Lake Metroparks Farmpark Quilt Show

The Lake Farmparks Annual Quilt Show runs February 9 through March 11 from 9:00 to 5:00. This is the 27th year Cleveland Metropark Lake Farmparks location has hosted this event. featuring over 200 quilts from all over the United States.

I look forward to this event every year, and try to attend if the northeast Ohio unpredictable weather cooperates, as it did this year. 


Quilts of all kinds and sizes are displayed in multiple rooms for your perfect viewing pleasure. Bed quilts. Art quilts. Theme quilts. Apparel. Geometric marvels. And more! 

This quilt (above) caught my eye. This quilt is done in the Hawaiian appliqué technique, and my photo doesn't do it justice. The color combinations and the light on a warm and bright background were really fabulous. 

I first saw this technique in Hawaii where a group of older Hawaiian women were demonstrating the method at a tourist location. There is no batting in the middle of these Hawaiian quilts, but sometimes the appliqué pieces are stuffed.  

These gorgeous works of art, grown from the simple need for warmth in olden times, has never ceased to amaze me. 

I can just imagine colonial and pioneer women making quilts to keep their families warm on a cold winter's night. What began as simply piecing lengths of material together has become a textile art of beauty.

I usually come home with a list of techniques and specific color combinations I wanted to try.  But my quilting days are behind me.  


I can still enjoy them, revel in their beauty, and feel the sense of pride and accomplishment of the quilter. And that's enough.  

Interview with Author Julie Moffett

 Julie Moffett

Northern Virginia, US

Dear Gentle Readers,

This morning I have a real treat for you, an interview with the lovely Julie Moffett, who is a bestselling author and writes in the genres of mystery, young adult, historical romance and paranormal romance. She has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the prestigious 2014 HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), and several other awards. She is currently writing Book #11, NO STONE UNTURNED, in her popular, geeky Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series and just released her first young adult mystery titled, WHITE KNIGHTS, the first in an adventurous spy/mystery series. Read more about Julie and her books at www.juliemoffett.com.

Good morning, Julie, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors. What have you written? 

I have written and published 21 novels in the mystery, historical romance, time-travel romance, young adult mystery, and paranormal romance genres.

What is your favorite genre to write? 

I like them all, but am currently focusing on mystery/spy adventures.

Tea or coffee? 

Coffee!

Pizza or ice cream? 

Both?!?

My kind of person! Wine or beer? 

Wine, please. Or champagne, especially pink champagne.

Favorite food. 

Tacos with lots of HOT sauce.

Where would you like to visit? 

Egypt. I’ve always wanted to ride a camel and see the pyramids. As a result, I set Book #10 in my geeky Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series, NO LIVING SOUL, in Egypt!

You must watch the movie The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec! It's a French film with English subtitles. She goes to Egypt to dig up a mummy to heal her very sick sister.

Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  

I love tons of musicians and have numerous playlists. I almost always listen to music when I write.

What makes you laugh? 

A witty, snarky comeback.

Favorite work of art or sculpture. 

The David by Michelangelo. No further explanation needed. Lol!

I agree. I saw him in Florence. Mesmerizing. How old were you when you started writing? 

7 years old. I wrote a story about Prince Val and Princess Tina who met on Valentine’s Day and got married and lived happily ever after in a castle. 

I sold it for a penny a read on the playground and it was an instant best-seller among all the girls in the 2nd grade. It all started with that book.

Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write? 

I’m a total plotter. Think Dragnet: “Just the facts ma'am.” I need to know the plot up front and all the way to the end, including the series arc since I’m writing a long-running mystery series. That doesn’t mean things don’t sometimes take an unexpected turn. They do. But I’ve always got a goal in mind.

Lexi Carmichael sounds like a girl we'd like to get to know a little better. Will you come back and tell us a little more about Lexi and the series? Maybe give us a little excerpt?

Okay

Describe your perfect evening. 

Staying at home and snuggling under a warm blanket in front of the fireplace while reading a good book and sipping a glass of wine.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get it from everywhere and everyone one I know.  Real events are important, as are things that happen to my friends. No one is safe.  Everyone who knows me, even remotely, is in danger of appearing in my novel.

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

I take a step back immediately. I consider writer’s block to be my Muse and she is telling me something is wrong. I’ll go back and examine my story and see if I can figure out where it went wrong.

Who is your favorite author? 

I like Mary Stewart, Michael Crichton, JK Rowling, Robert Crais, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Tess Gerritsen and Nora Roberts/JD Robb, among a thousand others.

Best book you ever read. 

Watership Down by Richard Adams. 

The rabbit fantasy thing just does it for me every time.

I absolutely loved that book! Fiver! Fiver!

Last book you read. 

Nora Roberts, Homeport

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer? 

I wouldn’t want to do anything else!

Spoken like a true writer, Julie. Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 

My parents. They instilled in me a love of reading at a very young age and that triggered my love of all things involving books, reading and writing.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 

Harry Potter. I’d ask him what he was thinking when he passed up a gem like Hermione Granger.

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

Website: http://www.juliemoffett.com/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JulieMoffettAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JMoffettAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_moffett/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julie-moffett

A Dilemma for Daisy by Carol Ann Kauffman

A Dilemma for Daisy, 

A Monday Mystery Society Selection, 

by Carol Ann Kauffman

Daisy Mazlo faces a dilemma. She’s met the man of her dreams

in Cooper MacNeill, a gentleman in every sense of the word, tall,

handsome, wealthy, witty, and very interested in her. But Daisy

can’t accept his love, so she runs away, moving back to Oakville

where she grew up to sort out her feelings. Will the small loving

community of her past help her find herself? Will Cooper come

 after her? Will a letter be pivotal in resolving Daisy’s dilemma? 

Will love win out?

Amazon Link:  http://tinyurl.com/omp5gct

What others are saying about A Dilemma for Daisy:

5.0 out of 5 starsOne Guy you think you are in Love, One guy you know you are in Love, which love will win out?

ByV. R.on August 4, 2016

Format: Paperback

I really enjoyed this book by Carol Ann Kauffman. Romance at it's finest! It is hard enough to find the right person for you out there, but two?
Daisy is a city girl, Chicago, working hard and living her life. Talking to her friend about the perfect man, they both giggle. Daisy walked out onto the street to be greeted by a muggar. Daisy took him down swinging. All of a sudden a man helps her out and he is that perfect man they were talking about. They fell in love with each other on the spot.
Cooper is a person short of being a gangster. He does not kill people, just take them for all they are worth for his clients. For some reason, that doesn't bother Daisy at first, but when his life is in danger and she over hears man talking about the real Cooper and what he does, she leaves.
Daisy is now back in the town she first lived in and has a good job, nice house and is very happy, sort of. One of the town men try's to be friends with her just as she gets bad news from Chicago. What Daisy doesn't know, is that she is being spied on.
It all comes down to where she has to decide between the city guy or the country guy? Which one does she pick? Which one would you pick?

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5.0 out of 5 starsSweet, light-hearted, and full of fun!

ByC. E. on June 24, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

What an adorable book! Honestly, this is the first in the Monday Mystery Society I've read, but if this book is any indication, then I plan to read more. Set in the charming town of Oakville, this charming novella follows Daisy, a girl with a good heart and full of drive, She wants a fresh start and a new chance at love, but it just seems that things can't help but get in the way. Daisy needs to decide what she wants to risk for love, and what she can overlook to find it. She is a well developed character with some interesting love interests and a solid story line. This was a quick, enjoyable read, perfect for a relaxing afternoon, or a quick read on the beach. The characters have heart, make tough choices, and ultimately find their happy ending, sometimes in a way you didn't see coming! :)

*I was gifted a copy. I am choosing to review honestly.

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5.0 out of 5 starsA sweet romance

ByS. R. on September 12, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

A Dilemma for Daisy Carol Ann Kauffman

After being duped by an incredibly handsome con-man, Daisy Mazlo returns to her hometown of Oakville Ohio to take a teaching job and start over.
This is another sweet romance by Carol Ann Kauffman. The characters are extremely likeable and the story itself is a cute picture of life in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Ms. Kauffman has done a fantastic job in keeping the readers attention with the fast enjoyable read. Five stars for a lovely piece of story telling.

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5.0 out of 5 starsA Great Read for a rainy day! Short by delightful!

ByDBJ on October 2, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

I wanted some light reading this weekend and started to read the novella, A Dilemma for Daisy. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a charming story about a young woman seeking Mr. Right. She met the man of her dreams, and he swept her off her feet…and then the unexpected happened. I loved the character of Daisy, and the author is well developed and believable. I got caught up in this heartfelt love story and had to find out what happens. This was a short read, but enjoyable. This book isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. Looking for a good read on a rainy day, pick up Dilemma for Daisy.

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5.0 out of 5 starsExpect the unexpected.

ByJ. W. on June 10, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

Book four of the Monday Mystery society, A Dilemma for Daisy, continues the tradition of this magical town called Oakville, which seems destined to bring love for all. Carol Ann Kauffman brings to life the dilemma that faces many, when a love lost interferes with a potential love gained. Quick-witted, Daisy returns to her hometown to start a new, but as fate would have it, she meets an unexpected love interest. But she is soon reintroduced to the man she had escaped when she left the big city. What will Daisy do? Have a delightful read and find out…

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5.0 out of 5 starsThe ending has a delightful twist

ByT. T. on June 11, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

A Dilemma For Daisy is Story 4 of The Monday Mystery Society series. Daisy just moved back to Oakville from Chicago to get over Cooper who's made a career out of scamming people. She gets word that he's died. Corky, a member of her book club consoles her and they even plant a tree in his remembrance. They end up falling in love. Suddenly, Cooper resurfaces to convince her into running away with him. The ending has a delightful twist, and left me smiling. Read it and see why...

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5.0 out of 5 starslove found, and lost, and found again? Or maybe not....

ByA. L. on May 22, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

Daisy is warm-hearted and passionate, but she's nobody's fool. She's got a sense of humor, too! While she may be willing to risk everything for love, she's got a brain too, and she's not afraid to use it. I loved this story with its twists and turns and its satisfying end.

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4.0 out of 5 starsForgive or Forget

ByM.H. on June 23, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

When Daisy Mazlo falls in love with the wealthy Cooper, life should be perfect, but when she discovers that he comes by his money dishonestly, she flees the city to go back home to Oakville. When a member of the local book club shows an interest in her, she is torn between her love of Cooper and starting a new relationship. This is the story of regret, coming to terms with past hurts, moving forward and finding new love.

Kaufman offers the reader a story that takes us into the heart and mind of a young conflicted woman and reminds us that sometimes happiness is right in front of you.

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4.0 out of 5 starsDaisy is a really good heroine with a terrific sense of humor

ByS.G.on June 2, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

This is an engaging story which keeps the reader constantly wondering what will happen next. Daisy is a really good heroine with a terrific sense of humor. She faces a situation where she has to take a certain decision and its interesting to read through it. The concept of the Book Club is very appealing. Definitely worth the read.

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4.0 out of 5 starsDifferent Loves

ByG.S. on June 24, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

Daisy is a dreamer, and a very likeable character. She literally finds the man of her dreams at the start of the story. But the man of her dreams is not all he appears to be ... This is quite a believable tale about different types of love and how sometimes love isn't enough ... and sometimes it is.

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