Color...Dispersed!

Here is one of my works in progress.  All I have left to do is the quilting.  This step always frightens me, but I guess I just need to get started and see it through to the end.  At the very least, it can be a learning experience!

More thread art

I decided to make another run at the Thread Art technique, this time doing a picture of a friend for her birthday.  I am more happy with the way this one came out. 

Thread Art

I have done a few photo-based artworks in the past.  I have painted some and used some fabric inks, too.  I ran across a class called Thread Art on Craftsy.com, which created art from photos in the way I had in the past, except that it used colored pencils.  I had never used colored pencils on fabric, so I decided to take the class to expand my horizons.  I was inspired by a photo of my daughter and I. 

Here is the end result:

I was pleased with how it came out overall--especially for my first attempt.  There are a few things I would change for the next one though.

It sold!

For the second year in a row, my SAQA benefit auction quilt has sold for $150!  How awesome!  I am looking forward to donating again next year.

Dove's Paradise

UFOs!

I have quite a few UFOs (unfinished objects) that I have racked up over the summer.  I have also finished a few things as well.  (Including a few of those 6X6 weekly challenge pieces!) Hopefully, I will get around to posting pictures very soon. I am pretty excited about a series of small works that I have begun.  They are based on the Rorshach tests.  You have seen them--though you probably didn't know the real names for them!  Look it up!

Let's keep it goin'!

I am trying to knock out some of my UFOs, and here are some of my finished pieces. As usual, they are based on some photos that I took earlier this year.  I am really excited about these because I am offering them for sale in my Etsy shop.  Well, actually I am offering custom fiber art in the same style. 

"Our Embrace"

Tiffany's Signature Pose

Crystal the Diva

It's on!

It took about seven weeks, several calls and a bit of frustration, but I have finally gotten my machine back! The crazy thing is, my machine was ready after two weeks.  We won't talk about that though...I am just ready to be back in commission.  The good news is that in those seven weeks, I have created at least seven UFO's that were just waiting on some stitchin'.  So I will be a "blog-postin', fiber art makin' fool" for the next week or so. 

I placed!

A few weeks ago, I participated in the Annual Azalea Quilt Show sponsored by the Quilt Guild of East Texas.  It was the first show I have ever entered.  Imagine my excitement when I got 2nd and 3rd place in the Art Quilt category.  First place was won by Nancy B. Dickey.  And I must say, her quilt was spectacular!  Next year, I definitely know what to expect!

On hiatus!

I was almost done with a portrait quilt of my daughter.  All I had left to do was to quilt it in a simple stipple pattern.  But alas, my beloved Bernina simply would not cooperate!  After several ripped out attempts in the same area, and after re-threading and cleaning and oiling, I finally accepted the fact that I had to put her in the shop.  That may not sound like that big of a deal, but since I live in a small town, and the closest Bernina dealer is about 50 minutes away, I not only had to drive a distance to drop it off, but I also learned that the repair man had been out for a week.  That means he is behind in his repairs and I may be without my machine for FOUR WEEKS!  Needless to say, I am having think outside the box in order to get any work accomplished.  Yet and still, I can't FINISH anything until I get my machine back.  Ugh!

SAQA Benefit Auction

Dove's Paradise

For the second year in a row, I created a 12" X 12" quilt for SAQA's benefit auction.  The background was created using fused applique' and machine quilted it with horizontal lines.  I tried my hand at making freezer paper stencils for the tree and birds.  Then I free motion quilted the painted images.  This year I actually beat the earlybird deadline, so maybe it'll be included in some of the ads!

Finally finished!

I have finally finished my "Ladies Night Out" quilt. I must say, the quilting was very tedious to say the least.  But, I got in a lot of quilting practice, so it was worth it.

Week 9: Peace

"Outer Peace"

Imagine lounging on the beach with a good book while a cool breeze blows over you. You watch the sun go down as it "throws a million sparkles on the water".  Remember that line from "Forrest Gump"?

Week 8: Blessed

"Counted Blessings"

Every morning that I wake up is a blessing.  There are so many things in life that we take for granted, and I chose to simply honor some of the obvious things that I am thankful for.  I hand painted the background, and then I hand wrote down some of the ways the Lord has blessed me.  I then machine stitched the ankh, which is the symbol of life. 

Week 7: Jungle

"Macaw"

I had a lot of fun doing this one.  I think I have developed a fixation on Macaws now.  They are such beautiful creatures.  I stitched the design first and then filled it in using acrylic inks.

Week 6: Cool

The word "cool" has so many meanings.  I decided to take the color scheme route by using cool colors in my mini quilt.  This was the first time I used grid quilting on one of my works.  I like the way it turned out.  Kinda cool!

Only one thing left to do now!

I finally made time to finish painting one of my works in progress.  All that is left now is the actual quilting.  I am a little nervous about that step, but every time I work on another piece, I know it helps me to grow creatively.  Here goes nothing......

Week 5: Mercy

"Where did all the blue skies go?"

My first thought when I thought of the word mercy was to do something religious, but since I did something related to the church last week, I decided to take another route.  I created a mini painted portrait of a famous singer who sang a song with the word mercy in the title.  Can you tell who it is?  Probably not, but I thought it was a creative depiction all the same!

Look again.....................

Yes, it's Marvin Gaye.  I thought of his song, "Mercy, Mercy Me".  How relevant the lyrics are today:

Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be
No, no
Where did all the blue sky go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north, east, south, and sea
Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be
No, no
Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas
Fish full of mercury
Oh, mercy mercy me

Oh, things ain't what they used to be
No, no
Radiation in the ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land?
How much more abuse from man can you stand?
My sweet Lord
My sweet Lord
My sweet Lord

Week 4: Harmony

"Joyful, Joyful"

This week I drew the word harmony from the box.  I brainstormed for several days before actually beginning the quilt.  Overall, I am pleased with the direction I decided to take.  I do so miss my days in the choir!

Week 3: Sweet

"Does this count as fruit?"

This week's mini quilt definitely honors one of life's perfect little confections: the cupcake!  Subconsciously I think it was inspired by those Yoplait yogurt commercials that try to say that their yogurt is good enough to eat when you are craving something sweet. Ummmm, I think I would rather have the cupcake!  Besides, what harm can ONE LITTLE CUPCAKE do?

Week 2: Art

"I'm ready for my close-up!"

I had the pleasure of pulling the word "Art" out of the box.  At first I thought, "I am so glad it wasn't something incredibly diffucult!" But soon I discovered that the word art is so open for interpretation, that that did not give me a clear direction.  I decided to pay tribute to one of my favorite artists, Henri Matisse, and created something in his "style". 

Week 1: Baby

"Day Twelve"

I allowed my husband to randomly select the word for the week.  To my surprise, he selected the word baby!  I have tons of inspiration for that topic as one might imagine.  Here is my 6" X 6" quilt for the week.  It is based on a photo of Laila when she was just twelve days old.  The image is hand stitched with a variegated brown hand dyed thread.

Happy New Year!

Just like almost everyone else, I like to make "goals" for the new year.  This year, I have a few creativity goals, but the most important one I think, is a personal challenge I have always wanted to do.  I am challenging myself to create one 6" X 6" art quilt every week.  I brainstormed and asked others for their ideas as well for possible themes.  Each Sunday, I will randomly select a different theme from a box and the quilt will be my small interpretation of that theme.  Each quilt is due on Saturday, and I will begin a new one the next day.  I will post the results.  Wish me luck!