Family Heirloom

When I was 18 years old, I fell in love with Peter.  His mother Carrie was truly a wonderful woman; and after Peter was out of the picture I stayed in communication with his mother for many years. She gave me a start from her large Christmas Cactus plant. It grew into a huge plant that always sat in my parent's living room. 35 years ago, my husband and I moved into our house in Racine; my mother brought  me a slip from that original plant sitting in the living room. It likes our house, and it has become a monster of a plant. The new pot I put it in last summer is so heavy we can't move it without wheels!

My special Christmas Cactus in full bloom 2010

Just look at how gorgeous the plant is today. I learned that using 10-10-10 fertilizer is what it needs, along with a much larger pot and soil especially for cactus. The bag of fertilizer I purchased will last me the rest of my life!

What a show this plant is putting on for me and my family! I'm guessing it will be blooming through Valentine"s Day. This plant, like my creativity, needs to be fed and nurtured from time to time. I see a Christmas Cactus quilt in my future.

Happy New Year to all of you.

Ann

Holiday Traditions

My wish for all my readers is that you have a wonderful holiday, whether you have traditional celebrations or not!

Back in 1985 my parents took a European tour for musicians; and East Germany was on their itinerary. Having been fascinated by the E. German Christmas Pyramids or Carousels, I asked them if they would purchase one for me. I gave them some money, and they finally agreed to purchase it, even though they really didn't want to haul a big box around as they toured churches and cathedrals across the continent. But they did carry it with them for most of the tour. They had no idea what they were starting for us.

My 2 sons have grown up watching the thing spin as the heat from the candles turns the blades on the top.

I'm not a traditionalist but nothing tickles my fancy more than watching the angels and shepherds go around and around as I eat my holiday cookies for dessert. For me this brings the joy of the season.

And tonight after we had our favorite meal of tacos for Christmas eve I brought out the cookies and lit the carousel.  It was wonderful. The boys were home, conversation was lively, and I was thrilled by the candles and carousel. We have created our own tradition! Not only has this carousel traveled thousands of miles across the ocean, it still puts on the miles, on our dining room table.


May you find joy and love in your holiday.

Ann

A Piece of Fine Literature from Racine WI

I'm tired of talking about quilts and design problems.  This post is a change of pace.

From time to time, something tickles my fancy. Being the mother of 2 boys my life involved baseball cards, airplanes, automobiles, hockey and soccer games.  The only thing I had that was feminine was our cat, and the bathroom in my studio was painted pink. The literature I read to my kids involved things like Planes, Trains and Automobiles. There was no Cinderella or Snow White read in this house.

The other day, this little poem was in the newspaper and it made me chuckle.  This is for your holiday enjoyment!  Read on............

Ode to a Car Part
by Michael Burke, Journal Times Business Reporter
December 19, 2010
Published by permission of the author

When the snow is so hard it squeaks under my heel
And the cold is so sharp that my feet I can't feel.
When my car's caked with road salt and looks like a beater,
I climb in and switch on my car-seat heater.

At this time of year it's a butt-saving feature
A great rear-end melter for all living creatures
In no time at all, heat flows up from the chair
Thawing and roasting this boy's derriere.

When temperatures dive, and the air feels like ice
To sit on a bun-warmer is ever so nice
When cars stick in snowdrifts, and people must push
There's nothing like feeling that warmth in the tush.

The computer and asphalt are both great inventions
Likewise the glue stick and ladder extensions
The wheel was a wonder, but to be a repeater,
Can anything top the toasty car-seat heater?

Fun with Ginkgoes

It's time to put aside my problems with the Tragedy on Esplanade quilt. It will be finished in 2011. I'd like to tell you about my most recently completed quilt Ginkgoes Galore. It is a quilt with joyous color, ginkgo leaves and a purple vase. Actually its working title was Ginkgo Tea Party.

This is the background for Ginkgoes Galore. It went through many evolutions, this is the final one!

I already had fabricated; cut and fused several large blue to purple ginkgo leaves.  I tried scattering them around the background much like another quilt, Yellow Ginkgoes on Blue and Green. My leaves were huge like the Yellow Ginkgo piece, but that didn't seem to be very successful this time.

Then came that shopping trip to TJ Maxx, where I found a wonderful vase for $4.99. 

Here it is, the wonderful $4.99 purple vase. I love the color, the unsymmetrical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a urinal!

This is just what my quilt needed. Instead of ginkgo leaves floating around, I'd place them in this purple vase.  Now what will is sit on?

A tablecloth would work. I considered a laundry basket full of fabrics before deciding on which would work the best. Quilters that do little actual designing don't realize that there are many options to consider before making the final decision.  I auditioned red fabrics, black and white, white, solid black and purple.  When I do this I wind up with a huge pile of rejected fabrics on the floor of my studio. This process could take as long as a day.  But I decided rather quickly on a black and white print, set it on the diagonal and put the vase on it. There would be plenty of room for a teapot or cups, you'll remember the tea party theme.

Here is the vase sitting on the paper pattern for the tablecloth. The leaves have been fused and assembled on bakers parchment.

Two cups were added and placed on the tablecloth. The piece was quilted and edges finished. Currently it is hanging in my living room. It makes me feel good when I walk past it. I can enjoy a cup of tea while looking at it.

Here is the completed quilt Ginkgoes Galore

You may read more about it on my website and will find a larger image and 3 detail shots of the stitching and leaves.  Enjoy.

Ann Fahl

Troubling Quilt part 4

The quilt has been quilted, blocked, trimmed and ready for binding.  I'm just not sure. So.....the quilt is resting; I'm not looking at it; it's covered up; and I'm working on Christmas stuff.  More later.

Ann