Keeping It Real

Happy Mother's Day to all my favorite moms!
Kelly

Miscellaneous Thursday

Yesterday my guild, Calico Cutters celebrated 25 years! We also held our annual auction and luncheon. Members were invited to a postcard swap. This is mine....I did kind of cheat. I made this block for my friend Terry and oriented it the wrong way and had to make another. So I recycled it into a postcard.

These are the postcards that the members made. Aren't they wonderful? I think everyone enjoyed this challenge.

Once again Christine was the auctioneer and she did a wonderful job.

The ladies on the auction committee do such a good job setting up, they make the tables very pretty and we all have a good time.

Our Quiltini group made a basket for the auction and it brought in $145!!

The hunt for a wedding venue has begun, stay tuned!

I almost forgot about this!!!!!
Hi,
The Beaver Valley Piecemakers is a 100 member guild north of Pittsburgh, PA Our 18th Annual Quilt Show is Oct 12th, 13th, and 14th. Our judge is a National Quilt Association judge. Here is the link to all the show's information. http://www.bvpiecemakers.com/page04.html


Kelly

Diary Quilt Tuesday & Sante Fe

My diary block for this week has to do with my gardens. Saturday I spent the entire day weeding and digging. This is not any particular flower just pretty colors.

Here is a close up of the stitching in the leaves. I like to design it, take everything off the background. Machine quilt the background, add the stems, machine quilt, add the leaves, machine quilt and then last I add the flowers. Somtimes I take a picture but mostly I try to "remember" what it looked like and just go for it.

Here is something I got in Sante Fe. We decided the colors there are so wonderful because everything else is brown and dusty looking. The trees are small and scrubby looking, not many spring flowers to be found.

Here is a close up of the cool tiles depicting Day of the Dead. My one sister in law and I were close to fighting over it as it was the last one in the store. Luckily the store owner found another in the back...

We also went to Taos one day. We went to the Taos Pueblo which is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the US. The Native Americans that live here make their living by opening up their community to tourists and selling wonderful and amazing products that they produce. They get their water from a river that runs next to it and have no electricity.

I bought this from one of the artists. It is called a friendship pot. They sell things right from their houses. Some parts of the community are off limits as not everyone wants to participate. There is a charge for taking pictures.

I really like the uniqueness of it and wanted to support their community. I will be honest and tell you that I felt very uncomfortable there. To think that the only way to support yourself is to let strangers in your house makes me sad. I felt like they tolerated us because they had to...only my feelings.
I found out later 2 other sister in laws felt the same way. One actually was crying she felt so sad. I really can't explain it very well, you had to be there.

The Georgia O'Keefe Museum was somewhat of a surprise, you could have walked right past it if you didn't pay attention. It was wonderful and do go if you ever get the chance.

Ann, Jan, Kate (she's from Idaho so it was warm to her!) and me.

We also did a restaurant tour. It was great fun and the food and wine were delicious!

One of the restaurants served, tuna, a green soup and a cheese tart. Everything was beautifully presented too.

We went to mass at St Francis of Assisi Basilica. Pictures were not allowed but it was so beautiful! Hand painted walls, a baptismal font in the middle church made out of marble, very old and very cool.

The

Folk

Art

Museum was out of this world. Full of color and very cool objects. Go if you can!

We said our good byes at the airport....Ellen, Jan and Kate.

and held hands as we took off and landed.....Ann is a bit timid when it comes to flying.
Overall it is a fabulous place. We would like to go back again, if you get the chance to go do it!

Kelly

Blog Hop Give Away

Today I have a give away from my good friend Cheryl who has a new book out called SEW embellished! The nice thing about this book is there are lots of projects that can be accomplished in a few hours.

There are some great tips in here about how to personalize your piece. How to make buttons, using stamps with polymer clay, how to use thread as a design element, just tons of ideas for making it your own!

Cheryl's instructions are clear and easy to follow. You can turn something from ho-hum into wow with some simple yet dazzling techniques.

Here's a picture of the quilt on the cover. I love the "tweet tweet" that she made with the polymer clay. Such a fun touch. There are also instructions on how to use digital pictures. I am already thinking of wedding or shower gifts using that technique!

Here are all the blogs that are participating, so you have many chances to win a fabulous book that you will use over and over again. Be sure to check them all out.

April 30 Cheryl Lynch http://www.cheryllynchquilts.blogspot.com/

May 7 Kelly Meanix http://www.pinkadotquilts.blogspot.com/

May 14 Bea Lee http://www.beaquilter.blogspot.com/

May 21 Lisa Quintana http://www.michigoose-life-quilts.blogspot.com/

May 28 Margarita http://www.margascrafts.blogspot.com/

June 4 That Patchwork Place http://www.thatpatchworkplace.com/

June 11 SewCalGal http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

June 18 Diane http://www.yarngoddess.wordpress.com/

June 25 Kathy Loomis www.artwithaneedle.blogspot.com/

July 2 Debbie www.debbiesfiberwork.blogspot.com

July 9 Karen Musgrave http://www.connectionsbykaren.blogspot.com/

July 16 Cheryl Sleboda http://www.blog.muppin.com/

To enter my give away, leave me a comment on why you would like to win and become a follower if you aren't already. International comments are also welcome, I will send this book anywhere!!! I will pick a name next Monday, May 14th. Good luck!
PLEASE BE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS INCLUDED IN  THE COMMENT OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WIN!

Kelly

Diary Quilt Tuesday On Sunday



Our Lady of Guadalupe

My diary block for this past week is heavily influenced by my trip to Sante Fe. The art there is so colorful and a lot of it is rooted in religious subject matter, which I love! Mary is surrounded by  silver milagros which means miracles.

This was a little tiny thing I bought that was my inspiration. It is handmade and signed my the artist. It is about 1 1/2" x 2".
When you open it this is what is inside....

The little figures are made out of clay and handpainted. There is a lot of detail in this little piece.

I very much enjoyed all the colors of Sante Fe!

Kelly

Keeping It Real

Okay so I told a little fib yesterday.....the day got away from me and no post today. Tomorrow, tomorrow.........

Kelly

There's No Place Like Home

I am way over due for a post about my awesome trip to Sante Fe. Tomorrow I promise some pictures, my diary block and my opinion of New Mexico.



Colin

 Part of the reason why I have not posted is because my son, Colin needed a ride to start a new adventure! He is hiking the Appalacian Trail!




Maddy, Elliot and Colin

 My partners in crime, Maddy and Elliot kept me company on the long drive.

He got some hugs and kisses from the munchkins..............

..............and then he was off on his adventure. My friend, Terry has also hiked the AT. It is only because she has told me stories about how wonderful it is that I did not feel a little scared dropping him off, in the middle of nowhere. He is having an awesome time. His wife is picking him up Sunday. So far he has hiked about 25 miles in 2 days.

Kelly