Steampunk CQ

I have finished my work on Cathy's Steampunk CQ block. She wanted a "travel" theme which at first made me feel too limited. I have had these typewriter alphabet beads for a while. I love them. I find it hard to part with them! I stitched the sheer, wire edged ribbon down first, then added PARIS. That's a destination...fits the theme!

My old style hot air balloon with wicker basket made from felted wool sweater, yarn and ribbon.

the gray/silver bugle beads was a bracelet I found at Sally Ann's for .69 cents! I added the key dangling from silk ribbon...the crystal was already there.

The rusty ring was added by my friend Colleen. The only part of this I did was adding the rhinestone button and the bronze pull chain beads around the edge.
I love this Steampunk genre. Earlier today, on one of those cake shows, they had a team of bakers that created this awesome Steampunk themed wedding cake. This is so cool!

I am watching Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events  It has a very steampunk vibe. Weird movie. 

Yesterday, Margaret Reek came to talk to us about a program in a small town in Kenya run by CTC International. She joined a  group sponsored by American Sewing Guild that travels there to teach women to sew and quilt. These women have found refuge in a small town after being shunned simply because they have a handicapped child. The aim is to teach them to sew and sell some things to be self sustaining. It was a  fascinating lecture. The pictures of how these women live and what this program does for them was inspiring and a reminder of how fortunate we need to remember we all are. Margaret will be heading back in July to work with the women again.

We also had Margaret give a Textured Landscape class after the meeting. This is her gorgeous landscape quilt. I wish I had gotten close-ups of the mountains and the trees near the bottom. The mountains are all dimensional. She uses hand dyed fabrics and spray starch, scrunches up the bit of fabric and lets it dry. When it is unfolded you have a wonderfully textured piece of fabric that can be stitched to background. The trees are made up of small organic shapes with little holes cut in them, scrunched with the spray starch and sewn to the tree base. Really cool techniques. It was a great day...just what I needed. A day of inspiration.

Progress has been made on Melissa and Cory's wedding quilt. I am officially done with the 50 blocks that make up most of the quilt, but now I need to figure out how to sew the 1/2 pinwheel blocks that go around the outside since this is set on point. I really like how strong those black and white nine patches look.

Dean, my greyhound........is eating and acting normal. Yes, that is a pillow he has his head on! He is a big baby. The cancerous lump is getting larger but his limp seems to be less pronounced. Be-good-to-Dean day every day now!

I have learned:

1. How to texture up fabrics with spray starch and an iron...oh what fun could be had with that!
2. The Head and the Heart......great listening.
3. Mumford and Sons....love these guys. Saw them perform live on the Grammys
4. CQMagOnline out.
5. I want to make this desk...I LOVE it. I need a couple old wooden saw horses and some salvaged wood. (scroll down a bit)
6. Why is there multiples of the pics I just posted?

Mosiac-ed Winged Heart Piece on Dumpr.net

Dumpr - Photo Fun

I was messing around in dumpr yesterday and mosaic-ed my winged heart piece. I love this! I want to be able to enlarge it and print it. Does anyone know how? 

Today I plan to sew the rest of the 9 patch blocks for Melissa's quilt and make a little hot air balloon motif for a Steampunk CQ block I am working on.

I also must figure out how to unlock my Blackberry. How did it get locked anyway?

I may even post again later today! We will see how it goes....

I have learned:

1. Episode 709 Quilting Arts TV season 7, this season, is the show my UFO is on. Judy Coates Perez is the advising artist. It's still a UFO! Martha mentioned a UFO swap so maybe someone else can give this overworked piece a new lease. (if you aren't a member of QA online, it is free. I think you have to be a member to view this!)
2. I am taking a landscape workshop next Saturday. Searching through all my pics and I realize I am not a landscape picture taker! I have plenty of windows and doors and cool silos but no landscapes to work from. SO I googled Ireland landscapes and found this one....love it.

Mosaic Art Quilt...Playing

I need to get my act together for my Mosaic Art Quilt class coming up at COF retreat in April. I created 2 more 9"x12" pieces from a different fabric, but the one above is one I made a while ago. I just wanted to show something that we could do with them after they are fused to background. I used black and blue to do some stitching.

This is one I made this morning. I left black "grout" for another option.

Same fabric, different layout.

And just for fun I fused some on the diagonal to a 4"x6" hard canvas. Obviously I can't stitch on this...but paint would work.

My little art quilt group is my work-the-kinks-out class on Tuesday night. I am hoping each of them does something interesting to their pieces so I can use them as examples in April.

Melissa and Cory's quilt is coming along! I have 17 of the 57 piece nine patch blocks done, 13 to go. All of the pinwheel blocks are done. I am anxious to see it layed out. Grabbing a few minutes at my machine before work has really been productive as well as a good way to begin the day! I need to get this top done to get it to a machine quilter in plenty of time for the August 14th shower deadline.

The year-of-the-wedding is in full swing! We met with the planner at Pearl Street Grill last weekend. It was good to revisit the venue and see what we need to get done in the way of decorating. While Melissa, Michael and I were there we decided to try the pot roast made with their own amber beer brew that will be one of the three options for the reception. It was yummy! So we have the dress, the reception/ceremony set, the photographer deposited, save the dates ready to mail, shower date and tuxes nailed down. Bridesmaid dress shopping in March....invitations are the biggest project we need to tackle now. Melissa did a great job on the save the dates, I know she will come up with something wonderful for invites.

Yesterday Pam cooked her own 50th birthday dinner for me and her hubby Jim...I bought the steaks, she got the crab legs and shrimp...so delicious! She is a great cook. An after dinner game of Scrabble, good conversation between old friends. My idea of a perfect evening!
I am next to turn 50. Jim is the "baby"...he flips over to the 5th decade in July!

I have learned:

1. My greyhound Dean has a cancerous tumor. He has been limping intermittently for months. The most recent bout started last weekend. Looking for things on his paws seemed logical...never found anything. Friday when I came home from work I could not believe the large lump that I saw at the top of his front leg, shoulder area if we think about how we are built. Called vet right away. They did 2 needle draws from the lump and an xray. Dr. called me yesterday to tell me he has cancer. Explained the heroic measures up to and including amputating his leg. We have decided that managing his pain is the only option. It is so hard to know what is coming. I love the big lug. 
2. Making airfare reservations when your exhausted is a huge mistake. I realized my error when Nicki sent an email regarding her arrival time to the retreat on April 28th?!?!?!?!?What? 28th? Really? I made my reservation for the 21st! Oh no. Easter weekend? Didn't know that. Ding dong.
3. Mumford and Sons. Good music.
4. The Town. Good movie.
5. I have 5 or Packers and 3 for Steelers in the shop pool for Superbowl tonight. Not good.