Basket Weaving Fun!

This weekend we had some quality time with a couple of our favorite people.

We skied at Mount Sunapee... 

then relaxed at our 'home away from home' for an evening of delicious food, wonderful music and creative crafting fun!

Once the sun set...

And the boys finish their 'job' of cleaning up the new snow...

The guys jammed...

 While the girls crafted!

 

 And the finished products...

Happy Girls!

Got the idea from Atkinson Design - Woven Fabric Basket.

René's Birthday Pillow :)

For my friend's recent birthday I was invited, along with a wonderful group of girlfriends, to an extended sewing retreat!  What a blast we had!

As a thank you I invited all the girls to sign a piece of fabric that I would incorporate into a memory pillow.  I was able to get 4 of the 6 signatures before I assembled the pillow.

The pressure was on for to last 2 ladies as they only had one shot at getting it right!!

I added a label to the center with René favorite - a seashell - along with the date and location. 

Then the pressure came back to me to quilt the pillow, with all the signatures - one shot but it came out OK. 

Here's the finished pillow - René took the picture herself on her bed at the retreat!

What is the last thing you made as a gift?
Thanks for stopping by and Enjoy your day!
Marie


Linking up WIP Wednseday with Leah over at FreshlyPieced
Stop by to see all the wonderfully creative going-ons

WIP Wednesday!!

It's been a great couple of weeks!!

First the quilt show are fantastic!

Terry took this picture of me outside the quilt show.  

She also took pictures of all the quilts and has posted some of the pictures on her blog: here. 

Over 115 quilts all made by my friends from the 

Souhegan Valley Quilters Guild!

Very impressive!

I recently joined the Boston Modern Quilt Guild which is very exciting for me as I am looking to Reach out in my sewing in a new way!  

Well... this past Friday some of my friends and I went to the BMQG & Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild presentation of Victoria Findlay Wolfe of 15 Minutes of Play blog & book, and Bumble Beans Inc.

Victoria was kind enough to pose with us for a picture!  

If you ever have a chance to see her in person - DO!  

She gave a wonderful presentation of her quilt history through sharing her beautiful quilts! 

Victoria posted this YouTube taped at the presentation!

Do you hear the energy in her voice? 

Her  whole presentation has that same energy!!

We all walked away very inspired by Victoria and Lisa T. issued our group a challenge:

Make a DWR quilt - 1 to 4 blocks - anything goes!  

Due January 23, 2014!!  

I can't wait to get started on this and to see what everyone comes up with!!

For my WIP this week...

I joined Quilting Gallery's Fall-Inspired Mug Rugs Swap

and if you are looking for a way to reach out to other creative quilters this is a great group to check out!  I have been in several of the swaps now and am always impressed with my partners and the quilts I have received!

This swap paired me up with  

Giorgia Marcato from Italy!  

Luckily her English is good as my Italian is non-existent!!

Turns out the Giorgia is an amazing artist who recently had an exposition of her quilts!  WOW!!  

Here is a tiny sneak peek at one of the mug rugs I am sending her way...

This one is really a mini art quilt! Love how it turned out... 

I'll share the finished Mug Rugs once Giorgia has received them!!

   For lots of exciting creations visit:

So what are you currently up to???

Happy creating! Marie

 

Little Piece of Lo :)

I won!! 

It is so exciting because I REALLY wanted to!!
 

Here's my new treasure hanging in it's new home!!

Happy Happy Rie!!

Missin ya my Bestie Lo! xox

WIP Wednesday #19

Haven't been keeping up with this blog very well but here's some of what I have been up to...

I was invited to a Birthday quilting retreat for a wonderful friend of mine.  We were a group of six and spent 4 nights in Rockport, MA and had a FABULOUS TIME!!  It was so much fun spending time with friends :)  One fun thing we did was to distribute fabric to all the guests and had them make blocks for the guest of honor.  Quite a few were made but this is the only picture I have. At least you can see the colors!

 I made a D9P quilt as a table top for my Mom's birthday present.  Thought it was time for some bright spring colors!

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I also used this project to practice my Stippling for Leah Day's Quilt-A-Long.

I've also been working on my next fiber art challenge piece for the Creative Conglomeration!  Excited about this piece! The theme is yellow, with a small amount of purple.  Size 15"x15" and due next Tuesday!  No pictures yet but just imagine....  

Sunshine through a 'cathedral window'....  Pictures next week!

I'll post a picture of all the blocks we made for the birthday girl when I catch up with it.

Smiles, Marie

Completed Projects:
Table top Quilt for Mom

New Projects:
Table top Quilt for Mom
Creative Conglomeration #3 - Yellow with purple

Ongoing Projects: Worked on this week: also see no progress
2012 weekly - year long - FMQ Free Motion Quilting Projects - Plan to spend a lot of time practicing FMQ in 2012!
Leah Day's - Quilt Along - weekly quilting - Wednesday LinkUp http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

2012 monthly - year long - FMQ Free Motion Quilting Projects - include donated amounts - shows one person CAN make a difference!!!
SewCalGal's - Free Motion Quilting Challenge http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/free-motion-quilt-challenge.html
4 Patch 4 Hope - 72 4-patch blocks (January&March 2012)
Valor Quilt Bee - (April owe 4 to date)

(new group - plan to hit these with the 2 -FMQ projects I have joined!!)
UFO - 'T's  (UnFinished Objects - Tops!!! - AKA To Be Quilted!!!)
Snowman Quilt - top together awaiting borders, quilting, and binding 8/17/11
Boat Log Cabin Quilt 8/17/11 - took pictures - hanging in sewing area
Blueberry Conversion Quilt - Ricky Tim's Style
Jelly Roll 1600 quilt! - completed top :)  Although rethinking.....

No progress:
Mason's graduation quilt - restart!! - Take 2!
Batik Log Cabin couch quilt - Blues - top completeCamp Bed Quilt - Free Motion / Crazy Quilt Part 3 of 30 (sorry - no photos yet-will follow  :)
Couch Quilt - formerly Mason's graduation quilt-see take 2!!
Eric's Browning Quilt (Christmas present 2010!!!)- still! hand sewing binding :)
Berry Bliss Twin Quilt 2of2 played with several designs... still deciding pattern 8/17/11 (got some fat quarters for this!)
Row Robin Sampler Quilt! have 5 strips of four blocks each... MoVeD the rows around... Still Thinkin...  8/24/11
Sunflower Glacier Star -Completed June's block - 4  behind now! progress!!! 9/4/11  
SVQG - Mystery Quilt - Received instructions completed month 1
Two baby quilts! - pinks using D4P design - still piecing blocks...
Door quilt for camp

This week’s stats:
New projects – 2
Completed projects –1
Currently in progress –16

Our new Fiber Artist Challenge Group

My good friend, Lois and I are spear heading a new fiber art challenge group. 

It's called the "Creative Conglomeration" and seven of us located in Southern New Hampshire are embarking on this creative adventure together.  

I look forward to all this incredible talent that will surround me and inspire me to grow!!!  Lots more information to follow!  Stay tuned  :)