Gates

I know I’ve shared some of these in the past, gates in my nieghborhood. These days as the city of LA fails to take care of it’s tax paying citizens, because they are too busy spending our money on illegals and homeless, more and more people are fencing and gating their homes.

This is one of the most beautiful ones. I think it’s been here a while, but the yellow is new.

A little blue one. I love this house, the owners took the time to paint the house in beautiful colors and the gate is lovely. Also, the grassless front yard, this one works, someone is maintaining the grasses. Often these gardens, that were put in in a hurry, using only a handout from the city end up looking overgrown and a mess.

This mosaic wall and fence have been here for a very long time. One of these days this house will disappear and a McMansion will take its place.

I know I’ve shared this ‘castle’.

It sidles up to an alley, so it was nice to see this back gate as well.

These people put in a solid door, but it will take a while for the ficus to grow into the massive wall they are expecting. At some point they will even need to thin the ficus, this stuff grows like a weed.

A side gate, simple white in a brick wall, really what caught my eye is the palm tree reaching high into the sky.

Weather worn gate and trellis.

Nicely painted gate and trellis.

Lovely little gate with roses.

A gate with a flag. I like that they have a built in flag holder.

Always something to see on my walks.

I have finished one appliqué block

I’m thinking this will become an album quilt, in the tradition of Baltimore albums, or really just an album quilt. One with different blocks. At the moment I’m going traditional, we shall see as time goes by.

Now come the little fiddly parts. I have some prints, most of the fabrics are solid. I like the way this looks.

Almost there, I have a lot of these little circles to sew down.

And it’s done! I have been using appliqué paper, I washed the block in warm water with some delicate soap. This is supposed to dissolve the paper. Well, it’s not entirely dissolved, it is softer now. Who knows, I may wash the whole top again before quilting. I love the paper method, but I want it gone before quilting.

What the back looks like. I am using silk thread, it breaks a lot, especially the section that rubs in the eye of the needle. I do like using it because really, it is invisible from the front, even from the back, it isn’t over powering. So I put up with breakage.

On the garden front, a few new lemons have showed up. I wonder how they will do in the heat of the summer. My Meyer lemon tree usually only produces in the cooler weather. I still have a few lemons on the tree as well as some that have dropped. So I’ll keep and eye on these to see if they survive beyond June. Right now we are having June gloom, so mornings are cool and overcast.

Waiting for the heat, my first tomatoes have started. I bought the plant over a month ago, I’m pretty sure it’s just a cherry variety. There are more flowers, hoping this one is healthy and bountiful.

Most of my hydrangeas died in the drought, I planted a new one last year and look! It’s blooming!! I have another old one that survived, right now it looks very healthy, but no flowers yet.

I hope you aren’t bored with my flowers, I just love them so much I can’t help but share.

Some architecture

At the Greek Festival last weekend I got a chance to see the Church of St. Nicholas.

The dome gleaming in the sun. Notice how the refraction of the sunlight makes another cross. Apparently the was just cleaned and renovated. That kind of gleam can’t last long out in the weather and the city elements.

Under the dome, if you know anything about me, I love Stained Glass and mosaics. I love that Churches are keeping both these artistic styles alive and well.

Mary, in her blue robe, holding baby Jesus. It’s been a while since I’ve done any mosaic work and I have to say, I do miss it. I have the materials, I should do something now that the weather is getting warmer. No, I won’t be doing anything with a religious theme, but this is very inspiring.

Sorry this is a little out of focus. King and Queen? Saints, I don’t know who they are and I can’t see any attribute that I recognize, other than the crowns and the halos. I would love to see how this is done. Is the marble cut first and then the mosaic inserted? That would make sense, since it is a lot easier to cut down a few tesserae than chisel down the marble.

Looking towards the front door. Both mosaic and stained glass.

I love this, the colors, the variation in the glass, the circles. The light thing through.

Now I’m sorry that I didn’t spend more time in here really getting a closer look at the glass. The variation one sees with the light behind the glass. The design elements, using circles in the red robe and mostly rectangles in the blue one. I’m loving this.

Here we have the priests garments. Textiles, glass and mosaics, you must understand now why I enjoy visiting Churches. This must be for very special occasions, the royal purple.

A much ‘simpler’ white robe with another mosaic behind it. Btw, notice all the use of gold? Another way of capturing light and refracting it out in the room.

Speaking of stained glass, look what I found at the South Pasadena Library, a triptych of stained glass. Lovely in its own right. Very different from the church. All of these crafts have a very strong personal touch to them. The hand of the maker is very evident. Which is why I love these crafts so much.

A view of the outside. The San Marino sign is the local security company, the library is in South Pasadena. I have also visited the San Marino Library, which is also lovely, I just forgot to get pictures there.

A wonderful Memorial Day weekend

We didn’t have a lot of plans for the weekend, some friends visiting from DC for dinner on Friday night, a play on Saturday night. Then my son asked it the four of them could camp at our house instead of going to a campground, as they had originally planned. Since moving to their new home, it’s been like camping, although the kitchen is taking shape – that will make a huge difference.

So from a quiet weekend, we need up very busy. I just love it when people go all out with patriotic decorations.

We started at the Greek festival at St. Nicholas in Northridge. Quite an adventuresome climber we have here.

Coming down from the wall is just as fun as climbing up.

Cam went down a big slide. Although he may look terrified here, this is how he really felt.

He loved it!!!

We ate Gyros and the boys danced…

and danced…

and danced!!! I saw my friend Marlene there, she literally danced till 8 pm.

On Memorial Day itself we went to Fiesta Hermosa. Got a little history lesson on the pier. HB is 112 years old!

The town and air were packed with people enjoying the day.

Checking out Toyotas’ outrigger. We could have gone over to Kings Harbor a few miles away for the real experience.

We stuck with the photo shoot.

Easy enough, even for a dog!

Look how gorgeous this beach is!!!

So lucky that my kids I’ve here and I can visit often. Although, parking here in the summer isn’t easy.

A local gull pointing out the rules of the pier. Manhattan Beach Pier, off in the distance, with Santa Monica and Malibu at the other end of the bay.

Yes, I’m truly blessed.

Still sewing

I’ve been sewing more clothes, but am not able to wear them yet because it’s cold! It even rained a lot the other day, in late May!

A quick skirt. If summer ever arrives, I need to make more of these. Many of my older skirts are showing their age.

for me, summer is skirts and dresses.

The fabric is from a line of Downton Abbey Prints, I don’t quite get the vibe, but I wear a lot of blue and it is a nice print.

My camera is so good, I can simply crop the images and the resulting image is just as sharp. Maybe too sharp? I know, for 60 I like very good, but it is a little surprising to see all the wrinkles and blemishes. I remind myself, this is what the camera sees, this isn’t what the world sees.

You know what, even if everyone saw all the little details, I look mighty good. I never wanted surgery, or botox or things like that. I fool myself with cremes and other ‘anti-aging’ products. One thing I do is always have sunscreen on my face. Have since I was 20 years old. So what if the crows feet show up when I smile, the smile itself is worth it. Ahh, the dangers of a camera that captures every detail.

I’ve started a hand applique, Baltimore Ablum style quilt. Btw, the background fabric has much more purple in it.

I’m still loving the macro lens. Look at that silk thread, the tiny needle, the bee!

I am using the appliquick method, it works for me. I love how smoothly everything goes.

I found this block on Barbara Brackmans’ blog Civil War Quilts. I also have a few books with Baltimore Album patterns. I’m sure I will be mixing and matching, I have the feeling that when it comes to setting everything together, it will look very different from a traditional Album quilt.

Fair Oaks Pharmacy

I’ve been driving Aytan to his school in South Pasadena for six months now. Just once a week, but still I’m in South Pasadena once a week. So you’d think that I would have visited this landmark before now.

The building and the business are over 100 years old. What they are really famous for is their Soda Fountain. And yes, Fair Oaks Ave is on the original Route 66.

I love old Blade advertising. This is neon, I wonder if it is lit up at night. I’m only here in the day time.

So here we are, a lunch counter, as well as tables and chairs. I tried to bring Aytan here to try the ice cream, but he wanted frozen yogurt so we went to Menchies instead.

I love how this old time place is decorated. The live plants, the hexagon tile floor. The use, of ceiling tiles on the backdrop of the counter.

Yes, there is more to this pharmacy than just the soda fountain. There is a real pharmacy, but most of the space is used to sell wonderful items.

Like old fashioned candy. Maybe these Hershey’s isn’t old, but I’ve never seen these before.

Sorry, I got my finger in the picture, how unprofessional of me! Gummi teeth and gummy piggies. I’ve never seen those before. You can see some candy corn, but really, who eats that stuff!

This is even stranger, Chicken feet??? I use them for making a great chicken broth, but as a candy? I’m sure they all taste the same, but these different shapes are unusual and fun.

Wax bottles? I remember as a child having wax candy lips. Those adorable tennis balls? They are jaw-breakers, a woman was buying them. I’m sure they sell a lot of this candy, it is so novel.

First time I’ve seen this kind of packaging for buttered pop corn flavored Jelly Belly. I love the packaging, the truth is, I can’t stand this flavor. I love real pop corn, but I alway try and avoid the white ones cuz I’m scared I’ll get the pop corn flavor. Someone must like it, its selling.

Then they sell old fashioned games and toys. I wonder if there is some copywrite about pin the tail on the donkey.

I am so tempted to buy this knitting set, I also wonder if this wooden train set fits the Ikea wooden train, which is just a knock off of the Brio trains.

Also tempted to buy this loom, it looks like the real thing, with a real shuttle. I may have to get it as part of a birthday present for Shira.

Yes, it’s the tapestry weaving set that I like, but look at the names of these other games!! Sooo tempting!

I had these two as a child. I bet the people who buy these are like me, nostalgic. How do we explain this to our grandkids?

A wonderful visit back in time. So glad I made a point to stop in.

Birthday!

So Cam had his third birthday party. What with the move and all, it was at an indoor gym. I don’t think his parents will ever go back to hosting on their own, this is so much easier.

Yup, he had a ball!

Jumping on the trampoline with his cousins and friends.

It was in the old neighborhood, so it was also goodbye to old friends.

All the cousins were here to help celebrate.

Dinosaur cake! Thank you Ralphs, they really make the best birthday cakes. All Cam wanted was chocolate cake. He’s been having it when he comes here… uh, oh, we’ve created a chocolate monster.

I just noticed, he had more than four candles to blow out!

Girl Cameron and boy Cameron enjoying birthday cake. They are just one month apart.

There was also pizza, what is a birthday without pizza! Notice that Westley really like eating his fruit!

Eyal had cake on his own birthday, he is learning how yummy cake is!

Another dress!

I’m on a roll! Even though sewing standing up sucks. My seams are a mess, but I have another dress.

I’ve had this fabric for a few years. The sewing blogger Gertie Hirsch had a line of fabric with JoAnn’s, not sure she does anymore. Anyway, I think this is a rayon cotton combo. It called for a sheath dress, since I only had 2.5 yards. I recently found this pattern. You know what’s funny, while scanning through all of the Quilt market posts on IG, I saw someone had made this dress and was showing it in their booth.

This is all that was left when I finished cutting out the pattern pieces. I admit, I didn’t try my hardest to maximize every inch, but still…. talk about little waste.

No construction images. I will say, the cap sleeves actually constrict my arms a little. I may make this again, without sleeves.

Here I am, trying to get a handle on using the phone as a remote, learning curve!

Getting a back shot is easier, I’m holding the phone in front.

Hey, there is a smile on my face. Also, I’ve been playing a lot with makeup lately, I think I’m getting pretty good at it. Not a painted hussy, but makeup does make a woman look prettier.

Not bad looking for a sixty year old, no peels, or surgery or lifts.

I have a skirt in mind as well. I recently cleared out a lot of items from my closet, so its’ time to refresh with new sewing.

Sewing a garment!

No, I don’t have my sewing tables, it’s been five months…. Koala will be getting an earful from me when this is over. So I set up my garment machine on the cutting table.

This means I will be sewing standing up. It’s one thing to do so while piecing quilts or even quilting. It is very different when sewing garments.

I even tried making tailor tacks instead of marking the fabric. Well, I did so for one section. I gave up and pulled out some Frixon pens for the other one. Btw, in the background are pockets that I plan on inserting into the sides of the dress.

Maybe if the machine were higher than sewing standing up wouldn’t be a problem. But it is, I can’t see the sewing machine bed very well. To say that I made mistakes is an under statement. Between not sewing for months and then standing awkwardly, I made a ton of mistakes. One of them was sewing the side seams without the pockets, so once again a pocketless dress.

Almost done, it will be a loose lovely comfy rayon dress. Right now it’s raining, so I’m not sure when I’ll be wearing it. Another rayon fabric I’ve had for a number of years, this will become a sheath dress. For the sewers out there, it’s a Gertie Hirsch fabric from Jo-anne’s

Next I needed to figure out how to take pictures. There is a way to connect my phone to the camera, then I can use it as a remote control. I was impatient, so I set the self timer and some test shots.

Not bad, I did get some very fuzzy shots, here I am in what I’m wearing today, a sweater, cuz the rain just stopped. For me, this is cold weather.

Pay attention to this photo, I will appear in the exact same pose in the dress in the next one.

Hmm, maybe I should come up with new poses? As you can see, it is a lovely little summer dress. Pockets would have been nice…. But I’ve already served the seams, this dress will remain pocketless.

It really is adorable! I put a zipper in the back, turns out I didn’t really need one. Oh well, it’s there, I might actually use it.

Yes, the smile is genuine, I’m very happy with this dress, now on to make another!

The Japanese Garden

On Mothers’ day we went here for a visit. I have been here a few times and really need to come back and spend more time.

Right next to the Tillman Water reclamation plant is a wonderful Japanese garden. Well, it’s actually on the grounds of the sewage reclamation plant. I wish we had more of these in CA. Sure, the water all goes to Lake Balboa, the LA river and irrigating a lot of golf courses and public parks. It actually is clean enough to go back into our pipes, probably cleaner, but at least this is some very good local recycling.

The Japanese garden was installed in order to show how useful this plant is. My sons live nearby and they do say, that sometimes, early in the morning, they get a whiff of sewage. Some of us get that whiff just walking down the street these days….

There are a lot of water features here, along with very traditional Japanese plants. The structure in the back is a tea house. It is available for rent for events.

Waterfalls, an important element in a garden, as it aerates the water as well as creates very soothing sounds.

This is the largest waterfall. I’m sure some pretty heavy ground movers were used to excavate the garden and create different levels.

I think these three are trying to push the rock into the water.

It was Sunday, there were plenty of people there. I love how the cousins get along so well.

I love so much about this image. Four kids in the same small area, each in their own world.

On the roof of the tea house there is this very interesting gutter, it appears to be made out of metal, which I think is unusual.

Aside from people, there are plenty of birds. Because of the reclamation plant, there is plenty of water in the LA river just down stream. That area has become a bird sanctuary. One of these days I need to find some birders to go with and get an education.

More geese with the Brutalist headquarters in the background. I’m not a fan of brutalist architecture, but I’m willing to take another look.

One more goose. Btw, most of them hang out in Lake Balboa which is just across Woodley Ave, I guess some of them want to be away from the crowds.