DARE TO BE CREATIVE!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Other Felted Postcards for 2009




Thought you might like to see the two other felted postcard that I completed in FAT trades this year. The top is "Felt like Winter" and the bottom "Felt like Spring". This has been a fun little on-going trade.

Felt Like Summer Felted Postcard


This is my "Felt Like Summer" postcard for a trade in FAT. Fiber Art Traders. This wonderful group has had a felted postcard trade for each season of 2009. I wasn't sure I would be able to participate in the summer trade due to vacations and other commitments but I made it!


The card is felted onto a Peltex base with my Huskystar ER10. Card incorporates felted sari ribbon (beach), decorative yarns (ocean), and wool fibers (sun and sky). Card has been embellished with Angelica fibers, diamond Stickles, beads, and shells. I'm quite pleased with the results. A fun project.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

We're Having a Tea Party




The two granddaughters have been asking to have a tea party with their American Girl dolls. I decided that we would have the party this afternoon since we are leaving on vacation soon and the girls are returning to school in a few weeks. We will dine on apple juice, cookies and brownies. Here is a photo of the table. I decided to use the Homer Laughlin China I found at the thrift store this spring. I found a set of four with creamer and sugar. The design is Eggshell Swing. They are perfect for a our little tea party.
Matilda will also be attending the party. She is dressed in vintage blue lace by Halston.

Ready for Quilting


My Autumn Wind quilt top is ready for quilting. The pattern also includes a much larger version but this one is perfect for hanging on the wall. I think I will quilt with swirls (wind swirling the leaves). I really enjoyed selecting the fabrics for each leaf. I'm very happy with the blue leaf border. When I saw the fabric, I was drawn to it because it wasn't your typical fall leaf color. It's Botanical Journal by Bella Lu Studio.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Leaf Block




The leaf block is completed and the D-backs are winning. Good day to work on a quilting project. Not to select inner border.

Last two leaves




I have now finished all my leaves. Hopefully, I'll have the completed block to show later today. I plan to sew while watching the D-back game. We saw them play a great game last evening at the ballpark. I'll be watching from home today. Probably lose today. They have difficulty winning two in a row. Oh well, we still love our season tickets and our trips to the ballpark. Wouldn't be summer without our Diamondbacks (win or lose). We would perfer win!!!!!!!!!

More leaves









I have two more leaves to finish and then it will time to trim the blocks to the correct size and sew together. I just love the hand dyes for the leaves. Also the pre-wound bobbins are great and the embroidery has been perfect since I started using them. Wish I had purchased them sooner. So much easier than winding your own and last much longer too. There is always something to learn. That what makes the fabric arts community such a great place.

Friday, July 24, 2009

More leaves






Here are three more leaves for my quilt. I was having trouble with the tension on some of the embroidery. I had read somewhere that sometimes it is best to use a pre-wound bobbin. I purchased a pack of the bobbins and haven't had any trouble with the tension so far. I had Ginger show me how to adjust the tension if I need to do so on any other designs. I've never had this problem with my Janome but it is a simple push of the button to adjust tension while embroidering. Glad I visited with Ginger at Mulqueens.
Hope to get started on my quilt this weekend. Leaves are looking great.

Great room redo




I spent yesterday working in our great room (really a combo living/dining room in our small historic ranch). When we downsized a few years ago we went from a 2400 sq. ft. home to a 1400 ranch style in historic downtown Mesa. Instead of a family room, dining room, and living room we now have the home's original combination living/dining room.
I recently purchased two new chairs and an area rug. With the new chairs and rug in place, I decided to see how I could minimize the presence of the large screen t.v. I rearranged items on the surrounding bookcases and decided to hang one of my thrift store paintings and a candle holder over the t.v. I purchased the candle at Target and am quite pleased with the results.




Wednesday, July 22, 2009

More Leaves







Here are three more leaves that I have completed for the Autum Wind quilt. The appliques are quite simple and go rather quickly on the embroidery machine. I am using hand dye fabrics and am able to get various leaf colors from one fat quarter. Can't wait to start putting the pieces together but I still have 8 leaves to go. Hope to finish 4 more today. Maybe more!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Autumn Wind Quilt


I stopped by a fabric store yesterday to check on something for a friend and left with a pattern for the Autumn Wind Quilt by Lunch Box Quilts. The quilt is composed of appliqued leaves made with the embroidery machine. When I saw the pattern, I knew I just had to have it. I'm making the small quilt. I purchased a leaf border print and background fabric. I will used hand dyes from my stash for the leaves. This is my first block and I'm very pleased with the block. I'm hoping to finish another block before dinner.

New Denim Grids and Grommets Tote


I have been asked to teach a class on my "Grids and Grommets Goes Western" tote at Bernina Southwest in Mesa. I visited the store recently and purchased fabric for my store sample. I have made a few modifications from my first tote. Mainly I decided to make a handle from the denim strips. It will be much easier for a class project. It takes time to construct the covered cording handle and class time is limited. If a student would like to make the cording handle, I will give them instructions.


I'm planning one more of these totes with black denim. I found two pair of black denim jeans at Dollar Days at the thrift store last week. They are washed and ready for de-construction. The denim makes such a great tote. It is soft but very durable. This tote is the perfect size (not huge but not too small). Everything fits perfectly but doesn't get lost.

Monday, July 20, 2009

My Design is this Month's Free Project


A friend just told me that my article in a previous Designs in Machine Embroidery is one of the free projects available for download this month on their web site. Click here to see the article and download instructions. This was my very first publication. How exciting.

Friday, July 17, 2009

LOVE Quiltie - Challenge Winner!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Poll Results are in and my little LOVE Quiltie was the Love Challenge Winner on the FAT (Fibers in Altered Art) yahoo group. There was a winner for each of the five "words". What a nice surprise and a prize is on it's way from Diana one of the group managers.

Leilani, the challenge hostess, has asked permission to submit photos of the 5 x 5 quilties to Quilting Arts magazine. They may do an article on the challenge. WOW! It would be great to see artwork in Quilting Arts magazine. I love the magazine. It's always great to receive positive feedback on my work.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

I'm a Winner!


I recently signed up for a give away on Coralie's VINTAGE COTTAGE HOME. I'm the winner of these lovely vintage flour sack fabric pieces. I'm so excited. Be sure to check out her ETSY shop also. I love reading Coralie's blog it's full of wonderful vintage.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

LOVE 5 x 5 quiltie


Our last word for the FAT challenge is LOVE. I had the denim and labels left over from a recent project. I decided to use them since they remind me of my DH. He is a Levi denim kind of guy and I love him. So this is the result.
This was a fun challenge and it's has been interesting to see everyone's ideas of the different words. The challenge ends today.

Friday, July 10, 2009

FEAR Quiltie


The word for today's Fabric Art Traders (FAT) 5" x 5" quiltie is FEAR. My original idea didn't work out as I had planned. My original idea was to write the word fear numerous times on a piece of 5 x 5 Tyvek and them sew it to a piece of black Warm Co. batting. I thought the Tyvek would melt when heated with the heat gun and the batting would remain. This would leave holes in my fears with a black background. But the batting must have been made of synthetic fibers because it also melted. Then my piece was no longer 5 x 5 and had holes all the way through.


So I decided to sew the melted piece to a piece of painted batting that I had left over from another project. I them added the game piece letters. My hope is that this shows my many fears but that some of them are flawed and full of holes. "Nothing to be afraid of".

Thursday, July 9, 2009

SURPRISE


Todays word for FAT Challenge is Surprise. This is my 5" x 5" mini quilt. At first I thought of doing a bouquet of flowers but decided to do a balloon bouquet when I saw this heart fabric in my studio.

I cut out each heart and fused into a bouquet. Then added thread streamers and the little tag "Surprise". Last I added glitter glue to the balloons.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Sorrow


Day 2 in the FAT Challenge is SORROW. This is my 5" x 5" quiltie for the challenge. I think it speaks for itself.
Fabric is a Civil War Reproduction print. Quite appropriate for Sorrow.

Belle Armoire Magazine Selection


I received great news today. One of my items has been selected for publication in Belle Armoire magazine. I hadn't even submitted anything to Belle Armoire but they selected an item I had submitted to Altered Couture. I'm excited to see my work in another of the Somerset Magazines. So exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a peak at the item.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

JOY Mini Quilt


We are having a Challenge on Fiber Art Traders (FAT). We are making art quilts. Today was the first day of the five day challenge. We are to make a small quilt (5" x 5") showing the following five words: joy, sorrow, surprise, fear, and love. Today's word was JOY.

I decided to feature animals in my JOY quiltie. I think that our furry friends are the source of many joyful moments in our lives. Hope you like the little work of art.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

July Quiltie - Letter B


This is my July quiltie for Fabric in Altered Arts 2. We are doing letters of the alphabet and July is the letter "B". I thought that a Blue Bird would be appropriate. I found the free applique pattern here. I decided to give the little quiltie a primitive look by using black embroidery floss to stitch around the bird and add the title. Last I added embellishments and finished the back and edges. I plan to get it in the mail to Penny the trade hostess this week. July is going to be another busy month and I wanted to get my swaps made early.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy 4th of July


Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July. Please remember our troops who continue to protect our Freedom.

Friday, July 3, 2009

July Fabric Postcard




This is the postcard I made today for the July postcard swap on Fabric in Altered Arts 2. The fabric was left over from a wallhanging kit I purchased from Fat Quarter Shop. The fabric is called Bistro. The vintage image is a free image from Dover. The image was printed on an Ink Jet Fabric Sheet and fused to the front of the postcard. The cups were fussy cut from one of the Bistro fabricsand fused.

.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Grids and Grommets Goes Western







Yesterday I decided to do a little project with recycled denim jeans. This Grids and Grommets bag is the result. I had made the larger tote from this pattern a few weeks ago. The smaller version is designed to use jelly rolls (2 1/2" strips of precut fabric available at quilt shops). I decided to use strips cut from denim jeans. My two pair of jeans were almost identical in color and it is difficult to see the strips. I think it would look better if the denim strips were light and dark but I still like this one. Once I had cut the strips, I decided to use the pockets from one of the jeans. The pattern does not have a exterior pocket. I added the back pocket from the jeans as a front pocket. Then I decided to cut the other pocket down to make a cell phone pocket on the outside of the interior pocket.

I found this lovely fabric at the thrift store. It had been an interior decorator's sample fabric. It is called "Arizona Bandana". Quite appropriate don't you think.

I love the tote and can see that it will quickly become one of my favorites. It is the perfect size to carry.