Bette's Birthday Blocks

Yesterday I posted about the B-day Girlz Block Party. Bette also has a birthday in April and these are the blocks that she will receive.

She asked for blocks that are pink, green, brown, and white and maybe with a rabbit.

The girls participating in this group are very talented

and creative!

Bette is still in Florida for the winter so she will be receiving these in the mail shortly.

Don't you think they are all so cute?

Birthday with the Fiber Art Bee

I first told you about the B-day Girlz Block Party here. My birthday is in April. Two months ago I told the girlz what I wanted for my birthday. I told them turquoise and orange circles on white. I let them pick through my turquoise and orange in case they didn't have any. I was blown away when I unwrapped my blocks. Some of the girls even made me more than one. What do you think? Aren't they fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!

Phyllis made this one with  the yummy yo-yos.

Bette sent this stunning block from Florida. She was not here to pick through my stash and her fabrics go perfectly with all of the others.

Janie made these fabulous blocks; a big one and a baby.

Margaret's blocks are absolutely awesome.

June's block is magnificent.

Sylvia got carried away and made three. I think she is as thrilled with them as I am. What else can I say but WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I have the responsibility of putting them together; I hope I can do them justice.

Block Party

Fiber Art Bee

B-Day Girlz Block Party 2012

Today I met with my Fiber Arts Bee. Some of the members of this bee are participating in a block party exchange this year.  Two months before your birthday you tell the group what kind of block you would like. At the meeting during your birthday month you will receive the blocks. Two months after your birthday you are to have the quilt top put together to show the group. We have about 10 - 12 participating. Janie's birthday was in January and I am sorry that I did not take a picture of the block I made for her. We had no birthdays in February. Margie and Sylvia celebrate their birthday this month.

Margie asked for a 10 inch red and white scrappy block. Since I am on my second Joseph's Coat and taught a class on it I thought it would be a good block for me to do. I love red and have plenty of them in my stash. I just thought about my stash report; guess I should try to figure how much fabric I used for these 2 blocks. Instead of using clear thread I used white and did a blanket stitch.
 

Sylvia gave us this print out of a dress form and asked us to dress it. She said we could do anything we wanted to with it. I have to admit, at first I was not excited about making this block.

But, look at it! I just love it. I used fusible web so it was not that difficult or time consuming. Again I did the blanket stitch. I used black because I thought it would outline it and really set it off. The reason I went with the green background was to contrast with the pink. I couldn't be happier with it.

I am a chronic procrastinator. I started these two blocks yesterday and got up at 4 AM this morning to finish them. I got them done in time and I love both of them.

Art Bee About Town

Yesterday the Art Bee of Bayside Quilters strolled around Easton. Plein Air Easton is taking place right now. All about town and the surrounding county, artist can be seen out painting.

We also moseyed into the Academy of Art and a couple of galleries.

Since I have been quilting I view things differently. My eyes have been open to the beauty and color all around me. 

It is a challenge for me to take this new love for color and express it in my quilting.

  

As a result, I also have a new  found appreciation for art, especially painting.

Lately I have been thinking about taking a painting class.

After this tour around Easton, I very much want to take a painting class.

Other than the heat it was a perfect day. Yesterday the heat index in Easton was 108.

 For a perfect ending to a great day we went out to lunch. 

Of course we had to do lunch!

Pine Nut, Rice and Feta Salad

On Wednesday when I hosted the Art Bee I served this salad with lunch. Everyone was asking for the recipe, It is a recipe that I got from Julie who served it at a bee luncheon in 2007. 

Altered Photo Quilt

On Wednesday I hosted the Art Bee at my house. I chose to demo the technique of Altered Photo Artistry by Beth Wheeler. First we watched the episode of The Quilt Show featuring Beth Wheeler. This is the technique I used to make my challenge quilt for Bayside last week. There were questions and some good discussion as we viewed the video.

We opened Photo Shop Elements and discussed using filters to alter a photo. This is the photo I used for the challenge quilt. Even though I like the photo with this filter I decided not to use it because of how dark it was.

This is a picture of my challenge quilt, "Bare Feet at the Beach," finished.

I quilted this on my domestic machine. It has been years since I have done that. I got my longarm in 2004. It was really quite relaxing doing the tiny freehand stitching.

I used "firm" Pellon instead of batting so it would be very stiff and easy to hang.

The back really shows the quilting.

For some time now I have been wanting to make a quilt featuring a Gaillardia, maybe even doing a series of quilts. Several years ago I took many pictures of the ones I have in my garden. So, while the Art Bee was here I worked on one in Photo Shop Elements to demonstrate how you would go about manipulating the photo. I even printed one on 4 sheets of paper to show them how to do that.

Since I had gone that far actually working on a gaillardia I decided to continue. I played more in Photo Shop Elements with the filters, hue, temperature, and saturation. I think I have the photo where I want it for this quilt. I am going to make it 9 sheets, so it will end up about 24 inches square. 

I printed out the center sheet. This is what the center of my quilt is going to look like.

This is the actual image I will use for my quilt.

I am so glad I hosted the Art Bee this month and demoed this technique. It got me to work on a quilt that I have been wanting to do but had put on the back burner. 

The Mail Has Arrived

Wednesday at Art Bee we discussed working through a book together as a group. About 6 different books were presented that day. The 2 pictured above ended at the top of the list. I was so excited about them I came home and ordered them from Amazon that afternoon. You can imagine my surprise and delight when the mailman delivered them today. I can not wait to sit down with a cup of hot tea and peruse through them. I think the plan is to choose what book we will do at our next meeting in March.

Art Bee Challenge

The Art Bee met today to reveal our completed projects for the Common Object Challenge.

Monica's object was a golf tee and she actually used it in the quilt.

Margaret had a pair of gaudy parrot earrings. This was her interpretation of them because she used to have a bird in a cage that escaped.

Alice had the tabs from a soda can to work with. 

 She used the tabs for the base of the earrings.

Phyllis had an iron puzzle. Of course I think she could always find a way to incorporate Ginkgo leaves.

Marjie was lucky enough to have some money as her inspiration, so she made a money purse to keep her money in.

Not everyone was able to make it today and some of those present did not complete the challenge.

We also discussed what we as a group would like to do next. A few books were suggested and we will decide at the March meeting.

Usually we meet at the home of one of our members but today we enjoyed the day out at Panera Bread.