I've been traveling.....

Viva Italia!  I really love to travel and Italy is one of my favorite places to visit.  There is something about it that speaks to me on the deepest level.  The land, the people, the food.  There is a simplicity and earthiness that I adore.
Early this year my artist friend, Jeannie Moore, started talking about her desire to find a house in the country to rent for an extended period of time.  It sounded so great.  They had family and friends coming for a portion of their stay, and there was a week at the end that was "open".  My husband and I joined them for the final week of their stay in a house near the town of Orentano, in Tuscany.
I have only visited in summer months, so being there in the fall was pretty great.  Here are a few images from our time there.

Look!  On our flight over, "Tim's Vermeer" was one of the featured documentaries!

Tim is trying to sort out the wireless internet in our house.

The grounds were gorgeous and we could leave the doors open and let the sun come in.

I love these small roadside shrines...

and the beautiful old stone walls.

and the soft, bright colors and narrow alleyways.

Jeannie walks along a lovely stone fence.

The Duomo, Florence, Italy

Clotheslines on the sides of buildings.

The Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio

Beautiful vegetables at the market....

pomegranates

visiting vineyards where the grapes were still on the vines.

I'm not the only person who photographs her food!

walking through the old city of Lucca

Those Italians think of everything!

A frescoed ceiling in a church in Lucca

a small market

friends or sisters

my guy!

Jeannie and I both love to cook.  One of the joys of this trip was to have lunch out and then go to the market and cook our evening meal at home.

In Honor of my amazing friend, Karen, on her birthday

Today is the birthday of my amazing friend, Karen.  She posted this Jana Stanfield video on her facebook page.  Until I watched it I was unaware that SHE is in the video!  Please take a moment to watch:

More Houston Memories

I'm posting a few more fun images from my time in Houston at the International Quilt Festival.  It is always a letdown to wrap another year at festival.  It has come to mean so much more than seeing the amazing quilts:  it is a gathering of the sisterhood of women that have bonded to one another.  Many of these women are far away from one another and, although we are in frequent contact via email and phone, many of us only see each other at festival.  All the more reason to pack as much laughter, conversation, and all-around fun (and the occasional heart-to-heart conversation) into our time together.

I had two photographs juried into "Eye of the Quilter".

The middle image on the left is of my daughter on our patio.

This image is of my youngest daughter while hiking through a forest north of Vancouver BC.

I believe Judy Coates Perez (left) and Melly Testa are imitating squirrels.

The B&W triplets:  l-r Maggie Winfield, Jamie Fingal, and Rachel Parris

This is, hands-down, the best image of loving friends I have ever seen.

Jamie Fingal took this photo.  I think it is very special.

Helen Gregory & Pokey Bolton (Quilting Arts) crack up at the Gala On The Green event.

Dinner in the glass room @ Spencers

L-R:  Michelle Flores, Christine Adams, Rachel Parris, Jamie Fingal, Carol Sinnreich, Frances Holliday Alford, Lesley Riley, Judy Coates Perez, and Melly Testa

Lesley & Melly demonstrate their spoon-skills while Judy looks on.

This sums it up very well!

Thursday of Quilt Festival: Teaching, SAQA Creative Force Gathering, Spoonflower "Meet-Up"

Thursday was a busy day:  Open Studios in the morning, SAQA Creative Force Artist Gathering in the afternoon, and a Spoonflower "Meet-Up" in the evening.

Mayhem in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center:  the buses and crowds gather for the 

first full day of quilt festival

Alex Veronelli, of Aurifil Thread (and sponsor of SAQA Creative Force:  2010),

at the SAQA artists' exhibition

Norman, a favorite waiter at Spencer's restaurant, and Michelle Flores, of Hoffman Fabrics

Robbi Eklow & Rachel Parris enjoy the Spoonflower "Meet-Up"

Fun with friends at previous quilt festivals......

Every year it gets better:  the time I share with friends at quilt festivals!  Many of us rarely see each other outside of these events so we make up for lost time while we are gathered together.  The subculture of mixed-media and fiber art brings us together, but the sheer joy of spending time together bonds us.
Here are a few images, randomly selected, of previous gatherings:

Leslie & Karey Bresenhan @ the SAQA/Quiltart reception

2003

Frances Holliday Alford with her sisters at the tiara parade

2003

Tiara parade hits the show floor!  

Kathy York after she realizes her quilt, "Little Cities" has won first prize

Kathy talks about her winning quilt, "Little Cities"

Frances poses by her encrusted quilt

Austin art quilt group at the awards ceremony for "Kiwi and Fuschia Meet For Mojitos"

L-R: Frances, Leslie, Connie, Sherri, Raewyn, and Kathy

Frances & Leslie pose in front of "Guadalupe Goes Shopping"

2008

Rachel Parris "wears" one of Frances' wreaths as Judy Coates Perez catches a photo

Melly Testa rocking a spoon

Leslie & Jamie Fingal

'Dinner At Eight' having dinner at eight @ Spencer's in the Hilton

After-hours painting in our room:

Clockwise from bottom:  Judy Coates Perez, Leslie, Nina Perez, 

Barbara Delaney, and Frances Holliday Alford

How you feel the day after festival!

(Jamie Fingal crashed on my studio sofa)