Sewing and Quilts

I have a few of my Mom's finished quilt tops.  Today I made the backing for two.  I have a good friend who will be putting them on her long arm quilting machine and finish them with a simple quilting pattern.  She'll send them back and I'll finish with the binding. 

I hadn't seen this quilt top before.  She made this some time ago.  She hand appliquéd all the houses using fabric I remember giving her.  She loved anything in shades of purple.

This quilt top also includes fabric I recognize.  It's machine sewn and I can tell she made this later in her life.  The seams are less straight nor even.  She loves sewing and it didn't matter if anything was straight.  It's still lovely and knowing she sat and sewed this in her 80's.
 

Stationery

Found a random roll of piano music roll. I thought to toss it in the recycle since I knew I have more packed somewhere in a box. My studio is far from unpacked and finding a spot for seem ridiculous. But, instead of tossing it I wrote letters to a few friends! I had to tape the paper where some of the note perferations were since the roll is vintage and somewhat delicate. It was actually fun using as my stationery! As long as you can put pen to paper why not use it.

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Banana cream pie

Today is memorial day, which also gives a day to some good food. We cooked out burgers and then I figure I'll make a banana cream pie. Not from scratch scratch, though. I used store purchase graham cracker crust, Jello brand banana cream pudding and cool whip. I had bananas. It came out good and sweet. Next time I'll use sugar free pudding mix and pie dough crust.

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Sunday Breakfast

I'm not a early morning person which also means I'm not a first thing in the morning breakfast eater. Today I set the alarm so not to miss the Indy 500 race. It was on a rain delay. So what to do with my extra time this morning. Why not have breakfast. Nothing fancy but kinda fancy for me.

The only thing missing is BACON! What is your not so fancy kinda breakfast?

Spring flower bush scent - Lilac

If you know, you know that scent. I don't live near not one lilac bush, but I want to. So the next closest thing is I bought a Lilac scented Yankee candle. I shared my love of lilacs with my mom. Lilac bushes line the back fence of her yard....this photo is proof!

Small Gardens

I started my little garden sort of late this year. So only pepper plants and flowers that can be planted this late and can tolerate the Arizona summer heat. It was recommended to start them by seed not transplant seedlings. They were right, the four flower seedlings died the first week but the seeds are all popping through. I went to a worm farm to get new soil and it was so rich and healthy. Good start for all my plants.

It was recommended the pepper plants would do just fine. So I bought both transplants and seeds. The 4 flower plants you see there on the left all died!

It feels good to get your hands dirty and watch the garden grow. I really want to get an herb garden planned. I need to research when is the ideal time in the AZ climate.

Creativity

I found my gel plate roll off sketchbook! I also found one of mini gel plates. I know where my paints and gel plate rollers are, too. Guess what I'll be doing soon!

Antiquities

The other day took a trip to a antique warehouse. I knew the minute I walked in this place was going to amaze me and at the same time I knew that amazement was out of my price range.

This piece I want! French Antique Apothecary Cabinet $3500!!

Found out most of their inventory buys are shipped all over the country. I get that, most pieces were so huge and you would need a big space.

Attitude

I collect "Blue Boy". This is only one I've found so far. I set him along the wall until I find a place for him. When I saw it this morning it's a though he's looking at me with attitude saying "lady this is not for me" "you better find me a better spot!".

A Year Ago!

It was a year ago when my studio looked like this

Our house flooded while we were out of state. It was a hose connected to toilet tank which means it flowed for some time. By the time it was discovered water was sitting throughout the whole house running out of the front door and garage. Yep is was a lot. If any of you have experience water leaks you get what a mess it turns out to be. Today we're back in our house and my studio looks like this.

We're in the mist of unboxing tons of boxes. The QR code app that was used when the house got packed does not work. We have a inventory list, well a inventory list of box numbers. Nothing is in order, nothing easy to find and totally a guessing game. In some ways I compare it to xmas morning opening gifts. After a year everything being packed I am surprised each time I open a box, I'm like "oh, I forgot I had this or that". Taking advantage of this opportunity to purge atleast 1/3 of my stuff. That does feel good. I've done without all of it for the past year and that set it all in a different perspective. Do you purge on the regular?

Today I made tortillas. It's a hot day out and to avoid heating up the kitchen I decided to use the side burner on our grill. Then it was easier to roll them outside, too. I used my mom's tortilla board and rolling pin.

I've never been one to roll out perfectly round tortillas, as you can see this one was a heart!

Final product, they look fine and taste awesome! Made egg and chorizo burrito!

Today

Today, I remembered I have a blog. It's been too long since I've posted on my blog. It's also been some kind of year for me. In all the ups and downs the universe has thrown my way, I always know I'm gonna be fine. Lately, and maybe that's the reason I remembered my blog today, is, I am craving creativity with my hands. Today painted wood shutters, painted a second coat on my bedroom wall, got my hands dirty in my new flower garden. Yesterday I baked banana bread, peanut butter and sugar cookies for no reason. I made tortilla soup for the first time, I made this great salsa and have been craving homemade flour tortillas. When you have a creative soul it hurts when you find your self stuck in the feels. For now it's nice to type on my blog. I wasn't able to include photos, not sure what's change on this platform, but I'll work on it.

Pablo Luna, Artist

The last time I typed on this blog I told you about a muralist, Pablo Luna. Sadly, he got really sick and passed way too young. There were fundraisers but I was out of town. It makes me so sad for his family and friends. I don't know if any of his artwork is available, but I do know his murals are still out there. RIP Pablo Luna aka "Kaper

Another muralist

Meet Pablo, "Kaper".  Him and I crossed paths about 30 years ago.  He was an artist who loved to paint "tag" walls and one on occassion he tagged a wall that he didn't have permission to paint on and which lead to meeting me.  I loved his artist talent and he has some community service hours he needed to do so I got permission to have him paint a mural on my office wall.  It was beautiful, bright colors and the word PEACE.  I loved the mural and I can't believe I don't have a photo of it.  A number of coworkers thought it was a negtive message encouraging a "tagger" to paint.  Well fast forward 30 years and I came across  his instagram.  He is a fabulous muralist and artist.  I had the pleasure to met up with him.  Actually, I surprised him and he did remember me.  On this particular day he was painting a mural at the Barrio Cafe, downtown Phoenix.  It makes my soul happy to wittness the success story of Pablo the artist!

 

Murals

I have never painted anything on this large of scale, but boy are these artist amazing.  First one was painted by my friend  Emily, she is so talented.  After we stopped at her mural we stopped in her studio/shop Mucho Mas in downtown Phoenix.  The kids and my sister got to meet her.  She was so generous with her time and has the best loving energy.

This is a mural painted by my friend Emily Costello (Instagram @emcostelloart) in Phoenix.  

Another large wall mural painted by Emily Costello, Mucho Mas Studio Phoenix.

Mural of Chef Silvana Salcio Esparza by Lucretia Torva.   @torvasm
 I love the strength this mural represents and the "Si, Se Puede" tattoo!  Chef Silvana is one of my favorite people.  I don't know her personally but I have met her,  I donated masks to her cause she was feeding so many people during the covid shutdown.  

My sister showing her angel wings.  Grant, Nebraska   @popperposies

A storage shed in Winslow, Arizona.