Cuppla Projects

Over the weekend I worked on two new projects. One is done, the first one shown. Both of these pieces are themes which I seem to do over and over. I guess that means I like them maybe? Or perhaps it's because I'm comfortable creating them? Hmmm, wonder if I should break out of the box.

This is a small wall hanging that is made from scraps mostly. The light colored inner section was a cut-off from another project and had been laying around on the work table for too long. The batting on the back/teal section was a scrap, as were the fabrics I used to create the vase, flower, and stem.

Scribble Flower
17" x 8.25"

The next project is a similar process to a few other quilts I've created recently, just in a small version. My next step on this one is to add color to the surface.


Today I have to run some errands and then I'm hoping to make a start on a Christmas gift. I'm also in the process of working on a mixed-media triptych painting for my son. He's been decorating his apartment lately and wanted me to create some wall art for him. So I'm doing something on gallery wrapped canvas. I'll show you those another day.

I received some very exciting news on Friday. I got an envelope from Road to California, and inside they told me that my quilt entry, Stirring Thoughts, was accepted into their show. I was so happy to read that, I was jumping up and down for joy. The show is held January 14-17, 2010, at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, CA. I so wish I could go to see it hang there.

The Silly BooDilly - Huge Holiday Sale!!

~ All items in my Silly BooDilly Etsy shop are now on sale for the holidays!

~ 30% OFF the listed price for each and every item in the shop!

~ (Difference will be refunded via Paypal once payment has been received.)

~ Note: This is a one time sale that will continue throughout the month of December. Any items left will be removed from my shop sometime in the beginning of the new year, (once I have new items to post). I am ready for a new look and direction. There are some great savings to be had here, so if you ever wanted one of my pieces... now is the time to buy!!

~ P.S. Thank you for indulging this self promotion!

Thank you for the music......

This was so much fun to do! My daughter's two friends were celebrating their 40th birthdays. Suzie designed and I executed. It's a 12" x 18" vanilla. Isn't it amazing how many music systems we've gone through in just 40 years!

Textile Museum, Toronto

Lynn, Sandy and I, all members of crazyquilters.ca met this morning at the Textile Museum in downtown Toronto. Mr. & Mrs. Tannenbaum are the owners of a wonderful quilt collection which is on view at the Museum. Many of the quilts are crazy and are absolutely beautiful. We read that Mrs. Tannenbaum collected the quilts because they were art pieces. The crazy quilts on show were mostly made around 1880 and there were many that were made from tiny plain and patterned silk pieces which absolutely glowed. Much of the stitching was of shiny thread which added another glow! As you will see from the photos, there are some traditional quilting patterns, one in particular the log cabin, which almost became a crazy quilt with the rich fabric and some embroidery, here and there.
I appreciate more so the work done by Miss Carole Samples in documenting hundreds of seams and motifs from old quilts in her book "Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches".

The three of us decided that we would meet again in the New Year to share our talents, and of course if there any other crazyquilters.ca in the GTA, Lynn said she could seat 10 comfortably!

By the way, there was not a bead to be seen on any of the quilts!
Lynn and Sandy standing beside a Kashmir shawl.

The embroidery on this was mostly chenile.
Close ups of this one are below

Close up of the quilt above

This is stunning, and below it I have several close ups.

I think this was my favourite. There was just so much embroidery, and it was very colourful.
I found that if you double click on the photos to enlarge them, then click on the elargement to get it even more magnified.

Being thankful

photo from aglaw.blogspot.com

I'm thankful for family and friends who have enriched my life so much in the last year. Wishing you all a relaxing day.

Christmas Cracker Swap

This is the Christmas Cracker I made for the CQI swap. It was a great project and I used green, maroon and gold with only embroidery and embellishment on the seams, I had to restrain myself from filling in the empty spaces! Then a piece of a cardboard paper roll was pushed inside to give it shape and hold all the goodies that could be shoved in. When my cracker arrives from my swap buddy I am NOT to allowed to peek. It has to be saved until Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I feel as if I have been away forever!  We had all been sick, then school work was very intense--grades due, program of studies due and budget; all of this on top of teaching a full schedule everyday.  Then DS has boy scouts etc., all things that a 12-year old is involved in, DD is a sophomore in college--but had to come home when she had the flu and pneumonia and DH has his work schedule; and not to be left out, I developed kidney stones that sent me to the ER for an entire Sunday.  Needless to say, I have had very little to no quilting time!  But, I am home now and actually feeling myself relax.  I am going to watch a DVD that came in and maybe get some sewing in; definitely the remainder of the week I will find time to sew!  I am thankful to have everyone back on a healthy track, have everyone home and have some time for sewing and relaxing, for family and friends!  What more could I possibly ask for....so, Happy Thanksgiving to one and all...

Until tomorrow, Happy Quilting and Happy Thanksgiving!

Rising Above It...

Remember this guy?

Today is my birthday...and this is what I found floating outside our dining room window this morning when I opened the blinds. This silly little pig has such a capacity to bring a smile to my face.

Last night Mark was working on a project in the garage and told me emphatically to stay out. He was actually building a little portable fence for the pig to peak over. You know, in case we take Porky to someone else's house who doesn't have handy fence posts for him to hang on.

Our friend, Valerie, actually thought Mark had deconstructed our fence. He didn't...but Porky can now travel. Which means, of course, he could show up in your yard!

Gift Making

I just couldn't help myself. When Sue showed a new handbag she had made in a fabulous fabric line here, I knew I just had to have one. Of course when I whined to her about wanting one too, she didn't pick up on my hint to make one for me (tee hee), so I decided I'd make my own. I made two actually. They are shown in the photos below, along with some mini padfolios that I've made for Christmas gifts. These are what I've been busy with the last few days.



That green and black batik flower fabric that you see across the top band of both purses was a perfect match for the fabrics in the handbags. I had received that from a friend quite some time ago and hadn't used much of it. This was the perfect project for it. I'm hoping to make matching purse accessories for both handbags over the next few days, probably after the holiday. One of these handbags will be for me as I really need a new one. The other will be a gift.

I want to wish all of you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I hope you are able to celebrate with health, family, and love! Today I'll be starting my preparations. I'll make a pecan pie and get the bread all cut up for the stuffing. Both my husband and I come from a traditional Thanksgiving background with the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, and other assorted goodies. I'll be having round one this evening with my in-laws. Better get out the comfy pants.

Highland Cows and Happy Holidays!

Eldest daughter met up with some Highland cows last week while traveling through Scotland. After pleasant introductions they all became fast friends. :0)


Tomorrow will be the first Thanksgiving that we have not been together since her birth. And even though I will miss her so, I am so grateful and thankful to see her having such fun and adventure. She may be an ocean away but she is always in my heart.

Whether you are here, there or anywhere, wishing you and yours much love, laughter and gratefulness, today, tomorrow and always. Happy Thanksgiving. xo

The value of value

As a quilter, it is always amazing to me how much colors change in relationship to what they are paired with. They can become prima donnas or wallflowers--it all depends on who they are playing with.

I am in the process of ordering woven labels to add to some items that will be offered in our etsy shop. I was pretty sure of the colors I wanted for the words. Look how much the same colors change depending on the background:

When everything is medium in value, it all looks washed out to me.

This was a serious contender, but then I decided I really didn't like the words agains the brown background.

After some definite tweaking with the green to make it brighter so it pops more against the dark background, this one gets the go-ahead.

It's so hard to make the decision based on my computer monitor. I could visualize what I wanted, and then they sent me the Pantone color chart. Yikes. Did I pick the right colors? If I didn't, don't tell me...it's too late.

Backyardigans

My little grandson Joshua is nearly two and sits mesmerized with his daddy, watching these cute characters on TV each night before bed. His birthday is soon and during our Wednesday sugar session last week, my friend Verdie and I made these sugar folk for the top of his cake.

Monday Challenge - fourth week

I'm moving on well with my holiday block. Above is the Colorado section. I added more snow to the mountains and have put some snow covered trees on the section right below it. In Colorado the small patches of aspens in amongst the firs were brilliant and I've tried to duplicate the look of that here. Below is a closeup of the mountains.

I also worked on the wrought iron railings in the New Orleans section. This was tricky stitching!

These are two needle cases that I made on short notice for the Bazaar at St. Margaret's in the Pines Peacemakers craft group. Just one piece of fabric embellished with lace and beads. I think the monotone colour scheme worked out really pretty. This is one opened up to show the front side.

The front closeup.

The back closeup.

A second one with just one fold, this is the front.

This is the back.

Next week I have to get the waste canvas angel mastered, or it comes out and a nice piece of lace goes in it's place.

Excitement X 12

The Twelve by Twelve artists are excited twelve times over to announce that:

(drum roll, please.... )

Sterling Publications/Lark Books will be publishing a book on our Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt project!

We are thrilled beyond words to have this wonderful opportunity, and so happy that our art endeavors and friendships are turning us into authors, too. We know that Lark was impressed by the loyal folks who follow our blogs and website, so thanks to all of you friends-of-Twelves for your encouraging words through our explorations!

We'll keep you posted as we know publication dates. We are lifting a virtual glass of champagne to each other and to all of you for your support!

Ah......

The other night Mark and I watched Charlotte and Levi while Aaron and Christa went to see "so you think you can dance." I had already fed the kids when Mark showed up after work. He had just sat down at the kitchen table when Charlotte looks at him and says in a very grown-up voice (remember, she is only 3), "So, Grandpa...how was your day?"

So smart, and so cute.

Here is a picture of the pink princess pillowcase I made for her bed, complete with the green border of frogs. I am posting it here because the fabric is so cute, Charlotte loves pink and princesses, and this is a good way to make something fast that doesn't involve making an entire quilt!

Solo Art Show A Huge Success!

On November 13th, I had the honor and excitement of seeing my art hung for the 2nd Friday Art About at the Paint Chip in Davis, CA. We had a nice reception and a very good turn out.
Maia, the owner of the store, said I'd had by far the biggest turnout of any artist she had hosted to date.

Friends and strangers came through and spent long periods of time looking at, talking about and asking questions about each piece.

It felt so good to have other textile artists there whose work I admire and respect giving mine so much attention and affirmation.

I was invited to hang my art at another studio (Mojo Flow Studio) by one of the visitors that evening. It will go up there this Friday!

What a joy it is to see my art traveling this way and being seen by so many.