Class Of ‘57 Reunion Casual Get Together

I am guessing some of our classmates who weren’t here will be readying this post.
You are going to be so envious of the wonderful time EVERYONE had.

We were honored to have John Wayne join us.

Zsa Zsa Gabor is always so much fun to be around.

Dean Martin (minus the rest of the Rat Pack) graced us with his presence.

Debbie Reynolds looks forever young.

Dick Clark is also one who never ages!

James Dean is no longer a Rebel Without A Cause!

Andy Williams came here straight from Branson.

Judy Garland was in fine voice.

All the ladies swooned when they saw Pat Boone….in fact three of them followed him home!

Who can forget Connie Francis’ big smile?

I think all the men were in awe of Jayne Mansfield.

We were happy to see Natalie Wood.

Of course everyone was pleased to see that Paul Newman was able to make it.

Grace Kelly graced us with her royal presence.

Roy Rogers made an appearance although Dale Evans stayed home with the horses.

Katherine Hepburn hosted the casual reunion.

57/57 Class Reunion In Florida

Our Racine Wisconsin Washington Park High School Class of 57 is holding our 57th Class Reunion in Florida.

It officially begins on Friday, January 30th!

Terry and 3 of his lady friends arrived last Saturday to spend and entire week celebrating.

Pat and Ron, my co-hosts here in FL invited the early arrivals and myself for appetizers, pizza and fun last evening.

Terry is one of those who has made this reunion happen. How many men could live with 3 women for a full week?

Sharon and Barb listening to one of the many stories shared after dinner.

Lynn was sitting right next to me so it was hard to get a picture of her.

I don’t have a picture of me because I don’t do selfies!

Sorry Terry, I know you were looking forward to one!

The fun is just beginning.

Tom is due to arrive within the hour.

Stay tuned as I share more of our good times.

Home Tour–It Runs In The Family!

Although I have seen my “middle child’s” home before and after his recent remodeling and redecorating I was recently given the 5 Star tour.

This was the first time I had ever been on a house tour where the tour guide used an I Go Robot to move around and an iPad to plan the tour.

The island counter top was cut down to a height where it could be easily used for eating.
Beautiful granite counters coordinate with the rest of the great room.
Adjustable stools can also be used at the dining room table and the breakfast nook.
New stainless steel appliances are all the latest design.
Fresh paint and back splash complete the kitchen area of the great room.

The breakfast nook showcases photos and memorabilia from recent travels.

This 3 D collage shares memories of a holiday trip of NYC and ringing in the New Year in Times Square.

This wall in the great room features his “Time flies when you are having fun” grouping.

The side table with the oars was a a perfect find to complement the lake feeling.

It took a while to find the perfect coffee table but the boat table is spot on.

This collage is made up of many photos arranged to show a rocket launch they watched.

Chasing Rainbows 2 was his choice for the Christmas quilt pick. It is hanging on a wall but he is not sure if that is where he really wants it so I didn’t show the surroundings.
This post is just a taste of the new décor in the house.
He really did a great job. It was a time consuming undertaking with very successful results.
It really is a perfect house for him and his family with so many personal imprints.

The Villages Quilt Show

There were so many wonderful quilts at the show. I am going share just a few with you.

Applique was the technique used to create this intricate Alphabet quilt.

This appliqued bird quilt was a 1st place winner.

There are always a lot of beautiful appliqued quilts in this show.

This very traditional log cabin quilt was shaded beautifully and the workmanship was outstanding.

Another lovely appliqued quilt in vibrant colors.

There were many other equally lovely quilts. I had a very short time to view the show. I tried to take photos of some of my favorites. I  thought there would be fewer people at the show in the afternoon but it was well attended which means often it was hard to get a photo without people in the photo. I have to say when people realized I was trying to take a picture they were very polite and moved out of the way.

This show is held every two years so come back in 2017 for more pictures.

Meeting Up With Friends

I had just arrived at The Villages Quilt Show and my friend Teddy Pruett and I almost collided. I was heading to her appraisal area to see her and she was out on her first break. Teddy and I go way back to when we met at the Jinny Beyer Seminar at Hilton Head many years ago. Now we live less than 2 hours from each other. The only one missing was our mutual BFF Sandy Donabed!

Next was finding Lori Kabat of Lilly Ann Stitches in her booth in the vendor area. Lori is from Brillion, Wisconsin and is a family friend. She was not at the July 4th family gathering at the lake this year so it has been a long time since we had seen each other.

It’s so great to have quilting in my life. It has enriched my life and allowed me to meet and become friends with people from throughout the USA and beyond.

Yes, I did see the quilts at the show. There were some real stunners and I’ll be sharing a few of them on a future post.

First January Breakfast On The Lanai

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood and the temperature should reach the mid 70’s today.

I had a late breakfast and it was warm enough to sit on the lanai and eat and then read the newspaper.

Of course I enjoyed the view and watched the golfers too.

If this isn’t paradise, I don’t know what is.

It’s Quilted! Is It A Quilt?

This is a piece I did some sun painting on and then overpainted with a grid.

Love the backing.

This is what happened to it! I did not have one zipper in the length I needed, at least one that I could find. Two yellow zippers fit the opening perfectly.

Today this will be the perfect little pouch when the Green Bay Packers play football!

GO PACK!!!!!

The 100 Fundraiser To Raise $10,000 In One Day

On February 4th we will raise $10,000 to bring the total we have donated to the American Cancer Society to $250,000 or ONE QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.

I am one of the artists who have been selected to donate work to this event.

Branching Out is the work I am donating. It is 8 x 10 inches. It was created by layering paints, dyes, and stitching to create a finished work which will share something new with you each time you look at it.

I will share more details and information about this fund raiser as the date approaches. 

On February 4, the first 100 people to contact me (Virginia(at)VirginiaSpiegel.com) beginning at 10 a.m. Central will be given a link to donate $100 by credit card directly to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.

2. Each donor will receive an artwork from one of the 100 generous and talented artists. Assignments of artwork will be made using a random number generator by someone other than me. Artwork will not be shared here in advance, but may appear on artists' websites or other social media before the event.

A Solution For Chenille That Doesn’t Fluff!

One of the members of our Art Quilt group yesterday shared her experiments making chenille from various fabrics. She had not washed hers and was having a devil of a time getting them to fluff.

I commented that even with washing some fabrics don’t fluff or may not look good after washing.

Then a light bulb went on in my head and I suggested maybe she could get an interesting texture by stitching back and forth in the opposite direction.

When I got home I tried it on one of the samples I did for my silk chenille jacket.

I love the effect. It also lets you see all the fabrics in the lower layers.

What will I do with this piece? Probably just use it as a sample. It also my provide inspiration for something I do in the future.

It also has possibilities to use it in just part of a garment or project to add a different texture.

Honey I’m Home!

I’m enjoying this new view from my window.

Am I Lucky Or What?

I don’t enter those on line things where you leave a comment to win a prize. I happened to leave a comment on Tony Abeyta’s post and I was the 16th commenter which means I won this t-shirt. This is not an ordinary printed T-shirt.

It is a one of a kind shirt Tony painted. I couldn’t believe my luck. Tony happens to be my favorite artist. I can still remember the first time I saw his work.

If is meant to wear but it will be displayed as art which it is.

This is a closer view of the actual art work and his signature.

I will treasure this always and no one could have appreciated it more than I do.

World’s Smallest Quilts

I created these quilts in 1985 and they were documented in Quilters Newsletter in 1986. In this photo you may be seeing them life size or larger depending on your computer screen.

The above article is clickable to see a larger version that you can actually read.
It's hard to believe I made these 30 years ago. Where does the time go?
In the smallest quilt the strips are 1/42nd of an inch wide. The quilts have a very thin layer of batting, are hand quilted and have the narrowest binding possible. They are real traditional quilts made in a block format, rather than a single block or an embroidered quilt.

Introducing Jody Webb–One Of My Talented Friends

Jody loves geishas and has done some fantastic work incorporating them as a focal point.

The center panel is an embroidered panel I got when I ordered one of Becky Hancock’s Bodacious boxes.

I fell in love with the piece but knew I would never do it justice so the logical thing was to share it with Jody.

She did not disappoint. It is amazing and she knew just how much to do with it in a tasteful way.

The tiny beads are not visible on the photo but they are one of those touches that bring it beyond the original.

Jody knows just how much to embellish something to make it work and never overdoes the embellishment.

I am so glad I shared it with her.

The piece is very even and rectangular. My photography distorted it.

Embrace Change

I received two of these things as Christmas gifts. My granddaughter Heidi gave me the copper fruit basket. Heidi and I have shopped together since she was 3 or 4 years old so she does know my taste.
Julie and Greg’s family gave me the black olive candle.
I gradually built this tablescape with my new gifts, a runner I had painted a year or two ago and a plaque which I love.
We live a fuller life if we can learn to embrace change.

I will have to admit I am having a hard time embracing the change in the weather.
Saturday we woke up to snow and Sunday we received more.
The temperatures will be bitter cold for the rest of the week.
But I can embrace the beauty looking out from inside the house!