I’m working on…

Remember this! Well I've been working it lately Starting the free motion stitching.

 

Added more bleach out details. I'm glad I used the black thread to outline.

Journal Quilts

Mother's Purple Flowers 2

Another  one of my 2009 journal quilts .   This year I challenge myself to use strip piecing with the  theme (Memories of Nature).  It is the first time I have tried the journal quilting project.  I must say I really enjoyed the process even more than I had thought I would.  I committed myself  to one 8 1/2″ x 11″ quilt per month.  There were times when I got involved and would do two for one month.  The only rule was that I would not throw a quilt  into the waste bin if I didn’t like it.  A was pleased with the results of most all of them.   This little quilt is an intrepretation of remembering the lovely Iries in my mother’s garden when I was growing up.   With 2010 approaching fast means I am starting to think about next years challenge.  I think I will continue  with this size which was nice to work with.   I have been making a list of possible themes for next year.  This piece is also listed in my Etsy shop  http://rainstudio.etsy.com  along with  a couple of other journal  pieces.  I have decided this much for next year’s project.  It has to have lots of surface design.   And I would like to include  some inspirational words or poetry.   Thats’ a start!  Its’ still pretty broad I know.  I’ll need to narrow my playing field a little more.  Just for myself!  Of course nothing written in stone as yet.  A theme…a theme…!   Exhale…

The Perfect Gift…

The Holiday season is here and I have a lot to be thankful for.  Some made it through another year and some did not.  I do pray for peace the world over and hope remains in my heart.  While the rush for the perfect gift begins, I’ve been reminding myself to stay within my budget.  So many have lost jobs and are barely getting by or not getting by at all.  When I received my copy of ‘Our Daily Bread” for December and read the first page titled ‘the Best of Gifts’.  I thought these are the  things I sometimes take for granted.   The Best of Gifts won’t cost me any money just my sincerely effort to connect with  family,  friends and those who are alone.   

 

* The gift of listening

* The gift of affection

* The gift of laughter

* The gift of a written note

* The gift of  a compliment

And I will be sharing with others how God’s love has sustained me in times like these.

 Peace

Bad, bad blog…

 

Ok, I have not been up to power lately on this blog thing.  I have been hard at work though!  Lots of things to get done before christmas.  A few shows to participate in. Gifts for family.  You know the routine.  Christmas is the busiest time of the year.   I second that.  Its not that there isn’t a lot to blog about .   I made a list of things that will go into eternity.   I’m not going to stick around that long!  Hopefully my daughter will pick up where I leave off since the list will be hers by then.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not rushing out of here.  Just planning you could say!    I am a very busy person as I’m sure others are too.  So I figure a pic and/or a line or two is not that bad.  I’m trying, so we’ll see how it goes.  This is one of my journal quilts – my dream garden quilt.  It was so much fun to create these small pieces.  My first journal quilt project.  I’ll post pics of  all my 2009 journal quilts and a summary of my experience  sometime  early next year.  Exhale…

 

 

 

Is it over…?

Well I guess summer is over and I enjoyed it.  I didn’t go on a big vacation anywhere.  I stay close to home and we enjoyed some mini weekend trips.   We found  there was lots of things to do right in our own back yard.  We took the boys to the  zoo, the aquarium, lots of festivals and the Nature Center.   My goal was to stay within 150 mile radius.   We did that.   It was educational and we had lots of fun too. We didn’t make it to the water park this year.  The boys enjoyed lots of water fights  in the the back yard !  The bonus was – savings ($) and we were not drained like you can  sometimes be when you return from a long trip.   I worked on lots of projects by staying home…added bonus for me.  Now, with  school back in and the evenings turning cooler, my  mind immediately switchs to Autumn.  The quilt in the picture is the result.  This piece could be  a  nice memory/art quilt to add your own touchs with pins, mementos, photos, etc.  I  used Autumn colors  for this piece – thus came the name Autumn Jewels.  This quilt is for sale in my Etsy shop www.rainstudio.etsy.com . Over the summer most of my exploration projects were color studies using strips of fabrics.  I’ll be posting some of those pieces in the coming weeks.  Well I’m off to check on a piece I’ve got out back.  I hope it hasn’t blown away…exhale.

Working on….

 

Yesterday while I was cleaning out some  quilt project starts, I came across this poppie one.   Seems, I forgot I had it.   Most likely I didn’t know what to do with it and got bored.  It looks different now.   It start off just three red blobs of paint against the blue background.  And its still three red blobs!  I decided to try for more definition.  So I got out the bleach and went to work.  I’m really  pleased with how that turned out.  Now I’m trying to decide if I want to  define it more with some black paint or proceed with some stitching.  Maybe just a little bit of bla….Well I just don’t know yet!   Exhale…

looong time since…

I have been away for awhile and now I’m back with a kind of energy that is hard for me to put into words.  I won’t go into a lot of details here, but I will say life happens.   Things we have no control  over and when it does you just hang in there for the long haul. Well like I said I have this renewed kind of energy and I’m ready to move forward.  I won’t cry over spilled milk or what hasn’t happened.  I will just say it’s going to take  some time  before I  can post  more regularly. I have been working on some new projects that I want to share and I will be posting the pictures as well.  For those of you that do visit this blog I want to say thanks for your interest and don’t give up on me yet.   Exhale….

New Beginnings….

 

I know it is February and I haven’t blog for a while. Family obligations took  first place on my list.  However I do want to go back to reflect on the New Year and a new President.  All this is reason for hope and promise  in a world that seems to be out of control.  The beginning of a new year,  some of us  make resolutions that  we don’t keep.  For years I have done exactly that.  This year is about new beginnings and starting fresh.   Since I need to stay true to myself and be realistic at the same time I plan to take small bites.  This I think will be the best way to accomplish some my goals.  And of course I always make that list too long, knowing full well I won’t finish it.  But that’s OK!  I am not going to be hard on myself.  If a accomplish half I feel am closer to where I want to be.  I am just going to keep it real always!  Well here’s my list for 2009.  Exhale…

My Goals for 2009

1. Keeping my focus on God.  

2.  Learn new skills, like painting on my quilts and more surface designs. 

 3.  Learn  one  new fiber technique every month.   

 4.  Expand on fiber techniques I have tried before.  

  5.  Time with family - outing once a week (away from home).    

  6. Do one Journal Quilt – Small format -weekly/or monthly.     

   7.  Dedicate time to experiment with new materials.

   8.  Eat healthier and exercise  

   9. Update Statement and bio                

    10.  Create a line of fiber art jewelry/accessories               

    11. Do 2-3 sketchs a week!                        

    12. Exhibit a little more (shows , galleries, etc. - 8 to 10 per year).      

    13. create more series work          

   14. Plan and implement marketing campaign.          

   15. Get new business cards.

Sharing….

Exhale…the gifts are all opened and the turkey is almost gone.  I,m enjoying a cup of tea while gazing out the window.  The events of the year flash through my mind, then it shifts quickly to  planning next year”s goals.  Now that is another POST!…. REALLY!  Now… SHARING…yes I said…SHARING…. will be a key word for my family this coming year.  With all the hardships of lost jobs, homes and even  retirement funds for some.   I have  taken in my nephew during these hard times because he lost his job and then his home. I had to move from my small studio into an even smaller room.  But I’m OK!  And my nephew will be too!  With that said, I wanted to share a really good recipe.  My niece made these.  She shared her treats and recipe with me!  Mmmm…good!

Butter Nut Crunch Toffee

About 40 saltine crackers

1 c. butter, not margarine

1 c. brown sugar

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 c. crushed nuts

Place crackers (do not overlap) on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Melt butter in a saucepan; add brown sugar and boil for 3 minutes exactly, stirring constantly.  Pour mixture over crackers, spreading all over the tops of crackers.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.  Take out of oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips; after 2 minutes, spread chocolate chips over top with the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle crushed nuts evenly over the top.  Cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Cut with a sharp knife in long rows and then cut into pieces.  Clean up is a snap because of the aluminium foil.

Happy New Years!

Cyber Fyber Exhibit…

January 8 – 20, 2009