Attack's art journal

A YEAR LATER

2009-04-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

My goodness it has actually been a year to the day that I last posted in my blog!!
I have moved a couple of times in that time,and have been busy getting my new place the way I want it. I have moved into a small one bedroom apartment in town, a 10 minute walk to work and to about anywhere else I really want to go except the grocery store.
I made a bunch of bookmarks for a local store earlier this year, here is a sampling of them. As you can see there is a wide range of subjects.

STACK OF CUPS Boomer Swap

2008-04-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

I am involved with a couple of street teams on etsy.com, which I enjoy to the utmost:) One of the teams is BBEST which is comprised of baby boomers, or at least those 40 and over. We are a very active group. A couple of months back we decided to do a swap, I thought that would be fun so I signed up for it. Little did I know what a struggle it would be for me to think of something that my swap buddy would like. I am so used to just creating without anyone in mind. I made several false starts, didn't like what I was coming up with. Finally created this stack of coffee cups, thinking it would resemble us all getting together and drinking coffee, these dirty cups are the last remains of a fun time drinking coffee together. I am way late on this, it was suppose to be finished my March 31, so sorry Shirley for the delay. I hope you will enjoy your mini-quilt. For some reason the photo is not true to the colors, the middle square is actually a deep purple instead of the blue it is showing. I really like this design and might make a few more with different backgrounds:)

CHALLENGE...BUBBLES

2008-03-31T14:08:00.001-07:00

I have been offline for a few weeks and haven't been able to blog or anything. Not being very creative either. Right before I lost my internet connection I had decided to do the etsy challenge for that week, it was a word one Bubbles. I had come up with a few ideas, but this is the one I actually did. Perhaps another time I will do the other ideas I had as one of them is pretty cool.
Anyway here is my challenge of the word bubbles. The sequins(bubbles) along the right side are suppose to be coming from an air filter thing in an aquarium which the seaweed is hiding. I used yarn for the seaweed.

2 NEW ACEO'S

2008-02-22T04:16:00.000-08:00

I finally got a couple items completed the other day. I haven't made any ACEO's lately and decided to do just that. ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals, so far mine are all originals. They have to measure 2.5x3.5, mine are made with fabric, just like I make my quilted fabric postcards.
These are made with the novelty cat fabric I found at this little quilt shop that has been in this small town on the Ohio River for years. There is an older couple who owns the store and he has a couple of long arm machines in his backroom. He showed them to me one day, I hope to take one of my bigger wallhanging quilts to him to have him quilt it for me.

The first card is titled POUNCE and the next one is TIPTOE THROUGH THE TULIPS
Enjoy!

PENELOPE

2008-02-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

Here is my next critter kit I made today. She is made from a sweater with vintage jewelry, lace trims, and a big white flower pin embellishments.

My First Critter Kit, DARLA the DANCER

2008-02-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I made a cute little stuffed critter, Mabel. Remember how I decided that the sewing together wasn't my thing, but the designing was so much fun I wanted to do more. Well today I am doing just that! I present to you DARLA THE DANCER

LOOK WHAT I MADE

2008-02-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago I was looking through ebay thinking of getting back into selling there, which by the way I haven't done yet. Still on my mind though. Anyway, as I was looking through the different sections that I would most likely sell in I found a couple of listings that were of appliques that I wanted. So I bought them, and believe it or not the seller lived just a few miles down the road in the same county I live in! Small world isn't it?
I finally made a couple of quilted postcards with the appliques, both are now listed in my etsy store.
So the first picture is of the appliques and the next 2 are of the postcards I made.

COOK BOOK WRAP/ KITCHEN WALLHANGING

2008-02-09T02:59:00.000-08:00

I was making another cookbook cover, this time a wrap. After spending what I considered too long on it I realized it could even be a wallhanging, so my new 2 in 1 quilt. I like how it turned out and hopefully someone else will too.

LATE NIGHT

2008-02-08T04:33:00.000-08:00

As a child I always loved Woody Woodpecker, So when I saw a pair of pj's that had Woody on them I just couldn't pass them up. Usually I stay clear of characters that are so well known, but Woody has always held a special place in my heart:)

I have been up later than usual for the last few nights, was with friends for 2 of the nights, and read a good book the other and had to finish it. So I decided to make a postcard with Woody looking like he had a late night, with a cute little alien guy pointing a ray gun at him. If you look close enough Woody's slippers seem to see the alien, but of course Woody is oblivious to it all :). This postcard is one of my favorites.

DO YOU REMEMBER MABEL?

2008-02-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

Well a few post back I showed you Mabel, while I was creating her. I had such fun, then I had to put her together. Not my expertise, as all can see by the pictures LOL. It really doesn't matter, I have decided she will be the last one I actually finish, might make some kits cause it is such fun to create the little ones, but I will leave the assembly for someone else. As you can see by the before and after photos it is for the best.
Harmony, I will be putting her in the mail for you soon, maybe even today.:)

COOKBOOK BOOK JACKET

2008-01-29T09:10:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I saw an article in Quilting Arts magazine about book wraps amd it intriqued me enough to mark the page and hopefully try my hand at it soon. Finally got the article out the other day and started looking through my fabrics. I thought since I have so much fabric that is food related I thought making cookbook jackets, wraps, ets would be a good way to use it. Because I am temporarily at my son's I don't have any of my cookbooks, but my other son who lives nearby does. So I got one from him, of course he had to bring me the fattest one he had!! So here is my first attempt at a book jacket, I see I will have to add another kind of fastener, so will have to remember to grap more embellishments, and misc. items from my house tomorrow. I will leave it on the book when I return it to him:)

ANOTHER CARD FOR DAD

2008-01-26T03:28:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to send my dad a thank you note for the Christmas cash he sent me. My dad is 88 and has dementia. At first we thought it was alziemers but it isn't progressing the same, but whatever one calls it, it is about the same. The last time I visited dad(I live 5 1/2 hours away) he was busy coloring thinking he is making investments, very important work. He was only using yellow and I sat with him one afternoon and I got him to explore other colors. You have to understand my dad used to be a cartoon artist, so it is very shocking to see him uncomfortable and unsure of what colors would look good in his picture.
I found this card not finished, it has been misplaced for awhile, it was the very first postcard I ever made. Not really happy with the results it was put away unfinished. So I decided to finish it and send it to him. It will probably sit in his mailbox for awhile until someone reminds him to check his mail, but I feel better for sending it. Hopefully he will see the old cars and smile.

MY THRIFTING FINDS

2008-01-24T04:50:00.000-08:00

My trip to the thrift stores this week has been fruitful. I was lucky enough to find something to cut up in each of my trips. The first store I stopped at was last Wed. to a very small store. I found 2 pj's. The first photo is of them.

Then yesterday I went up to a bigger thrift store which I always have some luck. I spent $38. and got all the fabric you see in the next 2 photos, which include adult pj's, boxer shorts, kids pj's etc. Lots to cut up. Plus for a bonus I found myself a pair of pj's,4 pairs of pants,2 shirts, and a pyrex bowl. Not a bad haul.

MABEL My First Stuffed CRITTER

2008-01-11T03:41:00.000-08:00

Last night was craft/sewing night here at my place. A couple of co-workers/ younger friends(Sarah and Darcy) came over and we just played. Sarah brought over a bag of wool sweaters she had to create with so I got into playing with them. I have a huge issue with using my embellishment stash that I want to let go of and be much freer with it all. So I decided this would be a good first step in letting go. So Mabel was born. She still needs to be finished, I don't have anything to fill her with so I have just left her ready to sew and fill.

I gave Sarah a vintage dress that needed alittle mending and buttons, so she mostly got into that. I supplied the buttons, I wonder which ones she ended up using. I will most likely see her in it at work sometime. It was a fabulous 1940's housedress. Also sewed on a stocking she was making another coworker/friend. Darsy grabbed a few pieces of fabric that I had to offer to make an apron. It was a first for her since she hadn't sewn anything for years. We even made her cut out her own patterns with newspaper:) Time was too short for her to finish but it is here for her to do at her leisure. She only lives 2 blocks away.

JANUARY 6 Already

2008-01-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

Ok I have been semi-busy with new items. Still haven't done anything really new, have a few things on my agenda for as soon as I can get to them.
In the meantime I will post what I did make this week already. One postcard and the rest are bookmarks.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008

2008-01-02T05:03:00.000-08:00

I woke up yesterday morning all ready to create. I had just got the ball rolling, my beads were out on the table and I was taking inventory of what I had available to play with. Then I was called into work, it seems that someone celebrated alittle too much on New Years' Eve. LOL!
So I only got one pair and a half of earrings made. I still have too many items at the old house. I am livng in town for now and I only brought into town with me what I thought I needed. I have since discovered I need alot more, so hopefully I will be able to go back out tomorrow on my day off and gather the rest of my beads,embellishments, and fabrics so I won't be limited in my art.

2007 was a good year for me, I was able to explore more in my art, however, I feel a big surge of branching out more is upon me. Now to break down a few barriers, the ones that keep me from using all my goodies I have collected over the years. Why I am holding onto them, I don't know. It was hard for me to cut into some of my fabrics last year, so this is the next step in my letting go of my inhabitions. I surely don't have them in my wardrobe as anyone who sees me could tell you. So that is what I will be working on this coming year and hopefully this time next year I will be able to look back and see I have grown by leaps and bounds in my art.
Stayed tune for hopefully some pretty cool art!

ALMOST FORGOT

2007-12-24T06:41:00.002-08:00

I forgot that I made one more bookmark too in the last day or two. Here it is!

IS IT VALENTINES DAY YET??

2007-12-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

My kids don't know this yet, I guess they will find out tomorrow, but I have decided to move Christmas giving to Valentines Day. Mainly cause I really haven't been in the Christmas mood, so I figure by Valentines day I will be. Esp. if I start talking it up now. Hey what could it hurt.
Anyway been making some more Valentine postcards.

DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2007-12-22T06:07:00.000-08:00

I have not gotten into the Christmas spirit at all this year. Put the tree up yesterday hoping that would bring the mood to the forefront, but no such luck. have done absolutely nothing as far as food or gifts. No cards went out or anything. It isn't that I am depressed or even dreading it, I just haven't given it a second thought.
So I have been creating a few more items for sale in my etsy store. I have finished the sewing on these 3 items and listed them this morning. Have several more to finish in the next day or two.

WHERE IS MY HEAD AT

2007-12-21T02:35:00.000-08:00

I made a couple of items for a co-worker for Secret Santa and I didn't scan them before giving them to him. I made a cowboy bookmark and a cowboy postcard. Now to remake them for etsy. It will be simple enough, it wasn't a difficult design, but still wish I could have them scanned so I could share them with you.

Today I believe I will get my Christmas decorations gathered and actually go hopefully buy a tree. When I do put a tree up it is a balled tree so it can be planted and enjoyed for years to come. I just hope I am not too late to find a balled one.
I can't believe Christmas is only a matter of days and I am not even in the spirit. Don't have a clue what to get anyone and never did get any Christmas cards sent, which isn't really that unusual. It is probably more of a surprise when I do get some mailed.

MAKING A FEW MORE

2007-12-14T06:37:00.000-08:00

I have made a few more postcards. all are even listed on etsy now.
enjoy!

MY NEW ITEMS

2007-12-13T01:44:00.000-08:00

I have not been creating as much as I had hoped to. However I did get quite a few items completed yesterday and hope to get more done now that I have a couple of days off in a row.
So not much to say but pictures to show. Mostly Christmas postcards and a couple of bookmarks. Enjoy!

BEEN BUSY

2007-12-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

Not so much with my art though. Also have been uprooted a few times in the last month. The week of Thanksgiving I house sat my eldest sons place and took care of his cat. Was home only about 5 days and moved into my other son's place temporarily until I can get a small place of my own in town. I got tired of the long drive home plus then having to start a fire to get the old farmhouse warm. It was just more than I wanted to do. So I haven't had much time or space to create, but I realized I never got the bookmarks on here that I made a few weeks ago. So that is what the pictures are all about.
Believe it or not I also should have about 10 more items completed hiopefully by tomorrow and get them listed on etsy too. These bookmarks are already listed.

MARY'S QUILT

2007-11-29T02:31:00.000-08:00

Mary whom I have never met saw a quilt I had in a show back in February at the local coffee shop. It wasn't for sale as it had been made for my boyfriend. Her daughter Liz had just started seeing my eldest son. So over the months I guess Mary had asked often about me making this same quilt design for her, which I actually could do since it was made with commercial fabrics and I still had enough to make another quilt. So this fall I started on it, when it became apparent she was definitely serious about wanting it. I had to do some machine quilting first before I felt confident enough to do one on commission. The original one is hand quilted and hand appliqued. So I practiced on a few others with both machine quilting and machine applique, although nothing as difficult on the appliquing. I finished it a few days before Liz and my son were heading to Chicago where Mary lives to spend Thanksgiving with her. From what Liz says, Mary was thrilled with her new quilt. That makes me happy!

MY MACHINE

2007-11-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

well I never did get to finish the rest of the bookmarks I have created. My machine decided to stop sewing altogether! So off to marietta to take it into get fixed, an hour away! Hopefully I will hear back from them in the next couple of days but not sure if I will have the time to pick it up this week. I can't go tonight after work cause the chimney sweep is coming. Tomorrow night after work I am meeting a friend for dinner. wednesday we have a mandatory meeting at work after I get off of work. And Thurs-Friday I will be in Detroit to stay at my brothers and hang with my dad some. I wonder what their hours are on Sat.
I did happen to pick up a few more pieces of cool fabric while at the fabric store though! Also bought some gloves to help with my machine quilting since I am finding I am doing more of that on small art quilts. They help grip the fabric when free motion quilting. At least that is what they say they do, I will have to try them out.
I should have lots of items ready to sew on when I do get my machine back. I miss her terribly:(

2 NEW BOOKMARKS

2007-10-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

I was trying to get all 5 bookmarks that I created yesterday or was that the day before?? done this morning. When I got to the second one my machine started acting up. So I tore out the stitches and cleaned the machine which seemed to do the trick for several stitches, then again it wasn't sewing great. So I got out my handbook and checked the troubleshooting page. Needle, ok I can change that. That seemed to help for alittle while, but still not good. So back to reading what the problem could be. By this time I had already ripped stitches out twice and finished the edging of the monster bookmark I was working on. I was into the quilting part of my work, and was reading that perhaps the bobbin thread was inferior, yea that could very well be. So changed the bobbin and continued to quilt the bookmark. It seems to be better, but haven't tried the zigzag stitch yet. Going to leave that for another time.
So instead of giving my son Zeb a choice of what bookmark he would like, he is now going to get the monster one. It is cool so he may have actually picked that one out for himself anyway. It isn't the greatest sewing job, but didn't feel like ripping stitches out anymore this morning! The guitar one I will be listing on etsy in a few minutes. Maybe I will get the other 3 done this afternoon after work. It all depends on my sewing machine now, boy I sure hope I don't have to take it into the shop.

CHALLENGE # 73 Zeb's Present

2007-10-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

I made a quilt last week for challenge #73 on the etsy.com forums in the etc. category. The theme for last week was to make something for a man.
First thing I did was look through my stash of fabrics I had cut from clothing to see if anything would speak manly to me. As you see the masks caught my attention. Next was to audition for the background fabric, I didn't like anything until I came upon this nice yellow with while leaves stamped on it. I then went throught the same process for the border, it was a totally different story since I had to make a decision between 6 possibilities. Here is the rusult! I machine quilted this one too. I still need to hone my machine quilting skills, but with more practice I get more sure of what I am doing.
Even though I listed this quilt on etsy, I have decided a few minutes ago to give it to my son Zeb!. He really likes my quilts and I really haven't made him one before. I had only given him a poscard and a bookmark so far and he was telling me the other day he misplaced his bookmark and needs another one. I am making 5 for him to choose from.:)

GOOD MORNING

2007-10-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

That is the titled to this art quilt I finally finished. I created it back in 2006 I think? It sat around for quite awhile and then I did a show of unfinished quilts, mainly a quilt top show. After that show I decide to get some of my quilts quilted as soon as I could, so I sent 2 of them off to a quilter, Susan Holmes. She had them for a couple of months and then it was about 2 months before I got aound to put the binding on them. The first of these 2 is the flower arrangement I finished last week, this one I finished today. So 2 down several to go. I am going to list one on etsy today.

FINISHED THIS ONE

2007-10-20T04:17:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this quilt since 2004, not constantly mind you. I created it in 2004 while living in Florida with my father at the beginning stages of his alzeimer's. I added to it with the borders in 2006, this year I added a few more stems and flowers. In Februrary it was part of a show of unfinished quilts I had hanging at the local coffee shop. A friend said she wanted it, so I had Susan Holmes quilt it for me on her long arm machine. Last weekend while at the festival I finally put the binding on it and today I attached the sleeve for the hanging of it. I haven't cut the dowel to size yet, but I did slip a smaller one into the sleeve so I could at least take a photo or two. I used recyceld fabrics with commercial fabrics for the background and borders. The vase comes from a man's silk shirt, the flowers arrangement is wool cut from a tapestry, and the flowers are cut from one of the ugliest vintage dresses I have ever seen. The photo isn't the greatest since it really isn't hanging how it should be at it's final place. I will call Beth today and see if she is still interested in this quilt, she hasn't heard the price yet :)
enjoy!!

CHALLENGES #70-71

2007-10-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

Woohoo I finally got challenge 70 listed on etsy, it is my October piece. Here is the link http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7508148

Now I also finished Challenge #71. Which was to make something to describe your shop and what you do. It is 13.5'x19.5", I must like the half inch since almost all my pieces end up that way. This piece I machine quilted, so it was definitely a challenge for me. I am not the most confident when it comes to the machine. I machine quilted October which is the first I have done since I didn't like my quilting job on a bigger piece. I had decided to start small and get more comfortable with the machine, thus all the postcards I have been doing.

I am also almost done with a couple more bigger quilts, I had someone else machine quilt them for me. Hopefully I will be done with them this coming week. One I should have done in probably a few more minutes since all I have left to do is sew a sleeve on the back for hanging. The other I have the binding yet to do besides the sleeve.
I will go do that sleeve now and take pictures.

FESTIVAL

2007-10-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

I set up at a local small farm community festival today in the old school building. It was a beautiful fall day, the kind to get the last minute details in the yard and house to get ready for winter since we finally have a little cold snap after 80 degree weather for most of the month. Anyway,from what I heard attendance was down from last year. Not expecting a whole lot anyway I feel I did great! I sold 8 quilted fabric postcards, 6 Aceo's and 2 bookmarks. Plus I took a wall hanging with me to finish the binding, something I hadn't been getting around to doing. Got it done, now I just have to get the sleeve and label on it. Then call the lady who is interested in buying it to let her know it is done. I call that a successful day!!

I"ll take a photo of the wall hanging as soon as I get it done.

OCTOBER Challenge #70

2007-10-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

This weeks' challenge was the word OCTOBER. Wow! that one word has some powerful energy. It is my favorite month even though it is not my birth month. I didn't have the time to create more than one item, and wasn't sure if I had enough time for even that. I went out of town to my niece's wedding yesterday. Oh, what fun I had with my family!! Anyway, I even took this piece with me to finish the binding!

I love October because of autumm weather, the colors, celebrating the harvest, Halloween of course, preparing for winter, and the overall feeling of a higher energy field. One thing I love to do in October is to take walks through the woods and listen to the sound of leaves crunching under my feet. I love raking up the leaves to make piles so I can jump in them. Trouble is trying to find a man to jump in them with me:) They all say they will, but it just doesn't seem to happen. Oh well, I will jump in them myself, I know the dog will join me! What joy one can have while working in the yard cleaning and preparing for the long winter months.

So this week I made a small art quilt 11.5x15.5", with actual batting, no timtex. I machine quilted it too. So, this is my first totaly machine quilted piece( that I quilted). I kept it small to see if I could do it, I am very pleased with the results. There are a couple of things I need to do with it before listing it on etsy, but hopefully will have those done in the next day or two. Anyway enjoy October and remember to enjoy it for what it is!

5 MORE POSTCARDS

2007-10-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

I started making these 5 postcards almost a week ago, but I have been working too much to get them all completed. Finally finished the last one this morning. It seems I have been able to only get one quilted before having to get ready for work. I'm not an after work person, usually all I want to do is relax with a book until I fall asleep. Granted I would get alot more done in a day if I did somethng after work, but after being on my feet all day long all I want is to do basically nothing. Did I mention I am a morning person! LOL Anyway I hope you enjoy my latest work.

Challenge #69 Picture Quilt

2007-09-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge was to create something using one of two pictures, or both if if you choose. I did the picture that had an Italian canal street scene. I decided to do an abstract quilt, which I have never done before. So this really was a challenge for me. Also I felt that my regular postcard size would be too difficult to show all the houses etc. properly. At least I wasn't up to that too. However, I still used timtex so it would be easier to machine quilt it, or at least I felt it would be. I had fun pulling all my fabrics out and trying to at least come close to the colors in the photo. Here is the original photo that I was working from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewelstreetdesigns/1433444670/

CHALLENGE # 68...FLIGHT

2007-09-19T04:48:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge on etsy is flight. I couldn't wait to get home from work on Monday to see what the challenge would be and if I had anything to work with to take part in it. I was very happy to find out I had plenty to play with for this one. If I had more time I really would have liked to play with some feathers, but I am working everyday this week, plus heading to Illinois on Friday to visit my daughter Harmony and to a brick swap on Saturday.

I did work with paper cut outs for the Halloween cards this time, first time to have used paper for a postcard. Wasn't sure how it would be but I really like how they turned out. I also made an overlay of Angelina fibers for them too. I will be listing them on etsy as soon as I have time, probably tomorrow morning. Today is production day at the restaurant, which means 12 hours of chopping veggies.
Hope you like my new cards!
Marsha

etsy challenge #67

2007-09-15T03:21:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge were colors from a bead color chart for fall. The colors I chose were steel, seafoam green, coca, and firecracker red. Not sure if the colors I had were a definite match, but I am working with fabric and not beads. Anyway, I had timtex cut for several ACEO's to make up so I decided to make them up with whatever I could find in my fabric stash that would work. I also made one postcard for this challenge.
I put them on etsy on Thurs. afternoon and sold the one with masks on Friday!! That is the quickest sell I have had so far.

CHALLENGE #66

2007-09-10T03:11:00.000-07:00

Last week while browsing through the etsy forums I came across a challenge I felt I was able to do. I had in the past looked at a few of the other challenges but their titles weren't something I felt I had things to work with. This one was DANCE. Hey, I have several different fabrics with dancing figures. I even already had 2 ACEO's in my etsy shop with dancers, but couldn't use those. You have to create a new one for the challenge. So I made up 3 quilted postcards with dancing figures on them. The one with the brown background for some reason scanned darker than it actually is, the background is more of a rust color. Anyway I had fun making them and I now have them added to my etsy shop.

Working on Bigger items

2007-09-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't been slacking too much. I have been working on a couple of bigger art quilts. Sorry, no photos just yet. I have one that I have had in the hoop for too long, that I am trying to get completed before too long. I am just about done with a quilt top that is a commission, still have to quilt it though. Also working on another commission and have to start one. I think after this I won't do any more commissions. I don't have time to create anything new if I keep trying to reproduce a quilt because someone wants one that has already been given as a gift to a family member. I have the 2 quilts I had machine quilted for me to do the bindings and hanging sleeves for. One is supposedly spoken for, the other will be added to the ones completed and for sale.

Plus I had to qwork on the bra project. Today I go in and help put them all together for the show. I will take photos of them after I have them on a form, they are not shaped just yet. Kind of like free form, the body forms the shape. Both new ones are from recycled fabrics that I used to create one cup of a bra. Since our show is titled NO TWO ARE ALIKE. I promise I will write more about them when I get the photos together.
I am glad September is upon us, hopefully it won't be so hot.
Enjoy the cooler weather!

4 MORE POSTCARDS

2007-08-19T03:11:00.000-07:00

I finished the last of the postcards I created the other day yesterday morning. I have yet to put them on etsy, perhaps after work today. I am not sure how many more I will do for awhile since I have 2 art quilts commissioned before Thanksgiving. Luckily both ae small but I really want to finish the quilt I have in the hoop too. So, I will have to put my time in my art quilts instead of playing with the postcards and aceo's. I know I will still play some but perhaps not as much. Anyway these are the last 4 completed. ENJOY!

SERIES

2007-08-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am starting to work on a couple different series in my art. Mostly because I have lots of fabric that I can make several items out of. An example of this is the 4 I completed today, and if you look back a few days you will see more of these 2 themes. One is quilters, although unless I go get some more of that fabric I will be only able to do a few more. The other is the little chefs, which I have tons of this fabric to make many items with them. I might even make a bigger quilt with the chefs, haven't created one yet, but it could be in the making.
Actually if I look back at what I have made this year I have several different series. I started with Christmas, then went on to Valentines, some birthday greetings, cats were definitely abundant for awhile and can be continued. I guess I don't usually think of my work in a series form, I just find fabric I like and play with it. I have only made a few of my cards again, most of them are one of a kind at the moment. Most I can duplicate, few I can't. Usually I don't feel like duplicating unless I see they are selling. Or it sold and I really liked it.
Anyway, I hope you like the new ones!

Yard Sale Fabric

2007-08-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was able to go to a couple of yards sales for the first time in several weeks since I usually have to be at work by 8 am. Last week I was scheduled to go into work at 10:00. Anyway, there wasn't much out there that I was interested in, however, I did find a cute kids outfit to cut up for the fabric. The fish postcard is a result of that outfit. Also as a bonus the lining on the outfit is the background fabric I used on the alien spaceship postcard. So for $1.00 I got 2 great fabrics and have lots more of each to make more items. :) Enjoy!

6 new postcards

2007-08-12T02:21:00.000-07:00

I finally went to the fabric store the other day. Went for timtex and Heat and Bond, they don't carry Wonderunder. It is a small fabric store in a small 2 light town on the Ohio River. Actually, found some fabric I liked too. One was a panel I had looked at before but I usually don't buy commercial fabric to cut up, only for backgrounds or borders for my bigger pieces. This was on sale, 30% off, so hey, what the heck I am sure I will have fun creating with it. I made one postcard with it and can make several more. I might even go back for another panel cause I really like how the ladies have turned out. It is the one with the ladies looking at a quilt. I might make a few of these and have a little series of that theme.

I sold 4 postcards so far at the show I am involved in this month with 5 other artists. Yea!! That always makes me feel good to sell my art. I have replaced the ones I sold with new ones, new designs so hopefully I will sell more. Anyway here is the 6 postcards I have just finished. A couple I will put on etsy, the others went to replace the ones I sold at the show.
Enjoy!

August Heat

2007-08-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

August is finding me hot and sweaty!! It has been in the 90's and muggy for several days now. Today is no better, but I did get some ACEO's done in spite of the heat. I even quilted on my bigger quilt that is in the hoop earlier this morning.

Had my art opening last night, a good crowd!! Earlier in the day I sold a postcard. I have had several people comment on my art, given out a few business cards to people from out of town, etc. It helps that I am waiting on the tables while people are checking out my items while they are eating.

Check out my etsy store to see these 5 new ACEO's and see what I have titled them. Sometimes that is half the fun, coming up with a title as I create.

STAY COOL

FOLK ART Show

2007-07-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I hang my quilts for a Folk Art show. I will be joining 5 other artists. It is at the restaurant I work at, every month they have a new show. They provide music and great food for the opening which will be on Monday night Aug. 6.
I was hoping that the 2 quilts I had sent to be machine quilted would be done, but no such luck. Plus, I didn't get the one I have in the hoop completed either, so I have 4 art quilts I will be hanging, all hand quilted. I have 3 foam boards to put some quilted postcard art on. So that should be a nice combination showing my art. Now to decide which postcards to take with me. I made 5 new ones today, woke up in the mood to create and I even finished them. I think that is a first. Usually I just create them and then come back to quilt them another day. The foam boards are black so I might not take the COUNTING SHEEP one, and put that in my etsy store instead.

I don't want to take too many out of my etsy store, but I will take my favorites out. Anyway the photo is what I created today. I will scan the ones I do take and transfer the pictures to a CD I am creating of my postcard/ACEO art. I wish I would have started it earlier since I have sold several before thinking of doing it. I still have photos of them but I think the scanned images are clearer.
Enjoy!

3 MORE DONE

2007-07-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I just finished the last 3 I had ready to complete. This is it for a few days as I believe I am out of timtex. Unless I find I have a stash under some fabric, which wouldn't surprise me any. I almost hope I don't cause I really need to work on my bigger quilts, which I know I will put off if I find more timtex. Won't have a chance to buy more until next week.

Got 2 Done

2007-07-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well I finally made it outside for about a half hour before it started pouring. So came back in to work on finishing what I could before the outside called to me again. I got 2 done, it isn't raining anymore so I am heading back outside to do a bunch of weeding. However, I wanted to show off my work first!

More Unfinished

2007-07-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I got into creating 3 more postcards and 2 ACEO's. I will finish them later, probably not today though since it is beautiful out and I need to get outside and enjoy it. The card by itself I am sending to my dad, who turns 88 next week. He was a fabulous cartoon artist, unfortunately his mind is pretty much gone now. He spends his days coloring, not any of his own work though.
The others I will finish for my etsy shop. I still need to sew around the edges and quilt them. It might be a day or two before I can get back to doing this. Tomorrow I have to go into town and work, so can't spend the day doing what I want. Oh well, I have enjoyed my days out here in the boonies.

ON A ROLL

2007-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

I must be on a roll, for I have finished 2 bookmarks that needed finished now for too many months and I created 2 more today. I even went ahead and finshed them too. Now perhaps I will finish one more small project I have ready to do and get back on tract of my bigger quilts. But that will have to be tomorrow, for I have other things needing my attention. But first I will put these on etsy.

FINALLY DID SOMETHING

2007-07-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got back to my sewing. I probably wouldn't have today but while cleaning out the shed I ran across a nest of yellow jackets and since I managed to escape without getting stung I didn't want to push my luck. Last year I got stung over 50 times, so far this year I haven't had a one :)

So I ended up getting all cleaned up and still had half the day to keep myself busy. So decided to tackle my many projects I had started in the sewing room. Didn't get a whole lot done, had to find things and then clean and oil my machine before sewing. Anyway, I did get to the 3 postcards I had created a few months back. I will be putting them in my etsy shop. Hopefully since I did get these done I will keep up with my fiber arts:) Since I returned from Florida a week ago I have quilted on one quilt and appliqued on an another quilt. Not much but it is a start!

The Bowling Garden

2007-06-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

While cleaning rentals last week for some friends who have lots of them I was blessed with a few old ceramic sewer tiles. The perfect towers for my bowling ball garden area. So I replaced the other towers I had the balls on. The area will grow as I find more bowling balls, I have about 3 more of these tiles to use. I really need to put something on the balls to make them glisten in the sun, but that can wait till I am ready to do them all. The daylilies are about to bloom and the irises have already bloomed, so timing for this photo isn't perfect. But, I had it in my mind to take a picture this morning, so here it is. This is just a small section of my gardens, which I will take more photos as I finish an area to my liking. I am constantly changing things around. Enjoy!

BRA GROUP

2007-05-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

I am part of a group of women who have gotten together in the past to create a wide variety of items for different purposes.
This year we are working on altered bras. Since the title of this project is "NO TWO ARE ALIKE" we each are making one cup(actually we are encouraged to make many different one cups). We meet about once a month and spend about 2 hours creating, eating, and drinking some wine. It varies on how many women will show up for our creative sessions, everyone is encouraged to work on their own on this project. It will be on display at the Stuart Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio during the Final Friday(art walk) of Sept. and will be up until right before Final Friday of Oct. There is also going to be a dance performance to go with the bra display, the title of that is BUSTING OUT and it will be performed by women over 40. Should be a fun time for all. The dance will be held on Oct.6-7, I won't be able to see it since I have a neice getting married in Cleveland that weekend.

Anyway the 3 pictures are of a "bra cup" I made the other day. I took a metal slicer part of some machine I found at the thrift and hot glued lots of colorful pompoms on it. It turned out to be looking like a big gum drop. I still need to add a contecting piece to it. Actually I plan on making another one and connecting the two together, whether they will stay together is anyones guess. The second one will not look the same since I don't have anymore of several of the pompoms.

Any woman out there that would like to take part in this is more than welcome. The final cups have to be in by the first of Sept. so we can match them up. You can alter existing bras or make do with found objects.

Slacking

2007-05-03T02:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I have been slacking with writing in my art journal. Haven't really finished any art lately. The weather has called me outside and I have been very busy with trying to get my property looking good. This year for the first time since my kids left home I have a young man coming out to help me for a few hours each week. Amazing what the 2 of us can get accomplished. He ahs been out 4 times now and we have taken old fence down, cut I don't know how many trees, samplings, and multiflora rose down, and moved RR ties. Next week he will be bringing a buddy with him and they will take down a shed that is about to fall down anyway. Hopefully by the end of summer we will have this place in shape. Pictures will have to come later, when everything is in bloom. Right now I am waiting for the sun to come up so I can get a flat planted before having to be at work. Yesterday I got several perenials planted before work. The birds are all chirping now so it won't be long. Need to get dressed and out on the porch to watch the sun come up.
Until later.

Getting it Done

2007-04-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did get the 3 new cards on etsy. Today so far I finished with the quilting of 3 more items. Perhaps I will get them on too and be on a roll with this. Although I have to admit I have nothing in mind to create today as of yet and I am actually thinking of doing some crazy quilting pieces. Perhaps a crazy quilt bookmark?? I guess it will all depend on what I get into for a few hours, have to work again tonight. I really like working at nights now because I get things done and have time to work on my art. I am not a night worker at home.
Anyway here are the 3 new cards. I tried something new, by putting the name on the picture, well actually Harmony told me how to do it long time ago but I haven't for quite sometime so I had to basically remember how. Also I am adding a photo of the back of the items so you can better see the stitching. Not always such a good idea, but I am improving. Need to go and have someone show me more on my machine as I am starting to finally get comfortable with what little I do know now.
Hope you like these cards, I had fun creating them.

Yard Art

2007-04-03T04:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those days where I could do whatever I liked. Got my boxers and tank top on, no bra!!, and went outside to play. I definitely have ADD and very proud of it so I flitted here and there with my creative juices flowing. I got around to cleaning the porch and found my monofiliment wire so I could continue to hang crystals,ornaments, and prisms from the trees and bushes. Over the last week or so I had been semi-cleaning up different areas and had found about 20 things to hang from the trees. I will have to take pictures later of the outside areas.
Then I came inside for awhile and worked on organizing and cutting up some of my fabric that I had picked up recently.
Back outside again to clean up more of my green bottles that I am edging the flower beds with, almost done with one more bed. Need many more green bottles though to really make a big statement. Also impaled a blue bowling ball on a stand to make it look like a gazing ball, it is a blue sparkly ball.
Today I don't get to play much, at least not here. I will be shoe shopping with a friend for some wild shoes to go with the wild pants I got at the thrift last week. Oh what fun we will have!!

FINALLY

2007-03-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the 4 postcards I had created a week or so ago. I did go out of town for a few days and since I have been back haven't really felt up to par. Been dragging with little energy.
Anyway here are the lastest 4 cards, The one with the milk and cookies I titled MILK and COOKIES. The one with the cats is titled FAMILY PORTRAIT and the cats at the house is THE IN-LAWS. The butterfly one has no title as yet.
Enjoy!!

March 15

2007-03-15T04:17:00.000-07:00

The pull to be outside and working in the yard is strong. I have been doing some major yard cleaning and even moved a bunch of windows that I had in one flowerbed for a few years. So I now can use the bed, even put a few decorative touches in it already. I still need to turn the soil, but that will have to be another day.

I did however, finish up a couple of postcards and another ACEO which I immediately took to Donkey to freshen up the postcard board. I remembered to take a picture of them first though. Yesterday I designed a couple more, that photo will be taken after I completely finish them. I am almost out of fusable web, need to trek down to Pomeroy tomorrow to pick some up. I need to recycle and pay property taxes while there too.

March 13

2007-03-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

It has been a few days since I have written. I finished a few more postcards and another ACEO, forgot to take pictures of them before taking them to Donkey to hang with my show. I did mention I had my show up again, didn't I?
Anyway I finished 2 new ACEO's yesterday and put them in my etsy shop. They are part of my Alley Cat series. That will go on for as long as I have more of this cool fence fabric.

I went thrifting last week and found some cool items of clothing to cut up. I really need to organize all the new pieces I have to work with soon. My studio is getting very cluttered again. It is getting warmer out so I should be able to bring my sewing machine and ironing board back into my studio too. However, I am an outside person and with it being nice out I have already spent hours cleaning up the yard and making plans for the gardens. It will be a struggle to stay in and do my creating with fabric instead of with the yard.

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY

2007-03-05T03:45:00.000-08:00

Today I am 55 years old. I can get senior discounts now LOL!!

I took down my quilt show on Saturday morning, while still in town I showed a few people my quilts who hadn't seen them and actually sold a couple of the little items. Yesterday at the restaurant where I work Chris(the owner of the coffee shop) came by to ask if I would put them back up. The guy who was scheduled to hang his art for this month is indisposed right now and can't hang it obviously. So today along with all the partying I had planned I will be rehanging my quilts!! Should be interesting!! I only wish I could have some different ones finished so I can change some of them. Perhaps I will try to do that in the next week or so. I really don't know if I will have them up for the full 5 weeks again or just till the guy can do it, if he even can.

CLOSING PARTY

2007-03-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

The closing party for my show went well on Monday night. The food that Marcie and I made was gobbled up and all the bottles of wine emptied! Sold several postcard quilts to boot. I enjoyed everyones company and I believe everyone else enjoyed themselves too. Marcie took pictures which I don't have to share just yet.

Yesterday I started listing on etsy again. I got 4 postcard quilts listed and have more to list over the next few days.

YOU ARE ALL INVITED

2007-02-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

Feb. 21,2007

2007-02-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

I have been working on my quilting. I have made progress with the quilt in the hoop, even was able to move the hoop yesterday. So now it is one circle closer to being done. Have also made a few more postcards and ACEO's. I feel my work is improving. I have hung up the ones I have completed in the coffee shop, took down some of the Valentines and replaced them with my new work. I still have a few to replace so I will be working towards that this week. My art reception will be this coming Monday evening, Feb. 26th from 6-8. My friend Marcie and I will be working on it together. She is such a great friend!! She loves to entertain so this is right up her alley!!

Feb.14,2007

2007-02-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished up a couple of postcards. Took them in town to show to a friend, then I went by Donkey Coffee. I saw that another one of my Valentines sold. So since one of the cards I had with me was one for Valentines I replaced the one that sold. When I got home I realized I hadn't taken a picture of it:( So when talking to another friend on the phone about it he told me to make more, what a new concept. I had always just done one of a kinds before. So I made another one, I think the quilting is better on the original though. So the postcard with the family of kitties is the one I made another one of. It is a cutie!

I tried my hand at ACEO's for the first time the other day. As you can see I finished 4 of them. What fun!! I am trying to learn something new each month. January was finally working with angelina fibers which I am still having fun with. For Feb. it will be ACEO's. I hope to get a few more finished before the end of the month!! As you can see by the photos I also am doing more postcard quilts. I most likely will be back and forth on what I make. My show comes down on the 3rd. After that I hope to have lots to put in my etsy store.

Feb12,2007

2007-02-12T04:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo of 2 of the quilted postcards I finished yesterday. I have 3 to finish today, being another day off I should get something accomplished.

Feb.11,2007

2007-02-11T04:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the day off and was finally able to work on my quilts. I quilted on the one in the hoop for a few hours and also created a few postcard quilts. I will finish them up this morning before work and take photos. It has been so cold in my sewing room that I moved my ironing board and my sewing machine into a warmer room so I could work on my art. This month so far I haven't been doing much. Was hoping that the weather would break so I wouldn't have to move things around, finally got tired of waiting. So hopefully for the remainder of the month I will be getting something accomplished.

Feb.4,2007

2007-02-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

BRRRR!!!! We are having a cold snap. Which makes my sewing room alittle too cold to work in. I have to keep the door closed because my kitties would wreck havoc with my fabrics. With the door closed the heat doesn't get to the room, all I have is a space heater which even though it is trying to do its job it is just too cold out. Needless to say I haven't gotten much done for the past week.
I have done some hand quilting on the quilt I have been working on, and also rehung some of the quilts at the coffee shop. They look better now.
I will get back to my smaller projects as soon as the weather breaks. I did buy a computer desk at a local thrift this past week, so when I get my computer moved onto it I will have another nice size work table to use for my creations!! Hopefully I will do that tomorrow since I have the day off of work. Later

Feb.1,2007

2007-02-01T04:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I am in month two of my art daily group. In January I got quite a bit done, several Valentine quilted postcards, a couple of birthday quilted postcards started, a new quilt top, completed 2 quilt tops and repaired one. Plus hung my quilts at the local coffee shop. Not bad for one month!! I am happy with my results so far this year.
Yesterday I even started back up on quilting on the quilt that has been in the hoop. My goal is to have that completed by the end of this month.

Saturday Jan.27,2007

2007-01-28T04:59:00.000-08:00

I got my quilts all up and I think they look just fine where I have them. I didn't get the labels up yet since for some reason my printer didn't want to print yesterday. Today when I turned it on, it just started printing up a storm??? I guess it has a personality all its own and I better give it a name. Today I will put the labels up and one more group of postcards that I have ready. Ran out of time yesterday morning as I had to go to work and then I was asked to do a double while there so I obviously didn't get back there to finish up. That was a good thing because Blanche(the printer) worked today. She's telling me to check the color cartridge which I know needs replaced, better get that done so she has a few days to get adjusted to the feel of a new one before I need to use her again. I want to print out a few flyers about my opening, which right now I don't have a date for it. Have to finish with the putting up everything and then talk to Chris(the owner of the coffee shop) to get some idea when I can have an opening.

Not getting anything done today, but will get back on it tomorrow. Have some birthday postcards I am in the process of working on. I made one and gave it to a friend for her birthday yesterday. Have another one to make for another friend whose birthday was also yesterday. So I may as well pump a few more of those out. Found some more little people I can use!

Jan.25,2007

2007-01-25T03:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was gathering the different quilt tops I have done and decided against a couple of them to take for the show. They just weren't really in the same theme of the rest, they were actually pieced items.
Today I decided to finish up one that I started last year. It was originally a tablecloth that I found unusual because it has half naked dancing women stamped on it. So I added a border from a dress and added elephants from a different dress. I put a big circle(cut from a man's silk shirt) in the square that I outlined with fabric from a piece of tapestry. It will have to do for now, I only have the appliqued fused and/or glued on, I don't have time to sew them in place before Sat. Let's just hope they stay. When I was making this I really wasn't sure how much I liked it, that is why I put it away and never finished it. But, I like it ok now that it is completed. I believe it will look pretty cool after it is quilted.

By the way, I did end up fixing the breakfast quilt top yesterday. It is now straighter on that one side:)

Jan. 23, con't

2007-01-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well I think I need to get some dinner. Made soup while I was busy sewing. I got everything I wanted to get done today except for the labels and bio. I decided after putting the 2 little flower petals on my flower arrangement quilt top that I didn't like them there so I took them off and decided to leave it as is. So here is another photo of my last quilt top I have finished for the day.
Tomorrow I go back to work. There is one quilt top I am thinking of taking one side apart so I can fix it, it is not even. Needs cut better. Then resewn, shouldn't be a big job. Hopefully!!

Jan.23,2007

2007-01-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

I got the 6 postcards and the Barbie quilt top completed so far today. So I thought I'd share the photos of them. Still have another one I am hoping to finish up before I quit for the day.

Getting Ready for Show

2007-01-23T01:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I created 5 more postcards. I also cut the foamcore for displaying the postcards. I need to make one more Valentine postcard today to make it come out even with the displaying. So I will get that done today and then finish them all with quilting and edging. I also need to put the border on Barbie. Have to decide if I will display some of my Christmas postcards too. I guess I may as well as it will take up more space and I have a feeling I will need to do that. Also today I need to attach black fabric to the foamcore.
Yesterday I also worked on a bio rough draft and also titles and descriptions of each piece. Will need to finish those up today also. I will need to get alot done today as this is my last day off of work before the show.

One thing I played with for the first time yesterday is Angelina fibers. I had bought a few colors awhile back, at least a year or more. Never got around to trying it, I can't even find all the colors I bought. I had fun playing with it yesterday and some of the postcards I made have angelina on them. I will post pictures later today when I get everything done.:)

Jan.21,2007

2007-01-21T03:47:00.002-08:00

Yesterday morning I decided on which fabric to use as a border for my Barbie quilt. I changed my mind after going through more possibilities. Haven't cut it or sewn it onto the top yet but I am pretty confident of the fabric I have chosen. Then I met Chris, the owner of Donkey Coffee where I will be hanging my quilts this coming Sat. It seems like it will be pretty simple to hang them with clips hanging from the picture rail. I think I will use either foamboard or peltex to stablize some of the quilt tops. I will be working that out this week.
Of course my truck started acting up on the way into town, so that has me stressed out more than the show at the moment. I take it to the shop tomorrow, hopefully it won't break the bank!!

This morning I am playing with some circles I have had cut out for awhile. They are from some really cool fabrics I got from various men's silk shirts. This is the second time I have had these circles out and tried to figure out something with them. It is just not coming together. My latest thought is to have a series of full moons or maybe all of the individual ones sashed together for one quilt top. I have some great night sky fabrics to use for different backgrounds. The circles all together in one quilt aren't working for me, which was my original thought when I cut them out. I have alittle more time to play this morning before work, then this evening I can come back and play. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

New Quilt Top-Barbie

2007-01-19T05:07:00.000-08:00

Well I went ahead and fused and glued Barbie and the vines onto the background fabric. For the picture I just laid the hairbrushes where they will most likely go when I am finished. I have pretty much decided on the border, but will play with other fabrics I have to see if any others are possibilities before sewing. I am glad to have finally put this together. What do you think? Name possibilities?

Jan.19,2007

2007-01-19T03:28:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday I got started on this wallhanging I have had on my mind for awhile. Even had it on my design board last summer. It is a Barbie I had cut out of a sweatshirt and she is entangled with vines that I cut from a dress. Off the vines she has purses hanging. These are actually doll purses, maybe even Barbie purses I have gotten from yard sales. I only have 4 of them though and since I have tons of Barbie hairbrushes I might hang the brushes. All I really got done yesterday was cut the background fabric. It is a dark blue with even darker hearts all over it, not something you can distinquish unless you get close. I have 2 different fabrics picked out for the border, haven't decided for sure which one I will use. That was my problem last summer, I couldn't decide on a border fabric. I hope it still won't be my problem after getting it together. But hey, I just might have to go fabric shoppping if I don't have something in my own stash. If I get the Barbie and vines attached today I will share a picture.:)

Jan 18,2007

2007-01-18T02:35:00.000-08:00

OMG!! Yesterday I get this phone call from a coffee shop in town here. They ask if I have enough wall hangings to fill a big back room. So after chatting about what I do have we have decided I will be hanging my art on the 27th. YIPES!!!!! So now I am in panic mode and have some ideas that have been bouncing around in my head for new quilts that I hope to get done now in the next week. I will be putting up several quilt tops since it takes awhile to actually hand quilt one. So there will be about 5 finished quilts and 10+ quilt tops. Plus I am going to see if I can figure out how to display my postcards!! Wish me luck.:)

Jan.17,2006

2007-01-17T04:55:00.000-08:00

Finally was able to get 5 of the Valentine cards done. I took my sewing machine in to be serviced yesterday and they fixed it before I left town. It was something simple and they didn't even charge me:)
So last night when I got home I started finishing up the postcards I had ready to do. I got up early today and finished all of them. I hope to put them on etsy when I get back today from my 2 cleaning jobs. What do you think of these new ones?

Jan.16,2007

2007-01-16T04:08:00.000-08:00

ARG!!! My sewing machine is not working. I had every intention of getting all my cards done this morning and now the machine isn't sewing. I even cleaned it hoping that would make it happy, but no. Luckily I am heading over to Marietta today for a training class and since that is where I bought my machine I will be able to take it there to have the guy work on it. Who knows how long it will be before I can get it back. So it will be hand quilting my wall hanging from now til then. I might even get my earrings made. Oh, and I can work on my fabric beads. Not to worry I will be doing something. Maybe this is a good thing.:)

Jan.15,2007

2007-01-15T15:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry, still no photos of completed work today. I started out today with good intentions of completing my postcards and bookmarks. But my back started hurting while I was sewing away on them. So, I actually created a set of 4 coasters. Which just added to my sewing and quilting stack.
Anyway since it was my one day off I went to the dump to take a truckload of junk. Not recycleable stuff, just garbage. Boy, did that feel good and then when I got home I worked on cleaning my house some more. So even though my art took a back seat today I feel better about my house and yard. And my back hurts again, so I am going to get my flannels on and read for the rest of the night.

Jan.14.2007

2007-01-14T17:24:00.000-08:00

Well, before work this morning I got a couple more Valentine postcards and a bookmark started. After work I did another bookmark and cut out little glasses for coasters I am going to work on this coming week. I am getting tired of the Valentines already. I can only work on one kind of item for so long and then I get bored with it. So, my next project will be coasters. I will finish up the sewing part of the Valentines and the bookmarks tomorrow and start on the coasters. I actually have the day off tomorrow. Unfortunately, I will have to do some house cleaning cause my house is driving me crazy!! But I should be able to give my art some undivided attention until I want to stop, not have to stop:)

Jan12,2007 day12

2007-01-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday all I got done is to get appliques ready to fuse onto my postcards. Mostly hearts since I am focusing right now on Valentines cards. So I cut out lots of hearts from different pieces of fabric, mostly the clothing I got to cut up at the thrift store on Tues.

Today I don't have much time again, however, I did get 3 cards started. As you can see by the picture they are only in stage one of being done, no edging and/or embellishments yet. Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to finish them.

Jan.8-9th, 2007

2007-01-10T03:07:00.000-08:00

No new pictures for yesterdays' work. Monday I met with my friend Marcie at the coffee shop and we did our projects. I am almost done with my quilt top, have decided to add alittle something to balance it better, so next week I will have a picture of it.
Yesterday all I did was put fusing on several pieces and cut them out, so they are ready to fuse onto my next little cards. I would have done more but ran out of fusable web:(
Then yesterday afternoon I headed for Columbus to one of my favorite thrift stores and found lots of great clothes to cut up for appliques. I can't wait to get started on them, but still out of fusable web. Didn't want to take the time to stop by the fabric store and miss the thrift.
I also was able to buy 6 new sweaters for myself, and since they are totally a different style for me I am recreating my fashion statement this winter:) That is a different form of art, right?
So I am at a standstill as far as my postcards are concerned until I get more fusable web, unless I can find some around here. Maybe I need to reclean my studio, I am not one to put everything away neatly, so there might be some webbing under fabric. If I don't find any there is always my quilting to do on my bigger project. I should get to that since it is what I had planned on doing since the beginning.

Monday Jan.8.2007

2007-01-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't get any art done yesterday. I worked 13 hours on Sat. and then had to go back in yesterday morning. I was just too tired to create anything.
This morning I got up early and decided to finish up the little Valentines postcards I had been working on. I quilted on some, edged all, and even did some embellishments on a couple. Later this morning I will be meeting my friend Marcie at the coffee shop to work on our own individual art projects and will ask for her opinion to see if I need to do any more quilting on a couple. I want to get these on etsy today or tomorrow. This afternoon I have to do another job, so I will see how much energy I have after that.
I take group pictures, the individual pictures will be on etsy. Also the descriptions of what I recycled in each, this group has hair nets used on some of them and heart sequins.

Jan.6th,2007

2007-01-06T04:38:00.000-08:00

Well, no new photos of accomplishments today, at least not this morning. I did work on finsihing up the postcards I have done so far, but not really enough time this morning. I have to get my exercises in today before work. Perhaps I will get back to it all this evening, but I doubt it. Usually after work I just relax with a book.
Perhaps tomorrow they will be ready to post on etsy.com:)

day 5 Jan.5.2007

2007-01-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I have to quit already today:( Never seems to be enough time to really get into this until it is time to stop and get ready for work. I got 2 more Valentines created and a bookmark. Tomorrow I will have to do the sewing on the ones from yesterday and today and hopefully get them on etsy. We will have to see how much I get done.

Day 4 Jan.4, 2007

2007-01-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

I have to quit for the day now. Might get back after work, but I doubt it. I am more creative before going off to a day of being on my feet.

Anyway I did get 3 more cards partially finished. I still have the sewing part to do to them and I might add a few embellishments while at it. But here is my work for the day.

Day 3 Jan.3,2007

2007-01-03T03:15:00.000-08:00

It is early and I have already been at my art for a couple of hours. I decided to try my hand at quilting my cards. I am not comfortable with my sewing machine so figured it was time that we became friends. And since these are small 4x6 it should be something I can succeed at, right?

Here is a photo of what I finished this morning. I will be putting them on etsy in a few minutes.

Day 2 Jan.2,2007

2007-01-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

Morning!
Yesterday (day 2) I sewed early, made another Valentine postcard, and edged all 4 of them. I also got a small quilt top ready to go into the hoop. Then it was time to meet my friend Marci in town to do our hopefully weekly get together to work on our art projects. I had this one quilt top that had been bothering me. I thought it was done but had it on my design board for the last couple months since I wasn't completely happy with it. So I took that into town with me to get Marci's opinion. She agreed with me it needed alittle more in one corner to balance it better. So that is what I did during our work time together. I worked on appliquing some more of the stems for a flower. When I finish the applique I will share a photo of it.
After leaving Marci I headed to the bead store to purchase some beads for a few pairs of earrings. I like to make my own since I have a hard time finding ones that are long enough, I go for the 5+" long dangles with usually 3 dangle strands of beads off a central bead grouping. Then I headed out of town to go to the fabric store to buy some hoops. Bought a couple of them since I readied the small quilt earlier in the morn and want to get that in the hoop too. I also found some great Valentine fabric to cut up for my Valentine postcards.
That was all for Day 2!

Day One continues

2007-01-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I am probably done doing art for today, Have a potluck to go to.
I quilted for about an hour and was able to move my hoop. Unfortunately the hoop broke when I was setting up the next section I was going to work on. Found a bigger hoop so I could continue with my quilt. Worked with the bigger hoop for awhile but really didn't like that for this quilt. So I decided to get working on some Valentine postcards and got 3 of them done except for the sewing along the edges. That will have to wait until tomorrow hopefully. However, since I want to get several more ready I might be just doing the creating process tomorrow and the sewing later. Sewing is a challenge for me because I really don't feel very competant along those lines. Which I hope to improve my skills and conquer my fear of the sewing machine.

Day One

2007-01-01T04:02:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Ok, this is it. January 1st is here and I am ready for this journey through my creative spirit. Who knows where this journey will take me, my trials and tribulations. I know I will try my hand at several techiques that I have had thoughts of learning. Plus I am sure there are several ideas that will come to me in the next 12 months. So join me in the adventure!!

getting ready

2006-12-24T04:44:00.000-08:00

I'm new to this blog thing. My daughter will have to help me set this up better in the next few days. In the meantime, I will be getting my studio space all cleaned and organized. Also I will be shopping for a few materials I need so I can work on some of the many projects I have on my mind to try my hand at.

My goal for 2007 is to work on my art everyday, get the many quilt tops I have ready to put in the frame completed by this time next year. Plus several small projects to keep my creative juices flowing. Some of which include fabric beads, bookmarks, postcards, belts, ACEO's, and painting fabric.

See you in 2007