Busy week

Time flys during the holiday season.

Jo Ann's had thread half price and with other coupons

I stocked up for the coming year.

Than finishing up bed quilts so they could be

sent by those guys in the Brown trucks.

Packages sent off on Thursday.

One more to finish the binding on by Tuesday. 

 The little quilt with the Fassett squares was so cuddly

I almost wanted to keep it but it is on it way to Tennessee.

The chenille backing made it extra cozy.

Liz's quilt of Fassett fabrics turned out nice.

Today I had an open studio and enjoyed visiting with

friends. Now you know why you did not hear from me

all week. Cleaning the house and studio so everyone

would think it is always like that. Yeah right.

At least I will have a clean start for the new year.

Christmas in July

 I had a spare morning and started on my stocking

stuffers. I am making hot pads for the ladies.

Nice thick hot pads. A little bit of art for the

table. I would like to keep them myself but

I need 12 pairs of them for the stockings.

 I really like the touch of color in this one.

I think my family and friends will find

this a useful gift. I also bought hand made

scented soap in Minnesota. I will be making

salsa this summer also. I found some bright

colored bowl scrapers in Minnesota too.

Now to start on the men's stocking.

Maybe salsa too?

Always harder to be original.

One more hot day and a cool off.

Always hot for fair week.

Best gifts ever.

My children know what I like.

Quilters see a different star at Christmas.

My DIL found the 8 fat quarter  star of batiks.

My Daughter brought me 8 yards of fabric.

I can see the water,trees, and sky in these fabrics.

They were too generous.

My granddaughter gave me a Raku vase,

Grandson Andrew brought 2 spicy candles

how did he know I do not like fruity or flower scents.

My sister brought new towels to the mix.

My friend Doris gave me 2 canvases.

Plus I received gift certificate to Hobby Lobby

in case I need more art supplies.

A lovely bird calender.

I am truly blessed.

The best part was food, fun and laughter

of 22 people together for Christmas.



Morning at the ridge

 Finally the Studio is clean and everything priced.

I always allow myself 2 days to recoup from getting ready.

I want to enjoy the day with my friends and neighbors.

This painting in the metal frame is my favorite.

Next is the Adam and Eve pottery duo.

This morning will I will take care of the small details.

Tonight is our Art League meeting I must

prepare the agenda and get organized for that.

We will be looking forward to next summers show

Under Indiana skies.

I think I will surprise them with a Christmas ornament.

I am thinning out my Christmas stash so it is easy to share.

Have a great day I plan too.

A early start to the day at Cedar Ridge

Started at 4 this morning cleaning the studio

and setting up my displays for the Open House.

Saturday will be here before I know it.

I love cardinals they are so bright in the landscape.

I love all my birds.

They eat better than we do at times.

The woodpeckers, blue jays,titmouse's and chickadees

have been very hungry.

I switched to solid block bird feed.

They perch on it and work the seeds loose.

Fun to watch.

Well I had better get back to the studio to finish up.

I plan to be finished by noon today.

Than I can spend tome making

some more landscape quilts.



Swim Little Fish

One of the  4 x 6 art quilts I made for quilt cards

this week-end. I love the Australian prints.

They are so colorful.

The countdown starts.

Saturday is Studio open house.

How much more can I create before then?

I need to make some of the dog photo quilts.

Everyone sent me such  neat dogs photos.

The weather has been great.

At least the wind blew the leaves into the corn field.

Less picking up of leaves for the husband.

Have a great Monday.

First of the Holiday Shows

 Monday Andy  my grandson and I set up

my display for the Holiday Show at the

Carneige for Friday and Saturday.

I feature small art quilts made from

my photographs printed on fabric

than thread painted and either framed,

matted or made into greeting cards.

Today I will get back into the studio

to prepare for my first week end

show in the studio the 19th of November.

 If you live in the area the Holiday Show is

Friday the 11th 6 - 9 pm

and Saturday the 12th 8:30 a.m.- 3 p.m.

at the Lillian Fendig Gallery

301 N Van Rensselaer Street,

Rensselaer, Indiana

219-866-5278

A great mix of fine art, baked goods, photography.

Cardinals in the Pines.

 I am making a series of quilt cards for Christmas.

Last winters photographs are  great for these.

 I print them on to Kona  cotton  with my ink jet.

 Iron them to fusible batting.

 Then I add thread   painting with variegated thread.

One I added some hand embroidery ,

I do not like that as much as the first one.

I will offer these on my blog after Thanksgiving.

I have 3 shows to do before then.
Well off to the studio.
Tonight we go the the Lighthouse restaurant for supper.
Thanks to kids who give gift certificates.

Art Quilt from Paint Rag

When I paint with Acrylics on canvas I use a technique of removing paint and building up layers.
I use old cotton bed sheets I save.
This  20X20 piece of cotton bed sheet had the best colors.
I looked at it all last summer thinking of what I saw.
In September I sat down at the sewing machine
and free hand added lines of threads
to bring out the landscape in my mind.
Tree's, a pond and sky emerged from the rag.
I  highlighted  with Derwent color pencils.
A pastoral setting emerged from the cotton.
This was the first piece sold in our Art League's fall  Art Show.
An artist  bought the cloth painting for a Christmas gift for a relative.

Whats new at Cedar Ridge.

               Thought you might enjoy last years Christmas card. I made 10 different watercolors.

      The female Cardinal is back at the bird feeder my husband made  from a plastic saucer.
 
           The Junco, female Cardinal and the Downy Woodpecker enjoying the sunshine today,

            Another of my presents to me. two small art quilt collages from Virginia Spiegel.

           You would think I had enough of Christmas but my daughter
           and I went in search of next years Christmas presents at 75%  off.
           When you do 30 stockings you can never start too early.

The finish of the tote saga

While the totes have their home. Am I glad I let them choose

 because I would have picked wrong.

My daughter choose the mans suit tote

My sister choose the front one on the right

Betty got the front left one.

Amy choose the flower pocket  tote

Starla choose the African tribal tote

And that left Liz the collage art major

with the bright pink Fasset fabric tote.

SO

I will have to make myself one.

Now to choose fabric again.

SO at the end of Christmas day

with 30 people

30 stockings

Dirty Gerty game with gifts

after everyone left.

My supper was 2 cups of tea

and 3 Motrin.

But is was great fun.



Recyle Art

One of my artist friends sent me some photos of  scrap art. I though this was a clever use of spark plugs.

Tuesday the 21st and the days will get longer from this point.
 Another 4 inches of snow and more to come on the weekend.
Finishing off the stockings today all 28 of them. And the Dirty Gerty  gifts- a good way to regift.
We do Christmas different at our house. Instead of gifts I do stocking for everyone.
Our family and guests have to bring a $10 wrapped gift that we put in a pile and play Dirty Gerty. Everyone gets a number and you hope for the last number. When your number comes up you pick a gift but you don't always get to keep it because someone can take yours instead of grabbing from the pile. That's why you want to be last.
Of course we salt the pile with things like the belly dancing kit ( a older single man got that one)
The henna rub on tattoos ( 89 year old Reka picked that one year)
The year of the marshmallow guns was fun I found dry-ed miniature marshmallows for  several months after Christmas.
There are always some beautiful items the ladies take from each other like last year the beautiful throw.
Looking forward to Saturday to see  what  will be in the pile this year.

Day 5 of Totes

 Day 5 and only one more to go. This is Betty's tote At Easter she picked out the fabric.

The guinea hen fabric for the pocket gave this tote some personality.

I am looking forward to getting back to painting after so much sewing.

See you on Monday for the finish

Day 4 of Totes & only 7 days till Christmas

                          Day 4 of making totes. Christmas is getting closer only 7 days to go.
                         Getting the house ready for the 30 guests who will be here for dinner.
                          We will have a feast.

This tote  was made with scraps someone gave me plus some yardage of  red lotus fabric. The rectangle of purple started me off  and called for red as a compliment.  I take a piece of batting and  using the fabrics like paint  create a art quilt impromptu.

Its almost like painting.

I love the brightness of this tote and it is perfect for the library.

Fill it with books and you will be set for 2 weeks of reading.

If I am ever snowed in let it be in a Library.

I got lazy with this one and did not put in the zippered compartment.

This tote doesn't have a home yet. Some one will show up who it will be perfect for.

The next tote will be shades of brown and green.

Betty picked out the fabric at Easter for her tote and the green caught her eye.

Check back Sunday to see the results.

                     

Ho Ho Ho Day 3 of Making Totes

                   Day 3 of making totes. Colorful tribal fabric .

 This will be my sisters Christmas present. She loved these colorful fabric  especially the tribal women.

               The zippered pocket will hold all those items you don't want falling out  accidentally.

                                                The lining is as colorful as the tote

A closeup of the front pocket detail. I machine quilted the pocket and highlighted it with paint sticks.

The next tote will be red and purple a nice combination.

Day 2 of Tote making

This tote is made out of a mans suit coat , suede and tapestry fabric. I found out that it is difficult to work  with such thick layers.Too hard on the hands. I think today I will go back to my batiks for the next tote.

 I like to put  large pockets in my totes so you can put a book or magazines in the pocket.

            I always put in a zippered pouch so important things like glasses & credit cards stay put

 I am not sure if I like the menswear look. What do you think? Would you like this for a gift.

Check back Friday to see the next tote.

Count down to Christmas

 

    

10 more Days

                          

I need to make 6 more totes for Christmas gifts

The print on the pocket inspired this tote.
I found the fabric at the International Quilt Show this spring without any idea what I was going to do with it.

 I like the handles in both purple and lime. Inside there are lots of pockets with a zippered for a wallet.

 The zippered pouch is divided  so you can put your eye glasses away so as not to lose them.
 Then the flap covers the  purse part, I think my grand daughter might end up with this one.

The chapel at Camp Mack in Milford has beautiful stain glass windows.

I spent the week-end at a retreat with The Midwest Collage Society at Camp Alexander-Mack and had a really nice time.

Learned some new techniques, took lots of pictures and made some new friends. These artist are so talented.

The upcoming Holiday shows will keep me busy until December.

Sunsets are one of my favorites. At Camp Mack last weekend the sun setting over the lake was special.

I love trees especially in the winter when I can see all the branches against the sky. I am so fortunate to live in the woods both pine, oak and maple.It is a show all year long. Busy getting ready for the Christmas open house. Lots more ideas to create. I have brought some of my art to Must Love Books in DeMotte to sell for the Holiday's. She has lovely things. stop in for a look.