LOVE, HAPPINESS, AND A GREEN GIVEAWAY!

Summer has started and so has time for sewing!

My dear friend H has finished her treatment and needed a new bag

untainted by hospital thoughts.

The outside is her all time favorite from Alexander Henry

and inside is one of my favorites.

Krista, a favorite spunky long arm quilter,

http://kristahandbags.com/

did her thang and spruced up my Granny Square in a Granny Square!

Love it!

When I see people with quilts used as tableclothes,

I always think, "Why don't I do that?"

So, I did!

(I would have waited for a cleared table,

 but then i'd still be waiting!)

Two new "littles" were birthed.

One in green,

a little bit of Irish play.

And one with left overs from a new project.

(Ouch! That is bright! Sorry!)

Some summer adventuring began as we headed

on the three minute ferry

to Guemes Island...

for no other reason than

it was on the map.

Although it looked the same as our side...

we found some love

(see the hearts?!)

and happiness!

(see the smiley face?!)

We are having typical June weather...

teases of warmth and sun...

mixed with lots of gray and raindrops.

How is the weather where you are?

Leave a comment about the weather

and youngest son will pick a winner next Saturday

for ten GREEN fat quarters!

LAST OF IRELAND

Here's some last random photos of my trip to Ireland.

I am starting to sew again

after some fierce jet lag

and the abrupt entry to reality...

Enjoy!

 street musician in Galway

mosaic mural in Dublin

A bad photo from the bus window, but how could I miss a "laughter lounge"?!

I was sitting in a street cafe people watching when I looked up and saw this little guy watching me!

Carrots from the Saturday market in Galway.

Sheep in the Avoca Mills store.

Dental office in Dublin.

Pub in Avoca.

  A"fairy tree" in the Connemarre.

Once believed to be an entry to the fairy world. People tie ribbons and make wishes.

I will end with my favorite most peaceFULL place.

Kevin's Monastary in the Wicklow Mountains.

When the monks spied Vikings coming, they could run in the woods and hide.

If there wasn't enough time, they could hide in that tower!

I was so overcome by the beauty that I took a video of this river.

It's on you tube.

Here's a link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_klKHCjZM&feature=youtu.be

Until we meet again - Beannacht leat go bhfeicfidh mé aris thú.

Pronunciation - (ban-oct lat goh vecky may areesh who)

INTERNATIONAL IRISH QUILT FESTIVAL

The quilt show was not what I expected from an "international festival".

My mind pictured hundreds of top quality quilts,

a professional show like Houston.

Instead,

it felt like a local guild show with nice enough quilts

and about a dozen stand outs.

All my opinion, of course.

The quilts were displayed in several buildings and at least one church

at National Louis University in Galway.

The set up was confusing and many quilts were poorly hung, badly lit, and often not labeled.

Plus, there were only about a dozen vendors.

As it turns out,

by the time we got to the show, I had fallen in love with Ireland

and the quilts, regular or top notch,

all became a cherry on top of an already yummy sundae of a trip.

Here are some of my favorites.

Enjoy!

The following are quilts from some of the teachers who offered classes.

 Pam Holland "My Rhino Teacher's Quilt"



Cheryl S. Pratt "Punting Down the River"

Claudia Pfeil "Magical Mermaids Castle"

A quilt from Kenya...

  by Martine Chamorel...

"Under African Sky"

A 3D quilt from Laurene Smith "Sundays Journey"

"Roundabout Quilt" by Marleen Wijn from the Netherlands

An interesting way to display this quilt!

This was my favorite from the miniatures.

Then there were a few quilts from Japan.

I find that Japanese quilts are always my favorite of favorites.

"Tale of Genji" by Hiroko Nakayama

Lastly, my most favorite...

"Ohisama" (The Sun) by Noriko Kido