Week 40....

This week's project I created from a class by Heather Thomas while I was in Houston.

It was a monoprinting class using a Gelli plate. I already own one and had never used it so I thought, why the heck not. I made some amazing fabric pieces and had a great time. I have a picture of the Gelli plate with the fabric and then some of my individual pieces that I liked the best.

I worked in the same color scheme and used fabric paints, stencils and anything else I could get my hands on. I used bubblewrap, combs, coffee cup lids, washers, all kinds of found items. It was a blast.

See the jellyfish?

This was bubble wrap.

Bee stencils.

A comb in a circle.

A comb for effects and washers.

Here are my fabric samples.

Week 38....
Ok, again I'm playing catch up but in my defense I have been truly very busy.I went to two quilts shows, was sick and have worked 2 jobs. I'm tired all over just thinking about it.
For this weeks project I did another job for a friend. With all the glitter I wonder why I can't say NO....

They are sashes for the seniors at a local high school. I used glitter tulle ribbon, black batik and steam a seam  2 lite and viola..... I cleaned glitter up for a week and am still finding it in the oddest places.

Week 39...

I took a trip to Santa Clara to see my three quilts up on the walls. That's a first for me, so I wanted to be there. On the second photo, to the left of me is a quilt by Mary Pal. Her work is awesome and you should check her quilts out online.
As for my project for the week....

I took a class with Judy Coates Perez while I was in Houston working with Tsukineko Inks. I am working on one of her designs learning how to paint with inks using aloe vera gel. It's not finished yet but I learned lots.

So I am trying to catch up with this weekly challenge thing.
Week 37
This week I had a friend ask if I could alter a ballgown. Yuck, If there is something I hate more than alterations I can't think of it, but....she had to breath in this dress so I said yes.I opened up the seam on the other side of the dress from the zipper, added a panel on both the outside and inside lining then she wanted strips to keep the thing up so I made them out of organza.
It turned out better than the pictures and better than her idea, that nonsewer that she is.

I am flying to Oakland then driving to the quilt show in Santa Clara for the day on Friday. I have 3 quilts in this show so it's a first and I'm excited. I still have to quilt my 2nd in the series "Living the good life" but haven't had the chance and this month is crazy busy.
My daughter has a show in LA tomorrow, so after work, we are driving up to check that out and offer up support. If you are in the area, it call RAW provocations I believe.
Until next time....Keep on quilting.

Okay so I am so far behind in my projects I just want to lay in the floor and quit...But, then my daughter would win the challenge of a weekly project and I just can't let that happen so....
Week 36
On a personal note, I'm going through that period where my hair is driving me crazy. Every women knows that feeling and can relate. This week's project are headbands because I am going to grow my hair out...at least for today.
I got the pattern off ...where else...pinterest.
Double sided Fabric Headbands from happytogethercreates.com

They are very comfortable and I made a few today so I could wear them to work.

Even though I haven't been blogging, I have been creating. I finished another quilt top in my series "Living the good Life". It turned out well. I'd say the best quilt yet. Everyone that has seen it says it gives them chills. I mean that in a good way. I just have to quilt it now. We will see how long that takes.

My first quilt in that series is going to be in the Pacific International Quilt Show in Santa Clara along with "Dandelion Wishes". As soon as I see if it wins a ribbon or not I will post a picture of it on this website. I feel that once it has been through one competition it's okay to put it up on my own website. My quilt "Moody Blues" will also be in Santa Clara on it's tour with the SAQA's "I'm not Crazy" exhibit. I hope lots of you will be able to go to the show. Since it's the first time I've ever had 3 quilts in one show, I am going to fly there for the day and have my picture taken with my quilts. I think it will be a good show.

I am not trying to decide what picture I'm going to use for my third quilt in the same series. I have a few in mind. I am also working on 2 other quilts that mean a lot to me. I sometimes get stuck in the process of how to get the image from my brain to the quilt but I'm working on that.

As for my art class, I am progressing slowly. I am taking "Head Drawing" this semester at the college level. I have met some interesting people and I am learning, slowly. Hope it helps with my quilting.

Well, all I can say is I will seriously try to keep up with my blog. I keep saying it, but life has a way of overwhelming me. Until next time....It's all about the quilts so quilt on.

Week 34..

Well, the 1st of "Living the good Life" Series is complete. I know that the girls at work like it but all my blog followers only get to see the label until I get it into a show. The photo was provided by Lena Servin, a nurse that I work with at "The Ranch". She was the inspiration and has now inspired a lot of others to get me pictures along the same line for my next in the series. I love it.. I learned a lot from this quilt. I need to change my fusable that I use, so I ordered some Misty fuse since it is lighter and not so thick. I have learned that I will use a design wall ALWAYS and that blocking a quilt is a MUST. Many design challenges but the next quilt will be even more awesome...

Week 35..

This is a Mariner's compass, or rather 1/4 of the block and then I have my "Magic Mirror" behind it so I can see what the block will look like finished..Sort of.. The lights and darkers are not as they should be but it gives me an idea of the final results without putting too much effort into it. I am currently working on a traditional quilt, I use that term loosely, and wanted to do a mariner's compass in the center. I know what colors I want to use and will work on EQ7 to better plot my course. I'm real excited about this quilt. I love art quilts but I also love paper piecing so I guess I'm both traditional and comtempory. Who would have thought.

I've booked my flight and classes for Houston and have volunteered for both taking down the quilts after the show with IQA and am going to the website to volunteer to work the booth for SAQA. If you are not aware of this organization, check it out. It's pretty darn awesome. I've gone to a few meetings in my area and met the most wonderful people. Of course they are wonderful, they are quilters and VERY talented. Jamie Fingal, Kathy Nida, Sandra Hankin, Mary Tabar, Jane Lafazio and Kathleen McCabe to name a few. There is so much talent in these groups that it is mindboggling, find a chapter near you and go to a meeting. They are very motivational and talented and you will be surprised what rubs off on to you.

I've deceided that when I grow up, I want to be a quilter...No wait, I want to be one now, if only I could find someone to support me totally and all I had to do was quilt. Oh, sorry, I was dreaming. What a dream...

So until next time, keep on keeping on and keep on quilting. (I'm almost keeping up with my project a week.)

Okay, so I am running far behind but have been working on a big quilt. I know it sounds like an excuse but I do believe this quilt is one of the best so far that I have done. All I have left to do is finish the binding, make a sleeve and label and attach them, then comes the part to try to find a show or competition that it can go into.
So, I do have weeks 31, 32 and 33 projects done, I just haven't stopped long enough to blog. I have about 45 minutes before my art class starts so I am getting it done.... Oh, didn't I tell you that I have started another college art class? No? Shame on me. This semester I am taking "Head Drawing". It's all about drawing faces. I think it's going to be a good class and my quilts will only improve with the knowledge that I am gaining. I hope so anyway.

Week 31 is a small bag that I made off of an idea I saw on Pinterest. The instructions were in another language so I just faked it in English. I then embellished the front and back with crystals. Cute but I don't love it..
Week 32 is a bag that I bought in Houston a couple years back and thought I would add the crystals but never got around to it, so I finally did it. The crystals seems to be too large for the spaces so if I didn't want them to fall off they would and if I wanted them to fall off they wouldn't. The overall effect was pretty but next time I would use smaller crystals. What a pain.

Week 33 is a prototype bag that I made out of fabric that I had. I have several family members that were in Kawaii with me and saw a bag they liked, we bought the fabric there and now I have several bags to make. I'm going to use nuts as the bag enclosures. They will be cute and I'll post them when I get done. Very Hawaiian.(not this one)

So I am still behind a week but as soon as I finish the big quilt I will be caught up, for now. We will see how long that will last. I'm looking forward to Houston in October. I'm waiting to hear how my "Dandelion Wishes" did at the American Quilter's Society show in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show closed on 8/25 so I should be getting my quilt back soon. I had it appraised while it was there and will be getting a cd with all the quilts on it. Exciting. I'm sure it didn't win anything but it's just one more step on my way to being a world famous quilter, and isn't that what it's all about? Well, for some of us it is and as long as it stays fun to do and challenges you, keep on keeping on....And keep on quilting. Until next time, and I promise to try to do better with keeping up on my weekly projects and blogging.

Week 30. Thank goodness that week is over. Not only was the life at "work" a major headache but this project of the week was right up there too.
A friend stopped over and asked for a small favor. I have learned that when exhusbands say "can I ask you a question?", I must say no, roll up the window and drive away, quickly. When friends ask for a favor, I don't run fast enough, hence this week's project. This friend, rarely asks for anything, so I was intrigued.

She asked for several little pillow cases. Easy enough. When she pulled out the fabric, that's when I wanted to run. If you have worked on slippery polyester before, you can understand why. As nonsewers, people don't realize what a pain this is to sew up, much less add a zipper too. Being the person I am, I sucked it up and finished them in one day, so I wouldn't have to look at them anymore. They turned out cute, but not my favorite thing to do. I'm still working on my series quilt. I think I mentioned that I'm going to be working on a series of quilts because my oldest told me it would show a "cohesive body of work". I'm not sure why I care but I guess this will show me as a serious artist. HAHAHAHA. Sorry, I found that extremely funny for some reason. Well, maybe next week I can show something fun off. We shall see. Keep on working on those projects.