I can't believe it's been this long since I've posted!  Well, had to get a new desktop...the laptop just wasn't cutting it for all the video editing and rendering for my classes.  Got a new state of the art quad core with 8 gb of memory, 750 gb HD  and vista 64 bit.  Dedicated video memory too..This should cut my rendering time by 2/3's.  

So now I'm transferring everything and all my programs to the new machine...a time consuming process, but so worth it.   There are, however some programs that are not equipted to work with 64 bit vista....but all in all...a good change. Since I haven't posted any quilts lately, here is one I recently finished for a client...she does impeccable applique...  I really wanted to keep this...such gorgeous applique work.   But, I gave it back.....  I did nothing but background fill, she didn't want quilting in the applique,  I did quilt inside the compass.    

I'll be back on schedule here soon.  Have a great night!  And enjoy the last night of March.

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More wool cut

Today I finished up the die cuts to send to Mother.  Isn't this a cute birdie!And I love these whimsical leaves

These flower shapes are great alone or nested...can even be used fun suns!


This flower is a pretty shape too
And last some circles!

It's all packed up now with the ones I cut yesterday and will be shipped off tomorrow.  That should keep her busy for a while, don't you think?

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Mail!

The mailman brought me two new postcards today....this one from Mother.  Look at all those beads!And this one from Mary,  this one sure speaks to me!

Thank you both, I love them!

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die cut wool appliques

I was talking to Mother last night and she had been reading my blog.  She was very interested in the die cutter.  So I promised her I'd do some cutting and send her some.  So this morning I pulled out some wool and started cutting some leaves....a birdie, butterfly and dragonfly....


some hearts....
a few stars....

and some daisies.

I'll work on a few more shapes tomorrow and get them in the mail on Wednesday.  Do you think that will keep you busy for a while, Mother?  And if there is more than you need, I'm sure Ann would be happy to take some off your hands!

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Discovery

One of the most incredible things about living in South Florida are the shuttle launches.  From our house, we can see the shuttle in the Northeast sky 1 minute and 10 secs after launch from the Kennedy Space center.

The coolest launches are the night launches...the sky just erupts like fire!

Tonight, just a few minutes ago Discovery was launched...1 min and 10secs later, it lit up our sky.  It was just after sunset, so not as spectacular as a night launch, but still enough to watch the fireball and see that huge contrail from the earth to the edge of space. 

I never tire of sights such as this.

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March postcards

Here are my postcards for March.  The flowers and leaves are wool....the shapes cut with my new die cutter.  Boy is it fun!Now I'm off to finish the edges so they can go in the mail tomorrow!

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The die cutter saga

I had all but entered my credit card  in the ordering process for the accu cut studio.  My friend came in just at that time and said Wait!  She asked what I was going to use it for...selling fabric shapes?  I said no...just for me.  So she took me over to her house.  She said she had a better idea.  So I listened and watched and was convinced.  Now I'm ordering the accu cut Go cutter, but  I also bought this.  The Sizzix Big Kick.  And a bunch of dies.  The dies have thick steel blades designed to cut thick things, like fabric, foam, craft metal, chipboard, etc.  It has a 3 year warranty and is on sale right now at JoAnn fabrics for $49.99. It was $59.99 last week when I ordered mine) The dies are also on sale. It is 12" wide(including the roller handle) and 15" long.  The rollers are also steel.  It comes with a set of cutting pads, and I bought an extra set (for $5)I bought a total of 15 dies. (For cutting fabric, wool, foam,etc) you need the "original" or "Bigz" dies.  There are hundreds of them.

And then I started cutting.  I fused wonder under to the back of fabrics and left the paper on (though you don't need too) and cut 3 layers of fabric backed with the fusible and paper at a time.  Perfect clean cuts every time.  Then i took the paper off and cut 5 layers of fabric.  Just look at all my pretty shapes! 











And then there are the cut outs.  how great will these be for postcards!



Next I cut wool felt....no problem with 2 layers at a time.  Notice Harry checking the cuts..lol!

Here is a die after cutting a bunch of wool....kind of fuzzy.

One swipe of the lint roller and voila!  Clean again.

I'm gonna love this! I spent a total of $249 for the cutter, 15 dies, the extra cutting pads and shipping!  Now to order the "GO" for cutting blocks.

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Another great postcard!

A beauty from Mother!  Just like looking out the window on a spring day.  Thank you Mother, I love it!

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Gayle shared this on her blog.  I tried it...you can too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Your rainbow is intensely shaded green, violet, and indigo.

What is says about you: You are an intelligent person. You appreciate cities, technology, and other great things people have created. Friends count on you for being honest and insightful. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

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Cleaning up my computer

Today I loaded a beautiful quilt with impeccable hand appliqued roses and a gorgeous mariners compass in the center.  It'll be a joy to work on this.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The other thing I did today, was clean my computer and transfer a lot of files to my stand alone hard drive so I'd have room to put all the video files for my upcoming class.  In the process, I came across this photo.   Care to guess what it is and who it belongs to??  And as to the class... I am starting a new class on custom quilting at MQR. It starts March 16th and runs for 4 weeks. This one is sold out, but if you think it might be something you'd be interested in, I'm doing it again starting April 13th and there a a few spots left in that one.  And MQR premier members get a discount.  

Have a great night!

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And a couple more received

Today's brought 2 more postcards...yeah!  This one from my sister Ann.  I love the window/fractal effect.   Thanks Ann!And this from our MQR Aesop's fables swap from Rachel.  She depicted the crow and the pitcher; moral...Necessity is the mother of invention.  Very neat Rachel, thank you!
I thoroughly enjoy these postcard swaps...great fun and all these little works of art from friends and family all over the world!

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Postcards finally done!

I got way behind with everything  due to the show and getting quilts finished, etc.  But now I'm all caught up up my postcards.  I finally sent Mary hers for the January family exchange.  I forgot to take a finished photo before I mailed it off but you can see it in progress here.                                                                                                                                                                                               Then, also for the family exchange, this one is for my Aunt Nancy for February.  I used a piec of my hand dyed dupioni silk for the background; free hand cut a heart from pink craft foam with a decorative rotary blade and secured it with a brad.  I also put crystal at the intesections of the diamonds, but forgot to take a photo after that....

Then, there is the MQR swap. The theme was Aesops Fables. You could choose any fable.

I chose "The silkworm and the Spider"

One day,as a silkworm slowly spun it's delicate threads in the noon-tide sun, a spider cried from it's darksome nook; "Look at my web, sweet sister. look!  I began at dawn, 'tis hardly noon, and yet my task will be ended soon;  for while thou spinnest thy life away, I weave a web in a single day.  Examine it well, each airy line is as fine and fair as the best of thine."  

"True", said the silkworm with a smile, "But will they endure for half the while?"

Moral:  True art is thoughtful, delights and endures.

I used black silk shaunting for the background, and I stitched the spiders web with pearlescent metallic thread.

I used a silk dupioni square (except the yellow, it's silk jacquard), a piece of a silk carrier rod,

and some silk throwsters waste to depict the  silkworms  work. There are 8 of them.  I didn't take but one photo of each colorway.

I just love working with silk.  It takes the dyes so beautifully; has such gorgeous sheen, and

nothing feels better to the skin.

This photo doesn't really show the richness of the fabrics, but I'm sure you've seen silks before.

I even got my March family postcard almost done!  So I'm feeling back in control.

Have a great night, and don't forget to set your clocks forward! Daylight Savings time starts at midnight.

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Birds of a feather...

Today, Don and I got the quilts hung in their new spots.   The Flamingos look very happy here, don't you think?And on my antique treadle machine below the quilt, I put Mother's little wool flamingo postcard that she sent me for my birthday last year;  in the frame she gave me for Christmas.   Perfect sitting under the quilt, don't you think?

Have a great night!

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