Chili Time!

Here's my contribution to Team Climax. 12 pans of Cliff's Magic Cornbread, oops make that Yankee Climax Cornbread. We won first prize for it in 2003. This year, it's the chili's turn to shine. Jim looks forward to this outing from year to year the way some folks do Christmas. It borders on obsession but I remind myself it could always be worse and this year all the planning and anticipation contributed to his recovery. He left early yesterday to set up camp at Stone Mountain for the 2008 Great Miller Lite Chili Cookoff, which despite the sponsor, is a family venue. You are more likely to get your toes run over by a stroller than you are have a drunk spill beer on you. I got up early to bake and Colin will deliver to the booth shortly. I'll post more pictures and judging results later tonight. Cross your fingers! To the Anonymous commenter who was concerned that this was cheating. Our entries are prepared in camp according to the rules and regulations under the watchful eye of the judge's observers. The food we generously serve to the public for free is prepared with quality ingredients under hygienic conditions. Please come by next year and watch Chef Jim make magic but you had better be up with the chickens! Although we didn't place this year, a great time was had by all. People who have to cheat to have fun camp out with cowards who make anonymous posts!

A Good Morning Laugh

This morning I gave my son Jake a ride to work and as a routine part of most morning commutes, I got to grouse about a tail-gater. Jake told me he had seen this bumper sticker on a car and was determined to get one for me. I laughed to tears and made this up as soon as I got home. Just warming up for a big piece to go under the needle later today.

Scrap Baggies Sale

Of course, studio cleaning is always followed by a good sale. These quart sized storage bags are stuffed full with everything from hand dyed damasks to satin jacquard with lots of hand dyed cottons in between. Most pieces are hand sized or smaller, some bigger but not much (I throw out nothing) so there's tons to work with here. Every bag has a nice chunk of something silver and stretchy. I have no idea what the fabric is but it's fun. $8.00 each includes postage in the US. Email me for availability first deborah@lacativa.com

Lucky Break

Late yesterday I found out that both "Exubera" and "Limbo" have been juried into "Art Quilts XIII: Lucky Break" at the Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler AZ along with a pretty star-studded roll of contemporary fiber artists. Congratulations, everyone!

unearthing

Spiders have been routed from the windowsills, UFOs are being tilled up from the subsoil and archeological societies are camped out in the yard. All operations are being overseen by one of my ablest studio assistants. Boxes and bags are being filled with snips and scraps that will be on their way to other people's studios keeping in mind that there is really NO trash. Take my word for it, his eyes are open.