James Gandolfini died today–age 51 on vacation in Rome from an apparent heart attack/stroke. I am truly heartbroken. I think it’s fair to say Jim Gandolfini was my favorite actor, and The Sopranos was (and still is) a nightly sight on my TV set in my studio.

I can hands-down say with every fiber of my being, no television series/ story has meant as much to me (nor will any series be able to match)  The Sopranos. It’s brilliantly conceived, brilliantly written, brilliantly acted. And when I am feeling lonely, nothing lifts my spirits more than puttering around my studio listening to the banter between Tony and Carmela, or Tony cursing and shouting at his crew– dialogue that I have probably heard a hundred times already because I’ve re-watched every episode, over and over. And over. I know the musical selections from each and every episode, and if you said a random quote to me, I could probably tell you the scene and the episode title.

And if someone asked me who is the character who you related to the most, I would say Tony Soprano, mostly because of how James Gandolfini portrayed him.

He was an insightful actor, able to depict a character struggling with huge familial responsibility, with a humor-loving heart, coping with base desires, managing mood swings, inflicting hurt and violence (mostly reluctantly), yet such a caretaker, and in the end, somebody we could all relate to. James Gandolfini…he made every Sopranos fan realize there is a little of Tony Soprano in all of us. I know no other actor who could have portrayed the character of Tony Soprano as James Gandolfini did.

On my 40th birthday, I didn’t want any kind of party, rather opting for a solo trek on a train from Boston to New York, to go on The Sopranos bus tour in New Jersey to see all of the sights where the series was filmed. It was a pilgrimage of sorts, and when I got to New York and boarded the tour bus in the Fashion District and they rolled the tape of the opening Sopranos song as we submerged under the Hudson, traversing through the Lincoln tunnel to New Jersey, there was no happier person on that tour bus than me. I smiled a toothy, goofy grin, giggling at the hilarity of what I decided to do on my 40th, reveling in the lyrics of “Woke Up This Morning,” so, so happy to explore the locales of this series, and just laughing that this was a slightly insane, off-kilter thing for me to do. (For all you James Joyce fans out there, The Sopranos tours is the American version of the Ulysses tour in Dublin, which I’ve done. Not to be missed!)

I had always hoped to meet James Gandolfini in person, and tell him what a fine individual and actor he was, and not just for The Sopranos, I had seen him in a number of other productions. He was a top notch actor and person. And he died way too young. Selfishly, I am very sorry I will never meet him–something I had on my bucket list.

He inspired the cover of a company Christmas card I made a few years ago:

He inspired a woman’s 40th birthday solo trek:

He kept me company in my office (and still does):

And he inspired a quilt I made:

I feel cliche´even closing with this but I have to.

Don’t stop believin’…focus on the good times.

The other morning while running on the treadmill at my new gym, a gentleman who looked to be a trainer approached me and extended his hand out for a high five. Not knowing him, I thought maybe he confused me for a friend or a client. Since I was running at a pretty good clip (and exhausted), I clasped the handle bar with my left hand and high-fived him with my right. He broke out in a huge grin, gave me a thumbs up, and with a  limp in his gait, walked away. It was then I realized he is living with some disabilities, and besides replenishing headsets on cardio machines, his favorite task is to go around and offer encouragement to those sweating away on ellipticals, stationary bikes, and the like.

To all of the men out there–whether fathers or not–for your high-fives, protection, encouragement, and support, I hope you have a very Happy Father’s Day!

Father/Daughter Dance
St. Francis Yacht Club
San Francisco, 1978

This picture doesn’t have much to do with Mother’s Day. Except it’s spring-like and pretty, and if my mom were here in Houston on Mother’s Day, I would want to take her bike riding.

Earlier, I had ordered flowers for all the mothers in my life  and saw my grandmother’s name in my online address book. It made me wistful and thankful for all the women through the years who have been there for me and who have mentored me–whether a mother, a mother-in-law, a teacher…a friend. Thank you.

Ironically, I am listening to this particular song as I write this:

To all the women out there–mothers and mentors–Happy Mother’s Day,

Pokey

5/23/13/ UPDATE

Libby has been transferred to an acute care facility and you can sign her guest book and learn about her daily progress on this webpage at Caring Bridge.

I hate sharing this kind of thing, but if you have not heard the sad news, Libby Lehman has suffered from a brain aneurysm and is in intensive care in a hospital here in Houston. She remains in critical but stable condition. Having also suffered a stroke, she is in a sedated state, but according to Ricky Tims (who has been in close contact with her husband and subsequently posting timely updates on his Facebook page), the doctors are gradually stopping the sedatives in the hopes she will begin to slowly wake up in the next few days. No one knows exactly what possible damage there may be until Libby wakes up.

The next few days are extremely critical, and Libby could use all of our thoughts, prayers, and positive energy.

Libby and me a few months ago in Cleveland.

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Libby made such an impression on me the first time I met her. About a decade ago I was invited to be a part of the Bernina Artisan program and that year there was a weekend retreat at the OESD headquarters in Oklahoma. That crew was comprised of so many famous and talented quilters, I was totally intimidated…but she was very kind to me, and made sure I felt a part of the group. And when I moved to Houston last year, she was the first one to call my office and leave a welcoming message, asking me to lunch.

All in the quilting world know she is extremely talented, but her kindness and generous spirit have had an equal–if not greater impact–on the quilting community.

According to Ricky, the family asks that no one sends flowers but rather cards–or better yet quilted cards–to:

Libby Lehman
617 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002

Wouldn’t it be fun for her to wake up and get heaps and heaps of cards?

Let’s do this.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Adele-loving Kathy Schermerhorn! You won the fabrics, and I will email you for your shipping address!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I sure did…starting Friday night when the Boston police caught Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Watertown, MA. Alive.  What happened in Boston is just surreal to me, I know this area very, very well, and to think of terror like this happening so close to home, I had that same awful pit in my stomach I had during 9/11 when there were two planes out of Logan. I don’t think I was alone in crying tears of joy and relief that it was over this past Friday night, and hopefully we can get some answers out of this guy for why he and his brother would intentionally cause such incredible hurt and angst on what was to be a celebratory day.

At any rate…it was a gorgeous, sunny weekend in Houston, and on Saturday afternoon I unpacked my supplies from the Cincinnati show and washed my monoprinted fabrics I had created in Open Studios.

They don’t look like much now, but I have some ideas for cutting them up into 4″ squares for hand stitching, much like Linda McLaughlin’s work that you can see here.

As it is Monday and the start of a new week that I know will be so much better than last week, I thought it was time to give some fabric away!
How about this little stack:

Just answer the following question and I will randomly select a winner in the next day or two.

Question: I am always on the hunt for new tunes to listen to while in my studio. What are you listening to now?

Me? I added a new tune to my playlist this weekend that I heard on satellite radio, and it feels pretty appropriate as we triumph over such a senseless act and take back the spirit of Boston and the marathon…

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Love you, Boston!

I’m home from Cincinnati–a really great show! I do have a blog post with lots of pictures, but first things first: I, like many, am just sick and heartbroken over what happened in Boston yesterday, including the death of a precious eight-year-old boy.

I was out to lunch in Houston when the bombs went off, and thankfully, Rhianna Griffin, one of my coworkers texted me to let me know. I immediately called John to find out if all of the Boltons were ok, and it turns out my brother-in-law and nephew were downtown, catching the Red Sox game and the finish of the marathon. They heard the blast but were quickly escorted to Copley Plaza, which was secured and put into a state of lock down.

Patriot’s Day in Boston is incredibly special. As it is a state holiday in Massachusetts, it is a joyful day signifying the beginning of spring as the last of the snow has finally melted and the temps, at long last, rise. From Hopkinton and Heartbreak Hill to downtown…the streets are lined with thousands of people…with families, college students, and well-wishers, cheering the runners on with shouts of encouragement, live bands, water, orange wedges and high-fives. Simply put, it is a feel good day.

Coincidentally, I had planned a blog post later this week celebrating something that happened exactly 20 years ago: the first time I ran it.

April 19, 1993

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In this above shot, I just finished the hardest leg (Heartbreak Hill), and I’m hearing the shouts of college friends as I pass my alma mater, Boston College. One of my roommates (on my right in this picture), Ann Boyle Nagel, spotted me at mile 19, and as the captain of the B.C. women’s crew team and an ROTC recruit (and hence in incredible shape), she ran the last seven miles by my side, encouraging me to keep going.

Five years later, John and I ran the Boston Marathon again, on behalf of Children’s Hospital to raise money. I was also a special needs teacher in Newton Public Schools, and this time when I ran up Heartbreak Hill (which is in Newton) many of my students were lined up on the side of the road, some in wheelchairs. My students had significant physical and mental disabilities, and as I passed them and their “Go Miss Pokey!” signs, I thought about the daily, lifelong struggles they face, and how running a mere 26.2 mile race wasn’t nearly as arduous a challenge. Thinking about that got me to the finish line. It kept me going.

My marathon days are long over, but I am eager to participate in the Boston Marathon again, next time as a spectator, encouraging others along.

I am simply sick about what happened yesterday…and to the numbskulls who did this, know this: you’ll never tamp the spirit of this incredible day. We, as runners and spectators, will keep cheering each other on. And we will keep going,

Well, maybe that header is a tad misleading…but I got you to read this far, right?

I owe the final entry on the QA TV taping that took place last week, and a little known show on PBS called Downton Abbey made it’s way on set, thanks to Cheryl Sleboda…

Me with my friend Cheryl Sleboda who taped a whopping five segments for this next season.

A fellow die-hard Downton Abbey fan, Cheryl demonstrated how she made small portraits of Downton Abbey characters based on her cartooning and sketching techniques. In the picture below (if you squint), you can get a glimpse of the steps she took to make portraits of Sybil, Edith,  Cora, and even the Dowager Countess!

Closest to Cheryl, you can see the “step-outs” to create Lady Mary.

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I also taped a segment on International Quilt Festival’s Pet Project to raise funds for Friends for Life, Houston’s premiere no-kill animal shelter. I am hoping thousands of PBS viewers  take my request to heart, and send in pet postcards for this next fall’s show (or better yet, come in person)!

Above I’m holding a postcard I made featuring my beloved Lou Lou.

I was so happy to get Sue Bliewiess to tape with us finally. A fellow Boston girl, she is very, very talented and makes the most adorable pet postcards. She did a lengthy segment, explaining her techniques for creating them.

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My friend Judy Coates Perez came back this season to tape two segments on dying and fabric painting, and she looked fantastic with her new Farah Fawcett hairdo!

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Linda McLaughlin taped a couple of segments, one on a variation of deconstructed screen printing (which was so cool and I will be trying this weekend), and a segment on “365 Days of 65” where she hand-stitched small quilt squares every single day during the year of her 65th birthday.

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Her newly adopted discipline of daily hand stitching inspired other finished works, including this black and white quilt that I was rather tempted to steal off the set…

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The very colorful Dianne Springer was a newbie to QATV, but she was a total pro on camera as she demonstrated how she takes scraps of fabrics to create a vibrant mailbox that will definitely set one apart from the neighbors!

Fellow thermofax screen passionista, Lynn Krawczyk was back this season, too, to demonstrate how to turn one’s love of surface design techniques into wearable art and home dec. projects.

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Silk dyer Marlene Glickman was back, too, to demonstrate a unique way of creating fabric collage using elusive bits of dyed sheers.

Modern Quilter Debbie Grifka demonstrated five small modern quilt projects that were so clever and that all can be completed in an afternoon. (By the look of my bangs in the shot below, it seems Judy Perez wasn’t the only one channeling Farah Fawcett!)

And lastly, Heather Jones was back this season to demonstrate other modern quilting techniques…some of which she will be demonstrating at Open Studios at International Quilt Festival/ Cincinnati next week! The guy between us is Mike Murphy, our Director. (He loves to ham it up.)

And speaking of behind-the scenes folks…here are another couple of guys that I stare at all day:

Floor director Billy with camera man, Brandon (and Hulk Hogan in the middle).

Have a great weekend, everybody!

My body is having an off day so I decided it was best to stay home and prepare my supplies for Open Studios and my Fabric Postcard workshops for Create On The Spot! next week at Quilt Festival/Cincinnati. (Much, much more on that tomorrow!)

Problem was, this past year I have downsized from a sizable studio into a 10′ x 10′ guest bedroom space, and frankly, I just haven’t created much at all because I can’t ever find anything! So today, I started to expand my studio into other parts of my house in efforts to get organized.

Here’s an instance of that…

Before:

And after:

Fabric trumps food.

In case you are unfamiliar with the term “Irish Flu,” it’s a sickness one experiences on March 18, after celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by imbibing one too many green beers. Fortunately for me, I do not have a case of the Irish Flu today (and no one else at Quilts Inc. does either), but since our staff is getting ready to embark on Quilt Show season with our first show about three weeks away, it’s time we build or strength and stamina, beginning with a healthy, vitamin- and antioxidant-filled juice drink!

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I made sure we focused on ingredients that would yield green juice…

Why do I personally like to juice? I am bad about remembering to eat my fruits and vegetables every day, so juicing gives me a leg up. There are also vegetables I don’t like to eat, but they taste pretty good in a blended juice. Plus, juicing is a great idea before embarking on a long machine quilting session at your sewing machine as it will keep you energized and sated for hours. Some of my favorite fruits and vegetables to juice include (and yes, I mix them all together):

Spinach

Kale

Ginger

Garlic

Carrots

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Lemons

Oranges

Peppers

Apples

Pears

Parsley

Beets (But be warned, this will make your juice bright red!)

I use a  Hurom Slow Juicer, which separates the pulp from the juice:

Before drinking, it’s a good idea to stir the juice with a spoon to make sure the fruits and vegetables are blended.

Bottom’s Up!

Happy Monday…

Earlier this month, I did a crazy and spontaneous thing: I put down my needle and thread and took a last minute trip to my beloved hometown of San Francisco for the weekend.

Fisherman’s Wharf
Saturday, March 2

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I stayed in my grandmother’s vacant apartment, which was bitter sweet. The last time I had been here was in 2010 when I hosted the SAQA board meeting, and since the apartment most likely will be going on the market soon since my grandmother has passed, I wanted to at least spend one more time in a place that has been a part of my life since I was a very small girl. The view aint half bad either…

I also got to have drinks on the wharf with my closest friend from high school who recently got engaged, and while pondering locales for her upcoming nuptials (Napa, Cindy, Napa!!!),  we got to talking about other close high school friends with whom we’ve lost touch, namely our friend Devin who three years ago launched her own restaurant in San Francisco (and has been getting a ton of press).

Here’s a shot of Devin and me 24 years ago…

Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team
The Branson School
1989

So on Saturday I decided to pay her a surprise visit at American Cupcake on Union Street. I was worried that when I saw her she wouldn’t recognize me (it’s been at least 15 years), but nope, we squealed and squeaked like a couple of meerkats upon sight, frightening all of her customers.

It was the best visit; over freshly baked chocolate cupcakes and glasses of pinot, we caught up, gossiped, and talked about our love of creating, whether it be food or quilts.

I am so proud of Devin, and for those who love fried chicken, she has a very, very special dish…

I am so glad I took this last minute trip, because besides making pet postcards for our Festival Pet Project last fall, my quilt muse has been fairly absent over the past year. Yet just going on this brief excursion, I am energized to fire up my thermofax machine and stitch a quilt I have in mind that pays tribute to my hometown. So my upcoming weekend plans will be to hole up in my studio whilst listening to some Flogging Molly on St. Patrick’s Day.

To all my fellow Irish, Sláinte!