Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are getting ready to depart for our annual epic road trip to see Mike's entire family. We're having Thanksgiving dinner in Philadelphia which is hosted by his Mom's side of the family, his cousins Merrie, Robin and their families. Then on Friday we head to Ocean City, New Jersey for an annual family reunion with Mike's Dad's side of the family. On Sunday, we will visit my brother Gary and his family for the day and then we'll drive home on Monday, hopefully avoiding traffic. If time permits, we'll stop in New Jersey and visit our friend Phil and eat some Dim Sum and possibly stop in Connecticut and visit my friend Rebecca and eat at Rein's Deli!

It will be lots and lots of driving, driving, and more driving, plus eating and more eating! Packing all my comfy pants! I can't wait to see everyone!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

Forecast: Jewelry Making Weekend Ahead!

This weekend I'm taking two jewelry making classes. Today at 10 am, I'm heading to PFlora Metal Arts in Canton, MA (my new happy place) to take this class.

The name of the class is "Nailed It" because we are using manicure art to make the impressions. That's all I know right now. There is still one space left in the class if you are an early riser and live nearby. Here's the link.

Tomorrow, I'm taking a private class with a group of friends down in Plymouth at The Art Shoppe. We'll be making the Sea Wave Copper Bracelet. I've taken one class here before just to check the place out and the instructor was great.

This class is only $30, and we have a few empty seats, so give me a call or email me if you want to join in the fun. The class starts at noon.

Mike is looking forward to playing his guitar this weekend and we're also meeting some friends for dinner. The Pug Boys are wondering if they are getting jewelled collars for Chanukah this year.

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

There will be beads...

This year I have had my own personal art renaissance. For many, many years I have devoted myself to sewing and quilting, but this year has been different. I've taken several different art classes and opened myself to new experiences and techniques. Marion and I started beading a year ago this past May, and it is a new hobby that I thoroughly enjoy. I also found a great art workshop near my house and have been taking lots of jewelry classes there.

I still like to sew and will continue to make quilts but thought you would enjoy seeing some of my newer endeavors.

Here's what happens when you combine two of your favorite things: beading and pugs!
 

This has been about six hours worth of love so far. It uses tiny, tiny size 15 seed beads. It is also dimensional, with several layers of felt to give it shape. Isn't my pug darling? It is intended to be a pin (brooch), but I want to try and put it on a large cuff bracelet.

This is a beaded embroidery kit that I bought on Etsy at The Lone Beader. Owner and designer, Diana Grygo, sells finished beaded dog and cat jewelry along with kits for her embroideries. I noticed that she lived nearby and reached out to her through Etsy and took a private bead embroidery lesson with her.

She invited me to her apartment and I was stunned and amazed to see the beautiful beaded "paintings" that she had displayed throughout her home. Diana works only in size 15 seed beads and creates large portraits of landmarks (the Citgo sign in Boston, the White House, and many more), vehicles, as well as pet portraits. I was so overwhelmed, I didn't take any photos. She is currently working on a beaded scene of Moscow. It is magnificent.

In addition to beads, there were babies!

Meet Pat's new twin granddaughters born on October 30th! Just in time for their first Halloween. Juliette is on the left, and Kerstin is on the right. So cute! I wish I could snuggle one right now!

BatMan enjoys beading too!

Thanks for the warm welcome back: Mary (glad you are safe from the fires in CA!), Colette, Mari (waving back to you and wishing I could see you at Thanksgiving), Lee Anna, Jenny, Julie and JulieRose!

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

Brown Baggers Take Rhode Island

Greetings Dear Blog Readers,

I hope that you remember me. I always find it ironic when new readers sign up when I haven't written for a while. Hopefully I won't disappoint them!

The intrepid Brown Baggers spent last weekend in Middletown, RI sewing up a storm. 

Nancy D. assembled a colorful quilt made from a previous year's birthday blocks.

Joanne S. was making a disappearing hour glass from a Missouri Star Quilt tutorial. You cut up the large block in the foreground (the hour glass) and reassemble it into the star block.

Joannie showed off one of her Bali Bedrunner blocks. Don't be fooled. She assembled it before the weekend... you may have seen it here...

Sally was working on her Double Wedding Ring quilt. It has a soft grey background that really makes the colors pop!

Joanne S. added a binding to the colorful quilt that we made for Emma, her great niece and our junior Brown Bagger quilter.

Kim G. made pillows with photos transferred to fabric.

Here's a close-up of the photo.

Cordula put bindings on three quilts. She made this quilt with scraps from pillowcases. The fabric features Volkswagen buses.

Marion finished the top of a t-shirt quilt she is making for her grandson Wyatt.

Cordula added a binding to this quilt too. She likes this pattern so much that she's made it three times.

Finally, Cordula also put a binding on this quilt. This pattern is Alba from Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Italy book. I love the autumnal colors. We all really admired this quilt. Although this is not my usual color pallete, I may have to copy Cordula's. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, you know.

Here's a close-up.

Joan S. made a potholder out of leftover quilt blocks.

I worked on a very old project that I started in 2002 at the Houston Quilt Festival with Charlotte Angotti. I finished five more blocks (for a total of nine) out of 30 blocks. I have finished making all the star pieces and sorted them into block packages. This quilt will have pieced sashing and a pieced border so it will be a long time before I finish it! Good thing I still like the colors!

Marion assembled her birthday block quilt. It is the same as Nancy's in the top photo, only Marion has made hers tall and skinny. Both Marion and Nancy D. plan to add outer borders to this quilt.

Jo Anne E. created this original design for a table runner.

On the design wall, you can see Nancy D.'s Double Wedding Ring in progress. It is all pastel 1930's prints.

A group photo. There were 10 of us in attendance but Joan S. left before we took a picture. I'm kneeling at the front left.

Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy