QUILTCON FRIDAY

 Today started with an early morning Tour of the Show with Mary Fons.  She talked about the Special Exhibit of Jacqui Gehring's quilts, she is the featured speaker this year.  And, we looked at the Maximalism quilts and a few others.  Mary is always very fun, enthusiastic and full of information.

Mary Fons in front of one of Jacqui Gehring's quilts.

Jacqui Gehring's quilts

Some of Jacqui's quilts in honor of her father.

Then, we all met up for a walk-thru with Sherri Lynn Wood and the BravePatch folks.  We made it a priority to find all of the members quilts.

Sherri with her award winning quilt, "Joy Bubble"

Sherri with Charan's quilt.

Me, Sherri and Claudia with Mickey's quilt.

Afterwards, I attended a lecture, "We Need to Talk About Bertha" with Mary Fons.  

The Brave Patch crew met at a local restaurant for dinner.  There were 18 of us.  This time the restaurant wasn't so loud and we were able to visit and chat.

DAY 24

 Today's prompt is "Geometric" for #30daysketchbookchallenge.

This one was fun.

I used gold ink for the dots, but the pen I thought was empty, still had black ink in it.  But, I like how the gold seeped into the background.  But, unfortunately, I thought that looked so cool that I dropped some more gold into the background.  It didn't look how I envisioned.  Now I wish I hadn't done that.

DAY 11

The prompt for today's #30daysketchbookchallenge is "Wallpapers".

No wallpaper in our house, so I just googled it until I found an image I liked.  There are millions of choices out there.

I used my fountain pen with black ink.  Then used a dip pen for the gold ink.  I mixed white ink with the black to get a grey which I applied with a brush.  Then finished it all off with a watercolor background.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND QUILT FEST

 Darrell and I went to the Bainbridge Island Quilt Fest for the first time every.

We took an early ferry from Seattle and stopped at the Steamliner Cafe for breakfast.

I had a pesto omelette, yum. We sat at the counter and I sketched the grill.

We went up to the BARN and toured it, then went back downtown and found Winslow Green where the quilt show was.  There was over 200 quilts there.

It was a fun day.

DOWNTOWN FUN

The weather is perfect and it's a beautiful day, but I'll be spending it inside the King County Courthouse, again.  Can't talk about it.

 But, I can say, I found out my new knees set off the metal detector every time.  [sigh]

The Smith Tower saying good morning.

Lots of KC Sheriffs keeping us safe.

I was the first one into the Jury Room this morning, so I sketched it.

Another view of the KC Courthouse with the Smith Tower

WAITING SKETCH

 I took Darrell to a clinic for an appointment where they would be knocking him out for a short time.  They said he'd be with them for about two hours.  So, I ran down to Renton to pay for my new longarm frame.  I wrote a check this time, because it was such a hassle with the debit card last time.  (over the daily limit issues).

After that was done, I swung through Renton - oh my, it has really changed since I've lived there.  I stopped at the little quilt store on 3rd, Wyldwood Creative.  I figured I could spend a little money to help her out.  I know, I know, I don't need any fabric, but you gotta keep these little local stores open!  I did find a few things, mostly Ruby Star Society stuff, so everyone was happy.  I was also delighted to see a little cabinet out in front of the store that said 'Little Free Craft Cabinet' on it.  I went back to the car and grabbed some of Sue's 'coloring books' that I've been carrying around.  I put them in the cabinet.  Hopefully, someone will give them a good home.  I still have more to distribute around, too.

I headed back to the clinic to wait.  I brought my sketching bag so I could sketch while I waited.  I stayed in my car and sketched the car across from me.  It got my attention immediately because it was parked on the line - I hate that!

I just realized I love sketching on these little postcards.  There's no pressure to make a masterpiece, like I feel when sketching in a sketchbook.  Fun!

P.S. Darrell is fine.

SKETCHING PLAYLAB

 I've been trying to get a spot in the Sketching Playlab sessions each month.  This is my second time participating.

This one was about 'Texture'.  Very fun.

TYPICAL TUESDAY

 I'm taking a Sketchbook Design workshop with Liz Steele.  

Here's a sketch I started yesterday and finished today.

CAT PORTRAIT

Bentley was hanging out on the picnic table, snoozing.  So, I did a sketch of him, of course.

He stayed there just long enough for me to finish then he was off.

He was hot, but enjoying being a cat:

POINSETTIA

I've been painting some Christmas cards with a poinsettia flower.

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

After class I started sewing the Begonia quilt scraps onto foundation strips.

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

SQUASH

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

PLAID TUMBLER

I finished the top for this little plaid tumbler. 

I made this little watercolor from a photo Darrell took.  I submitted it for Etchr's #makemoreartMondays prompt on IG.

WATERY FLOWERS

Darrell gave me a pencil, an old pencil, (he has a package of them) that are said to be indelible and waterproof.  I thought I'd use this pencil as the outline for this wonderful watercolor, made originally by R.A. Hayes.

I discovered it isn't totally waterproof - it turns blue and runs a little when water is applied.

I was a little upset at first, but I came to love it.

What do you think?  

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

I am not really happy with this one.  I couldn't get too excited about it while painting it.  

I think the background is too dark and too green.

I like the little birds, though.

TUESDAY WATERCOLOR

STILL LIFE

I needed to make an assymetrical 'design' for my design class.

I originally thought I'd do something with the sunflowers - a still life.

But, I ran across this cute little stainless steel teapot in a pile of garbage next to a homeless camp we encountered on our morning walk on Longfellow Creek Trail.  I couldn't find it's missing lid.  So, I'll have to use it as a vase, which rules out the sunflowers.

I picked some of the yellow flowers from the front garden to put in it.  Next, was to find a couple of more items to use for the still life.