Trying to get back on track........

WOW!!! Can't believe how long it has been since I blogged last!!  My life spun slightly out of control, but I think I am getting back into the *normal* (whatever that is!) swing of things.

Last week I was supposed to send out some swaps, and I was behind on that ........

Wanted to tell you about one of them.  It is called "Quiltie Pal Swap".  Each person in the swap makes a flat quiltie pal, takes it to various locations to take pictures, then sends it off to a secret partner.

My pal is Goombay the Bahama Turtle.

Goombay is a street festival that they have in the Bahamas, and it is also the local soda that is pineapple flavored.....YUM!

First Goombay was in the sea grape trees looking for sea grapes with Trooper, my number one helper!

Then it was off to the vet for her shots to travel, since she is going abroad!

Then a final look at the harbour, here in Marsh Harbour, before her journey begins.

I haven't received my quiltie pal yet.....maybe this week!

Off to continue catching up on my life :)

Have a great week!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Just a really quick post today.....it's my 38th birthday today....I'm a firecracker baby!

Yesterday I had margaritas with some girlfriends, which was nice because it had been a stressful week, finding out about a friends cancer diagnosis.  Puts life in a different perspective!

I am also taking a photography e-course thru bigpicturescrapbooking.com.

Yesterday's theme was centered and here is my picture:

This dog, Lucky, always wants to be the center of attention, but I love his big wet nose in the center!

The day before was "Splash"

Been having lots of fun using the manual settings on my camera.

Later we will have dinner with friends and family and watch the fireworks!

Be back in a few days to show you some awesome swap stuff I got in the mail.

Happy 4th of July!

A New Design Obsession......

Whenever I have a show ahead of me and orders coming out of my ears, my imagination is running wild with new ideas.  In my last post I showed you the pillow that I did for a Flickr swap I was in called {Pillow Talk}.  

"home sweet home"

I have had a collection of vintage fabrics and laces for quite some time now and could never figure out what to do with them.  After that pillow for the swap I am on a roll!

I incorporated the lace into this one.  I also have another one that is waiting to be quilted, in blues and greens which I will be keeping for myself!  I am calling this one "this old house".

I even did piping and a zipper on this one!!! SO PROUD of myself, under the instruction of my Mom who is a master sewer, although she wont admit it!  The below picture shows the piping and the zipper together....quite an accomplishment for me!  I always tell people I cant sew straight lines!

It probably is a strange color selection, but I pulled the vintage fabrics first for the house and then added the solids to compliment.   One of these house must have an owl in the yard at some point also!

I also have a wall hanging started with this same concept, and I have jewelry pieces in the works with a house theme.   It is a real sweat shop in this house right now and I love it!

Have a great weekend!

Home Sweet Home.

I have spent the last few days finishing some swap projects and trying to get ready for an art show in two weeks!  The first swap quilt I can only show you sneak peeks of since I am not sure if my partner reads my blog, and in this swap we know each other.

This was a swap for a BBQ/Picnic Mini Quilt.

If you are friends with me on facebook, then you saw this quilt yesterday.

Some of my favorite things are in this mini quilt!

Can you guess what they are?

This is being shipped from Florida tomorrow, so when my partner receives it I can post the picture of the entire quilt.

I also had a deadline for a pillow swap.  I am pretty sure my partner does not read my blog, but she doesn't know who her partner is anyway, so I can show you the entire pillow.

One of her preferences was blues and greens.  I had so much fun making this pillow and had a hard time actually *stopping*!  The fabrics that make up the house in the middle are vintage fabrics.

I embroidered "home sweet home" under the house and added two little blue birds.

I also quilted the grass at the bottom and wanted to add flowers, but wasn't sure how much of a flower fan my partner was so thought I should STOP!

If I ever get the time to make myself one (she says while daydreaming!) then i will add flowers to the bottom!

And YES.....blue and green AGAIN!!!  Just cant get away from it!

Well, back to working on orders and trying to get some stock for that art show!!

Bead Soup Party Reveal

Today is the day for the reveal of my Bead Soup Party necklace!

Be sure and go over to Lori's blog and check out all the jewelry artist's blogs.  There are so many participating in this party that the party hop will go on for a week!  Everyday a new set of artists will reveal their creations.
You can also go the the Flickr page where most participants will be posting pictures also.

My partner for the Bead Soup Party was Janet from Singing Woods Blog.  Go check out her blog.  She sent me a selection of beads from the wonderful ceramic artist Gaia.

This is what I got in the mail from Janet, in case you forgot or missed that post......

Here is what i created with the bead soup I received......

The chain to the left of the pendant is made by me out of copper and sterling silver wire, soldered together for links.

I did ribbon at the back of the necklace.  I have done this on a few necklaces lately and found it to be very comfortable, and I thought that ribbon was perfect for the focal.

I had a few beads left over to make some matching earrings also.

Hope you like what I made Janet!
Don't forget to check out everyone's blog and see all the wonderful creations!

More Mail!!!

Today the mail goodness continued!!!  I received my pillow swap package in the mail! 

I cannot believe how well my partner figured me out!  

Not sure if you can see it too well in this photo, but those four flowers in the middle are crocheted, and the back is totally crocheted!

And the color combination is perfect.  Above I photographed the pillow on my window seat in my studio.  Below it is on my deck (but i would NEVER leave this outside)

And here it is on my couch......

Where, oh where shall I display it?  I will probably keep it on my window seat, in my studio, and put it on my couch when guests come over.  I love this pillow so much!

I am trying to finish up my pillow for my partner so I can mail it out on Monday.

I also received four more blocks for my 3.5 inch block swap......

There is a picnic quilt, a watermelon, utensils and a pitcher of lemonade.  The lemonade block was complete with a lemonade recipe!

Here are the blocks I have so far together.  I have 8 more to receive.

These blocks are going to make a really cute quilt!

My pictures today are a bit dull because it was stormy and overcast when I took them, but couldn't wait to show you!

Don't forget this Saturday is the start of the Bead Soup Party reveal!! There are so many jewelry artists participating this round that the group has been split up to show off their creations.  My day is this Saturday.  Come back on Saturday to see my reveal and hop around other jewelry blogs to see what others have created.

See you on Saturday!

Stepping Out of My Color Comfort Zone

Not sure how many of you have noticed, but every piece of jewelry I have created this month has been in blues and greens (maybe with a hint of purple).  So last weekend I had a gift to make and decided to throw in some RED!  This friend has adopted a potcake, and for those of you that don't know......potcakes are the Bahamian mutt.  Like this one here......

That is my potcake Trixi.  Potcakes are smart dogs who are always willing to please.

Here is the necklace I made as a gift.  "Potcake Love"

I am having a great time with the book "Totally Twisted" by Kerry Bogart.  Every jewelry artists need to take a look at this book.  Great techniques and even some tips on color.

This necklace is made up of sterling silver and copper components, as well as copper colored wire (that is non tarnish) and my own flame worked beads.

As I was looking back over my photographs of the jewelry I had made this month, I could not believe that EVERYTHING was blue and green, or some shade close.  So for this necklace I threw in some red to push myself outside of that color comfort zone.

I also have components pulled for two more necklaces.  One color combo is pink and green and the other is red, orange and pink.

Hopefully I will finish those in the next few days, and be back to share those finished pieces with you.