Stitching....primitive but charming!

Remember the random rectangle free form piecing with the romantic florals?

Well, it has grown only a wee bit and is now ready for big stitch quilting! I am using a chenille needle and size 5 perle cotton in a deep rose color!

Helpful information from Carolyn Forster's book on this type of quilting!

I'm only just starting on the hand stitching. It will go with me as I go visit a friend at another of my favorite places... St. Scholastica's Monastery in Fort Smith, AR. Spending a day and a night with Benedictine sisters!

For dirty laundry, which collects when living out of a suitcase, I am stitching some laundry bags....while drinking tea!

Hmmm....I wonder that I'm not painting this week?....

 

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Home and busy...fun!

While at my art retreat, I found a little table in a thrift store, bought it, brought it home and yesterday used the chalk paint which I had mixed and not used on the armoire....just about 1 cup of paint...it goes really far...did two nice coats...( I think my gallon of paint will last for many projects! Yikes!)

BTW, I had some accidental "over painting" smears on the sides of the drawer. this mrning, drubbing alcohol and a soft cloth took them right off!

Next step will be to rub it down with 2 coats of clear finishing wax from Minwax..

This little table will be perfect to keep some of my hand sewing supplies out of sight but easy to find!

While the table was drying, used my sewing machine and some Kaffe Fassett striped cotton to sew this dress for my adult daughter...She loves it, hope it fits! In the mail soon!

Still inspired, this morning, I pulled out the little package which had come ( in the Royal Mail!) while I was gone last week.

Small scraps of Cath Kidson, Laura Ashley and other sweet English fabrics! Purchased on Ebay from Great Britain. I added just a bit from my stash and now have a little lap or crib quilt top. Just need to quilt it!

Sometimes I make myself soft fabric souvenirs of places I haven't been recently....Japanese fabric works that way for me too!!!

 

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Last day of art retreat!

Has been wonderful!

Here are my paintings.....some finished some not.

 

 

 

My favorite , below,,the unmade bed portrait! LOL!

Some of these are family and not for sale, but I plan to paint more and open my ETSY store again....

Now to get a painting,studio organized!

 

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A week of art!

Painting classes from 9:00-4:00 for 5 days!

5 of us and a wonderful teacher/artist, Annie Tagg!

I have several paintings well under way!

Some are mixed media, using collage papers! And quotes!

Others are based on photographs.....and still not just a literal copy. We are supposed to be painting loosely....with big brushes. Playing, not over-thinking.....fun! My little brushes are at home......so....

 

 

 

Still in progress and learning to stay loose with big brushes!

Two more days to paint.....and enjoy this pretty Ozark town!

 

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Finishing and donating

the living room being taken apart for cleaning after donating the old sofa. New ones arrive in a day or so...so the carpet can be rotated and general rearranging can now occur!

But, I have other "irons in the the fire"! Making brandied cherries...I pitted the cherries a day ago then had to wait until I could get the canning done ( today!).

One last photo of my sunshine quilt before sending it off to it's new home....draped over our mailbox in the morning sunshine!

I've finished cutting out the pieces and will now stitch up the " ART STUDENT TOTE" from Anna Maria Horner's pattern. It will be very roomy....maybe even large enough to carry some small canvases! Here are my fabrics.....back later with the bag!

Meanwhile here is a shot of my sewing space.....lots going on!

The art student tote is ready for lining, with more pockets! But I am ready for bed now so tomorrow it will get its crazy, "almost leapord print" lining!

Kk

************Mid morning on Friday.....here (below) is the crazy lining! Finished at last!************

Yes, yes, I will enjoy using this!

Thanks, Anna Maria Horner!

 

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Loudest shoes in the universe!

Remember the "Sunday Morning" quilt? A couple of posts back?

It is a low volume, soft, quiet quilt. Just about one of my favorite, definitely "me!"

So yesterday I went to Fleet Feet, where they help you find the best, most comfortable shoe for your foot and the way you walk. [I need these for work (on my feet all the time there, which is good, I like to keep moving!) and for shopping in large stores, walking around the farmer's market etc.]

Ta-da! this is the shoe which feels like a soft glove on my foot and cushions every step, it only comes in BRIGHT pink.....much brighter than this photo! My feet are SOOOO comfortable!

Now the question is, can an introvert enjoy wearing such shoes?!? It's OK as long as I don't look down!

 

Maybe they will make me more balanced in that way too, as I learn to tolerate enjoy the casual banter they will bring on! After all bright quilts can be wonderful too!

 

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The finished quilt and more!

Here is the Sunshine quilt...because it is so cheerful and sunny....just out of the dryer.

I love how it is puckered and soft now! It will be mailed off tomorrow to a cousin in Oklahoma!

Love to cook peach cobblers now ...gluten free of course! I always add butter and cinnamon and not too much sugar!

 

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I am SERIOUSLY trying to get an organized studio for sewing and artwork. Today I picked up this piece from Target. It is meant for a kitchen, but will be perfect to use for cutting and doing art work downstairs....it even has storage for rotary cutters, rulers and art supplies! [this work station is still in the box, needing a couple hours to assemble....soon!]

It is the right height for standing and working, or grabbing this new stool, for the perfect seating! ( also from Target! )

Sunny yellow like the "Sunshine" quilt!

 

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Have been quilting..that is making tops!

Several are from a book called Sunday Morning Quilts. They use strips or scraps of my fabric stash....I love quilts with lots of fabrics more than ones where the same fabrics are repeated block by block, 30 times!

 

This soft quilt is called "Sunday Morning", it is a "low volume" quilt.....quiet, shhhhh, it is Sunday morning.

 

Now, ready to machine quilt is this one with bright cheddar yellow, aqua and lime. Love how scrappy it is too!

This may be the next quilt top I do.....easy but interesting!

 

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I am so excited because I am going to an art workshop! Acrylic painting with Annie Tagg!

Here is a wonderful painting which Annie did called " Wanderlust", didn't she just capture the feeling?

It reminds me of my daughter, Laura, who is a travel agent. However, Laura could only have a quiet moment like this in a far away hotel room....at home, when she pauses for a moment on her bed, four children soon find her and are climbing up to join her! So many blessings, but it does cause those wanderlust moments to be real....we used to say, "Calgon, take me away!", from the TV commercial!

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The project of the day.......

 

To carry some of my art supplies to the workshop, I am up cycling a old picnic basket from the flea market.

I just painted the lid black ( not for a chalkboard though I thought about it ...) and have a remnant of decorator burlap with a French theme to use on the sides......good- bye retro basket!

Now to see how those paints, brushes etc. can fit! I do have a supply list to help me know what to bring to the workshop!

 

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