Thursday, April 09, 2009

Bluebonnets and Maggie arrive in Texas

My sweet-and-funny friend Maggie Winfield was in Texas this week, visiting a friend in Austin. We decided to meet for a day in Round Top, halfway between Austin and Houston, just for the chance to visit. We were in the Copper Shade Tree Gallery when this picture was taken.


Maggie is as adorable as ever, you would never guess she has had TWO heart attacks in the last few weeks (she drove ... alone ... from Denver!) You should have seen the rest of her outfit ... black walking shorts with matching black-and-white striped knee socks ... soooo cute! (Now if only I could learn to keep my eyes open for the camera!)


"Welcome to Washington County" ... the embankments along Hwy.290 between Round Top and Houston were just covered with our State Flower, bluebonnets. The day was overcast, but I was able to get a few good shots.


During bluebonnet season, you often see individuals and families pulling their cars off the highway to venture a little way into the bluebonnet carpet to take pictures ... just like I did, on my way home.


I don't know why this old oak tree is still standing, outside the tiny town of Warrenton. I've always wanted to stop and take a picture of it, but never did until yesterday. Then I spent some time this morning Photoshopping out the junkier bits of background. I think the tree must have been struck by lightening at some point in the past, because there is no sign of life anywhere on this old guy.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

FMLC Retreat

The FabFour retreated to a Galveston beach house for a few days this past week (the house is owned by the son of one of the FabFour, so he qualifies as a FabSon). The Other Three got there a bit earlier than I did, as I had to take care of some quilting business, but I quickly caught up on all the fun and frivolity.



You can see Sharon, above, working on an absolutely beautiful floor cloth, which took several days because of the drying times in between coats of "stuff". And here's the finished product, which will reside in her quilting studio, along with her lime green desk. Isn't it gorgeous? Now I can't wait to do one myself.



Barb & Betty worked on various quilting projects, but I was Too Pooped to Pop, so I just worked on some beading projects and taught a few mini-classes in wire-working and earring-making.



Barb made the beautiful wire-worked Swarovski Crystal bracelet shown above, Betty made several pairs of great earrings, and Sharon made a lovely necklace for a shell pendant she had found (but of course I neglected to photograph them).

In the course of teaching the bracelet to Barb, I ended up making another one for myself (or maybe to sell). Hers is the blue one, below, and I experimented with the multi-colored one, Peridot and Amber. Because of the different colors, I think hers turned out to look more formal, and mine more casual. There's room for both in my wold!



And last but not least, Betty showing "how it's done" in the Relaxation Department.