Queen of the Quilts

I can't remember when my best friend and incidentally my wife didn't frequently have a needle  in her hand. Or a crochet hook . . . or some implement with which to mend, fix, alter or create something of beauty out of scraps of fabric. 

To me, and countless members of our family, as well as a few fortunate friends who have been warmed by her talent and generosity,  Bernita is the Queen of Quilts.

If she had ever made a quilt before we moved from Watkins Glen, NY to CA in 1984, I am unaware of the fact. It seems, however, that once Solana Beach began to feel like home, Bernita kicked the sewing machine, scissors, thimble and needle into high gear. The results of her efforts we share with you here.

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Beginning in 1987 I started to photo-document the fairly steady production of more than two dozen quilts, ranging from cute to quaint to crazy. Some quilts consumed but a few weeks. Others required more than a few months. However much time, it was comforting (pun intended) that I always knew where I might find my Queen.

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With no more words than necessary, let's queue up for a quota of quilts.

Looks like it could be something

Did you know there are "stand-up quilters?" No joke.

O

Ole rockin' chair's got her.

Stringing along

Getting a little crazy here.

No, this isn't quilt wallpaper. Just an easier way to do some planning.

And here's the final result . . . almost.

Looks like Bernita has the blues.

Now the blues . . . they've got Bernita

Li

Little quilts for little people

Granddaughter Herron relaxes on a Grandma Bert Quilt.

Bernita has stopped making quilts. Now she's into all things interesting on her iPad, including all out Scrabble battles with family, near and far.

'Til next time---and it won't be so long in coming!

Jim

BOOK BITS

HOW COME, you may ask . . . why so

long since the last Jim's Muses?

Or you might not have noticed at all. In any case, the reason (term it “excuse” if you like) is, I've been working . . . happily, with a couple of authors and a publisher.

As a result of of these elated labors you are invited to enjoy either hard copy or e-Book, an eclectic selection of material to which I had much fun contributing.

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Available on amazon.com are both That Does Not Compute and That Does Not Compute Too! Gag cartoons---ideas hatched from the fertile brain of Jack Dunning, publisher of the popular on-line ComputorEdge. (sic)

Jack started that magazine in 1984. Its title then was The Byte Buyer. I've drawn his ideas for cartoons ever since the print version ceased. Jack now lives in Oregon.

You can get free Kindle software for any device, tablet or computer:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&docId=1000493771&linkCode=ur2&tag=comput0b9-20

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The Ten Commandments forTravelers is another of several books penned by San Diego resident Nancy Chappie.

She is certainly in her element; having traveled in more than 120 countries, her expertise in the field makes her a welcome guest on radio and TV. If you want to make the most of any trip, read Nancy's book to find tips for a hassle-free experience. I was elated when Nancy asked me to do the cover for her great little guide book. You might want to check her web page, Chappieconsulting.com

Have you noticed the extra large type, especially for folks like me who do not like putting our mugs to the monitor in order to read the message?

Jane Simon, a psychiatrist of New York City found me on the Internet almost a year ago and it was my pleasure to illustrate The Cabala of the Animals, a most unusual tretise about people and animals (pets, in particular) and how they relate one to another. Jane's fascination with animal psychology is contagious. Mostly drawings, with spot-on observations by the author. We are currently working on a second book: Paradoxes. Stay tooned

How to Prevent Falls: Better Balance, Independence and More Energy in 6 Simple  Steps

There you have it. Betty Perkins-Carpenter, Ph.D., former Olympic diving coach, a member of the prestigious Healthy American Fitness Leaders, and author of two best-selling books, asked me to illustrate this great guide which is a life saver for seniors . . . and everyone. More than a hundred drawings make it easy to do what you can do!

NOW, reccommendations for two books I'm currently enjoying; the creator of each is a cartoonist---in my opinion top notch in his particular field.

Award winning sports cartoonist Murray Olderman never fails to hold your attention in any arena; this time football fans will rejoice as the true Al Davis is revealed. It's all there in the pages of Just Win, Baby; inside bits and pieces of AFL and NFL history, The Oakland Raiders, the coaches and players who influenced and were influenced by the enigmatic Davis. It's a terrific read even if one is not an avid football aficianado.

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Drabble has long been one of my favorite comic strips. The deceptively simple characters who inhabit a town you're sure to recognize, have become like a second family to me, but distinctly more disfunctional. It's a consistanly humorously pleasing experience each time you visit.

 Kevin Fagan, at the time of Drabble's debut in 1979 was one of the youngest cartoonists ever to be syndicated. He was 22 years old. I have to say, he writes as funny as he draws. Highly recommended is A Drabble Family Christmas Tale. A 130 page gem.

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Another collection of cartoons is in the pipeline. This one, about one of my favorite topics: Magic.

From the Preface of The Magitoons of Friedman and Whiting:

Ellen Friedman, gag writer for the magic cartoons, or Magitoons, is a writer, scientist, artist and is married to a magician.

Jim Whiting, artist for the Magitoons, is a cartoonist, writer and a magician.

Together we have made a Magitoon almost every month for the past nine-plus years. The Magitoons appear monthly in MagiCurrents, the publication of Ring 76, the San Diego, California chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, or IBM. Soon to be published!

Order any of the others on amazon.com

“til sooner, I hope.

Jim

? ? ? ?

I couldn't think of a really snazzy title for this LONG overdue Monthly Muse. The topic concerns magic and my fascination for it. Presto! Alakazam! .. . .and other incantations just didn't seem to fit. So-------we're stuck with ? ? ? ? !

No secrets will be revealed here; only reflections on a lifetime love of the art of legerdemain and prestidigitation. . . undoubtedly nurtured by a special Santa Clause gift. See it below. (That's the exact Mysto Magic Set by A.C. Gilbert. There were five sets in that particular series. Eventually, I owned them all.) And a career was born. Actually just an--on again--off again interest in magic which never completely abandoned me.

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My cousin, Betty, who also gave me my first book about cartooning, Draw Comics! --Here's How-- A Complete Book on Cartooning by George Carlson, married Jack, a very professional amateur magician—forgive the oxymoron. Jack pointed me to the Abbott's Magic Manufacturing Company catalog. From that point on, there was no looking back. He also introduced me to a young magician in a nearby town, with whom I visited; we had fun practicing our tricks, sharing ideas. Here's Ted Blau.

During a two year hitch in the Navy, while stationed in New Orleans we visited the Rex Magic Shop; Bernita bought me Greater Magic. The tome of more than 1005 pages of text pulled back the shroud of mystery from cabalas, hundreds in number; from small pocket tricks to large scale illusions. Dr. HarlanTarbell--himself a polished magician--drew more than1150 illustrations! A dozen or so years later I met Tarbell. He autographed his own first volume of The Tarbell Course in Magic which I'd purchased. 

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High school years were the soil where the seeds of both magic and cartooning germinated, masking feelings of inferiority. Folks find that a condition, in me, difficult to entertain.

But, many birthday parties, service club meetings, class reunions and family gatherings were subjected to the perspiring performances of VALDARO, the Magician. I chose the name Valdaro because the letter “V” was prominent on each of 52 cards in a deck someone had given me. Think I'm kidding about being shy? When elected president of my sophomore class I passed out cold.

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Ultimately I joined IBM, the International Brotherhood of Magicians. During that time I was elected President of the Ithaca, NY Ring.

I didn't pass out.

It was a treat and a delight to meet a number of childhood magi-heroes; Blackstone, Sr., Gene Gordon (one of the founders of IBM) and Lou Tannen, proprietor of Tannen's Magic Shop in New York City to name a few. Got to chat with David Copperfield back stage . . . and Harry Blackstone Jr.

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Some years before moving to San Diego from hometown Watkins Glen, NY,teacher/author Frank Steber and I posed for a library publicity shot. I think Frank is trying to show me how to do a trick.

What a privilege to be asked to design a logo for two IBM conventions held in San Diego.

Here is the most recent one.

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The Rabbit Under the Hat, a book for which Ellen Friedman and I are responsible, is a collection of magic inspired cartoons. Most of them were originally published in the IBM Ring 76 newsletter MagiCurrents over the past nine years.

 

It should be available within a couple of months. It's been fun for us. I know you'll like the finished product.

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

We're almost to this blog's vanishing point. I'm hoping that Jim Williamson's picture (shown as if he were contemplating a floating grapefruit) will be seen by someone who remembers him. Aka LEN, the Magician, Jim was a friend and member of the Ithaca magic club. Where ARE you, Jim??

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

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The predicament depicted in our final picture could conceivably reflect my own confusion. Let's leave it at that til next time.

 

SIM SALA BIM!

Jim

A BOAT TO REMEMBER

Build Your Own Sailboat! 

BLUEPRINTS 

Only $15!

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It was something like that, the small teaser in Family Circle magazine in the year 1973. David is the youngest of our five children, youngest of three boys. We sent for the plans and were soon embarked on an exciting adventure.

The pictures for the most part tell the story.

Checking over the blueprints.

Ready to set sail . . . . . . . . not quite.

Dad lends a hand.

Dave thinks things over.

Dave thinks some more.

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Working for the hull of it.

Making sure she's water tight.

 We're getting there . . . 

 . . . Slowly.

Hey, it's beginning to look like a boat!

Sister Andi lends a hand.

OUT TO LAUNCH!

SPLASHED!

Bending the sails
 

Reeving the main halyard

Reeving (detail)

Prepare to raise the main!

And  he's off!

All we need is wind.

Dad's doing his best.

It would be nice to think that my mentoring during this project is greatly responsible for the amazing talents that blossomed later in David's life. Seems as if he can fix most anything, build anything; much like his two older brothers Jim and John. However, those who are aware of my expertise in all but one or two* areas, would soon have great difficulty in suppressing giant guffaws and super size sniggles. (* better limit that to one.)

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I only wish we had pictures showing Andi and me, sitting on the underside of the scuttled D&D, being towed to shore by the kindly skipper of a passing power boat. Talk about humiliation.

All hands involved in this caper had fun. Hey, we did, didn't we?