our crazy dog

We decided to give the dogs a bath today, partially because it was "time", and partially because our house is starting to smell like dog. Well now the house smells like WET dog, but it will fade...in the meantime, at least the dogs are clean! Thanks Scott for bathing the beasts!

This is what Cohen likes to do after a bath, or whenever he gets wet, like from the rain. He's pretty ridiculous. Enjoy!

Family Day at Loyola Beach, Ravinia Concert

We've had such a great summer - even though it's been the hottest one on record! So many fun day trips, concerts, plays...and recently, a one-week visit from our #1 daughter, Emily!

My beautiful daughters! Emily (left) and Hannah (right). The whole family spent a lovely day at Loyola Beach, on Lake Michigan in Chicago. Doncha love the Lion King blanket? Once long ago it lived on Hannah's bed, and now it's our "go to" picnic or beach blanket.

Emily moved to Boston a few weeks ago, along with her boyfriend, Matt. They will both be starting graduate school very soon - actually, Emily's first day of classes is tomorrow at Boston University!

It was a treat having her back home for a week - good luck tomorrow, Emily! You'll do great!

Another fun summer outing - Scott and I saw the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at their summer home, Ravinia.

So fun seeing everyone's picnics - from simple to elaborate, anything goes!

A view from outside the Pavillion - no photos are allowed inside - the concert was great! They played the Grieg Piano Concerto, and The Planets, by Holst. Lovely evening!

Duet Day - More Stars!

Tyler Loo and I performed Popcorn Stand!

Monica Wiegard and I performed Yesterday - and no one else in the room knew that it was by the Beatles! :)

Margot Miller and I played Sicilienne - very expressive, Margot! So fun for me to play with my students!

Maggie Ward and Margot Miller performed You're a Grand Old Flag. They did an awesome job! When asked to say something she had learned about playing duets, Maggie said, "Even if you mess up, keep going!"

Duet Day a Big Success!

My students all studied duets this summer, and we celebrated with a Duet Day today. They were ALL great!

Madi and Ian Bromfield, who performed Do-Re-Mi - a brother and sister duo who even practiced at home, without injuring each other!

Kayleigh Loo played Ode to Joy, and Partners at C, with me. Kayleigh is my newest student.

Katie and Becky Donnelly, twin sisters, who performed It's a Small World.

Julia Kulik and I performed God Be With You. This was a little bittersweet for me - Julia has been with me for about 9 years, and will be heading off to college in one week. She is a lovely girl, inside and out, who I have truly enjoyed having as a student. Good luck, Julia!

Jill Anthony, who played Snake Charmer with me.

Quilt Tour 2012 Part IV - The Final Chapter (for now)

This is the last in this series of posts - I DO have more quilts, hidden in closets, some for the holidays...but this is it for now. Seventeen, counting two on my design walls! Eesh!

Emily's Sweet Sixteen, made in 2005. Similar (but not identical) to Hannah's quilt, I sneaky-like gathered signatures/messages from Emily's family and friends. It is to fun to look back on these now, as many of the friends have gone their separate ways...and some of the family members have passed on. Done in my favorite jewel tone batiks and cotton prints, with black and whites too. I remember auditioning many borders for this.

If I had to pick a quilt I was proudest of, it might be this one - although it was not an original idea. This is The Many Faces of Emily, completed around 2003. I was watching Alex Anderson's quilt show, and the amazing Therese May was her guest. Therese demonstrated her technique to make her faces, as in her "Therese Quilt", see in the book, The Twentieth Century's Best American Quilts. Instantly, I knew I wanted to try this technique! Soon thereafter, someone snapped this photo of Emily, early one morning on one of her choir tours. She was groggy, and a little grumpy, but you can't tell in this quilt. It was loads of fun to make, and I got to use my favorite fabrics, too!

Hope you enjoyed my little tour - thanks for walking down memory lane with me!

Quilt Tour 2012 Part III

So - I'm beginning to think that I have WAY too many quilts displayed around the house! My family is used to it, I guess!

Hannah's Sweet 16, made in 2006. It was done as a surprise for Hannah's 16th birthday - I got signatures/messages from family and friends, and traced them onto these simple blocks using a Mickey Mouse light box I got at a garage sale for $1. This was a challenge for me, as I used "Hannah colors", which are not my colors! Hannah's colors are, for example, olive green, salmon pink, teal, dusty purple, golds, and browns. I usually go for the jewel tones. Not a great shot of it, sorry but this is where it lives.

Brenda's Dresden, received in an online bee swap in 2011. The one I made lives with my new friend, Helen, in New York.

Lime Green with Hearts, made around 2002. I had collected the lime green fabrics (my favorite color) and was just playing with them. My only quilt with beading.

I figured I should include my studio's design walls - this is my Color Challenge blocks, just made this year. The challenge was issued by the lovely Victoria over at 15 Minutes Play.

My other work-in-progress on the wall, this is Gypsy John - a gift for a special friend. More on this later.

Quilt Tour 2012 Part II

Angels with Go-Go Boots, also made in the 90s (do you see a theme here?) - this was started in a miniature quilt class taught by sorry-I-don't-remember-her-name, who lives in another suburb of Chicago. It features a very fun Christmas fabric with some pretty stylin' angels. Lots of paper piecing!

Another rare hand quilted piece by Chris - Amish 4-patch, also probably from the 90s.

Sanibel Island, made after our one and only trip to Florida, in 2000. It was a memorable trip in many ways. It was our only visit to a Disney park, and to Sanibel Island (which I LOVED). Sitting on that quiet beach, with the tropical breezes, and the ocean waves lapping at the beach - now THAT is VACATION!!! It was also the last "spring break" vacation that we took as a family. Our daughters went on tour with their church choir every year during their high school years. I bought these fabrics at a store in Florida.

Grateful, made earlier this year - 2012! It is my "word of the year" - trying to be mindful of the many blessings I enjoy each and every day. Made as a gift for my wonderful husband. :)

Wedding Quilt, made in 1944 for my mom and dad, Leona and Bob Heggestad, by my grandmother, Myrtle Grife Johnson. I love how this is made all of solids - and since my mom hardly ever used it, it is in beautiful condition. I remember crawling under the quilting frame in my grandma's tiny house - sometimes it was the only way to get through the living room! I still have her frame, up in the attic. Mom, Dad, and Grandma have all passed on, but how cool is it that I have this treasure?