Since I flew out to Utah on Valentine’s Day Tom decided to send me flowers after my arrival there. Here are my little granddaughters enjoying the flowers.
I had a great time with my Grandkids and kids. Family is GREAT!!!!!!
Grandma Fix
February 26th, 2010Change in Thinking
February 26th, 2010On Valentine’s Day I flew out to Utah to get my Grandma fix. Since Utah is a popular destination for easterners during Winter Break the flights were really expensive this year. I opted to take flights with layovers to reduce the ticket cost. On the way out I flew through Minnesota. My layover was over two hours long. Upon landing in Minnesota I had a very novel idea – if I walked to the other end of the airport and back I could spend the time getting some exercise instead of just sitting around.
On my travels through the airport I found this poster………….
There was also this map of the route for a 1.4 mile walk.
The only problem I had was that I didn’t have my sneakers on. When I fly I opt to wear slip on shoes making it easier at the security check points. Needless to say, after I had walked over 2 miles my feet were not happy (in fact, I had a few blisters).
On the way home my layover was at the Las Vegas airport. They were not as encouraging on the exercise front – the slot machines were the featured attraction.
I did have my sneakers – so my feet were much happier after this layover.
Snow Day
February 11th, 2010Yesterday was a Snow Day here in New York. Tom did have to go to work but the office closed at 2:00.
I really love having an excuse to stay in and just be at home. We decided to have a special dinner.
After dinner the party was over and there was work to be done!
The official measurement for the Ciccotelli’s home was 10″ of snow. Even though I didn’t get to the gym yesterday, I think I got a pretty good workout shoveling snow.
New Hexagon Project
February 10th, 2010At our last mini group meeting Susan Wolman taught us how to make Hexa-flexagons in paper.
Being the Hexamaniac that I am I decided that I wanted to make one from fabric.
This Hexa-flexagon along with many other hexagons items will be for up for auction either Feb. 16 or 23 at –
Submitted – but still more to do!
February 7th, 2010Back in 2004 when I started having the Annual “Sew” Show for my sewing students we had the first couple at the Pelham Art Center. It was a great locations, except we outgrew it. Since the Pelham Art Center is just a few blocks from my home, having taught a few classes there, and have the association of the “Sew” Show held there I really wanted to support them and submit a piece for this exhibit. (I am not sure how their jury feels about quilts as art – but I was hoping to find out.)
Everything ALWAYS takes LONGER than I think it will.
And the quilting was exception to this rule. But, I wanted to be true to this project and give it the quilting it deserved and not just some lines to get it done. Anyway, on Friday afternoon I could see that I was not going to get all the quilting comleted in time to get pictures taken and submitted by the Feb. 5 deadline and make it to volunteer at the Manhattan Temple that evening/night. I decided to call Lisa (the director) and see what she suggested. After talking with her she thought that I since I had the top completed I should just submit a picutre of it. She felt this should give the juriers a good idea of what the piece would look like.
Overall picture submitted.
Detail of one of the presents.
Detail of the quilting.
Stay tune for what I have planned for the edge of the quilt (that is if I can get it to look good).
I had better get quilting! (Life is rough – but somebody has to do it.)
The Clock is TICKING!!!!!!!
February 5th, 2010
I have about 14 more hours before the deadline. I am going to bed now for awhile. I am tempted to not go to the gym in the morning and if I have time tommorow afternoon before going to the temple I will go then.
Anyway – here is the project so far. I am trying to think of what I want to call it. Any suggestions.
Just a funny story. Early this week Emily show the pictures from this project to Autumn (her picture was the design inspiration. Autmn’s first comment was “Mine DOESN”T have a BLACK background.” You win some and you loose some.
Take care.
mac
Two of the Five
February 2nd, 2010Yesterday was a very busy day so I didn’t get to work very much on the Birthday Quilt. Time is a ticking – I think that I can spend most of today working on it.
I have a couple of the presents pieced together.
Off to make three more persents.
What’s on the Design Wall???
January 31st, 2010A while back I was on the Pelham Art Center’s website looking for information on how to submit a proposal for an exhibit for the mini group that I belong to. While there I found this blurb:
PELHAM ART CENTER presents a juried exhibition entitled, “Birthday!” In simultaneous celebration of the Art Center’s 25th anniversary at its present location on Fifth Avenue and the 40th anniversary of its first event as the Pelham Art Happening, artists are invited to submit artwork to be considered for exhibition in a group show on the theme of birthday. All media are eligible. Entry fee: $20.00. A $1,000 cash Juror’s Prize will be awarded. This exhibit and award are made possible with generous support from McClellan Sotheby’s International Realty of Pelham.
I immediately thought of the drawing my 6 year-old granddaughter had sent me for my birthday and wanted to use it as inspiration for a quilt for this exhibit.
My thinking was that I could use my 3-D fabric folding to make the bows on the presents.
I also want the presents to glisten. Therefore I selected satin for the boxes and an organza for the ribbon and bows.
Last Friday Queen of the Last Minute Projects decided it was time to get working on this project since the entries have to be submitted by Feb. 5.
I have decided that I wanted the boxes to look demensional. The 3-D fabric folded bow was not really working out very well on the box. So I decided to use fabric folding with out piecing in the background pieces. Same technique as my folded hexagons, but I started with a dodecagon (No I did not know this term, I had to goggle it) (12 sides) shape. I think it should look pretty cool.
I have this really neat sheer fluorescent colored ribbon…..
and I am thinking of doing some kind of fringe around the outside edge of the quilt with it. What do you think?
Autmn’s picture had little hearts on it and so my quilt must have little hearts also. I am thinking the sheer fabric will be just the right thing.
And of course it needs some fun lettering. Originally I was think that I would have to cut each of these letters out and zig-zag around them. But, now I am thinking of doing the letters on my embroidery machine. Here is the ROUGH mock-up of what the wall hanging will look like. All I can say is – I HAD BETTER WORK FAST!!!!!!! Should be a fun week.
Until next time!!!!
Mary Anne
Guest Blogger on Quilting Gallery
January 27th, 2010
Just wanted to let you know that I am the guest blogger on Quilting Gallery today. Pop over and read about my quilting legacy.
To add to the fun I am going to have a Give-a-way for one of my Hexapins. Leave a comment to be entered into the fun! The deadline to enter will be midnight on Feb. 3, 2010.
A sneak peek!
January 27th, 2010The 2010 Challenge quilts were due at the January Northern Star Quilters guild meeting. Of course since I am the Queen of the Last Minute Projects, I was finishing up this quilt after my children’s sewing classes the night of the guild meeting. I have really got to start getting things done earlier – it is getting hard on my nerves to cut things so close.
Below is a summary of the guidelines for NSQG 2010 Challenge:
The year 2009 was a hard year for many people around the world, but it was also a year of renewed hope. This challenge is an opportunity to create a quilted expression of what you hope the year 2010 will bring to you, your family, your country or your planet.
Rules:
Finished quilt is to measure 20 in. high by 10 in. wide. (Vertical orientation ONLY!)
The number 2010 must be incorporated in the quilt design.
Incorporate ONE or BOTH of the following words in the design of your quilt: “HOPE” “WISH”
Here is the sketch of my idea for the challenge. Of course I had to include some of my 3-D works, so flowers were just the thing.
Here are a few of the reject flowers:
I was going to do Sunflowers, but the first yellow one looked too much like the Sun, so I decided to do different colored flowers. I can’t remember why this cute little purple one was a reject – but it was.
This pretty hot pink flower measures just under 5″ across – kinda of big for a piece that is only going to be 10″ wide.
I really like this pink flower – but again I didn’t do it small enough. It was smaller, but not small enough. It measure 4 3/4″ from point to point across. It has 24 points, that is a lot of little pieces to sew together.
Now talk about crazy. This little flower was the correct size – but it was more 3-D than I wanted. I didn’t think this piece need a pink volcanco in it. Back to the sewing machine. I was getting pretty tired of ALL these problems!
View of the volcano from the side.
Finally – success with the flowers. I was getting tired of piecing flowers, so I opted to do a half flower for one of them. I like this shape of flower. I think I will have to incorporate it into a larger Sunflower piece that I am working on.
I am dedicating this small wallhanging to my daughter as she is dealing with a pending divorce.
The voting for this challenge is on February 16 March 16 (it was postponed because of a snow storm). I’ll post pictures of the front then.