It's been a long time since the last blog...I dont know if I have the patience to sit down and write one daily or even weekly. We blasted through winter with cold blustery days, then cold blustery rains that seemed to go on forever. Finally in May the rain started to go away. We pretty much skipped spring and jumped right into summer. It was 85 degrees today at 10 am. --way too hot for my tastes. My body likes 70-75 best with cool nights for sleeping. Guess I should move to Canada? ha.

I am busy gearing up for the National Quilting Association's show at the convention center in Columbus,OH, June 16-18. I am going to be hanging the "side" show for the Alliance for American Quilts on June 14th. I have one quilt in that show.

I will be working at the NQA show all three days so try to find me there! I have entered 3 quilts in it, #2039 "Peace, Lively Sun"(blues and yellows pineapple log cabin), #504 "From Here to Heaven in Five Years" (black and white, in honor of Joyce Kerze who died from breast cancer), and #828 "Dona Quixote de Caos, Cuba y Catalunya"(family history quilt). One of the days I will be "sack sitting" from 11am-1:30pm, and one day I will be a "white glove lady", same times.

Next month...July....I will have some items being shown during "Arts Around Town" I believe in Pickerington, OH. I will let you know more when I know.

Have a great day and a super week, with graduations, birthdays, end of school, and all the other things that the start of summer promises. Hugs and Peace, susi and lucky duck (dog)

Well, we have all pretty much become accustomed to writing 2011 for the new year...I cant believe that January is nearly over. Hopefully with the longer days, we will begin to get better weather.
This year I am determined to use more upcycling, more used clothing for parts in quilts. I have become enamoured with 'papercloth' and it is my new medium to explore1
If you would like to know how....
1. take a piece of fabric and lay it flat (try something about 16 inches square, to learn with)
2.paint a layer of ModPodge over the surface...not too thick.
3.lay strips of paper over all of the modpodge. I use 1/2 or 1 inch strips torn from the phone book, old letters and junk mail..oh yeh, and grocery receipts.
4.paint another "layer" of ModPodge over the paper and repeat. I usually do about 5 layers.
5.let it dry thoroughly (usually overnight, depending on how thick your ModPodge was)
6.paint a THIN layer of ModPodge on top of the last layer of paper.
7.paint over your papercloth with whatever paint you want to use...I like Lumiere fabric paints, and I like to leave bits of letters showing through the paint.
8.you can sew with papercloth on your machine...i have made purses, journal covers, etc. Its slightly flexible...and if you get "cracks" when you fold the paper cloth, just glue a paper patch over it and paint.
9. have FUN!

Try, Try Again

Here I am, trying once again to be a blogger. For a retired journalist, you would think I would have some interest in writing. I guess not...cause I dont. I havent been doing any quilting at all...not since right before Christmas holidays. I made 12 different papercloth journals for the family....you can see my valentine's version of them on my susiartquilts.etsy.com site....Im hoping to sell them. They are really nice journals...they are almost as heavy as leather and just as sturdy.

I am having laser back surgery Jan.27...I am hoping to still be able to sit in my office chair and work on my art quilts....they say that right afterwards it will be more painful than the pain I am having right now, but then it will be so much better...I sure hope so.

Happy New Year to all, and stay tuned for photos...hpe to post a lot more this year.