Karen Kay Buckley

My sister and I took our first sister trip ever to Kauai, Hawaii.  There was so much beauty at every turn.  Below are just some of my favorite photos from our very memorable trip.  All of my photos were taken using my IPhone 6s.

Picture below..this is called Spouting Horn.

We had a 4wd rental so we drove on every and I do mean every road on the island. Around each bend we’d find another slice of paradise.

The gentleman at the botanical garden told us this plant is called Blue Jade.  I have never before seen nor had I heard of this plant.  So beautiful.

As we were photographing the falls..the two photos below…this wild board walked up behind us.  I almost peed my pants!

I hated to leave the island, but so glad to come home!!!

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Book Review:

I really liked this book: “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.  You must put this on your reading list.  The story begins in France in 1939.  It is about two resilient sisters, Isabelle and Vianne.  The story takes you through their journeys during the war.  READ THIS BOOK.  You will love it.  Hard to put down.  Extremely well written.

Joe and I spent the first day of the New Year 2016 with our girls on the Outer Banks.

Ahhhhhhh! The best place on earth just to sew and chillax.

On Sunday, we headed to Lewes, Delaware. I love the beach. Lewes is a beach town, therefore, I love Lewes. Love the beach, the great shopping, the fabulous restaurants and the excellent quilters! I gave a lecture and workshop for the  Ocean Waves Quilt Guild. What a fantastic group. They are lucky to have Ginny as one of their officers as working with her was wonderful. To learn more visit their website at: http://oceanwavesquiltguild.org/ .

I have taught many, many times in the Lewes area and one of my former students, a member of the guild, Lucy Morgan, brought her finished Magical Medallions Quilt to show me.  The quilt is stunning. Great job Lucy!!

Here are some of the ladies from the guild

And we were grateful to have Skip as a member who did such a good job helping Joe display the quilts during the lecture. Thanks Skip!

The next morning on our way to my workshop, we noticed these beautiful white birds landing in a field. Luckily Joe had his camera.

I had never seen snow geese, but now understand that Delaware in and around Lewes is a stopping point for a many migrating birds.

We saw a few, then more

and still more

Until the entire field was covered with thousands of the snow geese

Even when Joe put on his wide angle lens he could not get them all

We watched and listened to their songs of happiness as they picked away in the field.

Then in a second, with the whooping sound of ten helicopters,

They all rose

and rose, then headed south

Truly a wonder to witness.

I’ll have a few book reviews the week after next, because I am heading out to Hawaii this evening with my sister Paula. We have never done a sister trip and we are spending a week on Kauai so I will not be writing until my return.

Aloha!

We spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s at the Outer Banks in North Carolina.  For those of you who follow my blog you know we travel to the Outer Banks one to two times each year.  It really is our favorite place to relax.  And we can take our sweet dogs with us which makes it an even better vacation.

Here is a panoramic shot from our balcony.

We did not have much sunshine on this trip but we were able to walk on the beach comfortably as the weather was in the 70’s most of the week.  One day we were walking up the beach for about 45 minutes, which meant we had to go back 45 minutes.  We started walking back and all of a sudden I turned around and this is what I saw in the sky behind us. Yikes!!

The temperature dropped 20 degrees in a matter of seconds as we saw one ugly storm was coming up the beach.  And it was moving quickly.

What does that mean?  It means…walk really fast or you are going to get wet.

We made it without getting too wet!  Yippee!!

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On the ride down we listened to Michael Connelly’s new book “The Crossing”.

I am a Michael Connelly fan and I love his character Harry Bosch.  This book also includes the Lincoln Lawyer character.  Harry is now a retired detective.  His brother, Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer has asked Harry to help him on a case.  Harry is not happy about crossing to the other side as he has worked on the police force for a long time. He resists going to the dark side but agrees to do so because he believes his brother is representing an innocent man. Bosch wants to find the real killer.  The book kept my interest.  I have one complaint….Dick Hill has been the reader of the Harry Bocsh series and I have grown to like his voice, inflection and delivery. This new book featured a new reader and I did not believe he was as good as Dick Hill.  Sorry new reader.  But the book was still great.

Have a wonderful New Year.  I hope it is filled with peace, prosperity and lots of love.

Six friends from Phoenix, AZ : Wand Seale, Margot McDonnell, Evelyn Link, Patricia Bliss, Barbara Janson and Georgia Heller created “Spirit of Sedona.” They took a photograph and cut it into six sections. Each of the six quilters created a panel which they joined to create this masterpiece. Well done ladies!

“Magical Zone” by Keiko Ike of Kochi, Japan  received a First Place in the Mixed Techniques category.

Her piecing, applique and quilting are wonderful and her choice of color is truly magical.

Another close-up

Linda Fleshner of North Fond Du Lac, WI created this magnificent, monochromatic masterpiece. She was awarded a Third Place ribbon in the Mixed techniques category.

What a great use of light and dark.

Great quilting!!

Robbie Joy Eklow of Third Lake, IL won Third Place in the Large Art Abstract category for her stunning “Kenophobia”. No empty spaces here. You can find out more about Robbie and her work by visiting www.robbieeklow.com.

I love all the circles and the bight color choices.

Robbie’s work is such a feast for the eyes!

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Jack Reacher is back with a vengeance in Lee Child’s lastest release, “Make Me.”

Jack Reacher is a former Military Police Major who left the army after hitting a colonel. Look up bad ass in the dictionary and it says : SEE Jack Reacher. Reacher has no home, no furniture, no car, no wardrobe, no personal property at all. He has a bank account, money in his pocket, a tooth brush and the clothes he wears. He travels around, not looking for trouble but when he sees something wrong, he just can’t leave.

Reacher steps off a train from Oklahoma City to Chicago  in a small town called “Mother’s Rest” because the name intrigued him. Had a wagon train traveling west been forced to stop so a woman could have her child? Or, was there a memorial to the mother of a famous person? Reacher just needed to know. But, what he found was a former FBI agent turned PI looking for a missing friend. She was never briefed on why her friend, another former FBI agent, had come to Mother’s Rest. It had something to do with a science writer for the Los Angeles Times – might be agriculture, could be the internet. Reacher volunteers to help her find her friend. All Reacher knows is that the locals are anything but friendly or helpful. Needless to say, Jack Reacher is not leaving until he finds out why. And, of course,  kicks a little butt along the way. I did not have an inkling as to what they would find. Great job Mr. Childs!

Karen Eckmeier from Connecticut made “Rambling Roses”.

To find out more about Karen, visit her website http://www.kareneckmeier.com/

This is also a Karen Eckmeier quilt called “River Stones”.

“Flowers in the Crystal” was made by Kiyoko Ishihara from Japan.

Great use of “fussy” cutting the fabrics.

I have been saying for the past many years…..”I have not seen a Sally Collins quilt in ages and I love her work”.  Well, Sally stepped out of the box with her quilt called “Discovery”.  I love it when I look at a quilt, like it and then am shocked when I see the quilter’s name and would have never expected this from them.

Sally won first place in the Innovative Pieced category.  To find out more about Sally visit http://www.sallycollins.org

Her layout is so different from her traditional style but she certainly showed off her precision piecing.

Yoshiyuki Ishizaki made “Kan Oh Chi Rai-Prediction by Study the Past”.  She is from Japan.

Impressive use of an incredible fabric collection. Yoshiyuki won second place in the Innovative Pieced category.

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Joe built Kitty Carlisle a perch right outside of our side door. She loves it.

She can see us and we can see her. We have been able to touch her and even got her to the vet for shots, treatments and her ears are looking better. No more mites!

The nights have been getting a little colder….now Kitty Carlisle has her own heated house which was built and given by our friends, Wanda and John. Kitty picked her own decorations

Now, if its rainy or cold, Kitty goes in for a nap.

Life is good!

Until next week……..

Earlier this week I attended a BERNINA Ambassador get together.  We had lots of fun and learned a lot.  We played with several BERNINA feet, did some machine embroidery and played on the new Q machines.  It is fun to be a student.  Here I am with some of my good friends, Sue Nickels, Laura Wasilowski and Kimberly Einmo.  I think when we packed our clothing for this trip we must have all been thinking of the BERNINA red color…..  I loved sewing on the new Q machines.

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MORE FROM INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL IN HOUSTON

Molly Hamilton McNally from Tehachapi, California made “Reborn”.  It won first place in Innovative Applique.

Beautiful

For more information on Molly visit http://www.quiltwithmolly.com/

“Guardians of the Jade Vine” was made by Ruth Bloomfield of Atherton, Queensland, Australia.  It won third place in Innovative Applique.

“Why Not?” was made by Angela Petrocelli of Prescott Valley, Arizona.  She won 1st place in the Traditional Pieced category.  If I read the information correctly this was her first quilt.  Amazing! My first quilt did not look anything like this.  Not even close.

This quilt has 10,000 pieces!

And 2,000 different fabrics! Wow!

“Harvest Falls” was made by Kathy McNeil from Tulalip, Washington.  Love this quilt Kathy.  It received third place in the “Art-Naturescapes” category.

For more information on Kathy visit https://www.kathymcneilquilts.com/

“Earth, Wind and Fire” was made by Barbara Olson from Molt, Montana.

For more information on Barbara visit her website http://www.barbaraolsonquiltart.com

“Pride” was made by Sachiko Chiba from Morioka, Japan.  She won 2nd place in Merit Quilting-Hand.

“Pure” also by Sachiko Chiba from Japan won 1st place in Merit Quilting-Hand.

Until next week……

Our first day in Webster, New York, working with the guild I only had to present a lecture around lunch time and the rest of the day was ours to goof off.  I like it when we have a little time to goof off!  So we drove along Lake Ontario.  How beautiful.  The first photo is of the lighthouse in Sodus Point.

Here are some other things we saw during our drive:

The coast is beautiful.  I’m wondering just how cold it gets during the winter……..  If I lived in the area during the winter I think I would like to stay inside and sew.  And I would like my sewing chair to be in such a place that I had a view of Lake Ontario……..dreaming……

Check out the happy ladies from the Webster Quilt Guild.  For more information about the guild go to http://www.websterquiltguild.com/

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I have a lot for which to be thankful!!

Until next week……

“Disappearing Bees” was made by Christine Alexiou from Canada.  She won third place in the “Embellished” category.  To see more of Christine’s work visit http://christinealexiou.com

In the “Traditional Applique” category, Barbara Korengold from Maryland won first place for “Ben’s Midnight Garden”.

Andrea Perejda from California won 2nd place for “Arroyo Grande Album”.  For more information on Andrea, go to her website http://www.andiperejda.com/

Beth Nufer and Clem Buzik from Oregon won 2nd place for “Barbara’s Circle”.

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I visited the Chambersburg Quilt Guild this past weekend.  It’s great to be invited back to a guild and for it to be so close to home.  One of the guild members, Kathi Stoner, brought along her version of my Majestic Mosaic pattern.  Kathi took the class from me in July at Quilt Odyssey.  Thanks for sharing Kathi.  Looks good.  Kathi did some fun fussy cutting of her fabrics for her little circles.  Time well spent.

Until next week…..

I love the Houston Quilt Festival and all of the quilt exhibits. One of my favorite pieces this year was made by Peter Haywood. He is a quilter from the UK now residing in Javea, Alicaste, Spain. Peter’s quilt entitled “White Holes” won the Koala Studios Master Award for Innovative Artistry. When I first saw it, it took my breath away.

Here is a close up

I thought the quilt was pieced, at first. But, on closer inspection and speaking with Peter, I learned it was interwoven strips of interlining covered with fused pieces of fabric. The piece was inspired by the art of Victor Vasarely and is AMAZING!!

Janet Stone of Overland Park, Kansas, who won Best of Show, also won First Place in the Merit Quilting Machine for her quilt “No L”

“Ad Libbing”,  a wonderful modern quilt, was created when Lora and Linda made blocks. Lora Douglas then pieced the top and Linda Hungerford quilted it. They are from The Villages in Florida.

Great quilting!

The following Modern Quilt entitled “Pixels”, was pieced and quilted by Ashley Nickels, daughter of Sue Nickels.

I love greens and Ashley’s color choices were fabulous.

Nancy Rehab of Ward, Co received a second place in the Merit Quilting Machine for this exquisite piece, “Tea for Two”.

“Long Winter Flower Basket Sampler” by Eileen Daniels of Brodhead, WI was awarded First Place – Embellished.  To find out more about Eileen, visit her website http://danielsstudios.com/

“Little Pumpkin” by Maria Elkins of Beaver Creek, OH just makes me smile. Her quilt won third place in the Art Miniature category.  To find out more about Maria visit http://mariaelkins.com

Another quilter whose work always brings a smile to my face is Laura Wasilowski from Elgin, IL.  Laura’s piece, “Bird on a Branch # 6”, won second place in Art Miniature.  For more information about Laura’s quilts visit http://artfabrik.com

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Student’s Work

Karla Zadnik took my “Kansas Rose”, machine applique, workshop this past week while I was teaching for Quilt Trends in Columbus, Ohio.  Nice job Karla.  Fun fabric choices.

Until next week…..

Joe and I just returned from Quilt Festival in Houston.  As always, the quilts were incredible!

Janet Stone won Best of Show.  At the awards ceremony when they announced her name I immediately said “It’s about time.  I love her quilts and her workmanship is impeccable.”  Here is Janet standing beside her lovely quilt.

“Brilliant Rose” made by Junko Fujiwara from Japan won the Founder’s Award.  Impressive.

Here are some close-up shots.

“Eager to Learn-Afghanistan” was made by Gillian Shearer from Australia.  She was also one of the big prize winners.  She won the World of Beauty Award.

The Robert Cohan Master Award for Traditional Artistry went to Ayako Kawakami from Japan for her quilt entitled “My Sweet House with Kiara”.

Melissa Sobotka from Richardson, Texas won the Gammil Master Award for Contemporary Artistry.  I got to talk to  Melissa on the opening night of the show and she explained how she worked from a photograph she had taken of these old wooden spools.

More from Houston in upcoming blogs….

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BOOK REVIEW

On the plane ride home from Houston I finished reading “After You” by Jojo Moyes.

This is a sequel to her book “Me Before You”.  Apparently a lot of us wanted to know what happened to Louisa Clark after losing the love of her life.  Louisa is certainly in a transition phase of her life.  She then has a terrible accident and ends up back home with her family while rehabbing.  Some very interesting people come into her life.  The book kept my interest and I look forward to Jojo Moyes’ next book involving this character because again, I need to know more.