Color Story: Gems + Jewel Tones (part 2)

l had so much jewel-toned goodness to share with you in part 1 of this color story that it overflowed into this whole separate post!

So you can continue to revel in jewel-toned art, nature, artisan goods, destinations, and DIYs.

Also, I’ve put all the Etsy items from both posts into a Jewel Tones collection, so you can find them more easily. (I’m an Etsy affiliate, so you can click through one of the links on this page, buy something awesome, and you’ll be supporting the site at the same time!)

1. Amethyst-colored feathers cover the heads of male Costa’s hummingbirds, like this striking fella, who was perched in the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Hummingbird Aviary. / photo by @reenagiolaphoto (avid photographer of birds + her Australian shepherds) via Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

2. “Crystal Trees” oil painting by Erin Hanson. Its palette was inspired by lush springtime in the Texas hill country. / prints + textured replicas are available to ship worldwide

3. “The Sacred Garden Box” made by gem intarsia artist Nicolai Medvedev from opal, sugilite, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, and malachite. / H/T Western Spirit (“Scottsdale’s museum of the West”), which had an exhibition of his work in 2023. / Photo by Harold + Erica Van Pelt

4. A pack of 24 watercolor birthstone greeting cards (blank inside) by The Ritzy Rose.

5. Fabulous Cheesecake with Blueberry Glaze, a dessert re-discovered on a clipping from a 1975 issue of Southern Living magazine tucked into in a family recipe box. / via Food.com

6. Still life with plums, part of the Endless Summer series of 9 paintings by French illustrator Léa Maupetit. / Endless Summer has been exhibited in the artist’s home city of Paris at Klin d’oeil Boutique + Galerie and as far away as 1905 Re-creative Space in Shenyang, China!

7. LOVE bracelets, part of a project providing artisans worldwide with fair wages. / Pictured are Carolina, Claudia, and Wendy, three sisters from a village near Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, who earned enough money weaving these bracelets to build an extra floor onto their home! / via Love Is Project

8. “Enchanted” soy candle in a tin made by A Bearden Project. / sold via The Bee Hive, a boutique collective of independent makers in Atlanta

9. Phoenix Chile Pepper Festival attendees mingling as the sun goes down. / We went to the festival in 2016. Unfortunately, I don’t think they hold it anymore.

10. “Woodland romance” bouquet made from foliage with a mix of textures and tied with cascading ribbons. The flowers and other decor were inspired by the woodsy outdoor setting of a wedding reception. / flowers by Lace and Lilies + photo by Lori Kennedy Photography via The Perfect Palette

11. “We Are Star Stuff“ acrylic painting by Arizona artist Frank Gonzales, whose art is also featured on a large scale in the terrazzo floor of the 24th Street Sky Tram station at Phoenix Sky Harbor.

12. The Northern Lights in Norway! / The photo comes from one of the Sustainable Susie comic books, where the titular character shares responsible travel tips for seeing the aurora borealis and exploring fjords. The books were created by the nonprofit United States Tour Operators Association. / Photo credit: Hans Petter Sørensen + FarOutFocus/Visit Norway via AFAR Media

13. Teal and blue blown-glass terrarium for succulents, air plants, or fairy gardens. / by Garden Outside the Box / mostly blue version

14. Large malachite gemstone in the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem + Mineral Museum, Tucson. / I took the photo when I visited the museum last fall. It’s one of Tucson’s top spots to see crystals, gems, and minerals all year round!

15. Rainbow Peacock Watercolor Print by Dean Crouser.

16. Guide for making beeswax food wraps, bee-less vegan food wraps, and snack bags, as reusable alternatives to single-use plastic wrap and baggies. / by Mountain Rose Herbs

17. Boozy Gem Jams by Moxie and Sassafras, a Tucson maker of small-batch macarons, alcohol-infused jams, and other treats with unexpected flavors.

18. Super colorful socks knit by the ever talented + creative Kelli Donley Williams!

19. At Sky Bar in Tucson, a video that looks like space plays on the big screen, while we wait for them to wheel out the telescope. They have nightly stargazing on the patio with volunteer astronomers to guide you and answer questions!

20. Fluorite and smoked quartz at the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. It was found on Mount Blanc by crystal prospector Christophe Péray, who had lost his longtime collaborator Laurent Chatel on the same mountain range the year before. In his memory, Christophe named this specimen “Laurent.” / Photo by F. Farges via Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle

21. Dark Chocolate Detox Bites topped with dried fruit that looks just like the red fluorite in Laurent (from #20)! / The sweets are meant to be a healthier version of a traditional French Christmas candy, called mendiants (medallions). / by The View From Great Island

January 27, 2024January 27, 2024

Color Story: Gems + Jewel Tones (part 1)

Beyond just decoration, color is elemental.

Think of mineral pigments. The way a body of water takes on shades of what it carries – a cloudy blue glacial stream, a teal bay concealing a forest of kelp, a river that turns mud-brown with sediment. The hue of flames shifting from fuel and temperature changes. Or the impact of heat and chemical makeup on the color of lava, of aurora, of stars.

The rich, saturated colors of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and other gemstones are actually from trace elements within them. It’s those so-called imperfections that create the gorgeous palette we call jewel tones.

With Tucson’s gem show season beginning today, it seemed like the perfect time to explore jewel-toned things to make, places to visit, handmade items to shop, and nature to marvel at.

In fact, I found so many gems to share with you that there will be a Part 2!

1. Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, as seen through Webb Telescope filters. / public domain composite image via NASA and Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) / in case you’re wondering: “How Are Webb’s Full-Color Images Made?” + “Where Colors in Telescope Images Come From”

2. Mineral from “one of the world’s finest collections of crystals” in the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, Oregon.

3. Interstellar Collection clay earrings handmade in Tucson by Little Rabbit Jewelry.

4. My photo of the fantastical Gila monster/Quetzalcoatl dragon mural that Jessica Gonzales created for Amazing Discoveries game store in Tucson.

5. Fluorite Obelisk made from natural crystal by Liz Creation Studio.

6. Monarch butterfly mosaic made on sustainable birchwood by Lantern Press Artwork.

7. Tossing Mardi Gras beads from a balcony in New Orleans. / via MardiGrasNewOrleans.com / History of throwing trinkets to Mardi Gras crowds.

8+9. Balsamic goat cheese pasta with roasted beets. / via Half-Baked Harvest

10. Looking up at the cut-gem shape of the ceiling of the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. / photo by Florence Womack

11. Fruit and Tonics: Recipe for giant, fruit-infused ice cubes that will give your drink more flavor as they melt instead of watering it down! / Add to gin and tonics, plain sparkling water, lemonade, or a pitcher of sangria. / via A Beautiful Mess

12. Sari Silk Cushion Cover made from vintage fabric in Jaipur, India by TheCraftmanship.

13. Free printable for making watercolor paper gems. / via We Are Scout

14. Prickly pear juice handcrafted by Desert Forager’s John Slattery. / At Tucson Meet Yourself, he was hustling to ring up beverage orders on one side of his booth while selling and signing his book, Southwest Foraging, on the other! / Return the jar your drink is served in for a discounted refill.

15. Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution by Hanan Karaman Munayyer, a beautiful book I borrowed recently.

16. Lanterns to celebrate Buddha’s birthday (Vesak Day) in Seoul, South Korea. / via Huffington Post

17. Hand-cut glass bottle wind chimes made by Bottles Uncorked. / You can order a set of all 10 colors or choose a single bottle.

18. BIRDLOVER Guatemalan Huipil Blouse, handwoven and embroidered by Doña Juana, a Mayan weaver in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala. It was a 6-month long project! / via Mayan Artisans on Etsy

Photos link to their sources. This post contains Etsy affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases – at no extra cost to you! Win-win!

November 24, 2023November 25, 2023

“Frybread Face:” a Film about Family, Flocks + Defining Yourself

Imagine that you’re 12.

It’s the beginning of summer 1990, and you’re growing up in San Diego. You’ve got a Walkman, a neon green fanny pack, and annual passes to SeaWorld.

Then your mom effectively cancels all your summer plans when she tells you she’ll be sending you to stay at your grandma’s house on a sheep ranch in rural Arizona instead. [Record scratch.]

That’s the beginning of Benny’s story in the film Frybread Face and Me.

Welcome to the Rez

Benny, portrayed by Keir Tallman, is a sweet, Fleetwood-Mac-loving preteen, who marches to the beat of his own drum.

His Aunt Lucy drops him off at the home of his grandmother (played by Sarah Natani, who is a Navajo master weaver in real life, as well as in the movie).

It’s the first time in years he’s been on the reservation, and it is a bit of culture shock for the city kid. Although he’s Navajo (Diné), he doesn’t speak the language and has grown up away from the traditions that weave their way into the life of many of his relatives.

Grandma Lorraine only speaks Navajo. When it is just the two of them, her words are not subtitled. So unless you speak Navajo, you are as in the dark as Benny is.

His Uncle Marvin, who also lives on the ranch, speaks English but doesn’t have a kind word to say to Benny.

Although Grandma Lorraine’s house is so remote that it doesn’t have running water or electricity, it is actually the hub that connects his extended family. It’s where they always return – especially in times of transition or difficulty.

The City Cousin and the Country Cousin

Things begin to turn around for Benny with the arrival of his 10-year-old cousin (played by Charley Hogan), who everyone calls “Frybread Face.” Not only is she able to translate the Navajo language and culture for him, she can give him the scoop on their relatives, as well. The two cousins bond while working together to take care of sheep, fix fences, and find time to just have fun and be kids.

Throughout the film, Benny is trying to understand who he is and how he fits into his culture and his family. He also learns that the adults don’t have it all figured out either.

Native American Heritage Continues

The film is beautiful with plenty of moments to both make you smile and to tug at your heart strings.

It was written and directed by Billy Luther, who is Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo. While he has made documentaries (including the award-winning Miss Navajo) and television shows, this is his first feature film! It was filmed on location in New Mexico with shots that capture the wide open spaces and stark beauty of the high desert.

Frybread Face and Me is being released on Netflix and in select theaters today (November 24, 2023) in honor of Native American Heritage Day.

Film preview and photos courtesy of ARRAY.

August 22, 2023August 18, 2023

Our Mesa Mini Quilt Shop Hop (Part 2)

When it didn’t work out for my mom and I to make a day trip for the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop (part 1 of this saga), we opted instead to visit a couple of her favorite East Valley quilt shops. Both of them participate in the official Phoenix-area (Valley) shop hop that usually takes place in the fall, so we were hoping to get the scoop on that while we were there.

Quilt Shops

The stores we visited were A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s Quilt and Sew. Afterwards, while we were in the car headed to see Barbie, we recorded a few thoughts about the two shops.

Mom: Both places [A Quilter’s Oasis and Mad B’s] are always very helpful to get you what you need and help you find what you’re looking for! You see the owner’s characteristics in the shop, just like if you go into somebody else’s home. It shows their personality.

A Quilter’s Oasis

Mom: I think they’re exceptionally helpful in A Quilter’s Oasis. They have a really big collection of batiks, so that would be a distinctive for them.

Me: I think A Quilters Oasis also had more “cutesy” fabrics, which is good if that’s what you’re looking for.

Mom: Yeah. And so many quilts displayed, which is really nice!

geometric quilt design in black and white — Carrol’s Garden quilt for an upcoming class with instructor Brittany DeVries (October 28).

They were indeed very helpful at A Quilters Oasis, which was our first stop. I think by the time we’d been there 10 minutes, three different people had asked if we needed anything! We checked out their classroom space, and even the class participants were super friendly.

We ended up in a whole conversation with the staff about our attempted trip to the Northern Arizona Quilt Shop Hop and the upcoming one in the Phoenix area. They shared what they could about shop hop plans that were already in the works.

Colorful quilt called vintage. — Instructor Kathy Reynolds will teach a class on making this “Vintage” quilt on October 3.

For their store specifically, that includes deciding where to get cookies this year, because, apparently, they give away tons of them during the shop hop! The fact that they’re already working on this tells me their priorities are in the right place.

Mad B’s t-shirt collaboration with State Forty-Eight.

Mad B’s Quilt and Sew

We followed that up by visiting another Mesa-based quilt shop, Mad B’s Quilt and Sew.

Me: Maybe the fabrics were a little more modern at Mad B’s.

Mom: Yeah, maybe a little more modern. Mad B’s always has their projects out for you to look at – if you can find them!

She laughed, because we had gone around the whole store trying to find a particular sample project that she wanted to show me. Turns out the teachers make their own demonstration samples for classes and take them home once the class is over, so it actually wasn’t even there anymore.

We turned our attention to gathering supplies for the next class Mom would be taking there. Sales associates helped us locate the right zippers and figure out how much of different types of fabric she’d need for the project.

Mad B’s entrance — The entrance to Mad B’s in Mesa.

She’s been taking extra classes at Mad B’s this summer. They offered this great deal where you’d buy a Class Pass and then could take all the classes you want in July and August without paying additional class fees.

It seems like a nice way to liven up a time of year when the heat is feeling oppressive and not much is going on!

City of Peoria quilt — Quilt in a community center in Peoria.

Shop Hop Around the Valley

Mom: A quilt shop hop is a regional opportunity to see different quilt shops. For us here in the Valley, they’re spread for – I don’t know – 50 miles? So a lot of times people will divide and do the West Valley one time and the East Valley another time. But there’s also groups of quilters who will just rent a bus or a van and go, for the whole day, from one shop to the next!

Shop Hop Map via A Quilter’s Oasis on Facebook.

While many of the details were yet-to-be released, we did find out a few things about this fall’s Phoenix-area shop hop, which is more formally known as…

Hop Around the Valley: Maricopa County Shop Association Shop Hop

Dates: October 6-14, 2023
Passports are $10 and are now available for purchase at any of the shops.
Get passport stamps by visiting all 9 participating shops during the Shop Hop dates to be eligible for the grand prizes!

Cactus pincushions at the Phoenix Area Quilters Association (PAQA) booth at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival.

Each shop in the hop will…

Do a different demonstration.
Give you something to take home with you.
Have prize drawings, including two $50 gift cards for their shop!

October should be a much nicer time of year to be hopping around Phoenix. I think my mom has already bought her passport!

Barbara Connoyer, owner at sun valley quilts with a rep from The Grace Company — Another participating shop is Sun Valley Quilts. I met owner, Barbara Connoyer at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival., and took a photo of her and a rep from The Grace Company at their booth.

July 29, 2023July 29, 2023

Quilt Shop Hops: Northern Arizona

landscape designs on quilts — Picture Piecing quilts by England Design Studios at the Quilt, Craft + Sewing Festival.

What’s a Quilt Shop Hop?

In case you’re not familiar, you can think of a quilt shop hop as kind of like a pub crawl, only with less alcohol and a lot more fabric.

Different quilt shops in a region will participate with demonstrations, prizes, and fun activities. You “hop” around to the different ones. Instead of tickets or admission, you can purchase a single passport that allows you to join in the extra festivities at each shop.

Fabric banner — Banner project via Quilt N Sew Connection, Prescott Valley.

Northern Arizona Shop Hop

The Northern Arizona “Beat the Heat” Shop Hop is actually going on across northern Arizona through today (Saturday, July 29).

To join in, you just start in any of the 6 participating shops and buy a passport for $5. That gets you entry into prize drawings and a 10% discount on merchandise, as you visit the rest of the shops (or as many of them as you’d like).

The Plan

My mom wanted to go check out that Northern Arizona Shop Hop, so we hatched a plan to make a day trip while I was visiting her recently.

The plan was to time our two-hour drive from Phoenix so we’d arrive as the shops were opening. We wouldn’t get to all of them, but we might be able to go to 3 or 4 out of the 6, and then get back to her house in time for Phillip and I to drive home to Tucson (two hours in the opposite direction).

What actually happened was a different story – more on that in a minute.

While the day did not go as planned, I had looked up a bunch of stuff about the shops ahead of time. And had done some deep dives into Google Maps street views of our destinations, because even map apps can be confusing!

Let’s Go to the Hop

In case you’d like to plan your own Northern Arizona quilt store expedition (during a shop hop or not), I wanted to share the information I found about the shops I was planning on going to.

Before you drive across the state, it’s always a good idea to check AZ511 for road closures because of construction, weather, wildfires, etc.

highway — Exit to Chino Valley, via Google Maps.

Start here!

Take the I-17 north out of the Phoenix area.
When you get to Cordes Junction, peel off onto AZ-69 North (take exit 262 for Cordes Lakes) towards Prescott.
You’ll get to Prescott Valley first, and that’s where you’ll find the first two shops on our list…

Trails going through a park. — One of the town trails via Prescott Valley Parks + Recreation.

Prescott Valley

In case you’re not familiar with the area, yes, Prescott Valley is a different town than Prescott, which is almost 100 years older!

Via Quilt N Sew Connection. — Via Quilt N Sew Connection, Prescott Valley.

1. Quilt N Sew Connection

Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm / Sat 10am-4pm
Contact quiltn@quiltnsewconnection.com / Facebook / (928) 775-9580

Find them at 6546 E. Second St., Suite A, Prescott Valley

From Cordes Junction, stay on AZ-69 for about 30-40 minutes.
Take a left onto Valley View Drive – which may look less like like a street and more like the entrance to the Mattress + Furniture Gallery parking lot.
Quilt N Sew Connection is in one of the Santa Fe style buildings on Second Street, across from the Post Office.

2. ClothPlus Quilt Shop and Home Decorating Fabric Shop

In their words:

“A great selection of quality quilting fabrics, battings, books and supplies,” as well as “a passion for batiks!” On the home decorating side, they carry an assortment of upholstery fabrics for both DIYers and pros – and (heads up, cosplayers!) they also have an entire foam department.

Open Tue–Sat 10am-5pm
Contact: bill@clothplus.com / (928) 772-5010

Find them at 6479 E. Copper Hill Dr., Prescott Valley

From Quilt N Sew, cross AZ-69 and turn onto Copper Hill Drive.
ClothPlus is in a warehouse-looking building on the south side of the street.

Prescott

Prescott’s Courthouse Plaza is home to craft fairs, festivals, and lots of other outdoor events! It’s surrounded by a town square full of quirky shops and restaurants, historic hotels, and old-timey saloons. We were hoping to be there by lunchtime.

3. Prescott Quilt Works

In their words:

A new full-service quilt shop with “a curated selection of both traditional and modern fabrics, patterns, and supplies.” Their goal is “to inspire and help you create your vision while having fun from start to finish.”

Open Tue, Thr-Sat 10am-4pm / Wed 10am-6pm

Contact hello@prescottquiltworks.com / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / (928) 515-2276
Find them at 1781 E. AZ-69, Suite 29, Prescott

Get back on AZ-69 North until you spot Frontier Village Shopping Center on your left.
Prescott Quilt Works is a couple doors down from Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Stars come out at dusk over a valley. — Overlooking Chino Valley in Northern Arizona at sunset. Via Discover Chino Valley.

Chino Valley

If we had time to squeeze it in, this would be our final stop of the day.

antique sewing machine on an old sewing table — Antique sewing machine at Sew-n-Sew Fabric in Chino Valley.

4. Sew-n-Sew Fabric, Notions + More

In their words:

“This store has been a dream of mine for over 30 years and to see it come to fruition has me beyond words. Our goal is to provide a one stop shop for all your basic sewing needs.”

Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm

Contact yoursewnsew@yahoo.com / Facebook / (928) 636-3769
Find them at 1120 S. Hwy 89, Suite E. Chino Valley

Get back onto AZ-69, but prepare to take a pretty quick right.
Exit onto AZ-89 North.
Go through like 6 traffic circles. Make sure you’re still on AZ-89 when you come out the other side of each one!
At the stoplight intersection with Rt 2 S, make a U-turn. (Where are those traffic circles when you finally need one?!)
Sew-n-Sew will be on the right, in a strip mall with a blue roof.

Quilter's Quarters, Cottonwood — Quilter’s Quarters shop, photo by Paula Fleming via Google Maps.

Cottonwood + Flagstaff

The other two participating shops that we knew we wouldn’t be able to fit into our day trip…

5. Quilter’s Quarters, Cottonwood

6. Odegaard’s Sewing Center, Flagstaff

blossoms — Vine blooming during the summer in the Mesa Urban Garden.

How Our Day Actually Went

Usually, going to Northern Arizona in the summer means cool weather instead of Phoenix heat.

However, as the shop hop got closer, the whole state seemed to be scorching. Even in the high country, they were expecting temps of 98-100, which is not cool. But cooler than Phoenix by about 20 degrees, so that’s something.*

I checked in with Mom.

Me: If it’s hot up north, do you still want to go?

Mom: Sure!

Mom remembered she had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for the morning of our trip. It would mean heading north a bit later, but we could make it work if the appointment didn’t go too long.

Me: If we leave straight from your doctor’s office, do you still want to go?

Mom: Sure!

The appointment went too long. It was midday before Mom finally reappeared in the waiting room. We started talking about if it made any sense to try to drive up just for the afternoon. Then Mom had an idea.

Mom: Instead of making a long drive, do you want to visit a couple nearby quilt shops and then go see the Barbie movie?

Me: Sure!

That was a plan that worked out perfectly. The Barbie movie was great! And I’ll fill you in on the Phoenix-area (East Valley) stores we visited in the next few weeks.

Barbie pink fabric from Elkhorn Quilt Company. I took the photo at the Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival.

*Temperatures were around 37 Celsius in the normally-much-cooler northern Arizona region. Hot. But slightly less hot than the Phoenix area, where it was 47 C!