Touched by Angels

YES, it did get done in time! I got the email yesterday and Touched by Angels is at Hoffman Sulky Challenge location! I am so excited - I can't wait to hear whether or not my quilt will travel. I have learned one thing - the competition in the quilting arena is TOUGH!!
This quilt is based on the snorkeling experience I had at Isla Mujeres Mexico. I was about 15 feet down when I saw a school of angelfish going by. They were gorgeous and were purple and they took my breath away (what breath I had). THEN when they were right across from me they took a sharp left turn and I froze. I knew they wouldn't hurt me, but I didn't know what they would do. They came at me as an entire school, and when they reached me they parted barely enough to swim around me. They touched me with their side fins and tails as they went by. It was TOTALLY amazing and I didn't have a camera, but I have NEVER forgotten that moment.

 The angelfish are purple fabric with machine embroidered Sulky thread scales.  The lips, fin and tail bones are yellow fabric, and the side fins are gathered mesh. The eyes are black fabric with Sulky thread embroidery.

Touched by Angels

So as I finished up Magpies, I knew in the back of my head that the Hoffman-Sulky Challenge deadline was coming up.  I knew that both the Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival and the Hoffman Challenge had due dates of July 23. I KNEW this... and yet... and yet I couldn't seem to set Magpies aside to start on the Hoffman project.

I had the fabric - I had ordered it online months ago (tho so late that local quilt shops were out of it already).  I had been looking at it, imagining the project complete, and thinking about the important "rule" that the quilts submitted could be of ANY shape...any Shape...Any SHAPE... that seemed important and the shape had been in my head from the instant I saw the fabric and read that one rule... and yet I did not start.

Last Tuesday I finished Magpies.  That was July 20th.  I really didn't want to see another pink flower for a while, and I was really excited about my color palette for my next project.  I was totally aware that I only had a few days - 3 to be exact - to GET it there.  But then I wasn't even sure where THERE was, either.  This is the first year I've done ANY quilt attempts (other than, I know, Older Daughter's quilt still on the frame these past years... well, year and a few months on the frame).  This is also the first time I've ever entered any shows of any kind.

I went to the Piecing Partners Quilting Guild meeting (my second month as a member) and that is when I figured out that "Magpies" could be turned in at a local quilting shop on August 7th.  That meant, now that I was done with it, that It didn't have to go anywhere for a while.  So, on July 21 I came home inspired and started making "Touched by Angels."

What if it doesn't come out right?  What if it isn't what I imagined? What if? what if? what if...

Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival entry

The Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival is coming up, so I made a small art quilt called "Magpies" to enter in it. There is a nest of Magpies at the Sonic here at the mall.  This spring the crabapple trees were GORgeous and I took pictures of the trees and the nest.  Later I decided it would make a good picture to turn into a quilt. 

I appliqued most of the pieces by hand, and then I added some flowers that are not sewed down.  They just have a button holding them to the quilt.  I hope they will add a more realistic effect to the piece.  I also "made" a nest out of fabric pieces and strips.  I rolled some pieces of fabric to resemble twigs and sticks as well.  I learned that magpies will collect just about anything and they are attracted to bright and shiny things.  I wrote this poem to go on the quilt.  Did you know that some magpie nests have been found with several pieces of tableware in them?  I didn't!  I added a spoon to the nest just to make it more real!!  These magpies are adding details to their nest as they await the hatching time.  The eggs are 3-d made of fabric and stuffed.

didn't win, but learned a lot!

I didn't win the Bernina Stitch It To Win It challenge, but I learned to make cloth paper. I learned that there are MILLIONS of techniques out there that I haven't tried! I would never have imagined putting copper sheets into a quilt!

I also took time out from quilting and started collage, including encaustic collage. This is really fun, and I set it up out on the deck out back. This way it is cooler and I can enjoy the birds nesting and feeding their babies, as well as the view of the eastern plains.

This is the 2nd in my sunflower series. So far I have 4. I really have enjoyed the sunniness of it and it was quite fun gathering things to put in it. The most unusual thing is an old VIN from a pre-70s vehicle that I found on the ground! How many collages actually have a VIN? :-)

I also will be opening my Etsy Shop "Irish Rose Needle Arts very soon.

Another Artist!

This weekend I went to Castle Rock and met Jeanne Oliver from http://bushelandapeck.typepad.com! It was such fun and she signed my Artful Blogging Magazine, too! She is featured in the summer issue.

It is as if you can feel the creativity when you meet another artist! This convince me that I need to do it more!!

Check out Jeanne (pronounced Jean)'s website - you won't be disappointed!

Taxi Mom

Well, I entered another challenge! I now have a piece in the Bernina Stitch It To Win It challenge. It is a swan with her 3 cygnets on her back. They are crossing the pond while the 3 "kids" fuss in the back - but she is able to keep one eye on the "road" and one eye on the "kids" because, well, swans can do that.

I have had some lovely positive comments and have received some votes, but I need SO Many more votes :-/ !! The highest number of votes is over 140, so I hope lots more people vote!