Prizes Arrive

My winnings arrived in the mail on Saturday from Flights of Fancy for taking a second place in the pigstalesandquilts online crazy quilt contest. It was just like Christmas when I opened the package. I received some really great items from Flights of Fancy. It was difficult picking out from all the beautiful items she has over there on her website. If you haven't been there lately I really recommend you wonder on over to www.flightsoffancyboutique.com and see what she has to offer. She offers lots of wonderful trims and motifs and fancy ribbons. The trims I selected will be able to use right away on my current CQJP blocks. I want to personally thank Flights of Fancy for being such a wonderful sponsor and being so gracious. I will definitely put these items to good use.

Also, I am trying to still learn this blogging thing. So far I am having a wonderful time but I am also realizing how much there is to learn. Please bear with me as I am self learning this stuff. I have recently purchased some books about online businesses as I am wanting to start on online store soon. As I read I realize how much I still need to learn just in the blogging department. Keep posted and watch me grow.

Watercolor Quilts

Here is another passion of mine....watercolor quilts. I love quilts with vibrant color and these watercolor quilts have it. The first quilt is a Trip Around the World pattern titled 'Hidden Butterflies'. It's titled that because it has butterflies hand quilted into the squares. You can see the butterflies if you look close enough. This quilt won a viewer's choice award a few years back at a local quilt show. It's one of my personnel favorites.

The above quilt is a variation of a pattern from a book titled 'Striped-Pieced Watercolored Quilts' by Deanna Spingola (Aztec Treasures, p-95). If you are a person who is intimidated by watercolor quilts I recommend the technique this book has to offer. Instead of individual little squares you strip piece blocks together. The technique makes watercolor quilts a lot easier and faster. Also pictured is one of my dogs, Nala. You will probably be seeing a lot more pictures of her in the future. Shes my buddy:)

Stay tuned to my blog. I am going to start to do some tutorials. Just have to get a few days off so I can complete a few of them. I want to show you how I do some of my favorite stitches that I use on some of my crazy quilts. I also want to show you some variations of some of these stitches. Just wish I had a few more hours in my day. Everyone have a wonderfully creative day:)

Taste the Rainbow

Today I will post a quilt I made some time ago when I was making 'normal' quilts. I love a lot of color and the border fabric on this little quilt has a lot of it. The quilts title is 'Taste the Rainbow'. I even made the back a little fancy on this quilt. The quilt is embellished with buttons of all colors. Out of the center of the button on the front of the quilt are dangles of beads. The whole quilt is machined quilted with a variegated thread in a meandering pattern. It was actually a lot of fun to make (except maybe for the mariner's compasses).

On going projects

Here is a little glimpse of my beaded rock for next month. I found these great little goldfish at my local bead store so I decided to put them in some water. The first set of brown ones went on one of my CQ blocks and these two white ones are going on my beaded rock.

Here is a little update on how my CQJP quilt is coming along. This quilt is really starting take shape. I know I am way ahead of things on this project but I can't help it. I am going to make a few more block and turn it into 12 blocks quilt. I wasn't really going to do 12 blocks only 9 but I am really liking the colors in this quilt.

I also found this little treasure at Goodwill the other day. It's a papier-mache moon. Payed liked 50 cents for it. Saw it on the shelf and it was screaming at me to bead it. Can't wait to get started.

CQJP blocks 5 and 6

I have completed 2 more of my crazy quilt blocks. I was originally only going to do 9 blocks for this quilt but I am thinking about expanding it to 12. Some projects just take off and this is one of them.

I have been having problems with my internet today so hopefully it will keep me longed on long enough to finish my post.

Here are a few pictures...

Men's Tie Quilt

Sorry I haven't posted anything new lately. Life's been a little busy. Spring seems to be in the air here in northern WI. Two weeks ago we had 2 feet of snow and this week it's in the mid 60s. Well they say if you don't like the weather in WI wait 15 minutes. So anyways I've been cleaning and getting rid of stuff I don't need. Bound for Goodwill. Today I decided to post some picture of an ongoing project. It's my men's tie quilt. I started this about 5 years ago (well probably longer than that). I pick it up once in awhile. All the petals on the Dresden plate and the leaves on the border are from men's ties. I love the patterns on nice silk ties. I have quite a collection over the years and even request them as Christmas present every year. Seeing it on the wall makes me want to finish it all the more. I had a difficult time finding a wall large enough to display it so please excuse how crowded it looks.

Also stay tuned for more completed squares for my CQJP. I have completed 2 more squares this week.