Weekend Warrior

We had quite the productive weekend here at the Walsh household.  My littlest sisters were hanging out, so I drafted them as ironers in the hopes that I could catch up on some of the sewing I have not been doing.  We have the sewing/ironing thing down to a science.  As I am chain piecing, someone cuts the blocks that have been sewn off of the "chain," irons them and puts them in their proper place:  the 'done' pile if they are finished, the 'works in progress' pile if they are not.  I never have to stop sewing!  And, we get SO MUCH DONE!

During the time we were sewing today, we got 50 blocks made for a new quilt, one that will debut at Spring market.  It is called Brix.  I can't say a ton about the actual quilt at the moment but I can tell you that it is named after a friend of ours...my sister-in-law, Tara, is a Chicago Police Canine officer.  Brix is her partner!  Here they are together:

Aren't they cute?

I am using my some of my new favorite fabs for this quilt:  Marcia Derse designs from her first three lines.  Last year, I had the pleasure of hosting our bolts of these fabrics in my house.  These saturated colors and fresh designs stayed on my kitchen island until I reluctantly dropped them off at Janine's studio. It was fun while it lasted.

Although my studio is still located in my dining room, I still have been able to get some things accomplished and I feel good about that!

Happy Valentine's Day

I have to issue a disclaimer here:  I am not a painter, I am a quilter.  Who recently started taking an art class.  And discovered acrylic paints.  Oh my Lord, they are fun.  Some of the colors are so saturated I want to eat them.

This morning, I realized that I was going to see the students I am advisor to at the Willows and that I would like to bring them a valentine.  Ordinarily, I have cards and trinkets for all occasions coming out of my ears.  Today, however, I found myself oddly lacking.  So I was then presented with a choice:  I could go to my nearest Walgreens and get a generic box of Russell Stover Candy or a small M&M figurine with small M&M's in it's belly, OR, I could be like the crafty folks whose blogs I like to read and haul out the most accessible art supplies and make them myself.  Option two seemed a lot more fun.

I spent half an hour in my pajamas walking around the house looking for the paint, brushes, masking tape (always elusive) and a container for water (I am now that kind of girl: the kind that washes empty yogurt containers to use later for things like holding water for your paints...), and paper.  Once I located everything, I was on my way to handmade Valentine land!

I find painting to be quite therapeutic and if it weren't for the fact that I was chomping at the bit to start sewing for the day, I would have spent all morning mindlessly painting hearts on little pieces of watercolor paper.

At any rate, about 45 minutes later, the brushes were washed, the paint was drying, and I was off to lay out my next quilt and sew it together.

The girls will probably appreciate the i-tunes gift cards I am including more than these hearts.  But, painting these has made me smile and sometimes, that is all that counts!

Happy Valentines day to all my fellow quilters!