I'm Back!!!

Remember the pile of leaves?  This is the result.  I think I got carried away with the embellishing.

This quilt was done for the Orange Blossom Quilt guild challenge.  We were given five 5" squares and a word plus a design concept.  My word was "spotted".  There are some spotted frogs but I just wanted to incorporate frogs because my grandson loves frogs.  That was my starting point.  It is entitled "I spotted frogs in the forest".  18" x 30"

This piece was done for our art group.  We were to do this fabric faced windows.  I choose to do circles and then use plastic from a bag which I had gotten curtains in, and made them into bubbles with fish from the jewelery making section of Joanne's.  We were given the word "tranquil" and I quilted the meanings of the word in the background.  It was originally square but it didn't work for me so I trimmed it to a circle, trimming a lot of the quilted words out.  You really can't see them anyways.

We had a great vacation and I hope to have a few pictures once I settle back in.  I hope you missed me because I missed all of you.

A Pile Of Leaves and Postcards

Here are the leaves that I am working on for the next challenge I have to  finish.  I am still in the planning stage but am happy with these three dimensional leaves.

I took a post card class from Judy Stevens at the Orange Blossom guild last Saturday and here are my postcards.  I really learned a lot and am excited to make some more.

Here are my pre-printed butterflies with a fabric frame background.

Here is my attempt at an ocean scene.  Notice the little crab charm.

This was just pre-printed fabric that I quilted.  Maybe it needs embellishments.  Any suggestions?

Here are the skulls I cut out of the material that Serena left from making purses when she was here in July.  I love the stick on spider.

We are going away for a few days to Las Vegas and Utah for our 30th anniversary, which was Monday.  I am really looking forward to the time away but not sure if I can be away from my sewing machine for that long.  Ten days is a long time.  I went to Michael's and stocked up yarn so at least I can knit and crochet in the car and in the hotel room at night.  Can't be idle!

Here are the gorgeous flowers my husband sent me for our anniversary.  They are starting to wilt but notice the beautiful vase.  Red, my favorite color.  That will always bring back memories!  Thank you, sweetheart, for the thoughtfulness and looking forward to our anniversary dinner at Bobby Flay's in Las Vegas!

It's Done!

Here is my paint chip challenge.  It is done and I am so glad.  I really like it and am surprised because of the colors.  That was the challenge!  When I went shopping with my daughter last week, I kept seeing these colors in clothing.  I guess they are beautiful after all.

Spent the last five hours on this computer getting the paper work and picture CD ready for a "call to entry".  Sometimes I wonder if it is worth all the work, especially if you don't get in.  Well, I now have a artist resume and artist statement and have orgainized the pictures on my computer.  I really must take the time to take better pictures.

I have been working and finished by Loose Threads project but that is a surprise for another time.  I have to begin and finish by challenge for Orange Blossom.  I wish I had more to show you.

Remember to comment on the previous blog to enter to win a postcard.  Linda - who are you? (see comment on previous blog).

The beading on the challenge quilt is done.  I have the binding, sleeve and label left and then I will show you all but I needed a break.  So I began working on the postcards for the guild.  We are not doing ATC's (artist trading cards) anymore but we are making postcards.  We are not trading these, just showing them which makes me sad.  I loved having a little bit of art from each person.

These are mine.  The theme for the month was black and white and I choose to take an existing project that was a disaster and never finished, and cut it up into 4 x 6 inch cards.  I put some hardware on top and now they are ready to go.  If you would like to have one of these cards, comment (making sure your email is in your profile) and you will be put in the drawing for one of 8 postcards.  I hope you find them interesting.

Next will be my assignment for Loose Threads.  Hope to get that started this week.  Keep on quilting and let your inner artist loose!

Will It Ever End?

Still beading this challenge quilt.  I have 7 more shells to go and I figure it takes about 1.5 hours per shell!!!  What ever was I thinking.  I have not had much time to get in the studio because of work with the charity quilt committee, watching Becky for three days and nights, shopping with Martina and two 2 year olds and a 4 year old (which consisted of going to the mall, with a big double stroller, two kids who didn't want to be in the stroller, thinking I lost my best earrings, finding it in my shirt, trying to feed little kids on expressive mall food, taking them to the bathroom, taking one again to the bathroom, one screaming bloody murder while his finger was being smashed in the stroller and just trying to get them back through the mall, across the parking lot and into the car all in 100 degree heat.)  Had a great time and found some fun jewelry and boots of fall. (Won't do that for awhile!)

Hope to get to something else next week.  I have enjoyed spending a little time looking at what everyone else has been up to.  There are some amazing talent out there.  Love to see some of your work, those of you who read this and have a blog, leave me a comment so I can look at what you are up to.

Back to beading, but I need to find a thimble first.  My finger is raw and full of holes!

Birthday cards and life's discoveries!

These are the latest birthday cards I made this weekend.  I have been helping with the guild's charity quilt program the past few days and haven't had time for my own projects.  This was my way to spend a little time in the studio.

When picking up the fabrics for the charity quilts, I was introduced to a fabulous mixed media artist and her work.  I was blown away by her talent!  I felt like a dry sponge just soaking up all the beautiful art and dying to get my hands on anything just to create.  I can see myself going in a different direction with my art quilts.  I have been concerned for too long about what the quilting world thinks about my quilts and not what I really want to do.  So the next few weeks I am going to spend sometime exploring this new avenue for my work.  I'll be sure to let you know what I discover.

Reflective

"Reflective"

27" x 18 1/2"

Reflective was the word of the month for our Loose Threads project and fabric weaving was the technique.  Here is my quilt with little Becky reflecting on life.  I used a glue transfer method because I wanted the effect of the picture being "reflective" also.  Never tried it before but will use it again on smaller pictures.  Couched some Razzle Dazzle thread and also used some crystals to add some more reflectiveness (is that a word?) to the piece.  I'm still trying to decided if I like it.

I haven't been blogging due to the amount of time I have been spending on my challenge quilt.  I spent hours Tuesday fighting my machine.  It hates sewing through thickness with metallic thread.  Yesterday it went in for it's first yearly cleaning (I can't believe it has been a year since I got this machine and I'm still fighting with it.)  and today it was quilting beautifully.  I was just doing the background and borders but it wasn't as stressful as Tuesday. Yes!!!

Talk about stressful.  Tonight is the guild board meeting.  Dreading it!  Someone is bound to get their feelings hurt.  I'd rather work with men.  My husband gave me a compliment the other day after he had a stressful meeting with some women.  He said not to be offended but that I think like a man.  I was flattered, but I think it is that I think logically.  There are both men and women who think logically but it is those who don't that drive you crazy!