For my Grandmother

I made this table topper as a Christmas gift for my Grandmother. I visited her in Fort Worth over the New Year's weekend and gave it to her. She really likes it. It was hard to make something that was so monochromatic, but in the end I think it turned out pretty nice.

Getting better with the applique

I am getting better at the applique stitch! These clothes are so cute, I want to make more. Again, I bought these clothes at Target and added the airplane and the monogram.
My aunt's first grandson was born yesterday and she wants me to send her a blue airplane so that she can put it on a bib for him. What a copycat!

Applique on my new Janome

I asked friends and family for money for Christmas so that I could buy a new sewing machine. I bought a Janome 3160 and I love it! It is so much fun and this weekend I practiced using the applique stitch. I bought these clothes from Target and added the bird. He has a few problems, but overall I think he is pretty cute.

Pillow for my momma

I made this pillow for my mom using our family Christmas pictures from 2009.

The small picture on the back of the pillow was the first photo we took, the one where my mom fell off the couch.

The picture on the front was our second take and my brother, sister and I did a better job of holding my mom up on the back of my grandma's couch. 
I can still hear my grandma now, "Get off of the back of my couch like that!"

Actually, that is not really true. When I was a kid she used to be much more strict about what we did in her house. No running, no yelling, no hiding under the round table, no food in carpeted rooms. Here in the last few years she has become much more lenient, which is maybe the result of getting older or maybe the resignation she feels after realizing that the family has tripled in size and is it harder to keep track of all those children.

Christmas Eve 2009

Linking up with Pam's Pillows and Cushions Link Party at Threading My Way.

From quilt to pillow in the middle of the night

I was working on a quilt at 2:30 a.m. and I cut one of the blocks an inch too small without even realizing it. The next morning I noticed that this block wasn't fitting in with the rest in the way that it should and I had to make an entirely new one. I decided that I would turn my mistake into this adorable pillow, so I added some borders to the small block and put an envelope back on it. 

Linking up with Pam's Pillows and Cushions Link Party at Threading My Way. 

Gratitude to Uncle Mark

This is another of my cotton wall hangings. I dye, stamp, rip, burn and layer all the small cotton pieces and sew them to one large canvas backing.
I named this piece to honor my Uncle Mark, who passed away several years ago. In getting ready for my gallery show I became very stressed and worried about not having everything ready in time for the hanging. Uncle Mark came to me in a dream to help me calm down and to let me know that I would get everything finished and that things would work out fine.
After that dream I returned to enjoying the artistic process and creating new pieces with love rather than seeing the process as a chore and something stressful to finish with only the deadline in mind.
23 by 57 inches

More pot holders

I have been making lots of pot holders lately. I gave some to friends and family as Christmas gifts and sold a lot for other people to give as gifts.

St. Elizabeth Fiesta Quilt

I donated this quilt to the live auction at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church 2010 Fiesta in September.
The quilt is made from a pattern called Dot Party designed by the very talented Julie at Jaybird Quilts.

A quilt for a friend

I made this quilt for a dear friend. The butterflies on the blue fabric have a person significance to her, and I love the batik fabrics. The beautiful blues and browns in this quilt feel so peaceful to me. Its size is about 48 by 64 inches. I made this quilt in one week; from buying the fabric to hand sewing the label onto the back. I put a quote on the label that I felt held meaning to my friend.
When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. -Edward Teller

Minor Surgery (an art edit) -sold

I originally made this piece in July of 2008. (See Renewal in the Blog Archive)
I thought that it could use some work so I added some more layers of cotton and burned everything again.

22 x 48"
Cotton that has been dyed, stamped, ripped, burned, and sewn together
on masonite backing