Abstract Art Quilts on Etsy

And a big BOO to you.....Mr. Pumpkin Boo Man is the official greeter at the back entry.

And, other things I can check off my list. I was so excited to have the time the other day to complete an art quilt - This one immediately became a neighborhood so I named it "An Architect's Dream". I heard the other huMAN in the house mumble something that sounded like "Neighborhood Blight." I hate it when I have to explain my abstract art quilts to a non-listener!

24" x 24"

Well, not to be outdone and still with plenty of orange and red and black and white fabric in hand, I made an even larger version of my favorite little neighborhood. With all this construction going on, it too became An Architect's Dream - #2 of course.

33" x 33"

Happy weekend.

Two more quilts in my Etsy Shop

I loved this color combo - rich and rustic and a real charmer to snuggle under.


And this little aqua and orange toddler size.



I can't decide if I'm wound up or winding down or on rewind!!

Mini Baskets

Mini Baskets
Originally uploaded by cornerstonelae

I found these on Flickr which led me to the Cornerstone Design Etsy Shop. You really need to go see.....
I love these mini baskets....AND can relate to the pain of making these little minis.


Post script - I didn't make these little mini bowls but certainly hope to add some of these to my project list. The instructions can be found on the American Sews site. They are made using cotton cording that is covered with strips of fabric, then zigzagged together. I've seen purses made with the covered cording also. A great look.

Seeing my little fabric nesting boxes increase in numbers was much, much fun - but very tedious! I obviously loved the process, since I have made three sets to date - and I'm probably not finished!
As THEY say, LOL!!

Set of fabric nesting boxes made with red check fabric....the smallest starts at 1" diameter and goes up to almost 3". Just add 1/4" increment to the next size until you get tired or run out of fabric!! I think these are the perfect "tooth fairy" boxes.

Roaming the 'Hood

Just to let you know I'm out - just roaming the 'hood - a fabric art card



Marty's Fiber Musings

Child's Quilt

A child's quilt - The Chinese Coin quilt pattern in little girl pinks and purples with lots of crisp white. Marty's Fiber Musings

Child's Quilt

A child's quilt - Pink and Purple in the Chinese coin pattern. Lots of crisp white punches out the baby girl colors. Marty's Fiber Musings

Focus and Get It Done

One of my goals today was to stay focused on my Etsy Shop. Two in the art quilt series "Butterflies Are Free" #1 and #2 were added today. I've given myself a big hug and a pat on the back!!





Also added two of my art quilts in the "Studies in Mustard" series -

"Windows"



"Hold The Mustard, Please"



Here's hoping I can continue to be focused and get items listed in time for those holiday shoppers!

Warm at Home

As I retired last night, I set a goal to get up early and get a new post on my site in explanation of where I've been this week. Well, it's now 8 a.m.- late morning to me! Getting up early is no problem (been up since 6 a.m.), but getting focused on my goals has not been easy lately. I think this is called "Too many irons in the fire." And, speaking of fires....

We had a very cool, clear night a couple of days ago. Dearest built our first fire of the season in our outdoor fireplace ??!



And, I snuggle in my favorite flannel quilt.



Was a very peaceful view as the sun began to set over the big oak tree.


A little deeper into the evening...as we lingered outdoors



Trying to give the abandoned outdoor cats - now ours - some warmth was not a success.

Big yellow cat is really giving it his best shot at fitting into the new box-bed.


Okay, now let's give it a go from another angle....Hey folks, this is still not working!


Quit your grumbling out there....the big papa of the house is off to Walmart to see if there is any cat furniture out there that will fit you!!

A Purse for All Seasons

Today's the day to make more purses -
I made the pumpkin and curly swirls purse earlier in the fall

but found this great red crawfish fabric and decided to put it into a purse. Crawfish - it's a Louisiana thing! They are 10" x 13"...or 18" including strap.

The longer handle slides into the shorter one to form the wrist strap.


If you have an interest in any of my fun purses, just go to my profile page and email me. These are for sale - $35 each. Thinking holiday gifts - buy early!!

Park City Girl Quilt Festival Fall '09

I've been browsing through the quilts entered by hundreds of quilters in Park City Girl's Quilt Festival Fall '09. What a great way to have a quilt display right at your fingertips. Thanks, Amy...this has been a treat!

Take a look at this great quilt designed and appliqued by Kay Mackenzie over at All About Applique.

"Shopping Bags".... I love it.




As I said, there are hundreds of entrants showcasing some real beauties. This may take me a long time!

Original Art Put into Quilt Tops

It's been a whirlwind week - Monday was a holiday - the postman came Tuesday and dropped these packages off just in the nick of time




for me to get these two custom order quilt tops made today - I needed the red fabric to finish this one.


Here is the closeup of Callie

and the coquettish little Collette

and Eugenia (she's the bossy one)


and the bubble jet set to print the fabric sheets....The Pretty Ladies are surrounded by red and brown in this one.



I deliver both of these tomorrow.

Natchitoches, Louisiana Tour of Homes

What a fun weekend....we drove down to Natchitoches for the candlelight tour of homes Friday night and the town tour Saturday. They also had the country tour, but we had visited several of the plantations a couple of years ago so passed on that offer.

The Levy-East House had its doors opened to us. Judy and Avery opened their bed and breakfast in 1994 and we have been annual visitors ever since. It is so beautiful as are the hosts.

Judy and I at the front of the Levy-East House Bed and Breakfast

The back view of Judy and Avery's home is as spectacular as the front.

Check out the vintage Porche in the two-car garage! This building is also original to the property and was probably used a carriage house.

Judy is helping a guest find her way to one of the plantations on tour.
And here she is after readying the table for our morning fare.

My personal favorite of all the homes on tour - The Scott-Corner House. We were told it was a little nothing one story that was moved and raised on this corner. The current owners have done a most spectacular remodel, leaving most of the original structure intact.


And while the Poete Laureate House was not on tour, it continues to be one of my all-time favorites in Natchitoches. It has been sold since we had a chance to meet the owner who took us on a personal tour of her home and underground cellar.


What a joyous time we had visiting our long-time friends. But you know....there's still no place like home.

Shop Local - That's Debatable!

I've decided that local merchants must be making too much money! Now, how did I arrive at this conclusion? This happened yesterday...I debated for almost 24 hours whether or not to air my thoughts.

I had occasion to shop a couple of weeks ago at a quilt shop about 60 miles from home. It's a sole proprietorship - the kind I like to support. To say I loved the fabric in her shop is an understatement - left her with over $200. (That's a pretty substantial amount out of my little pocketbook!!) But, back to my story....I wanted more of one of the fabrics I purchased, so Wednesday morning, gave her a call with the fabric color, description, designer name and manufacturer. In other words, I read her every detail on the selvage to recognize the fabric. She said she had one fabric that met that description so if I would send her a clip of the fabric I wanted, she would see if she had it!! Now, let me digress, her little shop was one room, I'm guessing perhaps 1000 square feet. If she were standing in her shop, scanning the fabric, couldn't she go see? I gave her the benefit of the doubt and suggested that if she had a customer, she could check later and give me a call back. I got a negative on this suggestion (she had to have the clip of fabric in hand to match). I was just there less than two weeks ago! It's a little country fabric store....a little building about 50' from her home. What are the odds that a bolt of fabric is sold out in two weeks?? What are the odds that she didn't immediately recognize the fabric I was coveting more of??



I really need this fabric, so headed to my trustworthy, congenial, eager to help computer and voila....found my fabric at Over The Rainbow Fabric. No...not end of story....when I opened my email this morning, Laura had let me know that she appreciated my order...that it was in the mail....and that I had been reimbursed $5 on the postage! I got the sincere feeling that she liked my money - obviously more than the local merchant.

Our local economy is not thriving! Shops are scaling back on employees and inventory. Shops are going out of business. But not the little fabric store 60 miles away. She's making way too much money - she doesn't have to help her customers. She obviously doesn't want her customers to re-visit her shop or drop their cash there. Shopping local may not always be the best policy!

I can now wait on the postman with a clear conscience about online shopping. Hey, thanks for listening...now that my rant is over, I'll be able to hum and skip through the remainder of my day.

Hugs......Marty

Patch Andi Anniversary Giveaway

Patch Andi is having a blog anniversary giveaway. And, what a great prize it is.




I can hardly wait 'til Monday, October 12....that's when she'll be doing the drawing for the prize winner.

Antique Alley

I've set up another shop - just for three months - it's local.

Antique Alley is a well-known haunt to locals. A friend and I decided to open a space in the old movie theatre - The Rialto - in West Monroe. The Rialto Antique Market is filled to the brim - both upstairs and downstairs. And it has a most delightful sandwich shop upstairs to give a fatigued shopper a break.

Friend Karla collects those georgeous antique Singer Featherweight sewing machines and needs to sell some to collect more! Go figure?? And, I need to sell some quilts to afford more fabric to make more quilts. You know the driving force.

We've named our shop "Stitches". "Stitches" will be open October, November and December, so if you are in the North Louisiana area, drop in and visit our shop and all of the shops on Antique Alley in downtown West Monroe.

Kathy's Fun Fall Giveaway

Well, guess who's having a GIVEAWAY...yes, it's Kathy over at her Fancy Stitching News blog spot. Kathy is one fabulous long arm machine quilter. And, her quilting has earned her several BIG prizes. But anyway she's taking a few days off, but promies a giveaway when she returns back to the deep south in a couple of weeks. I want to win, but I shall not be greedy. I'd like you to win too. Go add your comment to her blog to get in the drawing. And, do as I'm doing and pass the word. As Kathy says, the more the merrier!

Two is Better than One

I'm toe tapping TWO the beat.

The ants are not marching one by one.....it's TWO by TWO.....and the ants go marching on.....with me right behind.



I've found myself doing things in twos lately. If I love it, I make another. If I had fun making it, I make another just for the joy of it. If I need practice making something to get it just right...well, you guessed it, I make more. If I sell something, I'm thinking I can sell two. And in dream land, perhaps three or four.

No, my twos are not identical. I prefer making one-of-a-kind. The second is like the first - just different.

Here is Callie - one of my thread painted "Pretty Ladies in Smart Hats" with the first batik border.

And now with the second border added. Still need to get this one quilted up and binding attached.

But before I could get to that, I decided she was such a little beauty, I would print her image out again and make another art quilt. It's the same, with the first border sewn on a little less cattywhompas than the first. I sure hope I don't have to define cattywhompas to you!!


And, I loved the chartreuse pin so much, I went back for more material -
- this time in red to tickle my fancy.


Then there were two mini quilts....


then two more.





And then the kid's purses. I first made my 6 year old niece, Maysen-Grace, a birthday purse.


Then, spotted this fabric in my stash..


And then, there was six.....am I obsessive? or what??

If you want to sing along, just raise your hand.