Thursday, October 30, 2008

Halloween Party at School

Yesterday was Natalie's Halloween party at school. She was of course a princess (like she would be anything else).
Once she caught sight of us, she wouldn't leave our side. She almost knocked Jason over. They were all very cute in their costumes.
Michele

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Gift Bag Challenge



Last night at the Lake Norman Quilters meeting, we unveiled our challege pieces. This is mine and it is of a wysteria vine. The rules were you picked a gift bag out of a trash bag and you had to use the colors in the bag but not necessarily the photo. We got the idea on a trip to the AQS show at Nashville last summer. It had to be no smaller then 8 1/2 x 11 and no larger then 36 x 36. We had roughly nine months to complete them.

This is my bag.

A close up of my piece. I used fusible applique and thread painting.

The photo of my own wysteria that I used to make the piece.


Michele

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Memories of Jane




I participated in the EPU II Cultures in Cloth Challenge on the Quilt Art list and this is my completed piece. I decided to focus on the culture of women in a family and dedicate it to my grandmother. Being a cultural "mutt" of sorts, my family did not cling strongly to one particularly aspect of our geneological background (German, French, and Irish are the ones I know of). But being from Berks County, PA, where there is a strong Pennsylvania Dutch (or German) Heritage, and very close to Amish country, some of our traditions, especially food, reflected both of those cultures. The distelfink birds represent this as they are symbols of luck and good fortune and often seen in Hex Signs on barns in the area. The wording in the middle says "There is a thread that connects us all. Mother to Daughter. Generation to Generation. Woman to Woman."





The Pagoda is a symbol in Reading, PA, my hometown.




The photos are each of four generations, one when my mother was a child and the other with my daughter as an infant.





The jewelry piece in the right hand corner is one of my grandmother Jane's earrings. When she passed away there was an extensive collection of jewelry and a lot of clip earrings. I thought this piece would add a personal touch to the piece.




The connection I have to my mother and grandmother is the strongest and I believe that the culture of the women in a family helps to shape each new generation and is the best vehicle for passing down tradition.


Michele

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Nunofelt Scarf

Yesterday, my friends Susan, DeLane and I headed to Winston to take a Nunofelt class with Vicki Clontz of Annie's Keepsakes. It was a labor intensive process but we had a great time. The first photo shows me applying Merino wool to my silk scarf.

Here is an in-process photo.
Here I am rolling my scarf. We did this probably 2200 times.
This is my finished scarf still wet.And a close-up of it drying in the driveway.

Vicki was to teach this class to the Lake Norman Quilters in August but it didn't happen. I was actually in the process of teaching myself this technique when Vicki made the offer and I'm very happy she did. We got to see what it should look like when it's finished and when it's not (very important). I will definitely be doing this again. Thanks Vicki for a great class!

Michele

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Yes, I'm Alive


I saw some girlfriends on Monday for a "grown up playdate" and I was immediately asked where I've been. Well, last week we traveled to PA for a visit with the family and a wedding. And the week before that I was sick. So my productive juices have been seriously curtailed. Throw in a busy week with the Charlotte Guild and an unfinished Fast Friday Fabric Challenge and that's where I've been.
Now for the splaining, the mosaic photo. I was visiting some of my favorite blogs and Stephanie on Novablossoms had a the mosaic and how she made hers. I had wanted to do this when I was working on the Studio Journals class and didn't so I thought today was as good a day as any.
And be sure to visit the Fast Friday Fabric blog. I joined this group (as did my friend, Judy Whitehead) and I'm really enjoying it. The rules are the fourth Friday of the month, a challenge is issued and we have a week to complete the piece. Due to my guild responsibilites and then leaving, I didn't finish mine yet but I did get the top done.
That's about it for now. Trying to get back in the mode. Traveling, especially by car, always wipes me out, plus her highness isn't sleeping well (shocker). No dancing pictures of Natalie because she doesn't cooperate. Imagine that! Hopefully, some wedding pictures soon. She didn't cooperate there either so I didn't get many of my own pictures. And a photo of what I made at my playdate.
Michele