Ready for Long Beach quilt festival!

My quilting/embroidery/beading travel kit is packed, and in 36 hours I'll be headed to Long Beach, CA, for the ...

International Quilt Festival!

This little quilt will fold up into the travel case (a freebie from Clinique) along with scissors, needles, embroidery thread, beads, and beading thread. It weighs next to nothing and hardly takes any space, but it will keep me busy for hours.

Here's a closer look at the embroidery and beading. It's so meditative -- I don't have to think and I'm in no rush to finish. All I have to do is enjoy the colors as I sew them down. I've already made two passes around the main motif with different embroidery stitches, and now I'm making a third pass with beads.

I hope it's sunny in California, because we've had too much rain here lately. Above are the brave Feet and Forks women taking a break during a chilly, wet hike this week.

Earlier this month, I snapped these gorgeous plants in Nancy's garden. Luscious colors and patterns ... quilt inspiration.

Have a colorful day