2nd place at Houston International

Awards Ceremony was beautiful and wonderful and I was lucky to walk away with a nice check.
"In Quito's Market" faired well in Art-Painted Surface category. Ricky Tims handed me moolah as the sponsor of the category. Thanks Ricky!!!
"I've been there!" ( meaning to Quito, Ecuador's open market) Ricky whispered as he handed me the envelope of prize money. IQA further honored this piece with a full page photo in their annual Festival Magazine titled "QUILT SCENE" available at both festival and some shops/book stores, etc.

I'll likely have a couple more pics when I finally get to my computer to upload. Thank You to all my well wishers!

Heading To Houston

I'll be at Houston International Quilt Festival Awards Events the next couple days. Wish me luck! I'll be back home late Wednesday night. BREATH PATT!!!

Into a different 'litter' box

Okay, so this isn't my norm... but it's just fun. Shown here are the first 6 of 13 or 14 block kits I've purchased. The patterns are from storyquilts.com. They are part of a series called Garden Patch Cats by Helene Knott. I've never met Helene, but I know she has a great sense of humor by looking at her adorable patterns.
And... the pattern was kitted with laser cut, pre fuse-backed fabric. The kits of fabric and pattern came from Quilters Paradise in Escondido California. The block background fabric is mine. These are plain fun... and really fast.First up detail is Mush-Kit ..... a kitty shaped like a mushroom.Each pattern comes with a recipe using the ingredient in the kitty name.... obviously this one including mushrooms.
I particularly like the "Stalker" as in Celery. I know cats that fit this name, don't you?
How does "Eggplant Purrmesan" sound?
Ofcourse, there is also "Avocato"
I seem to recall this is "walla walla kitty".. named for the sweet onion.
Then there is Brocco-kitty. Yes.. he does look like broccoli!
I do need to add a highlight to these kitty eyes.... and have yet to blanket stitch around them. I best do that before I fuse any more blocks/kits.

Grandson is "3" next week

I just made it to the post office to get this shipped to arrive the day before my grandsons 3rd birthday. He 'loved' the Disney Cars movie.... so when I came across a panel about the film, it had to become the center piece for lil Max's big boy quilt.
It is seldom I start a quilt in one week and finish it the next ( in fact never in a pure art quilt) but this one was for our sweet boy Max and HAD to be finished. I backed this in red and black plaid flannel ... just right for cold nights in Colorado.Wish I could curl up by the fire under this quilt but it is in the mail and on it's way.

The crossover from Summer

LOOK at this rose! Is it not beautiful? It was dripping with light rain moisture as I took my weekend walk in the park. I'm sure it is the last great bloom of the season, so time to move toward fall.
I will be posting some less artsy but fun things across the next couple days from my just concluded weeklong personal retreat with friends in Lake Tahoe Ca. 38 women in a lodge on the South Shore! Not bad
The lodge comes with a quilt friendly cat named PINTO! Leave your quilt laid over a chair, and it is quickly adopted!

From Drink Container to Tool holder

I LOVE the creative thinking of quilters. One of the quilters on the Hawaii cruise has found a clever use of the Crystal Light container for dry mix packages

Remove the label and use the packets of mix allowing use of the plastic container for safely storing/transporting a variety of tools.

Glueing a small square of hard packing foam on the inside of the lid.. serves as a pin/needle holder. CLEVER PEOPLE!!!

Class Projects

Thought I'd show a couple other class projects... First up..talented Laura Peterson's fused Hibiscus from Melinda Bulas class. This was NOT a one day project.... A great deal of 'cabin and laundry room ironing time' were used to get this piece near finished. Beautiful.
And.. then there was "HANKY PANKY" with Cindy Brick. Great fun doing a cousin to crazy quilting using old hankies. Really fun and cute! Ernestine shows hers done with a big smile
Cindy Brick has a book out titled Hanky Panky ( don't you love the name?) It's easy and tons of fun.