Creative Juices Flow

Often, I go reluctantly to places I have committed to many months before...not sure what comes over me...could be the not wanting to leave what I am doing that moment or just thinking I need to be somewhere else...however, I'm so glad I decided to forgo those feeling this time and attend the International Quilt Festival in Houston Texas...all my classes were spectacular and I learned something new in each one!


Started off with Free Motion Graffiti under the tutelage of Alisa Burke who is an artist that likes to break the rules. She introduced us to stamping on fabric, painting on fabric and then cutting out the shapes to applique onto our fabric and using all sorts of found objects in our work.


I started out by stamping all over a piece of fabric and then adding a few splashes of color with more paint (just plain 'ol fifty cent acrylics you can buy at JoAnn's or Michaels) and then journaling a few thoughts with a Sharpie pen:

Later I added some graffiti free motion stitching to the piece:

But, being the good little "Quilter" that I am, instead of adding the letters I had painted during class I cut some fabric letters to applique to my piece:


Now I do believe I need to get out the paints again...what do you think?

"Patience is a Virtue"

Well, it has been more than a year that you have been waiting for the completion of this project. Hope you have been able to find the virtue in "Patience"...for me I have found a lot of guilt in the fact that it has taken so long for me to finish this piece...however, my friend Verda has truly appreciated the effort as evidenced by the fact she posted it on her Facebook page!

When I last left you, all I really had to do was add some of the little details that would tell more of the story of our times together. It took me awhile to find the right little poodle printed on fabric and in fact I had to color the one I eventually used as it was actually a white poodle on the printed fabric. But, she so fit for the image of Maggie dressed up in her little outfit that I knew it was perfect the minute I saw it in a San Diego Quilt Shop. The tiny little shell made a perfect nose and the feathered coral images created just the right sparkle in her eyes. Now, I want to assure I wasn't saying Verda has a whale of a big mouth but don't you think the curve of that piece is perfect for a person who always has a big smile and word of encouragement for her friends. I actually went "whale watching" while in San Diego last year and the joy I felt each time they surfaced was reminiscent of the joy that floods my soul every time I hear Verda's voice. Friends are a true gift from God and Verda is one of the best gifts I've ever received!