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Spring in Arizona


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Moving to Arizona last year my thoughts of desert plants were that there were only a few flowers. Surprise! Took my camera for a walk and left Arnie, my German Shepherd home.

This huge flower sits atop cactus and blooms for the day in clusters of one to several. Each flower is 5"-7" across. Don't know the name for it, perhaps pachycereus something. Enjoy!

Vicki

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I increased the contrast and the shadow areas became like a black background and reminded me of fabric. There are rounded sage green shrubs with these bright flowers all throughout my neighborhood. Camera images have a way of turning nature into artistic impressions. In university I studied design and my teacher preached the value of going to nature for inspiration.

Vicki

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Saguaro Cactus are really tall here in Arizona. Developers of the Del Webb community where I live harvested the Saguaros and stored them in a "forest" until they could be transplanted. There still is a collection of them next to I-17 Anthem Way Exit 229 if you are ever over this way, north of Phoenix. This one is preparing for a spectacular show of blooms. They end up looking like they have flowered hats on top.

Vicki

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Here's one of thousands of different cactus. The bright white thorns are a warning to keep away. Did you know that the migration of bats are dependent upon stopping in Arizona to drink from the cactus on their way? A whole cloth quilt using these thorns for inspiration would surely look contemporary and doing trapunto along the ridges would give an interesting shadow effect. Anybody game to try this?

Vicki

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Daisy Mountain makes a nice backdrop in our neighborhood. The Palo Verde tree has green trunk and limbs. Who said that trees in our quilts had to be brown, grey, black, or white? Here is a full view of the orange flowering sage colored shrub like shown in the high contrast photo above, or another one anyway.

Have a great quilting day. Hope these photos gave you insight into the beauty that is spring in Arizona.

Saturday is Arizona Quilt Guild spring meeting in Wickenburg, just northwest of Phoenix. Several of us in the chapter are carpooling for a day of fun and inspiration.

Vicki

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Thanks for the pictures Vickie, I just love spring time! I missed the bluebonnets this year. I had pnuemonia, and by the time I could get up and out they were all but gone. Mostly because the weeds grow up through them and choke them out. Your Red Fairy Dusters remind me of Mimosa blooms and so do the leaves. I think they only have pink blooms tho. Mimosas are a favorite of mine.

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I moveed to Arizona 10 years ago from the midwest and have never left since, LOL Everyday it's like living in Paradise, sunny days, blue skies, gorgeous sunsets, palm trees, cacti, dessert blooms, & the smell of orange blossoms in the spring:)

Ok now I am sounding like a tourist guide for the state, lol

Joann

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Vicki, I know you certainly could get those pic's in a magazine, if you submit them to some travel mag or even something about nature, as your close-ups are perfectly clear. I wish I could take pictures like that!

Say, ever hear of a quilter named Swanee Pringle? She was my inspiration years ago. She moved down there from Eastern Washington back in the 90's. I haven't heard from her in years, so I hope she's still quilting. Used to teach classes and do workshops and things in the NW. Just wondered.

Thank you for sharing your desert spring! So much beauty in a seemingly dead place.... revives the soul. There's my Sunday morning. Blessings to you! And yes, those pictures of nature are certainly inspiring quilts. But they are so beautiful I'd rather just sit and stare at them!

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Vicky your photos are beautiful! The fourth one with the orange flowers is Globemallow....................we have them here in New Mexico as well and I think they are really pretty.

We are getting a few wildflowers here now as well..............at 7000 feet that means that Spring has finally arrived. I need to go out and take some photos as well.

By the way the first photo would make a striking art quilt.

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You guys are my magazine circulation. Globemallow, thanks for the name. What is Kaleidoscope Kreator? I'll Google it and see if I can find information. Swanie Pringle isn't listed in our guild's membership roster for this year or last. Perhaps she is south of here in the Tucson guild. We have 47 chapters now having just added six new ones. They received their charter on Saturday at our AQG spring meeting. The tote bag that I made as a drawing gift and filled with generous gifts from our members was won by Jan in our chapter. We were all excited and now she has to give a speach on Friday. ;)

Yes, I was thinking that the first pink cactus flower should be made into an art quilt. I could include some of those interesting shadows that the morning light creates. Colleen Wise is famous for her shadows and she was our speaker on Saturday. Very funny presentation. I'm taking her class called Boxes and Beyond on Wednesday up in Cottonwood with Cathey Sigler. We're excited to introduce shadows to these boxes.

Today I'm going to an art class with artists in the neighborhood as I know two of the women in the group. I could do a watercolor of that cactus flower. Also would like to try the thorny one and use some resist like putting wax on fabric to hold the white only it's watercolor paper. Actually, today I'm going to design the purse idea I have for the Hoffman Challenge. 12"x12"x16" high is the size restriction. Has anyone done a purse for the challenge before?

Then I'll do the cactus art quilt. Right now I'm working on Louise L. Smith's design of Strips 'n Curves. I have two strata of strips done and am working on the third one.

Plus I'm doing Kate's African BD Block. Anybody else done one for her? She said to go to Rachel Clark's web site for inspiration. Good idea.

Found my lost muslin for the back of my daughter's lap quilt that Mom made so hope I can get it stitched soon. I need to get back to my longarm. After doing the photography I now have another idea for a whole cloth white quilt. Need to draw that up too.

It's in the high 90's in the afternoon here, very warm at night, but still cooler in the morning. Love this weather. Hope you are enjoying your northern spring flowers. I especially miss the peonies.

Happy quilting.

Vicki

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Vicki, I'm thinking Swanee retired from teaching years ago, but thought she might still be quilting or meeting with quilters for fun. Must have dropped out of circulation, I guess. Pooh. I'll have to write again and see if she answers, as her stuff didn't come back last time I sent a Christmas card. Just didn't get anything from her for a long time.

Well, your ideas for quilts sound truly inspired. Are you an erstwhile photographer gone quilting, or just have a natural knack for it? What kind of camera did you take those with? I have only my silly digital I just got for Christmas, very fine for taking pics of quilts and posting on the web, but would love to someday be able to take photos like that! Sigh..... so many wants, so little money..... LOL! :D

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Vicki,

You can find Kaleidoscope Kreator at: Kalcollections.com.

It's a fun tool to use on your computer. It has different shaped

Kaleidoscope wedges to choose from. You move your picture

around under the shape to achieve the look you like. Then you

can preview it, print it, save it or move on to something that you

like better.

Jackie

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