SMILE!

If this dosen't make you smile I don't know what will!

I MADE IT!!!

My quilt is officially going to travel with the 2011 Hoffman Challenge Exhibit! Hot Damn I'm Happy!

I know it's Wednesday

But this is how I'm feeling right about now... new muses on the way...

Waiting...

The Hoffman Quilts are being judged this week! I'll know by friday if I get in! FREAKING OUT!

And away she goes!

The UPS store closes at 7pm. I put the last stitch in the quilt label at 6:17pm! I made it to the UPS store as the driver was arriving to take the evenings packages. He liked my tattoos and was kind enough to wait for me so my quilt could be sent next day. A mere 15 min and $100 later (LOL procrastinator price!) and Eve is on her way to Colorado! 

You know I have had this Hoffman flyer hanging on the wall above my bed for over 6 months now. I think it's time to take this baby down... its in the judges hands now. I'm so relieved to be done with the project that tonight I'm going out to celebrate! I'm gonna drink to much and make out with the first cute guy I find! I DID IT! I'M DONE! YAY ME!!!

Completion...

I've been staring myself in the face for over a month now. This may look like a simple quilt to many but to me it's a snap shot from a tremendous chapter of my life. A chapter filled with more passion and adventure than I ever thought I would experience. But a chapter full of heartache and loneliness too. I will never be able to look at this quilt without thinking about Ivar. And if I could say one thing to him today it would be that I loved you very much and you hurt me deeply... but I will never regret the time we spent together. You taught me so much about myself and were the best damn muse a tortured artist could ever ask for... with out you this would not exist...

That being said, if my quilt gets accepted I wont see it face to face for over a year... and considering how many tears have soaked this fabric thats probably for the best.

Work Work Work Work Work...

6 days and counting till the cut off date... this is gonna be a close one!

Piecing together this pattern was a breeze until I got to the leaves. Of all things the background filler, the least important detail has given me the biggest headache.

Here is what she looked like before I began layering in the leaves...

And here is what my apartment looked like for the three days I spent cutting and placing each little leaf. 

Because I enjoy torturing myself I chose three different greens to work with. I wanted them to blend with the green of the snake but also set him off so he would not get lost in the leaves.

The official rules of the challenge state "A recognizable amount of the Hoffman Challenge 2011 Fabric Style H8709 98G Moss Gold must be used as an integral part of the entry". I chose to fussy cut around the flowers and use just the green bits of the fabric for my snake... like so. 

I was very pleased with the results!

I had considered placing a flower from the fabric in her hair to add a little punch but in the end decided against it... I'm not much for fusing anyways.

I finished putting the final details of the pattern together while teaching at the quilt shop late Wed night.

Creepy right!

By Thursday I had all my threads picked out and my wonderful new boss let me off early both Thursday and Friday so I could go home and sew =D Here's the cast of characters... 453 Army Drab, 020 Black, 1760 Twine, 853 Pecan, 3644 Royal Navy, 5866 Herb Green, 2123 Brodeaux, 1346 Cinnamon, 5552 Palm Leaf, 970 Linen, 2922 Fox... All Isacord of course!

After two days of stitching this is where she currently stands... half a face and a full tree!

So far, So good! About halfway there... WISH ME LUCK!!!