Mr. Sunshine

Mr.Sunshine - 2012

Wowzers! This art quilt took way longer than I had anticipated. I originally wanted to do a series of sugar skulls with different bone tones. I may still continue to slowly work on that series, but I have seriously missed my personal November deadline.. My pregnancy exhaustion mixed with two active little girls has required I slow way down. It's been a great test of my patience and I'm glad I saw this through to the end.

It is a collage applique style with shimmery tulle machine quilted on top. Lots and lots of hand embroidery on the face.

Really enjoyed working with such bright colors and a primitive design. The more I shut off the parts of the brain that tell me what is trendy and I listen to my inner voice, the more fulfilling my work has become.

I can't wait for 2013! I have a number of collage series that I will be working on. I have 4-5 macabre carnival sketches that I'm itchy to sketch on fabric. I'm going to also try moving my art quilting style on to wearable goods by request.. i.e. clutches, scarves, and more. And I have bought a TON of silk painting supplies and I'm so excited to jump in and learn something new. I haven't found too much current information on silk painting or in combination with applique quilting, so I'm planning on documenting my fails and scores on the blog in the hopes of helping others.

The BIG (little) News

We had our first visit with the doctor today and heard a strong, healthy heartbeat. Tears flowed and I had no idea how anxious I had been until I heard that sweet sound.

I've always pictured our family with three children; three little ducklings skipping behind me.

The last piece to our family chapter is en route. I can't wait to kiss those baby cheeks and breathe in that heavenly scent. Kiddo is ecstatic and kisses my belly daily. Baby is not thrilled about not being the baby anymore, but knowing how she adores her dollies - she will be an amazing big sister too.

I'm tired all the time. I'm elated. I'm hungry..for pie!

Winner, Winner!!!

Thank you to everyone that stopped by the blog and entered for Ebony's amazing book, "The Big Little Book of Fabric Die-Cutting Tips". 

And the winner is...

Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts said...

A die cutter is on my quilting wishlist!! I'd love to make an equilateral triangles or tumbler block quilt.

The Guide You Need To Get

Before I get into why you really need to buy this book, I wanted to give you  my personal history in relation to die cutting fabric and my friendship with Ebony.

Two years ago I really wanted a die cutting machine. I searched, I read, I analyzed. I worried about investing too much into a tool that I wouldn't use a lot and I also worried that if I bought too small a machine, that I would be upgrading within the year. The information I had to go on was supplied by the different manufactures and blog reviews. I finally purchased the AccuQuilt Studio; a couple months later I also purchased the Sizzix Big Shot.

It would seem that die cutting is intuitive, right? You place the fabric on your machine, roll it through and end up with perfectly cut shapes for quilting. However fabric is not like paper. You can have issues with the grain, with the bias, and with how you place it on the die. To be honest, die cutting can be fast and effective, but you need much more instruction than what comes with any of the machines.

After a few bouts of frustration and ruined fabric, I joined the AccuQuilt Yahoo group to learn more tips. At that time I met Ebony Love. Oh my goodness, what a wealth of knowledge! I learned so much from her experiences. Then I learned about her YouTube videos and was awe struck! Honestly, whenever I use a new die, I first go to Ebony to see if she has already created a video about it.

This past year I learned that Ebony was creating a book with all that amazing knowledge on die cutting. Her book, "The Big Little Book of Fabric Die Cutting Tips", is the book I wish I had a little over two years ago. It will help you determine which machine is best for you, how to use the machine and more. I'm eagerly awaiting my copy later this month and I'm planning on keeping it with my dies for quick access.

Why should you buy this book?
1.) It will help you determine which machine will rock your world.
2.) It will help you to understand how to use different dies in different machines.
3.) You will learn tips on how to correctly cut fabric without costly mishaps.
4.) Lots of amazing quilting tips and tricks.
5.) Tips on all the consumables used with die cutting machines.

I want you to have this book so much that I'm giving one away! The book is scheduled to ship in early November.

How to enter?
Leave a comment about the first project you would like to make with a die cutting machine.
You have until midnight (MST) on October 31st. Please be sure to leave your email so that I can contact you.

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby

I don't know how my baby turned two. It has been the fastest two years of my life; I could probably sit and shed many tears over how fast it went. This picture from today perfectly embodies her sweet spirit. Love her gentle, silly ways more than I can say.

Her ultra sweet big sister desperately wanted to decorate the princess birthday cake. I squashed my type A desire to have it "perfect" and let her shine. She was extremely proud to make this for her sister and I'm not sure I've seen a sweeter cake. (Though it's been affectionately nicknamed "Hot Mess Barbie Cake")

Happy birthday sweet baby girl..