Happy Houses

My Happy Houses have arrived from Lurline (with appreciated assistance from Julia). Here they are!



The first one is mine, then Donna, anonymous, Toni, Jane, and Erin.


In this set: Anne (no blog), anonymous, anonymous, Lynda, Erin, and anonymous.


Could this be from anyone else but chookyblue (Donna)?

What about this Babushka in Lynda's house? Too charming!

A big thanks to all who participated. I love them! And a special thank you to Lurline and Julia for all their hard work! Three Cheers!!! You anonymous ladies don't need to be shy! Your blocks are lovely. Email me to let me know which is yours! I won't tell, I promise...

Hugs - Shari

Well QuiltWest is over for another year. Only the paperwork now. I've had a busy week at work and finally feel a little more normal (if that's possible - LOL).

The Committee were allowed rostered time off but I elected to take mine as workshops and classes. This is the first time I've actually done any. I really like it! So here is what I did.

This is Lisa Walton (link to blog) of Dyed & Gone to Heaven (link to shop). Lisa is an internationally awarded textile artist. I was very pleased to meet her. I sat in on her seminar about her Aurora quilt.This is the Aurora quilt:

I decided to purchase a kit in the green/blue colourway. I have in mind to put it on my lovely fossil beige suede wall in my bedroom. See how complete the kit is! Even thread is included. And Lisa dyes all her own fabric to achieve the look she wants. The instructional dvd came with a magazine some months back so it will be very achievable for me to try this very new-to-me technique.

I also attended a trunk show with this lovely lady from Texas, Sandra Chandler. Sandra invented the Curve Master presser foot. It allows you to sew curves without pinning! I've seen it in action and it is so true! Here Sandra is demonstrating with Drunkard's Path blocks. I am just so impressed. This little baby along with the acrylic templates for the Drunkard's Path are being added to my sewing room. I can hardly wait to try it myself. And Sandra is just the nicest lady! In Australia you can get the Curve Master and Sandra's templates from Punch with Judy.
I decided it's about time I learned a few basic embroidery stitches. A workshop with Nikki Tervo to make a little pincushion was the answer. Nikki is just a hoot as a teacher. She has such a unique and creative way to help us remember how to form the stitches - and how to handle threads (you let them have their own way - just like your husbands - LOL). Nikki told us to relax and have fun with it and to share our knowledge with as many people as possible. Nikki makes the most incredible hand-made buttons. You really need to see for yourselves. So here is my little project so far. There is a solid red thread and a varigated red as well, and a button for the middle (of course).
Are you still with me? Didn't realise this would be such a long post. Should have spread it out, I guess. Never mind. Seize the Day!

I also took a silk ribbon embroidery class with Helen Dafter. She's a very nice lady and very good at instruction as well. This builds up quick and I'm not sure I'll remember everything. And it is still not finished. Fortunately my lovely friend Julia is a master embroiderer and she's available for all the advice and instruction I need.

As this is my first "home" day in about 3 weeks I've got heaps to do. Did you know a post like this takes me more than an hour? Amazing. And it seems to go way too quickly. I think my computer generates a time vortex...

Cheers!

Shari

Best of Show

"Journey Down the Garden Path" by Sheila Pye

168cm x 168cm

"A quilt with a mind of its own. Many great challenges and new learning experiences such as hand embroidery were presented as I made this quilt. Original design."

Let me share a little story about this year's best of show quilt. I'm sure the maker, Sheila Pye (no blog) would not mind too much. Sheila began this quilt a couple of years ago with the view to hang it on her lounge room wall. She'd completed one of the beautifully appliqued borders and was giving it a final press when this happened:

It's really quite baffling. The fabric had been washed and pressed. The applique was completed. The iron did not malfunction. But this scorch/burn occurred. After a little meltdown and a glass of wine, Sheila unpicked all the applique, salvaged what she could, and made a new border. She went on to complete the quilt with beautiful applique and incredible domestic machine quilting (for which she also won awards). She was overcome with tears when she'd learned she'd won. It was only made for her lounge room wall after all ...

So what do you do when something goes terribly wrong? Do you give up, start something new and different, set it aside for another day (that may never come)? Or do you persevere until the end. I've not yet had a disaster of this proportion so have not yet been tested. I don't think I'm made of the strong stuff - I'm still happily making quilts as blankets...

In the beginning...

I've been flat-out at our state quilt show "QuiltWest" all week and have not yet taken any photos! My husband took some on the first day of construction so will give you a brief look. I will take my camera with me tomorrow and Sunday (the last day). Too tired to chat or check your blogs... but will certainly catch up next week sometime! Hugs - Shari

Discussion...

Action...

The rows look straight...
Hmmmm... needs more quilts....
PS Girlfriends Lurline and Julia have done a little post about the quilt show. Please pop over and have a look and also congratulate Julia on her fabulous wins for best amateur hand applique and best amateur hand quilting. Very well deserved awards.

Mini Muffins for Morning Tea

What's a girl to do after a hard day setting up a few quilt stands? Make sure there's something yummy for morning tea tomorrow...

Yummy mini orange and poppyseed muffins...Very bite-sized...

Mugz on Monday

This lovely little set are the ones we take on picnics. No way am I drinking tea or coffee out of a plastic cup! We usually go down by the beautiful Swan River of a late afternoon, watch the sunset and the lights of the City come on. It's just gorgeous and peaceful and wonderful. Haven't done it in a while and will definitely be due for that sort of thing after QuiltWest! Set up has gone well today and will hopefully have more photos later in the week...

QuiltWest

QuiltWest 2009 Raffle Quilt

I am a member of the Western Australian Quilters Association. Every year we have an exhibition called QuiltWest, and I am on the QuiltWest committee (as treasurer).

QuiltWest runs in tandem with the Craft and Bead Fair and will be held at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre from 13-17 May.


We are checking in exhibition quilts on Saturday (9th) and then Monday and Tuesday is all about judging and set-up and all the other behind-the-scenes stuff. And then of course it's on the floor every day for five days. So I'm in for a very busy ten days and I'm not sure if I'll be checking in with ya'll. I'll certainly have some news after I've recovered!

If you are coming to the Exhibition and want to say 'hi' - just ask at the hostess table where I am. Looking forward to seeing you!

Cheers - Shari

PS Happy Mother's Day to Everyone! Enjoy time with family and friends...

Another Pretty Bauble

What can these pretty boxes hold?

Gold? Silver? Precious jewels?

Box number three:
A very modern, funky necklace. Once again made by my very creative and talented sister-in-law Sandy. I am indeed a very lucky lady...

More Pretty Baubles

What can these pretty boxes hold?

Gold? Silver? Precious jewels?

Box number two:

Another beaded creation from my very talented and creative sister-in-law Sandy. The technique for this one, as I recall, was to string beads on to a long, long piece of wire and then that beaded wire is knitted... all I can say is: Wow

Box number three tomorrow...

Pretty Baubles

What treasures do these boxes hold?

Gold? Silver? Precious jewels?

Box Number One:


A beautiful bracelet handmade with sparkly, elegant Swarovski crystals and pearls. The clasp is magnetic and is sterling silver. Who made this treasure, you ask? My very talented and creative sister-in-law Sandy. She's about beading like I am about quilting...

Box Number Two tomorrow...

A Thousand Colors for the Children of Abruzzo

We all pitched in to make quilts for the Victorian bushfire victims.

Now it is time to help the children of Abruzzo, Italy.

The region was struck with a violent earthquake on April 6.

298 people died and 55,000 made homeless.

Roberta is an Italian quilter who is coordinating the collection of quilts for children aged 3 to 6. Please see her blog for all she has to say about this project. She's asking for quite specific sizes and materials.

♥

I hope you can help...

Mugz on Monday and Painting

Are you totally bored by mugz yet? Yes! Me too. Too bad. This little beauty was decorated by my youngest daughter while she was at youth group at church. She's embarrassed by it now of course, but I liked her creativity and flair so will hang on to it. Experience tells me that she will become nostalgic for these things of childhood as she leaves her teenage years in a few years...

In other news the painting is finished in the bedroom. Trying to get a picture of the texture of the paint is really hard, but will throw in a photo anyway. We really like it. It makes the room seem bigger. Mr Fixit is now working on the skirting/baseboard/mopboard. He paints it before installation then just touches up after. Now that the curtains are up and the walls painted, I can start on the quilt for the bed...

Skirting ready to paint outside...

Pincushion Ring Giveaway

I came across this Pincushion Giveaway at Grosgrain.

The pincushions are made by Susannah at Art Nest and they are so cute.

Hurry to enter!

More Painting... and a Quilt Show

Here is Mr Fixit carefully masking the edges in preparation for the second coat of paint which will be rolled on. It will need to dry for about three hours before we can slap on the suede. So what's a girl to do with a little time to kill?

♥

Visit a quilt show of course! The Hills Folk Craft Group of the Parkerville Baptist Church had their annual quilt show yesterday and today so I took myself off for a look-see.

Lovely quilts hanging in the trees to catch our eye so we didn't miss the turn-off.

I'll leave you to browse a little. Don't know anything about the quilts generally. I was after concept photos as to layout and presentation, although a couple definitely caught my eye...

I came home from the quilt show to find the second coat finished and visitors having a cuppa with Mr Fixit. By the time they left, I got the laundry in off the solar dryer clothsline and Mr Fixit got back from buying one more litre of paint, it was time to start the final coat. It seemed a bit late in the day to start (5pm) but we finished by about 6:30pm. Tea was cold meat and salad while watching Mythbusters and now it's bedtime and the smell isn't too bad. I should be able to get a photo tomorrow with the natural light...

Cheers! - Shari