dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 These bees are busy and caught one on this huge white bloom. I have some fabric with flowers on it, but nothing quite this spectacular. Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Red Fairy Dusters are very small and intense with color and they come in purple too, though the color is soft. The little leaves remind me of our feather stitches all in a pretty curved row. Have never seen any flowers like these on fabric. Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudiaPfeil Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 I want to see it once....wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing! Best wishes from over the ocean...... out of sunny and too warm Germany...Claudia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Vicki, I posted a picture of a flower last summer and someone said..."looks like a quilt to me" - that's what I'm thinking now...make a beautiful wall hanging featuring one of those flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpeckert Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Vicki, You should print the pictures out on fabric and design a quilt with them. You could even use "Kaleidoscope Kreator" to make some matching fabrlc. I bet it would be awesome! Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 I've been to Arizona a few times and I have to say Arizona is a breathtakingly beautiful place. I love the Arizona desert, the red rocks, soil and the beautiful cactus. I have stood next to (but not too close...:PLOL!!!) a Saguaro near Tucson that had to be at least 30 feet tall. Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadows4 Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 Vicki: It really looks like paradise there. You take beautiful pictures, you have a great talent there. The pic of my block you sent was spectacular!! Maybe you should look at entering some of them in competitions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaFritchen Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 What a nice 'tour', Vicki. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patch Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingupastorm Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laststitchstudio Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Oh Vickie.................How beautiful! I used to live out west in the high desert of CA (Ramona)and still miss it after 18 years on the east coast. You enjoy your spring and thank you for sharing.............made my Monday morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingstitcher Posted April 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patch Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplydivine Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Love your desert flower pictures and I love AZ too -- I wish I could live there. I'd move in a minute! We went to Scottsdale once for a vacation and I almost cried in the airport when we had to leave. Thanks for the inspiration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpeckert Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pringle_quilting_inc Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Swanee Pringle is my grandmother. She is not retired and she still teaches. Sometimes she makes me quilts, I just got a quilt for Christmas. I will take pictures of it sometimes to show you. If there is any more questions for my grandma I will ask her for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Love your pictures. I am always so inspired by Mother Nature...her beauty is awe inspiring. Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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