Friday Jan 24, 2014

Good grief..... where is this month going? Although I am very ready for some warm weather time is slipping by!
This week has been busy. I have been mainly working on a client and friend's quilt. It is very slow going. I have done a bit of picking out to. I hate that. But when something does not look quite right and I can pick out... I pick out or un-sew. That sounds better. I probably have another full week working on this one.
I have been getting goodies in the mail from different companies and quilt shops for our guild's retreat. It is really a lot of fun. I don't like asking for the donations, but it has to be done and this year it is my and Effie's job.
I started a project for myself this Thursday. A year or so ago I purchased some Peacock fabric. I managed to get a few yards of different bolts in the line. Then last month I was in The Sewing Center of Southern Utah and started looking through a basket of close out Anita Goodesign embroidery  designs. There was a peacock scene that consists of 20 embroidered tile blocks. I decided I would embroider this scene and use it as a center medallion in a quilt. I hope to make it large enough to use as a bedspread for myself. We will see if I can get this one finished. I have a couple of things that are ready for me to quilt. I can't seem to find time to do much of anything for myself, but that is my own fault!
Now.... I have had a very full day and it's past time for bed.

Saturday January 18

I can't believe Jan is half over! Time is just getting away from me. January was not the best month I have ever had. My very best friend died last week. My husband and I went to her funeral on Wednesday. She was an amazing woman. Her name was Debra Smith and she was only 58. She was diagnosed with ALS Two years ago. She lived a very full life, loved her family very much. She will be missed.

I  have been  busy doing stuff for the Dixie Quilt Guild. I have the job of begging for donations to be given as door prizes.  I really really don't like doing it. I have found one positive thing in the job though. I have met some new people. One is a fiber artist names Carol Ann Waugh. She is an amazing fiber artist. She lives in Colorado and has a gallery that features artists from her area.  She was so generous. She sent the guild 3 of her books to give out as door prizes at the retreat! Her web site is www.CarolAnnWaught.com   Check her out!

The last couple of days I have been working on quilting material to make sketch book and journal covers. My dear friend and fellow long arm quilter, Cathie Purdy, suggested she and I make some note books covers for a friendship group we belong too. We each quilted some of the fabric and then we put the books together. I liked the idea so much I made most of my family and a  few friends ones for Christmas this year. I assembled mine differently, but the general idea is the same. It is really fun doing this. I am making more to sell. Either over the internet or at Art Shows. I am not totally sure how I will do it. I am going to do some painting on fabric for some of the sketch books. I will post photos of the finished products.  The photo below is a cover for my three ring binder.

They are very easy to assemble and you could use regular fabric....or pre-quilted fabric.  My book covers are lined. Some I put closures on....ribbons, button or magnetic. I did not want a closure on this one. But am out of black ribbon. I need to make a run to Joann's but will wait until tomorrow when there is not as much traffic as there is now. Living in St. George is nice for many reasons, but..... shopping on Sunday, if the store is open, is nice.

I need to get busy. I am currently working on a huge quilt for a friend and client. It is a queen sized pieced top and she wants it quilted like a whole cloth. I must mark the entire thing before I load it on the long arm.  I have gotten the design down to where I think I work it fine by minimal marking. But, I am going to have to use a blue pen water erase pen. The purple one will disappear to quickly and I don't think chalk will stay on. Besides some chalk is as hard to remove as the blue pen. The only thing I don't like about the blue pen is it stays in the material until the piece is submersed in water. Spraying makes it go away, but does not remove it.

Hope you all have a great week. I will try to post again next Saturday or Sunday.

Saturday Jan 4, 2014 Anita's dresden plate quilt

I finished Anita Bingham's Dresden plate quilt. The blocks were made by her mother. I am very happy with how it turned out. I think she will be too.

Today it has been really nice outside. The weather is more like it is suppose to be here in St. George, Utah. We are enjoying the last couple of days with Megan and Patrick. They have to head back to Brooklyn, New York on Monday. Patrick has to work on Tuesday. It is wonderful having them visit, so hard when they have to leave.  Our Christmas was very nice. We all travelled to Moab and had all the family together. It has been years since we have been together.

I hope we are able to do it again next year. Resent things  that have happened to close friends have reminded me how precious life is and how fast our lives can change.  This next year I plan on using every minute I have to the very fullest!

January 2, 2014

Another year has started....... so much to do and the time goes by so fast. I thought I would take a photo of my design wall and show you what I am currently working on. I have one art piece ready to put the binding and hanging sleeve on and know what I am going to do with the Zion piece to get it ready to load on the my long arm.  I am anxious to get the Statue of liberty piece read to go as well as the bristle cone piece.  I just don't have much time to work on my own stuff. 

 We had a really great Christmas with family in Moab. It is been many years since we have al been home together. My younger sister, Leslie Phillips, has a beautiful large home that is perfect for large gatherings. She made her delicious lasagna for our Christmas eve dinner. Season, my niece, and my oldest daughter Candice cooked and cooked on Christmas day. Megan (my youngest daughter) and her boyfriend, Patrick, cooked us breakfast before we headed back home to St. Geroge.

I am enjoying having Meg and Patrick here for a few more days. Dave has to head back to work tomorrow. The kids will be leaving to fly back to New York on the 6th of January. I won't get to see them for possibly a year. I hate us being so far apart. But like takes us all in different directions.

My wonderful husband purchased me a new Macbook pro. along with a painting program. I haven't had a lot of time working on with the new program, but plan to. The new computer is so fast and is pretty easy to use. But.... I am so computer challenged it is not funny. I plan on getting a web site set up this next year. I have purchased my domain name already, so no one else gets Glad Rags Art. I named my business Glad Rags Art in honor of my wonderful late mother-in-law. Once things kind of calm down, I will post more photos.

I hope that 2014 will be a wonderful year for all of us. I am planning on focusing on my art more this next year and not doing so many customer quilts. I have a very hard time saying 'no'. I really love quilting for others.