FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK IN ROCKY FORD, COLORADO

The Rocky Ford, Colorado Municipal Museum, in an effort to build on their files of stories about the town and the people, are sponsoring a series of exhibits at the Idea Place, 408 North Main in Rocky Ford.

The next part in the series is to be held on Friday, October 4, 2019 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm during the monthly 1st Friday Art Walk.  Writers, story tellers, and artists have been invited to share their stories about growing up in Rocky Ford, their families' businesses, and the influences of living in a small rural community.

For the October display, Bob was asked to share the stories of growing up and working in the neighborhood grocery store owned by his parents.  I was asked to display some quilts and explain how I was influenced from childhood to become a full-time quiltmaker.

Being of almost sound minds and aged bodies, it has taken us practically a month to prepare for the displays -- much longer than probably necessary!

Bob has gathered pictures taken at the store with other paper ephemera, plus the vegetable scale, gumball machine, and glass cookie jar we managed to secure from the store years ago.  

He has some great stories about delivering groceries, dealing with customers, and working from age 6 sorting potatoes and candling eggs.

Bob working in the meat department the summer before we got married in 1958.

Bob's parents on the right.

I always forget how much work it takes to hang a quilt display even a small one like this with only fifteen quilts.  There is always a need to make informational signs about the individual quilts.  And, for this specific display, explanations about how I was influenced by the art and math programs of the Rocky Ford schools back in the 1950s.

I also occasionally make 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" paper quilts using quilt designing and decoupaging techniques.  I've never displayed them before, so had to figure out how to do that.

The 15 quilts are all out of storage and spread out to relax any fold wrinkles.

I think we are about ready ---- just hope we don't forget anything and that everything fits into our car.

If you are in the Rocky Ford area, the First Friday Art Walk shows at the Idea Place each month are worth attending.

I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF -------

two of my favorite things:

quilts -----

"PARK LANE VISTA", 1992

and brown transferware ----

and together, they really 

 'trip my trigger'!!

TABLE RUNNER: "DA GAMA", 2016; ASSORTED TRANSFERWARE PLATTERS

QUILT: "CACTUS FLOWER", 2017; WASH BOWL: BENEDICK PATTERN, c.1880s

TABLE RUNNER: "CRAZY QUILT", 2016; ASSORTED PLATTERS, c. 1880s

QUILT: "FLYING GEESE", 2016; SOUP TUREEN AND PLATTER:
 ROSALINE PATTERN; ASSORTED SOUP BOWLS, 19TH CENTURY

QUILT: "SUNDAY DRIVE", 1995; PITCHER AND BOWL:
 SYLVAN PATTERN. c. 1885

QUILT: "CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES, 2000;
CHAMBER POT: UNMARKED, c.1880s

QUILT: 9-PATCH TABLE RUNNER; BOTTOM PLATE: GRINDLEY, 1880s; SALAD PLATE: MIGNON,
 19th CENTURY; CUP AND SAUCER: CLARICE CLIFF, 20th CENTURY

ASSORTED QUILTED TABLE RUNNERS; ASSORTED 19th CENTURY TRANSFERFARE

QUILT: "GOING WEST-LOG CABIN", 2017;
 PLATES: PERAK, 1880s; BONE DISH: SYLVAN, 1885

If you are interested in more posts on the transferware, click here, here, and here.
For more on my quilts, check out my quilting blog - http://qbits-salmagundi.blogspot.com/

I'm joining the following:
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

A BLOGABLE LIFE?

I've been giving a lot of thought recently to the future of this blog.  Here are some thoughts ---

London Eye, 2008

I started this blog on July 22, 2008 after a wonderful 50th wedding anniversary trip to Europe.  I had been lurking in the blog world for sometime, and thought that maybe there was something in our 50 years of marriage about making a home and living and loving life that was worth sharing.  Also, I thought of it as a way to journal our lifestyle for our descendants if in the future they were interested.  Thus, SALMAGUNDI, was conceived. 
I've always been fond of alliteration; and my name, Sally Saulmon, and Salmagundi seemed to fit.  One of the definitions of Salmagundi is "A disparate assembly of things, ideas, and people."  That was what I wanted my blog to be.
It's been a journey as my computer skills were lacking (still are!), and finding a niche in blogland for my style was daunting and elusive (and still is!)  But here we are at Post No. 556.

THE THINGS:
Oh my, we have things!  And I have blogged about hundreds of them.  We have been antique and junk accumulators from the beginning of our marriage.  And, we still enjoy the hunt and incorporating them into our home; but have slowed down considerably.  There is simply no more room in our house. 

Christmas 2014

THE IDEAS:
I'm a thinker -- I over-think and try to solve everything within my sphere of influence.  Just ask my family.  However, I'm not an intellectual.  If I can't control a part of the situation; I, unfortunately and regrettably, don't give it much thought.  Therefore, the ideas on this blog are rather shallow.

THE PEOPLE:
I have had amazing Colorado pioneers in my family that worked long and hard to pass on the lifestyle I've been fortunate to enjoy.  I have blogged about several of them and the belongings they have entrusted into my care.  And, of course, I've had a husband for 56 years who has always supported me both emotionally and financially to allow me freedom to do what I wanted.  We raised two amazing children that have endured their own hardships and struggles, but have come out on top.  We've been blessed with two adorable, absolutely wonderful grandchildren.  But, how many pictures of "The Beauty" and "The Cutie" can my blog readers endure?

That leads us to the present ---
I'm to the point that I'm almost blogged out!
I'm thinking a sabbatical is in order -- not just a couple of weeks, but possibly six months. 

THE FUTURE: 
I have obligated myself to a one-woman quilt show in August; a retrospective of my 65 years of making quilts.  And, I have been thinking that a retrospective really should require that I finish the albatross quilt in the closet.  

My First Quilt (1950) and The Albatross (2015?)

 The albatross has been ten years in the making; but with arthritic fingers and declining eyesight, I've struggled with finishing the hand quilting.  I love this quilt, and it deserves to be finished and exhibited.

So, I figure if I devote 4-6 hours each day to working on the albatross; I can complete it by the August deadline.
I have decided to concentrate on that feat.

I plan to remain on facebook and pinterest, and regularly check on my favorite blogs as I can't break my computer habits so easily.  I'll be at church every Sunday morning, and hopefully increase my prayer time at home. Then, there is always the cooking to be done, and the need to dust all this stuff occasionally -- my least favorite activities but necessary.  Just as we have for 30 years; every Wednesday morning will find me with my girl friends having coffee/tea, eating, complaining, laughing, and solving the world's problems.  
And, there are still good books to be read.
Bob and I will occasionally be out there searching for that perfect piece we don't need for our home.  And, I will be running interference into the kid's lives.  As the Countess Violet on Downton Abbey says, "It's the grandmother's job to interfere."
And who knows, I may experience something blog worthy and occasionally pop in here at Salmagundi.

But, for now, a very tiny hand-quilting needle and an albatross in the closet is calling my name.

 My plans are to return in September to resume blogging regularly.

OLD GLORY FAIR

On Father's Day weekend, we made our usual trip to Denver to attend the Old Glory Antiques Fair.  We try to go every year and are never disappointed.  

 Sorry, no pictures from the fair this year as my camera was still on its way home from Japan; but I've included a couple of pictures from previous years to give you the flavor of the event.

We enjoy seeing the trends; what's hot and what's not; and what people are buying.  This year it seemed that if it was galvanized, it was selling - lots of farm-style, prairie-style items.

Colorado is a hot bed for this style, as there is a wealth of items to be discovered -- so many farms on the prairies with sheds full of galvanization and rust!!!

We also saw lots of ironstone; plus quilts from the 1920s and 1930s.  That was encouraging to me as I love quilts for the color they bring to the sea of neutral colors currently out there.  Also, very expensive European grain sacks were available in addition to less expensive local feed and flour sacks.  There were not so many pieces of milk or chalk painted furniture this year.  The painted furniture that I noticed being purchased was with original paint and patina.  What I did not see was much transferware -- and absolutely no brown transferware.  Is it on its way out?  Or as I say -- I have it all; and there is no more out there to buy!!

  The featured guest this year at the fair was FiFi O'Neill.  I caught a glimpse of her chatting graciously with customers.  I wish I had had my camera as her personal style is enchanting.

We didn't buy much, as everything I wanted to bring home was HUGE in size and in the four figure range ($$$$).

I did pick up this swinging frame cheap.  I've been needing another vintage frame for this recently acquired photo of Bob as a young pretend-cowboy.

 I'm a sucker for ephemera, so purchased this small store display price card for plaid outing (flannel).

The rest of the weekend was spent touring our favorite Denver VATS (Vintage, Antique, Thrift Stores).  Plus, our dutiful, jet-lagged son drove back into Denver (with my camera) for a Father's Day lunch.  

Next post I will show you what I found at the VATS -- let's just say that it's the elusive transferware from the day before; and it's BROWN; and there's more than one piece!  Guess I don't have it all -- yet.

I'm sharing my treasures at the following:
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Boogie Board Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday Treasures
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Knick of Time Interiors for Knick of Time Vintage Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
Imparting Grace for Grace at Home Thursday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Be Different Act Normal for Show and Tell Saturdays

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

It's been awhile since I showed you a quilt from my stash.  This one is named "Chocolate Covered Cherries", and I thought it would be a good one to come out of the depths of the closet for the upcoming Valentine's week.  For those new readers to my blog, I spent 20 years making and designing scads of quilts for publication in magazines and books.

I made this quilt in 2000, and it appeared in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine #332 in May 2001.  

  As a child and teenager, I was a doodler in school -- drawing little pictures on any piece of paper available with very little artistic ability and often with reprimands from teachers!

This quilt was particularly fun to make as I drew in doodling fashion with a permanent pen on 20 squares of muslin.  

  From a distance, the doodling squares just look like any other piece of printed fabric except they have my initials in the drawings.  They aren't noticeable unless you look closely.

 I have always had a little rebellious streak.  Tell me I shouldn't draw on my quilt, and I will anyway!  No reprimands, please.

It has been exhibited in several national shows, and has been a prize winner.  But, the joy for me was in the designing and making of the quilt.

Joining the following:
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

CHANGE IS GOOD???

I thrive on change!  But after living in this small house for 15 years, there isn't too much we haven't already changed that was feasible.  Sure, I would love to knock down more walls, build a stacked-stone fireplace -- maybe add on 1000 square feet.  But, at our stage of life, none of that type of expense can be justified. So, I have to be satisfied with little changes, such as the following.

I've shown this wardrobe that's in our dining room in previous posts.

 It has been holding part of my dish obsession.

 Recently, I've missed having my quilts out as they have been stored in a dark closet for several years.  Light can be very destructive to cotton fabrics over long periods of time.  Now that we have changed out our old windows for those that block UV rays, I decided that the quilts deserved to be seen in the light of day again.

 Maybe it's a LITTLE overkill.

O.K., maybe 63 quilts is a LOT of overkill!  I can always put the curtains back up on the doors. 

(And I didn't even get out the bed-size quilts.)

I'm partying again at the following:
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
No Minimalist Here for Thursday Open House Party
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

AN ARTISTIC (?) JOURNEY

In my previous life before retirement, I was a quiltmaker.

Over a span of three decades, I had some moderate success just lolling around making quilts.  I guess it was work, but it didn't seem like it; because I was doing something I thoroughly enjoyed.  I designed and made 

 quilts that were featured in magazine articles.

Then, I was fortunate enough to receive contracts to write two books on the subject. 

I traveled and taught quiltmaking nationally; and my quilts were exhibited all over.  Some of my quilts are more well-traveled than I am!  I've never considered myself to be an artist, even though I've had several one-woman gallery shows.

Occasionally, I was even asked to furnish an Artist's Statement. Who Me????  I'm not an artist!

 

I just made quilts because I loved geometry, fabric, and to sew.

 Writing an Artist's Statement was much more work than making a quilt.  As I would labor to write about my artistic (?) journey, I would start by mentioning my sixth-grade art teacher who said I didn't have an aptitude for art because I couldn't draw or paint.  But, I loved color, texture and shapes -- At the time, I wondered why can't that be art? 

Fortunately, I had a high school math teacher who said I was a whiz at understanding proportions, design, and geometry.  And previously in grade school, his wife had been my 4-H leader; and she taught me with such enthusiasm to sew with accuracy.  Together the two of them led me to find my niche. 

Do I consider myself now to be an artist?  Not yet, as   
  I remember so vividly when that art teacher told me that the pig I had drawn looked like a cow; and to give up any thoughts of future art endeavors. The message I received from her was that I would not, could not, should not be an artist.  Those are hard thoughts to shake!

The point of this post is to never discount how our words might translate to a child -- there is no way of knowing our influence or where those words might lead that child.   As an adult, it is important to always encourage young people; so they may attain their ultimate potential - whatever that may be!  Who would have thought -- a career as a quiltmaker?

I'm joining the following parties.  Please check out these blogs for great inspiration.
The Vintage Farmhouse for Creative Things Thursday
Jann Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

SHAMELESS PLUG

Some of you know that in my life before my husband's retirement I was a quiltmaker, which involved design work for publications, teaching, traveling, and writing books. Once I retired from doing all of that, it just became too expensive to make quilts without an income to support it. So I began to experiment with some ideas to use my quilt designing ability in smaller, manageable ways. Recently, I have been making a form of an artist trading card in a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" format transforming quilt designs into paper patchwork. I've been so engrossed that I have now made a number of the cards, and need a separate blog to chronicle the activity. Therefore, I have a fledgling blog called Q-Bits (or bits of quilts), where I will explain the muse behind the individual cards. Plus, I will show some of the quilts I have made over the past 50 years.
The card above was made in honor of my Mother, whose birth date is approaching; and is based on the quilt below that I made entitled, "Mother's Kitchen".

So, if you are interested in my quilts and the inspiration behind them, head over to my other blog, Q-Bits by clicking here. I've just started the blog and have scads of cards and quilts to show in the future.


While I'm shamelessly promoting my other blog, I would also like to mention my son's blog, called "Michael M. Saulmon". Yes, he is always straight forward in that manner - just his name as a blog title - no pretense with him, which to me is one of his endearing qualities. His blog is always interesting and thought-provoking on a variety of subjects including education and life in general. He is a high school teacher and enjoys traveling in his time out of the classroom. His posts from his laptop while overseas are always informative and fun. In his defense, he doesn't know that I'm promoting his blog. He is still searching for his 'blog niche' out there in cyberspace, so if you are interested or know someone who might be send them his way by clicking here.


Enough self-promotion for now!