There's a Tree in the Living Room

Hi friends...gosh,   I have been keeping mom so busy that she hasn't even had a chance to write for soooo long.  Shame on both of us.  Well, to be fair, she was sick for almost three weeks most of January with her sometimes usual bronchial asthma stuff.  I think she escaped last year, tho.  
Anyway, one day dad came into the house with a HUGE box....pretty soon he was making a giant tree in the corner of the living room.   Mom and dad kept talking about Christmas, and how we needed an artificial tree so the  Sparkie would be less likely to eat it!...I don't know exactly what this Christmas thing is, but after the tree was all set up dad put some pretty lights on it and then mom had two big  tubs of something she called ornaments.  I had lots of fun trying to knock them down and found some little wire hook things that were for hanging the ornaments.  Mom kept taking them away from saying I could play with them because they were too dangerous and I might swallow one.   Oh, oh, that could mean another trip to the vet...but that is another story I will save for my next post.
Mom said she was going to use her patchwork ornaments because they wouldn't break.  I did have fun playing with them on the tree though.  One day I made mom laugh when I marched by her with a cute little star ornament in my mouth.  I knew it wasn't a mouse, but it was still fun to play with.
Actually, I was pretty  a pretty good girl.  I only jumped from the arm of the couch across to the middle of the tree.  I never did climb up very high.  Of course, every time mom saw the tree wiggle, I would hear SPARKIE!!....Then I would run like the wind so I wouldn't get in too much trouble.

I love to drink water out of the faucet and play with the running water.

One of mom's unbreakable ornaments.

Lunch at one of my favorite nurseries with Opal....great place for photos...good food, too.

Aunt Marilyn sent me this toy....mom and dad love it because it keeps me occupied while they eat so I don't bother them begging!  It is fun to chase the little mouse around and around!

Christmas is fun with all the lights, paper, ribbons, and other goodies, not to mention interesting new smells and foodies to  attract me.  (Mom seems to think I have an unusual attraction to food and thinks it is funny when I come running every time I hear a candy wrapper crinkle.!)  I must say that I do have good hearing when I hear those wrappers crinkle.

I also have great hearing every time I hear the  faucet running.  Poor mom can hardly brush her teeth....I get right up on the counter and drink water out of the running faucet.  I have to admit I do look pretty cute drinking water out of the faucet and jumping onto the counter any way I can.  Mom says she has never seen a cat so intrigued by running water.  I wonder   if the koi pond will be as much fun as the bathroom faucet.  I hope I don't fall into the pond....there could be frogs and other critters in there.
I heard the timer go off,   and I think I smell some pizza baking...oh, boy!   It is sad, though, because mom and dad will only feed me cat food....no people food.   I can always dream!  Well, I better get on with other things for now, like teasing mom and scrounging for some pizza....I will tell you all about the VET on my next post.   Sparkie

More Notes from Sparkie

Dear Kitty fans....it has been a busy several days.  It is hard to  find time to do all the things I love to do....like run around the house like I am possessed,  climb on top of the quilt ladder, jump several feet from the bed to the window sill, or fly around the  living room jumping on everything that I can.
Sometimes I like to fool mom by hiding.  Today she was calling me and looking all over for me....finally she found me hiding in her big blue denim bag.  I haven't hidden in there for several weeks, so it was funny when she found me peeking out at her.  It is so much fun to try to fool her with some of my tricks.
I like to sit nice and cozy on mom's lap, and then just take a chomp on her hand or toes.  One day I took a big chomp right on her nose.   Mom didn't think that was very funny at all.   I don't know why she got upset.  I can't climb up her pant legs anymore, so I have to find something to amuse myself!
I am almost too big to run between the washer and dryer,  too.  I will soon 5 pounds.  Mom says I get a special visit to the vet when I am over 5 pounds....for a snip-snip operation.  I wonder just what that is.  Maybe I will get a treat afterwards.
Mom says I am looking more like a cat than  a kitten, but I am still cute.  At night I like to curl up on mom's hand and sleep till I get bored.   Then I like to play and chew on her fingers.  Mom doesn't like that.  But I am so cute, she lets me stay up on the bed anyway.
Pretty soon mom  and dad might put up a Christmas tree, but I heard them talking  that maybe they shouldn't do that this year, cuz I might try to climb up to the top and play with  all the ornaments.  I hope they put up the tree, cuz I would like to see what a Christmas tree is.  I don't know what these things called ornaments are.  I wonder if  they taste good. 
Well, I guess I better let mom tell you what she did this week, and then it will be time for bed.  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I am thankful that I got such   a wonderful mom and dad to adopt me, even if I am a naughty girl sometimes.

Hi fellow quilters.....well, as you can see, that rascally cat has been keeping us busy.  I have to admit she is pretty funny at times.  I have lots of pictures to prove it!
This week was Thanksgiving, and we went to my brother's in Graham, about 1 and 1/2 hours away.  It was dry so driving was fine, and the traffic was very light.  I guess everyone was shopping when we drove home that evening.  Lots of stores were loaded with cars.
We had a nice big ham with potatoes and all the usual trimmings.  Everything tasted yummy.  We had fun reminiscing about  the days of our youth and some of the things we did way back then.
Had fun at a few fabric sales, and today made about 5 table runners/toppers.  I made mostly Christmas themed ones, but also a couple with sunflowers.  They turned out pretty neat.  I will post them as soon as I get the pictures in the computer.  I had planned to clean a few things in the studio, but the piecing got the better of me...there is always another day for  cleaning.  Lots of tops to get quilted in the next few   weeks, so have to keep at that. 
Ken took the last waterfall pump out of the pond, and lowered  it a foot or more for the coming rains.  It is also supposed  to get very cold again next week.   Can't wait for spring!
Well, guess I better go find that silly Sparkie girl.  Maybe I can coax her onto my lap for awhile.
I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day, too.   Tomorrow is church already, and  there will be  lots to
do this week.   Best wished in the coming days during this busy season....Love from  Judy and her Sparkie girl.
PS...still got so much to learn on my new magic phone.  Today I tried to email someone, but that did not work out...it came back to me....how does that happen??

 Freddy Moran's latest quilt....really neat with fabulous colors as usual.

 Shirley brought this yummy pumpkin  pie  to our last sew-in.

Suzanne Kalish made this beautiful Kaffe quilt in our Saturday class.

See how cute I am?  How could anyone get upset with such a cute face as this?

BIG WORK DAY!

Hi Gals...today is a big work day for me....I have a great big quilt on the frame made by one of my students.  She did some amazing quilting on it with Northwest type fish and animals.  She is very creative.  I will post some pix next time.  Her name is Dawn, and she takes my classes at Gathering Fabric.  We have class again this Saturday, so my hope was to get it done before then....I should finish by tonite I hope.
Miss Sparkie is still full of the dickens....chasing around the house like a maniac, and still biting her mom.  I guess she is teething!  She is about 3.5 pounds I think.  Tomorrow is Vet day so we will know for sure.
I think I will have the Vet clip her nails.  I tried and it is so hard.  I  get one or two per foot, and give up.  She is so wiggly and doesn't like to see me coming with that nail clipper.

I can't even remember if I told you about our retreat....we had a great time, and I made about 3 tops and did a few other things.  The girls did some fantastic projects, and we ate way too well.   This is a great retreat center near Mount Vernon, WA.  We plan another retreat this spring and again next fall.
Our winter weather seems to be starting with cold and rainy gray days.  The sun did break through a couple days ago. 
Oh, my big news...I got a MAGIC PHONE...I guess they are really called smart phones, but they are like magic to me.  I cannot believe all the things you can do with that little tiny phone you hold in your hand.  It is almost scarey!   I have soooo much to learn, and doubt if I will ever use all that it can do.  But I mostly love taking pictures on it, which is what made me decide to get one in the first place!
Now I gotta figure out how to get the pictures into the computer so I can share them on my blog...maybe you can do that from the phone too....amazing.
Well, gotta get moving.....have a great day.  Judy

 One of the tops I made at retreat.  I have added more borders, so will post another pic later.

 Sparkie working at the computer.  She likes to write on her blog.

 Opal's Edrica Huwes type  collage.....Freddy has done lots of this style too.

Our blocks at retreat for  the quilt we donate to the camp.  We just have to finish putting blocks together now.
NOTES FROM SPARKIE.....Hi all my kitty fans.   I hope you are doing fine...I know I am!  I have been  doing lots of running around the house lately....mom says I have been naughty.  I finally pulled down the quilt hanging over the chair in the living room.  Mom said she was surprised it took me so long.  I have figured out lots of new tricks in the past couple weeks....and can keep mom and dad busy trying  stop me from climbing up on top of things.  Mom says I go to the VET tomorrow for my last shots.  I don't like that, but when mom puts me in that little red carry thing, off we go.  I am too big to hang upside down in there now.  Mom says I will be making a special trip soon for a snip-snip....what does that mean??  
I will be glad when I don't have to see that VET so often.  Maybe when I get older I won't have to go so often.
Well, mom has to get to work, so I guess I better try to entertain her with one more trick.....sometimes I like to curl up under her chin just before she leaves...she says I look sooooo cute.    If you make lots of mischief, you have to at least look really CUTE!!    love, from Sparkie

Fun with Freddy and Molly

Hi all....what a busy couple weeks around here.  First, Freddy Moran and Molly Federici came for a visit.  Freddy came to teach and Molly, one of her avid students and fans came from Illinois to take the class. What a great time we had.
Unfortunately I had to teach on Saturday, so couldn't take the class, but we had plenty of fun on other days.
We stopped off at the Chilhuly Glass Gardens in Seattle on the way home from the airport....what a magnificent display of color, and an inspirational for lots of quilts.  In fact, I saw one in  a magazine that was one of the glass displays....a boat full of beautiful glass  balls.  The artist  created a beautiful likeness.
We also had fun on a day trip to La Conner and the Quilt Museum....and shopping of course!  The weather was pretty good those few days they were here, and we were able to enjoy some beautiful scenery in the sunshine.
Molly, one of the gals I quilt for, came all the way from Illinois to take Freddy's class...and it was so much fun to meet her after quilting many of her beautiful quilts.    She, like Freddy, started quilting later in life, and she does a fabulous job.  I think we will have her back next time Freddy teaches.  We had such a great time fabric shopping and sight-seeing, that we need to find some new territory to explore the next time!
We spent one day on Vashon Island at the Island Quilter shop where Freddy had about 40 of her quilts on display.  What a happy feast for the eyes.  I wish more people enjoyed color the way Freddy does....it is a good thing we work together....we both love color and fun quilting....not to mention perfection is not at the top of our list!
We said good-bye to Freddy and Molly and a day later we had our guild retreat.
What fun it is to sit and sew with your friends, have your meals prepared, and no interruptions.   You can get soooo much done.  I only got 2 tops and 1 huge back done, and 2 baby quilts bound...so I guess I didn't get as much done as I had hoped.  I always bring way more than I have time to finish.
The setting of our retreat is beautiful with a farm below our sewing center and beautiful hills and trees in the distance.  Even the loss of power on Saturday morning for a couple hours didn't stop us.....some of the gals did hand work by the windows and  others were still cutting.  We are looking forward to a retreat in the spring and again next fall.
In the meantime, I have piles of quilts waiting for the long-arm....I have done a few since I got home and plan to keep my nose to the needle and catch up on some things that have been waiting to be quilted while I was travelling or entertaining our visitors.
I hope you have had a good time these past few weeks, too.....now I will give Sparkie a chance to write her few lines!    love, judy

NOTES FROM SPARKIE
I have a new name...mom has been calling me Sparkie the pest....I wonder what a pest is.  Every time I climb on the dining room table, or up on the desk or some other neat place she calls me a pest.  Yesterday I dumped her plant over twice, so I guess that is pretty naughty.
She should be proud of me, I went up to 2.6 pounds at the vet visit, got my shots and had a good check-up.  Mom weighed me yesterday and I was up to 3 pounds.  She says I have a great interest in food, and I admit, that I do love my kibble.  I  like to see what mom is eating, especially if she has something called icecream, but she pushes me away.  Aunt Marilyn sent me a toy that has a little want that rotates back and forth and around and around in  a circle....it is so much fun to chase....mom and dad  put it out for me to play when they are eating dinner.  That keeps me busy so I don't bother them when they are eating!

 A funky sculpture near the glass gardens at Seattle Center.

 Freddy and Molly at the Glass Gardens.....see the great orange piece below!

 A great reflection of the Space Needle in one of the large glass balls at the Glass Garden.

 This glass was on the ceiling of part of the display....such wonderful colors!

 One of Freddy's quilts.

 A student working on a masterpiece in Freddy's class.

 Freddy, Molly, and Sue at the Island Quilter to see Freddy's exhibit.

 One of my favorites.  One of Freddy's friends made the fabric with all the stamped shapes on solids....I LOVE this one...and the orange background is pretty fabulous, too.

 Judy and Freddy!
I made the crazy lonestar below at the retreat.  I will call it Crazy Dancin' Feet.   It is pretty busy....but, I always say if I want my eyes to rest, I will take a nap!  I still have borders to figure out.

  Sometimes I still bite mom....she doesn't like that....but I am just playing with her.  I think I might be a good mouser.  I sure like to  chase things and jump up on  high places.  I can jump about 4 feet across the room or from the bed to the window sill.  Maybe I should try out for the Olympics!  I could   be on the broad jump team.
Well, today mom has lots of work to do, so I guess I will sleep on the big, soft office chair while she is out quilting.  Sometimes I can be such a good girl and keep out of trouble.  I still have a cute little face....mom thinks I am cute, even if I am a naughty kitty from time to time.
I hope you have as much fun today as I will.....Sparkie

OK...how did those pictures get in the middle of Sparkie's story......I will never figure this out.  And to think I may get one of those new magic phones...I might think that over for a bit!

Naughty Sparkie

Hi all,  today is the big day.....we go to the VET again.   I hope the needle is not too big and that the shots don't hurt too much.  Mom says we leave soon and I have to get in my little red carrier.  I think I will jump around inside and hang  upside down from the top of the carrier like last time.  It makes mom all worried when I carry on like that.
I played a good trick on mom last night.  When her friend went out the back door I sneaked OUTSIDE  to  have a look around.  She says I can't go outside, that I am too little.  Maybe a coyote will eat me up....I wonder what is a coyote??  I am still pretty little, but when the VET weighs me today, maybe I will have gained a couple pounds.  Mom says I am getting bigger....my legs are getting longer and my body is longer too.  I  think I have gained a half pound by now.
Mom is going to the airport after we see the VET....she is going to pick up a  couple of quilting friends.  One is a famous author, Freddy Moran, and the other one of her customers.  It is exciting because she has never met her customer Molly from Illinois.  Freddy will be teaching this weekend at  Aunt Mary's Quilt shop.  I guess I better start thinking of hiding so I don't have to go in my little carrier.  Mom has to eat breakfast and off we go.  I would rather go to the airport.  I wonder where I could go....Someplace warm and sunny, as I am getting tired of the foggy cool mornings.  It is a good thing I didn't have to stay outside all night long.  It has been pretty cold at night lately.
I hope you all have a great day, and I will report on my big visit to the VET next time.   Love, from Sparkie!

 Mom's  friend Molly's quilt.  It will be so much fun to meet her today.

 Gosh, what a cute kitten.   Look how tiny I am.

 Mom saw spiderwebs one morning at took this picture.  Spider webs are so amazing. I like to chase spiders...I can run really fast and catch them!

Dazzling Dahlia quilt from MQX...
by Andrea Brokenshire....so  beautifully done.

Notes from Sparkie

Hi all my kitty fans!
I have had such a time lately.  Mom has been gone to  a quilt show at the Museum for 4 days and left me all alone all day.  When she got home I had to run around like a  cannonball.   I had to climb up her leg...one of my favorite things to do, and climb up the quilts on the quilt ladder.  I got all the way to the top before the quilt slid off and I fell to the big pile of quilts on the couch near-by.  Mom was not too happy about that adventure.  Yesterday I tried to climb up to the window sill, but the blinds were in the way, so I was hanging by my toenails to the window sill until I finally fell down.  Being a kitten is such hard work, but around here there are so many interesting things to peak my curiosity. 
I found a great little piece of cardboard from the mail package....boy, it that fun to play with.  And mom's pony tail scrunchies are really fun too.  I have found 2 of them, and they are like soft little hockey pucks that I can speed around the wood floor.
Yesterday mom weighed me and I finally reached two pounds.  She was able to put the flea medicine on that the VET gave her.  And now she is  talking about another visit to that VET for more shots.  I hope that needle is smaller than the last time.  I wonder how many more visits to the VET for shots I will have.
I spent this morning snuggled under mom's chin purring in her ear....she loves that.  I have her fooled.  I get all snuggly, and then I run around like crazy getting into all kinds of things.   How can she get mad at such a cute and snuggly kitty? 
Well, mom will have to write about her MQX adventures in the next blog.  I will try to post some more pictures this morning.  I couldn't get anything to work last time I tried.  Mom is going to feed the fish on her way to the studio....I have not yet been outside....I am sure there are plenty of things to entertain me out there.  I hope you all have fun with your cats and dogs today.   We love to make you happy and entertained.  Love   from  Sparkie.

 These are some shots of of the quilt I did of my dad and nephew.  My nephew is over 40 years old now. I entered this quilt in the La Conner show.  It was my first attempt at a person type pictorial.  I used the photo because I wanted it to look really "real".  It took me about 6 months to make this quilt.....of course, it had been started several times over the last 15 years!  I am going to do one of my mom next.

 Who is that cute kitty?  She looks like she if full of mischief to me.

 I took a very fun class, actually two, from Claudia Pfeil of Germany.   She was loads of fun, and had some great ideas and gave me lots of inspiration to try some new things. 

This is one of Claudia's samples....the paisley above she did in class and attached the little mirror with the long-arm.  I love taking classes and getting some new ideas, or getting the inspiration to find the time to try things that have been rolling around in my head for a long time.  You are never too old to learn.

Oh, the most exciting thing was that I got a 3rd place ribbon at the MQX show.   I was especially thrilled since I am probably one of the oldest long-armers still at it, and have a 16 year old Gammill with no stitch regulator.   There is always hope!  I thought it was fun to win over lots of those fancy computerized machines!

Fun and Inspiration at the La Conner Quiltfestival 2013

Hi everyone.....while Sparkie takes a break, I will fill you in on the Quiltfestival at La Conner.....what inspirational quilts there were.  Kathy McNeill was the Best of Show winner with another of her beautiful pictorial quilts.  There were so many other great ones...I especially loved one from Iowa that was pieced and appliqued on top of an antique quilt.....big, wonderful cornstalks with leaves all around and buttons galore.
There was a great chicken, and underwater scene, and many others that made my creative brain spin!
The weather was great, which made walking around town fun, too. 
I worked all day Wed. thru Saturday......had to get the vendors set up, and then make sure they got their breaks.
Oh, did I mention the garments that were so wonderful, especially the one with the New York city skyline and prairie points small than my baby fingernail!  An artist from Holland entered a few that were appliqued....WOW, is all I can say. 
Sadly pictures were not allowed, so you will have to send for a DVD....you can find it on the Museum website.  Then you can be inspired, too.
Sparkie did pretty well with me being gone so much, but  I did miss her, and she was happy to see me everyday when I got home.  Oh, Oh,   the VET again next week.....maybe they can clip those razor sharp little toenails she has.
I hope you will all be inspired to quilt something new and exciting, too.   Judy
Since I can't post pictures of the La Conner show I will post some of the MQX show.....another awe-inspiring show with unbelievably beautiful quilts.

Well, after about 10 tries to insert image.....the computer keeps giving me a message that won't allow pix to load....will have to try again tomorrow....makes for a dull blog!  Judy