Wow, what a quick trip to the Redondo & Hermosa Beach area – just west of Long Beach. The Diamond Landscape / Monet Waterlily workshop was terrific – take a peek!

This year we have so much to be thankful for! I encourage you to celebrate Thanksgiving in your unique way. Share yourself with others, and adopt an “attitude of gratitude” for your blessed life!

What are your traditions for Thanksgiving? When I was a child, we would regularly have dinner with family friends. We would always have a “grown-up table” and a “kid’s table” – and the kid’s table was MUCH more fun!

This year our immediate family will thankfully celebrate with friends right here at home. Every member selects a dish or two that we’ll be in charge of preparing – and every family member spends time in the kitchen. (My goal is that Ryan, Dan and Lindsay can create their OWN family traditions one day). Sometimes it is downright crowded in there! We gather together, pray and tell what WE are most grateful for this year.

Our favorite foods? Probably the same as yours – Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes & creamed peas (these 2 dishes constitute a food group for our family!), gravy, fruit salad, assorted pies.

A new favorite recipe (introduced by our dear Tanya) is one you might like to try: Curried Pumpkin Soup. Let me know what you think! I’m going to make some this week! As you enjoy your soup, we’ll be savoring ours.

Thanksgiving in the Krentz kitchen

In 2005 I taught a Diamond Landscape workshop at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA. Marge Abel was in the workshop, and designed her own quilt from a photographic inspiration. Here are photos of her work in progress, and Marge’s finished piece (fall, 2008). Great work, Marge! Congratulations!

Our southern California skies are frequently clear without clouds…. and cloudy skies provide the most specatcular sunsets! Here are some photos from my home of a lovely evening when we had some scattered clouds – enjoy!

Carol G. and her Dad, Frances shared their apples with our Tuesday quilting bee. Frances and Carol harvest the apples each fall in their Maine orchard. They brought one of each variety back to California in their suitcases (bruises provided, free-of-charge by the airlines)! The apples ranged in size from tennis-ball size to large grapefruit size. Carol treated us to her own apple pie dessert made with several apple varities. YUM!

Visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea for breakfast, photographing a bit of the town for you to see.

The Valentine

The Valentine, detail

Location description: Sixth and Lincoln, Carmel-by-the-sea, California

Statue’s Subject: The Valentine

Artist: George W. Lundeen

Ocean Avenue, Carmel

Thomas Kincade Gallery sign

 

Pumkins in alley walkway, next to Kinkade Gallery

The alley beckons you to explore....

The first few days of November I traveled to the Monterey-Pacific Grove, California area. The Monterey Peninsula Quilt Guild members joined me for a multi-day Quick Star workshop and designed different stars, all of them cut with either the 6 1/2″ or 3″ diamond rulers. We had such a great time! Here are a few photos from the workshop.

I love to visit quilt shops on the road. While it isn’t possible to review each and every shop, here is a glimpse into a favorite shop in the Monterey area – Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove. (photos courtesy of Jeanne Mills) Feast your eyes!

Tessuti Zoo sign

 

front entry

Ding-Dong…….. the film crew and producer are here! Jane Moxey, Producer (Seattle, WA area) and a free-lance film crew arrived to shoot the “Jan Krentz Teaches You How to make Lone Star Quilts” DVD. It was a l-o-n-g and intensive 4 days, on the heels of many months of intermittent teaching trips.

Dear friend, Betty, was the behind-the-scenes assistant who organized and brought all of the props to the filming area, and updated the “clap” board to mark each scene. The crew were hard-working, professional and fun. It was a great experience!