Time... and how it eludes me.

Found this gorgeous cherry tree today on my walk.  I cruised up Mt. Tabor... and I think I'm paying for it now ~ my knees are a little pained.  I felt great on the walk itself though, I got all the way to the top and back without having to stop for a breather.

I love Portland, it's so beautiful here in spring.  I'm trying to recreate some of that feeling in the quilt I'm currently working on.  Here are some more springy inspiration pics (for colors) I took today:

I really wanted to make a solid block for the swap at the PMQG meeting tomorrow, but time has eluded me all week.  I guess that's a good thing ~ it means I'm busy and busy means paying some bills!  That's okay ~ I still fully enjoy meeting with everyone, and seeing what they come up with.  Working with solids is a little foreign to me, but I love what I'm seeing from other quilters who use it.... you can really see the actual quilting so much better, and it creates great negative space... it's beautiful.  Looking forward to seeing what everyone made tomorrow night!

Something New For Spring

Lately I've been taking daily 3-4 mile walks in the afternoon with some neighbor friends who also work from home ~ it's a fantastic luxury to be able to take the time for myself... and walking is the best exercise I can be doing right now.  If you live in Portland, you know this last week has been grey, cold and rainy... BUT all the new little buds are popping up everywhere making it all bright and green and pink. 

To try to mimic this great feeling I get from walking and smelling daphne all over, I started another quilt!  It's not planned at all ~ and so it's taking more time than expected because I keep changing my mind and nothing is "it" yet.  Regardless of that, I love the color palate ~ it's spring green and pink... and I'm putting a bird on it!  (ha ha!  Watch Portlandia!)  Here is where I'm at so far:

It's kind of fun to just sew with no plan, but my mind is plotting away for my next planned quilt.  This reminds me... I have to give "kudos" to Jill who was one of the winners in the monochromatic challenge from the Modern Quilt Guild.  She brought her well-planned quilt to the last PMQG meeting and I was totally blown away ~ seriously.  I love that quilt!  It's hanging at PNCA until this Thursday (along with my squid quilt) so I highly recommend going to check it out in person.  Fantastic job Jill!!  It has inspired me to take all the time I need to plan out my next project.

Portland Modern Quilt Guild Show

Last night my daughter and I went to the PMQG quilt show at PNCA ~ and we really had a great time.  It's been a while since we did anything with just the two of us, and now that she's all grown up ~ she has her own life and friends and so we spend even less time together.  So I'm always happy when she joins me on any outing! 

The show itself is pretty amazing given it was the first show by this budding new group and there was very little lead time to plan and organize it *great job PMQG board!*  It was nice to finally have time to talk and chill for a bit with some new quilty friends!

There were a lot of other people there too ~ I stayed till 7:30ish and there were still quite a few people there, and more keep coming up.  It was a beautiful Portland night for First Thursday so there were a lot of folks out in general. 

I took photos of the quilts and came home and realized that I had taken no pictures of the crowd or the whole show put together ~ so lame.  I am again reminded that I am really not a photographer.  But I did get a nice pic of my squid quilt, and in good light so you can see the true colors.

So while I do have photos of all the amazing quilts in the show, I think they are SO much better live and in person... and since they are hanging until April 21 at PNCA ~ anyone can go see them... so GO!  When the show comes down I'll post some pics for the peeps who live outside of Portland :)

Separation Anxiety

Well... yeah, just a little. 

I dropped off my squid quilt yesterday at PNCA for a quilt show they are hosting for the Portland Modern Quilt Guild.  So on one hand, I am fully thrilled that something I made is going to be in a show... but on the other hand, I'm missing it already. 

Funny how that happens.  I guess when you spend so much time on something, it becomes your baby... until you make something new.  I'm sure anyone out there who makes things would understand.  I think of my good friend who is a stone mason ~ he works so hard on these amazingly beautiful projects, but he has to leave them behind when he is finished.  I think it takes a bit of maturity to do that... so I guess I better grow up already.  :)

hee hee... I am pretty excited to see this show however!  It will be at PNCA (1241 NW Johnson) in gallery 214 *upstairs* this Thursday (First Thursday), April 7th starting at 5:30.   I believe there will be 16 quilts on display from the PMQG ~ it's going to be great!!  There are so many super-talented people in this group of quilters, everytime I go to a meeting and see the quilts they bring for show and tell, I'm always VERY inspired.   If you're like me and LOVE going to see the quilts at the state fair... I think you'd be pretty excited by this show too ~ so maybe I'll see you there!