Back to work in my own studio...

Yesterday was my first day back to work with all of my own supplies and things around me. It is wonderful to go away for a working retreat but it is also stressful in trying to pack everything that you think you could possibly need yet not take too much. I did better this time in having a plan and taking the right fabrics, I just didn't have quite enough of the right values that I needed and then part of how I was going to do my project wouldn't work so I had to change gears there and I needed a few extra things that I wasn't expecting. No big deal though. I must say that everyone in the class was willing to share what they had if it would work for your project. It was a great group of ladies.

Now to get on with what I accomplished yesterday when left to my own vices. I started out, after finishing my blog post of course, with loading a printed panel and quilted it.

I did a loose swirl all over pattern to keep it soft and fluffy. It will be sold at the craft fair at our church the first Saturday in December. It is for the UMW fund raiser table. I have another one to do for them that I plan on finishing today. Then I can begin playing on my surprise piece. After I finished up the quilting on the panel, I moved upstairs and worked on the applique part of a block of the month quilt that I participated in back in 2009. I finished up the next to the last block. Isn't it adorable?

I think the pieced blocks even though they are called Puzzle blocks look like bugs. Very fitting with the flowers and watering can. I have to finish the last block and then I can put it all together and quilt it. That is my goal this next year is to finish up all of my UFO's and work on more artsy style quilts. Expand my talents. Another goal I have is to work through a workbook that I got entitled Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Last night I did 2 exercises. They are actually pre-exercises so you have a record of where you were when you started out so you can see the progress you make as you work your way through all the lessons. I bought the book at the beginning of the year but I guess I have been too afraid of seeing just how bad I am at drawing. But here it goes, I am going to hold myself accountable to everyone here that reads my blog and I will post my work here hopefully, weekly. If I get lax and don't post any drawings I need you all to prod me along and demand to see my work. Ok? I am counting on you to help me here. So these are my first 2 drawings. The first is a self portrait, don't be too hard on me that it doesn't really look like me. It is a pre-exercise remember.

The second exercise was to draw our hand, this is my hand.

I also made Texas Cavier for dinner last night. It is super easy and delicious. You take 1 can of garbanzo bean, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of whole kernel corn, drain and rinse all of these, put in a bowl, add some garlic, salt, cut some cherry tomatoes in half, splash on a little lime juice and season with a little chili powder or ceyenne pepper. Give it all a good stir. I like it with tortilla chips. Hope you try it.

Have a great day and stay dry and safe as the rest of the storm moves along.