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.

Weeks 27, 28 and 29. Well I will have to say that I've been busy and have finally caught up. Yippee.

This week I have learned a lot especially about mixed media. I figure that if something will work on paper, it should also work on fabric. Not always true, but you do get some interesting effects.For example: project week 27- watercolor crayons.



                                                                                                                                                                                                 












I learned that you really need to spray them with lots of water so that the colors will run, especially on fabric (I used canvas). They are messy and the effect on paper was lovely...Not so much on canvas, I think.

Week 28 project- A paper pieced block I made from a pattern from quilterscache.com. The block is called Night and Day. I really like the block and think it could work as a background for applique if I used muted colors. If you have never been to this website, it is amazing. So much to chose from and such great ideas, and it is free.

Week 29 project is a gessoed alcohol ink technique that I pinned off of pinterest. The tutorial was by Shelly Hickox. Once again, I thought why not fabric. I learned a lot and even have ideas on improvements with the fabric. Here is the picture of the results, I used canvas fabric and next time will try a muslin that I have backed with heavy fusible so that the embossing would show up better. I will  use a different color of embossing powder so it would also show up better. I was pleased with the results and learned to play with the alcohol inks, and the cuttlebug with the embossing plates. Pretty sweet.

 
Well, now I have caught up and have to think of a project for this week. I'm working on a big quilt and it's coming along fine, have 2 layers done of a partial piece. (I have a long way to go).
Until next week, keep on quilting and always stretch your limts.

Okay, so I'm late and behind, this will be week 26 project although it should be week 29...so I had best get my rear in gear and start to catch up. I took a two week much needed vacation and although I thought about art and quilting a lot, I didn't produce anything. I did manage to attend a quilt show in Hawaii since it wasn't far from where I was vacationing.
For this week's project, I made an adorable Circle Zip Earbud Pouch from a tutorial by Erin Erickson I pinned from pinterest. It really was easy and went together as it was supposed to.

I'm working on another quilt, having finished the pattern today. It is going to be the first of a series because my first born tells me that I have to do a series to show I have a cohesive body of work. I'm excited about it and hope it turns out okay.

I shipped my first quilt off for the exhibit "I'm not crazy" that is titled "Moody Blues". It is about depression.  It will travel for a year or so. I know that I showed my label before but here is the quilt.

At the end of the month I send my quilt "Bedazzled" to be in the exhibit "In the American Tradition" that starts in Houston in October. Here is the picture of that. This will also be traveling for a year or so. A detail picture of it is also in the catalog for Houston I think it is on page 5.
So I have been busy, just not productive, if that makes sense. I'll work on it. Until then....Keep on quilting.

Time flies when you are having fun. Ain't that the truth. It also flies when you are doing something you love or with people that make you smile. Time drags when you are doing the things you dislike. Everyone know these things, so as usual, time flew by this week and I'm still trying to catch up. I spent the weekend in LA, celebrating my oldest daughter's birthday. How did she become 25? I must have given birth to her at the age of 2, I'm sure of it... I flew to the "other coast" and dropped off the youngest for an extended visit with family and flew back within 48 hours. "TIME FLIES".

This week's project was an exercise in organization. I bought a bin system from IKEA and put it together (with help, I must add) and then organized all my quilting threads. This will increase my productivity because now I will be able to find exactly the thread I need in a timely manner. Working on becoming a world famous quilter is hard work.

I also used a great tip off pinerest regarding fixing a zipper. It worked like a charm. It was from diyfashion.about.com. It only took a few minutes and I didn't have to replace the whole zipper...Yippee.

I got my entry accepted into SAQA's exhibit "I'm Not Crazy" and got my quilt Dandelion Wishes accepted as a semifinalist in the AQS Quilt Show in Grand Rapids, Michigan in August. Wish me luck.

So here are pictures of my new thread cabinet before and after. Hope everyone has a great week and keep on quilting.

Week 24, over and done. Summer is almost upon us and life's about to get way more busier. This week I almost finished a child's quilt for a friend at work. Her daughter loves giraffes, I found a yard of material in my stash, so I mixed and matched and turned that yard and some leftover material into a quilt. Didn't seem to make a dent in my stash though.

 I also gave dear Daughter number one her birthday present so here is a picture of the gnome wallhanging I made her. Getting ready to get on a flight to the "other coast" so until next time, keep on quilting.

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.)