Week 23, whew, it blew by as usual. Summer is almost here and I'm so ready.I'm also ready to sign up for a fall class in drawing but it's not time yet. I've got lots of plans.

This week's project was another bag. I have a thing about bags lately. This is a small cosmetic size bag. It's a pattern that I picked up in a local quilt shop in Temecula.  The bag is called "Little Glam Bag" by Pink Sand Beach Designs. The instructions are well written and it went together easily. Next week I won't do a bag, already got something in mine. Until then....keep on quilting and finish those projects.( Sorry, don't have a clue why the picture uploaded like that.)

Week 22 zoomed by. This week I made a bag off of pinterest. The pattern is called (No Guts) Boxie Pouch by SoChick!  It turned out well, so I made 2 more. It's pretty amazing how quickly you can make something once you know how to do it.  Now I have to figure out what to do with them. I'm in the process of figuring out my next big project, there are so many to choose from. Not much happening in this camp at the moment, still awaiting to hear if my quilt got into SAQA's " I'm not crazy" exhibit and from the American Quilter's Society show in Grand Rapids, Michigan with " Dandelion Wishes". We shall see.... Until then keep on quilting.

Week 21 was pretty exciting. I had another birthday and got to spend it with family. I got lots of happy birthday wishes and it reminds me of how lucky I really am. I finished a small quilt that I entered into SAQA's " I'm not crazy" exhibition. I sure hope that it gets picked. I worked really hard on it. All I can show you at the moment is part of the quilt label.Sorry, if it gets picked then I will show you a picture. Until next week, keep on quilting.

Well, week 20 and I have finally finished my project for the week, late as is becoming usual. I do have good excuses though...Want to hear them?  I entered two of my quilts into shows and have heard back from one of them. My quilt "Bedazzled" has been accepted in to the show at Houston..Can I get a big "Woot, Woot"?

Stunned is the word that came to my mind when I got the acceptance email. It will be at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, then travel with the exhibit called "In the American Tradition 2012" for the next year. It has over 1,000 Swarovski cystals on it, plus fabric beads with Swarovski crystals on both ends of the beads. It's based on the traditional pineapple quilt. I do love bling and paper piecing.
I am also working on a quilt to enter into SAQA's exhibit called "I'm not crazy" and I'm in a time crunch.
My project this week was neither of these quilts. I did a small piece for my #1 Daughter's birthday that is in June. It's a paper pieced project that turned out real cute. I think she will like it a lot. I won't be able to post a picture till after June 17. But I will remember to do it.
So remember, if you want to be a world famous quilter, you have to keep your nose to the grindstone and enter competitions. No one is going to come knocking at your door if they don't even know if you quilt.
Keep on quilting.....

Week 19. It certainly has been a whirlwind. I've flown back and forth between the two coasts for a child's college graduation, finished my own college class, with finals done, and still managed to get my project of the week completed. I don't even know how that happened.

This week I did another project off of pinterest. The block is from Purl Soho titled Golden wreath mini quilt- although I did mine in oranges. It was good to work with curves again, since I have done several New York Beauty quilts in the past. I liked it so much that I'm working on a pink one. I may do a whole quilt, you never know. Have a great week and keep on quilting.

Week 18 zoomed by and of course I'm late. Seems the norm these days but college finals are next week, so I've been pretty busy drawing up a storm. Self portraits? Can't say I like them much. Getting lots of practice though. Maybe one day I will actually be able to draw what I see. Not as easy as it seems.

What did I learn this week? I learned that even if you think you can dye, everything you know goes out the window when you are dyeing silk. Colors are what colors should be and the results can be mighty humbling. Check out the pictures. My oldest wanted me to dye some silk (8 yards) to be a deep cranberry color. Being the die hard dyer that I think I am, I said sure, no problem. That's when the confusion started. I mixed up the dye and did a test run. My muslin came out cranberry, my silks came out blue.... What the heck??? I then did 4 other test runs and the results were not what they seemed. The rust brown came out cranberry, the drab olive came out semi true to color. The fire red came out semi red and "barbie pink" and the plum came out .... sort of purple..ish. So I went with the rust brown and it wasn't as true when I mixed up a large batch. Well, I can a least overdye and maybe, just maybe.....Something will come out semi right. I worked hard and learned a little, but the most I learned was to expect the unexpected. So, keep on quilting and dye a little, it will surprise you lots.....

Week 17 came to an end quickly and I was ill prepared. Just finished a sinus infection then acquired a back problem, leaving me without the ability to finish what I started. Nevertheless, I found a great pin on Pinterest and had to make it and share with everyone.  I claim that I'm not a traditional quilter, but I love, love, love paper piecing, so every now and then I just have to do it all over again. This week I tried a paper piecing pattern by Diane Bohn called "Scrap Attack Block". Her blog is fromblankpages.blogspot.com. I downloaded the pattern off of craftsy.com and away I went. It's a block that helps use up your scrap. Now, I don't know about you, but I could make 20 full size quilts with my scraps and still have leftovers. My plan is to use up all my fabric before I die. Somehow I don't think I'm going to be able to fulfill that wish.  I look at the scraps and am reminded of all my friends. The polka dots remind me of Betsy, anything vintage reminds me of Cathy,  the beauty in the florals and dainty butterflies remind me of Sally, the fabrics I can't even remember where in the world they came from have to be Shirl's. Of course the collection wouldn't be complete without the whole motley crew, hence Wilma comes to mind and then I start to giggle about all the alms for the poor. I have been very blessed with the most amazing groups of friends, old and new. I know that I don't truely deserve them but there they are. So here's to you friends....Keep on quilting.