PICTURE THAT WAS OMITTED

I entered one twice and this one was omitted. It is so pretty I wanted you to see the top. It is a pale, soft green velvet with purple on the sides and bottom.

SATURDAY 'S FLEA MARKET

Last weekend being the 3rd. weekend of the month, Renningers Flea Market held their larger than normal antique fair. This means that dealers who do not come to the flea market end every week do come to the antique market end on this 3rd. weekend.

I was having company for lunch (more about that tomorrow) and so set off about 9 and went to my usual flea market end first because there is a gal there who sells large bouquets of cut orchids for $5.00 a bunch. I wanted one so I could give my guest a couple of orchids to take home. I had bought a bunch more then 5 weeks ago and with changing the water and cutting the stems once a week I still have a few but they are falling fast. 5 weeks of orchid blooms for $5.00 - I call that a deal. Well wouldn't you know it she was there but had no cut flowers just potted orchids. The next disappointment was when I walked out to the field there were hardly any dealers there. The majority had headed north. Apparently a lot of them work their way up by attending flea markets all the way north. I do not remember them leaving so early in other years and I hope none of them got caught in the horrible weather all up through the south. The amount of people killed and the damage from the tornados is just horrifying. To think I talked about our episode just last week and then this.

Well I left there and drove down to the antique end. There were more dealers but still not as many as you would expect. I bought a bunch of old linens from a gal I buy from frequently and they were only 6 for $5.00 and she always gives me extra - told me to pick out 1 more. I immediately cut the lace off and through out the fabric when I got home. They were pretty bad. I bought 3 lovely vintage rhinestone pins from a gal and I also bought the pretty box you see above. Someone obviously hand made it and did an absolutely beautiful job of it. It was 12.00 and a great bargain at that for the workmanship that was in it.
When I first got there the first fella I stopped at had a set of 4 tray tables in a stand. They were the painted flower trays similar to what I collect for my walls up north and the couple I have down here. The set was 25.00 and I snapped it up for the sun room. When we have a crowd of people in it is good to have some tray tables for drinks, snacks, etc. They were also a great bargain. I have never seen a set like this before. All in all I had a fun morning then hurried home to get ready for my company.

HIDEKO IN JAPAN

I have copied an email that came in from Hideko on April 12 on CQI for people who do not belong as follows:

"Thanks for your concern. Today we had another big quake in the afternoon. Almost everyday we are shaked. I replied to Laurie about Fukushima plant in Novice group. Here I would like to tell you the same. Yes, it's now raised level 7. But maybe we have felt it's not level 5 already. The most serious trouble or concern is the accident hasn't been settled yet, still in process for recovery, while big after quakes happen everyday. Especially the one of last evening and another of this afternoon gave us shocks, because those centers were very close to Fukushima plants. Each time we are scared by not only quake itself but also by some possiblity of new serious troubles happen at the plant. There was nothing new bad so we felt a bit relieved. The whole quantity of radiation is one tenth of Chernobyl somehow, though the level is same. Everyday we feel standing on the edge.We have got really tired. Thanks for your prayers. Hideko Ishida in Japan"

I cannot believe it has been over a month since the oiginal quake. My heart goes out to the children and think of the parents trying to console them and tell them all is well when the after shocks keep coming. we went through a tornado when we first came to Chicago that tore the roof right off the house where we were staying about 6am and you looked up to pitch black with rain pouring in. Luckily none of us were hurt. Susan was just a baby of 7-8 months old and I was terrified she was gone. Went into her room and she was awake and smiling with bricks laying all over her crib. to this day I remember that and am very wary of tornado like weather. My children spent many nights sleeping in the basements wherever we were so I can appreciate how the parents feel. Ours was nothing like Hideko's case because once hit ours was over for that time at least. They must live in a state of constant fear.

Hi Hideko - we are all thinking of you and yours every day.

Hugs

FredaB

ALLIE'S CQ BOOK & SIGNATURES

When I first heard that Allie was doing a book on cq I did not know that it would go on Amazon as immediately as it did. Sometimes you have to buy through small publishers,etc. but not this one. It is a star in itself. I ordered it right away and am so happy I have it. I took it with me and thought well I will have Allie sign it and then I thought well there are 4 more gals here who have their quilts or other items in her book. I followed them around one night like a groupie (at my age yet)and did get signatures from all 5. I still have to run down Debra Spincic and Barbara Curiel and then it will be complete. Where are you girls?

Allie's book is a wonderful book for all levels of cqers. It has as much for the experienced stitcher to learn as the beginner. I have not done a curved edge block yet and will try one one of these days. When I get all my projects caught up and finish things I started at the retreat. Will this ever happen? When you see Susan Elliott's Queen make sure you read the caption with it and you will see just how much time Susan did researching this and how well she did all the decorations. I just wish she had brought it with her for us to see at the retreat.

I'M BACK

Hi All My Friends & Family

I left for the Crazy Quilt Great Adventure Retreat in Hartford, CT. on Thurs. This was put on by Maureen Greeson and Susan Elliott. I flew with Carol Kramer who lives in clermont, FL and we connected up at the Orlando airport. We had roomed together before in Omaha plus do get together a couple of times a year when I am down in FL.

I have to tell you that the retreat was the most thought out, carefully planned and downright wonderful one that I have attended. Maureen was so wonderful to all of us attendees. Every morninbg as we would go into class there would be a different gift or goody bag from Maureen with some wonderful things in it. Actually on our first day the bag contained items that Maureen provided for us for each of the 3 day classes. Items that she thought might be hard for some of us to find and so she donated them. Kudoos to Maureen. Maureen and Susan Elliott are complete opposites so make a wonderful pair. Maureen likes to sit quietly in the background and Susan is a wonderful outgoing personality so she directed most of the evening activities. Maureen was probably all worn out by this time anyway from all her careful planning and making us things. We had talks from Betty on old quilts that she brought to share one night and then Shirlee Fassell gave a talk and showed the most wonderful work I have ever seen. Not all cq. I have been a fan of hers since Maureen had her original newsletter and Shirlee's work would appear on the pages. Always told Maureen that I wanted to come back as Shirlee in my next life.

The 3 days teachers were Allie Aller, Sharon Boggon (all the way from Australia) and wonderful Betty Pillsbury. There were only 60 attendees allowed and we were divided up into groups of 20 rotating teachers 20 to a class. We had Allie Fri., Sharon Sat. and Betty on Sun. Three wonderful teachers. I actually started a project in Allie and Betty's classes that I hope to finish. Sharon I just did a lot of stitches and new ideas on a piece of muslin. I did take a finished cq square to work on but it is hard to know just where to put things when you are working like this. Now I can spend time and think about where to put them.

All in all it was a wonderful 3-4 days. We left Sunday right after class and surprise - surprise - we were quoted 3 hour flying time home and arrived 41 minutes early. That has never happened as far as I can remember in the past on a short flight. Someone quipped he took a shortcut. Good job hubby checked the airline and was just about at the airport when we had our bags and I called him.

One of the things that was planned was a swap with others - optional - of course. You could swap with either, 10 people, 20 people or all 34 who entered. 26 chose not to. I started and could make about 1 or more a night so decided to do all 34.
I did either a flower motif or a dragonfly. I also ordered some of Vicky Clayton's hand dyed silk ribbon that comes on bobbins - I love that - and included one in each bag. In went a little spray of flowers and I have been interested in paper crafting lately so made little tags they can use and included them also. I did not want to show them before so people would not see them who read this blog and were swapping.

The first pic is the largest plastic bag you can buy and then the individual pics of the flowers and different winged dragonflys. I do not have a bead store around here so just used what I had until it was used up. Therefore there were many more flowers (about 3/4 to 1/4 dragonfly). I put them on about 5-6" pieces of dupioni silk so they would have a nice piece to be able to sew into a square.

When I get finally unpacked I will share with you all the wonderful ones I received.
Great time but always good to be home with my sweetie.

I will start putting on some of the pics I took eventually.

JAPAN

Last Oct. I had the chance to go with the CQI gals on their retreat in Colorado.
At that time I had a chance to meet with a lot of gals who I knew from the lists and from Omaha retreats. One person I had never met and that is because she lives in Japan. Our good friend Hideko came all the way from Japan for this retreat.
We talked but I had no idea what part of Japan she came from. It turns out it she is from Sendai where the worst of the earthquake hit damaging the nuclear reactors.

Well Hideko and her immediate family are safe and they live about 100 km (60 miles) from that area. The gals in CQI have organized and are making crazy quilts that in future will be sent to Japan and auctioned off there and the money to go to funds where needed.

The following info I took from Leslie's blog. If you are interested in helping out the info is as follows:

I am coordinating a project to raise funds for the recovery of Japan. The quilting community as a whole is welcome to participate! Traditional and crazy quilt blocks will be accepted! I am posting the guidelines below for those that are interested in joining in. Please contact me with any questions you may have. I look forward to working with everyone! I know this will be a fabulous project upon completion! Stay tuned here or at the CQI blog for updates on blocks as they come in!! Please feel free to utilize this post on your own blog to help in spreading the word!!!

Hearts and Hands For Sendai

This project will be dedicated to helping those affected by the earthquake tsunami disaster in Japan. Per Hideko Ishida's request, all quilts will become a part of an exhibit in Japan where money will be raised by viewing the quilts. Ultimately, these quilts may be auctioned and the proceeds given to a charity designated by Hideko Ishida, our Japanese CQ Sister! We will keep everyone informed as time progresses. This project is open to the quilting community at large! You may track details on the Crazy Quilting International blog, http://crazyquiltinginternational.blogspot.com or the ICQA Facebook page http://tinyurl.com/4h3x28a .

Guidelines are as follows:

Theme: Friendship and re-building of a country

Finished block size: 8 inches

Colors: Jewel Tones

Style: traditional or crazy quilt blocks will be accepted

For traditional quilt blocks, there are no pattern restrictions. The only requirements are the size and the colors. Finished size is to be 8 inches (20.32 cm). Please allow a half inch seam allowance. Colors are jewel tones. No restrictions to the type of fabric used.


For crazy quilt blocks:

_ Cut foundation at 9 inches (22.86 cm), piece the entire foundation.

_ Baste a line at 8 inches (20.32 cm) to stop embroidering

_ Do not add beads or charms past 7 ½ inches (19.05 cm)

_ Zig zag edges to prevent edges from fraying.

_ Add your name and address on the back of the block.

_ Mark the block with “UP” to show which side is the top

_ Prefer all fabrics used be “fancies” (ie: silk, satin, taffeta, velvet) but if you have

some kimono fabrics or other oriental themed fabrics in your stash you are

welcome to use them.

_ All beading MUST be double stitched and knotted with BEADING THREAD!!!

NO exceptions!!! These items will be handled a great deal and beads, buttons,

charms are among the first to begin to loosen. Embellishments – may be done

by machine or by hand.

_ Lace and other motifs are acceptable and must be securely attached

_ Trims are acceptable and must be securely attached

_ SRE is acceptable

_ Tatting and crocheted butterflies and dragonflys, etc are acceptable and must

be securely attached

_ Please sign the back of your block

Please refrain from using any reference to the rising sun as this has political connotations in Japan.

If you have any questions, at any time, please just email me or call me; Leslie pinyoncreekq@q.com . All completed projects will be mailed to me no later than June 30, 2011. Please contact me for mailing address information.

We are asking for an entry fee of $10.00 dollars for each block. This fee will be accrued and forwarded to either Hideko or a charity of her choosing. This is to generate funds to help Japan as much as possible.

Funds can be sent vis a vis check, money order (payable to ICQA) or Paypal, icqa4u@yahoo.com. Please check gift for the donation. I appreciate everyone’s participation and look forward to seeing all the fabulous creations!

BEDSPREAD ? OR CURTAIN ?

I have been having a very bad time in Florida this year with my allergies and woke up last Sat. morning with a severe migraine that just would not stop. Go up and down depending on how many pills I had taken but would not leave. Today I finally started to feel a little better and was able to go to the store for groceries and more meds. I had not been out of the house since last Fri. Hopefully this is gradually going as I am leaving for CT. for the CQ adventure on thurs. If it starts again I will head to the Dr. Monday.

I am sorry I posted I was going to show you more from the antique market so I will post pics of the largest - priciest - item I bought now. At first I thought it was a curtain but when laying it out flat I see it has netting sides and a netting piece at the top that could be a pillow turn over. See what you think. I have no idea where I could use it but it was so beautiful I could not pass it by. I need one of those antique little nooks in a shop and I could drape it over it. Trouble is I probably wouldn't want to sell anything I have.

The bad part of being sick last weekend was I missed the entire Mt. Dora antique festival Sat. & Sun. Hubby's dear words "you must really feel bad if you can't go to that". first year I have missed it but hopefully there will be another year.