One with Everything

What did the the monk ask the hot dog vendor?
Make me one with everything.

A Finish!!!

I am back from my vacation with Sandra (http://www.mmmquilts.com). And it was a vacation with a little bit of everything - Friends, Food and Fireworks.

with Linda

Elizabeth, me and Linda

We met with Linda (http://artinsearch.blogspot.com) and Elizabeth (https://www.pinterest.com/elizabethdeare/) - artists/quilters from the Buffalo area.  Chatted non-stop about all things quilty - art quilts, quilt shows, and quilt guilds over steaming hot falafel.

House of Hummus in Buffalo, NY

The vacation provided a whole range of experiences from the quiet lake that gently shimmered in the sun...

Lake Ontario, Niagara-On-The-Lake

to the falls that lit up the night sky.

Niagara Falls at Night

From the Maid of the Mist where the water spray made you smile and giggle...

Rainbow at the Maid of the Mist

to the Buffalo Riverboat Tour that made you wonder.

Remnants of an Industrial Town, Buffalo River

Buffalo riverfront revitalization includes repurposing some of these old structures for modern use. There are restaurants, concert spaces, rock climbing wall, community space for poetry reading and much more. Look up Silo City. I will when I visit Buffalo next time. As a city planner, I get high on sustainability and this adaptive reuse is a planner's dream come true.

Grain Elevator, Buffalo River

We had a handsome man pour us wine and take our picture...

At a wine tasting in Chateau de Charmes Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario

and a very handsome man who made me take his picture.

Statue of David in Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY

From overwhelming and awe-inspiring beauty of Niagara Falls that is impossible to miss...

Niagara Falls - American on the left and Canadian in the distance

to the quiet beauty of street art that we almost missed, but is an inspiration!

Buffalo, NY

And here is the quilt - Since it has at least one of everything (scrap vortex), I am calling this "One with Everything". To learn how to make your own scrap vortex, check this link - http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2015/06/scrap-vortex-qal-week-one.html

One with Everything - 46" by 54"

The backing came from Mary - another quilter friend I have yet to meet. When she was destashing, she send me a box of lovely fabric, including this large print blue flowers which made the perfect backing. Combined with a strip of purple leftover from Clay's Quilt.

Pieced Backing (Label on the bottom right)

It includes scraps from cute animal fabrics, leftovers from Animal House.

Crabs and Owls piece-fully coexist with fish and hedgehogs

 The quilt has every color!!!

Red, green, yellow, blue, pink, purple, orange, brown and black

Like I used every crayon in the box.

Snoopy!!!

 The fabrics remind me of quilts past including the one I made for mom.

Kittens at Play

The quilt finished at 46" by 54". It is a crib size quilt, I think. I wasn't trying for a particular size - just wherever the scrappy improv journey took me.

Walking Foot Quilting

The aqua binding ties everything neatly and makes me very happy.

Aqua Binding

Paul: Did you not take a bag full of quilts to photograph?
Me: Yes, I did. But each quilt is a separate blogpost :-) You will just have to wait for the next post, just like my readers.
(Paul rolled his eyes. He rarely reads my posts.)

Paul - Looks like you had a fun time
Me: Yes, we did. But I missed you.
Paul - Missed me? You two were having too much fun to have missed me.
Me: I was hoping you could drive, so that I could enjoy the gorgeous scenery on my way home :-D
Paul: Brat!!!

Beauty and Inspiration was everywhere. I knew what to expect in Niagara Falls, but the beauty of the City of Buffalo was a pleasant surprise.  I can write a whole blogpost about it, but here are a few pictures.

Lake Hoyt - Delaware Park in Buffalo, NY - View from the pedestrian bridge

I loved the pedestrian/cyclist bridge over the Scajaquada Parkway connecting pedestrians and bicyclists to the trail along the Delaware Park. Being a transportation planner, it is heartening to see other modes of travel (walking, cycling, transit etc.) get their due.

Monarch Butterfly on our morning walk, Buffalo, NY

 Birds and butterflies accompanied our morning walk.

In front of the Buffalo History Museum

It was hot and since the cities in the north rarely get this hot, many places did not have air-conditioning. If I could change one thing, it would be this - I wish it wasn't so hot.
But climate change is real and it is worse than you think.

Paul: Did you not grow up in a hot climate?
Me: Yes, but we did not go sight-seeing on a hot day. Moreover, I am too American (spoiled) now to do without such amenities.
Paul: I agree - you are a hot mess.

Hot Mess

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. But I'd love to hear from you. How is your summer going?