Quilt by City Mary

Thanks to City Mary from the Empire Quilters Guild, Manhattan USA who sent me a photo of her completed quilt, which was started in the 1 day Divide & Conquer workshop I taught in May last year.

As a tutor, it's very rewarding to see the outcome from workshops.

Marika I hope you will enter your work in some of the European quilt festivals & realise your dream.

My bag

Talking about spikey things yesterday made me realise that the bag I'm curently using falls into that category. It has been called many things by those who see it- some unkind words have been said about 'the beastie', but he is out for the summer & lives on my back.

Made by Canadian designer Simon Trudeau of Anemone, I stumbled across his stall at a craft fair in New York in 2007 & loved all his bags.

Farewell New York, for now

Thanks Jan & Diane for letting me know you are still interested in my views of New York! Diane, I took actual fabric rubbings of the sewer covers in Japan last year- will dig out some photos of that.
I found inspiration around every corner in Manhattan whether it was a famous sight or not, from the elegant to the kitsch, from the glamorous to the grotty.

The ones that got away!

My last post about the American paintings reminded me I still had a few photos of New York that I'd like to share with you. I apologise in advance if you are "New Yorked out" but I find a trip away can really open one's eyes to myriad possibilities.

These are the rubbings that got away! I was amused by the "Made in India" on the sewer cover.

Chelsea art day out in the USA

Last month four of us set off for the art galleries in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. When you're with NY locals Lisa Chipetine & Melly Testa things happen. We looked at lots of interesting little gallery spaces in large converted warehouses & tried our hand at arty photo shots, as above & came across a great Chuck Close exhibition.
Refueling with coffee are L-R Lorraine Carthew, Lisa & Melly.

Manhattan to Sydney

From Manhattan sights & quilts to the Sydney Quilt Show at the Darling Harbour

Craft & Quilt Fair, life is never dull when the threads of our interests entangle us.

I'll be experiencing the delights of Sydney for a couple of days & hope to bring you some quilt stories.

Manhattan signs # 3

It's so easy to get food in the various Manhattan neighbourhoods & there are a lot of ready made options, but remember there is also a small State tax added to all advertised prices- so just when you think you have the nickels, dimes & quarters sorted you have to dig into the purse for more.

Manhattan signs # 2

Parking is at a premium & I didn't even think of snow!! as I live in sub tropical Brisbane, Australia.

Manhattan signs

Manhattan is a jumble of signs, a visual feast of message, font styles & neon. Of course some messages are more important than others.

Hook & ladder

Hook & Ladder is the name given to Fire Stations in New York State & this is a great example in Hastings-on-Hudson. Housed in an historic church building- salvation is their job!

Thanks for the positive comments about my NY travelogue. I'm trying to get most of the posts finished before I go to the Sydney Quilt Show on Wednesday as I'll have lots of great quilt photos to share then.

North American plants

I love the flora & fauna of countries other than my own. Yes we have wonderful animals & trees here & visitors love them all- well it's the same for me when I travel. It's exciting & I view everything with fresh eyes as it's often the first time I'm seeing these varieties.

Primroses in a woody glen at Pepsico headquarters.

Columbines & Cherry blossom.

I need to take a photo of the tree plaque to remember what it was! And always the beautiful Silver Birch.

Donald M Kendall Sculpture Gardens

Jeri Riggs & I had a great sunny day out, wandering the beautiful gardens of the Pepsico World Headquarters & the Donald M Kendall Sculpture Gardens last month in New York State.

It was truly inspiring to see the large pieces incorporated in the 168 acres of sweeping green lawns & with native trees as background. I hope you enjoy this small selection of photos from the 45 art works on display.

Food for thought

When I'm away from home I like to try the dishes of the city or country I'm visiting for the full cultural experience. The cucumber cosmopolitan I'm toasting you with from the mezzanine level at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY was worth it for the sheer pleasure of the surrounding ambiance of antiquities & chamber music in the early evening as the sun was setting & the voices of visitors drifted up from the grand entrance foyer. A truly memorable experience.

Not so sure I can say the same about Vegemite on cinnamon toast! I travelled with my own supply of Vegemite as this is not a condiment lined up with the tomato sauce on tables. However I do love the large triangles of New York pizza which are tasty & cheap.
At breakfast I chose 'grits' [in the white bowl] with my omelette- they are more like a porridge consistency & rather tasteless without some additional savoury or sweetener. The dish to the right is soft shelled crab which I had never tried before- tasty, chewy & definitely an acquired taste but Beth who had ordered it loves them!

Jackquelynn's quilt

Thanks for sending a photo of your finished quilt Jackquelynn [student in Divide & Conquer NY] & congratulations on completing the quilt & adding the extra texture & interest that the quilting gives it.

Jackquelynn's quilt is on display at the Christ Church Riverdale's Art Show, New York & she says it is her first art quilt.