East Cobb Quilt Show

 On Friday, S. and I went to the East Cobb Quilt Show in Marietta, Georgia.  The East Cobb Quilt Guild puts on this wonderful juried show every other year and I usually take a day of leave to spend the day shopping the vendors and seeing the quilts followed by a trip to Williamson Bros. BBQ for lunch and then a visit to Little Quilts across the street. 

I need to say that S. accompanied me willingly :)  He likes looking at the quilts but not the vendors, enjoys me buying him BBQ lunch, and waits patiently (more or less) in the car listening to his iPod while I shop in Little Quilts. 

This quilt on the left, called "All Aboard" designed and made by Anne Anderberg, won best in show.  She does amazing, very detailed work and this quilt is a collage of some of her travels. Definitely a knock-your-socks-off quilt.

 I have a few photos taken on my iPhone of the 350 quilts that were shown. You can see more photos on Karen's blog at sewprimitive quilter and Melinda's blog at Melinda Quilts.

I loved this creative, unique version of a Baltimore Album quilt for the use of colors in the flying geese border and clever blocks including the Baltimore blue crab cake block in the top left, the Baltimore kudzu (far right second row), the Lady Baltimore cake block (first block, fourth row) and Marietta's own Big Chicken (fourth row, fourth block). A very fun take on a Baltimore Album quilt. I don't know why it didn't win any ribbons.  

 This quilt was impressive for the sheer number of little itty bitty blocks and about a zillion different fabrics.
















I liked this quilt for the great use of color, solid fabrics, and modern design.  The quilting was gorgeous too. 

 Here is one of Karen at sewprimitive quilter's quilts.  She has a great eye for fabric combinations and use of reproduction fabrics. A very talented designer too, this is one of her designs. Love it! I can't wait for her write up the pattern.

This really small quilt was all threadwork and is based on a vintage photo.  Wow!  Incredibly detailed and shaded. I thought this was inspired.

That's all the photos I took. It was a great show and if you are taking a trip south in two years, plan it around the East Cobb show :)  I didn't do much shopping.  I bought a roll of fat-eighths and a stitchery pattern at the show.  I spent a lot of time in Little Quilts but only bought a few fat quarters. 

Some Farmer's Wife Blocks and a Win

 Three more Farmer's Wife blocks done.  I think I have around 20 made now.

This is Bowtie

 and Broken Sugar Bowl

 and Hovering Birds.

I won a great prize from Bari J at We Love French Knots for completing the stitchery sampler. Cosmo spools of two-strand embroidery thread, a sweet little hoop, and some lovely fabric from the Whitewash line by Lecien called "Vintage Linen".  If you haven't checked out Bari J's great website lately, check it out. There are lots of fabulous free stitchery projects by guest stitchers. I've been working away on another Hocuspocusville block. Maybe I'll have this quilt done by next Halloween:)  

Gratitude

A most sincere thank you to each and every one who sent cyber hugs and condolences last week for the loss of my dear beloved Morpheus.  I am slowly responding to all my emails and getting back into a routine.  Two- and four-legged residents of chez crazy cat lady are learning to adapt. He had a huge personality and all of us are affected.   Gomez has been very sad.

I miss him sleeping on my head and sitting next to me as I work on the laptop. I miss him waking me up at 4 in the morning because he was tired of being in the bedroom and wanted me to sleep on the couch (and yes as a well-trained cat-owned person does, I moved to the couch with my pillow and quilt).  I expect him to jump in the warm laundry after I pull it out of the dryer.  I have no idea what time it is because he is not meowing at the top of his lungs to tell me it's breakfast time, or dinner time, or bedtime snack time.  I miss him stretching up on his back legs with his front paws on my legs to pick him up.  I miss our silly games.  I miss him following me from room to room or always watching me with his big yellow-green eyes. 

I especially am having a hard time adapting to the quiet.  Morpheus was a talker--he had a meow and a chirp and a mmmerrrfff  for everything all the time.  I had a running conversation with him for 17 years and now the soundtrack of my life is quiet.   

September 11th: 10 years later

Remembering those we lost and the first responders that searched and rescued the missing. Let us not forget the rescue dogs and their handlers who worked so tirelessly and faithfully.

Wonderful portraits of the dedicated working dogs are in today's New York Times. Many of the dogs went on to search and rescue missions after Katrina and Rita.

10 years later and it seems like yesterday.

Goodnight Sweet Prince

 

My dearest Morpheus, for 17 years you were my most faithful and loving companion.  You were my most loyal friend and were always there for me in good times and bad.  Your unconditional love for me was the most precious thing in my life.  I feel very lost without you.  I named you after the Greek god of dreams on that rainy night in October when we rescued each other and since then you have always slept by my side or on my pillow watching over me. I will forever hold you in my heart.  You were and are the most wonderful, handsome, meowy-est, special cat ever.  My soul hurts.

Morpheus Update

We are waiting on blood work results to come back and right now it is inconclusive why he is not eating.  It could be several things, none of which are good (chronic pancreatitis or lymphoma).  Morph is on medication for the long weekend to hopefully get him feeling better so he will eat.  He is scheduled to see a specialist on Wednesday for an ultrasound and aspiration for the possible lymphoma.

Thank you so much for all your kind comments. It really means a lot to me.  I have had a rather difficult summer and feel rather exhausted and overwhelmed.  To top everything off (or really because of all this and more), I am starting back at Starbucks as a second job next week, back at the store I worked at for 8 1/2 years.  I am so thankful to be able to go back.

Hope everyone in the U.S. has a good long holiday weekend. 

Blogging Break

I am taking a blogging break.  As if this summer hasn't been horrendous enough, Morpheus is not eating and is looking very frail and thin. I bought him a roast chicken today and he ate just a few bites. I have a vet appointment on Friday and I'm hoping it's something that can be solved but I just don't know. Will try to post if anything changes.  I am not handling this well and please understand if I don't respond back to emails and comments in a timely way.