ANOTHER JACKET!  this one belongs to my granddaughter Lauren, age 5, and she’s modeling it for you. Hers is all about bunnies ….plus pink polka-dots on the bottom as she loves pink too

I sprinkled tiny buttons here and there…and used raw-edge applique to stitch a bunny family on the back. The back of the jacket is a great place to show off a large applique.    Besides….then they look fabulous coming and going!

OK…..I wish I had the magic answer of how we can do all the things we want to do…and still be serene and stress-free! I don’t have that answer…..unfortunately. For me there is always a constant balancing act going on to acomplish the things, both personal and professional, that I need to do.

 I’ve found it a great advantage to train myself to need a little less sleep! Seriously…I’ve learned to do that. Those late night hours are very productive for me. No phone calls, no business emails…just quiet in my studio which is a very productive time. . I’ve heard other people say they get up early in the morning for that peaceful time.

I have the challenge of two balancing acts in my career…the first is balancing my family life with my career. I have four grandchildren …and I really do put them first. This means I have to put in some late night hours to make up for the time I took off during the day to play….but it’s worth it. I’m not willing or comfortable giving up time with my family or letting career responsiblities slip by….therefore; the late nights! Works for me!

 I also balance the time I spend between designing for books, patterns, and teaching….and time I spend on creating art quilts. This can be a challenge. I need to devote time to both to feel really good about where I’m going. Sometimes I wish I didn’t love to do it all! When I don’t budget my time well so I can work on both ….I can really feel the stress setting in.

 Here’s another lifesaver for me…..I have learned to trust the help of excellent people to get the job done. I have a fabulous seamstress and quilter…both of whom I have been working with for about six years. Edi Dobbins, my seamstress, is invaluable when it comes to stitching up the designs I come up with. Carol MacQuarry is my quilter extrordinaire….and she’s great when it comes to design and technique. Both of them are very significant when it comes to relieving stress! More about them coming later in My Posse.

My best advice for doing it all…..learn to say NO to the things that don’t really matter….and MAKE the time for things that do. It will probably mean giving up some “down time.”…….Good luck with the balance!

 

My granddaughter Brooklynn, age four,  is proudly showing off  her jacket that Grama Happy (as she calls me) embellished for her. She’s definitely a pink-kind-of-girl so I used pink appliqued flowers, baby-sized buttons, trims and a poka-dot border at the bottom.

She’s pleased with it…as you can see! It makes a great swimming suit cover-up!

 

How’s this for Girls Galore! The girls are my two daughters, Stacey and Rachel, and my three granddaughters  –Josie, Brooklynn, and Lauren. Each is wearing a jean jacket that I embellished for them …..the girls were ready to go swimming but I managed to bribe them into putting on their jackets before they jumped in! Not an easy task to get all those smiles!

 I’ve had a lot of fun the last several months embellishing them……it was a little tough squeezing in the time (mostly late at night) with my schedule….but some things you just have to do…even if you don’t have the time!

I used raw-edged applique and stitched funky or exotic motiffs cut from fabrics onto the jackets. I tried to match the fabrics I chose for the applique to the tastes of the girls….which was fun. I used decorative threads to stitch them in place…and added a few random lines of stitching here and there. Then I added beads, buttons, crystals etc. etc….depending on the look I was after.  I did a little hand-stitching on some of them as well.

One of my favorite design details…..I took the buttons or snaps of the bottom band of the jacket and covered over it with a fun print. Nothing detailed or time-consuming…just stitched it on the front and back with raw-edges showing.

I’ll be adding close-ups of each jacket in days to come….keep checking to see them. Oh yeah….one economical detail….I bought all the jackets on ebay……none of them cost more than $18.00….which made it even more fun!! I love a bargain!

 Coming next year……Road to California Quilters’ Showcase 2008 and I’m pleased to be part of the teaching faculty at the show which is scheduled for January 17-20, 2008, at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, CA.  I’ll be teaching two classes and giving a lecture. Check out the photos for the class projects below. For more information, see www.road2c a.com or email me with any questions. Hope to see you there!!

   Putting on the Glitz…this class will focus on using raw-edged applique, decorative stitching, and beads to add wonderful texture and sparkle to your quilts

  Blended Borders…..this class will show you how borders can become the most exciting part of your quilt!

For more, visit….www.road2california.org

 

The design portion of this quilt is done and on my design wall….. this is an “in-progress” photo. The next step is to add about 1000 small pins to secure it to the batting…..and then the fun part….adding the stitchng to enhance the design.

 

Here’s a closer look. I love working this way and creating a kind of painterly look with fabric. Working from a sketch or photo, I cut with a scissors and layer the pieces to create the design.

When it’s stitched, I’ll put up a finished shot.Hopefully soon….I’m excited to get to the stitching!!

“Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working.”

                                Pablo Picasso

Great quote, huh. I’ve learned his message for myself…..you have to be working hard to find inspiration.  Sitting waiting for a great idea never seems to work……

 

This charming-looking person (actually she really is charming…not just charming- looking!) is my daughter Rachel and one of her two daughters, Josie. She helps me with my business as her busy schedule permits and carries out a variety of very important tasks. Besides designing several patterns for my company Making Lemonade Designs…..she also takes care of a numerous other jobs …….

To name just a few….she does my invoices, makes emergency mailing runs, makes all the unpleasant business phone calls I don’t want to make, cleans my shipping room, makes sure I’m not giving in to motherly-nerdiness….and most importantly of all, provides her own creative advice when I need it.

She has an excellent eye for design….and stays well informed on the trends and styles popular with younger sewers today. Look for several new patterns from her to be released this fall …they’ll be fun and easy-to-do…just the kind of project she enjoys herself!

More of  My Posse to come……stay tuned!

 

 Here’s another one! I love the high drama of this red and black quilt. Most of the fabrics are African and were really fun to work with. It’s a little crooked in the photo…but hopefully you get the idea!

I’m giving it to my grandson, Jared…but first, it will be part of a collection for a book.

A closer look at those great geometric prints.

I’ll be sharing new quilts with you from time to time…..more like when I have the time to get them finished!! My friend Sharyn Craig and I are working on a collection of quilts together that we are hoping will find a home in a book we’ll author.

We both designed a quilt using this wonky Log Cabin block and a combination of batiks and other prints. This is my version….Cinnamon Spice. Hmmmmm….maybe I can get Sharyn to share hers with you as well…. When I finished the piecing, it still needed a little more….so I appliqued a few squares randomly onto the background fabric to break it up a little. It helped to create a kind of blended look….which I love!