starting, stopping, recovering!

the bezels have all been redone

I'm ready to start putting it back together, but the new design that has evolved involves adding some crystals to this

and I'm going to have to order those

so while we wait for those parts to arrive, I've started working on this new Tribute to Gee's Bend Quilters bead embroidered bracelet

I've not done one of these in the colors I plan to use for this one, so it will be a whole different look

these are a lot of fun to make, and a good way to make use of little odds and ends of beads that I have left from other projects

 it will probably take me a couple of days to get through all of the pictures that I took during my conference weekend

I did finish three afghan squares in the car on the way to Santa Fe and back  -- cool

meantime, today I have a lot of unpacking and laundry and shopping and well you get the picture -- time to get to that!

art in strange places

you never know where you'll see art if you are open to seeing it

this evening when we went to dinner, we ate in a tiny little place

this amazing piece of mosaic art dominated the room

oh WOW!


the walls were covered with art photos and paintings and there were other pieces of art everywhere you looked

pretty neat!!


spent today in meetings, getting my brain stuffed full 

another full day tomorrow!

 

this is Spring?

yes, it is April 24

and yesterday we got all this new snow on the top of Pikes Peak!

the weather here around our little village this month has been schizo -- 60 degrees and sun on Monday, 29 degrees and snow on Tuesday, etc., etc. (wash, rinse, repeat!)

i took this shot with my new cell phone as the DH was driving this morning

sheesh -- we are SO ready for some warm weather -- which is supposed to appear over the coming weekend

we'll see

meantime, I'm off to my SAQA Conference -- to hob nob with the other wizards!

into the fray!!

Working in series?

in the past couple of years I have made (and sold!) these bracelets 

yesterday, as I was changing the clasp on the blue one it suddenly dawned on me that this is a series

each of these were created with the work of the Gee's Bend Quilters as inspiration, and this has been a very successful series in terms of making sales

this morning that blue one is on it's way to my customer

and I pulled out beads yesterday afternoon to start another one

I will be finishing up that bracelet with the stones in it first -- I already have five of the six stones re-bezeled, so that is progressing nicely

time to get moving -- lots to do today

taking that giant leap

 you may remember these two pieces that I created a while back

for about a month I've been dithering over rather or not to enter them to a call for entries titled Color Wheel of Emotions

this morning I got the reminder that the deadline is looming and I had to make a decision

so, I entered them

 now begins the waiting

the notification date is May 20

keeping my fingers crossed

back in 2007 I made this bracelet

and it went to a few shows

and then I decided that it needed to be reworked, I pulled it out of the inventory and set it aside

and forgot where I put it

yesterday afternoon, while I was looking for something else, I found it again

since I was between projects (still waiting for that order to arrive!), I went ahead and took it all apart

the revision will be similar, but different

meantime, I got a note from a potential customer that she would like to buy a bracelet from me if I can change the clasp on it

time to head out to the store and see if I can find something to make that happen!

the doves have returned!

from the kitchen window this morning I could see this pair of doves sitting on the back fence

I had been able to hear them yesterday morning, but this is the first time I'd seen them

and usually they are up in the spruce tree where I can see one or the other one, but rarely both

I was able to get this picture through the window with the telephoto setting on my camera (something I have used very rarely since I'm usually taking pictures of things very close up!)

cool
 

 when I was talking to my daughter she mentioned that Mr Cute needs a cover up to wear when they are doing painting or other messy crafting

hmmmm, seems to me I've made those kind of things before -- so when I was in the fabric store yesterday I picked up this fabric -- which I need to wash and I plan to do some crafting of my own on before I make it into a suitable cover up

this should be a fun project

 the applique work on this piece is finished

the next work that needs to get done is the quilting, which means I need to decide what goes on the back of this before I can do that step

I'm thinking about it

while I was out and about yesterday I did the deed -- because the week had been so crazy I had pretty much given up the idea of getting this done before the quilt conference, but when we went out the door yesterday morning, the DH said "let's go see if you can get an appointment on Monday"

when we walked in the door they said they could do it right then --- okay then!

there on the left side is the braid (which is getting donated!)

it's a wash and wear do, all that curl is natural and comes out when the weight of all that hair is cut off

it feels much lighter

Daisies complete!

finished this up yesterday

I like the finished piece -- it's a clean, simple design

and I just may try another version of it -- using sunflowers and a different background color -- we'll see where this will go

meantime, I'm still waiting for the arrival of the supply package that I need to start on the order for my customer ---- GRRRRR!

the quilting on the trees piece is moving right along -- I'm starting to think that maybe I can get it finished for that show --- of course that depends on how many things spring up to get in the way!

the peacock is progressing nicely too -- I have one more feather to applique then I'll have to figure out what the backing is going to be

need to make a run for groceries this morning -- I don't usually do that on a Saturday, but I needed to be at home all day yesterday for the yard to aerated, and the delivery of a couple of important packages

time to get moving!

flowers in projects -- is it spring?

I spent most of the morning yesterday snoozing in my chair, but by the afternoon I was starting to feel better, so I did some work on this project

got two more of the bigger links and another small one added to this piece

I realized that I need to come up with a plan for how I'm going to add a clasp to this -- I'm thinking about adding a silver latching clasp on it -- I'll be pulling out the ones I have and trying to figure out how to do that

the other thing that I got accomplished yesterday was to finish adding the columbine to the trees piece 

this piece is really moving right along now -- all of the ferns, grass and rocks have been quilted and last night I started working on the quilting of the brown area of the quilt

looking good!

today I need to try to catch up on things today -- time for the quilt conference is coming fast!
 

progress on projects

the creating of the petals on the flower was an interesting project -- by the time I got to the last one I had finally figured out what worked best!

there are four more of the bigger links to finish, so this won't be finished for a couple of days or so

worked on the chair yesterday  --  the padding for the seat of the chair is all finished -- next step is the padding on the back of the chair

coming along slowly



woke up this morning not feeling very well -- need to take it easy today and hope it gets better

it's all in black and white

still waiting for that package of supplies to arrive (the mail man hasn't been here yet today), so I'm chugging right along on this project

finished doing all of the bead embroidery yesterday and coated the backs with fray check

today I will start working on backing each and every one of these with leather

lookin' good!

I've been working on reupholstering that chair --- forgot to take my camera in there for a picture yesterday --- I'll try to do better today

last night I started adding the little columbine flower to the trees quilt

 
 finished the last afghan square to put into the box --- the next square will start a new box

this morning it has begun to do serious snowing here --- we hadn't gotten any of the storm that hit the Denver area earlier in the week, but apparently we're going to get this one

looks like the farthest trip I'll be making today will be out to the mail box

maybe I'll get a lot of work done!
 

waiting and working

still waiting on the supplies for the mermaid piece, so I went ahead and started on this project yesterday

the little black and white checker board went amazingly fast

I think this is going to be pretty cool


I'm up to my eyeballs in getting ready for a quilt conference along with being in charge of hanging a quilt show the very next weekend -- hey, who's bad planning was this?!

time to get to work!!

Finished and new beginnings

it's done

I'll get it listed in the Etsy store either today or tomorrow

 as I said yesterday, I need a beading project to work on while I'm waiting for that supply order to arrive

not long ago I did some drawings for some bracelets that included sunflowers

this idea came to me last night -- and I think I have everything I need to make this one right here in hand

have to make a trip through the bead boxes

 yup, its the back of a chair

yesterday I did that lovely web-weave on the back

now it's on to covering the seat, then the back

I have a couple of books on doing re-upholstering, but neither one of them shows a piece that is exactly the shape of this one (and since I acquired this chair as nothing more than the frame, I have no idea what it originally looked like)

boldly going where we've not gone before!

 

almost done!

 

this piece is almost finished!

all of these pieces are fastened together, and the fastening loop for the toggle is done, part of that last crystal attached there on the left

I have one more crystal that goes at the other end and I need to finish making the bar piece of the toggle 

that part shouldn't take too long, so I'm hoping to get this finished today

back in March I sold this piece of jewelry out of my Etsy store

this week the buyer contacted me and ask if I could create a similar piece in greens

after a bit of searching, I found a mermaid cameo in green, and now I'm impatiently waiting for the mailman to bring it (oh, along with a similarly shaped piece that is a porpoise!)

I was hoping it would arrive on the day that I finish the orange crystal piece, but I don't think that will happen -- current update looks like it won't be here until Monday or Tuesday

hmmmm, maybe I'll start on that blue piece with the spikes ---- or that sunflower bracelet --- or... or.... who knows!

I'm  chugging along on this piece

all of the sky part is quilted, all of the tree parts are quilted, and I've almost finished quilting around all of the aspen leaves

still need to add the appliqued columbine and do the quilting of the ground and rocks

I had hoped to have this all quilted for a show that happens the first weekend of May, but since I'll be in meetings for a few days between now and then, I don't think it's going to happen -- BOOOOO!

I am thrilled, however that it is actually going to get finished in the next month --- whoot!  whoot!

time to get busy on today's projects

 

Peacock Progress

work on the peacock piece continues

now that the head is complete, it's easier to get an idea of what this critter is supposed to be

stitching down the first tail feather took almost an hour last night -- there are five more feathers to stitch -- this will take a while!

 after posting the black and white line drawing yesterday, I thought I should post the colored version now that it's ready

it looks more like something real with the color added

the next step is to print out the many, many pages it will take to create a full size pattern -- about 64 pages worth, to be followed with much trimming and taping

all in good time, all in good time

Book Review and other projects

a couple of weeks ago this book appeared on my door step

I'd seen a review or two of it on the blogs of some art quilters that I know, and I was hoping to get a chance to review it too

this book is the sequel to "The Natural World" and follows the same format

it has taken me the better part of the time since it arrived to read it -- from cover to cover

I'm always fascinated by how other artists approach how they do their work, and once again Martha Sielman has both talked about each featured artist as well as letting them speak for themselves

I'm sure I'll be returning to this book again (as I have The Natural World) for inspiration

and I can't wait to see what Martha will put together next!

does this remind you of anything you've ever seen before?

when I was a teenager, I did some paint by number pieces, and it wasn't until I finished working on this last night that I realized that it resembled a paint by number

ok, I guess we can call this a "quilt by number" as it is the pattern map for the next big piece I will be starting

right now it looks like there are a lot of little tiny pieces, but by the time I blow it up from 8 inches by 10 inches to 5 foot by 7 foot, those pieces will be a lot bigger!

the next step here is to use tracing paper and colored pencils to create a color map --- and there are still some animals to work on too

one step at a time!

and no sooner did I come up with the dragon fly drawings, this image keeps appearing in my head demanding to be put on paper

its a sort of wonky through the window view of spring

I'm adding it to the list of 12 inch square pieces for the visioning project

work continues on the crystals

the needed pieces are slowly evolving -- just a few more crystals to put bezels around then I can start with the chaining that will string it all together

creative things just keep happenin'!

slogging along

Remember this piece?

the voting in the competition this is entered in has begun

you can go HERE and vote for your favorite

the bezel work around these is slowly coming along -- all of the golden crystals have now been bezeled with orange, so now I'm back to the gold beads to create bezels around the crystals that are two different shades of orange 

I'm past the half way point with the bezels, so of course I'm getting antsy to get them finished so I can get on to the next piece! 

the DH had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon

as it is anytime he isn't the very first appointment, we had to wait

I put the time to use finishing up this afghan square --- I only need two more to fill up that box so I can ship it off 

soon!

Did I do that?

that is the question that usually signals to me that some art project is going to be good -- when I look at it afterwards and have a feeling of having just been the conduit of its creation

I did this little drawing (it's only about 3.5 inches square) last night just before I went to sleep, and it has that feeling to me

my plan is to blow it up to about 12 inches square and make a quilt out of it

stay tuned.....

it doesn't look like much yet, but the Hoffman Challenge piece has now actually begun to take shape

both of the tree branches are complete (it still remains to see how I will actually handle the quilting and binding of that little piece of the branch that goes outside the frame)

and that odd piece appliqued on the bottom branch there is the body of the peacock

moving right along
 

progress on orange works

in spite of spending a lot of time yesterday running around doing errands, I did actually get some work done on the orange piece

I have a couple more of the smaller gold crystals to put a bezel around with those orange beads before I switch back to the gold for the rest of the deep orange pieces

and there is still that triangle which I still have not figured out exactly how I will frame

these look pretty good

I've been on the phone about family matters a lot this week

so there has been more knitting on these afghan squares

it's good for keeping the hands busy

last night's time with the sweater revisions was very successful -- the cuffs are done, and have been tested and found to fit properly, so now I can move on with the body of the sleeves -- a good thing

time to get going
 

putting up the display

yesterday we went off to Pueblo so I could help with the hanging of an exhibit (the DH took some pictures of Kathy and I working -- this one shows my best side -- my back!)

you may remember me talking about the piece titled "Along the Trail"

 it will be on display today and tomorrow in the Pueblo Convention Center -- then it goes on to Salt Lake City for an exhibit there

while we were in Pueblo, we decided we should visit a bead shop that I knew about and had never visited 

I was able to pick up some supplies for a new piece that I'm designing -- shades of blue

a little bit of work on the orange piece currently in process -- 4 pieces are bezeled and ready to go

and this piece is finished -- the next in the Visioning Project

the machine quilting on this one went well -- I'm starting to get the hang of that whole process

time in the van to Pueblo and another afghan square is finished

as for that sweater project -- the sleeves have been removed from the sweater, the seams picked out and the pieces ripped -- last night I started over at the cuff after spending some time writing out the revisions that I need to make to the sleeves  --- the usual two steps forward and one step back


the entry for the quilt show that I was working on earlier in the week is finished and in the mail, and I got another call for entries yesterday for a local show -- there will be more photography and filling in of forms over the weekend

today I need to squeeze in all of the errands and other things that I would be doing in the next couple of days -- tomorrow I'll be making a trip to Denver for a family meeting that my dad has called (prayers greatly appreciated, we're talking about serious issues)

Finished, Finished, Started

the testing is complete -- as is this little quilt

I'm pleased with how the quilting went -- each of the techniques tested helped me figure out how to do the big piece I'm starting next

this piece will probably go into my fiber works Etsy store sometime soon

 it's done!

and this one is already in my Etsy store -- more pictures are included there, and if you're interested you can use the link there at the top right side of the blog

 I decided to keep going with the orange pieces since I had all of the materials out already, so here are the first three finished components for the bracelet

one of the other pieces is a crystal triangle -- I've never tried to built a bezel of that shape, so that will be an interesting challenge

 and then there is this

which should be done, now that the button holes have been worked and the buttons sewn on

but it's not

the cuffs are just too big

so I'll be running a rescue line and cutting the yarn below it to remove the cuffs and redo them

nuts

earlier in the week I got a call for entries for a quilt show with a postmark deadline of April 5 -- ack!

fortunately I have three pieces on hand that I can enter, but I'm doing a little scrambling to get the application all filled in and the CD of pictures created

time to get back to that