Bling Your Thing Entries Post III

I've received so many e-mails asking to see my "Bling Your Thing" challenge piece that I thought I'd post mine today and all the rest tomorrow.  You know I documented the process right?  That's what bloggers do :)

Entry # 9 - Kelly Jackson- that's me :)

I wanted to use something I already so I pulled out a gift I received from Nadine Ruggles during her Schoolhouse lecture at Quilt Market.  She had given the attendees a little packet of fabric, beads and instructions to make an Inchie. 

I enjoyed her presentation so much and I've always wanted to make an Inchie....but I have not taken the time to make one until I came up with the "Bling Your Thing" challenge.  Nadine's book, Inchie Quilts is the perfect way to start doing some embellishing if you have not given yourself permission to play previously.

This is the fabric Nadine supplied in the kit.

Beads that were included in the kit.

All I could think to do was to put the beads on the dots and then add some of the longer beads.  It was so boring and I knew it needed something else.  So I ran down and searched through my embellishments and found a package with these three little polymer turtles.  They are not beads and don't have holes to stitch through.

 

The minute I put the spotted turtle on the piece I knew it was the right thing to do.  So I got a sharp needle and poked the needle and thread through this little fella and stitched him in place.  While looking at the turtles the bright green one really appealed to me.  But when he was sitting on the piece something wasn't right.  That's when I got the idea to add some more bling.

I plugged in my Kandi Corp Professional Touch Crystal Applicator .  Lucky for me I had a package of Green 3mm Eye Kandi (that's what Kandi Corp calls their Crystals) and I started to randomly add "bling."

I started with one crystal to see how it would look....I liked it so I just kept adding until it felt right to stop.

 

I used a piece of thin batting behind the base fabric that I embellished.  As you can see above, the embellishments held nicely and all my knots and excess beading thread was on the back.   On the right is a piece of Floriani Stitch N Shape Double Sided Fusible that I had fused to a piece of plain fabric.

I gently pressed the embellished top to the layer of Floriani Stitch N Shape.

Next I did a stay stitch around the entire design and trimmed away the excess so I could see where the stitching would fall when I did the final stitching.

I used Floriani Embroidery Thread because I love the sheen and this is what it looked like.  As much as I tried to ship those little white threads around the edges, I couldn't snip close enough. 

Fabrico Fabric Marker to the rescue!!!

Here is the finished piece.  I used the Fabrico Marker here and there to cover the white threads and give it a two tone appearance.  (you can always use fabric markers to cover things on your regular quilts too...fyi)

My little slice of "turtledom" measures 2" x 2 1/2" and is by far the smallest thing I've ever stitched.  I love how it turned out and have been thinking about what to do with it.  Perhaps I'll make one 1/2 the size and embroider my name on it, then attach them with little hoops and use it as a name tag for my Machine Embroidery Guild meetings.  Who knows?  However....I did manage to "Bling Some-Thing" and I was quite surprised by how much fun I had.

Serendipity Happens
I was preparing to publish this post when I was interrupted by the sound of the mail truck.  I hopped up and grabbed my packages and met Loren, my mail carrier.  To my great surprise there was a small box addressed to me.  It wasn't ticking so I opened it :)

Sue Spurlock who was the inspiration for the "Bling Your Thing" challenge had sent me this beautiful doll.  Her note reads, "Kelly, Your description of yourself inspired this." 

 

You may recall some of Sue's work is in the book, Creative Quilting with Beads.   The book review is HERE.

I had goose bumps...I'm in love with "Flies by Seat of Pants."  THANK YOU SUE!!!! I think you pegged me dead center! 

Gigantic Smiles,
Kelly

Really? I don't believe it....not IHAN blog readers....

I'm giving away a very inspiring and beautiful book and as of today at 2:00 pm I only have 20 comments.  I know IHAN blog readers are not Chickens?  I never said you HAD to join in the challenge to win the book...nor did I say your reason for wanting the book more than I do,  had to be a good reason....and still there are only 20 comments.  I'm almost speechless....but not quite :)

With over 1600 people reading my blog, I can't believe that many of you missed THIS POST.   I am giving away a copy- a germ free copy- of  Creative Quilting with Beads by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader .  After reading the copy I received to review, I didn't want to give it away....and besides...I've been sick and my copy must have some germs on it.  The publisher, Lark Books,  didn't want any of you to get my bug so they have agreed to ship a copy of Creative Quilting with Beads to the winner of the drawing (US addresses only.  If you win and are outside the US I can have the book shipped to me or one of your other friends and you can arrange for it to be shipped to you..fyi)

You'll get one chance to win by simply leaving a comment on the post about the giveaway (click here) and if you choose to join the" teeny weenie ittsy bitsy challenge" you'll get three more chances to win the book.   Anything that you have to embellished will count....I don't care if it is a postage size piece or a mug rug....the goal is to encourage one another to pull out some of our beads and other embellishments and create a little something....that's all...nothing will be judged....it's just a teeny weenie ittsy bitsy little challenge....so what are you waiting for?  If it is a call from me personally....you better let me know that so I can dial you up.

If you actually went back to read that post you'll know exactly what I'm referring to with this picture of Jim Carey from the movie Mask. 

When I said it was very difficult  not to show a photo of every page in Creative Quilting with Beads....I wasn't kidding.  Y'all know I can be over the top...every now and again...and apparently this must resonate with most of you or you would not be near crazy enough to read this blog...LOL. 

Sue Spurlock, one of the contributors to Creative Quilting with Beads, has made so many beautiful pieces and I just love looking at her photos for inspiration.  I asked her if I could use "some" of her photos from her blog, Piece of Work, and she said yes.  I have saved the e-mail as proof too....and she made the big ole mistake of not saying how many...

"Somebody Stop Me".......said with wild abandon....ROFL :)

All photos below are property of Sue Spurlock and have been used with her written permission.

I assure you after looking at these photos you'll want to go over and follow Sue's blog, Piece of Work.  No, she's not promised to give me one of her pieces nor has she offered to take my boys for a week while I go on a retreat....I sincerely don't want folks to miss some wonderful inspiration and meeting a very insightful woman....so enjoy :)

All photos above were published on this post with the written permission of Sue Spurlock, Piece of Work blog.

I know within each and every one of you there is an idea stirring...an appreciation....a fun thought....and I want to invite you to express it in some way...embellish it!!  :)

I want to say THANK YOU to Sue Spurlock for the permission to use your photos....and for inspiring me to express some of the ideas I've had stirring for quite some time.  And to the rest of you...I say:

 If you look closely at the fabric under the tiles....it is all embellished....one with beads and the other with stitching....and you know what?  I didn't make either one of them....nope.  The beaded one is a vest I wore to work years ago that I absolutely loved.  I knew one day I'd use it in an art piece but I didn't know when....so I've saved it....and this here:

is a vest I picked up at a yard sale.....I loved the stitching and I knew it could be embellished further and added to something else. Each of you have interesting little things tucked into drawers and closets...lets pull something out and make a little something...or a big something....where ever your inspiration takes you.

Before I close I want to show you a photo of something I decided to do one night.
I had this fabric...I think it was Art Gallery Fabrics but I'm not sure....it' was a long time ago and I was in love with it. 


The post I took these from is HERE....I made this for Amy Butler as a gift (I'd never make another gift like this again...I thought I'd throw up giving it to her).  I have to say I absolutely loved putting the beads on the fabric and I've not done anything like it since...so I'm in for the itsy bitsy challenge too :)

Appreciative Joyful Smiles,
Kelly