Dr. Whitney Smith's NAVA 43 freebie vexi-art by Beatriz Grayson

At NAVA 43 Dr. Whitney Smith spoke about the importance quilts in the Vexillological universe. He seemed to advocate the inclusion of these wonderfully hand made textiles. Quilts of all sorts have been made with flags in their design just as some flags have been made into quilts. Dr. Smith ended his lecture by handing out a card that featured the vexillological quilt art of Beatriz Grayson.

Grayson's quilt flag was essentially the modern 50 starred US flag with a rainbow pallet of colours and added designs. The 13 stripes were a rainbow patch of colours, starting from the bottom: purple, blue-green, yellow, orange, light green, red, and blue. Likewise the stars varied in colours. Additionally the quilt-flag had writing upon it. In the canton area in between the stars it is written "I wish upon the flag that we embrace diversity. I wish upon this flag that honoring uniqueness we treat each other with respect. I write upon this flag that we recognize our part in the global family." Inter spaced inbetween the coloured stripes in cursive, "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

The title of the quilt is Flag of Wishes - 2003






with the words written on the back - "A soft protest against the chiseling of our rights; a hopeful prayer for our immediate and global family; and a reminder that we, Americans, are not just red, white and blue, but of all the colors that exist" pieced and fused quilt 62" x 38"

Mississippi-Alabama Heritage Flag

Mississippi-Alabama Heritage Flag
"The Missibama Flag"

For 20 years the land that would become the fine state of Alabama was a part of Mississippi Territory. From 1798 unto 1817 all of what became Alabama was under the territorial government of Mississippi.

Usually older states are more east but in this case it is reversed. Mississippi is the big sister of Alabama handling lil'bama's affairs until she came of age.

The design is based on the flag of Mississippi, with the Confederate Battle Flag replaced with a square flag of modern Alabama. This flag can be flown over any part of Alabama since it was once all managed by Mississippi.

New Mexico-Colorado Heritage Flag

New Mexico Colorado Heritage Flag
"The New Mexilorado Flag"
Parts of Colorado were once a part New Mexico's claim when it was a part of Mexico and a US territory. Thus it is proper to fly this flag in those regions like Springfield and Trinidad, CO.

Flag of Ravenclaw - from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

Ravenclaw Banner
Harry Potter & TDHP-2

A flag for Ravenclaw makes an appearance in the last Harry Potter film - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II - 2011. It appears during a psychic flash when Harry falls into the water after riding a dragon that guards treasures at the Goblin Bank.

The flag features the livery of house of Ravenclaw on a heraldic shield. Upon the shield is a standing raven facing sinister with wings spread pride. In the the helm is crested with a white eagle head with mantling - blue and white. Along the compartment is the name of the house - 'Ravenclaw.'

Flags from Beetlejuice - 1988

Betelgeuse or Beetlejuice
the unscrouplulous bio-exercist played by Michael Keaton

In 1988 Tim Burton created a timeless horror-comedy with a smallest of heart warming messages. You may not have caught it. Mr. Burton's message of choosing to life over suicide is almost imperceptible - introduced as a running joke. Burton covers up the moral message with magic, love, humor, art, silliness, and a bit of absurdity. In the end the emo/goth daughter Lydia chooses to live.
Although the movie title and star of the movie was officially spelled Beetlejuice - in the movie the outcast professional bio-exorcist was spelled Betelgeuse.

Is that Jack from the Nightmare before X-mas?

Is this Jack? Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas? Five years before it was released in 1993? It seems this image has been haunting the imagination of Burton for some time. The 'Jack' finial appears as a finial on Beetlguese's merry-go-round hat.




Can possession can be fun? With good Ghosts?

Here Lydia (played by Winona Ryder) shows that possession by friendly and respectable ghosts can be fun! After she does well on her exams Lydia is allowed to levitate and be possessed by songs and dances from the those that live no more?

Notice the badge of her school features a yellow wreath with royal crown at the crest.



US flag in Beetlejuice - 1990

The US flag makes a brief cameo at the end when we see Lydia's new school - Miss Shannon's School for Girls. This became the focal point of the animated Beetlejuice cartoon series 1989-1991.

Imaginary Bulgarian Kingdom Flag from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 1968

In the fantasy sequence of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang our cast visits the imaginary and evil Bulgarian Kingdom that does not like children. The main colours or livery or purple, black and white.




Solders with lance pennons with livery










Notice Flags along upper left wall

Grand hall with people in 'team-gang' colours - purple, black and white.

The Royal Arms

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Flags of Success!

Flags from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1968

Before Indiana Jones rescued the children in the Temple of Doom there was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1968. The movie is based upon the author famous for giving life to Bond, James Bond that is - Ian Fleming.

In this scene we learn that the "Rose of Success" depends blooms out of the ashes of failure.

There are two flags waved in this scene a red flag with a white 'X' and a white flag with five small navy blue crosses in dice pattern.



The flags in this movie are coincidentally used by NATO for symbolize 'zero' via the white and small blue flag, while the red flag with white saltire represents 'four.' But the time frame of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is set before WWI and before the creation of NATO. It's all just a coincidence beside the sequence is derived from imagination adventure sequence from Caractacus Potts.