Pockets for Melanie Testa!

"your story, lets tell it!" The first pocket for Melanie Testa's Flattie Awareness campaign. It kind of brings in to the picture that her husband is so supportive. Silk pocket and vintage lace.

Velvet pocket with thread sketched writing.

A cut from the UFO art quilt that made an appearance on Quilting Arts TV for some advice for finishing....I love it in pieces!

I needle felted a pretty rose chiffon scarf to felt and hand stitched this one. It's the one for my mom.

I will be mailing these tomorrow to help Melanie make her 1000 pocket goal. I loved making these pockets and the sentiment they convey.

My friend Tracy showed me how to do English paper pieced hexagons. I love these! They work up so fast...great TV watching project...easily transportable. I made 35 last night using the fabrics I hand dyed myself in our resent guild workshop. They are gorgeous.

Hexi's are everywhere right now...in many sizes from small to very large. I found this link to print your own in 2 sizes, free, from Texas Freckles. I used regular copy paper, works great. These are addictive!

I have heard from Michael enough to keep the dots of safety connected in Afghanistan. he has asked for Christmas twinkle lights and fake mustaches! Ok. He has his own shacky room now. I do miss him much.
Jenn, his wife was here last week. She kept me company for a few days. Home to Fort Campbell yesterday, to start her middle school art teacher job tomorrow.

Melissa and Dave moved to Buffalo over two months ago. They love it, despite waking up Thursday morning to her two driver side tires removed, wheels and all, from her Cobalt. They even left the jack. Could have been worse....all four. The police said happens all the time. Sucks.
On a good note, she loves her teaching job in Buffalo! I'm very proud of her.

MRI on the foot this past week. The lump is still there.

I have learned:

1. I have good, caring friends. My art quilt group, in adopting Michael while on deployment, filled an entire box with goodies this week at our meeting. I received the second block for the quilt that I will put together for him once he's home from Elaine. Martha made last month's block. It is a way for me to count the months as they each make a block a month. I truly appreciate them.
2. My sister has enlisted help in getting Michael what he needs over there as well. Truly appreciated!
3. How to play Canasta. I love it. I want to play right now!
4. Cancelled cable. Too much negative, moron television on. Not worth time or money. Do have Netflix.
5. Love Doc Martin, a British show. Disappointed when I finished all of them. New episodes coming soon. 

Melanie Testa's Flattie Awareness Pocket Project

Melanie Testa, a quilt artist, author, teacher and among other things, a Breast Cancer survivor, was challenged by a reporter to have 1000 pockets contributed and they would do a feature on her Flattie awareness. She chose not to have reconstructive surgery after her double mastectomy. I applaud that. I would do the same. My mother died 10 years ago at age 61 after a 6 year battle with BC. She had reconstruction. Maybe if she had not, the second round would not have been the path to the end. I happened to watch an episode of What Not to Wear this afternoon, and the young woman they were reworking had also opted for the same...officially a Flattie.  Many women could not even fathom such a decision I am sure. I think it is brave and sane.
So I am making one in memory of my mother, even though she wasn't a Flattie. I will make one in honor of my ex-husbands grandmother who was a uni-Flattie! I will make two for Melanie and her inspiring quest for all of us to consider this an option if we are ever diagnosed.
If you go to her blog, you can read the story. It explains the pocket idea so you understand the meaning of it. I urge any of my friends to make a pocket too! Please.

Digital Pics on Fabric

I played with this sweet picture of Jenn & Michael at the wedding in June, in Befunky.comhttp://www.befunky.com/. I can't remember what all I did to it, but the last thing I did was the cartoon feature. It turned it into this colorized, dotted image. I loved it. I had Julie Brandon, of Red-Dog Enterprises, print it onto silk organza. It is approximately 40" x 36". The first pic shows it still on the paper backing so you can really see the enlarged image. The second pic show the sheer fabric as I started to peel it from the paper. This will be finished as a wall hanging with some thread work for their place in Fort Campbell. I did order one for my own however. I want to be able to enter it in a show. I just love how it turned out. 

"Live Free". This piece was the result of a class Julie teaches. We spent wonderful, relaxing time making collages on playing cards. The small card lends itself to quick work of it. I love collage, so this part was as exciting as the printing part. (I have spent time at home making many more collages, that's how much I enjoyed it!) Julie then takes our collage and scans it into the computer, to be manipulated in Photoshop. After a short demo of the program, we were let lose on our creation. It was not an easy navigate in Photoshop. I found a few things to change up the little buddy and I was good to go. I really love how he turned out! Very graphic. I have a few idea's for him. He is also approximately 40" x 36". He was printed onto cotton sateen. If you go to Julie's website, Red-Dog Enterprises, you can see where to order your own prints. Highly recommend. There are many fabric finishes. I find Befunky.com, or any free online photo site has enough options for me. 

Today I spent a few hours at Diane's, learning how to make a silk screen using Mod Podge, an embroidery hoop and organza. 

It works! You can see the dried glue around the two feather images, courtesy of Design Matters TV. (I subscribe to this video/tutorial/informative site. Worth every penny. Love it)  I didn't buy the right organza I guess. It has a shimmer which must affect the traced line of the fine line Sharpie pen. My line bled, making seeing the image edges difficult. I will find the correct stuff to make more of these. The entire process is easy and enjoyable. Diane had even made a print from hers. It looked great. I will try to pull a print tomorrow. Thanks Diane.

Michael is in Bagrame, Afghanistan for a few days of training, then into the mouth of the beast as he said. The time difference is 8 1/2 hours ahead of us. He called late Friday night, and it was so good to hear his voice. I knew this was going to be an obviously emotionally difficult time . It is. I have a constant current of concern, like electricity, with surges of intense, overpowering, consuming worry. Have not come up with a good coping skill for this yet. 

Of course my imminent return to work feels, to me, like I will be entering a war zone, albeit, one with no tangible weapons. Unless we count my boss' files on employees as weapons of mass destruction. We have seen him destroy over the last few years. I am a target. I am not a young man. That may be my demerit. 

Melissa is officially a Buffalo Public School teacher. She started in her 1st grade class this week. Loves it. I know she has great things to do with these kids. Her and Dave are settling in to their relationship and their new place in Buffalo. My urban daughter is home. 

So I continue with PT. The foot is not 100%. The swelling in the arch is still pronounced. I see my Dr. Thursday. 

Blue Star Service Flag

I ordered a Blue Star Service Flag today from the American Legion. I will be hanging it in my front window soon. Michael is set to deploy to Afghanistan next week. This is much sooner than I had anticipated when he left for boot camp on February 7th. His bags are packed. Not sure if it will be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. It is naturally, causing me much turmoil. He will be there for 9 months.
This emotional drain, coupled with my impending return to work in a few weeks, is taking a toll on my usually good coping skills. I have realized just how difficult it has been to deal with a vengeful manager for the last few years, that now has put me in his cross hairs. I am anxious about what will happen next.
With all this on my mind, the five weeks since my last post have slipped by.

Brown bag Challenge

My guilds 2nd Brown Bag Challenge. I had to use a natural colored coffee filter...traced the birdcage on it and stitched using as pattern, left inside cage. An unusual fabric was the second prompt we included...the gauze under the bird. I used green floss to cover the washers that were also in bag. I used the wine cork (in bag) to stamp the black circles.

A tassel, the cat fabric, the dryer sheet (I dyed with DynaFlow dye), were in the bag. This is also where I worked in the 1st prompt...Add a straight line. Oh, and the whiskers are from a gold cord in the bag.
I was one of the people responsible for gathering all the unusual bits for the challenge. Elaine and I admittedly made it quite a challenge. We had over half of the participants finish and what an creative bunch of projects! Seeing what others do, especially the ones I know that have a hard time going outside the box, is just thrilling for me! I give kudos to every brave woman!

I did hand quilt it..you can see a little of it in the sun streak. My sister likened it to Sylvester and Tweety. I don't like cartoons, so it will just be called "Harmony".

With the quilt show coming up in October, I think we will wait for the new year to run another challenge. We all have much finishing to do!

I have made much progress in the Leaning House challenge Thearica is hosting on HGTV message board. Loving it! I have quite a bit of work to do yet, but this could be a favorite for me. I have til August 15.

What a beautiful summer we are having. My little deck has been my living room every day, sitting out there reading. The bee's and hummingbirds are frequent visitors, checking out the trumpet vine blooms. 

Waking early and stressing about going back to work is already plaguing me. Being away from the unfortunate management treatment of employee's has made me realize how hard it has become to deal with the daily grind. Literal grind. Like a mortar and pestle. 3 years, 8 months and 1 week, minus vacation and holidays...til I am retired. In my 33 years I have never known the company to harbor and encourage anyone like this guy. I do however, remain hopeful he will get what comes around. 

I have learned:

1. Michael will be deploying to Afghanistan on September 3rd or 5th. He is glad to do his job. I am thinking like the mother of the boy that I comforted years ago.
2. Melissa had an interview in Buffalo for Special Ed in elementary grade level. Hopeful one of the many schools in the city call her.
3. Good Friday evening really talking with Sandy. She continues to feel well. 
4. The Glass Castle. Good read. 

creating my own free-form quilt

I have been looking at this book, create your own free-form quilts,  by Rayna Gillman for a little while now. Well, I bought it and read it from front to back. I already work the way she encourages us to...intuitively....improvisationally...with no plan when you begin. I was first exposed to a similar process in Nancy Crow's class 2 years ago, the making of "fabric" from other fabrics. Nancy Crow actually had formula's and we were more precise, using width of strips measurements. Rayna Gillman is more carefree. I love carefree! I love that she asks you to combine commercial fabrics, hand dyed and your own painted, altered fabrics. I grabbed all of them and sewed a dozen segments up in no time. If you look closely, I have used my own hand dyed fabrics, discharged fabric, painted and stamped fabric from a workshop, Nancy Derse fabrics and hand dyed fabrics I bought. Don't know what I will do with them. Rayna calls sewing these segments, therapy. Stitch some up and save them for just the right project.

Thearica challenged us on the HGTV message board, to do something with this picture...

Hmmmm. I signed on many months ago. Then I UNsigned up two months ago. Well, my name was still on the list, so I thought about it. I did have an idea. Will it work? I'll try. Trace, enlarge....and.....I can't say what I did next! I can say I like what I have done so far. The stickler here was that it had to be 36" x 36" minimum. For me, that is large. I do have the top done. I rather like it!

So You Think You Can Dance has stared another season. I love this show. Every show has at least one memorable routine. Shazam, the free iPhone app, is called in to duty at least 3 times per show. Good music. I love Amelia for the female winner. Will is adorable and I am hopeful he improves each week to be the male winner.

My foot is healing nicely after my heal release surgery to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis a month ago. I have a shoe on at all times now, no more big, luggy boot. I am still using crutches, but can put 80% of my weight on it. When I don't put my shoe on for my nighttime bathroom run, the incision pulls and I walk on the outside of the foot. The heal is still very sore and tender. I am attributing that to the trauma of slicing a bit of the muscle out.

Michael and Jenn are getting in to a routine as newlyweds at Fort Campbell. Michael has been informed he will be deploying in 2-3 months, to Afghanistan. This is his job.

Melissa has an interview next Tuesday with Buffalo public schools for a Special Ed position. We went shopping to get an interview outfit today. In my heart I know she belongs in an urban setting. She would be an asset to their program.

I have learned:

1. Project Runway starts another season tomorrow night! Yay.
2. How to use itunes and download a CD to itunes to put on my iphone. 

Vintage Quilt & More...

This is just a portion of a vintage quilt I have hanging on my clothesline, airing out in the yard. It is truly beautiful. I ended up taking it home after our guild meeting in May. Someone had left it on our "Free" table. No one took it. I did. I left it in that bag for weeks, til one day I thought of it and pulled it out. It does have an unpleasant odor. I need to check out ways to clean it and purge that odor. If you know of a way, let me know. This quilt may be the inspiration for my next quilt using....these hand dyed fabrics!

Yesterday my guild held a dying workshop with Val Schultz. It was awesome! I have not dyed fabrics using Procion dyes before. I have used Rit Dyes and Koolaid! Each piece is approximately 1/2 yard, so I have many yards of very usable fabrics. I can understand how people get hooked into the dying thing. Some people used Mason jars and were able to get two colors in a piece of fabric. Mary Lu made a most wondrous piece that had a mustardy yellow and aqua. I covet it! Val left the remaining mixed dyes with us so we all are going to gather again soon to make more delicious fabrics. Thanks to Tracy and Lori, our workshops chairs, for scheduling this inspiring class.

I have been off work for a couple weeks. I had Heal Release foot surgery to hopefully eliminate the painful affects of Plantas Fascitiis. I am lugging around a glamorous black cast with crutches. My bathing routine is interesting, as I have had to keep the foot out of water. But, I can drive! It is not my right foot, thankfully. Using crutches is a tiring endeavor. I have weeks of recovery left. Yay! 

Jenn's 24th birthday was this past Friday. Her and Michael celebrated in nearby Nashville. After buying her a pair of  cowboy boots, they spent the night visiting the honkytonk's, including Coyote Ugly where Jenn danced on the bar and somewhere else that drew Michael to the stage 4 times to sing country karaoke! Jenn sent a video....it was the best thing I have ever seen! 

I finally made Jenn the bag she has been asking for using the fabrics I bought in February. They were Old World. I made the Charlotte (called this because she's the one that has shown all of us how to make the bag at guild)! bag. Not a good picture since I had to use my phone. Apparently I left my camera in Pam & Jim's car last weekend. 

I especially love the surprise of the lining fabric. These bags are relatively easy to make, but look complicated. Very useful. Jenn loved it.

I am taking advantage of my time by finishing my many UNfinished quilt projects for the fall quilt show. One quilt bound and sleeved....check. A couple more sleeves to tackle, a little more binding on my jacket and a few quilts that need more attention. I also have at least two items to complete for out silent auction. Tracy and I are in charge of that. The proceeds from it go to the VA in Batavia. We accept any handmade items. 

Mary Lee showed us her latest picture quilt a bit ago. It is her and her sister when they were young. It is incredible. She is a master at this technique. I love this. Notice the dimension on the dresses. 

There are pics of Noni & I floating around that look just like this!

Check the shoe detail.

Mary taught us the process earlier this year in a guild workshop. I need to revisit my piece.

I have learned:

1. Phoebe in Wonderland a charming movie.
2. Kill the Irishman, an excellent movie based on a true story in the mid 70's Cleveland. Mob wars.I love Mob stories.
3. Machine Gun Preacher, another story based on true life. Gerard Butler was the catalyst for picking that one, but a very interesting movie.
4. I need a couch. I have had a loveseat only, for over a year. Found one on Macy's on sale. I am a little hesitant however since Fiona tends to scratch. Thinking....
5. Finally closing on my refinancing tomorrow. I began the application in March. Going from 6.25% to 4.1%. Happy in the end. 
6. Your reminded you live in the country when awakened by a fox/coyote catching/killing a rabbit outside your bedroom window. Disturbing.
7. "Somebody That I Used to Know" Love this song...more for the playful sound than for the lyrics, but the lyrics are universal...we have all been there.