Houston Quilt Show 2010

It has been a week since the Houston Quilt Festival started. Here are some pictures to share............. This quilt won $10,000 for the best in show I think....it is really beautiful with lots of intricate work........

...this is my dream quilt....Dear Jane.........hopefully, one day I would be able to accomplish this and make my own Dear Jane quilt.........I am currently shopping fabrics for this quilt............

......love the quilting in this one.......looks like a painting from afar......

.........this is a 3-Dimensional quilt of the future............

...........I was tickled when I saw these two ladies with their antennae head band helping each other out........oh.....so cute........

.....and my all time favourite is this house quilt.......each individual house is supported(hanged) from trees........I just couldn't take my eyes of them..........

Bear in Pillow

I always save the remnants of the batting when I am making a quilt. After cutting them up, I use them to stuff bears and pillows. I got inspired to make these cute bears from Tanya.

I have collected lots of bright colorful fabrics and decided to mix and match the prints and colors. I know how little children love colorful things and these are made for them.

I just love how the bear fits snugly in the pocket ......

The back is diagonally pieced of contrasting fabric too.

I just love making these Bears in Pillows. Theres no rules. I make them any color, with any fabric and any size pillows. I always enjoy giving handmade gifts to friends and they make really good standby gifts for friends kids.

1930's Fabric

Last year at the International Quilting Festival in Houston, I bought these 1930's fabric. Yes,.....it has been a year and this week on Nov 3, the quilting festival starts again.......I am not sure to be excited about it or not as I still have lots of fabrics, patterns, tools and notions that I have not got a chance to use.

I am still trying to recuperate from my vacation but it seems now I may have lots more walking to do in the next couple of days. As I was discussing with a friend how we were going to get there, she somehow talked me into volunteering again for our guild at the festival. I did volunteer last year and it was fun so I thought why not, its just onces a year event.............I hope my body will cooperate with me on this.

I have been wanting to use my 30's fabric and decided on pairing them with white muslin so the individual prints will stand out. I just love the bright colors.

Decorative Platter

While watching tv one day, I accidently came across a show that featured artists from across the country doing what they love from pottery to scrapbooking to soapmaking to jewelry making and even sewing, Anyway, one of the artist was making these platters with marbles in the center.
I was so intrigued by her technique as I had never seen this before nor read about it. So I went hunting for marbles of different colors and set out to make these platters. I am not sure whether I did it right as there were no directions but I am glad these marbles melted and blended well and didn't explore.

Quilted Texas Ornament

With a combination of various factor from limited time, cooling fall weather that gives you a feeling of christmas is almost here(I can actually smell it during my evening walks) and christmas displays at various shops, I was pleasantly motivated to make these quilted ornaments.
With a cowboy hat cookie cutter, trace it on a white piece of muslin leaving 2" all around, using a pencil start drawing feathers (I would draw bigger next time as it was kinda hard to quilt this small feathers :) ), sandwiched it , using contrasting thread, start quilting and tada..............you have an ornament. Cut about 8" ribbon and clear glue it to the back. Love these small fun easy projects where you can finish within couple hours.

Tom Yam Soup

Tom Yam soup (Lemon Grass soup originated from Thailand I believe), with egg noodles, beef balls,seafood balls (shrimp, squid, fish), bean sprout and cilantro. I had not cook this for a while and we were kinda craving for good soup and lots of meat and veg and less oil and no msg. It seems that these days, most of the restaurant add lots of oil and msg into their broth and barely any meat toppings. Eventhough we order the extra large, we would still feel hungry but can feel the msg effect for the next few hours. So pretty much I was forced to cook so we can enjoy as much meat and veg toppings as we like without all the bad extras.

First RWB String Qult

I was so eager to try making my own string quilt after learning how to make one at the International Houston Festival couple years ago. They had a charity booth there inviting everyone to make a block for the soldiers. Since it was my first time making a quilt block, I stood by watching the 'demo' for a while and after the crowd had left, I asked whether I could attempt to make one and the lady was so nice & inviting and walked me thru it. Yeah.......I finished my first real quilt block there and donated it. After I got home, I started pulling out all my fabrics to design a block and this is the result............a finished RWB string top......I am not sure how I want to quilt it yet...........

Prayer Quilt

I had learned about Prayer Quilts a while back and been wanting to make one for myself with all my favourite bible verses on the back. So I gathered some of my favourite reds, browns and greens and took off on the project. It was a learning experience as I had to learn how to make a bargello quilt at the same time and how to transfer the bible verses to fabric. I was so glad to finish and love the color combinations.

Mini Tuscany

I made this to compliment the wall behind my piano and also to tie the theme with the rest of the house. Just love making this art quilts.......

Chicken Fried Chicken

Been craving for some fried chicken so I hunt thru my freezer and pantry and found I might have enough ingredients to make me some chicken fried chicken for dinner................First pound the chicken breast flat between two sheets of wax paper.

Then coat it in flour seasoned with black pepper & sea salt.

Then dipped it in an egg wash (egg beaten w/ water or milk)

Then coat again in seasoned bread crumbs. I made my own by toasting some bread, chopped it in food processor and season with own favourite seasoning (dried onions, garlic, chives, bell peppers, salt, lemon, red peppers)

Pan fry in olive oil for about 3 mins each side.

Ta da.......serve over rice or pasta or even make a poboy......yummy...enjoy.