Happy BD, Nick!!

Nick already had the football 'stance' didn't he!!!  Happy BD #80!!!  Hope you have a great day!!

More Snap Bags...

For some reason, on my previous snap bag post, the picture of the finished bag was covered up with a picture of the quilted fabric.I've been using this bag to hold my phone and love it.  So easy to find in my bag! 

On Monday afternoon, I made up these two smaller versions of the snap bag to hold gift cards!  Perfect size for them.  Actually, one of them is going to Nick to hold his BD gift card! 

These are the backs...don't ask why the background on the first pic is pink!  I did an auto correct and that's what happened.  Hmmmmm


Anyway, I think these are a nice item to give gift cards in....now to make up some for Christmas gifts!! 

Book Review Time!

I am so excited!  I pre-ordered Geninne's book and received it yesterday!!  And  I actually read EVERY page!!!  You know it has to be good to keep my interest that much.  I even did a review on Amazon!  This is the best book on designing your own stamps. Geninne has one particular tip on craving your stamps that I think is a great tip!  No, I'm not sharing what it is...you'll have to buy the book! 

I'm sure several of you have followed Geninne's art blog and have admired her artwork.   If you aren't familiar with her art, grab a cup of coffee (or margarita of your choice!) and settle in to look at some wonderful art.  After that go to Amazon and order the book!!  You will not be disappointed!!  I think the book is under priced but that's just me!  This book will head to Florida with me this winter. 

Bob and I have some errands to run, so I'm going to stop at JoAnn's or Michaels and stock up on some erasers and stamp blocks.  I don't have many pieces of my blocks left from the online class I took with Dijanne but I think some of the smaller pieces I kept will work perfect with some of the projects in Geninne's book.  I can't wait to get started!!    Hope to post some pics by the weekend! 

Snap bag...

Awhile back, Jan duh!  Jill! (sorry Jill!  I honestly know your name!), over at The Quilt Rat, posted on making and receiving snap bags!  I thought how cool these bags were...so after my Mandala online class and making several pieces of shibori fabric I thought they'd be perfect for turning into snap bags!

I made this one for myself and it's a perfect fit for my phone and even Ipod!

The 'snap' part of the bag is from using pieces from a metal tape measure!  Go figure, right!

This was my mandala/shibori fabric when I started some free motion quilting on it.

I didn't necessarily want the quilting to show but it just looked so blah...so I took some white tsukineko ink and filled in the outline part of the feather.  

Quilting and painting all ready to stitch up into a snap bag.  

I added a 'hem' to slip in the piece of metal tape, then stitched up the sides.  I didn't line the inside of my bag.  Again, this was my first one just to see what I wanted, didn't want or how to make the little bag!  

You can see the hem on top and the inside.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  I think they would make nice little bags to hold gift cards for Christmas!  I'm going to play around making a smaller size one for gift cards, just to see if it works out.  




I am making good progress on the hex's...got a lot finished yesterday while watching the Lions play...they lost in overtime, which was so upsetting!  But there's always next week!  
Another beautiful fall day today.  Kalee and I went for a car ride then for a nice walk downtown Davison.  She's my best buddy for sure!  Only problem is I tend to talk with her and ask her questions!  Guess I'm not losing it yet as she's not answering me!  But I did say "yet"!!

Well, off to sewing room to whip up another bag! 

Way to go Amber!

Yea, Amber!  #31...I thought she was suppose to be #53 but number doesn't matter.  These girls played tough!  Yikes!

Amber did a good job!  I'm quite proud of her for making the team and giving it all she has!

And a lot of the games are on Wed. so I can head down and watch them!!  Way to go Amber!!!! 

Workin' on the hex!

First, thanks to those who provided me some good tips on keeping my hex's in place while I'm paper piecing them!!

I forgot that years ago my daughter and I took a class on making a portfolio to hold our applique work in place! 

This is my portfolio all tied up, nice and neat!  It turned out to be a perfect place to store my hex's...I can't lay them all out since they measure 30" but it's good for a start!

This is the inside with the flaps down on the sides...yes, I was too lazy to flip my photos...just turn your head!

And here they are...laying and staying in place.  The inside is flannel fabric so no moving!  Unless of course, I bump the pieces or Kalee grabs a piece!  Which hasn't happened yet...I say "yet"!

If you look close, the rows on the left side have been sewn together...two sewn to each other.  I just started sewing the four rows.

And this is the rest of the pieces sitting patiently waiting their turn to be moved to the portfolio!

My daughter gave me her portfolio and there was a surprise inside!  Some applique pieces!

These were sunflower pieces Dawn had leftover from a class we took with Phil Beaver years ago!!   The workshop with Phil was really good.  He's an amazing artist.  He drew up designs for us on the fly!  I still have mine but I gave my quilt project to our friends, Carol & Tony, in Florida as a thank you gift. 

Dawn actually made several of the sunflower petals and placed them on the back of a Levi jacket.  It turned out really nice...I'll have to get a picture of it sometime and post. 

Tomorrow, I'll post pics from Amber's first basketball game!  Wow...she's a good defensive player for sure!!  I didn't know these girls were as tough as they are!  I'm really proud of her making the team and giving it her all!!!  Way to go, Amber!!

Well, I'm off to work the library book sale today!  We are also having a bake sale so I baked some peanut butter cookies.  Now if I can get out of the house without eating most of them we'll have something to sell!

Another BD Wish!

Happy BD, Mary Jo!!!!   Hope you have a great BD!!!!  Wish we could be there to eat cake with you and the family.

The kids live in Indiana so I don't have any baby pics and usually only Christmas pics of them!!!   Although, I'm sure MJ doesn't mind me not sharing a baby picture of her! 

Again, enjoy your day, Mary Jo!!  We're thinking of you!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!

Happy Birthday, Dawn!!!  I can still remember the day you were born!  Thank goodness we only lose our short term memory!!  This was one of Dawn's high school graduation pictures back in '84.  Seems like yesterday (almost!).

Hope you have a great day!!!  Love You!

Final layout...I think!

Well, I think this is the layout for my hex's!  At least for today!  I'll let the little buggers sit overnight then I'll decide if this is it or not. 

Next will be how to keep them in their places while I piece them together!  I'm thinking of using a stickie type sheet of something...I have some ideas but not sure what will be the best solution.

Tomorrow is another work day at setting up the library book sale.  I'll  be working the book sale on Saturday but it's usually fun, even if it's a long day. 

I also starting quilting some fabric to make a snap bag!  I do entertain myself, don't I!

Let's get back to work!

Last week was running  every day but the week was finished off with a great dinner yesterday at Darrin and Kris' to celebrate Auntie Dawn BD (it's not until this Thursday) and a partial celebration for Nick's BD (his isn't until the 26th of this month!)  Auntie will be out of town, hence, Darrin started the smoker and cooked  ribs for our celebration!  I don't eat ribs but I did eat four slices!!!  Yep...4 of them!!  They were so good!!!  Kris made a Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potato dish that was out of sight!  YUM!!!

And of course, we had to have cake, right!

It was SO good...SO rich but so good!!

 What a great time!!!  Although, the old gall bladder didn't care for all the rich food but that's too bad.  It was worth it for sure!!! 

So now back to doing some art work, right!  My friend Carol T. sent out a note to our fiber group showing the new book coming out by Carla Sonheim.  The reason Carol sent it to our fiber group is because the next Master Artist for our exhibit is Dr. Seuss!  Yep...Dr. Seuss.  If you look at Carla's drawings, you'll see some similarity in her work and the drawings from Dr. Seuss!
I get Cara's newsletter updates via email and they are so much fun to look at!  I'm not into drawing or painting but I have always thought her drawings of animals were so unique.  I've actually printed some out for Nick.  He loves to draw and Carla has shown how to start a drawing from time to time in a post.
Anyway, Carla might be a good candidate for inspiring our Dr. Seuss quilts! 
You have to check out her web site here.  And scroll back to older posts to see more of her work and her books. This new book will be out this fall!  Which is right around the corner!

Now for my artwork...here are some of my hex's...I'm working on my layout but realized I needed some more darker purples.  These are only one inch hex's and the piece I need is only 9" x 30". 

So I hope to get more hex's made up and the layout settled upon!  Then I can start piecing them together. 
Still have some running this week but hopefully I'll get some sewing time in at night!  Football and baseball on TV!  Can't just sit there!!! 

Opening Night

No these aren't street walkers!  This was last night as my friends and I left the restaurant heading to the art council for the ENCORE! opening reception!


These are my friends (L -  R) LoisAnn (who is back from living in Italy for the past 5+ years!), Judy (a friend of Karen's who was visiting from St. Louis), Carol T, my bud and Karen, my other bud!

I said because I'm always taking the pics for our fiber meetings, I'm not in  any pictures except our Christmas get-together, which is fine with me.  I'm not fond of having my pic taken.  Bob is always telling me someone should take my pic...so I hauled out phone camera and took a picture as we were walking...not bad for a quick pic...I don't think any of us knew where to look!

and who knew!  A python snake in the middle of downtown Flint!!!  Yes, it was real and yes, it was crawling!  I don't remember having vendors on the street before but it's Flint...so you never know what you'll find on the street!

Another fellow was spray painting pictures which were really cool and only $10...no I didn't buy any!!  In fact, I didn't even take a pic of his paintings....you can see on the bottom right edge two of them and if you stand on your head while reading this blog you can see the one he was working on!

This is Mary and Marty, co-curators of our show!  They are both hard workers and have worked hard for the past 14+ years moving this exhibit from venue to venue, hanging, taking down, making arrangements...this is/was a full time job...most folks don't realize the effort it took for the show to be as successful as it has been.   Thanks, ladies!  You both are the BEST!

 Aren't they a good pair!!

And our 'crew' again!!  What a nice night....today I had to work at our local library setting up for our book sale next weekend.  I am hurting...OK, I admit it!  Finally caught up with me!!!  I think we had six ladies today hauling boxes of books and setting them up on bookshelves and on the tables.  We have to go back later this week and finish up but that's good.  I need a few days to recoup!  Advil...where are you!!!!

ENCORE!

Yesterday afternoon five of us hung over 100 quilts for the ENCORE! exhibit that opens Friday (14th).   ENCORE! is actually a retrospect of the past 14 years from the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational.

 

Each year the Michigan Quilt Artists have created art work based on one theme.  At this show, there are selected pieces from each of the past 14 years!  There are over 100 quilts on display!!

 

This is my best bud, Mary, who is also one of the co-curators of the show.   Mary has been a tireless worker on this exhibit over the past 14 years.  She organized where the quilts would be on display monthly and also had to arrange getting the quilts to and from their destination as well as getting the quilts hung at each venue!!  That's a lot of work over the years. 

This is Marty the other co-curator for the Michigan  Quilt Artist Invitational.  Marty and Mary came up with the idea of having a traveling exhibit back in 1997 and what a successful run they have had.  Marty is very active in the art community in the Flint area and as a teacher, also encourages students by providing them art related programs. 

Both of these lady's have worked their hearts out and we (MQAI artists) thank them immensely for giving us a venue and a challenge each year! 

Of course, from time to time, Mary and Marty have requested help from us 'little folk'!  Here are my other buds Carol (left) and Lois Ann who assisted in hanging the quilts yesterday.  Each of these ladies are fantastic artists and if you're in the neighborhood (downtown Flint) you'll get to see some of their work on display in this show. 

 The scarves on display were hand dyed by Mary (in her spare time!!) and are for sale. 

Just a sneak peak at some of the quilts...if you want to see the rest of them, you'll have to attend the show!  It's awesome!!  So much fun to look back on the past 14 years...as my friend, Carol, said "it's so interesting to see where we started and where we ended up in our art work".  How true!! 

So if you're in the Flint area Sept. 14th thru October 5th (Monday - Friday 9 - 5 p.m.) head over to the Greater Flint Arts Council (816 S. Saginaw) or better yet, if able, come to the opening reception tomorrow (Friday the 14th) from 6 - 9 p.m.!  It's free and open to the public...food, music and beverages provided!  Can't beat that for a night out!

Bragging time!

WaHoo!  Nick's team won by 1 point on Sunday!  Grandpa and I had a really nice time at the game!  Nick did get his name announced for one tackle but missed out on two others!  One was a penalty so they didn't announce his name and the other one there were two tackling and they didn't announce either boys names!  Darrin put this collage together yesterday..pretty cool!  Nick is #80....as inquiring minds want to know, right!
I know Ian has had some X country matches but grandpa doesn't remember where he placed.  I'll have to get MJ or Ron to make sure they keep me posted!  Kayla is busy with working all the football games (she's in sports medicine at Ball State) and Amber's basketball season hasn't started yet!  Busy kids...

And speaking of busy kids,  my daughter was in another Flash Mob at Oakland University promoting the 3rd annual Student to Professional Conference!  What a hoot!!!  Dawn is in the back row, 2nd in from the right.  You go girl!!!

 Is this fun or not!!!  For those who know Dawn, you'll recognize her on the far left about a minute fifty into the video. Gotta love those kids! 

Tomorrow we hang for the MQAI exhibit opening which is on Friday.  Quilts will be hung through the middle of October.  Busy week!!  I did get to shop for some size 15 beads today in between root dye job and Kalee's beauty appointment!  Now to find time to bead.  Tonight I'm printing out the labels for the show and getting those organized.  That should keep me busy for a few minutes! 

What's old is new again...well sorta!

Well, I've not done much this week sewing or beading wise...well, I have finished outlining my beaded butterfly and now filling in...and I've stitched more hexagons...but I figure it's boring seeing the same old, same old on my blog.

As I was going through my old CD's trying to move my projects to flash drives I forgot about some of my "old" works! So I thought I'd post some of them here.

This flower was a picture my daughter took at a conservatory in Detroit.  I loved the picture and had it printed on fabric then I finished it of with a border and FMQ.  I made this for Dawn's BD in 2006...can't believe it's been that long ago.  Dawn still has it hanging in her house...she's so sweet!  Or maybe she only puts it up when I'm coming to visit!  Either way...I think she liked it!

This isn't the best picture,  as some of the blocks are cut off...but you get the drift. This was a 4th Saturday Sampler our local quilt shop put on and which I completed in 2002.  Some blocks were machine quilted (those are the traditional patterns) and the little connector blocks and the large middle block I hand appliqued.  The small connector blocks were also hand quilted by me.  Surprise!

Just a closeup of two blocks.  I really like this quilt and it still lays on my chair in our living room.  Now keeping with that traditional theme...that you didn't think I did....

I made this for my DIL's brother and wife when they got married.  I used home spun fabrics for the quilt, including the border!  Yikes!  Drove me crazy because I thought the lines in the pattern should be straight....not always so with home spun fabric.  I think the kids liked it and I still have the thank you note they sent me.

And last but not least....check out this little old lady basting her quilt!  This quilt had some fabric in it that I had made a graduation dress for my daughter back in 1984!  I started off hand quilting this piece and it still sits downstairs over a bench and will most likely never finish the hand quilting.  You can see the date of 2000! 

 It was a scrap quilt and both it and the previous quilt above were/are patterns from Beth Ferrier.  Beth was a hoot and still is!  I got to see her again in Florida this past winter when she did her trunk show for one of the local Ocala guilds.  We always had fun in Beth's classes and if you get a chance to take a class don't hesitate to sign up.  Or better yet, check out one of her machine applique books.

So this week will be busy, busy for me.  Between hair appts (dog and me!), fiber meeting, hanging quilts for our upcoming exhibit, opening on Friday night,  yada, yada....the week will fly by!  Oh, Lions won today...yahoo!!  And they did it in the last 10 seconds!  Yep, last 10 seconds!  Nerve wracking.  Now I'm off for a walk with the dog.  Beautiful day today...Nick's team won their football game too!!!  Grandpa even came with me today.  Just a nice time with family!  Nick even had his name and # mentioned for a tackle!  Way to go Nick!!  Now it's Amber's turn with girls basketball!  Busy time!!!

School Days...

Yes, grandma is a little late posting pics of the kids first day of school but at least I did remember to do it now!!

Amber is going into 7th grade already!  She's grown into a beautiful teenager and still a delight to be around.  I have to say she's one of my best friends!!  And always will be!!

AND...she made the basketball girls team yesterday!  Yahoo!!!  More after school activities!  I don't know how the kids and parents do it all!!  Both kids have either football or basketball practice for 2 hours each day!!

And here's our Nick!!  Going into 4th grade and happy about it!!!  Actually, in his class, he's with several of his friends, which is nice.  He had a few days off of football practice but now he's back at it.  Another game this weekend, which I plan on going to.  I'm going to talk grandpa into coming along to watch the effort these little ones put forth. 

So not much accomplishments in the art work this week....working on getting our labels ready for the MQAI exhibit on the 14th which is part of the Flint Festival of Quilts. 

The exhibit will be shown at the Greater Flint Arts Council,  816 S. Saginaw St. - This year's theme is "ENCORE!" which is a retrospective exhibition of works by Michigan Quilt Artists from the past 14 years.  It will be a great exhibit looking back at all the art quilts and different themes.  The opening is on Friday, Sept. 14, 6-9 PM, with music, wine and food!  It's always a great night to see some art friends and family friends!   The exhibit will be up through the middle or end of October.  So if you are in the Flint area make sure to stop and see our exhibit and the rest of the quilts. 

Rainy day today, although we do need it so I won't complain.  Just muggy out so you still need the air on.  I'd much prefer windows open but not today.

Worked on more hand stitching this weekend as well as beading.   Just a so so weekend...nothing exciting and basically just that, another weekend. 

Bob is off to his retiree breakfast then we have Dr.'s appt. this afternoon. 

I did find something interesting yesterday...I'm a big fan of the Longmire series and started reading Craig Johnson's other mystery books.  I just finished reading The Dark Horse and As the Crow Flies, which were quite good.  I'm now reading Junkyard Dogs.  If you want to get an idea of his writing, check out his web site's home page and click under the 'home' button and select 'videos'.  Play the video where he is speaking at the National Book Festival.  What a hoot!  He is quite the story teller!!!

I still miss you so much...

11/3/99 - 9/2/2011

Not a day goes by that I don't think of my little girl...the tears still flow so freely...but the memories will also make me smile.   I miss you so much, Mandy....