Okay Then...

Yep, I thought I would be doing better at posting but this has also been a weird month. Heck, a weird year. The one thing I have been doing is keeping up in my Bullet Journal but the creative wheels are a turning. Since my last post I've:

• had 2 panic attacks
• took 3 days to clear out one room of my mother's house - still not done. Have to go through built in drawers and finish off the closet.
• got things together for an upcoming yard sale
• stuffed and put together 5 new dolls
• got a little knitting in - that kind of calms me down
• been doing some little sketches
• started making hexies for upcoming projects
• went on my first day trip of the spring/summer
• bought some doll supplies
• working on designs for a new doll
• figuring out which doll shows to do at the end of the year
• worked on a watercolor mermaid painting
• added my first piece to my wardrobe with a blue jean jacket (not new)

Okay, looking at the list, it hasn't been bad. There is always room for improvement. My blue jean jacket I got at The Michigan Antiques Festival and I love it. My first ever blue jean jacket. It was my first time going and there were also antique cars on display and I love the antique spinning wheels.

New Long Legs dolls.

The what used to be my art room. Knotted pine paneling. Those were the days. I used to pretend I was in a log cabin when I worked in there. I have to go through my books too. I washed the curtains, which I guess hadn't been done in awhile and when I pulled them out of the dryer, they looked like a tiger had gotten some claws on them. So... new curtains will be made. And a window needs to be repaired.

My version of Feegee Mermaids.

I'm making hexies. Using a template, they are made out of fabric. Because I have lots of scraps and some crazy ideas for these little things. I have seen some smaller than this and I'm seeking out those templates. Yes, that's a quarter next to them.

And this will be the second garment I add to my wardrobe. I read of one young lady who had so many different crafts she liked to do (sewing, knitting) that she decided to make one garment a month. I liked that idea and will try it. But the new garment will replace an old one.

So, that's my update. Will work on another post a lot sooner.

Done

Day 30 of my challenge. I'm proud of myself for sticking to it. This is the second challenge I finished this year. It does stretch the brain matter. Sometimes I'd just do a small sketch before I went to bed. Like tonight. I've got 15 more faces to do for my 29 Faces. I'll get that one done. Still working on filling up my sketchbooks.

I finished another three mug rugs and worked on my second art quilt. My magnolia.

So Far, So Good

I am working to work it this month. I got more creepy ornaments started, worked on my appliqued cat wall hanging, got the binding made for it, prepped a quilt to put on the frame, got my pattern pieces for my magnolia quilt traced onto freezer paper, and I stuffed some new ornaments today.

Oops! I forgot to take pics of the latest group of creepies. I did do them!!!!!

Moving Right Along

I finally got all the pieces in place on my wall hanging. I envision so many possibilities but right now I will finish this one.

Removing paper pieces.

All pieces of paper pattern removed. Ready for stitching.

More mug rugs.

Grateful

I'm so grateful I live in an area that boasts many things to do. I went to a free gelli print demo at Enchanted Cottage yesterday. Very cool. But I had to hold back. I can't do everything, even though I'd like to. I really like the Copic markers and will save up for more of those. I will be going to the local art museum soon to see an Ansel Adams exhibit. There's a small fee for that one but that's okay. I'm planning on not missing that.

My quilt guild's guest quilter was Judy Lilly. Oh my! What a wonderful lady and quilter. She does landscape quilts that look like paintings. Some of her pieces were painted and then stitched. Truly amazing. I didn't attend her workshop but I was able to ask her questions and she was kind enough to answer them. She said that she could see the wheels turning in my head. I had to laugh. These are the best pics.

Close up of pic below.

This one, the flowers were painted and then stitched around. Judy told me what paint she used, Pro Fab fabric paint from Pro Chemical Company. I will have to check them out.

I liked her story. She started out as a painter and also was a quilter. She was looking at a painting she had begun, then all the fabric that she had and wondered why she didn't make a painting with the fabric. She said she never finished that painting. Wow! And she's very prolific. She said it can take from one month up to three to do a quilt. And they are wall hanging size.  http://www.judylillyartquilts.com/

#artquilt #landscapequilt #judylilly

Halloween Cat

I designed a Halloween Cat a couple of months ago and started it. At first I was going to machine applique it but was way too complicated for me so I appliqued it by hand. Then the piece sat. And sat. And sat. Until I got tired of looking at it. So I embroidered some detail on and put on borders. The top is finally done and it was my first piece to be finished for the Trailer Stash Fabrics Finish It Challenge. It feels good to get something done. Now to put it on the frame and attempt to do my first custom stitching.

Once it has been quilted on the longarm, I will bind it in black.

Eek!

Ha! Six days in and I'm a little behind. I have been journal writing and reading on the regular, I got a quilt in the mail, I designed a Halloween wall hanging so that I can machine applique it and I took a machine applique workshop today. I learned about tension using the stitch I want to use and which direction to take when placing one applique piece on top of another. Wow! Sue Lauer is an excellent instructor and I love the one-on-one time. I told her that she has created a monster. Bwahahaha! So this is what I did in class.

Another way of thinking with this process. I think I will like it. Here's my sketch for my piece.

Here are my first sketches. The fat cat was the first one and I didn't like him so much. So I stretched him out, giving more room for the hanging spider from his tail.

Here is my final sketch. You can see where I had first pencil marks and then redrew it, finally using marker to make the outline.

Here are all of the applique pieces that are prepped and ready to be stitched onto the backing fabric. I will stitch a few more flowers before doing this. I probably shouldn't have so many small pieces for my first big project but... I never really start off doing easy things. That's just how I roll. Stay tuned.

#machineapplique #halloween #blackcat

Hello February

It's a brand new month. Can you believe it? My head is spinning. Last month was okay creative wise. The creative mojo is coming back. Thank goodness. I didn't get a chance to work on Kid Medusa but 29 Faces is this month.

Here's what I did do:

• Finished reading one book (out of 3)
• Longarmed quilted 2 quilt tops, and a wall hanging
• Finished 2 quilts/throws with binding (for sale)
• Made a Nine Patch quilt with Irish theme (just have to put the binding on, that was also longarmed by me)
• One day trip to a quilt and fiber show
• made 12 bat heart ornaments (commission)
• Stuffed half of my Gail Wilson doll
• Watched on documentary on Joan Miro, Miro, The Art of Seeing which is now at the Nasher Museum at Duke University.

For this month I will work on increasing what I want to accomplish. After all, it's a new month.

February:

• read 3 books
• watch 4 documentaries
• 29 Faces
• write a short story
• practice longarm quilting
• one day trip
• Gail Wilson doll
• picture quilt
• continue downsizing apartment
• post regularly on blogs
• one Halloween piece

No Pic Post

Gah! Midway through the first month of the New Year. Can you believe that? Didn't we just celebrate the New Year? Well, time waits for no one. I'm behind on certain things but I've been quilting up a storm. That's good. I will remedy working on other things on my list, like Kid Medusa who has been giving me the side eye but she understands that  momma needs to pay the bills.

A friend has brought me some of her scraps of fabric. She's got four granddaughters. Lots more creating will be going on.

I went to my quilt guild meeting last night and one of the members did a presentation of her quilts. Wow! She does art quilts and is so nice, she said that if I wanted to try it and had any questions to just email her. Is that nice or what? I'll probably attempt one at some point. But right now I have to put binding on my two scrappy quilts. And I will be preparing to cut out a nine patch. Onward!