I got the idea to make a pin to wear on my winter coats and for sale at some of the events I will participate in this season….
My first color group is brown, to match my tan coat…..
Don’t you think they are kinda fun….put them on your coat, jacket, purse, belt, scarf, hat….
I’ve used vintage buttons…letting go is hard to do!
These aren’t finished, they need their pinbacks, but just wanted to show you.
Patt, Kelly and Lisa became members of the mosacian tribe this week…..
And I think they had a really good time, and want to make more….yes!
Lisa with her tree and setting sun……
Patt and her seahorse…..
And last but not least….Kel and her “THE 4 ELEMENTS” mirror frame…..
Here they are grouted……
On Patt’s seahorse, I think we should have gone with a different grout.
I may try grouting it again.
And Kelly’s mirror frame……
Perhaps their good mosaics are a reflection of the teacher. Yes, I’m proud of them!
I do have lots to show you!
First of all, I grouted Laurie’s mosaics.
Her sweet little chicken:
Her mirror frame. Choosing a grout color was difficult, I am thinking I should have gone with a medium grey.
This mosaic, especially, looks more lovely in person:
And lastly, her Medicine Man:
Excellent beginning Laurie, I loved your no fear attitude!
If all goes as planned I will post more mosaics later today……
Jeff and I took off for the UP this past weekend, visiting with Jeff’s sister and brother-in-law…Laurie and Hank. I packed a bunch of glass for Laurie and I. This was Laurie’s first try at mosaics, and I do believe she has an eye and a knack for it.
Here are her mosaics, before grouting…
Her warm up and training exercise was a small “something” on a 6 x 6 tile.
Then she started in on a mirror frame…just went for it, NO FEAR!
And she finished off with a Medicine Man
Can’t wait to see these grouted….
And here are my efforts
A warm up exercise on a 6 x 6 tile….
A southwest themed landscape for Laurie’s outhouse….
A mirror frame….
And a piece that got started by gluing on a few random pieces and building around them.
And a start for another mirror frame…
We did good in da U.P., eh????
Hopefully we will have a lovely fall day Saturday, so come on out to Saline….
The art show is from 9-5, and I will be looking for you! Do stop by our booth….

Just wanted to show you this quilt I completed earlier this summer and is currently touring with the Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational show. The background is pieced, the birds are appliquéd.
Kat has also posted her MQAI quilt on her blog: Stitchnut,
Today I experimented with dyeing fabric using procion dyes. Here are my results:
Gradation dyeing, incrementally changing the dye ratios between three colors. In this case I used Forest Green, Rust Orange, and Deep Purple. I am happy with the gradation, but the colors are definitely wimpy. Alas, I know the problem….old dye. Procion definitely has a shelf life, especially when opened. These dyes were at least 5 years old, maybe more. Well, I best go throw out the rest of the dyes I have…darn I hate being wasteful like that.
I have been experimenting again, with improvising and working without a plan……
Just choose the fabrics and start cutting them into squares and strips
Then start combining them, looking for a good balance, repetition and interest…
Pretty soon the pile of fabrics is smaller and new ones get added, and the piecing gets done with tinier bits…
Then its gets really fun, combining, cutting apart, seeing what can be made with the mishmash of bits and pieces….
These need to be quilted, yet….but that will be later. I am still working on taming the pile….




