Meet my friend Joyce.

This is my friend Joyce. I met Joyce when I first started quilting, she both taught and worked at Going to Pieces in Pleasanton. I took quilt classes from her, and later ended up working there too.  I'm afraid to count the years really.  It's been a long time.

Anyway, you know what a copy catter I am, and Joyce has a lovely style worth copy catting. She was in charge of decorating the shop window, and people would come for miles to see it. The vignettes were wonderful.

 

Joyce influenced my fabric selections and my decorating style for many years, I have lots of chickens and  crows, egg scales,squirrels and acorns.  Even now I feel the sirens call of the folk art style.  

 

Some of the most important lessons about piecing and binding and getting things done I learned from Joyce.  I think one of the most important lessons that I keep reminding myself is about time management.  Joyce would keep her projects ready so that even the smallest amounts of time could be spent sewing, like those few minutes before you have to leave your house you could sit down and sew a few seams, or like today, she managed to get some piecing in before  I arrived because I was just a few minutes late.  I am a huge time waster so I try try try to remind myself to do this whenever possible. 

 

 

I still love looking at how her style has evolved over the years.  Her home has always been lovely, layers and layers of detail to draw you in, but also warm and cozy.

 

Seriously people, it's always nice and tidy like this. I have dropped in before and it looks like she just fluffed everything up for a visit.

 

 

I like how she uses quilts on tables and piled up here and there.  This quilt is from the Primitive Quilt magazine I think. She repeated the block 4 times for a nice size quilt. I'm pretty sure she made it in a week. She's a finisher.

 

Like Joyce I have a lot of little cross stitch pictures from the cross stitch years. My mother-in-law Doris, cousin Linda and I would sit around and stitch for hours.  I have many happy memories of those days.

 

 

Even the outdoor space is decorated. I love this tray of acorns Joyce collected on her morning walks. So many sweet details.  I'm glad I was there today, it looks like rain and this would have been picked up and stored for next year.

 

 

Goat cart, I can't tell you how many years Bret and I spent tracking down a vintage goat cart.   Mine is outside as well, but I remember seeing one filled with quilts with a glass top used as a side table in a quilt decorating book. LOVED IT.

 

It was a great morning spent with Joyce talking and catching up.  I was over excited to see it all and my photos don't really do her home justice.  Thanks Joyce for letting me come over and take  photos and for making delicious muffins and coffee!!! Even our friend Ann came and it was a lovely morning. 

 

Today I'm headed out to  meet my friend Karen for coffee.  Super exciting, I haven't seen her in ages, we used to take tap dance together probably 20 years ago.  I'm having a fantastic nostalgic week.   Hope you guys enjoy the photos. Have a super weekend ! xo