The call came yesterday- “This is Bonnie Browning calling from AQS Knoxville, congratulations!”

My entry “Just Dandy” won first place in the “On The Wall” division!! I LOVE those phone calls!

It rained all night so yesterday I took a break from the routines and spent the afternoon outside pulling weeds, trimming and deadheading. I had already gotten the sales tax mess finished and sent off BEFORE the deadline, two more entries sent off, and the latest Coneflowers top finished that morning. Maybe tomorrow I will show you, but right now I need to go layer and baste it for quilting. No rest for the weary!

Busy weekend–not a lot of progress to report! Sales tax deadline is looming and the books are not done.

This morning I finished the hand sewing on the last coneflowers piece. It needs to be shipped out today to the East Cobb Quilters in GA where I will teach a two day workshop in September.

This one features commercial prints rather than the batiks that I love to use for these flowers, but I thought it was important to show that they should be considered as a viable option for this pattern. The pattern suggests using the accent fabric as the binding so I did, though I might prefer black on this one. You should always decide for yourself and dare to be different!

I have started the last sample that needs to go to GA., orange this time. There is not a lot of time left! The first day I got this much done:

I like that the stem shows up better in this one because there is better contrast behind it. Having nice darks behind the flower gives depth and makes the flowers stand out. But yesterday I had to go get a perm and do some other stuff, so I only made a little progress:

I’ve gotten a nice start on the quilting of the new coneflowers piece and should be able, with a little luck, to finish it today.

Yesterday afternoon was my time to work at the Topeka Art Guild gallery where I have three pieces in the current show. I was very pleased to discover that one of them, “Refractions”, had been voted first place in the People’s Choice awards. It is certainly gratifying to have my work appreciated in a non-quilting venue!  And the check was nice, too!

The light background wasn’t working for me. For one thing, it wasn’t repeated anywhere and it was boring. I like the large flowers better, positioning it so that lighter ones are near the top. This let me try the lightest fabric in the center. Too light.

Too dark.

Uh, no. It does repeat a previously used fabric, and the value is better, but no. The design wall for auditioning is SO important!

This one is also not repeated anywhere but I like the movement it gives and it does sort of repeat the idea of polka dots elsewhere in the piece. I also tried several accent strips and this was the one I liked best. I think I am calling it done.

And here is where we are right now- I hope to finish today!

Yesterday’s mail brought acceptance letters for BOTH of my entries to Houston this year! “Mon Grand Pere” and The Merchant’s House” will both be there, (click on Gallery in the side bar to see them) though for the first time in a LONG time, I will not. My travel schedule for the fall makes it impossible this year, but at least I will be represented by my work!

Happy 4th of July!!

Sometimes I spend entirely too much time playing on the computer. This morning I found Scribbler. Too much fun!!

Oh, no! That was an hour ago and several doodles later:

Don’t go there if you can’t spare some time to play! I should be sewing. Here’s where I left off yesterday.

Continuing from yesterday- I’m still on dial-up and needed to free up the phone lines for an expected call.

More photos from the recent workshop: I wish I could remember names, but you know who you are!! I think that there were some great starts made and I do hope to see finished projects at some point.

As for me, I’m finishing up the sample that I started because in September and October I have four back to back workshops and not enough samples to go around!!

I’m leaving again shortly to visit Q.U.I.L.T. of NW Ark, for a lecture this evening and a two day workshop on picture piecing the Coneflower pattern. Here is the latest sample for that class, just finished.

Coneflower Sample

Coneflowers are so versatile, coming in so many colors and now, even in fancy double versions. It’s always fun for me to see them develop in class.

What a lovely group of ladies I had in the Sioux City Coneflowers workshop! I am anxious to see their finished work and hope that they send me jpgs!

The drive up was uneventful, the day overcast which is perfect for driving, and the array of different shades of green was endless! You would not even believe some of those greens if I put them in a piece of art, they were so vivid! On the way home, I had rain about half the way, but not the vicious torrential rain that makes driving so difficult. It was a good trip.

Since getting back home, after putting away everything from the trip, I have been sewing again. It’s been a long time; I haven’t sewn since finishing the bluebird. and it feels good! Not terribly challenging or exciting, but good. I am working to finish the Coneflowers sample started in the workshop because soon I will need multiple samples for some upcoming workshops.