The Quilt Skipper

quilting makes me skip for joy

Jenny K Lyon

Quilting makes me skip for joy

Christmas in Tucson and progress on my applique

 

NOTE: My posts and newsletters may be a bit spotty over the next few weeks. I am super busy and just may not have time.

We spent a fabulous 4 days in the Sonoran Desert visiting my son and future DIL in Tucson. That desert air felt soooo good! Temps were in the 70’s and 80’s. Sigh!

We stayed at the La Paloma Resort and Spa, a “AAA 4 star” sprawling 250 acre oasis in the desert. It is my favorite resort! There must be 20 different room buildings, each with some sort of view. We splurged and got 2 rooms, which meant TWO BATHROOMS! I want to live that way for the rest of my life😊 The decor is thoughtful, understated and elegant with great art all around:

Just one of many beautiful pieces; no “hotel art” here!

The grounds are meticulously maintained and beautifully designed. Just a few views:

Mature, huge bed of cactus at the front entrance.
Low key lighting everywhere and such beautiful grounds to walk!
“La Paloma”, Spanish for dove. All the rooms had this hand crafted lamp to welcome you.
One of many pools. There were ample spots to get wet in – some heated, some not, and a cold plunge also.
Shadows add as much to the landscape as the plantings that make them.
Such an elegant walk leading to the main building.

Entrance to the main building:

That lighting was so cool! See that “Christmas Tree”?
The “Christmas Tree” was actually stacked cactus with red and white tissue paper!

And then there were the sunsets:

Tucson has its own unique way of celebrating Christmas:

While Hubby was golfing, I hiked Sabino Canyon a bit. There are literally hundreds of thousands of Saguaro cactus. It’s a beautiful hike:

We did come to visit youngest son and our future DIL. Here’s our fun family photo with their fairly uncooperative cat and very cooperative dog:

And I finished the applique on this piece. It was soooo relaxing to sit on my balcony with a sweeping view of the mountains. I was in Heaven!

I can’t wait to have time to finish this. I should have some time in 2027.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on this:

This piece will finish out at around 75″ x 33″ and it’s all silk and gorgeous! The colors are much prettier than I could capture with my phone.

I have been invited to show in FACE in Fiber in the Rockies, which exhibits in Estes Park, June – July. It is an invitational exhibit; “artists were nominated by other fiber artists for their excellent quality and creative approaches to textile art”. The exhibit includes all manner of fiber from artists across the US.

I was thrilled to be nominated by Penny Hanscom and my proposal was accepted. If they accept this piece, it is required that it be offered for sale. I LOVE this piece and it will be a Good Problem, but hard to let go if it sells. I need to work on this now, because I have an insane year coming up with very little creative time left.

I’ll be linking up:
Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday

 

 

Comments

  1. Congratulations on your son’s upcoming nuptials! Does future DIL quilt? With you as the MIL she will eventually!! LOL!! Wedding quilt in the plans? Yikes!!! What a busy schedule but 2025 seems to be heading in that way for many. Seems like a lucky number. Hope so!! Happy new year❤️

    • Thank you Sandra She is not a quilter but is so creative in other ways. I am so excited for them!! Happy New Year to you!

  2. that silk quilt is truly wonderful, can’t imagine it will not be accepted. Can’t judge from a photo, but your future DIL looks like a sweetie. And now I want to go to Tucson again. If you haven’t, go to the AZ Sonoran Desert Museum, it’s all lovely but the hummingbird aviary is a photographer/quilter’s delight.

    • Thank you Lynne! I have been to the Desert Museum a few times and it never fails to amaze me. I missed it this time but will definitely go again. You never know about quilt being accepted because you never know what the competition was. I am hopeful.

  3. That Christmas tree is spectacular! I’m glad you enjoyed Tucson. I moved here almost five years ago for the desert and absolutely love the hiking, sunsets, blue skies and Mexican food!

    • Lucky you! Yes, the summers are oppressive but the rest of the year is so glorious! And there are so many places to hike.

  4. Your schedule sounds awesome—so glad you can do all this! I am most excited about Estes Park—near me, so I can see your work in person. Thank you for sharing pictures of your work and pictures of places that you visit.

    • THank you Anne! I had originally thought I’d go to the opening but i don’t think I will have time. If you go I would love to see photos.

  5. Hello I’m glad you enjoyed our desert and the cacti Christmas here is wonderful…some sadness in our world…My brother killed himself in Florida between christmas and New Years….then today my brother in law passed today (morning) from cancer he’s been fighting it all 2024….oh, the sewing has helped! I’m having a slow beginning to 2025….lots of wishing you a good year with your schedule sending only good thoughts

    • Oh Bobbie, that is unfathomable loss. I am so sorry. There are no words for either tragedy, but two so close must be so hard. I am glad that you find solace in sewing. I have noticed over the years that sewing/quilting/crafting brings many of us through impossibly dark times. My prayers are with you Bobbi. I hope you are surrounded by those who love and care for you. Hugs.

  6. WoW Jenny! So different from what my white Christmas looked like. It’s like a movie! Thanks so much for sharing!

  7. Congratulations on your family news — a wedding, a new DIL — and on your art quilt acceptance! I hope it gets in, that everyone loves it, but that no one tries to buy it and take it away from you! Your appliqué is just gorgeous and I’m delighted that you have gotten sucked down into the wickedly addictive vortex that is appliqué, in addition to your other creative pursuits. Seriously — you don’t expect to have time for that again until 2027?!

    • I don’t know when I will have time again for anything! I must submit a quilt that is properly priced and be willing to sell so that FACE can benefit. I just need to have peace with that.