the show.  They were reproductions of antique quilts and all were hand quilted.  This first one is called Poison by Agnes Carretier based on a circa 1880 quilt bought at an antique shop.
 The Life of Phoebe Cook, Jocelyn Picot depicting life in a small town in Ohio in 1972.
 Traboutis by Penelope Roger, personal design featuring trapunto and boutis provencal.
 Corner detail.
 Traboutis[Meli-Melo] Penelope Rogers, another example of boutis and trapunto.
 A closer look.
 Double Feathered Star, Gabrielle Paquin.
 I like how the blocks dance with the gingham and plaid fabrics.
 Ephemeral Elegance, Deborah Grifka, original design, machine appliqued and machine quilted.
 Mable-1952 Reo, Susan Cane, based on a photo taken by her husband of the first antique fire truck they bought together.
 Beautiful machine quilting.
 Jerusalem Shadows, Aniko Ferer,  based on a photograph by the quilter.  Notice the figures in the building on the left. An old man saying his prayers and two German soldiers smiling behind him.
 The turquoise sky behind them represents the hope that the Holocaust will not happen again.
 Vitamin Quilt by Hiromi Suzuki.  Tropical flowers with bright colours make people happy, like vitamins supplements do.
 Beautiful detailed work.
 A long shop of one of the no photo displays.
 Aura, Annette Valtl.
 Names of flowers and flower designs stitched into the eclipse shapes.
 Downtown, Marion Coleman part of A New Legacy; African-American Quilts.
 Ebony and Ivory: A Remembrance, Carol Beck.
 Detail of Elephant and trunk.
 Machine quilting on the ivories.
 Details about the ivory trade.
 Egugun, Linda Gray, inspiration came from an African ceremonial costume seen at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
 Lovely African fabrics.
An Afternoon with the Girls, Linda Gray. From the Women of Substance series.
 Lovely machine quilting.
 Dizzy:Bopped out of South Carolina. Marlene Linton O'Bryant-Seabrook.
 Original design showing how his music extended beyond the borders of South Carolina, he was the first jazz musician to be named a United States Cultural Ambassador in the 1950's
 Rhythm-A-Ning, Carole Harris, original design inspired by the music of Thelonius Monk.
 Afro Blue, Myra Brown Green, inspired by music, dance and her son Talu.
Mae's Dance, Carolyn Crump  a generous friend Mae Jones passed away and her family gifted her with a Bernina sewing machine, fabric and quilting tools.
 Miss Bucket, Ria Varkveisser 3rd place for the Open European Challenge Novice.  Based on the Artichoke technique that she learned in 2011 at the quilting fair in Haarlemmermeer.
 Stokerozen, Ans Schipper-Vermeiren, Best of Show and First Place-Public Choice.
 My maternal great-grandmother was Dutch and loved Hollyhocks, notice the brick quilting on the cream background.
 Aeki, Tineke van Heuvelen, First place Novice.
Inspiration from reversed Ikea flowers, flowers, birds and stones, are symbols of my hobbies, gardening and travel.
 Another detail.
 Colourplay by Ines Klingebiel.
 Traditional monkey wrench in modern colours, black and variegated black threads in machine quilting.
 Canon, Keiko Hasegawa. One in a series of hexagon quilts.
 She had a daughter in 2011 and listened to music, canons, and sang along while making this quilt.
 Hexagons are about thumb nail size.
 If you rub a magic lamp...Itsuko Kimata
 Applique, reverse applique, Celtic applique, quilted by hand.
 Amazing little stars and embellishments.
 Camels coming through the dunes.
 You want to reach out and rub the lamp.  Definitely a show stopper for me.
 Outside it was blue skies and mid 80's.  Looking along the street with the convention centre to your right.
 Across the street looking a one of the doors to come through and buy your tick.
 Whimsical art on the street.
 It was a whirly gig that rotated around.
 One last look at a tall building.
 Back at home the next day, sunshine with clouds, about 30 degrees F cooler.
I hope you enjoyed my view of the Houston International Quilt Festival.  If you've never been I suggest you try and go one year.