Shades of Blue Studio

Happy Holidays to all. Wishing you a safe and healthy New Year!

I'm back! Hopefully for good :) been dealing with yet another sinus issue. It really has been my downfall this year. The studio has still been buzzing, just not as loud. A new year is RIGHT around the corner and I am confident good things will happen!  Me and my daughter are playing catch up on our Quilt Of The Month blocks but I will post pictures as soon as they are done. The building that my studio is located in (also the home of several other artist studios) hosts a Christmas show each December a lot goes on that night, huge crowds, art for sale, open studios, gallery exhibits, food and beverages and live entertainment. They also have an after hours party....but I have never been able to stay up that late for it! Here is a glimpse of the outside of my studio. Oxygen Blues  This piece I have hanging on my studio door. It is a mixed media piece consisting of wool, fibers and beading. This is my first project that I incorporated needle felting into. I have to say that I reall

I ordered this TODAY!  The machine not the dog, but wouldn't it be wonderful if it came with it! I just decided to DO IT and I am so excited about getting The Horizon into my studio. The store was out of stock so it had to be ordered but hopefully I will have it  by the end of this week! I think a studio make over is in order before it's arrival.

I had a great time at the quilt show this was the first time ever going to this particular show and it was fantastic. So many wonderful quilts on display the whole experience was so inspiring. The vender booths were marvelous I walked away with lots of goodies that day! My favorite sewing machine store had a booth there and had the Janome Horizon set up. I got to take another look at it and play around with it for awhile ( I really want this machine) they had a special "quilt show price" so I left the show pondering the idea of getting this machine. I don't know about anyone else out there, but I get so excited and inspired when I see art that others have created that it makes me want to rush to the studio and get busy. I was on a "quilt high" for the rest of the day. Below are some beautiful quilts that were on display that caught my eye and I snapped pictures of them. I realize now it would have been a good idea to also snap a picture of the card that contains

 Sand & Sea  Evening Mist Last night in the studio we completed the second block in our Quilt of the Month Club. This block was a little bit of trouble for me. First off I cut my fabric WRONG so where it is dark paisley, it should be the solid tan print and vice versa. I am not the type of person to run back to the quilt store and purchase more fabric to do it right. Is there really a right and a wrong way? I am sure if I had cut the fabric correctly the block would have been prettier. It is not an attractive block, color wise I mean. I think all of the mismatched points add charm, plus I didn't want to rip out, if I can get away without doing that I will. I am not a perfectionist by any means. My eyes and mind find beauty in the "not so perfect". My daughter on the other hand HAD to rip out one of her units was about half and inch off, the easiest save was just to pick up that seam ripper and rip away! I told her it was excellent experience, nobody lik

Sand & Sea  Evening Mist I decided that enrolling in a Block of the Month Club would be a good hands on way for my teenage daughter to learn the skills needs for traditional quilting. She has created a couple of wall hanging in the past using free style sewing so she is not new to the machine. We had two color themes to choose from, Evening Mist and Sea and Sand. Evening Mist being darker colors and Sea and Sand having blues and browns. I let her decide which she wanted to do, I figured since purple was her favorite color she would pick the darker colors and I would get the blue that I love.......WRONG she said dark colors are depressing. So we left the quilt shop toting our plastic bags with our material and instructions inside of them. I have to say I am impressed. She worked on her block until it was completed and it looks wonderful, she had no problem at all sewing an accurate 1/4 inch and didn't have to rip anything out! Me on the other hand have been sewing for

An almost completed rag tote. I took a long blog break, NOT planned. Been out of it for months with a horrid sinus infection. Anyone who has sinus problems and asthma knows what I am talking about. It can really just knock you right off your rocker! So I am officially declaring myself on the path to recovery. Traditional medicine along with supplements, herbs and essential oils have been a daily thing for me the last 4 months. My creativity level was at an all time LOW. Not to say I still didn't create, most of it was not having the energy to do as much as I would have liked too. The studio is beginning to come alive again, as I am too and that is a GREAT feeling!

I have been trying my hardest to avoid the sewing machine store because I just know that I will want the Janome Horizon 7700. Well I went to a jewelry store that was having a pandora event (why doesn't Pandora have a sewing machine or spool of thread or more artsy charms?) and what do you know....the store was in the complex that is home to my favorite sewing machine shop. I HAD to stop...I HAD TO. I walked in an my eyes were immediately drawn to the beauty of the red Horizon. I was hoping that the demonstration would not be as good as it was, I know that sounds terrible, I didn't want to WANT this machine. However I do want it. The only thing that probably saved me from taking it home was when I walked into the shop there were only 20 minuets left till closing time. The machine is $3000.00 which to me is "steep" however, if I traded my beloved 4800qc in it would bring it down to $2199.00 plus tax of course. I have been thinking about this for several days. Thinking a

Let's talk a little bit about thread. I have never used cheap thread in my machine because of all the horror stories I have heard, they literally scared me into digging a little deeper in my pocket. Now I am not saying that I never fell for the Joanne fabric "so many spools for a buck or two offer" but I would never put that in my machine. Used it for securing buttons, bunny whiskers etc.......I am not claiming to be a thread expert but I have had great results with Coats and Clark Star cotton thread. I use this to piece my quilts, sew handbags and totes. I have since come across a thread that is similar and I am loving it even more, the price is cheaper and the quality to me is good, though remember I am not an expert. I am sure there is probably a whole other world out there of thread I do not know about. Anyways.... http://www.connectingthreads.com/ is a wonderful site to buy supplies, this is where I came across this thread. It is called Essential PRO you can buy it

 I have a bunny to thank for my love of sewing. We were at a family gathering and I saw this bunny doll fully clothed sitting on a bench I was instantly 'in love" I needed to know more. I was told that it was handmade from a pattern that I could buy at Jo-Ann fabrics. The next day I loaded all the kids in the van and headed to the fabric store! I bought the pattern and my mother in law bought me a Sears sewing machine (rest in peace) with the exception that I make her a bunny. How could I say no? She got the first bunny, boy was he a mess! One leg was on backwards, one arm was inside out, he had a crooked face and one ear was shorter than the other, but I LOVED him. It was hard to hand him over. If I can remember correctly everyone got a well dressed bunny doll that year for Christmas. I am not bragging but I got really good at making them. I also made 4 colorful bunnies for each one of my children then put their favorite baby outfit on them. I was hooked on sewing! I sewed cr

Starting something new can be very exciting yet at the same time terrifying. Welcome to my blog.