Table runners, place mats, napkins and furniture

Picture is sideways but you get the idea!  I took a International Mystery Class st Bolts in the Bath Tub last month and we made the stars.  Well, I didn't need another small lap quilt so I made them into twelve place mats.  I had to use every scrap because they were out on the yellow and sunflower fabric.  There was enough of the blue so I made napkins.  They looked so plain so I embroidered them  The I made reversible napkin rings out of the leftovers.  They are just waiting to be used when the kids come this week.

Then I decided to make table runners and napkins for the women's tea that was at my house this past Saturday.  Crazy, right?

I made sixteen napkins and the napkin rings out of memory wire and glass pearl beads I had bought a few years ago.  

The centerpieces were made by Idelette who took vases, inserted plastic cups then mints between.  Clever!

Now onto the furniture I have been painting.

My favorite piece. (Dinning Room)

Living Room.

Entry way.

Living room.

I even painted this metal urn I got at a thrift store and picture frames.

Now the excitement begins.  The kids are all coming this week.  I haven't seen Serena and Lexi since February and Jeff hasn't seen them since December.  They were all here for Christmas (the week we moved in) so the only ones who have been here since then is Eric and Katrina and their kids.  I hope they like what I have done so far.  Still have lots to do but I have run out of time.  Now to clean and get the laundry done!

Here's My 150th post!

Took me a lot longer than most but I made 150 posts.  Well Tiffany and Linda, I'm finally posting.  I've been busy working on many different things: painting the dinning and living rooms, painting furniture, visiting with the kids in Redding, visiting with grand kids here, busy with church activities, teaching at Bolts in the Bathtub, joined the Antelope Valley Quilt Association and lots of quilting.  It looks like I'm getting back in the swing of things!

I made this table runner for Scott and Maria as a thank you.  

(from the book Spring Cleaning by Atkinson Designs)

I joined a monthly International Mystery Class at Bolts in the Bathtub. 

This was America for the month of July.

These two quilts are for the Veterans Charity project for the Antelope Valley Quilt Association.  I used my scraps from Andrews quilt and was able to make two.  I figure I have lots of fabric, I might as well use it!

I also have been painting furniture.  I'm trying to get a little bit of that shabby chic look although the house is really quilt eclectic.  The top photo is the before and the other the after and use it suppose to look like that!

This is the dinning room table I just painted the center.  The fabric in the background is for the seat covers.  I have been finding all kinds of fabulous furniture at thrift stores and antique stores.

Here are the centers from my Vintage Moments Class at Bolts in the Bathtub.  One more class left.

I was in Redding at the end of July and we went to see Ice Age. We had a great time.

And here were my visitor this month.  Katrina came with the kids for more than a week while Eric was training in LA.  We had a great time making crafts and just hanging out.  We also celebrated Katrina's birthday at Elephant Bar.  So much fun!

So, right now I am working on some embroidered napkins that are going with the twelve place mats I'm making.  It's taking quite a while to embroider them.  I am excited about getting back into this other side of my sewing machine.  I am also working on a pumpkin wall hanging that takes twelve hoopings.  I've done six but I'm getting a little more confident.  I'm also in the middle of an oriental lantern quilt as a commission for Teri.  Hope to be done with all these things soon so I can post some more.

Correction

  

This quilt was made by Barbara Sawyer and I forgot it in the line of Whisper Challenge quilts.  So it is now corrected.  Check the last  post to see where it fits in.  Thanks Janice for the heads up!

I visited and joined the Antelope Valley Quilt Guild last night in Lancaster.  Nancy Rink was the speaker and was very enjoyable.  I enjoyed getting to know some of the ladies and look forward to going back.  Now I just need to get the Loose Threads to change our meeting dates as they conflict.  I really miss my other guilds and find it hard to fit in but I guess it takes time.  I'd like to go to the retreat but it interferes with Houston. 

To kill time before the meeting I stopped at Bolts in the Bathtub and picked up some fabric for a quilt I have been asked to make for my sister-in-law.  She wants a purple Asian style quilt for her employee who is retiring.   Now to decide on the pattern.

I have been working on my Material Girls Challenge - scrappy half square triangles.  The top is finally done but I'm not sure I can quilt it.  I'm not a very good machine quilter and it is so busy I don't know how to quilt it even if I could.  How do you quilt a scrappy quilt?

The workmen are here working on the last electrical panel for the solar.  Next we wait for Southern Cal Edison to give the OK to hook it to the power grid.  You know they are going to take their sweet time about it.  With this hot weather they love all the energy we are using.

Whisper Challenge (Finally completed) Post 1

Well, after fourteen months of work the Loose Threads finally unveiled our Whisper Challenge this past Saturday.  Thank you to those of you who attended.  We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.  

The Whisper Challenge - Each person picks a photo or picture to use as their inspiration.  Then they make a quilt inspired by that photo.

This is my photo from our trip to Utah two years ago.

Then we make a quilt inspired by that picture and this is mine entitled "Utah Strata".  

 (I chose not to put titles on my quilts till after they were used for inspiration so they could not be influenced by the title.) 

We then pass our quilt on to the next person without the picture.  We are NOT to show our quilt to anyone in the group.  This was difficult for me because these are the artists I go to for help.  But we made it through.

The next person makes her quilt inspired by the one before (my quilt) then gives the owner back their quilt and passes theirs on to the next person.  

 And on it goes.

Who says you can't get wine from a rock!

It is so interesting how everything was interpreted.  We are all at different levels and have different quilting styles as you will see in the other posts.  Their are seven of us in Loose Thread so their are seven lines to follow.  I posted seven posts to cover all the pictures.  I hope you enjoy our over year long excursion into the art quilting world.

Whisper Challenge Post 2

Whisper Challenge - Janice Minyard's Line

Here is her inspiration picture.

This one is mine entitled "Winter".  This is one of my favorites and the last one I just finished.  I used the fabrics I printed from the rubber stamps I made and some left over fabric I had painted. 

Whisper Challenge Post 3

Whisper Challenge - Barbara Swayer's line

This one is mine entitled "Music of the Night"

I love how Sara's comes back to the original colors without her even knowing it.