Geocaching Days

I had last Thursday and Friday off work and managed to do a little geocaching. Both days were really nice. The trees are starting to turn color. My pictures are a little out of order. These first 3 were taken in Hebron, NH on Friday. There is a marsh here with a couple walking trails. I took Ginger with me.

.


There was an old apple tree. I tried to get some nice pictures of the apples but between the wind and Ginger pulling on the leash, this was the only one that wasn't blurry.


On Thursday, Gary, Ginger and I went geocaching and ran into this little guy. I don't like snakes but think their patterning is neat. Ginger kept trying to sniff it. I was waiting for her to get bitten on the nose!

Play Day with the Fiber Divas

I meant to post these pictures a while ago. The Fiber Divas had a play day and tried gelatin monoprinting. We took the idea from the August/September 2009 Quilting Arts. Frances Holliday Alford, had an article about monoprinting.

To make the smaller monoprints, above, I cut the gel with a biscuit cutter.



We found that the monoprints came out really cool on black fabric.



This was a really fun project and could get really addicting!!! Before I knew it, I had a good size pile of monoprints. It was interesting to see how different each divas monoprints came out. Now, I just need to find some time to embellish these and decide what I am going to do with them.

To make these bigger round monoprints, I set up the gelatin in a 9" cake pan.

Carmen's Challenge Quilt

I finally finished Carmen's quilt for this years challenge. Her theme was Ecclesiastes 3:1, " There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven." The name of my quilt is "Letting Go" I thought it was appropriate with Kara going off to college.
Here's a closeup of the piece.

Ok, Can anyone tell me why I keep getting parts of my text that is underlined. I don't know how to get rid of the underlining and as I typed, it just stopped. I don't know what I did but it started back up under the second picture and stopped again. Again I don't know what made it stop.

Kara is now at Houghton College. She and I had a good 10 hour drive out there. I took 2 days driving home and had a sort of vacation for myself. Although it does seem strange without her here at home, I think we are adjusting. We bought a webcam so we can talk to her on the computer. Alex started his freshman year in high school and is really surprising us so far. He seems to be taking on more responsibility for himself this year. We'll see how it keeps going.

We are moving Kara's stuff out of her room and moving Alex into it. It's time Alex has a real room to himself and not just the loft. We are planning on painting the loft once it gets all cleaned out and putting new flooring in it. I'm thinking of a nice green color. It has to be a color that both Kara and I like since the loft will be my workroom and Kara's room when she is home. It will be nice to get all my stuff out of the livingroom.

Anita's Quilt

I finally finished Anita's quilt for the Fiber Divas challenge. I can't believe how long it took me. I thought Anita and Carmen's theme would be easy for me. Was I wrong!! Both of them picked the same theme, Ecclesiastes 3:1. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." This was my third attempt at Anita's. I do have an idea for Carmen's. Just need to get moving on it! We were supposed to have these done back in June. At least I'm not the only one still working. Once I finish Carmen's I can start working on mine and putting all the pieces I've received together.


Here's a closeup of a couple of the trees. I used two pieces of Elin Nobles fabric for the background. The blue one, Anita supplied. The gold bottom piece was some that I had. I put a piece of painted cheesecloth over the top to help blend the two pieces together. It gives it a sort of painted look.

We haven't had much of a summer here. Just a lot of rain. My garden is water logged and starting to rot. I'm finally starting to get some cherry tomatoes but I don't know if my big tomatoes will ever ripen. They are rotting before they get ripe. We have a lot of flowers we started but we never got the chance to plant them!

I'm getting ready to take a class at the World Quilt and Textile Show in Manchester. I'm taking "Up Close and Personal" with Rosalie Dace. I'm really looking forward to it. Just wish I could go down the day before and stay over night like I usually do. But it just isn't in the budget this year. So I will get up at 0'dark thirty (5:30am) so I can be down to Manchester and all set up by 9am. At least I'm used to getting up early but it will be a really long ride home that evening and I won't be able to take my time looking around the show. Might not get to see everything. Might be a good thing, I won't be tempted to spend money at the vendors booth, if I don't have the time to look.

More from Jane LaFazio's Class

Here's another piece from Jane LaFazio's class, Mixed Media with Paper & Cloth, at Joggles I still need to find something to put in the center where the 4 squares meet. I also need to decide if I want to frame it or figure out some other way to display it. Jane had a piece like this in
Cloth Paper Scissors. I forget which issue.

Some New Pieces for the Fiber Divas Challenge

I'm behind getting work done for the Fiber Divas Challenge this year. I finished up Lynn's a while ago but just hadn't got around to posting it. I finished up Susan's piece last week for the meeting on Friday and I wasn't able to make it. Susan's theme was the Moon. I decided to make mine "Howling at the Moon" All her pieces were pie shaped.

This is Lynn's piece. Her theme was based on a song. I can't remember what the name was but it had to do with going down the river. We each had a piece of blue fabric that Lynn gave us to use. We all agree that it is the hardest piece of fabric to match. I finally strip pieced the background and then covered it with painted cheesecloth to blend all the blues together. I then couched and needle felted yarns and fibers to the top. The leaf, I cut out of painted Lutrador.

One Small Piece and Graduation

Here's a piece I'm working on in Jane LaFazio's class. I have another one that I'm working on but don't have a picture yet.

I kept forgetting to post this. This was Kara's graduation. She was the valadictorian and did a great speech. She was very nervous but you would never have known it, she came across as very confidant. She worked very hard to be valadictorian!! That will be the last time we see her in a dress for a long time!! Alex is standing with her. He's off on his 8th grade class trip to Montreal tomorrow and he has 8th grade graduation on Friday.

Jane Lafazio's Class

I'm taking Jane Lafazio's class "Mixed Media with Paper & Cloth" from Joggles. I saw her episode on Quilting Arts TV 300 and loved her mixed media work. When I found out she was teaching this class at Joggles, I just had to take it. One splurge this year since I am cutting back on what I spend and trying to use what I have on hand.

This week we started making the backgrounds for our pieces. I was good and used what I had on hand. I used white on white fabric instead of artist canvas. I also used my fabric paints instead of acrylics. I did use gesso (had that on hand too).

I stenciled, stamped, sponged, used found object what ever I could think of to try. I love the look of the torn pieces that have been sewn back to gether on Janes work, so I tore my fabric up and sewed it back together. Made some irregular pieces.

This piece with the leaves, I experimented with freezer paper stencils. It worked out good. I think I will make this design into a stamp so I don't have to keep remaking in out of freezer paper when I want to use it.

This piece I'm not so thrilled with, I'll have to see what I can do to it. Or maybe it won't matter so much as we start the next steps.
I have trouble making packground pieces. They always seem to end up brighter than i intend. I'd love to make some more backgrounds but my in-laws are here for Kara's graduation so I have a lot to do and had to clean up my work area.

Kara is all finished with school. She has high enough grades that she doesn't have to take any finals and she is valedictorian!!! She has worked hard for this!!! Alex is a little jealous since the focus is more on her right now even though his birthday is on Sunday. We will have a nice birthday dinner on Friday night while Gary's parents are still here. Alex graduates 8th grade on the 19th. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!!!

Fiber Divas Challenge

Meant to post these a long time ago. These are the quilts that I've received from the Fiber Divas for our yearly challenge. My theme is "Going in Circles" This first one was made by Susan.

This was made by Lynn.

Marilyn made this one.

And finally, Anita made this one.

Now to start figuring out how to put these together. I had an idea when I first started, now I just nee to figure out how to get all the colors to work together. I still need to make mine, which I was waiting to do when I got all mine back.

I'm still working on the pieces for everyone else. I finished Marilyn's a while ago and have been working on Lyn's for a while. Hers should be finished for the next meeting. I'm finding it harder to get things done now that I'm back to my normal work schedule. I have alot more energy than I used to but I still get tired out.

The Prom

I can't believe my baby girl is 18 and graduating high school this year!! Where has the time gone?? Kara's friend, Sarah, actually talked her into going to the prom. I think this is the first dance that Kara has gone to since jr. high. Sarah also arranged for Kara to go to the local beauty school with her and have her hair, nails and makeup done.

The next picture was taken after she got back home so her hair is falling down but it shows the shawl that she and I painted the night before. (See this post does have something fiber related in it!) Thursday night when I was shortening the straps to the dress, I realized she didn't have anything to wear over her sholders if she got cold. Friday, after work and before I went to the Fiber Divas meeting, I ran around town trying to find something. All I could find was a white shawl (scarf) that didn't really go with the dress. After I got back from the Fiber Divas meeting, Kara and I pulled out my fabric paints and painted the shawl. Talk about waiting till the last minute!!

It really went great with her dress. As soon as these pictures were taken, Kara got out of the clothes, took out all the bobby pins, took off the make-up and washed her hair. She's a jeans and t-shirt girl and doesn't wear make-up normally so she couldn't wait to get out of everything. She did look beautiful though!!

Kara said that her favorite part of the whole day was the looks she got. People would walk right by her and not know who she was. Then they'd turn around with a suprised look on their face, when they realized it was Kara.

Where's Beth?

I'm right here at home. I can't believe how long it's been since I've written. Just been so busy - no quilting really but busy. I'm back up to a normal schedule at work and get home too tired to do much. I have to get working on the Fiber Divas project. I've only finished Marilyn's quilt.

Two weeks ago, Kara and I went on a girls weekend to Houghton College in Houghton NY. Where's that you ask? It's south of Buffalo. Ten hours west of Plymouth. I was really happy that Kara and I made good time getting to Houghton. I drove the first 5 hours and Kara drove the second 5. She picked out her classes for the fall semester and lined up a work study job. I sat in on talks about financial aid and other talks about Houghton. Kara stayed in the dorm while I stayed with Gary's younger brother and his family.

Geri Ann leant the Fiber Divas the 3rd season of Quilting Arts TV. I ended up with it first and really enjoyed watching it. A couple of my favorite episodes were the ones with Beryl Taylor and Melanie Testa. There was a third person who I really liked but can't remember her name right now. Watching Beryl's episode on machine felting with unusual fabrics is where I got the idea for these pieces. I have a collection of scarves and other fabrics that I've been wanting to use in something. I experimented to see which ones would felt and which ones wouldn't. I used my hand felters since I don't have a machine and it worked!! I added some beading and big stitching.
I painted warm and natural batting to use as the backing for the felting. I had been wanting to try painting the batting for a long time. Just hadn't taken the time. I also wanted to see if these different fabrics would felt to the batting.

These were fun projects that I could make without really thinking about. Which is great when I'm really tired.

This blue one isn't quite finished. I still need to add some more beading. I took these pictures before I started the hand stitching and beading on the blue piece.

Now I just need to figure out how I want to finish these. I think it would be neat to leave the edges of the different fabrics sticking out. Before I thought of that, I cut a couple off on one side.

Circle Doodads

I know, same picture as the last post. Lorrie asked what the circle doodads are. They are Clip O's (paperclips) that I picked up somewhere, probably a scrapbooking store. They are made by the American Tag Co. There were circles, hearts, stars, diamonds and triangles in the container.
The Fiber Diva meeting was fun. Everyone has been working hard on our challenge. I forgot to bring my camera, so I don't have any pictures of them. I'll try to remember my camera next time.

New Quilt

I finally have something new to show. This is Marilyn's quilt for our new challenge. Her "theme" was to use a technique using big stitches to sew all the layers together, instead of sewing by machine or fusing. The background is a piece of my hand-painted fabric. I finished the edge with a zigzag stitch and then ran a piece of yarn around the edge. The fiber Divas meet this Friday. It feels good to have something to show this week. I've been having trouble getting into my quilting lately. I think part of it is the time of year. I seem to have trouble each year at this time.

The "I don't Know What to Call this Post" Post.

Haven't been doing too much with quilting lately. Been too tired from work. I'm still only working part-time but get tired easily. So haven't had much energy to do what I like to do. I did make this ATC for a swap with Terri Stegmiller. I know it's a little late for Valentines Day but I did get it done and it is on it's way. At the last meeting of Fiber Divas, we decided on our challenge for this year. It's sort of a take off on cutting up a picture and each person making a piece of the picture. Except, we aren't using a picture. Each person decided on a shape for their quilt and cut it up into 6 pieces we also decided on a theme for the quilt. Now everyone has 1 piece from each quilt. So at the end of this, each person will get back the 6 pieces for their quilt and have to figure out how to put them together to make a whole piece again. Then to add another part to the challenge, some gave out fabric that each person had to use in their piece or drew some sort of line through the pattern pieces that have to be included in the finished piece.

I decided on a theme of "Going in Circles" and made a big rectangle that I cut into 6 unequal pieces. On each "pattern" piece I drew a circle for the person to include in the finished piece. At this point I'm thinking of attatching the pieces together with some type of rings but that may change when I actually get them back.

I've been working on Marilyn's piece and really need to get going on it. Her idea is to use a technique that she and Sue learned at a workshop called chopsuey sashiko. We are meeting tomorrow and I don't have anything to show. I have some ideas for Carmen's and Anita's pieces but am not quite sure how I'm actually going to execute the ideas. They both picked Ecclesiastes 3:1 for their theme (I almost picked that too!). Sue picked the moon for her theme and Lynn picked the song "Ride the River" by Eric Clapton.

The Winner Is......

Finally got home from work. I decided to use Random.org to pick the winner.



The winner of my post card was comment #32, Lorri Lennox. I have sent an e-mail off to her letting her know that she is the winner. As soon as I hear from her, I will get the card sent off.



This was my first year doing One World One Heart and I had a lot of fun. I hope everyone else did. It's hard to believe that there were over 900 participants. WOW!!! Many thanks to Lisa Swifka for hosting this event. I still have a lot of blogs that I want to return to and take a closer look at! There just wasn't enough time to do it before today.

Congratulations Lorri!! I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Drawing Later Today.

Just a quick note. I will be drawing the winner for the postcard when I get home from work today. Don't have time to do it before I leave for work this morning. Check back later to see the winner. I will also be contacting the winner by e-mail.

One World-One Heart Giveaway

Time got away from me and I missed the beginning of the One World-One Heart giveaway. If you haven't heard of it before, click on the logo below to learn more. This will also take you to a list of other blogs that are participating in the giveaway.




I finally decided on this postcard for my giveaway. It is one of my favorites.
If you'd like to enter please leave a comment on this post and only this post. You don't have to have a blog to enter but please leave me your e-mail so I can get a hold of you if you are the lucky winner. Leave your comment by midnight Eastern Standard Time on February 11th to be entered in the giveaway. I will draw a winner on February 12th.


Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog. I hope you enjoy it.

New Book

Yesterday I recieved Gloria Hansen's book, "Digital Essentials". I've started reading it and love it. It's written in an easy way for the normal, non-techie person to understand. Having a book that is directed toward quilters is great. It answers questions that a quilter might have about printing onto fabric, putting photos up on the web, submitting images to a quilt show and lots, lots more. This will definately be one of the most used books in my digital library! If you are interested in it, go to Gloria's web site at the link above to learn more about it.

The Fiber Divas get together this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to it! We will try to figure out our schedule for this year and plan our challenge. The sky is nice and clear so we won't have to worry about cancelling again because of snow!

Thinking of Warmer Things

Like alot of other people, we are in the middle of another snowstorm, although it seems to have stopped for now. Luckily, I didn't have to go into work today so am keeping nice in comfy in the house.

Here is the piece I've been working on. I found a bag of "stuff" tucked away upstairs. Must have been put there when I was in the hospital. I found some things I have been looking for and I also found the blue background piece that I used here. I used up some more scraps from my scrap bag for the flowers. The blue piece is postcard size and the backing is 1 1/2 inches bigger on each size.

Time to go start dinner. Hope everyone is staying warm!

Play Time

I have 3 words for you today. It is COLD!!!!!!! I just can't get warm today. I'm really glad I didn't have to go into work at 5:30 this morning. It was -18 when I got up at 7:00. Don't want to know what it was at 5:30.

I did manage to get some play time in on Wednesday. I played around with felting some more. Used the hand felter to felt different items to the background. I experimented with yarn, recycled wool, roving and cheesecloth. Some of the recycled wool didn't felt so great. The edges started to look like they were fraying. One thing I want to try out is to compare recycled wool sweaters and recycled wool fabric (like from a skirt or jacket) and see how they each felt with the handfelter. I'm having fun with this - just playing around, not worrying about making a finished piece. Although at some point it would be nice to have something nice to display. I did play around with a wet felted piece but have lost it in the mess of my sewing area. Will show it when I find it.

This is a postcard that I made Wednesday. Just played around with pieces from my scrap basket and didn't worry about making a great piece. Just wanted to create something, anything to get myself going again. I have another small piece I started that I need to finish. It sort of reminds me of trees or fence posts. I wanted to play around with working more abstract. Didn't have trees or fenceposts in my mind when I made it. I was just playing with shapes.

I remember now, why I don't use variagated threas on my postcard edges - I don't like it! I think it distracts from the rest of the postcard.

Better get moving, I have to eat lunch and get ready for work. Working 12-4 today.