Happy Halloween

Thursday Journey #16

Mission Trails Regional Park contains almost 5,800 acres just 8 miles from downtown San Diego.  We visited it for the first time on Thursday.

We walked downhill for 1 1/2 miles along this paved road.  You could hear birds, small animals and a bubbling creek along the way.  We saw rock climbers, joggers and bike riders enjoying this beautiful sunny day.

Our destination was The Old Mission Dam.  It was so beautiful sitting in the shade and enjoying the peaceful surroundings before we started our walk back up the hill for 1 1/2 miles.

For Patti

My friend Patti's birthday was in September but she didn't receive her birthday quilt until this week.  I used the "Wild Garden" fabric that I purchased in June.  This quilt is 44" x 44"

I tried my first quilt lettering on the back, using the instructions from a Mary Lou Weidman pattern book.

Patti always signs her email "peace" and she was so surprised to see this written on the back of her quilt.

Peace Patti!

For Michelle

Last night I got together with my friends and presented them with their birthday quilts.  This one was for Michelle. She selected blues, reds and yellows for her fabric colors.  I used the wonky star pattern and the quilt measures 45" x 45".

I usually piece the back but this fabric was too cute to cut up.  It's a Susan Branch design with friendship quotes around the little houses.  A perfect backing on a quilt for a good friend.

I machine quilted it with straight lines then added stitched stars.

Happy Birthday Michelle.

Orange

I made this small quilt several years ago using Kaffe Fassett fabric.  The orange colors are very bright and it looks great being displayed during the fall months

I machine stitched along the water lily leaf veins in each block.

Fresh

This colorful painted fish is on the front of a tee shirt I just purchased.  My friend Sherry and I love to visit the Fresh Produce shop in La Jolla and always manage to find something to make us smile.

Purr

Watercolor Tuesday

In class on Tuesday, our lesson was to create a painting of a pumpkin or gourd.  We could not use pencil or erasers and had to draw our subject in one continuous line with permanent black ink.  We were all very nervous to try something new but look how great every one's watercolors turned out.

When I got home, I added some liquid amber leaves to finish my journal entry.

Witches Undies

"WITCHES UNDIES SCAREY SCREAMY, HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEENIE"

That little verse is actually printed on this fabric but it's hard to see on the black background.  This is my all time favorite halloween fabric and I bought it in black and lime green way back in 2003.

I made a 46" square wall quilt that I hang every October.  It's machined pieced and hand quilted using black thread.

The back was as fun to make as the front.  HAPPY HALLOWEENIE!!.

Black

In my watercolor class, we were asked to paint something black - but, we needed to create our own black and not use the one included in our watercolor set.

I hope "purple is the new black" because my color mixture turned out with a very purple tone.

Here's the completed page in my journal.  I've had these black metal halloween decorations since my children were small and they cast spooky reflections on the wall using votive candles.

Never Enough

I just ran into Beverly's, my local fabric shop, for one small item.  I left with 5 new fabrics, I have no will power!

Tuesday Classes

Last Tuesday, I started a 6 week "Sketching and Watercolor - Journal Style" class taught by Jane LaFazio.  In our first lesson, we drew flowers in pencil, outlined them in permanent ink and then painted the flower with watercolors.

Our "homework" assignment was to paint another flower and I selected a mum from my garden.

Most of the students are using individual sheets of watercolor paper, but I decided to paint in my Moleskine journal.

Painted Pumpkins

Following an idea from Alisa Burke's blog, I painted fall leaves on two small pumpkins using acrylics.  These will be great decorations right up to the Thanksgiving holidays.

Boo Bonnet

I have a small Halloween gift for a friend and wanted it wrapped in something special.

I started with a 8" papier mache witches hat from Michael's.

I painted the entire surface with gesso.

This little cardboard box once contained fresh mushrooms and I decided to recycle it.

Next, I roughly painted the hat and box in purple acrylic.

I gathered collage materials - craft papers, magazine photos, stickers and other Halloween goodies adhering them to the hat with matte medium.

These were so fun and inexpensive to make, my friend Sherry will be very surprised with her gifts.

Travel Survivor

In the last three years I have been very fortunate to travel to some wonderful places.  I started making a photo journal after each vacation and since my favorite reality show is "Survivor", I borrowed their logo to create the last page of each journal.

I wonder where my next adventure will be.

abcdEEK!

I love this halloween sampler and over the years have stitched it several times to give as gifts.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY:

On the last full day of our journey, Marcia and I explore Quebec City.  This is the famous Fairmont Le Chateau Fontenac Hotel that sits high above the waterfront.

Expecting Rain

According to the weatherman, we are suppose to get rain today.  Last night the clouds starting coming in, forming a beautiful sunset.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY:

Our last port of call, Quebec City.

For Priscilla

"THE FLOWERS OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP NEVER FADE"

This week is my dear friend Priscilla's birthday.  I made her this little wall quilt to celebrate her birthday and to let her know how much I treasure our friendship.  Happy, happy birthday Priscilla!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY:

Marcia and I take the autobus touristique for a  visit of beautiful Saguenay, Canada.