Where did I go?

Well, first off, the holiday got the best of me. We had company, a 25 lb. turkey, and a lot of fun. My sisters and I went shopping on Black Friday, and company left Monday. The afterglow of the holiday is just now wearing off.

So I made this one from some Superior thread I got at the Mancuso show in Shaumburg. Colors and everything were picked right out of the thread.

My project is coming to a close here as 2007 comes to an end.

I also have been fervently working nights and weekends to get my quilt website redone! You can see it here: http://www.muppin.com/quilts I still have some minor editing to do, but it's coming together!

The holiday is almost upon us

I bet you thought I was talking about Thanksgiving. I mean Black Friday!! Fabric stores, here I come!

This house... is clean

I hate the movie Poltergeist. It creeps me out. But the house is now clean and ready for guests. Not that it wasn't always "clean" and ready for guests, but now it's extra clean.
I BOUGHT table linens instead of make them. I know, it's heresy. I should be drawn and fat-quartered. But I did not have time, though I will make sure to make my own for next year, as the store pickin's was slim.

Playing with Perspective

On a popular art quilting mailing list, a current discussion is underway about the Principles and Elements of design and art. (how funny, since my post yesterday was about the same thing, and I didn't see any of the discussion or I would have weighed in on it).

Interestingly, there is a notion that these items (called P&E by some) are tools of critique only, and cannot be used to "learn" how to make art. I disagree. I am no artist, at least if forced to put pencil or pen to paper. However, I can make better art by STUDYING the P&E. As shown here. I definitely need to learn a bit more about perspective... And I "lurve" this orange fabric...

Lost a day

I don't know how this weekend got by without much quilting, but it did. I did however, discuss my next year's "resolutions" with my DH. I have alot planned for next year, so we'll see if I can follow it through. I just finished my weekly quilt, but am too tired to scan it. I'm going to bed. At least the house is clean for company now...

Priciples and Elements of Art

A long time ago, my brother made this poster sized piece in art class. It was using each of the principles and elements of art. Movement, unity, perpective, they were all represented. I thought it was silly back then, but then I started studying these principles and elements for my own work.

And silly me, I ended up starting a project that has each of them too. Except mine were circles. I found this project while cleaning my studio, and they went on my design wall. My brother's cup project was given to my mother as a gift, and she took this photo so I could study his work, to help further my own.

Artwork (C) Kenneth Buechele

Obligatory Post

This weekend should have quite a bit of cleaning and quilting for the upcoming holidays.

I gots no love

Comment people! Show me some comment love!

Renuzit Air Freshener Cozy

This is a 1 hour project!!!

I wanted to make one of these because I think these Renuzit fresheners are pretty ugly, but they are cheap, and the "pretty" air fresheners are all so expensive. I got the idea after making a bunch of coffee cup holder sleeves, and this was a perfect use for that idea.

So...

Step 1. Using a template, I cut out my quilt sandwich, the top fabric, batting and backing. I used this purple fabric and even fused on a complimentary fabric because my bathroom that this cozy is going in is Purple and Gray.

Step 2. Quilt it. Then, using the template again, cut out darts. This air freshener is curved, so the darts allow you to make the curve in the sleeve.

Step 3. Sew together the darts using a close, wide zig-zag stitch. See below.

Step 4. Zig-zag around all edges of the cozy. Feel free to embellish yours now, doing so later may be hard because these are narrow.

Step 5. Zig-zag the two ends closed. Place on your air freshener.

Enjoy!

I am happy to email you a PDF of the template I used, or you can carefully tear off the plastic around the air freshener when you get it from the store to make your own. To get my version via PDF, email me at quilts _at_ muppin _dot_ com or comment below so I can contact you.

We Care

I have been doing mail art for over a year and a half, and this was my first "body bag". Thankfully, the contents were unharmed, but this is why all mail art should be sent in protective sleeves or baggies.

After going to a funeral for a relative, I attended my RiverWalk Quilt Guild meeting. I even brought a show and tell, though I don't "tell" very well. Note to self: Don't follow Valli Schiller, for reasons other than you think. And going after a funeral wasn't great, but at least I went.

Anyway, I also got my mail art dolls back in the mail, but I'm too tired to scan them right now.

Results, without ironing

Sorry it's so wonky, I pulled it out of the suitcase and onto the scanner bed.

It's not bad, if I say so myself....Still have to trim it, but still not bad.

I missed the Divas meeting because of my late flight from Baltimore, but tomorrow is a family funeral and the Riverwalk meeting, so I get some art stuff done this week.

Crisis Averted

The weekly series is saved, it's 85% finished, and I have most of the evening left to complete it.
I am sorry that I didn't get to go to my favorite quilt shop, Seminole Sampler. They carry the best stuff and I would have definitely had a great time in there.
Next trip, I guess.
I can't wait to get home and check my artist trading card sites.

What to do in a Quilting Emergency

Step 1: Attend function you intended to go to. In this case a Bat Mitzvah.
Step 2: Drive to Jo Ann fabrics.
Step 3: Buy materials on the cheap to make quilt square.

Materials list:
DMC Floss (2 skeins) ...... $0.50
Perle Cotton (1 skein) ....... 1.39
Embroidery Needles ....... 1.69
6 inch ruler .................... 3.29
1 piece craft felt ........... 0.20
scrap booking flowers ..... 1.99
home dec fabric samples .. free

Total ................................. 9.06

Tomorrow I work on the piece itself. We'll see how creative I can get....

In Baltimore

In Baltimore for a bat mitzvah, and a day of work. The day of work has been stretched into two. This poses a problem for my weekly quilt project, as I thought I would be home on Sunday afternoon to have time to crank out the project. uhhh.... Now the work day is stretched to MONDAY??? OH noes!
I have a car, so I can get around on my own. Get me to a fabric store STAT!

Greater Chicago Quilt Exposition

Took the day off form work to go to the Greater Chicago Quilt Expo in Schaumburg IL. It was... small. I don't know if that is because Houston is only a couple of weeks ago or because the big show in April is keeping vendors away, but I was disappointed at the number of vendors there.
There were some beautiful quilts, and as always, quilts that make me say "I could have done that". I'm considering entering a number of shows next year, but I need some work to enter. I saw two quilts from a mailart aquaintance from Scotland, which was pretty exciting. I had a lot of money to spend, and didn't barely spend any. Not so many art quilt vendors there. So I am glad I didn't try to make 2 or more days out of the show! I would have really been bored. But I can always stop by Woodfield Mall, which is practically right next door...
Next stop, Baltimore for a day in the office and a bat mitzvah.

Cats and quilts

This is Bastet, the Duchess of Mean. I'm thinking of making a pictorial quilt of my 3 cats soon. How cute would this be, with her 'lil mean face?
My cats have been scrambling to get into my studio. When the door cracks open, one is ready to bolt inside. I had been very tidy with the threads on the floor, and one night Lillith, the littlest of them all, went in and ate the fray off of some organza and threw it up in a hairball later that day. That was when the door was shut and they haven't been allowed back in since. Now, with the colder weather, that room is freezing until the door has been open for a while. No work gets done while the door is open because it's spent chasing cats off of things, out of bins, and out the door.

Art calls and me

I have two art calls I am about to enter. One is Nov 15 postmark date, and I should have that one done shortly. The other isn't due until March 15th (ooo, the Ides of March). I have entered a few magazine contests before, but not anything like these. In both, my works are for sale. It's an unusual concept for me.
In addition, I am trying to get into another juried forum. I was rejected from the one because it was illustrated works only, and well, fiber isn't "illustration". (I beg to differ on this quilt, though) This one is full of people who have told me in the past that they liked my work, so now I guess we will see. They have a few things going on that I would like to participate in, so I'm hopeful, but still my pessimistic self.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November

I know of no reason that the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

Happy Guy Fawkes day. (and Steeler victory day!) I didn't realize my burning quilt from yesterday could be a bonfire quilt for Fawkes Day.

I'm trying my hand at NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month.

Flames...flames, on the side of my face...

A threat becomes reality. I said I would do a fire block this week earlier in the week, and I did. Though I confess this idea has been knocking around in my head since the summer. I watched Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol 1. The backstory of the Lucy Liu character O-ren Ishii and the Yakuza scene. On the walls are these very cool Japanese flame graphics. See here, I cut out the blood splatter.

Anyway, I took this idea moths ago and wanted to do something with it. Then I bought the neatest variagated thread from Signature that was the greatest shades of red, yellow, and orange. When I started the car flames, I didn't know how exactly they would turn out. I think they look pretty good.

Next weekend I am in Baltimore for a day at the office and a bat mitzvah. This will hopefully be my last trip of the year. This weekend was a lot of quilting events, first being a local Mancuso show, and then BHQG's West River Retreat... oh, I will miss those retreats very, very much.