Organic Flowers In Lucas Texas- Finally have a name

Shortly after moving into our house, Drew and I found some seed packages on clearance and picked them up.

We have been taking photos of the wild flowers growing in our flower beds. They were from a wildflower "mix". Yesterday the Wildseed Farms catalog Arrived- sure enough all our flowers were in there.

Ladybird Dwarf Gold
Cosmos Psycho White






Split Complementary Strata

My first try using Marilyn Dohney's tool.
Going to use it for postcards.

Favorite technique postcards

Favorite Technique postcards for Postmarked Art Round 9

I made about 20 of these postcards during a retreat in the spring. These were from an article in a magazine where you make an art quilt by layering 3-4 fabrics and then cut away at the layers to reveal what is under. It was a lot of fun. I made quite a large piece then cut it down to make a few book pages and series of postcards. Would recommend using a few layers of tulle or other fiber to add some interest.

Linda Poole Houston Quilt Show

Telling your story with quilts. Sorts like journal quilts but larger
and more detail on each quilt about the quilter. Uses novelty fabrics
to tell story.

Esteria Austin Dimensional Effects on Quilts

Esteria Austin Teaching Houston Quilt Show

Esteria Austin at Houston Quilt Show

Atc trade Houston Quilt Show

The cards have been amazing again this year! Will post photos of the
ones I traded for soon.

Houston quilt show line

Lined up for over an hour around convention center for opening.

Quilters Trading Cards

Made to trade in Houston at International Quilt Festival

Thread Painted Poatcards

Lovejoy ISD- PTA and PTSA Reflections Program 2009

As a mother of three children in the Lovejoy ISD, a member of the PTA and PTSA and a fiber artist. I am so wicked excited about this years reflection program.

The theme is-"Beauty Is..."

Last year Drew's and Maddie's pieces were chosen to be on exhibit at the Wylie high school. We always encourage the kids to participate in the PTA's reflections program. Our kids are mostly involved in visual arts, but the reflections program also has categories for Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Musical Composition, and Photography.

You can read about Texas PTA's reflection programs on their website http://www.txpta.org/programs/reflections . It is a really wonderful program to encourage kids to participate in the arts.

Hart Elementary and Lovejoy High School Deadline is November 2, 2009. Will be sure to post photos of what the kids make this year if they bring them home first.

Name badge holder pattern

I received and email this mornining asking for a pattern for the badge holder to make to wear to Houston Quilt Show. This is the one I made last year from left over fabrics from a Frieda Anderson workshop (love her btw). It was super easy and has held up well. I made mine larger because I wanted to carry a small note book can be made any size.

They are super easy!!! you are basically making a long quilted piece and folding the top down enough to make a "flap" hold your badge and funky pins and from the bottom up for the pocket to hold all your goodies.

Start with two pieces of fabric mine were about 25-27" long depending on how large you want the pouch to be to hold stuff- small notes etc..

Make a quilt sandwich (with very light batting- just for support) quilt layers.

Decide which side you want showing and which will be the liner.

Choose one end of the side you want showing to be the "top" of the case. Place a plastic badge holder and pin. approx 1" from the bottom. stitch an old plastic badge older piece around three sides leaving the top. (we all have tons of the plastic badge holders- I find they are easier to work with then the sheets of plastic you can buy at Joann's- but either will work.)

This will make the top of the "badge holder" make sure you leave enough space above the holder for pins and stuff.

Then fold the top part over to see where you like it to have room for the badge and extra on the top and press so you have a nice line.

Fold the bottom up to that top line this makes the pocket- you can sew your neck band into either those sides as you stitch them up or under the top fold where the the badge is- either works I have done both.

I like the funky look so I edge stitched mine closed so it was showing- but if you like more of a finished look when you fold the bottom to the top fold place the quilted fabric so you are sewing "inside" the back then you can turn it right sides out.

Can't wait for Houston...only about a week away now!!!!

YAYYYY
Allison

Charming Randy Art Quilt


"Charming Randy" by Allison Ray

I took a photo of Randy during the twins 7th birthday party in September. I just loved the playful expression on his face. This quilt is part of the color and composition study series. It is a vertical composition with analogous color scheme (blue-green, blue, violet & red-voiolet)


original photo of Randy

Aged Jewel Art Quilt


Just finished this last night. "Aged Jewel"

The inspiration for this art quilt was from a photo that I took in DC over the summer. (My
sister Mara, was VERY patient as I stopped to take a million photos.) When we went into DC to visit some art galleries and museums this tree was set back off the path between the National Art Gallery and Smithsonian Institute (the original building that was once and artist in residence). The tree is small in stature, I got up close to see if I could get come of the definition in the limbs. Not sure the type of tree it looked like one of those bonsai trees but that's probably not was it is.

Aged Jewel is part of my color and composition studies this tree was created in vertical composition with complimentary color scheme. I fell in love with the fabrics used in this piece! The hand is soft like silk, however the visual texture of the fabric is a rough tweed. From the Robert Kaufman Quilter's Tweed Screen Print Collection.
Original photo I took with IPhone in DC.