Black & White plus ONE

My inspiration shelf has had a change today.  I am home with a sick boy & decided I needed a lift.

So today the shelf represents 

BLACK and WHITE plus ONE.

Black & White plus one, means exactly that.  B&W + 1 other colour.

The inspiration shelf has 3 shelves.

B&W and YELLOW

B&W and SHINY (Is shiny a colour?)

 and of course B&W and RED

 Now the reason for B&W+1 is quite simple.  Roma Patchwork & Crafters wanted a challenge, and this is the challenge that has been issued.  Make whatever you like as long as it interprets the theme "Black & White plus One". 

I am hoping these shelves inspire me.

Which is your favourite?

Almost a finish...

I am so excited, this morning I finished the top of my "Christmas Wishes" quilt.  ( Well that is it's name today).

I first blogged about this quilt in December 2010 when I was stumped on borders. Well on the weekend I decided that enough was enough and I whacked some borders on.  And I love it.

It is an almost finish as I have called the quilter and it is booked in, I just have to collect my backing and send it on its way.

I love how the fabric (Frosted memories, by Holly Taylor for Moda) and the stitcheries from Heart of Gold Creations just work together.  I really love how Australian it is.. The colours are eucalyptus green, rather than pine tree green so it as a nice Aussie feel.  {Ironic really considering the fabric designer was designing for a "Frosted Christmas"}.      

I love how the blocks went together.  

I am proud of myself for designing this one.   Not an OPAM yet, as it is not a quilt until it is quilted, but by the end of June, she will be done.

Show Results

In the last few posts I have mentioned to you about entering in the upcoming Roma Show.  Well the show is now over for another year and the pavilion has been packed away.

I am excited and a little humbled to say that I entered 10 items this year and 5 of them placed.

Some quite unexpectedly like these butterfly basket pillow covers.

2nd place in piece of embroidery over 18cm. (1st Place went to the blue & white item in the bottom right of photo)

My Christmas tree bag came 2nd in "any article or handicraft not previously mentioned" (I couldn't find what came first)

And a shock to myself and the 'scrapbook community'.  3 of my cards from Gayle & Brooke's challenge came 2nd in the "3 distinct greeting cards" class.  First were Gayle's cards on the left & the other cards on the right are Gayle's also.

 My little show wall hanging took 1st place in "Patchwork Wallhanging 1.5m longest side"

 and the biggest surprise of the show was my "Vines in the Garden Quilt" that I made last year in Injune and had quilted by the lovely Rosalie of Rose Quilting. 

Well "Vines in the Garden" won 1st place in "Quilt pieced & quilted by 2 people", it also won Best Patchwork Entry (prize donated by Roma Patchwork Group) and ..... 

drum roll please......

 GRAND CHAMPION HANDICRAFT EXHIBIT.  My shock and amazement was huge.  I had received 2 phone calls on Friday to congratulate me and Sue had left a comment on the blog post about my Christmas tree bag, but I was not prepared for how I would feel when I saw it in real life.  My name was even engraved on the trophy, no mistake, it was really mine. (and YES I cried when I saw it)

.  The photo below shows the perpetual trophy and the little trophy that I get to keep sitting on the quilt.

 

and this photo is the quilt, the trophies, myself and Les Reis (the man who donates the trophy each year). 

He proudly told me that the trophy had been running for 23 years and he would love to own the pieces that had won each year.  

I politely told him that this quilt belongs on my bed.

Also to let you know as I am a proud Mum to 2 talented boys.

They both entered LEGO into the show & T won 1st place with his entry as well as best exhibit by a child under 14.  So who knows how the future will pan out for my creative men.

Gotta Love a Deadline....

Or maybe you don't.

But I need deadlines to get things done.  My house only gets cleaned if we have visitors, I am much more motivated to finish a quilt if it is needed for an event (eg Birthday present, wedding, show entry).

This is the case with this bag.  You may recall my button tree bag from Christmas last year, well the green bag sufficed for the season, but it wasn't going to have any longevity.

So this is where the deadline comes in.  Entries for Roma Show are due tomorrow, why not fix the bag to enter into the show.

Meet "Button Tree Bag, grown up and sophisticated".

 It even has a little "stuff" pocket.  For me this usually means the mobile phone and keys.

I like it.  It is a shame however that I can't use it until Christmas.

More Finishes

I have been trying to find my sewing table (again) and found a couple of projects that I've finished in the last few weeks.  

This runner was supposed to be a 'quick fix'.  It was until I had to find a binding colour.  I think it took about an hour of stash digging to find the best colour.  I don't know if it was 'the best' but it was the most suitable in my house.

 and the second in the 'sprial scarf' series.

Blue spiral scarf.  I had said when I made the white one that I would knit a 'flat spot' into the back of the scarf, well in reality when I started knitting I realised that it would limit how the scarf could be worn, so this is a complete spiral just as the pattern said.

Now off to add these to my OPAM list.