Rainy Day Play.

Today the weather here in Liverpool is  very very wet and grey.  Its one of those days that reminds me of indoor play at school. I loved indoor play because you got to do arty things, like colour in or paint or cut pieces of tissue paper up to make collages. So today, I decided I was going to have a play indoors day but what crafty project would I choose to indulge in? Now to be honest, I should be working on my in the spot light quilt but I just didn't feel the urge to stitch. I could have curled up in front of the TV with a good chic flick and sewed my hexi's, which I have not picked up for months but again I wasn't feeling it.  Instead I decided to watch a video I purchased in 2014 called Journal Soup 1. It is a step by step class by the amazingly talented Kate Crane, in the art of journaling. Only this time instead of just watching I decided to work along with the video. Out came the paints, stamps, house hold ephemera and a new sketch book. I managed to make two pages, the first one is in my homemade sketch book (DMTV Laura Kemshall tutorial). The second one is in my new Daler Rowney A5 landscape sketch book. I didn't have some of the things Kate used to make her first journal soup page, like the Teesha Moore images or tumble fish images so I had to improvise. Using copy right free images from the Internet to made my own collaged image. I have really enjoyed my rainy day play. x:)

A big reveal!

I can finally share some of my exciting news with you all. Over the past couple of months I have been designing and making new patterns for Patricia Turner who is the proprietor to Tilia fabrics. I have revamped the Balloon quilt (here it is made using a range of Tricia's fabrics) as well as creating two new patterns for her pop up shop. These patterns will be making their debut appearance this weekend at the Spring Quilt Festival at Duxford. If anyone who is reading this and just happens to be going to the show, please drop by Tricia's stall to say hello. Also be the first to buy a new Sew Susan pattern as well as checking out the gorgeous fabric on her stall.  I hope our little collaboration adventure is a success and that will continue to grow and develop.  In the meantime, DH is working on my website which I hope to have up a running in the very near future.  

An unexpected gift.

Skirt from a charity Shop. (Front)

Linning

Back

Yesterday I visited my amazingly talented friend Gill to drop of my recycled Bunnies as she is kindly selling them on her stall today at Formby Vintage Market. When I arrived Gill gave me a bag and said her friend Janet saw this in a charity shop and bought it for me. She thought it would make a great bunny. It is a beautiful wool skirt. I wish it fitted me as I would keep it and wear it, it is so lovely. Alas it does not and I am looking forward to making a bunny or even two from this garment. Thank you Janet for this gorgeous gift it was so kind of you to think of me. 
Life is still busy at the minute, all in a good way I must say. I am still working part time in a little local card shop which I love but I am also being very creative, working on several new quilt designs and cushions. Here is a sneak peak on one of the projects I am working on. Its all very exciting as it is a collaboration with a wonderful person however, I am keeping it all under wraps for now but I promise all will be revealed in due course.

Well its goodbye January and hello February which started of with a very special 50th birthday for my DH which we celebrated with a lovely meal out and a tea party on the day. One can never have enough cake which I have to say Colin ate most of but it was his birthday so its allowed.  

Hello 2017!!****!!

Oh dear January has almost gone and I must say sorry for not blogging sooner to wish my readers a very happy new year.  Life has been rather busy with one thing or another and the days are just flying by.  I hope 2017 is going to be a really good year, it has certainly started off good.  First let me bring you all up today with my "girl on a mission challenge". I have made 2 more of the 20 blocks for the Lucky Stars scrap quilt. I have recieved several fabric donations from friends, thank you so much, your generosity has been over whelming. However, I still have a long way to go in collecting 802 individual triangles therefore this quilt will take me some time to complete. 

In the meantime I am currently working on some new and very exciting projects, which I hope to be able to share with you all in due course.  However, I can tell you that I have made some new jacket bunnies, which are going to be on sale on Saturday 4th February at Formby Vintage Martket on my amazingly talented friend (Gill Jopia) stall. Please check out her website, I promise you will not be disapointed her work is stunnning. https://www.fishermanspathstudio.com/

Jacket Bunnies

Well thats it for now folks, I wish you all a very blessed and creative 2017. X:)

Girl on a mission!

This is the book

This is the scrap quilt I want to make.

My extra squares and triangles.

A glimpse of the blocks I've managed to make so far.

Hello to all the beautiful people who still read my much neglected blog. Today's post is an appeal for help. A couple of weeks ago one of the Liverbirds brought in a bundle of books and we all got to help ourselves to any we wanted.  As soon as I saw the Scrap Quilts book I realised it had already been in my possession when I very first started quilting.  I even made Paige's Stary Night quilt from this very book, it took me quit sometime collecting various shades of blues for that particular quilt. This time round I have fell in love with the Lucky Stars scrap quilt, which requires 401 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 inch (four and three quarter inch) squares of dark, medium and light coloured fabrics. These four and three quarter inch fabrics are then cut in half diagonally making a total of 802 triangles.  You are then meant to swap half of your triangles with other quilters so you end up with 802 different fabrics. This means there are no two fabrics the same in the quilt top. I have exhausted my stash and have managed to make five of the 20 blocks I need for the quilt. I have even doubled up on a few of the triangles but I really want the quilt to be authentic and a true scrappy quilt. I was telling my beautiful friend Judith last week and she said I will cut you some squares. How kind it was of her to help and it got me thinking and I came up with the idea of appealing to all my quilter friends and ask if any of you would kindly help me collect 802 different fabrics . If anyone would like swap squares or kindly donate any scraps of fabric you have that are big enough for me to get a 4 3/4 square out of it that would be great. How to get any donations or swaps to me, email me if you have my email address and we will exchange addresses. You could leave a comment in the box below but DO NOT leave your address and I can private message you via email.  For those of you who may have me number ring or text me and I will arrange how we can do a trade.  Or find me on Face Book under Susan Pierce. Thank you and wish me luck X:)

Liverbird Exhibition.

Some of you may recognise my Union Jack quilt.

Gwen's fab colouring book flowers Quilt

Two delightful member's of Liverbirds Marge And Michelle admiring all our handy work.

Sue Cogans amazing block of the month quilt.

Waterloo quilters signature quilt sporting iconic images so recognisable to Liverpool.

A row of some of the beautiful quilts on display.

Janet Keenan's awesome stripy log cabin quilt.

On Sunday 20th November we (the Liverbirds) held our second quilt exhibition at Sefton Palm House and once again it was a great day.  It was a bitterly cold day but the rain held off, despite the weather we had lots of visitors who oohed and arred over the quilts.  I have to say sorry to the people who's quilts I did not manage to take a photo of I was kept busy answering lots of questions and showing people around and the time flew by.  We are only a small group who meet every other Wednesday evening in West Derby for a bit of a natter and maybe a little bit of sewing gets done. I adore my Liverbirds family my life would be incomplete without them, I am truly blessed but I need to say a big thank you to Janet and Sue who organised this event which was a great success and I have already started making a quilt that I hope to exhibit at our next Palm house Exhibition in another few years.

Inspired by.....

Dyan Reaveley art Journal page from a magazine.

My first attempt at creating a page based on her page above. This is in a sketchbook I made for collage journaling based on a tutoral by Dianne Fargo aka PackerDi.

My very first journal page in my Dylusion A4 journal book.

Today I wanted to create an art journal page but I am not very confident at journaling. However, it is something I absolutely love. I watch endless hours of videos on you tube and I have purchased books by various artist, as well as lots and lots and I mean lots of equipment. Sadly each time I have tried to have a go myself my attempts always rubish and end up in the bin.  Dyan Reaveley is one of my favourite artist when it comes to journaling. I adore her wacky off the wall sense of humour and how she uses colour. I have several of her ink sprays, stamps and a few stencils, enough to get one started shall we say. I even purchased her A4 journal sketch book months and months ago but I have never been brave or confident enough to make even the tiniest of marks in it, until today. I was rummaging in a draw and I came across a magazine page I had enlarged with an image of one of her art journal page.  I decided to have a go by copying her characters but adding my own little bit here and there such as, changing the quote and putting butterflies in Petunia's hair.  I also had to improvise with Petunia by drawing her on paper first and then cutting her out because I did not have the stamp. In doing this I realised I didn't need other artists stamps, I could draw my own images and make my very own art journal page. I  used the same quote, only this time I would be really really brave and do it in my Dylusions book!!! Scary or what? I have to say I love, love, love it and I am already thinking what I can do on the other side of this double page spread.  I have had such a fab afternoon, however, I now need to clear everything away and sadly that's the only bit I don't like because I make such a mess. X:)