Challenge # 46 All Hallow's Eve

Since Monday (when the diva posts the new challenge for the week) was Halloween, the challenge was just that "All Hallow's Eve", the accurate name for the date.  I wonder how many people really know the origin  of Halloween...I heard a group on the tv saying they were campaigning  to have the date changed to the last Saturday of October so the kiddies could stay out late and not have to worry about school the next day!  That kind of messes up the real reason for Hallow's Eve! So I decided to bore everyone with the "real" story of Halloween!  If you want to skip and go right to my new Zentangle just scroll down!

Halloween s origins go all the way back to Ancient times with the Celtic festival of Samhain. This was the Celt s version of a New Years Eve celebration honoring the end of summer and harvest time, and marking a period of cold, darkness, and death of winter. Celts believed that this end of the year time marked the time in which the barrier between the living and the dead became thin. On October 31st the spirits would come back from the dead and create havoc by damaging the crops with frost and causing a multitude of other troubles.

The Roman church soon enacted a holiday to detour the worship of spirits, and so proclaimed November 1st as All Saint s Day to honor the saints and martyrs of the church. This day was also known as All Hallows Eve. As the two religions began to mix much of the traditions of Samhain, such as dressing up in costumes and dancing around the fire, became one with All Hallows Eve to create Halloween.

Tradition has always been a part of Halloween from its very start. It s no wonder then that many of our traditions today came from this time period. An example of these traditions would be bobbing for apples. When Roman tradition mixed with Celtic tradition, so did their festivals. One festival near the time of Samhain was a day to honor the goddess of fruit trees, Pamona. Pamona is quite often symbolized as an apple, hence the modern day practice of bobbing for apples.

Trick or Treating is also a tradition of Halloween with early starts. Trick or Treating came from All Soul s Day parades in early England. The poor citizens of England would line up on the sides of the street as the richer members of the community paraded by and threw them pastries called soul cakes. The starving citizens would accept these cakes in exchange for praying for the richer class s dead family members.

Another tradition of Halloween is dressing up in costumes. This is another tradition that started in early England where citizens, knowing that Hallows Eve was a time for the spirits of their ancestors to come back and taunt them, would dress up in masks and costumes to keep the spirits from recognizing them.

# 46 All Hallow's Eve

"Scary Spider Webs...
Spirits roaming all around..
The Bewitching Hour!!

Little Quilt Swap #6

A few weeks ago, I posted about the "Little Quilt Swap" which is sponsored by Kate North from England....I have so enjoyed it that I am sure I will participate again.  If any of my readers are interested, you can go to her blog or click on the logo on my sidebar.

This is the quilt I made for the swap and sent to Arkansas.

Today I mailed the little quilt that I had made to the person whom Kate sent to me. The recipient of my quilt lives in Little Rock, Arkansas.  And when I got home, I was very pleasantly please to have gotten a quilt from Julie Waldman who lives in Oakland, CA!!!  I LOVE my quilt...it is mostly (if not all) batiks...just beautifully designed and made!!

This is the beautiful little quilt I rec'd today from California!

My studioQ group met today.  There were only seven of us present but we still had a great time!  The gal who was to have it had to cancel at the last minute so we thought we had no where to meet...then one of the Q'ers came up with the idea of meeting at Cabbage Rose...a favorite quilt shop in Fort Worth which has several rooms for classes etc. and very nicely will let groups like us to use them.  After our "show and tell" and catching up on news, we went to eat at the Flying Fish, right across the street for the Rose.

And...last but not least, my daughter and I are going to Houston Sunday for the International Quilt Festival.  We are going by tour bus...it was a kind of last minute decision on our part...hoping that there were still some seats left to fill!  And luckily, the lady in charge had three left and was delighted to sell off two of them!!  I have been once before, but Andrea has not so it will be a full but fun day!!

Fall Festival Quilt Show Blog

This is a new challenge/blog for me to be involved in...Amy's Creative Side  is a very neat blog which sponsors a bloggers Quilt Show.  Click on the above to see all the quilts posted "out there"...including this one which I am going to post....

Aurora Borealis

This wall hanging/quilt was my entry in my guild's show challenge.  Each year Trinity Valley Quilter's Guild of Fort Worth, Texas holds a quilt show and each show has a member's challenge.  This year our quilts were to be created with one "mystery" fabric. (the same for everyone) and to go along with the theme of using recycled material.  There are five quilts chosen by the judges, no 1st, 2nd, etc...just equally given a ribbon and a cash prize....We had 35 entries this year and mine was one of the lucky ones...my fabrics were scraps from my husband's old ties, bridesmaids' dresses, mother-of-the bride dress, formals, Halloween costumes, and more.  I did quite a bit of hand quilting and beading on the quilt practicing some of the techniques I recently learned from a class I took at Arrowmont.

Challenge # 45-Chainling

This week the Diva's challenge is based on a zentangle from Rick and Maria named "Chaining".  I had not done this one before....found it to be very fun..and somehow as I was working on it, the whole design became a pumpkin shape!  Guess my subconscious realized it is fall/Halloween season!

Challenge #45: Chainling

"Pumpkin on the vine.
October is harvest time.
Fall is in the air!"

....and my accompanying Haiku!

Working on My Medallion

Slowly but surely I am finishing my medallion that I started in the workshop I took last week.  I have been thinking  about the background for the wall hanging as I bead and have a pretty good idea what I want to do.  Larkin also gave us some wonderful instructions on how to finish up the art work.

Day #1

Day #2

Day #3

Day #4

I really enjoy this process...as I learn, making a few mistakes...I am thinking of ways to improve, new ideas....This becomes.."can't wait to finish so I can start on a new one!!!"

In the meantime....our Texas Rangers are really doing great!  They are now in St. Louis, ready to win the World Series with one game to go!!  Then today's game was called because of rain....bummer!  Oh, the tension grows!!

Challlenge #44 Inside/Outside

Last Monday the Diva posted the new challenge...to create a tangle, then fill that tangle up with other tangles...very fun!!!  Here is my effort and accompanying haiku!

Challenge #44 "Inside/outside"

"So many tangles!
Inside, outside, all around.
A fun tile to do!"

And I am continuing to work on my medallion for my art quilt from Larkin's class.  Here is the start and what I have so far....this is a very slow, but gratifying, technique to work with.

Beginning of medallion

Second day..doesn't look like much....very slow!!!!

Fabulous Workshop!

This week...busy week...I attended a two day workshop sponsored by my quilt guild.  The artist who taught the class was Larkin Van Horn, a fabulous fiber artist whose current speciality is beading.  Now her beading is not your everyday beading!  Her work is simply out of this world.  I had taken a class from her a couple of years ago and learned some very good basic skills...but what I learned this week was 'way beyond my expectations.

Here is just one example of her work...be sure to click on her name to go to her website and see more of her wonderful creations!!

A closeup of the above medallion.

And the very beginnings of my medallion!

At the beginning of the workshop, Larkin warned us to not expect to complete the beading and probably not the background.  And she was right!!  It is a very slow process but I really love it!!!  I think I have a new addiction!!!  I'll post progress as I go.

Tomorrow is our monthly guild meeting where Larson will speak to the entire membership present.  Although I will be there and look forward to hearing her, I would really love to stay home and work on my medallion....maybe with cooler weather approaching I will feel like staying home and getting some of my projects done!!!!

Challenge # 43-Sunflower Fun-D

This week the Diva posted the challenge a day late because Canada was celebrating Thanksgiving on Monday, October 10.  Belated Thanksgiving, to my Canadian friends!

The Diva sometimes gets ideas for the challenges from fellow bloggers and this week's subject comes from the Republic of South Africa which supports a project to create awareness of leukaemia and bone marrow transfer.  The Sunflower Fund is a nonprofit organization which I became aware of through the blog of Pennyb of Fish Hoek, Cape Town, South Africa.

Challenge # 43-"Sunflower Fun" (d)

The Sunflower Fund
Share a little; Share a life!
Fight leukaemia!

Finally!!!!

RAIN, BEAUTIFUL RAIN!!!!  Finally we have rain...it started at our house about 7:00 last night and hasn't stopped yet...(9:30 AM).  Two hours ago we had FIVE inches in our rain gauge...and still coming!  And it has been a very gentle, steady rain...soaking into the ground not just running off!

Weekends activities have had to be curtailed....Rangers playoffs with the Detroit Tigers was delayed twice last night with the game finally ending after midnight...A Rangers' win, I might add!!!

We were at a marching band contest yesterday afternoon and saw the preliminaries.  North Crowley Mighty Panther Band was selected to compete again in the final round in the evening...we left before that...and I am sure they were probably rained out.  And it is hard to complain when we have so desperately needed rain.

Part of the French horn section standing at attention at beginning of show

A backdrop for the NC program "Medal of Honor"

The Mighty Panther Show "Medal of Honor" has a patriotic them, based on honoring our armed forces and fallen soldiers.  Really good show!!!

Lots O' Challenges

While we were out of town, the Diva posted several challenges that I missed out on....and when I returned I had immediate obligations and wasn't able to get to the topics of zentangles until this week!  

Because of our drought, I began to think of what would I miss most if our house burned down.  Although there are many irreplaceable things, I would hate to loose pictures, so I have been scanning pictures to my computer and putting them on an external hard drive.  And while scanning, I have caught up with challenges! And my Haikus to go with...

Challenge #42-HOPE

"Hope Springs Eternal....
The start of a famous quote.
A word to live by!"

Challenge # 41: Duo Tangle:Jonqal/Opus

"Jonqal and Opus
What is black and white and 'read'?
It's a newspaper!"

Challenge #40: Pinwheels For Peace

"Make Pinwheels for peace.
I wish it were that easy.
Let's make love, not war!"

Challenge #39 "Love Is All You Need"

"Love is all you need.
Two hearts beating together.
Make the world go 'round!"

Challenge #38: Better Than A Pair of Ducks

"A Paradox, hm-m-m-m?
Looks like a party to me.
Let the good times roll!!!

Summer...Just Won't Go Away!

I just listened to the weather forecast....we are still getting high 80's plus for temperatures and no real rain in the future.  I guess it will be shorts for the football game tonight...Friday Night Lights!  We aren't that interested in the games; we go for the half time show!!!!  And tonight, both grands' bands will be taking the field!

I have this one Texas Sage that has never bloomed for me in the seven years I have had it.  Now this year...when everything else is drying up and dying...it blooms!!!  Guess it really is a "Desert" sage!!

Texas Sage-blooming in a drought period!!

What the majority of the yard/shrubs look like!!!

TVQG Show

     The Trinity Valley Quilters' Guild Annual Quilt show began today.  We are in a smaller location which makes it seem a little crowded but still a very good show...great quilts and everyone seems to be having a good time with it.

     I am so proud of studioQ!!!  Those who had entries in the show really came out winners!!  Of our 14 members, 8 had entered quilts in various categories and we rec'd a total of 13 ribbons...pretty good percentage!!  Below see some of the entries...I haven't gotten pictures of all of them yet.

Heather Pregger

Bethany Rowland -Reed

My "Aurora Borealis" 

My "Totem"

Kay Scheffer

both are Kay Scheffer's

Susan Garay

bottom one-Susan Garay

       These are just a few of the "winning quilts"!!

Great Trip....Cooler Locations

     It has been so hot here in Texas that we decided to go North where it would be hopefully much cooler.  We had always wanted to go back to Upper Michigan when we had come through there several years ago.   So a couple of weeks ago, we took off...went up through Missouri to visit family then on to St. Paul MN to see some fabulous wood work at a museum there.

There was also a musical instrument museum in the same building which had some very interesting old phonographs and other things.

St. Paul is a lovely old city overlooking the Mississippi River.  It had been a railroad town and has a wonderful model train museum.  I am not usually into this type of museum but this one was close to our motel so we decided to take a quick look.  But we really enjoyed  it....done exactly to scale of the twin cities in the period around 1950's.

We ate at the famous Mickey's diner in downtown St. Paul....a very fun place because of the history and pretty good food to boot!

     Then we drove to Munising, Michigan where we spent a couple of nights.  The town is located right on the Upper Michigan peninsula on Lake Superior.....surrounded by many water falls and the "home base" of the Painted Rocks Park.

One of the falls we saw

And another fall.

It was raining and quite cold up there....especially since we coming from 110 degrees weather!!!  We still got everywhere we wanted to go but had to wait a couple of days to get to take the boat tour of the Painted Rocks.

An arched rock on the Painted Rock tour.

From Munising we traveled to Sault Saint Marie to see the locks.  Again a really great time...we not only saw several huge freighters go through the locks, we took a tour ourselves.

One of the gates of the locks on our tour boat.  We are heading from Lake Huron to Lake Superior, the higher of the two....a great experience!!!  The International Bridge is in the distance.

After leaving Sault Saint Marie, we drove to Mackinac City....staying there a couple of days...visiting Mackinaw Island and the fort one day....going over on a ferry and taking the carriage tour; our own walking tour afterwards.

Team of horses that pulled the carriages...no cars allowed on the island!

The Grand Hotel (where we didn't stay...way too expensive!!!)

From Mackinac, we went to Traverse City home of the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and other spectacular scenes!    We really loved this area...on a drive up one of the peninsula on Lake Michigan, we saw barns with quilt blocks painted on the sides. Many of the blocks were symbolic of what the family stood for...like a totem pole.

Then we did another car tour on our own to the Sleeping Bear Dunes....very impressive!!  The dunes were huge...created by wind and water...and constantly changing.

     The whole trip was just one adventure after another...we met so many nice people everywhere we went and saw so many terrific things..from nature to museum...wonderful lighthouses; fantastic food...we even visited two Presidential libraries on our way home...Gerald Ford in Grand Rapids, MI and Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, IL.

     I have relatives in Illinois so we spent a few days visiting with brother, cousins, niece and nephews...great time!!  Now we are home and back to where I left off!!  Quilt show is this coming weekend and I need to get my labels and my sleeves on my entries!!!  Much as I loved the trip, I am glad to be home!

Swap quilt ready to go!

      This swap comes from  Kate in UK....it is the 6th Another Little Quilt Swap, but the first one I have been involved in.  After sending the picture to Kate, she will post all the entries; participants will go in and pick out their favorites and at some point in time, Kate will send addresses to mail the quilts.  She somehow sorts out who wants what!!!  I am looking forward to all the entries!  I looked at the earlier swaps and the quilts are quite nice!
Here is my entry!  And I have her logo for the swap on my sidebar if anyone is interested in looking at others.

"Monarchs" (because the focal fabric has Monarch butterflies on it!)

      And for my grandson's 14th birthday, we all went to the Ripley's Believe It or Not/Wax Museum in Grand Prairie then to Medieval Times in Dallas for show and dinner. That was a blast!!!  None of us had been there before so we thoroughly enjoyed it...from cheering for our Knight to eating with our fingers....much laughter!!!

Ripley's / Wax Museum

Medieval Times in Dallas

And I had to make him a Zentangle birthday card!!

Zentangle Challenge #37-"Kiss My Grids"

     This week's challenge is to do "tangles" that are based on grids...which many of them are.  The Diva came up with the catchy title based on the old tv sitcom Alice (which comes from the movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) when the waitress Flo would tell anyone off by saying  "Kiss my Grits!"  And being from Canada, the Diva didn't know for sure what grits were, but remembered the show from when she was a kid!  Consequently, she received many comments with definitions of grits!!! Some pretty accurate..some 'way off base according to what I think grits are!!  Here is my contribution and accompanying haiku!

"Kiss My Grids"

"A good play on words.
"Kiss my Grits" from Mel's Diner.
Seventies sit com!"