Sugar roses

Sugar roses for a Christening cake this weekend. It's amazing to see these little guys take shape over a couple of hours. They are not finished yet, they still need that little seed bud under the calyx, dusted with petal dust and steamed, and the wires wrapped. I'll post a photo of the finished sprays.

Sock it to me

It is possible that the only people even remotely interested in this post and its companion post will be Jessie and me, and we seem to be highly entertained by our sock collections. Unknown to either one of us at the time, we each needed some color therapy and photographed, of all things, our socks! She was over one night and who knows how this subject even came up, but she told me about photographing her socks, to which of course I replied, "Wow, so did I." And at that point, Luke (her boyfriend) and Mark (my husband) both looked at us like we were nuts and said, "But WHY?" Who cares? It made sense to us...

The best thing about these socks is that they come in sets of three, each different. Yep, no way to wear matching socks with these babies. Sockadelic!

Another RR

Completely naked and ready to go. This block is all shades of cream and coffee with just a hint of pink on the rose in the middle. This is CQI FFT (Fabulous First Timers) RR#7. My block will have quite a journey over the next few months. From Canada to Australia and on to Spokane, Washington. Then across the USA to Plympton, Mass., south to Lafeyette, LA and then north back to Canada and home.

More QIP

Here's the latest developments on my quilt in progress (QIP)...I knew you gals would guess that acronym right away.


It looks a lot different from yesterday huh? Well I decided to go in a completely different direction than the quilt on the pattern. The long panels weren't doing a lot for me and so I chopped them in half. I did get a lot of panels sewn up yesterday. At the end of the day I had eight panels in all, one having been sewn on Saturday.

I need to make more of these blocks in order for the quilt to be a good size for a throw quilt. I may audition the blocks with a sashing, but I'm sort of liking this look. What do you think? Do you like that I cut the panels down?

QIP

QIP????? Can anyone guess what that means?

Here is my beginnings of the new quilt I started on Saturday, when I went to sew with the girls. I came home with one panel completely done.


The panels measure about 28" x 10.5" and really can be trimmed to any dimension I want. These are sewn on a foundation of tear-away stabilizer. The name of the pattern is Eye of the Fabric Storm by Seams&Dreams. Now I gotta be honest with you...if all I had seen was the picture of the quilt on the front of the pattern, I would never have attempted this quilt. But one of the gals who works in the sewing shop made one up in fabulous colors and that's what caught my eye. I'm planning on making the throw size but not according to the pattern. For the throw size, you need eight panels total plus sashing and borders, but I want to make mine so it is long enough for someone who is taller. I plan to give this as a gift and need the extra length for it.

I don't know yet what my sashing and border colors will be....I'll audition those later.

By the way......who hit the repeat button on the weather? Gosh, we are in the midst of another snow storm, repeat from last week. Hello?????!!!!! I'm getting a little tired of this. I went to go outside and stepped out the back door into....well.....a crotch high snowdrift. Sorry, couldn't think of a better word for that. So guess what I'm doing today???? Yep, sewing quilt panels.

Happy 46th Birthday!

Today's my 46th birthday! I wanted to get some shots of Mo and I together to mark the occasion.


The pics didn't come out as I had planned... try as I might I could not get Molasses to look at the camera or stay very still, (she also kept wanting to close her eyes!)


But that's okay, I had fun trying, as it is so nice just to be with her and as always she made me laugh. What better gift is there then that? Birthdays generally make me happy, and on this one I am as happy as happy can be for my #1 birthday wish was to have my best buddy with me on this day. I am so very grateful to say that Mo's recovery from her stroke has been going really well. (The vet said that they can recover within days, but I am blown away!) I've said it before and I will say it again, she's my hero.


And as for being another year older... it is flipping weird to be turning 46, as I still feel like a kid. I can no longer pretend that 50 is some distant speck on the far off horizine... now it is big and bold and coming closer by the day. I say Yippee!! Life's a gift and I am so damn grateful for each and every birthday!!


“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”
-Robert Browning

Block for Friendship quilt

I finally quilted again yesterday - yay - something simple. A friend of my sister's asked her to make a block for her friendship quilt so I did a string pieced block. I LOVE string piecing... See photo below..

Feathered Star Applique

I did get a quilt done this week it's my first applique quilt. Since I started my applique has really improved. I had a lot of trouble with the ruffles along the leaves so don't look so close. I also never came up with a good way to make small circles so for now I don't have them maybe someday I will add them or else I thought I could just use some buttons.

I went back and found all the pictures I have of the progress of this quilt. It is from a Kim Diehl book Simple Traditions. I like the border and think I will try to do something similar on another quilt some day.
My sewing machine area never looks this neat when I'm really sewing I usually have 2 or 3 projects I'm sewing.




Feathered Friends Applique
And a picture of the back.

Feathered Star Applique

I did get a quilt done this week it's my first applique quilt. Since I started my applique has really improved. I had a lot of trouble with the ruffles along the leaves so don't look so close. I also never came up with a good way to make small circles so for now I don't have them maybe someday I will add them or else I thought I could just use some buttons.

I went back and found all the pictures I have of the progress of this quilt. It is from a Kim Diehl book Simple Traditions. I like the border and think I will try to do something similar on another quilt some day.
My sewing machine area never looks this neat when I'm really sewing I usually have 2 or 3 projects I'm sewing.




Feathered Friends Applique
And a picture of the back.

2009 Stash Report Week 13

This week the Realtors showed the house everyday so any sewing I did had to be picked up before the next showing. I did finish the binding on a wall hanging this week did half the quilting on another small quilt but, mostly tried to focus on getting this quilt ready for quilting. Scrappy Mountains Majesties from Bonnie Hunters web site. For this I got a mission accomplished. A problem did a rise with the batting. I didn't have batting big enough for the top this batting is the same size as the quilt so I just used it. I hope to either trim 2 to 3 inches off the border or piece in some batting as I quilt were it is going to be short. Don't tell the Quilt Police. The quilt is made out of old shirts and a few other scraps and I plan on using it on the bed in the camper if it's not perfect it's not a big deal It's going to get a lot of use.




From my stash I used some blue check homespun for the border and made a pieced backing for the Scrappy Mountains Majesties quilt.

Added this Week: 0 yds
Fabric Added Year to Date: 26 yds 18"Fabric


Used this Week: 5 yds 16"
Fabric Used Year to Date: 57 yds 12"Fabric

Busted from Stash This Year: 36 yards 25"

Next weeks goals....
Finish monkey wrench quilt
Quilt Scrappy Mountains Majesties
Finish 2 more doll quilts

2009 Stash Report Week 13

This week the Realtors showed the house everyday so any sewing I did had to be picked up before the next showing. I did finish the binding on a wall hanging this week did half the quilting on another small quilt but, mostly tried to focus on getting this quilt ready for quilting. Scrappy Mountains Majesties from Bonnie Hunters web site. For this I got a mission accomplished. A problem did a rise with the batting. I didn't have batting big enough for the top this batting is the same size as the quilt so I just used it. I hope to either trim 2 to 3 inches off the border or piece in some batting as I quilt were it is going to be short. Don't tell the Quilt Police. The quilt is made out of old shirts and a few other scraps and I plan on using it on the bed in the camper if it's not perfect it's not a big deal It's going to get a lot of use.




From my stash I used some blue check homespun for the border and made a pieced backing for the Scrappy Mountains Majesties quilt.

Added this Week: 0 yds
Fabric Added Year to Date: 26 yds 18"Fabric


Used this Week: 5 yds 16"
Fabric Used Year to Date: 57 yds 12"Fabric

Busted from Stash This Year: 36 yards 25"

Next weeks goals....
Finish monkey wrench quilt
Quilt Scrappy Mountains Majesties
Finish 2 more doll quilts

Prep Work 3

Well I haven't made a whole lot of progress on the canvases in the last couple of days. All I've been able to do is sketch the faces on them. Next I'll start painting.


But no painting today! In a few minutes I'm leaving. See, I'm all packed.


I'm going to be sewing with the girls today. We are piecing quilt tops...a new pattern. You'll be happy to hear I'm planning to use many of my fabrics that I dyed with the IDyes. I'll show you the quilt top tomorrow.....maybe.

Have a happy weekend!

Whatever Goes RR

This block began it's journey today to Deanna in Minnesota.

I didn't do a stitch on it before it left here. The colours are lilacs, purples and pale green. It will be back home in August if all goes well!!

Over the past year I've accumulated a few blocks. Below are two scenarios using the block above. One is using three lighter coloured blocks to make up a group of four. The other is a six block group using lighter and darker blocks. The background fabric is a dark eggplant/purple colour. Do you think that the dark blocks in the 6-group dominate too much?

Coffee Sleeve Swap received

This was made for me by Sandy from my Canadian Crazy quilters group.

There are so many pretty pieces of fabric and lovely stitching, and it does a great job of keeping the coffee hot and my hand protected. Thanks Sandy.

News from Two Creative Studios

News Item #1:
Sue and I are working on our second book together. Creative Ways with Books & Journals is scheduled for release in November 2009 and we would like to invite you to submit your work for inclusion in the gallery section of this new book. Submission details are outlined below.

CALL FOR ART!

Creative Ways with Books & Journals will feature a special gallery section of juried artwork that is in book or journal form. We are seeking creative and unique journal page spreads, book forms and art journals. Send no more than 3 images per submission to Sue at suebleiweiss@yahoo.com. Images should be no larger than 72dpi. Please include your full name, location and a brief description of your submission. You can submit as many pieces as you like but please send them in separate emails. DO NOT send any actual artwork until you are notified that your work has been chosen.

If your work is chosen for inclusion in the gallery section you will be required to mail your artwork to Sue for photographing. All artworks will be returned once photos are taken. Selected artists will receive full acknowledgment within the book, a complimentary copy, and a discount on the purchase of additional books. Artists retain copyright of their work. Deadline for submitting photos is July 1, 2009. Please email Sue at suebleiweiss@yahoo.com with any questions.

News Item #2:
I am now offering the Daisy Doodles Quilted Wall Hanging class as an instant downloadable class. This new "Classes on Demand" format is something that will continue to expand on the Two Creative Studios web site. You can read more about Classes on Demand here.

Prep Work 2

I added some color to my canvases. Now they are starting to come to life. When these are dry I will brush on some gesso to tone down the color a bit. I find it helps to sort of blend from one color section to another as well.

Prep Work

Today I am busy getting more canvases ready. Here I'm adhering border paper. It's an ooeeeyyyy gooooeeeeeyyyyy job.

African Tree

I have no idea if there is a tree growing in Africa that looks like mine, but when I added the zebra I decided that is where it had to be. Artists' creative license! The top of the tree is the result of sitting at my felting machine and adding bits of dyed-green dryer sheet, threads and strings including some gold metallic, and dryer lint to a piece of green felt. The beads are from a recent garage sale find necklace sewn on orange felt on top of brown felt and trimmed with upholstery trim from the fabric store. Zebra came off a large garage sale find of cotton fabric with an African animal design, which I also used as the backing. I enjoyed the hand sewing and embroidery work after top sewing free motion on my sewing machine. The whole piece is 13" X 13" square. Click on photo to see closer up.

New Mixed-Media Work

I'm just about done with these two pieces. They are both 12" x 12" on gallery wrapped canvas. All I have left to do is apply a sealer to them.



These works will soon be available at BECA Gallery. They will be part of the 12x12x122 Summer Show exhibit. Exhibit dates are June 6, 2009 - July 3 2009.

I will be submitting four art works total for this exhibit. Now I need to think about the next two and what I want to create.

In other news...we are in the midst of a blizzard. So far the local news is reporting we've had a little over six inches of snow. It's blowing very hard out there and once in a while the lights dim a little. I sure hope the power doesn't go out. I heard that most of the roads are closed in the vicinity.

2009 Stash Report Week 12

Added this Week: 3 yds
Fabric Added Year to Date: 26 yds 18"Fabric


Used this Week: 2 yds 21"
Fabric Used Year to Date: 51 yds 32"Fabric


Busted from Stash This Year: 31 yards 9"

This week ended up better then I thought. Most of the fabric I used was for the Bears in the Farm house quilt from Judy and a few string blocks that I finished up. Last week we officially put our house up for sale and listed it with our real estate agent. My husband is a spec house builder and with the market the way it is we are being cautious. The market here hasn't dropped in price but it has just slowed and some price ranges are better then others. Since the house we're living in should sell fast I guess we need to go for it. So since last Monday the 16th the house has been shown every day and an open house last weekend. Not very easy to get started on a quilt project and the mess it makes. My sewing room is so nice and neat I just seat there and can't do much, or else it will make a mess. A realtor called right after I started this post and wanted to show the house in a half hour. What What What I went thought the cleaning routine again. I have it down pretty good by now. Our Realtor said our house should sell fast. If not hopefully one of the other houses we have might sell. Till then I have a very clean well organized staged house

One more little doll quilt got done.