overtime = new sewing machine...

One benefit of working overtime is saving a bit of the extra pay and buying a new sewing machine which by the way was in the nick of time... my Viking #1+ died... I went back to owning a ta-dah....

I owned a Pfaff years ago and have gone back to this brand...

I even made the extension table for my machine.

I am so excited about sewing again... I finished a shirt I started over a year ago, cut out a new one which is process and have a few other pieces of clothing I am going to make. After I am done with some garment sewing it is going to be time to quilt! I have a lot of projects that are in the piecing stage and a lot of quilt tops to finish. 

Hi Ho off to work I go... thanks for stopping by and looking.

work, travel.... gone...

It seems like for me at least at the beginning of the year things are exceptionally crazy with my job. The holidays came and went and I also was home and gone to Denver, CO and home and gone to Tulsa, OK and working an amount of hours that have made me want to sleep for a month. But forget that stuff... I have done a few creative things....

Made the layout way better than it was before.

 I think if I had an Ikea close by I could of done way more.

 You have to love what you can get at local stores to make a new table.

 I made a "Merry Christmas" banner 

(I cannot find the picture of the finished banner)

Banner in progress....

I had painted this piece of fabric a while back 

and decided to make some bags out of it....

The finished bag.....

And then I broke my finger... trying to start my snowmobile.... 

I am still wearing a splint but it's a bit smaller but of course

 it is my right hand and I am right handed.

Well thanks for stopping by.... more post to come but have to head to work.

Have a great day!

I am a finalist....

I am so excited... I finished my mini journal quilt...

and I entered in the reader challenge that is in the current Quilting Arts magazine called "Tag You're It" and I am a finalist! It was announced on their blog Quilting Daily. I can't believe it, I am so excited. A couple of years ago now I signed up for Creative Everyday and it actually happened to be the November and the them was Art Everyday Month in 2009 and that is what got me out of my creative slump and started being creative again. And as I participate in Creative Everyday and slowing travel my journey with The Artist Way I am gaining my confidence in what I am doing and being an Artist. A couple of years ago I was not able to say that.  I am glad I discovered blogging from reading Kelly Rae Roberts book Taking Flight and finding all the cool blogs I have gone to, follow and thank you to all that follow my blog.  It is a great community!

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful day!
Karen

the quilt is finished....

The finished product.

Now I am working on cleaning up and out my "sewing room" starting with organizing my fabric stash...

and then there are quilt tops to be finished....

The quilt was delivered to my sister-in-law on Tuesday and she loved it.  I am so glad that she liked it. I finished it at 1:00am that same day.  I had so many obstacles to getting it done this weekend (I need to go back a few chapters in my Artist Way and read again). Now I am tackling my sewing room; We had to replace our water heater and the power supply for the water heater is behind a wall in my sewing room closet so, I had to take everything out on one side.  My Mom's neighborhood is having a garage sale so I thought it was time to go through stuff to get rid of it.  I have decided I am a fabric hoarder (don't tell my husband) and I cannot part with any of it because I might need it some day. Next are quilting books, I know I have some of those I am going to part with.... I will have to take a picture of the shelf now as they are full. 

I am taking tomorrow off of work so today is my "Friday" yippee! Have a great day and thanks for looking!

Karen

 

progress on one journal page, cleaning out a cupboard and beautiful skies...

I have been working on my newest journal page which is turning out to be a quilt, a small one....

I changed one of the elements on the side, same words but
written on different material, I have also sandwiched it together
and  I am making it a mini journal quilted page.

I have been quilting it with embroidery thread....

I do like experimenting with different materials/mediums. I originally was going to incorporate this into a cover for my iPad but, I decided to turn it into a quilt... still working on it. The other weekend I decided to clean out my cupboard where I store all my plastic containers, yup it was a mess and yup I had more lids that bottoms...

to the recycle bin they went....

On Monday we had some more clouds and rain (we have had a lot of rain for where we live), and I just love to take pictures of the sky....

The sky is so beautiful, and I have so many pictures of the sky and clouds... so day I am going to have to print some up and hang in my house. I am hoping to start a new tangle this coming week along with cleaning out my sewing room closet (ha ha). So it is time to head off to bed...  thanks for looking and have a wonderful day tomorrow!

Karen

Stuck in a vacuum called work...

Work has sucked me up again and I am fighting to gain control and not work any overtime.... it cuts into my time and this weekend and some of last week I did get to work on some projects along with planting some new bulbs. I took my latest tangle that i posted about here and printed it on Lutradur...

and then I scan in one of my papers I have painted and printed it on Lutradur...

and then I started playing around a bit.... (need to learn to take better pictures sorry)

I know the product has been out for sometime and I purchased my packet a month or so ago and finally tried it out.  It is fun to play around with. I never know what direction I will go with this but, (I just remembered I think I left my paint brushes in water from the other day whoops) I am having fun with it. I have also been putting the quilt together for my sister-in-law, half way there. 

Well, I better go take care of my brushes, it's not so good to do what I just did.  Thanks for looking!

Karen

started a new quilt....

This weekend I spent some time in the beginning of the day working on a new quilt...

This quilt is for my sister-in-law who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her favorite color is purple and blue. I am making a quilt that as you are piecing you are quilting it at the same time...

I laid out a few of the blocks that I put together....

It is a fairly simple design to make. Reversible Quilts by Sharon Pederson is the book the instructions come from. I have actually done some free motion quilting in the triangle... I will have to take a picture of it. The quilt will be assembled by a sashing. I have made a couple of smaller things using this method. I am trying to get it done by the end of the month. The other thing I did this weekend was teach my friend from work how to use her sewing machine. Her husband gave it to her for Christmas and she has been afraid to try.... now she is not so afraid of it. It was fun, will have to show her more.

Thanks for looking...

Karen

journaling...

All was forgotten about cleaning the attic...

my daughter and I went to some thrift stores

my journal page in progress

using my ruling pen

 

 

finished with the ruling pen

my next page to work on...

my cat scooter

looking out the window wondering if it is going to be gray all day long....

I am so glad I had a chance to finish my journal page... reflections. Even though I am craving to see the sun the weather does make it easier to stay inside and be creative. I tried to show how to use a ruling pen. I have a book, Acrylic Revolution by Nancy Reyner and that is were I learned about the ruling pen. My first try with ink not so good but with paint much better.  The book has all kinds of techniques in it. I have tried a few so far. I also picked out some fabrics to make a quilt for my sister-in-law. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will soon start chemo, she lives in another state so when my husband goes to see her in May I will have it finished. I am going to quilt it as I go using a technique from the book Reversible Quilts by Sharon Pederson. I have done a few things out of this book, it's fun.

Well better head off to work now.  Thanks for looking!
Karen